IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Groux, of the Victoria Soap Works, Wood-
house Junction, near Sheffield, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, AND IN MACHINERY
FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Sealed the 24th April 1863, and dated the 24th October 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Groux at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th October
1862.
I, LOUIS GROUX, of the Victoria Soap Works, Woodhouse Junction, near
Sheffield, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, AND IN MACHINERY
FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to press, cut, mix, and mould into shape
soap while quite cold; also to mix and combine perfumes or other substances
with soap in a cold state; also to combine coloring matters with soap in a
cold state, or to mix together soaps of different colors while cold; also to form
a device or design not only on the surface of a bar of soap, but likewise
through the entire mass or body thereof while the soap is in a cold state, or
by mixing hot and cold soap together in moulds.
The following is the construction of the improved machinery I propose to
employ in and for the manufacture of soap according to this Invention :-I

page_text: connect together two cylinders fixed vertically on a bed plate to which they
are affixed air-tight, thereby closing the bottoms of said cylinders; the upper
ends of said cylinders may either be left open or fitted with loose lids or
covers. Within each of said cylinders a piston is fitted air-tight, said pistons
being connected by a rod to a vibrating lever or beam placed above said
cylinders. A grating or plate with holes in is fitted vertically between the two
cylinders aforesaid near the bottoms thereof. An outlet pipe is also affixed to
one of said cylinders, the outer end of said pipe being of the shape which it is
desired to make the bars of soap either in the form of a star or other shape;
the inner end of the aforesaid pipe is fitted with a slide or otherwise to close
this end of the pipe when desired.
To manufacture soap according to this Invention the pistons aforesaid are
raised out of the cylinders; the 'rough soap in a cold state is then placed in
the cylinders, and the pistons inserted; the opening of the outlet pipe
aforesaid being closed, motion is then imparted to the vibrating lever afore-
said, by which each of the pistons aforesaid will be alternately raised and
lowered, the descending piston forcing the soap through the grating into the
other cylinder, the piston of which in its turn forces the soap back into the
first-named cylinder, so that, suppose soaps of different colors to be placed in
each cylinder, or plain soap in one cylinder and colored soap in the other
cylinder, the two soaps would be mixed and incorporated together more or
less according to the number of times they had been passed from one cylinder
to the other, and when sufficiently mixed the slide of the outlet pipe is raised,
and the mixed soap forced out by the descent of the pistons in the form of a
bar, the outer surface of which is of the shape of the outer end of the outlet
pipe, and may afterwards be cut into cakes, and, if necessary, the surfaces
impressed with any device or ornament.
I now proceed to described the mode I propose to employ for mixing
different colored soaps together as follows:-Suppose, for example, the bars of
soap manufactured, as above described, to be in the form of a star in cross
section and of a blue color, I place said bars vertically in tubes fixed in a
frame, and proceed to pour into said tubes melted soap of another color, and
when cold I remove the bars, and cut them into cakes. By these means the
cakes are of two distinct colors and patterns throughout their entire mass, and.
form an elegant article for the toilette.
!

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Groux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
GROUX, of the Victoria Soap Works, Woodhouse Junction, near Sheffield, in
the County of York, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of "
Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Louis Groux, Her special licence that I, the said Louis Groux, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis
Groux, 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 SOAP, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis Groux, 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 Louis Groux, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
soap
The object of this Invention is to press, cut, mix, and mould into shape
while quite cold;. also to mix and combine perfumes or other substances
with soap in a cold state; also to combine coloring matters with soap in a
cold state, or to mix together soaps of different colors while cold; also to form
a device or design not only on the surface of a bar of soap, but likewise
through the entire mass or body thereof while the soap is in a cold state, or
by mixing hot and cold soap together in moulds.
The following is the construction of the improved machinery I propose to
employ in and for the manufacture of soap according to this. Invention :-I
connect together two cylinders fixed vertically on a bed plate to which they

page_text: are affixed air-tight, thereby closing the bottoms of said cylinders; the upper
ends of said cylinders may either be left open or fitted with loose lids or covers.
Within each of said cylinders a piston is fitted air-tight, said pistons being
connected by a rod to a vibrating lever or beam placed above said cylinders.
A grating or plate with holes in is fitted vertically between the two cylinders
aforesaid near the bottoms thereof. An outlet pipe is also affixed to one of
said cylinders,. the outer end of said pipe being of the shape which it is desired
to make the bars of soap either in the form of a star or other shape; the
inner end of the aforesaid pipe is fitted with a slide or otherwise to close this
end of the pipe when desired.
To manufacture soap according to this Invention the pistons aforesaid are
raised out of the cylinders; the rough soap in a cold state is then placed in
the cylinders, and the pistons inserted, the opening of the outlet pipe afore-
said being closed. Motion is then imparted to the vibrating lever aforesaid,
by which each of the pistons aforesaid will be alternately raised and lowered,
the descending. piston forcing the soap through the grating into the other
cylinder, the piston of which, in its turn, forces the soap back into the first-
named cylinder, so that, suppose soaps of different colors to be placed in each
cylinder, or plain soap in one cylinder and colored soap in the other cylinder,
the two soaps would be mixed and incorporated together more or less accord-
ing to the number of times they had been passed from one cylinder to the
other, and when sufficiently mixed the slide of the outlet pipe is raised, and
the mixed soap forced out by the descent of the pistons in the form of a bar,
the outer surface of which is of the shape of the outer end of the outlet pipe,
and may afterwards be cut into cakes, and, if necessary, the surfaces impressed
with any device or ornament.
I now proceed to describe the mode I propose to employ for mixing
different colored soaps together, as follows:-Suppose, for example, the bars
of soap manufactured, as above described, to be in the form of a star in cross
section and of a blue color, I place said bars vertically in tubes fixed in a
frame, and proceed to pour into said tubes melted soap of another color, and
when cold I remove the bars, and cut them into cakes. By these means the
cakes are of two distinct colors and patterns throughout their entire mass, and
form an elegant article for the toilette.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawing accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters
of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-

page_text: spaces in said tubes, and when filled leave them to cool, and then remove the
soap from the tubes, and cut the bars into cakes, if desired, and either leave
their surfaces plain, or impress them with a device or ornament. By these
means the cakes are of two distinct colors throughout their entire mass, and
present an elegant appearance.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for "Improvements in the Manufacture of Soap, and in Machinery
for that Purpose," together with the best means I am acquainted with for
carrying the same into practical effect, I hereby declare my Invention to
consist in, and I claim as follows,-
Firstly, I claim mixing plain and colored soaps, either separately or
together whilst cold, or mixing coloring matters or perfumes therewith whilst
the soap is in a cold state.
Secondly, I claim the use of cylinders and pistons for mixing soaps whilst
cold, and further making the outlet pipe at which the soaps are forced out in
the form of a star or other shape, as above stated.
Thirdly, I claim mixing together hot and cold soaps of different colors in
vessels, substantially as above described with reference to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Groux, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
LOUIS GROUX. (L.S.)