[15]This preparation is made by adding 3 libs. of sal ammoniac to 1 gallon of solution of tin (seeScarlet Dye, andTin), evaporating, and crystallizing. The sal ammoniac seems to counteract the separation of the tin by peroxidizement.Cochineal pink.—Acetate of alumina is mixed with decoction of cochineal, a little tartaric acid and solution of tin; then thickened with starch, dried, and steamed.Steam brown.—A mixed infusion of logwood, cochineal, and Persian berries, with cream of tartar, alum (or acetate of alumina), and a little tartaric acid, thickened, dried, and steamed.Green, blue, chocolate, with white ground, by steam.—Prussiate of potash and tartaric acid, thickened, for the blue; the same mixture with berry-liquor and acetate of alumina, thickened, for the green; extract of logwood with acetate of alumina and cream of tartar, thickened, for the chocolate. These three topical colours are applied at once by the three-colour cylinder machine; dried and steamed. Though greens are fixed by the steam, their colour is much improved by passing the cloth through solution of bichromate of potash.In France, solution of tin is much used for steam colours.VIII.Spirit or Fancy colours.—These all owe their vivacity, as well as the moderate degree of permanency they possess, to their tin mordant. After printing-on the topical colour, the goods must be dried at a gentle heat, and passed merely through the rinsing machine. Purple, brown, or chocolate, red, green, yellow, blue, and white discharge; any five of these are printed on at once by the five-colour cylinder machine. SeeRinsing Machine.Chocolate, is given by extract of Brazil-wood, extract of logwood, nitromuriate of tin, with a little nitrate of copper; all mixed, thickened, and merely printed-on.Red, by extract of Brazil-wood and tin, with a little nitrate of copper.Green, by prussiate of potash, with muriate of tin and acetate of lead, dissolved, thickened, and printed-on.The goods after rinsing must be passed through solution of bichromate of potash, to convert the Prussian blue colour into green, by the formation of chrome yellow upon it.Blue.—Prussian blue ground up with solution (nitromuriate) of tin; thickened, &c.Yellow.—Nitrate of lead dissolved in solution of tartaric acid, thickened, tenderly dried, passed through the bichromate vat or padding machine, washed and dried.This yellow is pretty fast; though topical, it can hardly, therefore, be called a fancy colour.Whenpurpleis to be inserted instead of the above blue, extract of logwood with tin is used in the place of the Prussian blue. Tartaric acid is a useful addition to tin in brightening fancy colours.Chocolate.—A good topical chocolate is made by digesting logwood with liquid acetate of alumina, adding a little cream of tartar to the infusion; thickening, applying by the cylinder, drying, washing, then passing through solution of bichromate of potash, which serves to darken and fix the colour.I shall conclude my account of the printing of cotton goods with some miscellaneous formulæ, which were given me by skilful calico-printers in Lancashire.Prussian blueis prepared for topical printing by grinding it in a handmill, like that for grinding pepper or coffee, and triturating the powder with solution of muriate of tin.Green.—The deoxidized indigo vat liquor is mixed with a little pearlash, and thickened with gum. This is applied by the cylinder or block to goods previouslypadded with nitrate of lead; the goods, after being dried, are passed through milky lime-water, rinsed, and then winced or padded through the bichromate of potash bath.Another green.—Nitrate of lead, prussiate of potash, and tartaric acid, dissolved, and mixed with a little sulphate, nitrate, and muriate of iron; this mixture is either thickened for cylinder printing, or used in its liquid state in the padding trough. The goods subjected to one of these two processes are dried, padded in weak solution of carbonate of potash, which serves to precipitate the oxide of lead from the nitrate; they are finally padded with bichromate of potash, which induces a yellow upon the blue, constituting a green colour of any desired tint, according to the proportion of the materials.Chocolate and black, with white discharge; a fast colour.—The cloth is padded with acetate of alumina, and dried in the hot flue; it is then passed through a two-colour machine, the one cylinder of which prints-on lime-juice discharge, thickened with gum senegal; the other a black topical dye (made with logwood extract and iron liquor). The cloths are now hung up to be aired during a week, after which they are dunged, and dyed up with madder, fustic, and quercitron bark, heated with steam in the bath.Blue, white, and olive or chocolate.—1. Pad with the aluminous mordant; 2. Apply thickened lemon juice for discharge by the cylinder; 3. Dung the goods after they are thoroughly dried; 4. Pass them through the bath of madder, fustic, and quercitron, which dye a brown ground, and leave the discharge points white; then print-on a reserve paste of China clay and gum with sulphate of copper; dry, dip in the blue vat, which will communicate an olive tint to the brown ground; or a chocolate, if madder alone had been used.When a black ground is desired, with white figures, the acid discharge paste should be printed-on by the cylinder, and dried before the piece is padded in the iron liquor. By following this plan the whites are much purer than when the iron is first applied.Green, black, white.—The black is first printed-on by a mixture of iron liquor, and infusion (not decoction) of logwood; then resist or reserve paste is applied by the block, and dried; after which the goods are blued in the indigo vat, rinsed, dried, passed through solution of acetate of lead; next, through milky lime water; lastly, through a very strong solution of bichromate of potash.Turkey red, black, yellow.—Upon Turkey red cloth, print with a strong solution of tartaric acid, mixed with solution of nitrate of lead, thickened with gum; dry. The cloth is now passed through the chloride of lime bath, washed, and chromed. Lastly, the black is printed-on by the block as above, with iron liquor and logwood.Black ground dotted white, with red or pink and black figures.—1. Print-on the lime juice discharge-paste by the cylinder; dry; 2. Then pad with iron liquor, containing a little acetate of alumina, and hang up the goods for a few days to fix the iron; 3. Dye in a logwood bath to which a little madder has been added; clear with bran. The red or pink is now put in by the block, with a mixture of extract of Brazil-wood, nitromuriate of tin, and nitrate of copper, as prescribed in a preceding formula.Orange or brown; black; white; pink.—The black is topical, as above; it is printed-on, as also the lemon-juice discharge and red mordant, with muriate of tin (both thickened), by the three-colour machine. Then, after drying the cloth, a single-cylinder machine is made to apply in diagonal lines to it a mixture of acetate of iron and alumina. The cloth, being dried and dunged, is next dyed in a bath of quercitron, madder, and fustic.Here the orange is the result of the mordant of tin and alumina; the brown, of the alumina and iron; white, of the citric acid discharge. The tin mordant, wherever it has been applied, resists the weaker mordant impressed in the diagonal lines. The pink is blocked-on at the end.Orange brown, or aventurine; black and white.—The topical black (as above), and discharge lemon juice, are printed-on by the two-colour machine; then the cloth is subjected to the diagonal line cylinder, supplied with the alumino-iron mordant. The cloth is dried, dunged, and dyed in a bath of bark, madder, and fustic.The manganese orsolitaireground admits of a great variety of figures being easily brought upon it, because almost every acidulous mordant will dissolve the oxide of manganese from the spot to which it is applied, and insert its own base in its place; and of course, by dyeing such mordanted goods in various baths, any variety of coloured designs may be produced. Thus, if the paste of nitrate of lead and tartaric acid solution be applied, and the goods after drying be passed first through lime water, and then through a chrome bath, bright yellow spots will be made to appear upon the bronze ground.Manganese bronze, buff and green; all metallic colours.—Pad-on the manganese solution, and dry; apply the aceto-sulphate of iron, of spec. grav. 1·02, and Scheele’s green (both properly thickened), by the two-colour machine. The goods are next to be dried, and padded through a cold caustic lye of spec. grav. 1·086. They are thenrinsed, and passed through a weak solution of chloride of lime, to raise the bronze, again rinsed, and passed through a solution of arsenious acid to raise the green.Scheele’s green for the calico-printer is made as follows:—Take 1 gallon of water, in which dissolve with heat,5 pounds of sulphate of copper, and 1 pound of verdigris. When the two salts are dissolved, remove the kettle from the fire, and put into it 1 quart of solution of nitrate of copper, and 5 pounds of acetate of lead. Stir the mixture to facilitate the decomposition, and allow the pigment to subside.It must be thickened with 21⁄2libs. of gum per gallon, for pencilling; or 12 oz. of starch for the block. The goods printed with this paste are to be winced through a caustic lye, till a fine sky-blue be produced; then washed well and rinsed. They are now to be passed through water, containing from half an ounce to an ounce of white arsenic per piece; 4 turns are sufficient; if it be too long immersed, it will take a yellow tint.Catechu has been considerably employed by calico-printers of late years, as it affords a fine permanent substantive brown, of the shade calledcarmeliteby the French. The following formula will exemplify its mode of application:—Take 1 gallon of water;1 pound of catechu in fine powder; reduce by boiling to half a gallon, pass the decoction through a fine sieve, and dissolve in it 4 ounces of verdigris; allow it then to cool, and thicken the solution with 5 ounces of starch; while the paste is hot, dissolve in it 5 ounces of pulverized muriate of ammonia.Print-on this paste, dry, and wash. It is a fast colour.I shall subjoin the prescriptions for two fancy cochineal printing colours.Amaranth by cochineal.