IMPROVEMENTS IN SOAP AND DETERGENT PREPARATIONS OR COMPOUNDS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Maria Bounsall Rowland, of Acton Green, in the
County of Middlesex, Widow, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SOAP AND DETERGENT PREPARATIONS OR COMPOUNDS."
Sealed the 10th November 1857, and dated the 19th May 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Maria Bounsall Rowland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on
the 19th May '1857.
I, MARIA BOUNSALL ROWLAND, of Acton Green, in the County of Middlesex,
Widow, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SOAP AND DETERGENT PREPARATIONS OR COMPOUNDS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in soap and detergent preparations or
compounds relates, first, to the combination with any of the ordinary kinds
of soap of certain chemical ingredients or substances, whereby the detergent
qualities of the soap may be greatly increased, and the compound rendered
more particularly applicable for washing or cleansing under linen or clothing
or fabrics. To a solution of soap dissolved in hot water I add ammonia or its
compounds, and also some liquid hydrocarbon, such as turpentine, coal tar,
[Price-8d1

page_text: naphtha, camphine, or other analogous substances. In place of a portion of
these latter ingredients, I for some purposes use rosin or rosin oil, to which, if
required, may be added a sufficient quantity of caustic alkali to saponify the
oil. The proportions of the different ingredients must be regulated in some
measure by the nature of the soap with which they are mixed, and also in
reference to the purpose for which the compound is to be employed. I
would observe that I have generally found it preferable that the incorpora-
tion or amalgamation of the several ingredients should be effected in the
presence of heat, whereby the admixture is considerably facilitated.
The above ingredients, which will form the basis of all my detergent pre-
parations, may for some purposes be used without admixture with ordinary
soap, and in addition to the chemical substances above mentioned; Isometimes
propose to employ essential oils or scents, so as to render the preparation
more suitable for the toilet table. These scents will not be employed with
the view of improving or assisting the detergent properties of the compound,
but simply to mask the odor or smell of the chemical ingredients. The
particular nature of the scent or volatile oil employed for the above purpose
may be left to the judgment of the manufacturer; and I would observe, that
for toilet purposes, where expense is not a very material point, it is preferable
to use hydrocarbons or their equivalents of best quality and purity.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Maria Bounsall Rowland in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARIA
BOUNSALL ROWLAND, of Acton Green, of the County of Middlesex, Widow,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date the Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Maria Bounsall Rowland, Her special license that I; the said Maria Bounsall
Rowland; my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Mária Bounsall Rowland, 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,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SOAP AND DETERGENT PREPARATIONS OR COMPOUNDS,"
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Maria Bounsall Rowland, by an instrument
in writing under my 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 Maria Bounsall Rowland, 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
following statement (that is to say):—
My Invention of "Improvements in Soap and Detergent Preparations or
Compounds" relates, first, to the combination with any of the ordinary kinds
of soap of certain chemical ingredients or substances, whereby the detergent
qualities of the soap may be greatly increased, and the compound rendered
more particularly applicable for washing or cleansing under linen or clothing,
or woollen, linen, or other fabrics. To a solution of soap dissolved in hot
water I add ammonia or certain of its compounds, and also some liquid
hydrocarbon or equivalent substance, such as turpentine, mineral or coal
tar, naphtha, camphine, benzole, or other analogous substances obtained by
the distillation of bituminous or resinous substances. The proportions in
which the different ingredients should be mixed must be regulated in
some measure by the nature of the soap with which they are to be com-
bined, and also in reference to the purpose for which the compound is
to be employed. I would observe that I have found it preferable that the
incorporation or amalgamation of the several ingredients should be effected in
the presence of heat, whereby the admixture is considerably facilitated, but
too great a heat is objectionable, as it is liable to vaporize the more volatile
substances. The above ingredients, which form the basis of all my detergent
preparations, may for some purposes be used without admixture with ordinary
soap or with but a small quantity of the latter; but I find it advisable to
employ some material, such as farina, dextrine, or some gelatinous or mucila-
ginous substance that is soluble in water, the use of which substance with a
small quantity of saponaceous matter is to form a vehicle for holding the other
materials in suspension or mechanical combination. And in addition to the
chemical substances above mentioned, I sometimes employ essential oils or

