IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING, REVIVING, AND TINTING WHITE AND COLORED FEATHERS AND SILK FABRICS AND GOODS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin
to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of 35,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING, REVIVING,
AND TINTING WHITE AND COLORED FEATHERS AND SILK FABRICS AND
GOODS." A communication from abroad by Achille Serre, of
Sannois, in the Department of Seine-et-Oise, in the Empire of
France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,. with.
his Petition, on the 13th April 1868.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 35; Southampton Buildings;
5 in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do. hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN. BLEACHING, REVIVING, AND
TINTING WHITE AND COLORED FEATHERS AND SILK FABRICS AND GOODS,"
communicated to me from abroad by Achille Serre, of Sannois, in. the:

page_text: Department of Seine-et-Oise, in the Empire of France, to be as
follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in bleaching, reviving,
and tinting white and colored feathers and silk fabrics and goods.
The articles to be bleached are placed for a short time in a vat or
vessel containing benzine or turpentine; they are then removed and
are afterwards washed and dried in the air or under a mild temperature.
The goods to be bleached may also be passed into a bath of alcohol
having a small quantity. of oxalic acid added thereto. For tinting
feathers or silk I also employ a bath of alcohol having the required
coloring matter and a small quantity of sulphuric acid added thereto.
For obtaining vivified shades a similar bath is employed but having
no oxalic acid placed therein. The goods are passed rapidly through
the baths, and after removal therefrom they are submitted to the action
of a. current of steam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 13th October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BEN-
JAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in;
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, Her
special licence that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my executors, administrators, and
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 INPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING,

page_text: REVIVING, AND TINTING WHITE AND COLOURED FEATHERS AND SILK FABRICS
AND GOODS," a communication to him from abroad by Achille Serre, of
Sannois, in the Department of Seine-et-Oise, in the Empire of France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills, 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 Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thercof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in bleaching, reviving,
and tinting white and coloured feathers and silk fabrics and goods.
The articles to be bleached are placed for a short time in a vat or
vessel containing benzine or turpentine, such articles being immersed
for the space of at least two minutes in such benzine or turpentine;
they are then removed and washed in a current of steam, and afterwards
dried in the air or by artificial means under a mild temperaturc.
The goods to be bleached are also passed into a bath containing the
purest alcohol and a small quantity of oxalic acid about one ounce
of oxalic acid being used with about 5 quarts of alcohol; the oxalic acid
is previously dissolved, as will be well understood, and then mixed with
the alcohol. After being passed through the above bath the goods
are washed and dried as before stated. For tinting silk or feathers
a bath of alcohol is employed to which are added the required coloring
matter and a small quantity of sulphuric acid (about one ounce of
sulphuric acid to about 8 quarts of alcohol), the colouring matter being
previously dissolved and then mixed with the alcohol, the colouring
matters being such as are capable of being dissolved in alcohol or held
in suspension therein and varying according to shade required, as will
be well understood, aniline colors being found to answer well.
goods are passed rapidly through this bath and then washed and dried
as before, the uniformity of shade depending very much upon the
rapidity with which the operation is performed. For obtaining vivified
The

page_text: shades a similar bath is employed but having no oxalic acid placed
therein, the goods being rapidly passed through the bath and then
washed in a current of steam and dried as before stated.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
mode in which the same may be carried into effect, I would have it t
understood that what I claim is, the improvements in bleaching, reviving,
and tinting white and colored feathers and silk fabrics and goods in
manner substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of 1
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.