CERTAIN IM-. PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MADDER ROOTS, MUNJEET, OR OTHER PLANTS OF A SIMILAR CLASS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Mucklow, of Bury, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist; for the Invention of "CERTAIN IM-.
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MADDER ROOTS, MUNJEET, OR OTHER
PLANTS OF A SIMILAR CLASS."
Scaled the 21st August 1860, and dated the 24th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Mucklow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
February 1860.
I, EDWARD MUCKLOW, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MADDER ROOTS, MUNJEET, OR OTHER PLANTS
OP A SIMILAR CLASS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a peculiar treatment of madder roots, munjeet, and
plants of a similar class, whereby they are cleansed more effectually than.
hitherto from such impurities as would otherwise mask or interfere with the
color or dyeing properties of the roots. The improved treatment consists in
subinitting: the madder roots, munjeet, and plants of a similar class to the
following process, preparatory and prior to their being ground or pulverized in.
contradistinction to grinding or pulverizing them first, and then. submitting.
them to the same or a similar, process, by which latter method the impurities
become ground together with the roots, rendering their thorough separation
after such grinding almost impossible... I take the madder roots and steep.

page_text: them in pure cold water at about the temperature of the atmosphere, or water
that may be slightly impregnated with any neutral salt or earthy or other
matters not having the properties of dissolving or acting as a solvent upon the
coloring principle contained in the roots, or they may be saturated and treated
in various ways by pressure and vacuum, the object being to effect the thorough
saturation of the roots, which may take, according to the means used and the
quality of the roots, say from one to six hours. In countries where the roots
are grown the saturation may be unnecessary, the roots are to be taken and
subjected to severe hydraulic or other pressure, by which means the saccharine
matter, impurities, and other organic substances are expelled in the state
of solubility, and the pressure increased and repeated as often as found
necessary. By this simple means the roots containing the coloring matter
and undissolved fibres are freed from the said impurities, then the roots are
to be removed from the press, dried and ground, in which state. I propose to
term the product refined madder. In this state it will be found that (not
having been treated with acids or alkali) the improved refined madder will
answer every purpose, and become an economical substitute for what is now
termed "finest ground madder." Thus in, freeing madder roots and plants of
a similar species from the impurities they contain preparatory to grinding
them, I am enabled to effect the separation of such foreign particles from the
roots more easily, and also produce a more pure and better description of
dveing material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Mucklow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL. COME, I, EDWARD
MUCKLOW, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Edward Mucklow, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Mucklow, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Mucklow, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: times thereafter 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MADDER ROOTS, MUNJEET, OR:
OTHER PLANTS OF A SIMILAR CLASS," upon the condition, amongst others, that I,
the said Edward Mucklow, by an instrument in writing under iny hand and
seal, 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 Edward Mucklow, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and 'in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to a peculiar treatment of madder roots, munjeet, and
plants of a similar class, whereby they are cleansed more effectually than
hitherto from such impurities as would otherwise mask or interfere with the
color or dyeing properties of the roots.
The improved treatment consists in submitting the madder roots, munjeet,"
&c., to the following process preparatory and prior to their being ground or.
pulverized, in contradistinction to grinding or pulverizing them first and then
submitting them to the same or a similar process, by which latter method the
impurities become ground together with the roots, rendering their thorough
separation after such grinding almost impossible. I take tho madder roots
and steep them in pure cold water, or water that may be slightly impregnated
with my neutral salt or earthy or other matters not having the properties of
dissolving, or acting as a solvent upon the coloring principle contained in the
roots, or they may be saturated and treated in various ways by pressure and
vacuum, the object being to effect the thorough saturation of the roots, which
may take, according to the means used, and the quality of the roots, say from
one to six hours.
In countries where the roots are grown the saturation may
he unnecessary. the roots are to be taken and subjected to severe hydraulic or
other pressure, by which means mucilagenous, saccharine, and other organic
substances are in part expelled in the state of solubility, and the pressure
increased and repeated as often as found necessary. By this simple means
the roots containing the coloring matter and undissolved fibres are partially.
freed from the said matters, then the roots are to be removed from the press,
dried and ground, in which state I propose to term the product. refined
madder. In this state it will be found that (not laying been treated-with

page_text: acids or alkali) the improved refined madder will answer every purpose, and
become an economical substitute for what is now termed "finest ground
madder." Thus by. freeing madder roots, munjeet, and plants of a similar
species from the impurities or non-coloring organic matter they contain
preparatory to grinding them, I am enabled to effect the separation of such
foreign particles from the roots more easily, and also produce a purer and
better description of dyeing material. Also madder thus refined will not stain
(to so great an extent) the immordanted or white portions of the fabrics to
be dyed; and for the purpose of dyeing Turkey red, as also printed fabrics, will
also greatly economise the use of soap and other alkalies in clearing and
producing the finer shades of colors printed on cotton, linen, or silk fabrics.
The refined madder will also be valuable in the manufacture of garancine,
alozarnic, or other madder extracts, and for such purpose will greatly
economise the use of acids or alkalis in such preparations, and finally it will
prove a more valuable and economic article for commercial purposes than
that which is manufactured by grinding the roots first and then washing or
extracting the coloring and dyeing properties as now generally adopted.
I would also remark, that the mucilagenous, saccharine, and other organic
impurities expressed from the roots are equally available for fermentation and
distillation as if taken from the ground madder, and any of the coloring
matter which may be expelled with the said impurities may be recovered by
precipitating it with fresh or waste mineral acids.
.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practicable effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim freeing madder roots, munjeet, and plants of a similar
class from the impurities, they contain by the above mode of treatment, and
by submitting them to severe pressure when in a moist state, and previously
to their being dried and cut, ground or pulverized, by which means the said
impurities or extraneous matters are more readily and effectually separated.
from the roots than by adopting the means ordinarily employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Mucklow, have hereunto set.
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
EDWARD MUCKLOW. (L.8.)