The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-28
YARNS WITHOUT WOOL.
Standard Materials Simulated by an
Ingenious Process.
Philadelphia Record.

Doubtless it will come somewhat as a
surprise to most Philadelphians to learn
that there are on sale is this city in one
of the large department stores, as well as
at another local agency, fabrics made from
vegetable fibreS such are commonly en-
ployed in paper making. According TO the
Tradesman which has recently published
complete descriptions of the various pro-
cesses employed, the location of the princi-
pal factories in this country and their va
rious agents, the manufacture of paper or
pulp yarns and fabrics in the United States
has assumed commercial Importance. One
of the largest factories, known as the Fibre
Carpet Company, operates a large factory
at Indian Orchard Mass.
Naturally it was difficult at first to get
dealers to handle the goods, owing to the
prejudice due to unfamiliarity with goods
and fabrics made from vegetable pulp, but
the steadily increasing business has already
demanded branch stores in the leading cit
les throughout the country and as far west
as the Pacific slope. The special features
claimed for these goods are that they are
not attacked by insects, take the dye well
and are comparatively cheap. They are
and silk goods are, and in unlimited varie-
ties of design.
There are several forms Of the artificial
yarn, one kind being made from wood pulp
another from cotton waste, and third by
treating cotton yarn to merceriz-
ing, process. Wood pulp yarn is
these woods being first reduced to
chips, then to pulp. The pulp prepara-
ton Is put into tank and after having
received a thorough mixing passes down be-
tween rollers in a sheeted form and the in
gradients introduced in the meanwhile serve
to rapidly harden the substance so that
it possesses sufficient strength to hold to-
gether during the passage. The first
process to which the sheeting pulp is sub
jected after leaving the rollers consists in
application of a preparation of the consis-
tency of jelly. This composition is applied
with a large sponge to the sheets of pulp,
care being taken to make a uniform appli-
cation. After while this varnish will soak
into the fiber and harden and then comes
the pressing. Compression of the, sheets
a special device in which the film of pulp
is passed between two rollers fitted with
a series of grooves at uniform distance
from each other in such manner that the
grooves on one roller correspond exactly
with the raised portion or steps on the
other The web of pulp being drawn in be-
tween these rollers is cut into strips by the
grooves. The strips are taken at once by
the condensng rolls OILS below and rubbed 4 into MO
next step toward completion and baking
finishes the thread. The baking operation
the strips will be too brittle while if not
baked enough they will lack elasticity, one
Of the most essential elements for the final
twisting. which Is done on ordinary textile
yarn twisting machines The yarn is now
ready for bleaching, dyeing. etc, after
which it is worked up into the various fab
RIGS
In another process for the production of
artificial warn which is employed in some
or the mills 0eSCTiDcQ III the ITaQeSndn,
cotton waste is employed as the raw ma
teriaI This is dissolved to pulp and
passed through glass tubes with fine ori-
fice called spinaret, from which the thread
is caused to exude in the manner of the
manufactures of artificial silk abroad The
cotton pulp is first allowed to remain in
Solution of chloride of zinc for half an hour,
then thoroughly rinsed and put in an alum
solution and finally a dye bath. Here the
pulpy matter IS colored, if desired, to
purer white or some dark shade. then
drawn through soap solution to which has
been added a little. gelatine and spirits.
After this the pulp is forced through the
small capillary glass tubes referred TO and
drawn out into fine threads. or strands.
each set Of which is twisted together by the
revolution of the feeders
The third method Of making artificial yarn
consists i'm putting a surfacing on strands
made from the miscellaneous wastes OF the
textile mill by mercerizing, as it is called In
this process the yarns are drawn over rolls,
through successive tanks containing copper
chloride solutions and alkaline lyes, solu-
tions of cascara and copper sulphate After
nassing through these solutions the yarn
has q silklike luster which takes all shades
of dyeing.
Connecticut and Maine furnish the trade