—Pad the pieces in the aluminous mordant of spec. grav. 1·027,page 224.Dry in the hot flue; and after hanging up the goods during 3 days, wince well through chalky water, and then dye, as follows:—For each piece of 28 or 30 yards, 8 ounces of cochineal are to be made into a decoction of 2 gallons in bulk, which is to be poured into a kettle with a decoction of 3 ounces of galls, and with 2 ounces of bran. The pieces are to be entered, and winced as in the madder bath, during two hours and a half; then washed in the dash wheel. On mixing with the amaranth bath a certain quantity of logwood, very beautiful lilacs and violets may be obtained.Mixture of quercitron and cochineal.—Pad in the aluminous mordant, and dye with 2 libs. of quercitron, and 4 ounces of cochineal, when a capuchin colour will be obtained. If we pad with the following mordant; viz. 1 gallon of acetate of alumina of 1·056 spec. grav., and 1 of iron liquor of 1·02 spec. grav., and dye with 1 pound of quercitron, and 1 ounce of cochineal, we shall obtain a shade like boot-tops, of extreme vivacity.Two ounces of cochineal will print a long piece of calico with rich pink figures, having acetate of alumina for a mordant. As the ground is hardly tinged by the dye, it neither needs nor admits of much clearing.I have already mentioned that goods are sometimes padded with solution of perchloride of tin before printing-on them the steam colours, whereby they acquire both permanence and vivacity. I have also stated that the salts of tin at a high temperature are apt to corrode the fibre of the stuff, and therefore must be used with discretion. This danger is greatly lessened by adding to the perchloride of tin a sufficient quantity of caustic potash lye to form a stannate of potash. The goods are padded through this substance, diluted with water, dried with a moderate heat, and then immersed in very dilute sulphuric acid, which saturates the potash, and precipitates the tin oxide within the pores of the cloth. Calico thus prepared affords brilliant and permanent colours by the steam process, above described.Printing of silks or woollen stuffs, such as merinoes and mousselin de laine, as also of mixed stuffs of silk and wool, such as chalys.—All these prints are applied, not by the cylinder but the block, and are fixed by the application of steam in one of four ways; 1. By thelanthorn; 2. By thecask; 3. By thechest; or 4. By thechamber.Lanthorn1.By the lanthorn.—In this mode of exposure to steam, the goods are stretched upon a frame; and therefore the apparatus may be described under two heads; the lanthorn and the frame. The former is made of copper, in the shape of a boxA B C D E,fig.238., open below, and with a sloping roof above, to facilitate the trickling down of the water condensed upon the walls. The sidesB C D Eare 41⁄2feet high, 6 feet long, and 4 feet wide. The distance of the pointAfrom the lineE Bis 2 feet. AtFis a brass socket, which may be stopped with a cork; and there is a similar one at the other side. This kind of penthouse may be raised by means of a pully with cords fixed to the four angles of the roofE B; and it rests upon the tableG H, a little larger than the area of the box, which stands upon the four feetI K. Round the borders of the table there is a triangular groovea b, for receiving the lower edges of the box, and it is stuffed steam-tight with lists of cloth. Through the centre of the table, the two-inch steam pipeMpasses; it is surmounted with an hemispherical rose pierced with numerous holes for the equal distribution of the steam. Right above it, a discNis placed upon four feet. The tubeLcommunicates with a boxP, which has a syphonQto let off the condensed water. At the upper part of this box the tubeLterminates which brings the steam. The little tableG Hslopes towards the partG, where the syphonRis placed for drawing off the water.Theframehas such dimensions, that it may stand in the four corners of the table atS S, as pointed out by the dotted lines. The second part embraces an open square frame, which is formed by spars of wood 2 inches square, mortised together; and is 3 feet 8 inches wide, 5 feet 8 inches long, and 4 feet 3 inches high; it is strengthened with cross bars. Upon the two sides of its breadth, two rows of round brass hooks are placed, about half an inch apart; they are soldered to a copper plate fixed to uprights by means of screws.Before hanging up the goods, a piece of cloth 3 feet 8 inches long, and 4 feet wide, is placed upon the row of hooks; and 3 feet of it are left hanging out.One foot within, the hooks pass through the cloth. A similar one is fitted to the other side. This cloth is intended to cover the goods hung upon the hooks; and it is kept straight by resting upon strings. The pieces are attached zig-zag from one hook to another. When the frame is filled, the bag is put within the cloths; it has the same rectangular shape as the frame. The pieces are in this way all encased in the cloth; a bit of it being also put beneath to prevent moisture affecting that part.When shawls are framed, they are attached with pins; and if they be too large, they are doubled back to back, with the fringes at top.These arrangements being made, the frame is set upon the table, the penthouse is placed over it, and the steam is admitted during from 35 to 45 minutes, according to circumstances. The orificeFis opened at first to let the air escape, and when it begins to discharge steam it is stopped. The frame is taken out at the proper time, the bag is removed, the cloths are lifted off, and the goods are spread out for airing. Three frames and six bags are required for a constant succession of work. The above apparatus is particularly suitable for silks.Drum2.The drum.—This is the most simple mode of steaming. The apparatus is a drum of white wood, 2 inches thick,fig.239.; the bottom is pierced with a hole which admits the steam-pipeF, terminating in a perforated rose. Four inches from the bottom there is a canvass partitionE, intended to stop any drops of water projected from the tubeF, and also to separate the condensed water from the body of the apparatus. The drum is covered in by a wooden headH, under which the goods are placed. It is made fast either by bolts, or by hooks,G G, thusFlat S, to which weighted cords are hung. The frame 1,fig.240.rests upon a hoop,a a, a few inches from the edge. The goods are hung upon the frame in the ordinary way, and then wrapped round with flannel. The frame is studded with pin points, like that of the indigo vat, fixed about 5 inches asunder. From 20 to 30 minutes suffice for one steaming operation. The upper part of the frame must be covered also with flannels to prevent the deposition of moisture upon it. At the bottom of the drum there is a stopcock to let off the condensed water. According to the size of the figure, which is 3 feet 2 inches, 50 yards may be hung up single; but they may be doubled on occasion.Box3.The box.—This steaming apparatus is convenient from the large quantity of goods admissible at a time: it answers best for woollen stuffs. From 12 to 16 pieces, of 36 yards each, may be operated upon at once; and from 240 to 260 shawls. It is formed of a deal box,A B C D,fig.241., 4 feet wide, 6 long, and 3 high; the wood being 4 inches thick. It is closed by a cover of the same substance,I, which is made steam-tight at the edges by a list of felt. The lid is fastened down by 5 cross bars of iron,a a a a a, which are secured by screws,c c c c c,fig.242.The ends of these cross bars are let into the notches,b b b b b, on the edge of the box. The safety valveM,fig.241., is placed upon the lid. For taking off the lid, there are rings at the fourcorners,d d d d, bearing cords,F F F F. These join at the centre into one, which passes over a pulley. Eight inches from the bottom of the box there is a horizontal canvass partition, beneath which the steam is discharged from the pipeL,fig.243.There are two ledges,E F G H, at the sides for receiving the bobbins. The tubeLruns round the box, as shown by the lettersd a e b: the enddis shut; but the side and top are perforated with many holes in the direction towards the centre of the box.Fig.244.shows the arrangement of the lower set of bobbins: that of the upper set is shown by the dotted lines: it is seen to be in an alternate position, one lying between two others. They are formed of pieces of deal 4 inches broad, 1 inch thick, and of a length equal to the width of the box. They are first wrapped round with 5 or 6 turns of doubled flannel or calico: the piece of goods is laid over it upon a table, and then wrapped round. At the end of the piece, several folds of the covering must be put, as, also, a roll of flannel. The two ends must be slightly tied with packthread. When these flat bobbins are arranged in the box, the steam is let on them, and continued about 45 minutes: it is then shut off, the lid is removed, and the pieces are unrolled.Chamber4.The chamber.—The interior height of the chamber,A B C D,fig.245., is 9 feet, the length 12 feet, and the breadth 9 feet. The steam is introduced into it by two pipes,a b c,d e f. Their two ends,d c, are shut; but their sides are all along perforated with small holes. The framesE F G H,E F G H, are moveable, and run upon rollers: they are taken out by front doors, which are made of strong planks, shut by sliding in slots, and are secured by strong iron bars and pressure screws. The cross rods,E F G H, are provided with hooks for hanging up the pieces. There is a safety-valve in the top of this large chamber. The dimensions of the frame are 10 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 7 high. Three feet and a half from the upper part of the frame, a row of hooks is fixed for hanging on a double row of pieces, as shown in the figure. Over the frame, woollen blankets are laid to protect it from drops of water that might fall from the roof of the chamber. When the hooks are two thirds of an inch apart, 24 pieces, of 28 yards each, may be suspended at once. The period of steaming is from 45 to 60 minutes.Muslins and silks do not require so high a temperature as woollen goods. When the stuffs are padded with colour, like merinos and chalys, they must not be folded together, for fear of stains, which are sometimes occasioned by the column in steam calico-printing, where the end which receives the first impression of the steam is seldom of the same shade as the rest of the roll of goods. The duration of the steaming depends upon the quantity of acid in the mordant, and of saline solution in the topical colour; the more of which are present, the shorter should be the steaming period. A dry vapour is requisite in all cases; for when it becomes moist, from a feeble supply or external condensation, the goods become streaky or stained by the spreading of the colours.1.Black figuresare given by decoction of logwood thickened with starch, to which a little oxalic acid is added while hot, and, after it is cold, neutralised solution of nitrate of iron.2.Dark blue for a ground.