IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING WOOL AND IN SOLUTIONS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to André Prosper Rochette, of Petit quevilly près Rouen, in
the Republic of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING
WOOL AND IN SOLUTIONS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said André Prosper Rochette at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June 1877.
ANDRÉ PROSPER ROCHETTE, of Petit quevilly près Rouen, in the Republic of
France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING WOOL AND IN SOLUTIONS EMPLOYED FOR
THIS PURPOSE.”
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing wool.
At the present time it is usual in washing wool to dissolve soap by boiling in
water, and to take a measure of the soap solution thus prepared and add it to the
water in the vat in which the wool is washed.
According to this Invention I take stearic acid, or other fatty matter, and pearl ash
or other such like alkali, and boil them together until a soapy solution is obtained,
and this I use in the same way as the solution prepared from soap is now
employed.
The following proportions are suitable:-04 lbs. stearine, and 46 lbs. pearl ashes
or carbonate of potash, in, say, 100 gallons of water, and this mixture is equal to
one pack of ordinary soap dissolved in the same quantity of water (100 gallons).

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said André Prosper Rochette in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
December 1877.
ANDRÉ PROSPER ROCHETTE, of Petit quevilly près Rouen, in the Republic of
France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING WOOL AND IN SOLUTIONS EMPLOYED FOR
THIS PURPOSE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in washing wool.
At the present time it is usual in washing wool to dissolve soap by boiling in
water, and to take a measure of the soap solution, thus prepared, and add it to the
water in the vat in which the wool is washed.
According to this Invention I take stearic acid or other fatty matter, and pearl ash
or other such like alkali, and boil them together until a soapy solution is obtained,
and this I use in the same way as the solution prepared from soap is now
employed.
As the soaps now used for acting on various qualities of wool vary in quality, so
the proportions in which the materials are used in the manner above described
should be varied so as to make the solutions equal to the quality of soap that would
have been required. To equal a pack of soap of the value, say of 70%, dissolved in
such quantity of water as to make 100 gallons of solution, I propose to dissolve
90 lbs. stearine, and 38 lbs. of carbonate of potass in water to make 100 gallons of
solution, to be used in the same way as the solution prepared from soap is now
employed. To equal a pack of soap of 45*, I propose to use 56 lbs. of stearine,
and 42 lbs. carbonate of potass to make the same quantity of solution. I have
advised the use of stearine, being the best material, as it leaves more weight of wool,
and gives also a better color to the wool, but to reduce the price of my mixture any
quality of fatty matter less costly may be used; in fact, if the quantity and quality
of fatty matter contained in a pack of soap are known, the same materials mixed
and boiled in water with about 40 lbs. of carbonate of potass will wash an equal
quantity of wool as the pack of soap. By this process I save the cost of the
manufacture of the soap.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim my improvements in the washing
of wool, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said André Prosper Rochette, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.