Detergent compositions

Claim 2

A FABRIC LAUNDERING COMPOSITION COMPRISING A. GRANULAR PARTICLES WHICH COMPRISE I. FROM ABOUT 30% TO ABOUT 80% BY WEIGHT OF SAID GRANULAR PARTICLES OF A SOAP COMPOUND, AND II. FROM ABOUT 1% ABOUT 30% BY WEIGHT OF SAID GRANULAR PARTICLES OF A SOAP-CURED-DISPERSING AGENT; AND B. AN IMPALPABLE SMECTITE CLAY HAVING AN ION EXCHANGE CAPACITY OF AT LEAST ABOUT 50 MEG/100 GRAMS, ATTACHED TO THE SURFACE OF SAID GRANULAR PARTICLES; SAID COMPOSITION HAVING A WEIGHT RATIO OF GRANULAR PARTICLES TO IMPALPABLE SMECTITE CLAY OF FROM ABOUT 20:1 TO 3:1.

Claim 3

A composition in accordance with claim 1 A. wherein the soap compound is a salt of a higher fatty acid containing from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms and is present in said granular particles to the extent of from about 40% to about 70% by weight of the granular particles; B. wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of i. compounds of the formula

Claim 4

A composition in accordance with claim 2 A. wherein the soap is selected from the group consisting of sodium tallow soap, sodium coconut soap, potassium tallow soap, potassium coconut soap and mixtures thereof; B. wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of the sodium salt of the methyl ester of Alpha -sulfonated tallow fatty acid; the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 3 ethylene oxide groups per mole; the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 6 ethylene oxide groups per mole; sodium Beta -acetoxy-hexadecane-1-sulfonate; sodium Beta -acetoxy tridecane-1-sulfonate; the sodium salt of sulfonated 1-hexadecane; sodium hexadecylmethylaminopropionate; 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-alkylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate and 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-alkylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate wherein in both compounds the alkyl group averages about 14.8 carbon atoms in length; 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-propane -1-sulfonate; 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate; 3-(N-dodecylbenzyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate; and tallow acyl monoethanolamide; and C. wherein the smectite clay is selected from the group consisting of montmorillonites, volchonskoites, nontronites, hectorites, sauconites and vermiculites.

Claim 5

A composition in accordance with claim 3 A. wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 3 ethylene oxide groups per mole; the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 6 ethylene oxide groups per mole; and tallow acyl monoethanolamide; and B. wherein the smectite clay is a montmorillonite.

Claim 6

A composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 3 ethylene oxide groups per mole and the smectite clay is a sodium montmorillonite.

Claim 7

A composition in accordance with claim 2 wherein the granular particles contain, in addition to the soap and soap-curd-dispersing agent, from 1% to 30% by weight of the particle of a conventional, non-soap-curd-dispersing surfactant and wherein the composition in addition to the granule particles and impalpable smectite clay, contains an adhesion-promoting material comprising from about 0.5% to about 8% by weight of the total composition.

Claim 8

A composition in accordance with claim 6 A. wherein the soap is selected from the group consisting of sodium tallow soap, sodium coconut soap, potassium tallow soap, potassium coconut soap and mixtures thereof; wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of the sodium salt of the methyl ester of Alpha -sulfonated tallow fatty acid; the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 3 ethylene oxide groups per mole; the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate having an average of about 6 ethylene oxide groups per mole; sodium Beta -acetoxy-hexadecane-1-sulfonate; sodium Beta -acetoxy tridecane-1-sulfonate; the sodium salt of sulfonated 1-hexadecene; sodium hexadecylmethylaminopropionate; 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-alkylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate and 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-alkylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate wherein in both compounds the alkyl group averages about 14.8 carbon atoms in length; 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate; 3(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate; and 3-(N-dodecylbenzyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)-propane-1-sulfonate and tallow acyl monoethanolamide; and C. wherein the smectite clay is selected from the group consisting of montmorillonites, volchonskoites, nontronites, hectorites, sauconites, saponites, and vermiculites.

Claim 9

A composition in accordance with claim 7 A. wherein the conventional non-soap-curd-dispersing surfactant is selected from the group consisting of sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate wherein the alkyl group averages from about 10 to 18 carbon atoms in length, sodium tallow alkyl sulfate, and B. wherein the adhesion-promoting material is selected from the group consisting of non-ionic surfactants produced by the condensation of an alkylene oxide moiety with an organic hydrophobic compound, fatty acids containing from about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms and fatty alcohols containing from about 10 to 22 carbon atoms.

Claim 10

A composition in accordance with claim 8 A. wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate averaging about 3 ethylene oxide groups per mole; the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate averaging about 6 ethylene oxide groups per mole; and tallow acyl monoethanolamide; B. wherein the smectite clay is a montmorillonite; C. wherein the conventional non-soap-curd-dispersing surfactant is sodium linear alkyl benzene sulfonate wherein the alkyl group averages about 12 carbon atoms in length; and D. wherein the adhesion-promoting material is selected from the group consisting of coconut alcohol ethoxylate containing 6 ethylene oxide units per molecule; tallow alcohol ethoxylate containing 11 ethylene oxide units per molecule; coconut fatty acid mixtures; tallow fatty acid mixtures, the condensate of one mole of ethylene oxide with 1-dodecanol; and the condensate of one mole of 1-dodecanol with ethylene oxide hexamer, said adhesion-promoting material being present to the extent of from about 1% to about 4% by weight of the total composition.

Claim 11

A composition in accordance with claim 9 wherein the adhesion-promoting material is selected from the group consisting of tallow alcohol ethoxylate containing 11 ethylene oxide units per molecule and coconut fatty acid mixtures.

Claim 12

A composition in accordance with claim 10 wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is the sodium salt of ethoxylated tallow alkyl sulfate averaging about 3 ethylene oxide groups per mole and the smectite clay is a sodium montmorillonite.

Claim 13

A composition in accordance with claim 4 wherein the granular particles, in addition to the soap and soap-curd-dispersing agent, contain from about 1% to about 30% by weight of the granular particles of an alkaline builder salt.

Claim 14

A composition in accordance with claim 12 wherein the alkaline builder salt is sodium tripolyphosphate.

Claim 15

A composition in accordance with claim 13 wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is tallow acyl monoethanolamide and the smectite clay is a sodium montmorillonite.

Claim 16

A composition in accordance with claim 12 which, in addition to the granular particles and impalpable smectite clay, contains an adhesion-promoting material comprising from about 0.5% to about 8% by weight of the total composition.

Claim 17

A composition in accordance with claim 15 wherein the alkaline builder salt is sodium tripolyphosphate and the adhesion-promoting material is selected from the group consisting of coconut alcohol ethoxylate containing 6 ethylene oxide units per molecule; tallow alcohol ethoxylate containing 11 ethylene oxide units per molecule; coconut fatty acid mixtures; tallow fatty acid mixtures, the condensate of one mole of ethylene oxide with 1-dodecanol; and the condensate of one mole of 1-dodecanol with ethylene oxide hexamer, said adhesion-promoting material being present to the extent of from about 1% to about 4% by weight of the total composition.

Claim 18

A composition in accordance with claim 16 wherein the soap-curd-dispersing agent is tallow acyl monoethanolamide and the smectite clay is a sodium montmorillonite.