IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANTI-FLAMMABLE STARCH
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Tobiah Pepper, of No. 17, Newington Green, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ANTI-FLAMMABLE STARCH."
Sealed the 23rd January 1866, and dated the 26th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Tobiah Pepper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
July 1865.
I, TOBIAH PEPPER, of No. 17, Newington Green, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANTI-FLAMMABLE STARCH," to be as follows,
that is to say:-
The several Inventions or discoveries which have hitherto been patented
for the laudable purpose of preventing the loss of life by fire are all more or
less affected by those objectionable qualities which have operated against their
adoption and usefulness, such as being,-
Firstly, corrosive, by which the fabrics dressed with them are destroyed.
Secondly, deliquescent, producing a limp and damp state of the articles.
Thirdly, efflorescent, which gives the articles a thick and dusty appearance.
Fourthly, rough, which prevents the articles from being ironed.
Fifthly, discolouring, by which the colour of fabrics is injured.

page_text: Sixthly, ineffective, allowing in some cases even a partial flaming, and in
others a total destruction of the articles by a steady burning of the charcoal
and a rapid smouldering away of the material.
The object of this Invention is to prevent the destruction of life and
property through the ravages of fire, by the use of an improved starch or
composition consisting of such chemicals and other ingredients as will most
effectually prevent all textile fabrics from flaming however long they may be
exposed to fire, while at the same time it shall be free from those objection-
able qualities which have been the cause of failure in former Inventions.
As I cannot as yet discover any single chemical which will alone answer
the several purposes required, I therefore make a combination of chemicals
and other ingredients possessing those peculiar properties which though singly
they would be insufficient for the great object sought to be obtained, yet in
their properly combined form they mutually operate to produce the important
results so much required.
In order to render this Invention of universal adaptation to textile fabrics
of all kinds, and for all purposes and uses, I prepare it both with and without
stiffening properties.
To secure stiffening properties, I prepare starch either in the manufacture
or in its after treatment, by incorporating therewith from 10 to 20 per cent.
of albume, gelatine, or gum, and about 5 per cent. of glycerine.
To secure anti-flammable properties, I combine with the above prepared
starch a composition of the following chemicals in or about the proportions
as under, videlicet:-Sulphate of ammonia, 100 parts; sulphate of zinc,
50 parts; and sulpho or phospho glycerate of ammonia or calcium, 50 parts; or
stearate of glycerine and tungstate of ammonia or soda, 10 parts. With this
anti-flammable composition I incorporate about 40 per cent. of the above
stiffening composition when this starch is to be used for textile fabrics which
require to be stiffened.
When this starch is to be used for such textile fabrics as should not be
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Tobiah Pepper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
I 1966

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Tobiah Pepper, Her special licence that I, the said Tobiah
Pepper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Tobiah Pepper, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ANTI-FLAMMABLE STARCH," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Tobiah Pepper, 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 per-
formed, 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 Tobiah Pepper, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The several Inventions or discoveries which have hitherto been patented
for the laudable purpose of preventing the loss of life by fire are all more or
less affected by those objectionable qualities which have operated against their
adoption and usefulness, such as being,-
Firstly, corrosive, by which the fabrics dressed with them are destroyed.
Secondly, deliquescent, producing a limp and damp state of the articles.
Thirdly, efflorescent, which gives the articles a thick and dusty appearance.
Fourthly, rough, which prevents the articles from being ironed.
Fifthly, discolouring, by which the colour of the fabrics is injured.
Sixthly, ineffective, allowing in some cases even a partial flaming, and in
others a total destruction of the articles by a steady burning of the charcoal
and a rapid smouldering away of the material.
The object of this Invention is to prevent the destruction of life and
property through the ravages of fire, by the use of an improved starch or
composition consisting of such chemicals and other ingredients as will most
effectually prevent all textile fabrics from flaming, however long they may be