—Decoction of logwood, and archil thickened with starch; to which, while the paste is hot, a little soluble Prussian blue is added; and, when it is cold, neutralised nitrate of iron; seesupra.3.Deep poppy or ponceau colour.—Cochineal boiled in starch water, with oxalic acid (or tartaric), and perchloride of tin.4.Rose.—Cochineal infusion; oxalic acid; perchloride of tin; thickened with gum.5. Dark amaranth.—Decoctions of archil and cochineal, thickened with starch: to the paste, alum and perchloride of tin are added.6.Capuchin colour.—Quercitron and cochineal thickened with starch; to the paste add oxalic acid, and perchloride of tin.7.Annotto orange.—Dissolve the annotto in soda lye, of spec. grav. 1·07, at a boiling heat; add aluminate of soda, and thicken with gum.8.Golden yellow.—Decoction of Persian berries thickened with starch; to which some alum and muriate of tin are added, with a little perchloride of tin and oxalic acid.9.Lemon yellow.—Persian berries; starch; alum.10. An ammoniacal solution of cochineal is used for making many violet and mallow colours. It is prepared by infusing cochineal in water of ammonia for 24 hours; then diluting with water, heating to ebullition, and straining.11.Fine violetis given by ammoniacal cochineal, with alum and oxalic acid; to which a little aceto-sulphate of indigo is added, and gum for thickening. The following blue may be used instead of the solution of indigo. Themallowtint is given by adding a little perchloride of tin to the above formula, and leaving out the blue.12.Dark blue.—Soluble Prussian blue; tartaric acid; alum; thicken with gum.13.Emerald green.—One quart of decoction, equivalent to 1 pound of Persian berries; 1 quart of infusion of quercitron, of spec. grav. 1·027; in which dissolve 12 ounces of alum in powder; and add 6 ounces of the following blue bath for greens; thicken with 20 ounces of gum.14. Blue bath for greens. Half a gallon of water at 140° F., 1 pound of soluble Prussian blue, 3 ounces of tartaric acid, and 2 ounces of alum.I.Printing of Silks.—1.Of the madder style.This is one of the most difficult to execute, requiring both much skill and experience. The first step is the removal of the gum. A copper being nearly filled with water, the pieces, tied up in a linen bag, are put into it, with a quarter of a pound of soap for every pound of silk, and are boiled for 3 hours. If the silk be Indian, half an ounce of soda crystals must be added. When the goods are taken out, they are rinsed in the river, then passed through water at 140° F., holding 8 ounces of crystallised soda in solution, as a scourer. They are next rinsed in cold water, and steeped in water very faintly acidulated with sulphuric acid, during 4 hours, then rinsed, and dried.Preparation of Mordants.—1 gallon of boiling water; 2 pounds of alum; dissolve:1 pound of acetate of lead; 4 ounces of sal-ammoniac; 1 of chalk; mix well together; after decomposition and subsidence, draw off clear.1.Red.—1 gallon of the above mordant, thickened with 14 ounces of starch, and tinged with decoction of Brazil wood. If dark red be wanted, dissolve, in a gallon of the above red, 4 ounces of sulphate of copper.2.Black.—1 gallon of iron liquor, of 1·056 spec. grav.; thicken with 14 ounces of starch; and dissolve in the hot paste 2 ounces of sulphate of copper.3.Violet.Take 1 gallon of iron liquor of 1·04 spec. grav.;3.Violet.2 ounces of cream of tartar; 2 ounces of nitre; 2 ounces of copperas;3.Violet.1 ounce of alum: dissolve, and mix the solution with3.Violet.1 gallon of gum water, containing 6 libs. of gum.4.Puce.Half a gallon of red mordant; half a gallon of iron liquor of 1·07;4.Puce.7 ounces of starch for thickening colour with logwood.Manipulation of the above colours.—Print-on the black, then the puce, next the violet, and, lastly the red. Dry in the hot flue, and, 48 hours after the impression, wash away the paste. The copper employed for dyeing is of a square form: a boil is given with bran, at the rate of 4 libs. per piece of thefoulards: cold water is added to lower the temperature to 130° F. The pieces must be entered with the printed surface undermost, and winced for half an hour, taking care to keep them expanded and well covered with the liquor: they are then taken out and rinsed. When grounds are to be made on the foulards, 2 ounces of sumach must be added per piece.Maddering.—Suppose 48 pieces are to be grounded with madder. 12 pounds of madder must be put into the copper, 1 pound of sumach, and 6 pounds of bran; the bath must be tepid when the pieces are entered: it must be heated to 104° F. in 20 minutes, and to the boiling point in an hour and a half. The goods must be briskly winced all the time, and finally turned out into cold water.When they come out of the madder bath they are much loaded with colour. They are cleared by a boil of half an hour in bran, then turned out into cold water, and rinsed. A copper must be now mounted with 3 pounds of soap, 1 ounce of solution of tin, and 2 pailsful of bran, in which the goods are to be boiled for half an hour, then rinsed, and passed through a very dilute sulphuric acid bath. Then rinse, and dry. By following this process a light salmon ground is obtained.II.Steam colours upon silk.—The same plan of operations may be adopted here as is described for calico-printing; the main difference being in the method of mordanting the stuffs. After boiling in soap water, in the proportion of 4 ounces per pound of silk, the goods are washed in cold water, and then in hot water at 140°; they are next rinsed, passed through weak sulphuric acid, rinsed, squeezed between rollers, and afterwards steeped in a bath containing 8 ounces of alum per gallon, where they remain for four hours, with occasionally wincing. They are now rinsed, and dried. The subsequent treatment resembles that of steam-colour printed cottons.Black.—Take a gallon of decoction, made with 4 libs. of logwood, with whichBlack.—14 ounces of starch are to be combined: mix inBlack.—2 ounces of powdered nut-galls: boil, and pour the colour into a pipkin containingBlack.—2 ounces of tartaric acid; 2 ounces of oxalic, both in powder, andBlack.—2 ounces of olive oil. Stir the colour till it is cold, and addBlack.—8 ounces of nitrate of iron, and 4 ounces of nitrate of copper.The red, violet, lilac, yellow colours, &c. are the same as for steam colours upon cotton. Topical colours are also applied without mordanting the silk beforehand. In this case a little muriate of tin is introduced. Thus, forYellow.—Take 1 gallon of a decoction, made with 4 libs. of Persian berries: dissolve in it 8 ounces of salt of tin (muriate), and 4 ounces of the nitro-muriatic solution of tin. Thicken with 2 pounds of gum.Roller and combPrinting of foulard pieces.The tables which serve for the impression of silk goods are so constructed as to receive them in their full breadth. Towards the part between the colour or sieve tub and the table, the roller is mounted upon which the piece is wound. This roller,A B,fig.246., has a groove,C, cut out parallel to its axis. Into this a bar is pressed, which fixes the end of the piece. The head,B, of the roller is pierced with several holes, in which an iron pin passes for stopping its rotation at any point, as is shown atB. At the other end of the table there is placed a comb,fig.247., which is supported by pivotsA Bat its ends. The teeth of the comb are on a level with the cloth.The piece is arranged for printing as follows:—It is unwound, and its end is brought upon the teeth of the comb, and made to pass into them by slight taps with a brush. It is now stretched, by turning round the roller, and fixing it by the pin-handle. After tracing the outline, the printing blocks are applied. Care should be taken, in the course of printing, always to fix the teeth of the comb in the middle line between two handkerchiefs. The operation of grounding-in is much facilitated by this plan of extension.The pieces are washed in running water, and must be rapidly dried. The subsequent dressing is given by gum tragacanth: they are dried upon a stretching frame, and then folded up for the market.III.Mandarining of silk stuffs and chalys.—This style of printing depends upon the property which nitric acid possesses of giving to silk and woollen stuffs a yellow colour.The first step is the scouring with a soap boil, as already described.The designs are printed-on as also above described.Copper chestThe swimming or colour-tub is usually double, and serves for two tables; instead of being placed, therefore, at the end of the table, it is put between two, and, consequently, behind the printer. It is formed of a copper chest,fig.248.,A B C D, in which steam may circulate, introduced by the pipeI; the excess being allowed to escape by the tubeJ, as also the water of condensation. The frame is placed in the hollow boxK K. Between two such frames there is a plate of copper,L, which closes the box; it serves for laying the plates in order to keep them hot. AtEandHare prolongations of the box, in which are set the vesselsF Gfor holding the reserve paste.Preparation of the reserve or resist paste.