Recent patents. To James Robinson, of Huddersfield, orchil and cudbear manufacturer, for improvements in preparing or manufacturing orchil and cudbear

Recent patents. To James Robinson, of Huddersfield, orchil and cudbear manufacturer, for improvements in preparing or manufacturing orchil and cudbear.— [Sealed 30th August, 1849.]


The London Journal of Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures, and Repertory of Patent Inventions.

Conducted by Mr. W. Newton, of the Office for Patents, Chancery Lane. (Assisted by several Scientific Gentlemen.)

VOL. XXXVI. (Conjoined Series.)

London: Published by W. Newton, at the office for patents, 66, Chancerylane, and Manchester; t. and W. Piper, Paternoster Row; Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., Stationers' Court; J. McCombe, Buchanan St., Glasgow; and Galinani's Library, Rue Vivienne,

Paris. 1850

No. CCXX.In the manufacture of orchil and cudbear, it is the practice to make the ground lichens into a paste with liquid ammonia, and then to submit that paste to the action of the atmosphere; but, in consequence of the mixture being in a thick mass, a considerable length of time is occupied in turning it over and over, in order that the whole of it may be subjected to the action of the atmosphere; and the manufacture of it is there fore attended with considerable difficulty and expense.

The first part of this invention consists in causing the paste, prepared in the ordinary manner, to be forced through small openings or orifices, of any required form, into vessels or receivers; whereby the air will be enabled to act upon the paste with greater effect; and the time occupied in the manufacture will therefore be considerably shortened. The patentee does not confine himself to any particular arrangement of machinery for effecting this object; but he prefers to employ a cylinder, having its bottom perforated with numerous holes, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter, and provided with a piston or plunger, by which the paste is driven through the holes. For obtaining paste-orchil, the paste is to be subdivided in this manner twice a day; and this process should be continued for three days.

The second part of the invention consists in a mode of drying paste-orchil for the purpose of converting it into cudbear. The patentee takes orchil-paste which has been subdivided in the manner above described, or orchil-paste prepared in the ordinary way, and passes it through a machine of a similar character to that above mentioned,—permitting it to fall lightly on to a suitable surface, for the purpose of drying: when dry, it will be fit to be ground, as usual.

The patentee does not claim the mixing lichens with liquid ammonia; nor does he confine himself to the precise details above given; but what he claims as his improvements in preparing or manufacturing orchil and cudbear is, Firstly,—the causing the paste to be passed through orifices or openings, whereby the surfaces thereof are more largely exposed to at mospheric air. And, Secondly,—the mode of drying paste-orchil, when converting it into cudbear. — [Inrolled February, 1850.]