AN IMPROVED SOAP
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cowan, of the Firm of L. Cowan and Sons, of
Barnes, in the County of Surrey, Soap Manufacturers, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED SOAP."
Sealed the 9th December 1859, and dated the 14th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cowan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
June 1859.
I, JOHN COWAN, of the Firm of L. Cowan and Sons, of Barnes, in the
5 County of Surrey, Soap Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SOAP," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in manufacturing a "fitted" yellow soap of cocoa-
nut oil and rosin. I compose a soap of those ingredients, "fit" it, precipitate
the "nigre," and draw off the clear soap.
10 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cowan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COWAN, of the Firm of L. Cowan and Sons, of Barnes, in the County of
15 Surrey, Soap Manufacturers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Cowan, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cowan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Cowan, 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 "AN
IMPROVED SOAP," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Cowan, 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 John Cowan, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 :-
My Invention consists in manufacturing a "fitted" yellow soap of cocoa-nut
oil and rosin; I compose a soap of these ingredients, fit it, precipitate the
"nigre," and draw off the clear soap.
The expression "yellow soap," is applied in the trade to that description
of soap in which rosin is employed as one of the ingredients or constituent
materials.
I now proceed more particularly to describe the best means known to me for
carrying my said Invention into effect:-Cocoa-nut oil, say five tons, by way of
example, is poured into a copper, and converted into soap in the usual manner
well known in the trade. I prefer to employ for the purpose what is called
the "stearine" of such oil. In another copper the desired quantity of rosin is
placed, say fifteen hundredweight, and is also converted into soap after several
washings with weak alkaline lyes; this process I prefer to carry on in a steam
The cocoa-nut oil and
jacket pan, by means of what is called "dry steam."
the rosin having thus been each separately converted into soap in their
respective coppers, the rosin soap is next added to the cocoa-nut oil
the mixture is then boiled together with strong alkaline or caustic lyes for
soap, and

page_text: from eight to ten hours, and allowed to settle; the strong lyes are next drawn
off, and the mixture; that is to say, the combination of rosin soap and cocoa-
nut oil soap, is then "fitted" by the addition of water; this process of "fitting"
is an operation well known in the soap manufacture. The combination so
"fitted" is allowed to settle for from one to two days, when.the clear soap
having precipitated, what is called in the trade its "nigre," is transferred to the
frames to cool. In order to render the soap more detergent, and especially
applicable for washing in hard or sea water, a proportion, say fifteen cwt. of
spermaceti may be added to the cocoa-nut oil or to the rosin before converting
it into a soap. In proportion to the amount of spermaceti so added, the
quantity of rosin to be employed must be reduced.
And for the purpose of imparting shades of color to and obtaining a better
quality of soap, Carnaubat resin, or, as it is sometimes called, vegetable wax,
and also other resinous substances and gum resins, gum arabic, and other gums
may be combined with the rosin or cocoa-nut oil, or with the cocoa-nut oil
and rosin combined.
My improved soap is more serviceable, showy, and detergent, and com-
paratively more economical than that obtained from tallow or other greasy or
fatty matter in ordinary use. And in addition to its superior detergent qualities,
whereby grease, tar, &c., may be readily removed, it is rendered especially
applicable for washing in hard or sea water by the addition of the spermaceti,
as described.
Although I have herein explained a certain particular method of performing
my said Invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to
these precise means, as the same may be varied, provided the general character
of my Invention, as herein set forth, be retained; and of course I do not confine
myself to the particular quantities or proportions which I have mentioned and
which are only herein stated by way of example; and I declare that I lay no
claim to the employment of rosin by itself, or of cocoa-nut oil by itself in the
manufacture of soap generally; and I do not even claim combining rosin and
cocoa-nut oil in the manufacture of soap generally, being aware that these
materials have before been used in combination, but only in manufacturing
close or filled soap, that is to say, in a process of producing soap in which no
fitting has been adopted, and no "nigre" precipitated, and in which the whole
contents of the copper have been taken out for the production of the soap,
a process which differs wholly and essentially from that which constitutes
my aforesaid Invention, which relates, as stated, to the manufacture of a
"fitted" soap.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I claim is, the
employment of cocoa-nut oil and rosin in combination in manufacturing a
fitted soap.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cowan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM LEE.
JOHN COWAN. (L.S.)