—Melt in a kettle 21⁄2libs. of rosin; 1 lib. of suet: mix well, and put it into the basinsF G. By means of steam the reserve is kept melted, as well as the false colour upon which the sieve floats. The piece of silk being laid upon the table, and the reserve spread upon the frame, the printer heats his block, which should be mounted with lead, if the pattern will permit, upon the little tableL. He takes up the colour from the frame, and transfers it instantly to the piece. He must strike the block lightly, and then lift it, lest, by its cooling, it might stick to the silk. When the table pattern is completed, he dusts it over with sand, and proceeds to another portion of the silk. The piece must not betaken out of the stretch till it is quite dry, which requires usually 6 hours. Let us consider first the most common case, that of a white upon an orange ground. We shall afterwards describe the other styles, which may be obtained by this process. The piece, being printed and dry, must next be subjected to themandariningoperation.Mandarining apparatusThe apparatus here employed consists of a sandstone troughA B C D,fig.249.Upon the two sides,A C,B D, of this trough are fixed two wooden planks, pierced with a hole an inch from the bottom to receive the rollerE, under which the piece passes. In this trough the acid mixture is put. That trough is put into a wooden or copper trough,F G H I. Into the latter, water is put, which is heated by means of steam, or a convenient furnace. Before and behind are placed two winces, or reels,K L: one serves to guide the piece in entering into the trough, and the other in its leaving it. The piece falls immediately into a stream of cold water, or, failing that, into a large back, containing a mixture of chalk and water. The two winces are moved by handles: the velocity is proportioned to the action of the acid. The winceLought to be higher thanK, to allow the acid to drain off.Fig.250.shows a section of the apparatus.The temperature of the acid mixture ought to be maintained between 95° and 100° F.; for if it be raised higher, the resist would run the risk of melting, and the impression would become irregular and blotty.The proportions of the acid mixture are the following:—1 gallon of water; and 1 gallon of nitric acid, of spec. grav. 1·288, which may be increased with the strength of the silk. It should be a little weaker for chalys. For the strong greens it may be 2 measures of acid of 1·288 to 1 measure of water. The duration of the passage through the acid should be 1 minute at most.Mixture of orange colour, and clearing away of the resist.—The goods, on coming out of the mandarining apparatus, are rinsed in running water; then boiled in soap water, quickened with a little soda, at the rate of 2 libs. of the former and 4 oz. of the latter for a piece of 30 yards. They must be worked by the wince for half an hour. They are now rinsed in cold water, then passed through hot, again rinsed, and dried. I shall give some examples of the mode of manufacture, which is undoubtedly one of the most curious applications of chemical ingenuity.1.Orange ground with white figures.(1.) Print-on the fat reserve; (2.) mandarine; (3.) brighten the orange, and clear.2.Orange ground, with blue figures.(1.) Dip in the indigo vat as for calico; (2.) print-on the fat resist to preserve the blue; (3.) mandarine; 4. clear, and brighten the orange by the boil.3.Orange ground, with blue and white figures.(1.) Print-on the resist to preserve the white; (2.) dip in the vat, rinse, and dry; (3.) ground-in the fat resist to preserve the blue; (4.) mandarine; (5.) cleanse, and brighten.4.Full green ground, and white figures.(1.) Print-on the resist; (2.) mandarine, and rinse without drying; (3.) dip in the blue vat; (4.) cleanse, and brighten.5.Full green ground, and blue figures.(1.) Dip a pale blue, rinse, and dry; (2.) print-on the fat resist; (3.) mandarine, wash and dry; (4.) dip full blue; (5.) clean, and brighten.6.Full green ground, with white and blue figures.(1.) Print-on the resist; (2.) dip a pale blue, and dry; (3.) ground-in the fat resist; (4.) mandarine and rinse; (5.) dip a full blue; (6.) clean, and brighten.7.Full green ground, with white, blue, and orange figures.(1.) Print-on the fat reserve; (2.) dip a pale blue, and dry; (3.) ground-in the reserve; (4.) mandarine, rinse, and dry; (5.) ground-in the reserve; (6.) dip a full blue; (7.) clean, and brighten.If blue grounds with white figures be wanted, the resist must be applied, and then the goods must be dipped in the blue vat: the resist is afterwards removed by a boil in soap-water.The above processes are applicable to chalys.The property which nitric acid possesses of staining animal matters yellow, such as the skin, wool, and silk, is here applied to a very elegant purpose.Of the bronze or solitaire style by mandarining.—The mandarining mixture, is1 gallon of nitric acid, of 1·17 spec. grav.; mixed with 3 pints of solution of nitrate of iron, of spec. grav. 1·65. If the quantity of nitrate of iron be increased, a darker tint will be obtained. The temperature of the mixture should be 94° F. The pieces, after mandarining, are let fall into water, and steeped for an hour.In order to raise the bronze, and clear away the fat resist, the goods must be boiled in a bath of soap and soda, as described for orange.1.Bronze ground, with white figures.(1.) Print on the fat resist; (2.) dip in the blue vat, and dry; (3.) pad in a decoction of logwood, of 4 libs. per gallon; dry, taking care to turn over the selvages; (4.) mandarine, and steep in water for an hour; (5.) cleanse, and pass through soap.2.Bronze ground, with blue figures.(1.) Dip in the blue vat, and dry; (2.) print-on the fat resist; (3.) pad in the above decoction of logwood, and dry; (4.) mandarine, and steep an hour; (5.) cleanse, and brighten.3.Bronze ground, with white and blue.(1.) Print-on the fat resist; (2.) dip in the blue vat, and dry; (3.) ground-in the fat resist; (4.) pad in the logwood liquor, and dry; (5.) mandarine, and steep for an hour; (6.) cleanse, and give the brightening boil with soap.This style of manufacture may be executed on chalys; and is capable of producing beautiful effects, which will in vain be sought for by other means.With silks, advantage may be derived from various metallic solutions which possess the property of staining animal substances; among which are nitrate of silver, nitrate of mercury, and muriate of iron. The solutions of these salts may be thickened with gum, and printed-on.An orange upon an indigo vat ground.—After the blue ground has been dyed, orange figures may be produced by printing-on the following discharge paste:—1 gallon of water, made into a paste with 1 pound of starch: when cold, add to it from 16 to 24 ounces of nitric acid, of spec. grav. 1·288. After fixing the colour by steam, the orange is brightened with a soap boil.An orange upon a Prussian-blue ground.—The dye is first given by Prussian blue in the ordinary way, and then the following discharge is printed-on:—A caustic lye being prepared, of 1·086 specific gravity, dissolve in a gallon of it 2 pounds of annotto, and thicken with 3 pounds and a quarter of gum. Two days after the impression of this paste, pass the goods through steam, and wash them in running water. With these two designs, the logwood and gall black, formerly described, may be associated, to produce a rich effect.To the preceding practical instructions for printing calicoes, silks, woollens, and mixed fabrics, made of the two latter, a few annotations may be added.When an uniform colour is to be applied to both sides of the cloth, the padding process is employed; but, when only one side is to be thus coloured, diagonal lines are cut very closely to each other upon the cylinder, which transfer so much colour from the trough to the cloth passed under it as to make the surface appear uniformly stained. This process is calledmattageby the French. Mordants or topical dyes, to be applied in this way, should not be much thickened.Thedoubleris the piece of felt or blanket stuff placed between the cloth to be printed, and the block printing table, or the cylinders. It should be kept very clean; because, were it soiled with acetate of iron, it would spoil all the light shades made with acetate of alumina.Filters for the colour shop of a print house are best made of wool, formed into a substantial conical cap by felting. A filter ought to be set apart for each different dye stuff.When the goods after dyeing are washed, by being held by the selvage, dipped, and shaken in a stream of water, the process is calledgiving a listby the French (donner une lisière). The piece is transferred alternately from one hand to another.Stains.When we observe stains produced by mordants, upon spots where no colour is to come, we must, before dunging the goods, apply a little of the lime juice, or tartaro-oxalic acid discharge paste, to the place. If, on the contrary, the stains are not perceived till after the maddering, we must then apply to it first a strong solution of chloride of lime with a pencil, next a solution of oxalic acid mixed with a little muriatic with another pencil, and immediately afterwards wash with water. Every madder stain will be effaced by this means.Rust stains are removable by a mixture of oxalic and muriatic acids.Indigo stains by the combined action of chloride of lime and muriatic acid.Topical yellow stains, or yellow dyes, by the same combination.Metallic greens and Scheele’s green by the acid alone.Chrome green, and Prussian blue. The blue may be taken out by a caustic alkali; after which the goods must be washed: the residuary rust stain may be removed by the mixture of oxalic and muriatic acids. The above methods refer to cotton and linen. The stains on silk and woollen stuffs should be removed before fixing the colours by the soap boil; which may generally be done by scratching with the finger, with the aid of a little water.For a direct calico green, seeoxide ofChrome.Mr. Hudson, of Gale, near Rochdale, obtained a patent, in December, 1834, for a mechanism which furnishes a continual and regular supply of colour to the sieve or tear (tiré, Fr.) into which the printer has to dip his block, for the purpose of receiving the colour about to be transferred to the fabric in the operations of printing calicoes or paper hangings. The contrivance consists in a travelling endless web, moved by power, which, by passing progressively from the colour vat over the diaphragm, brings forward continuously an equable supply of the coloured paste for the workman’s block.
[15]This preparation is made by adding 3 libs. of sal ammoniac to 1 gallon of solution of tin (seeScarlet Dye, andTin), evaporating, and crystallizing. The sal ammoniac seems to counteract the separation of the tin by peroxidizement.
