IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DOGWOOD (CORNELIAN WOOD) OR OTHER SIMILAR WOODS CONTAINING COLOURING MATTER, AND THE APPLICATION OF SAID PREPARED WOOD IN CERTAIN IN- DUSTRIAL PROCESSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Gardner, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DOGWOOD
(CORNELIAN WOOD) OR OTHER SIMILAR WOODS CONTAINING COLOURING
MATTER, AND THE APPLICATION OF SAID PREPARED WOOD IN CERTAIN IN-
DUSTRIAL PROCESSES."
Sealed the 12th February 1878, and dated the 21st November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Gardner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1877.
JOSEPH GARDNER, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PREPARATION OF DOGWOOD (CORNELIAN WOOD) OR OTHER SIMILAR WOODS
CONTAINING COLOURING MATTER, AND THE APPLICATION OF SAID PREPARED WOOD
IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES."
In the construction of rollers for separating flax and other fibres box wood is used;
this is very expensive, so we have tried dogwood instead. It is found, however,
that the coloring matter contained in it is apt to stain the fibre.
We accordingly extract or neutralize the dye, by making it insoluble. Different
woods require different treatment; some can be cleansed by steeping or boiling in
water or other chemicals which extract the dye.
With dogwood, however, I prefer to use acetate or other soluble salt of lead which
acts like a mordant, and fixes the dye so that it is inoperative for harm. The rollers
or wood is immersed in the solution, and thoroughly impregnated with it; any
excess can be washed off, if desirable.
This Invention is applicable for rollers or other similar structures used in the arts
in conjunction with steam, hot water, or other liquids for manipulating fibres.or
textile fabrics.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
May 1878.
JOSEPH GARDNER, of Bootle, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PREPARATION OF DOGWOOD (CORNELIAN WOOD) OR OTHER SIMILAR WOODS
CONTAINING COLOURING MATTER, AND THE APPLICATION OF SAID PREPARED WOOD
IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES."
Dogwood, though admirably calculated as regards grain and hardness for rollers
for flax fibres, is partially disqualified for this purpose on account of a dye contained
in the wood soluble in hot water.
Now, my Invention consists in extracting or neutralizing this dye. There are
numerous ways of doing this. Prolonged boiling in hot water or other solvent
might do, but it is troublesome, and injures the wood. The plan 1 prefer, however,
is a combination of several principles, namely, to fix or precipitate the extract as a
solid, to thoroughly wash the roller, and to in great part destroy the color of the
extract.
1st. As to precipitating the extract, I find that many salts of lead, tin, mercury,
and alumina will do this more or less, but that a soluble salt of lead, acetate of lead,
is by far the best. I therefore make a solution of acetate of lead of one ounce to a
gallon of water, and steep the rollers in this 24 hours. By this time they are practically
saturated.
2nd. I take the rollers out and thoroughly wash them in, preferably, hot water,
so as to extract all fice salts of lead. They can be left to steep for a few hours with
advantage, the water being changed three times during the period. If any difficulty
is experienced, however, in getting out the last traces of soluble lead salt, a small
quantity (say, 2 ounces to 10 gallons) of sulphate of soda can be added to the third
portion of wash water; this will precipitate any lead in the form of insoluble white
sulphate. This is one plan.
Another, better, and safer method, consists in steeping in the acetate of lead
solution as before; then without washing or drying, transfer the rollers to a solu-
tion of one ounce of chlorinated lime (which contains hypochlorate of calcium) to a
gallon of water, and let them steep for twelve hours. Then transfer them at once
to a third wash consisting of two ounces of ordinary hydrochloric acid to a gallon of
water, and let them steep for, say, three hours, till they acquire a clean or yellowish
appearance (a very little washing in clean water completes the process; and in
practice this is frequently altogether omitted by myself). The various solutions can
be used over again several times, but in such case they should be kept approxi-
mately up to their original strength by the addition of fresh quantities of chemicals.
The simplest mode of testing the acetate of lead solution is as follows:-Add 15
grains of powdered bichromate of potash to 985 grains distilled water, shake till
dissolved, take half a pint of the lead solution, and add the bichromate solution to it
until a drop of the mixture brought in contact with a drop of nitrate of silver
solution strikes a red or flesh colored tint, then note the number of grains of the
bichromate solution used, and six-tenths of that is almost exactly the number of
grains of acetate of lead in a gallon of the solution tested. Add sufficient to bring
it up to its standard strength, and the solution is ready for use again.
There is no easy test for the chlorinated lime solution. It is very cheap and can
be used fresh each time, or a little fresh chlorinated lime added whenever it
ceases to give off its peculiar scent.
Various tests, however, for chlorine are well known to chemists, and any one
wishing to be very accurate can use these. For the acid solution, add a few
drops of tincture of litmus to a wine glass full of water, pour in a tea-spoon-
ful of the acid solution; if it turns it red, the solution is active for the purpose
required; if not, add more acid.

page_text: Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of
working it, I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not bind myself to the
single process, or rather two processes herein described, as there are many
variations of the same that would perform the work required, but what I claim
as my Invention, and desire to protect under the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,-
1st. The manufacture of prepared dogwood and other similar woods containing a
tinctorial extract, by extracting, fixing, precipitating, or discolorising the said
extract.
2nd. The application of the said dogwood or other like wood to the construction
of rollers where a hard close-grained wood is required to manipulate textile or fibrous
materials in the wet state, such for instance as in wet flax spinning.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Gardner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witnesses,
THOMAS GLEAVE,
60, Great Mersey Street,
Liverpool.
W. P. THOMPSON,
Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
JOSEPH GARDNER. (L.S.)