page_text: scents, so as to render the preparation more suitable or agreeable for the
toilet. These scents will not be employed with the view of improving or
assisting the detergent properties of the compound, but simply to mask the
odour or smell of the chemical ingredients, they may therefore, if desired, be
altogether omitted. The particular nature of the scent or volatile oil
employed for the above purpose may be left to the judgment of the manu-
facturer; and I would observe, that for toilet purposes, where expense is
not a very material point, it is preferable to use hydrocarbons or their
equivalents of the best quality and purity.
In order, however, that my improvements may be clearly understood, I will
now proceed to state the proportions of the different materials which I have
found to give the most satisfactory results, and I will also explain the mode of
combining them, premising, however, that the proportions herein-after named
admit of considerable modification, and must depend in some measure upon
the nature and quality of the soap with which the other ingredients are com-
bined. I would also observe, that the soap that I have hitherto employed for
the purposes of my Invention is that manufactured by William Gossage, under
his Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third April One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five, but other kinds of soap may doubtless be employed
with advantage; I do not therefore mean or intend to confine myself to the
use of any particular kind or manufacture of soap, although I prefer to use
the yellow soap manufactured and sold by William Gossage, as aforesaid.
The proportions and mode of mixing the several ingredients which I have
found most convenient are as follows:-Three pounds of soap are to be
dissolved in one pound by weight of water with the addition of heat, by means
of a naked fire or other suitable application of heat, to assist in dissolving the
soap to another pound of water I add two ounces of farina, flour, dextrine,
starch, oatmeal, or other analogous substance, and when the water and farina
are well mixed, they are to be boiled until they are brought to a pasty con-
sistence, after which the latter substance, while in a heated state, is to be
added to the melted or dissolved soap, and the whole mass beated together
and well mixed by stirring until a perfect incorporation or amalgamation of
the materials is effected, or, if preferred, the whole of the water may be
mixed with the flour and converted into a pasty mass by boiling, and the soap
may be dissolved therein instead of being melted separately. The mixture
when well incorporated is to be removed from the fire and stirred with any
suitable instrument until it has somewhat cooled, and the temperature of the
mixture of soap, water, and farinaceous matter has fallen to about one hundred

page_text: degrees Fahrenheit, when eight ounces by weight of turpentine, mineral
naphtha, camphine, benzole, or some other equivalent substance, together
with a similar quantity of a saturated solution of carbonate of ammonia must
be added. The whole must then be again well stirred to effect a minute and
thorough incorporation of all the ingredients, and when this is done, the
composition may be run off into suitable vessels or receptacles, in which it
must be closed air-tight to prevent evaporation. To the saturated solution
of carbonate of ammonia, employed as above, may be added about half an
ounce of the liquor ammoniae of the Pharmacopeia Londiniensis for every four
ounces of the saturated solution of carbonate of ammonia. Or, in place of
the dextrine, flour, or other farinaceous matter above mentioned, I sometimes
employ an equivalent quantity of gelatine, glue, or some other analogous
gelatinous or mucilaginous substance, which will give a body to the pre-
paration and assist in holding the materials in combination. For making a
detergent preparation or composition for common use, common mineral or coal
tar, naphtha, or turpentine may be the hydrocarbon employed, and a larger
proportion of liquor ammoniae than that above mentioned may be advan-
tageously introduced; but for a detergent preparation for toilet purposes, or
for washing or cleansing body linen, I prefer to use the best rectified cam-
phine, or some other analogous material that does not possess the pungent and
disagreeable odour of mineral or coal tar, naphtha, or turpentine. Or, if
preferred, the carbonate of ammonia may be added to the pasty saponaceous
mass in a dry pulverized state, in the proportion of a quarter of an ounce of
dry carbonate of ammonia to every pound of soap. When the ingredients
have become cold, the mass will be about the consistence of soft soap, and
when used for washing linen, about four ounces of the mixture should be
added to about twelve gallons of hot water and stirred therein until quite
dissolved; the clothes or linen to be operated upon may then be put in
and well stirred up with a stick or other convenient implement until the dirt
is removed, after which they may, if desired, be boiled for a few minutes and
then rinsed in fresh warm water, when they will be found to be well cleansed
from all dirt and stains.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Soap and
Detergent Preparations or Compounds," and having explained the best mean
with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, the combination with saponaceous
matters, as aforesaid, of ammonia or certain of its compounds or salts, together.
with turpentine, mineral or coal tar, naphtha, camphine, benzole, or other

page_text: analogous or equivalent substances, for the purpose of producing an improved
soap or detergent preparation or composition.
In witness whereof, I, the said Maria Bounsall Rowland, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of November, in the
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
year
MARIA BOUNSALL ROWLAND. (L.S.)
Witness,
C. J. WINTERSGILL,
6, Chancery Lane.