[15]This preparation is made by adding 3 libs. of sal ammoniac to 1 gallon of solution of tin (seeScarlet Dye, andTin), evaporating, and crystallizing. The sal ammoniac seems to counteract the separation of the tin by peroxidizement.
Cochineal pink.—Acetate of alumina is mixed with decoction of cochineal, a little tartaric acid and solution of tin; then thickened with starch, dried, and steamed.
Steam brown.—A mixed infusion of logwood, cochineal, and Persian berries, with cream of tartar, alum (or acetate of alumina), and a little tartaric acid, thickened, dried, and steamed.
Green, blue, chocolate, with white ground, by steam.—Prussiate of potash and tartaric acid, thickened, for the blue; the same mixture with berry-liquor and acetate of alumina, thickened, for the green; extract of logwood with acetate of alumina and cream of tartar, thickened, for the chocolate. These three topical colours are applied at once by the three-colour cylinder machine; dried and steamed. Though greens are fixed by the steam, their colour is much improved by passing the cloth through solution of bichromate of potash.
In France, solution of tin is much used for steam colours.
VIII.Spirit or Fancy colours.—These all owe their vivacity, as well as the moderate degree of permanency they possess, to their tin mordant. After printing-on the topical colour, the goods must be dried at a gentle heat, and passed merely through the rinsing machine. Purple, brown, or chocolate, red, green, yellow, blue, and white discharge; any five of these are printed on at once by the five-colour cylinder machine. SeeRinsing Machine.
Chocolate, is given by extract of Brazil-wood, extract of logwood, nitromuriate of tin, with a little nitrate of copper; all mixed, thickened, and merely printed-on.
Red, by extract of Brazil-wood and tin, with a little nitrate of copper.
Green, by prussiate of potash, with muriate of tin and acetate of lead, dissolved, thickened, and printed-on.
The goods after rinsing must be passed through solution of bichromate of potash, to convert the Prussian blue colour into green, by the formation of chrome yellow upon it.
Blue.—Prussian blue ground up with solution (nitromuriate) of tin; thickened, &c.
Yellow.—Nitrate of lead dissolved in solution of tartaric acid, thickened, tenderly dried, passed through the bichromate vat or padding machine, washed and dried.
This yellow is pretty fast; though topical, it can hardly, therefore, be called a fancy colour.
Whenpurpleis to be inserted instead of the above blue, extract of logwood with tin is used in the place of the Prussian blue. Tartaric acid is a useful addition to tin in brightening fancy colours.
Chocolate.—A good topical chocolate is made by digesting logwood with liquid acetate of alumina, adding a little cream of tartar to the infusion; thickening, applying by the cylinder, drying, washing, then passing through solution of bichromate of potash, which serves to darken and fix the colour.
I shall conclude my account of the printing of cotton goods with some miscellaneous formulæ, which were given me by skilful calico-printers in Lancashire.
Prussian blueis prepared for topical printing by grinding it in a handmill, like that for grinding pepper or coffee, and triturating the powder with solution of muriate of tin.
Green.—The deoxidized indigo vat liquor is mixed with a little pearlash, and thickened with gum. This is applied by the cylinder or block to goods previouslypadded with nitrate of lead; the goods, after being dried, are passed through milky lime-water, rinsed, and then winced or padded through the bichromate of potash bath.
Another green.—Nitrate of lead, prussiate of potash, and tartaric acid, dissolved, and mixed with a little sulphate, nitrate, and muriate of iron; this mixture is either thickened for cylinder printing, or used in its liquid state in the padding trough. The goods subjected to one of these two processes are dried, padded in weak solution of carbonate of potash, which serves to precipitate the oxide of lead from the nitrate; they are finally padded with bichromate of potash, which induces a yellow upon the blue, constituting a green colour of any desired tint, according to the proportion of the materials.
Chocolate and black, with white discharge; a fast colour.—The cloth is padded with acetate of alumina, and dried in the hot flue; it is then passed through a two-colour machine, the one cylinder of which prints-on lime-juice discharge, thickened with gum senegal; the other a black topical dye (made with logwood extract and iron liquor). The cloths are now hung up to be aired during a week, after which they are dunged, and dyed up with madder, fustic, and quercitron bark, heated with steam in the bath.
Blue, white, and olive or chocolate.—1. Pad with the aluminous mordant; 2. Apply thickened lemon juice for discharge by the cylinder; 3. Dung the goods after they are thoroughly dried; 4. Pass them through the bath of madder, fustic, and quercitron, which dye a brown ground, and leave the discharge points white; then print-on a reserve paste of China clay and gum with sulphate of copper; dry, dip in the blue vat, which will communicate an olive tint to the brown ground; or a chocolate, if madder alone had been used.
When a black ground is desired, with white figures, the acid discharge paste should be printed-on by the cylinder, and dried before the piece is padded in the iron liquor. By following this plan the whites are much purer than when the iron is first applied.
Green, black, white.—The black is first printed-on by a mixture of iron liquor, and infusion (not decoction) of logwood; then resist or reserve paste is applied by the block, and dried; after which the goods are blued in the indigo vat, rinsed, dried, passed through solution of acetate of lead; next, through milky lime water; lastly, through a very strong solution of bichromate of potash.
Turkey red, black, yellow.—Upon Turkey red cloth, print with a strong solution of tartaric acid, mixed with solution of nitrate of lead, thickened with gum; dry. The cloth is now passed through the chloride of lime bath, washed, and chromed. Lastly, the black is printed-on by the block as above, with iron liquor and logwood.
Black ground dotted white, with red or pink and black figures.—1. Print-on the lime juice discharge-paste by the cylinder; dry; 2. Then pad with iron liquor, containing a little acetate of alumina, and hang up the goods for a few days to fix the iron; 3. Dye in a logwood bath to which a little madder has been added; clear with bran. The red or pink is now put in by the block, with a mixture of extract of Brazil-wood, nitromuriate of tin, and nitrate of copper, as prescribed in a preceding formula.
Orange or brown; black; white; pink.—The black is topical, as above; it is printed-on, as also the lemon-juice discharge and red mordant, with muriate of tin (both thickened), by the three-colour machine. Then, after drying the cloth, a single-cylinder machine is made to apply in diagonal lines to it a mixture of acetate of iron and alumina. The cloth, being dried and dunged, is next dyed in a bath of quercitron, madder, and fustic.
Here the orange is the result of the mordant of tin and alumina; the brown, of the alumina and iron; white, of the citric acid discharge. The tin mordant, wherever it has been applied, resists the weaker mordant impressed in the diagonal lines. The pink is blocked-on at the end.
Orange brown, or aventurine; black and white.—The topical black (as above), and discharge lemon juice, are printed-on by the two-colour machine; then the cloth is subjected to the diagonal line cylinder, supplied with the alumino-iron mordant. The cloth is dried, dunged, and dyed in a bath of bark, madder, and fustic.
The manganese orsolitaireground admits of a great variety of figures being easily brought upon it, because almost every acidulous mordant will dissolve the oxide of manganese from the spot to which it is applied, and insert its own base in its place; and of course, by dyeing such mordanted goods in various baths, any variety of coloured designs may be produced. Thus, if the paste of nitrate of lead and tartaric acid solution be applied, and the goods after drying be passed first through lime water, and then through a chrome bath, bright yellow spots will be made to appear upon the bronze ground.
Manganese bronze, buff and green; all metallic colours.—Pad-on the manganese solution, and dry; apply the aceto-sulphate of iron, of spec. grav. 1·02, and Scheele’s green (both properly thickened), by the two-colour machine. The goods are next to be dried, and padded through a cold caustic lye of spec. grav. 1·086. They are thenrinsed, and passed through a weak solution of chloride of lime, to raise the bronze, again rinsed, and passed through a solution of arsenious acid to raise the green.
Scheele’s green for the calico-printer is made as follows:—
Take 1 gallon of water, in which dissolve with heat,5 pounds of sulphate of copper, and 1 pound of verdigris. When the two salts are dissolved, remove the kettle from the fire, and put into it 1 quart of solution of nitrate of copper, and 5 pounds of acetate of lead. Stir the mixture to facilitate the decomposition, and allow the pigment to subside.
It must be thickened with 21⁄2libs. of gum per gallon, for pencilling; or 12 oz. of starch for the block. The goods printed with this paste are to be winced through a caustic lye, till a fine sky-blue be produced; then washed well and rinsed. They are now to be passed through water, containing from half an ounce to an ounce of white arsenic per piece; 4 turns are sufficient; if it be too long immersed, it will take a yellow tint.
Catechu has been considerably employed by calico-printers of late years, as it affords a fine permanent substantive brown, of the shade calledcarmeliteby the French. The following formula will exemplify its mode of application:—
Take 1 gallon of water;1 pound of catechu in fine powder; reduce by boiling to half a gallon, pass the decoction through a fine sieve, and dissolve in it 4 ounces of verdigris; allow it then to cool, and thicken the solution with 5 ounces of starch; while the paste is hot, dissolve in it 5 ounces of pulverized muriate of ammonia.
Print-on this paste, dry, and wash. It is a fast colour.
I shall subjoin the prescriptions for two fancy cochineal printing colours.
Amaranth by cochineal.—Pad the pieces in the aluminous mordant of spec. grav. 1·027,page 224.
