IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLACK STAINS AND VARNISHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Colwell Booth, of Vernon Place, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BLACK STAINS AND VARNISHES." A communication from
abroad by George Wolff, of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States
of America.
Sealed the 21st August 1877, and dated the 5th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Colwell Booth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th May 1877.
THOMAS COLWELL BOOTH, of Vernon Place, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLACK STAINS AND
VARNISHES." A communication from abroad by George Wolff, of Philadelphia,
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America
:-
Dissolve by agitation in 16 parts of alcohol 0·24 parts blue aniline or other
analogous material, 0.35 parts yellow aniline, and 005 parts red aniline; allow the
solution to become settled, then decant the clear liquid and treat as follows, viz. :-
To 2 parts of aniline solution add 1 part alcohol, 1 part castor oil, and 2 parts
benzine, or its chemical equivalent, to make a black stain for either the grain or
hair side or other side of leather. To 5 parts of the above aniline solution add 3
parts shellac, I part Venice turpentine, and 1 part boiled linseed oil, to make a
black stain for morocco leather. To 4 parts of the aniline solution add 3 parts
shellac, to make a black varnish for any purpose. To 1 part of the aniline solution
add 8 parts alcohol, 1 part benzine, 1.80 parts shellac, 0.60 Venice turpentine, 0.60
camphor, 0.55 castor oil, 0.45 boiled linseed oil, to make a fluid blacking or polish
for leather.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Thomas Colwell Booth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
November 1877.
THOMAS COLWELL BOOTH, of Vernon Place, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLACK STAINS AND
I

page_text: VARNISHES." A communication from abroad by George Wolff, of Philadelphia,
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention consists in the manufacture of black stains or varnishes by the
combination of certain aniline colouring matters with mixtures or varnishes, as
herein-after described. The products so obtained are of peculiar value for applica-
tion to leather, and may be employed as black stains or varnishes for the purposes
herein described and set forth, or for any purpose to which the said mixtures or
varnishes can be applied.
In order to produce a black stain or varnish I proced as follows and compound
a liquid containing aniline colouring matters, which produce the black colour of
the stain and which I call the mother liquid. Dissolve in one gallon of rectified
spirit 31 drams blue blue aniline, 45 drams yellow aniline or napthaline yellow,
8 drams red aniline or fuchsine. These proportions may be slightly varied without
affecting the result, the variations and their results depending on the relative
strength of the anilines employed. If the colour is perfect it will after being
reduced by four times its volume of alcohol appear of a greenish black cast when
seen through a clear glass vessel; if held towards the sun a reddish hue is per-
ceptible, but no determined shade can be fixed, the colour playing between green,
black, and red.
-
-
7 drams red
-
-
The following scale of various changes and results is given
42 drams yellow 6 drams red
38 drams yellow
45 drams yellow
42 drams yellow
45 drams yellow
45 drams yellow
45 drams yellow
7 drams red
6 drams red
7 drains red
7 drams red
9 drams red
-
-
-
for guidance: -
red predominates.
blue predominates.
green predominates.
green predominates.
green predominates.
blue predominates.
red predominates.
29 drams blue
29 drams blue
29 drams blue
30 drams blue
30 drams blue
31 drams blue
31 drams blue
The yellow however being a very weak color and readily absorbed by moisture
(unless the yellow being made especially for this compound be rendered soluble in
alcohol only) makes any of the above mixtures a less desirable composition than
those following below, as the above solutions will, through the action of iron on the
yellow aniline, change from black to violet. Dissolve in rectified spirit as above
20.80 drams blue blue aniline, 31.20 drams Bismark brown aniline. This last com-
bination may be varied without materially changing the result, videlicet, by taking
22 blue aniline and 30 brown aniline, or 23 blue aniline and 29 brown aniline,
or 24 blue aniline and 28 brown aniline, or 25 blue aniline and 27 brown aniline.
If this scale is exceeded either way the brown (appearing as a red) or blue will
predominate; if perfect, the solution appears, when seen through a clean white
glass, of a reddish brown color, or when thinned and united with gum shellac
(4 parts alcohol, 1 part coloring fluid, 1 part shellac) it will on white paper appear
of a light indian ink color; this last composition of blue and brown is far more
durable than the first of blue, yellow, and red. The solution of these colors is
affected by agitation within 8 to 12 hours; after it is complete I allow it to settle
and draw from spigots over the sediment, avoiding thereby filtration, or I filter if
necessary. Contact with zinc or iron will decompose the color; zinc within 8 days,
iron from 18 to 24 days. The pure alcoholic solution is unaffected by metal (this
applies to both compositions). Decomposition does not take place until gums
have been dissolved in the liquid; I use for making the soultion of color any con-
venient apparatus, fitted with a stirrer and with several spigots, arranged one
above the other. I put in the alcohol, and then the colors, agitating every hour
for 10 or 15 minutes by revolving the stirrer.
The mother liquid is to be combined with mixtures or varnishes, as herein-after
described, and I proceed to state the recipes which I have found to succeed in
practice for the preparations of such mixtures or varnishes for particular applica-
tions; but it is scarcely necessary to point out that any such recipes for com-
pounding the said mixtures or varnishes may be somewhat varied according to
circumstances.

page_text: When it is desired to make a stain for oak and hemlock tanned leather, take
as the mixture for combination with the mother liquid / gallon rectified spirit,
1%, gallon benzine (benzine being only a question of economy, it may be replaced
by 7 pints of rectified spirit and 3 pints caster oil), 49 ounces caster oil, 31 ounces
of pine rosin, and 2 ounces of lamp black; add one gallon of the mother liquid;
dissolve by agitation. For a harness-renewing fluid take one gallon of the mother
liquid, and add thereto 1 gallon alcohol; melt over a slow fire 40 ounces of rosin,
109 ounces of castor oil (crude), 11 ounces of yellow beeswax, incorporate by
stirring; let this cool to about 80° Farenheit, then mix while stirring 6 pints of
benzine, and after this has been united add 1 gallons of the stain last above
mentioned. Take care not to have the oil too hot when the benzine is added, as
it will explode.
For ebony lacquer for blacking faded or soiled coloured leather, dissolve by
agitation in 1 gallon of the mother liquid 28, ounces of gum shellac, 5 ounces of
gum camphor, 6 ounces of Venice turpentine (note, by omitting soft or flexible
gums and substituting therefor gum shellac, or in connection therewith other hard
gums or resins, such as are soluble in alcohol, a hard black varnish useful for any
purpose may be produced; the proportion should then be 47 ounces of resinous
gums to 1 gallon of mother liquid).
For harness enamel, a flexible varnish of greater elasticity and less coloring
power than lacquer, to one-half gallon of the mother liquid add '/, gallon rectified
spirit, 1 pint benzine, 91%, ounces camphor, 45 ounces of shellac, and 4 ounces of
gum benzoin; dissolve by agitation. Benzine can be omitted and replaced by 1/2
pint of rectified spirit, 1 ounce castor oil, and 11%, ounces of boiled linseed oil.
"
For blacking, which I call acmé," to 1 gallon rectified spirit add / gallon
mother liquid, and dissolve in it 11 ounces gum camphor, 16 ounces Venice
turpentine, 36 ounces gum shellac; dissolve in a 1/4 of a gallon benzine 31%, fluid
ounces of caster oil, and 13%, fluid ounces of boiled linseed oil; unite the two
solutions by agitation; do not let the solution stand over two days in an iron or
zinc vessel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Colwell Booth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
THO³. C. BOOTH. (L.B.)