Patent GB-957655-A (GB)
Title: Processing of agave leaves
IPC: D01C1/02
Filed: 1962-11-08
Abstract: The pulp of Agave sisalana leaves, obtained by subjecting the leaves to crushing and squeezing and then removing the long fibres, is fractionated to recover separately the total flesh, the fibres of less than 0.5 metre in length and the juice. Preferably, the epidermis tissue is separated from the total flesh fraction.  A portion of the juice from one batch may be used to rinse the pulp from the long fibres of a succeeding batch of crushed and squeezed leaves.  Waxes may be extracted from the total flesh, or from the epidermis separated from the total flesh, by solvents such as petroleum ether, benzine, hexane, heptane, octane, benzene, toluene, xylene, methanol, ethanol, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, chloroform, tetrahydrofurane, N,N-dimethyl formamide, furfural and turpentine, the extraction being effected in one operation or by a succession of solvents.  In carrying out the fractionation, the juice may be sieved, strained or centrifuged from the short fibres and total flesh, and the short fibres may then be removed from the total flesh by revolving rakes or by passage along a slightly slanted drum sieve having meshes increasing in size gradually from the upper feeding end to the lower discharge end; alternatively, the short fibres may be removed before the separation of juice and total flesh.  Epidermis may be floated from the non-epidermis by suspending the total flesh in an aqueous medium, preferably containing a water-immiscible solvent such as benzene; epidermis may be separated from the non-epidermis by shaking the total flesh with a water-immiscible solvent, so causing the epidermis tissue to pass into the solvent layer; epidermis may be separated from the non-epidermis by transporting the comminuted total flesh in a stream of dry air or subjecting the total flesh to corona electric discharge, in order to charge the epidermis particles negatively, and then collecting these particles at the positive portion of an electrostatic field between condenser plates or between oppositely charged drums revolving in opposite directions.ALSO:The pulp of Agave sisalana leaves, obtained by subjecting the leaves to crushing and squeezing and then removing the long fibres, is fractionated to recover separately the total flesh, the fibres of less than 0.5 metre in length and the juice. Preferably, the epidermis tissue is separated from the total flesh fraction.  A portion of the juice from one batch may be used to rinse the pulp from the long fibres of a succeeding batch of crushed and squeezed leaves.  The total flesh, or such flesh from which the epidermis tissue has been removed, serves as a chicken feed supplement.  The pH of the non- epidermis flesh may be adjusted to 7-8.5 by adding sodium carbonate, slaked lime or dicalcium phosphate.  Waxes may be extracted from the total flesh, or from the epidermis separated from the total flesh, by solvents, the extraction being effected in one operation or by a succession of solvents.  In carrying out the fractionation, the juice may be sieved, strained or centrifuged from the short fibres and total flesh, and the short fibres may then be removed from the total flesh by revolving rakes or by passage along a slightly slanted drum sieve having meshes increasing in size gradually from the upper feeding end to the lower discharge end; alternatively, the short fibres may be removed before the separation of juice and total flesh.  Epidermis may be floated from the non-epidermis by suspending the total flesh in an aqueous medium, preferably containing a water-immiscible solvent such as benzene; epidermis may be separated from the non-epidermis by shaking the total flesh with a water-immiscible solvent, so causing the epidermis tissue to pass into the solvent layer; epidermis may be separated from the non-epidermis by transporting the comminuted total flesh in a stream of dry air or subjecting the total flesh to corona electric discharge, in order to charge the epidermis particles negatively, and then collecting these particles at the positive portion of an electrostatic field between condenser plates or between oppositely charged drums revolving in opposite directions.