Improvements in Dyeing Hair or Fur.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dyeing Hair or Fur.
I, MARIE LOUISE KELLOGG of 253, West 42nd Street, New York City, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer; 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:-—
My invention relates to improvements in dyeing hair and has reference more
especially to dyeing human hair or the hair or fur of animals.
The invention consists in a process of dyeing hair and in a dye for this purpose
as hereinafter set forth and more particularly recited in the claims.
Heretofore hair has been dyed by treating the same with an ammoniacal solution
of mineral colouring matter and a mordant such as pyrogallic acid. Such dyes,
however, are open to the objection that the colouring matter is variable, that is to say
the salts of nickel or analogous metal dissolved in ammonia produce a solution which
is of unequal strength at different times owing to the fact that on account of the
volatility of the ammonia the constancy of the mixture is affected by changes in
temperature at different seasons of the year and by evaporation during a greater or
less exposure to the air while mixing or using. Thus for this and many other reasons
a dye containing free ammonia will not yield uniform results and will frequently
produce green colourations which are objectionable for obvious reasons.
as
According to my Invention, instead of employing an ammoniacal solution which by
reason of the volatility of the free ammonia is not so reliable as might be
desired, I employ an aqueous solution of the dye, such for instance
an aqueous solution of an ammonio-salt of nickel. I prefer to use for this
purpose ammonio-nitrate of nickel, but ammonio-sulphate of nickel or other
ammonio-salt of that or analogous metal may be used. By means of this aqueous
solution I am enabled to produce uniform results and a perfection of colouring that
is not obtainable by any other means. When ammonio-nitrate of nickel is used, I
preferably proceed as follows:-I dissolve 986 parts of ammonio-nitrate of nickel
(Ni(NO,), 4 NH₁) in 20,000 parts of water, but these proportions may be varied
according to the shade which it is desired to produce. The hair or fur to be dyed
is first wetted with this aqueous solution of ammonio-nitrate of nickel and after a
little time is wetted with a solution of pyrogallic acid or other mordant, thereby
producing the desired effect. The excess of dye is then washed off the hair.
Absolutely uniform results can in all cases be obtained and the colouring is done in a
very thorough uniform manner since no free ammonia is employed and hence the
nickel salt bath is at all times constant and uniform.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Colouring human hair or the hair or fur of animals by treating the same with
on ganeous solution of an ammonio-salt of metal and a suitable mordant.

page_text: 2. The dye-bath consisting of an aqueous solution of an ammonio-salt of metal and
a suitable mordant.
3. The dye-bath consisting of an aqueous solution of ammonio-nitrate of nickel
and a suitable mordant.
Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.