AN IMPROVED SOAP
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Orth, of Wissembourg, in the Empire of
France, Merchant, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SOAP."
Sealed the 2nd May 1862, and dated the 5th November 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Orth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
November 1861.
I, HENRY ORTH, of Wissembourg, in the Empire of France, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SOAP,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture or the production of an improved
soap, whereby considerable economy is effected, and a soap is obtained having
cleansing and detergent properties equal to those in ordinary use, whilst it is
entirely free from any offensive odour.
This improved soap consists of a mixture or combination of about one
hundred parts in weight of finely levigated clay, such as pipe clay, china clay,
or other suitable aluminous or silicious earths; twenty parts of alkali, such as
potass or soda or the carbonates or bicarbonates of soda or potash, correspond-
ing to an equal amount of alkali, and twenty parts of resinous matter, such as
ordinary pine resin, or any other resin of a similar nature capable of being
saponified. These proportions may be varied according to the quantity of the
soap it is desired to obtain, and the uses to which it is intended to be applied.

page_text: In preparing this soap, the resinous and alkaline ingredients are mixed with
about fifty parts,, by weight, of water and boiled together, ebullition being con-
tinued until the alkali and the resin are combined and saponified. The sa-
ponified mass is then mixed with the argillaceous or earthy matters, the whole
being worked into a homogeneous paste, which is afterwards dried, and which is
then ready for use. It is evident that this soap may be prepared by mixing
the saponified mass with the suitable aluminous or silicious compounds, either
at an elevated or at the ordinary temperature..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Orth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
May 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
*ORTH, of Wissembourg, in the Empire of France, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen. Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Orth, Her special license that I, the said Henry Orth, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Orth, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all 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 "AN IMPROVED SOAP,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Orth, my ex-
ecutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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 Henry Orth, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 :-
My said Invention. relates. to the manufacture or .the production of an

page_text: improved soap, whereby considerable economy is effected, and a soap is obtained
having cleansing and detergent properties equal to those in ordinary use, whilst
it is entirely free from any offensive odour.
This improved soap consists of a mixture or combination of about one
hundred parts in weight of finely levigated clay, such as pipe clay, china clay,
or other suitable aluminous or silicious earths; twenty parts, of caustic alkali,
such as caustic potass, caustic soda, or caustic ammonia, or the carbonates or
bicarbonates of soda, potash, or ammonia, corresponding to an equal amount of
caustic alkali, and twenty parts of resinous matter, such as ordinary pine
resin, or any other resin of a similar nature capable of being saponified.
These proportions may be varied according to the quality of the soap it is
desired to obtain, and the uses to which it is intended to be applied.
In preparing this soap, the resinous and alkaline or caustic alkaline
ingredients are mixed with about fifty parts, by weight, of water, and boiled
together, ebullition being continued until the alkali and the resin are combined
and saponified. The saponified mass is then mixed with the argilaceous or
earthy matters, the whole being worked into a homogenous paste, which is
afterwards dried, and which is then ready for use. It is evident that this soap
may be prepared by mixing the saponified mass with the suitable aluminous or
silicious compounds, either at an elevated or at the ordinary temperature.
This soap is applicable to the washing of linen and other fabrics, and also to
the cleaning and polishing of hard surfaces, its cheapness offering considerable
advantages on the score of economy.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Orth, have to this my Specification,
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.