page_text: exposed to fire, while at the same time they shall be free from those objection-
able qualities which have been the cause of failure in former Inventions.
As I cannot as yet discover any single chemical which will alone answer
the several purposes required, I therefore make a combination of chemicals
and other ingredients possessing those peculiar properties which though singly
would be insufficient for the objects sought to be obtained, yet in their properly
combined form they mutually operate to produce the important results so
much required.
In order to render the Invention of universal adaptation to textile fabrics
of all kinds, and for all purposes and uses, I prepare it both with and without 1
stiffening properties.
To secure stiffening properties, I prepare starch either in the manufacture
or in its after treatment by incorporating therewith from 10 to 20 per cent.
of albume, gelatine, or gum, and about 5% of glycerine.
To secure anti-flammable properties, I combine with the above prepared
starch a composition of the following chemicals in or about the proportions as
under, viz., sulphate of ammonia, 100 parts; sulphate of zinc, 50 parts; and
sulpho or phospho glycerato of ammonia or calcium, 50 parts; or stearate of
glycerine and tungstate of ammonia or soda, 10 parts. With this anti-
flammable composition I incorporate about 40 per cent. of the above stiffening 2
composition when the starch is to be used for textile fabrics which require to
be stiffened.
When this starch is to be used for such textile fabrics as should not be
stiffened, I simply make it without the stiffening properties.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, I will now proceed a
to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into
effect, and to render the description more easily understood I will describe
the two above stated compositions separately.
I apply the term anti-flammable starch to both kinds or conditions, whether
possessed of stiffening properties or not.
E
The first,. or general kind, which has no stiffening properties in it, is com-
posed, by preference, of the following chemical agents, viz., sulphate of
ammonia, sulphate of zinc, and sulpho-glycerate of ammonia, or tungstate of
ammonia or soda. These agents in their pure state I combine in or in about
the following proportions, viz.:-Sulphate of ammonia, 100 parts; sulphate of s
zinc, 50 parts; and sulpho-glycerate of ammonia, 30 to 50 parts; or tungstate
of ammonia, 10 to 20 parts, with sufficient carbonate of ammonia to
neutralize any free acid, if any exist. The said agents being intimately mixed
to form a composition can be readily used for effectually preventing all kinds

page_text: .
of textile fabrics from flaming, that is to say, such fabrics as are dressed with.
it can neither hold flame nor transmit it; they will only char, consequently
they cannot communicate flame to surrounding objects.
To carry this process into practical operation I make a solution of this
anti-flammable starch by pouring one gallon of boiling water upon about
twenty-four ounces of this starch, stirring it well until all is thoroughly
dissolved, I let the fabrics be well saturated in this fluid while warm for about
five minutes, and when wrung out and dried they will be anti-flammable.
For very close and thick-threaded fabrics I increase the amount of starch
in proportion to the water, and let them soak in it about ten minutes.
This first or general kind of anti-flammable starch is suitable for all kinds
of personal as well as household linen where stiffening properties would be
objectionable, and the finest muslins as well as the thickest sheets or dimity
can be rendered anti-flammable by this process.
Where table linen and other articles require to be got up with a slight
degree of stiffness I add to the above described solution a little of the special
or stiffening composition herein-after described, to bring it to the degree of
stiffness required.
The second or special kind of anti-flammable starch, which consists of the
chemical agents composing the first kind of starch combined with the stiffening
ingredients berein-after stated, I prepare in the following manner:-I take
ordinary starch, farina, or fecula, and incorporate with either of or all these
substances the following agents in or in about the following proportions, viz.,
starch, farina, or fecula, 100 parts; albume, gelatine, or gum, from 10 to 20
parts; glycerine, 5 parts; sulphate of ammonia, 200 parts; sulphate of zinc,
100 parts; and sulpho-glycerate of ammonia, from 60 to 100 parts; or tungstate
of ammonia or soda, 20 to 40 parts, with sufficient carbonate of ammonia to
neutralize any free acid that may exist. This second kind of anti-flammable
starch is specially adapted for all textile fabrics which require stiffening pro-
perties, whether for personal or household use, and can be as readily applied
to the finest muslin or lace as to the thickest fabric that requires to be
stiffened.
The mode of preparation for use is as follows:-To about thirty ounces of
this starch I add a little lukewarm water sufficient (as in the preparation of
ordinary starch) to reduce it to a paste; I then pour on it quickly about one
gallon of boiling water, stirring it well; the fabrics should then be well
soaked therein while warm, bearing in mind the observation made for thick-
threaded fabrics in the first or general kind of composition; they are then
wrung or squeezed out and rolled ready for ironing, which is effected with

page_text: greater 'ease with this starch than with ordinary starch. The articles thos
prepared will be proof against the holding or transmitting of flame, so that no
danger can accrue to the wearer or to the surrounding objects, and thus many
valuable lives and much property would be saved by the adoption of this anti-
flammable starch.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise proportions herein mentioned, as they may be varied to
suit the different qualities of the fabrics to be operated upon; but what I
claim as my Invention, and intended to be sccured by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the combination of chemical agents, and of chemical agents and
other ingredients for the manufacture of anti-ammable starch, in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before described.
Secondly, the employment of sulpho-glycerate of ammonia and glycerine, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Tobiah Pepper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
W. A. GILBEE,
4, South Street,
Finsbury.
TOBIAH PEPPER. (L.s.)