Dry in the hot flue; and after hanging up the goods during 3 days, wince well through chalky water, and then dye, as follows:—
For each piece of 28 or 30 yards, 8 ounces of cochineal are to be made into a decoction of 2 gallons in bulk, which is to be poured into a kettle with a decoction of 3 ounces of galls, and with 2 ounces of bran. The pieces are to be entered, and winced as in the madder bath, during two hours and a half; then washed in the dash wheel. On mixing with the amaranth bath a certain quantity of logwood, very beautiful lilacs and violets may be obtained.
Mixture of quercitron and cochineal.—Pad in the aluminous mordant, and dye with 2 libs. of quercitron, and 4 ounces of cochineal, when a capuchin colour will be obtained. If we pad with the following mordant; viz. 1 gallon of acetate of alumina of 1·056 spec. grav., and 1 of iron liquor of 1·02 spec. grav., and dye with 1 pound of quercitron, and 1 ounce of cochineal, we shall obtain a shade like boot-tops, of extreme vivacity.
Two ounces of cochineal will print a long piece of calico with rich pink figures, having acetate of alumina for a mordant. As the ground is hardly tinged by the dye, it neither needs nor admits of much clearing.
I have already mentioned that goods are sometimes padded with solution of perchloride of tin before printing-on them the steam colours, whereby they acquire both permanence and vivacity. I have also stated that the salts of tin at a high temperature are apt to corrode the fibre of the stuff, and therefore must be used with discretion. This danger is greatly lessened by adding to the perchloride of tin a sufficient quantity of caustic potash lye to form a stannate of potash. The goods are padded through this substance, diluted with water, dried with a moderate heat, and then immersed in very dilute sulphuric acid, which saturates the potash, and precipitates the tin oxide within the pores of the cloth. Calico thus prepared affords brilliant and permanent colours by the steam process, above described.
Printing of silks or woollen stuffs, such as merinoes and mousselin de laine, as also of mixed stuffs of silk and wool, such as chalys.—All these prints are applied, not by the cylinder but the block, and are fixed by the application of steam in one of four ways; 1. By thelanthorn; 2. By thecask; 3. By thechest; or 4. By thechamber.
Lanthorn
1.By the lanthorn.—In this mode of exposure to steam, the goods are stretched upon a frame; and therefore the apparatus may be described under two heads; the lanthorn and the frame. The former is made of copper, in the shape of a boxA B C D E,fig.238., open below, and with a sloping roof above, to facilitate the trickling down of the water condensed upon the walls. The sidesB C D Eare 41⁄2feet high, 6 feet long, and 4 feet wide. The distance of the pointAfrom the lineE Bis 2 feet. AtFis a brass socket, which may be stopped with a cork; and there is a similar one at the other side. This kind of penthouse may be raised by means of a pully with cords fixed to the four angles of the roofE B; and it rests upon the tableG H, a little larger than the area of the box, which stands upon the four feetI K. Round the borders of the table there is a triangular groovea b, for receiving the lower edges of the box, and it is stuffed steam-tight with lists of cloth. Through the centre of the table, the two-inch steam pipeMpasses; it is surmounted with an hemispherical rose pierced with numerous holes for the equal distribution of the steam. Right above it, a discNis placed upon four feet. The tubeLcommunicates with a boxP, which has a syphonQto let off the condensed water. At the upper part of this box the tubeLterminates which brings the steam. The little tableG Hslopes towards the partG, where the syphonRis placed for drawing off the water.
Theframehas such dimensions, that it may stand in the four corners of the table atS S, as pointed out by the dotted lines. The second part embraces an open square frame, which is formed by spars of wood 2 inches square, mortised together; and is 3 feet 8 inches wide, 5 feet 8 inches long, and 4 feet 3 inches high; it is strengthened with cross bars. Upon the two sides of its breadth, two rows of round brass hooks are placed, about half an inch apart; they are soldered to a copper plate fixed to uprights by means of screws.
Before hanging up the goods, a piece of cloth 3 feet 8 inches long, and 4 feet wide, is placed upon the row of hooks; and 3 feet of it are left hanging out.
One foot within, the hooks pass through the cloth. A similar one is fitted to the other side. This cloth is intended to cover the goods hung upon the hooks; and it is kept straight by resting upon strings. The pieces are attached zig-zag from one hook to another. When the frame is filled, the bag is put within the cloths; it has the same rectangular shape as the frame. The pieces are in this way all encased in the cloth; a bit of it being also put beneath to prevent moisture affecting that part.
When shawls are framed, they are attached with pins; and if they be too large, they are doubled back to back, with the fringes at top.
These arrangements being made, the frame is set upon the table, the penthouse is placed over it, and the steam is admitted during from 35 to 45 minutes, according to circumstances. The orificeFis opened at first to let the air escape, and when it begins to discharge steam it is stopped. The frame is taken out at the proper time, the bag is removed, the cloths are lifted off, and the goods are spread out for airing. Three frames and six bags are required for a constant succession of work. The above apparatus is particularly suitable for silks.
Drum
2.The drum.—This is the most simple mode of steaming. The apparatus is a drum of white wood, 2 inches thick,fig.239.; the bottom is pierced with a hole which admits the steam-pipeF, terminating in a perforated rose. Four inches from the bottom there is a canvass partitionE, intended to stop any drops of water projected from the tubeF, and also to separate the condensed water from the body of the apparatus. The drum is covered in by a wooden headH, under which the goods are placed. It is made fast either by bolts, or by hooks,G G, thusFlat S, to which weighted cords are hung. The frame 1,fig.240.rests upon a hoop,a a, a few inches from the edge. The goods are hung upon the frame in the ordinary way, and then wrapped round with flannel. The frame is studded with pin points, like that of the indigo vat, fixed about 5 inches asunder. From 20 to 30 minutes suffice for one steaming operation. The upper part of the frame must be covered also with flannels to prevent the deposition of moisture upon it. At the bottom of the drum there is a stopcock to let off the condensed water. According to the size of the figure, which is 3 feet 2 inches, 50 yards may be hung up single; but they may be doubled on occasion.
Box
3.The box.—This steaming apparatus is convenient from the large quantity of goods admissible at a time: it answers best for woollen stuffs. From 12 to 16 pieces, of 36 yards each, may be operated upon at once; and from 240 to 260 shawls. It is formed of a deal box,A B C D,fig.241., 4 feet wide, 6 long, and 3 high; the wood being 4 inches thick. It is closed by a cover of the same substance,I, which is made steam-tight at the edges by a list of felt. The lid is fastened down by 5 cross bars of iron,a a a a a, which are secured by screws,c c c c c,fig.242.The ends of these cross bars are let into the notches,b b b b b, on the edge of the box. The safety valveM,fig.241., is placed upon the lid. For taking off the lid, there are rings at the fourcorners,d d d d, bearing cords,F F F F. These join at the centre into one, which passes over a pulley. Eight inches from the bottom of the box there is a horizontal canvass partition, beneath which the steam is discharged from the pipeL,fig.243.There are two ledges,E F G H, at the sides for receiving the bobbins. The tubeLruns round the box, as shown by the lettersd a e b: the enddis shut; but the side and top are perforated with many holes in the direction towards the centre of the box.Fig.244.shows the arrangement of the lower set of bobbins: that of the upper set is shown by the dotted lines: it is seen to be in an alternate position, one lying between two others. They are formed of pieces of deal 4 inches broad, 1 inch thick, and of a length equal to the width of the box. They are first wrapped round with 5 or 6 turns of doubled flannel or calico: the piece of goods is laid over it upon a table, and then wrapped round. At the end of the piece, several folds of the covering must be put, as, also, a roll of flannel. The two ends must be slightly tied with packthread. When these flat bobbins are arranged in the box, the steam is let on them, and continued about 45 minutes: it is then shut off, the lid is removed, and the pieces are unrolled.
Chamber
4.The chamber.—The interior height of the chamber,A B C D,fig.245., is 9 feet, the length 12 feet, and the breadth 9 feet. The steam is introduced into it by two pipes,a b c,d e f. Their two ends,d c, are shut; but their sides are all along perforated with small holes. The framesE F G H,E F G H, are moveable, and run upon rollers: they are taken out by front doors, which are made of strong planks, shut by sliding in slots, and are secured by strong iron bars and pressure screws. The cross rods,E F G H, are provided with hooks for hanging up the pieces. There is a safety-valve in the top of this large chamber. The dimensions of the frame are 10 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 7 high. Three feet and a half from the upper part of the frame, a row of hooks is fixed for hanging on a double row of pieces, as shown in the figure. Over the frame, woollen blankets are laid to protect it from drops of water that might fall from the roof of the chamber. When the hooks are two thirds of an inch apart, 24 pieces, of 28 yards each, may be suspended at once. The period of steaming is from 45 to 60 minutes.
Muslins and silks do not require so high a temperature as woollen goods. When the stuffs are padded with colour, like merinos and chalys, they must not be folded together, for fear of stains, which are sometimes occasioned by the column in steam calico-printing, where the end which receives the first impression of the steam is seldom of the same shade as the rest of the roll of goods. The duration of the steaming depends upon the quantity of acid in the mordant, and of saline solution in the topical colour; the more of which are present, the shorter should be the steaming period. A dry vapour is requisite in all cases; for when it becomes moist, from a feeble supply or external condensation, the goods become streaky or stained by the spreading of the colours.
