Im- PROVEMENTS IN WASHING, OR STEEPING, AND BLEACHING TEXTILE OR FIBROUS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING, OR STEEPING, AND BLEACHING TEXTILE OR FIBROUS
Sealed the 13th October 1865, and dated the 24th April 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
April 1865.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING, OR STEEPING, AND BLEACHING TEXTILE OR
FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the steeping and bleaching of all kinds of textile
matters by means of ammonia. I have found by experiment that ammoniacal
water, if employed in a heated state at a pressure of from two to six atmo-
spheres has no effect on the tenacity of the textile materials, while at same
time from its energetic action it surpasses all other fixed bases hitherto
employed for washing or steeping said matters.
Another very great advantage resulting from its use consists in the capability
of employing it again and again for an almost indefinite period, and this from
the possibility of depriving it of the water of dissolution at a temperature of

page_text: about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, when it is no longer subject to pressure. In
this manner the ammoniacal water may be very easily collected in a recipient
to be used again for a similar purpose, thus reducing the expense of steeping
to a minimum. In order to apply these means to the steeping of textilo
matters, I employ two distinct apparatus; the 1st consists of a closed steeping
apparatus, properly so called, which may be either fixed or made to rotate,
and furnished with an agitator or stirrer in its interior, the apparatus being
heated either by a furnace or by the admission of steam at a suitable pressure,
with which the matters under treatment are brought in contact, and with the
alkali, the action being effected under the double influence of an elevated
temperature and a continuous stirring.
The second apparatus consists of a condenser, which is bermetically closed
and placed in communication with the steeping apparatus by means of a cock,
when the steeping operation is terminated the condenser being cooled at same
time. In this manner all the alkaline portion of the liquid may be collected
in the condenser, leaving only in the steeping apparatus the water holding in
solution the disagregated extraneous matters dissolved by means of the
ammonia; the water is then removed and the washing process procceded
with as in ordinary. The ammoniacal water in the condenser is then supplied
with a little fresh ammonia to compensate for the slight waste which is
inevitable, and may then serve again for a similar purpose. This improved
steeping process may also be employed with advantage for bleaching generally,
as in paper-making, all kinds of dyeing in bleach works, and for domestic
purposes. In the latter case and for tissues generally, a pressure of about two
atmospheres is sufficient, the stirring being also unnecessary, and the appa-
ratus may be heated in an open furnace, taking the precaution to place a
vessel concentrically in the interior of the apparatus, which vessel is pierced
with holes in which the fabrics are placed, in order to avoid touching the
metal surface of the boiler, which is in direct contact with the fire. After
steeping in this manner the employment of soap will be unnecessary, it being
sufficient to rince the linen or other fabrics in pure water.
For the treatment of matters employed in the manufacture of paper it is
preferable to employ either fixed or rotary steeping apparatus provided with
stirrers, as before mentioned, a pressure of from three to six atmospheres
being required to ensure a perfect action. The application of ammonia for
steeping rags permits, in addition to the economy obtained by the indefinite
employment of the same ammonia, of greatly reducing the proportion of
chlorine or chloride of lime employed from the great affinity of ammonia for
all coloring matters.

page_text: Lastly, this process as applied to the treatment of the succedaneous pulps
employed for the manufacture of paper ensures a great reduction in the cost
of manufacture
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd October 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Williamı Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WASHING, OR STEEPING, AND BLEACHING TEXTILE OR FIBROUS MATERIALS," a
communication to me from abroad by Messieurs Neyret, Orioli, and Fredet,
Paper Pulp Manufacturers, all of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to the steeping and bleaching of all kinds of textile
matters by means of ammonia. I have found by experiments that ammoniacal

page_text: water if employed in a heated state at a pressure of from two to six atmo-
spheres has no effect on the tenacity of the textile materials, while at samo.
time from its energetic action it surpasses all other fixed bases, hitherto
employed for washing or steeping said matters.
Another very great advantage resulting from its use consists in the capability
of employing it again and again for an almost indefinite period, and this from
the possibility of depriving it of the water of dissolution at a temperature of
about one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit, when it is no longer subject
to pressure. In this manner the ammoniacal water may be very easily
collected in a recipient to be used again for a similar purpose, thus reducing
the expense of steeping to a minimum. In order to apply these means to the
steeping of textile matters, I employ two distinct apparatus, the first consists
of a closed steeping apparatus, properly so called, which may be either fixed
or made to rotate, and furnished with an agitator or stirrer in its interior, the
apparatus being heated either by a furnace or by the admission of steam at a
suitable pressure, in which apparatus the matters under treatment are brought
n contact with the alkali, the action being effected under the double influence
of an elevated temperature and a continuous stirring.
The second apparatus consists of a condenser, which is hermetically closed
and placed in communication with the steeping apparatus by means of a cock,
when the steeping operation is terminated, the condenser being cooled at
same time. In this manner all the alkaline portion of the liquid may be
collected in the condenser, leaving only in the steeping apparatus the water
holding in solution the disagregated extraneous matters dissolved by means of
the ammonia; the water is then removed and the washing process proceeded
with, as in ordinary. The ammoniacal water in the condenser is then supplied
with a little fresh ammonia to compensate for the slight waste which is
inevitable, and may then serve again for a similar purpose. This improved
steeping process may also be employed with advantage for bleaching generally as
in paper-making, all kinds of dyeing in bleach works, and for domestic washing
purposes. In the latter case, and for fabrics generally, a pressure of about
two atmospheres is sufficient, the stirring being also unnecessary, and the
apparatus may be heated in an open fire, taking the precaution to place a
vessel concentrically in the interior of the apparatus, this vessel is pierced
with holes in which the fabrics are placed, in order to avoid touching the
After
metal surface of the boiler, which is in direct contact with the fire.
steeping in this manner the employment of soap will be unnecessary, it being
sufficient to rince the linen or other fabrics in pure water.
For the treatment of matters employed in the manufacture of paper, it is

page_text: preferable to employ either fixed or rotary steeping apparatus provided with
stirrers, as before mentioned, a pressure of from three to six atmospheres
being required to ensure a perfect action. The application of ammonia for
steeping rags or other fabrics permits (in addition to the economy obtained in
the indefinite employment of the same ammonia) of greatly reducing the
proportion of chlorine or chloride of lime employed from the great affinity of
ammonia for all coloring matters.
Lastly, this process is applied to the treatment of the succedaneous pulps
employed for the manufacture of paper, ensures a great reduction in the cost
of manufacture.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved methods
of washing and bleaching all kinds of textile materials by means of ammonia,
all as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
0 Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)