Improvements in and relating to the Printing and Mercerising of Cotton Fabrics.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1895-Accepted, 10th Aug.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Printing and Mercerising of
Cotton Fabrics.
.
We, WILLIAM EDWARD KAY, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, Chemist, and
THE THORNLIEBANK COMPANY, LIMITED, of 4 West Regent Street, Glasgow,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
The improvements relate to the printing of cotton fabrics which have portions of
their surfaces sbrunk, or what is known as "mercerised," which causes the portions
not so shrunk to "full" or crinkle; and the improvements have for object to
produce fabrics of this character with white or coloured" crinkled " patterns on
aniline black or indigo blue dyed grounds; which grounds require to be produced
or developed previous to the mercerising operation.
The production of mercerised fabrics with grounds in colours which can be
applied simultaneously with the mercerising material has been already attained, but
the present invention is distinct therefrom, although the merely mercerised effects
are obtained in similar manner thereto.
To accomplish our present improvements, in the case of aniline black, we first
treat the fabric with a solution capable of forming aniline black when subjected to
the steaming or ageing process, which treatment is well understood.
We next print the pattern which is to be fulled or crinkled, with a gum resist,
but combined with an aniline black resist, and also, when desired, with a suitable
colour, for example, in such manner as is described in our Specification of Letters
Patent No. 713 of 1893 for "an improved process for the production of coloured
patterns upon aniline black grounds in calico printing."
We then steam or age the fabric, whereby the black is developed on the ground,
the pattern portions resisting the same.
After this the fabric is padded with a solution of caustic alkali, of the
requisite strength, by preference about 70° Twaddel, which shrinks the ground,
or the portions not treated with gum resist, and so produces the fulling or crinkling
of the pattern.
At all necessary stages, the fabric is dried,' as will be well
understood.
In the case of indigo-blue we proceed in an analogous manner. Upon the
fabric, which has previously been dyed over its whole surface with indigo blue
in well known manner, we print the pattern which is to be fulled or crinkled with
a gum resist to prevent mercerisation as before, but in addition we admix with the
gum resist chemical reagents such as are well known to calico printers, to
be capable of discharging or destroying the colour of indigo blue when subjected
to the operation of steaming and after such discharge is effected, we proceed to
mercerise the non printed portion, by padding with caustic alkali in the manner
before described.
Variations in detail may be made, such as, for instance, in the particular method
of treating the cloth, previous to mercerisation, for the production of the aniliue
black or indigo blue ground and of the white or coloured pattern thereupon; in
the colour or colours and design of the pattern or crinkled portion; in the strength
and mode of application of the mercerising mixture, without departing from the
peculiar character of the invention.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1901.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent..

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Printing and Mercerising of
Cotton Fabrics.
We, WILLIAM EDWARD KAY, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, Chemist, and
THE THORNLIEBANK COMPANY LIMITED, of 4, West Regent Street, Glasgow,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The improvements relate to the printing of cotton fabrics which have portions
of their surfaces shrunk, or what is known as mercerised, which causes the portions
not so shrunk to full or crinkle, and the improvements have for object to produce
fabrics of this character with white or coloured crinkled patterns on aniline
black or indigo blue dyed or other printed or coloured grounds, which grounds
require to be produced or developed previous to the mercerising operation,
and of which grounds aniline black and indigo blue may be taken as typical
examples.
We employ the verb to "full" in the sense of to frill or to pucker.
The production of mercerised fabrics with grounds in colours which can be
applied simultaneously with the mercerising material has been already attained, and
is described in our Specification numbered 19,388, and dated October 12th 1894;
but the present invention is distinct therefrom, although the merely mercerised
effects are obtained in similar manner thereto.
To accomplish our present improvements, in the case of aniline black,
we first treat the fabric with a solution which is capable of forming aniline
black when subjected to the steaming or ageing process, which treatment is well
understood.
We next print that portion of the pattern which is to be fulled or crinkled
with a thickening, prepared, by preference, from a highly calcined gum, or gum
gedda, (which substances act as a resist to the mercerising material, though
other equivalent resists may be employed for this purpose), to which thickening
is added a chemical reagent or reagents constituting an aniline black resist,
and also, when desired, a suitable colour, for example in such manner as is
described in our Specification of Letters Patent No. 713 of 1893, for "an improved
process for the production of coloured patterns upon aniline black grounds in
calico printing."
We then steam or age the fabric, whereby the black is developed on the ground,
the printed pattern portions resisting the same.
After this the fabric is padded, by preference at a paddling mangle, with a
solution of caustic alkali, of the requisite strength, (by preference caustic soda
at about 70° Twaddel,) which shrinks the ground, or the portions not treated
with gum resist, and so produces the fulling or crinkling of the pattern. To this
solution of caustic alkali we may add, when desirable, a suitable colour.
At all necessary stages the fabric is dried, as will be well understood; and,
after leaving the padding mangle, it is caused to lie untouched for a short time,
to allow the caustic to complete its action, prior to the washing and finishing
processes.
In the case of indigo blue we proceed in an analogous manner.
Upon the fabric, which has previously been dyed over its whole surface with
indigo blue, in well known manner, we print the pattern which is to be fulled or
crinkled with a gum resist, to prevent mercerisation as before, but in addition we
admix with the gum resist chemical reagents such as are well known to calico
printers to be capable of discharging or destroying the colour of indigo blue

page_text: when subjected to the operation of steaming; and we also add, when desired, a
suitable colour, with, when requisite, its appropriate mordant; and, after such
discharge is effected, we proceed to mercerise the non-printed portion by
padding with caustic alkali, or caustic alkali and colour, in the manner before
described.
The same operation may be employed, but with suitable discharges, in lieu of
the indigo blue discharge, in the case of fabrics dyed with other colours; and, in
like manner, fabrics having an all-over or a partly printed surface, or a partly
dyed surface, may be subjected to the printing operation-for the crinkled portion―
of gum resist and discharge materials.
In some cases, we may, if desired, print with the resist and discharge materials
prior to the treatment of the fabric with the dyeing or colouring substances.
Variations in detail may be made, such as, for instance, in the particular method
of treating the cloth previous to mercerisation, for the production of the aniline
black or indigo blue or coloured ground; and of the white or coloured patteru
thereupon; in the colour or colours, and design of the pattern or crinkled portion;
in the strength, and mode of application of the mercerising mixture, without.
departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. Printed cotton fabrics being in parts thereof of the character known as
mercerised, prepared by treating them, all-over or partly, with undeveloped
aniline black solution, and printing thereon a pattern or patterns in gum or
equivalent resist combined with a chemical reagent or reagents constituting an
aniline black resist, or in gum and aniline black resist and colour, and afterwards
treating such fabrics, when steamed or aged, with an all-over application of
caustic alkali, or a mixture of caustic alkali and colour, whereby the portions
not resisted are shrunk as desired, for the purpose and in manner substantially as
herein set forth.
2. Printed cotton fabrics being in parts thereof of the character known as
mercerised, prepared by treating them, all-over or partly, with indigo blue or other
colour and printing upon such fabrics a pattern or patterns in gum or equivalent
resist, combined with a chemical reagent or reagents constituting an indigo or other
discharge suitable to the particular colour, or in resist, discharge and colour; and
afterwards treating such fabrics, when steamed, with an all-over application of
caustic alkali, or a mixture of caustic alkali and colour, whereby the portions not
resisted are shrunk as desired, for the purpose and in manner substantially as
herein set forth.
Dated this 2nd dox of Tule, 1805
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.