1.Black figuresare given by decoction of logwood thickened with starch, to which a little oxalic acid is added while hot, and, after it is cold, neutralised solution of nitrate of iron.
2.Dark blue for a ground.—Decoction of logwood, and archil thickened with starch; to which, while the paste is hot, a little soluble Prussian blue is added; and, when it is cold, neutralised nitrate of iron; seesupra.
3.Deep poppy or ponceau colour.—Cochineal boiled in starch water, with oxalic acid (or tartaric), and perchloride of tin.
4.Rose.—Cochineal infusion; oxalic acid; perchloride of tin; thickened with gum.
5. Dark amaranth.—Decoctions of archil and cochineal, thickened with starch: to the paste, alum and perchloride of tin are added.
6.Capuchin colour.—Quercitron and cochineal thickened with starch; to the paste add oxalic acid, and perchloride of tin.
7.Annotto orange.—Dissolve the annotto in soda lye, of spec. grav. 1·07, at a boiling heat; add aluminate of soda, and thicken with gum.
8.Golden yellow.—Decoction of Persian berries thickened with starch; to which some alum and muriate of tin are added, with a little perchloride of tin and oxalic acid.
9.Lemon yellow.—Persian berries; starch; alum.
10. An ammoniacal solution of cochineal is used for making many violet and mallow colours. It is prepared by infusing cochineal in water of ammonia for 24 hours; then diluting with water, heating to ebullition, and straining.
11.Fine violetis given by ammoniacal cochineal, with alum and oxalic acid; to which a little aceto-sulphate of indigo is added, and gum for thickening. The following blue may be used instead of the solution of indigo. Themallowtint is given by adding a little perchloride of tin to the above formula, and leaving out the blue.
12.Dark blue.—Soluble Prussian blue; tartaric acid; alum; thicken with gum.
13.Emerald green.—One quart of decoction, equivalent to 1 pound of Persian berries; 1 quart of infusion of quercitron, of spec. grav. 1·027; in which dissolve 12 ounces of alum in powder; and add 6 ounces of the following blue bath for greens; thicken with 20 ounces of gum.
14. Blue bath for greens. Half a gallon of water at 140° F., 1 pound of soluble Prussian blue, 3 ounces of tartaric acid, and 2 ounces of alum.
I.Printing of Silks.—1.Of the madder style.This is one of the most difficult to execute, requiring both much skill and experience. The first step is the removal of the gum. A copper being nearly filled with water, the pieces, tied up in a linen bag, are put into it, with a quarter of a pound of soap for every pound of silk, and are boiled for 3 hours. If the silk be Indian, half an ounce of soda crystals must be added. When the goods are taken out, they are rinsed in the river, then passed through water at 140° F., holding 8 ounces of crystallised soda in solution, as a scourer. They are next rinsed in cold water, and steeped in water very faintly acidulated with sulphuric acid, during 4 hours, then rinsed, and dried.
Preparation of Mordants.—1 gallon of boiling water; 2 pounds of alum; dissolve:
1 pound of acetate of lead; 4 ounces of sal-ammoniac; 1 of chalk; mix well together; after decomposition and subsidence, draw off clear.
1.Red.—1 gallon of the above mordant, thickened with 14 ounces of starch, and tinged with decoction of Brazil wood. If dark red be wanted, dissolve, in a gallon of the above red, 4 ounces of sulphate of copper.
2.Black.—1 gallon of iron liquor, of 1·056 spec. grav.; thicken with 14 ounces of starch; and dissolve in the hot paste 2 ounces of sulphate of copper.
3.Violet.Take 1 gallon of iron liquor of 1·04 spec. grav.;3.Violet.2 ounces of cream of tartar; 2 ounces of nitre; 2 ounces of copperas;3.Violet.1 ounce of alum: dissolve, and mix the solution with3.Violet.1 gallon of gum water, containing 6 libs. of gum.
4.Puce.Half a gallon of red mordant; half a gallon of iron liquor of 1·07;4.Puce.7 ounces of starch for thickening colour with logwood.
Manipulation of the above colours.—Print-on the black, then the puce, next the violet, and, lastly the red. Dry in the hot flue, and, 48 hours after the impression, wash away the paste. The copper employed for dyeing is of a square form: a boil is given with bran, at the rate of 4 libs. per piece of thefoulards: cold water is added to lower the temperature to 130° F. The pieces must be entered with the printed surface undermost, and winced for half an hour, taking care to keep them expanded and well covered with the liquor: they are then taken out and rinsed. When grounds are to be made on the foulards, 2 ounces of sumach must be added per piece.
Maddering.—Suppose 48 pieces are to be grounded with madder. 12 pounds of madder must be put into the copper, 1 pound of sumach, and 6 pounds of bran; the bath must be tepid when the pieces are entered: it must be heated to 104° F. in 20 minutes, and to the boiling point in an hour and a half. The goods must be briskly winced all the time, and finally turned out into cold water.
When they come out of the madder bath they are much loaded with colour. They are cleared by a boil of half an hour in bran, then turned out into cold water, and rinsed. A copper must be now mounted with 3 pounds of soap, 1 ounce of solution of tin, and 2 pailsful of bran, in which the goods are to be boiled for half an hour, then rinsed, and passed through a very dilute sulphuric acid bath. Then rinse, and dry. By following this process a light salmon ground is obtained.
II.Steam colours upon silk.—The same plan of operations may be adopted here as is described for calico-printing; the main difference being in the method of mordanting the stuffs. After boiling in soap water, in the proportion of 4 ounces per pound of silk, the goods are washed in cold water, and then in hot water at 140°; they are next rinsed, passed through weak sulphuric acid, rinsed, squeezed between rollers, and afterwards steeped in a bath containing 8 ounces of alum per gallon, where they remain for four hours, with occasionally wincing. They are now rinsed, and dried. The subsequent treatment resembles that of steam-colour printed cottons.
Black.—Take a gallon of decoction, made with 4 libs. of logwood, with whichBlack.—14 ounces of starch are to be combined: mix inBlack.—2 ounces of powdered nut-galls: boil, and pour the colour into a pipkin containingBlack.—2 ounces of tartaric acid; 2 ounces of oxalic, both in powder, andBlack.—2 ounces of olive oil. Stir the colour till it is cold, and addBlack.—8 ounces of nitrate of iron, and 4 ounces of nitrate of copper.
The red, violet, lilac, yellow colours, &c. are the same as for steam colours upon cotton. Topical colours are also applied without mordanting the silk beforehand. In this case a little muriate of tin is introduced. Thus, for
Yellow.—Take 1 gallon of a decoction, made with 4 libs. of Persian berries: dissolve in it 8 ounces of salt of tin (muriate), and 4 ounces of the nitro-muriatic solution of tin. Thicken with 2 pounds of gum.
Roller and comb
Printing of foulard pieces.The tables which serve for the impression of silk goods are so constructed as to receive them in their full breadth. Towards the part between the colour or sieve tub and the table, the roller is mounted upon which the piece is wound. This roller,A B,fig.246., has a groove,C, cut out parallel to its axis. Into this a bar is pressed, which fixes the end of the piece. The head,B, of the roller is pierced with several holes, in which an iron pin passes for stopping its rotation at any point, as is shown atB. At the other end of the table there is placed a comb,fig.247., which is supported by pivotsA Bat its ends. The teeth of the comb are on a level with the cloth.
The piece is arranged for printing as follows:—It is unwound, and its end is brought upon the teeth of the comb, and made to pass into them by slight taps with a brush. It is now stretched, by turning round the roller, and fixing it by the pin-handle. After tracing the outline, the printing blocks are applied. Care should be taken, in the course of printing, always to fix the teeth of the comb in the middle line between two handkerchiefs. The operation of grounding-in is much facilitated by this plan of extension.
The pieces are washed in running water, and must be rapidly dried. The subsequent dressing is given by gum tragacanth: they are dried upon a stretching frame, and then folded up for the market.
III.Mandarining of silk stuffs and chalys.—This style of printing depends upon the property which nitric acid possesses of giving to silk and woollen stuffs a yellow colour.
The first step is the scouring with a soap boil, as already described.
The designs are printed-on as also above described.
Copper chest
The swimming or colour-tub is usually double, and serves for two tables; instead of being placed, therefore, at the end of the table, it is put between two, and, consequently, behind the printer. It is formed of a copper chest,fig.248.,A B C D, in which steam may circulate, introduced by the pipeI; the excess being allowed to escape by the tubeJ, as also the water of condensation. The frame is placed in the hollow boxK K. Between two such frames there is a plate of copper,L, which closes the box; it serves for laying the plates in order to keep them hot. AtEandHare prolongations of the box, in which are set the vesselsF Gfor holding the reserve paste.
Preparation of the reserve or resist paste.—Melt in a kettle 21⁄2libs. of rosin; 1 lib. of suet: mix well, and put it into the basinsF G. By means of steam the reserve is kept melted, as well as the false colour upon which the sieve floats. The piece of silk being laid upon the table, and the reserve spread upon the frame, the printer heats his block, which should be mounted with lead, if the pattern will permit, upon the little tableL. He takes up the colour from the frame, and transfers it instantly to the piece. He must strike the block lightly, and then lift it, lest, by its cooling, it might stick to the silk. When the table pattern is completed, he dusts it over with sand, and proceeds to another portion of the silk. The piece must not betaken out of the stretch till it is quite dry, which requires usually 6 hours. Let us consider first the most common case, that of a white upon an orange ground. We shall afterwards describe the other styles, which may be obtained by this process. The piece, being printed and dry, must next be subjected to themandariningoperation.
Mandarining apparatus
The apparatus here employed consists of a sandstone troughA B C D,fig.249.Upon the two sides,A C,B D, of this trough are fixed two wooden planks, pierced with a hole an inch from the bottom to receive the rollerE, under which the piece passes. In this trough the acid mixture is put. That trough is put into a wooden or copper trough,F G H I. Into the latter, water is put, which is heated by means of steam, or a convenient furnace. Before and behind are placed two winces, or reels,K L: one serves to guide the piece in entering into the trough, and the other in its leaving it. The piece falls immediately into a stream of cold water, or, failing that, into a large back, containing a mixture of chalk and water. The two winces are moved by handles: the velocity is proportioned to the action of the acid. The winceLought to be higher thanK, to allow the acid to drain off.Fig.250.shows a section of the apparatus.
The temperature of the acid mixture ought to be maintained between 95° and 100° F.; for if it be raised higher, the resist would run the risk of melting, and the impression would become irregular and blotty.
The proportions of the acid mixture are the following:—1 gallon of water; and 1 gallon of nitric acid, of spec. grav. 1·288, which may be increased with the strength of the silk. It should be a little weaker for chalys. For the strong greens it may be 2 measures of acid of 1·288 to 1 measure of water. The duration of the passage through the acid should be 1 minute at most.
Mixture of orange colour, and clearing away of the resist.—The goods, on coming out of the mandarining apparatus, are rinsed in running water; then boiled in soap water, quickened with a little soda, at the rate of 2 libs. of the former and 4 oz. of the latter for a piece of 30 yards. They must be worked by the wince for half an hour. They are now rinsed in cold water, then passed through hot, again rinsed, and dried. I shall give some examples of the mode of manufacture, which is undoubtedly one of the most curious applications of chemical ingenuity.
1.Orange ground with white figures.
(1.) Print-on the fat reserve; (2.) mandarine; (3.) brighten the orange, and clear.
2.Orange ground, with blue figures.
(1.) Dip in the indigo vat as for calico; (2.) print-on the fat resist to preserve the blue; (3.) mandarine; 4. clear, and brighten the orange by the boil.
3.Orange ground, with blue and white figures.
(1.) Print-on the resist to preserve the white; (2.) dip in the vat, rinse, and dry; (3.) ground-in the fat resist to preserve the blue; (4.) mandarine; (5.) cleanse, and brighten.
4.Full green ground, and white figures.
(1.) Print-on the resist; (2.) mandarine, and rinse without drying; (3.) dip in the blue vat; (4.) cleanse, and brighten.
5.Full green ground, and blue figures.
(1.) Dip a pale blue, rinse, and dry; (2.) print-on the fat resist; (3.) mandarine, wash and dry; (4.) dip full blue; (5.) clean, and brighten.
6.Full green ground, with white and blue figures.
(1.) Print-on the resist; (2.) dip a pale blue, and dry; (3.) ground-in the fat resist; (4.) mandarine and rinse; (5.) dip a full blue; (6.) clean, and brighten.
7.Full green ground, with white, blue, and orange figures.
(1.) Print-on the fat reserve; (2.) dip a pale blue, and dry; (3.) ground-in the reserve; (4.) mandarine, rinse, and dry; (5.) ground-in the reserve; (6.) dip a full blue; (7.) clean, and brighten.
If blue grounds with white figures be wanted, the resist must be applied, and then the goods must be dipped in the blue vat: the resist is afterwards removed by a boil in soap-water.
The above processes are applicable to chalys.
The property which nitric acid possesses of staining animal matters yellow, such as the skin, wool, and silk, is here applied to a very elegant purpose.
Of the bronze or solitaire style by mandarining.—The mandarining mixture, is
1 gallon of nitric acid, of 1·17 spec. grav.; mixed with 3 pints of solution of nitrate of iron, of spec. grav. 1·65. If the quantity of nitrate of iron be increased, a darker tint will be obtained. The temperature of the mixture should be 94° F. The pieces, after mandarining, are let fall into water, and steeped for an hour.
In order to raise the bronze, and clear away the fat resist, the goods must be boiled in a bath of soap and soda, as described for orange.
1.Bronze ground, with white figures.
(1.) Print on the fat resist; (2.) dip in the blue vat, and dry; (3.) pad in a decoction of logwood, of 4 libs. per gallon; dry, taking care to turn over the selvages; (4.) mandarine, and steep in water for an hour; (5.) cleanse, and pass through soap.
2.Bronze ground, with blue figures.
(1.) Dip in the blue vat, and dry; (2.) print-on the fat resist; (3.) pad in the above decoction of logwood, and dry; (4.) mandarine, and steep an hour; (5.) cleanse, and brighten.
3.Bronze ground, with white and blue.
(1.) Print-on the fat resist; (2.) dip in the blue vat, and dry; (3.) ground-in the fat resist; (4.) pad in the logwood liquor, and dry; (5.) mandarine, and steep for an hour; (6.) cleanse, and give the brightening boil with soap.
This style of manufacture may be executed on chalys; and is capable of producing beautiful effects, which will in vain be sought for by other means.
With silks, advantage may be derived from various metallic solutions which possess the property of staining animal substances; among which are nitrate of silver, nitrate of mercury, and muriate of iron. The solutions of these salts may be thickened with gum, and printed-on.
An orange upon an indigo vat ground.—After the blue ground has been dyed, orange figures may be produced by printing-on the following discharge paste:—
1 gallon of water, made into a paste with 1 pound of starch: when cold, add to it from 16 to 24 ounces of nitric acid, of spec. grav. 1·288. After fixing the colour by steam, the orange is brightened with a soap boil.
An orange upon a Prussian-blue ground.—The dye is first given by Prussian blue in the ordinary way, and then the following discharge is printed-on:—
A caustic lye being prepared, of 1·086 specific gravity, dissolve in a gallon of it 2 pounds of annotto, and thicken with 3 pounds and a quarter of gum. Two days after the impression of this paste, pass the goods through steam, and wash them in running water. With these two designs, the logwood and gall black, formerly described, may be associated, to produce a rich effect.
To the preceding practical instructions for printing calicoes, silks, woollens, and mixed fabrics, made of the two latter, a few annotations may be added.
When an uniform colour is to be applied to both sides of the cloth, the padding process is employed; but, when only one side is to be thus coloured, diagonal lines are cut very closely to each other upon the cylinder, which transfer so much colour from the trough to the cloth passed under it as to make the surface appear uniformly stained. This process is calledmattageby the French. Mordants or topical dyes, to be applied in this way, should not be much thickened.
Thedoubleris the piece of felt or blanket stuff placed between the cloth to be printed, and the block printing table, or the cylinders. It should be kept very clean; because, were it soiled with acetate of iron, it would spoil all the light shades made with acetate of alumina.
Filters for the colour shop of a print house are best made of wool, formed into a substantial conical cap by felting. A filter ought to be set apart for each different dye stuff.
When the goods after dyeing are washed, by being held by the selvage, dipped, and shaken in a stream of water, the process is calledgiving a listby the French (donner une lisière). The piece is transferred alternately from one hand to another.
Stains.When we observe stains produced by mordants, upon spots where no colour is to come, we must, before dunging the goods, apply a little of the lime juice, or tartaro-oxalic acid discharge paste, to the place. If, on the contrary, the stains are not perceived till after the maddering, we must then apply to it first a strong solution of chloride of lime with a pencil, next a solution of oxalic acid mixed with a little muriatic with another pencil, and immediately afterwards wash with water. Every madder stain will be effaced by this means.
Rust stains are removable by a mixture of oxalic and muriatic acids.
Indigo stains by the combined action of chloride of lime and muriatic acid.
Topical yellow stains, or yellow dyes, by the same combination.
Metallic greens and Scheele’s green by the acid alone.
Chrome green, and Prussian blue. The blue may be taken out by a caustic alkali; after which the goods must be washed: the residuary rust stain may be removed by the mixture of oxalic and muriatic acids. The above methods refer to cotton and linen. The stains on silk and woollen stuffs should be removed before fixing the colours by the soap boil; which may generally be done by scratching with the finger, with the aid of a little water.
For a direct calico green, seeoxide ofChrome.
Mr. Hudson, of Gale, near Rochdale, obtained a patent, in December, 1834, for a mechanism which furnishes a continual and regular supply of colour to the sieve or tear (tiré, Fr.) into which the printer has to dip his block, for the purpose of receiving the colour about to be transferred to the fabric in the operations of printing calicoes or paper hangings. The contrivance consists in a travelling endless web, moved by power, which, by passing progressively from the colour vat over the diaphragm, brings forward continuously an equable supply of the coloured paste for the workman’s block.