Improvements in the Treatment of Flax and other Fibrous Plants for Obtaining the Fibre therefrom for Spinning and other Manufacturing Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Flax and other Fibrous Plants
for Obtaining the Fibre therefrom for Spinning and other
Manufacturing Purposes.
1, LEONARD DEKIEN, of Courtrai, Belgium, Operative, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For effectually preparing flax and other fibrous plants for obtaining the fibre
contained therein and preparing the same for manufacture, the process of retting
has heretofore been resorted to, whether in stagnant, running, warin, or cold water.
This operation, in whatever way it is carried out, is always more or less costly and
hazardous. It is costly because it always results in the loss of from 25 to 35 per cent. of
the weight of fibre, and even more; because the hand labour required largely increases
the first cost, and because it inevitably causes by its irregularity, waste in the fibre
and the production of tow, both in the retting operation itself as well as in the
following operations of scutching and combing. The operation is hazardous because
the knowledge required for properly retting the plants to the required degree is very
difficult to acquire; even impossible, without very extensive experience, owing to the
greatly varied circumstances which concur in producing a rapid or slow fermentation
of the plant, and to climatic influences which prevent the drying under favourable
conditions, resulting in a reduced yield or the impossibility of a succcessful
manufacture.
According to my present invention, I obviate all the above mentioned dis-
advantages, losses, and defects by entirely doing away with both the retting and the
combing, and, taking the flax or other plants rough dried as they come from the
field where they have grown, subjecting them to the operation of scutching in
suitable scutching machines, such as that described in Lepage's Belgian Patent
dated 25th January 1886 and the improved construction thereof described in my
Belgian Patent of 11th December 1886, from which machines I then at once convey
the fibre to the spinning machinery.
The unretted flax may however also be subjected to the usual combing operation if
considered necessary for certain purposes.

page_text: The filaments thus produced leave nothing to be desired as regards their regularity
and strength; they can be woven either in their natural state, or after being washed
or bleached to any required extent.
In fact they fulfil all the conditions required of them for weaving, rope making,
or other applications, without giving rise to any of the inconveniences or objections
that occur with retted and combed flax.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Flax and other Fibrous Plants
for Obtaining the Fibre therefrom for Spinning and other
Manufacturing Purposes.
I, LEONARD DEKIEN, of Courtrai, Belgium, Operative, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
For effectually preparing flax and other fibrous plants for obtaining the fibre
contained therein and preparing the same for manufacture, the process of retting has
heretofore been resorted to, whether in stagnant, running, warm or cold water. This
operation, in whatever way it is carried on, is always more or less costly and
hazardous. It is costly, because it always results in the loss of from 25 to 35 per cent.
of the weight of fibre, and even more, because the hand labour required largely
increases the first cost, and because it inevitably causes by its irregularity, waste in
the fibre and the production of tow, both in the retting operation itself as well as in
the following operations of scutching and combing. The operation is hazardous
because the knowledge required for properly retting the plants to the required degree is
very difficult to acquire, even impossible, with very extensive experience, owing to
the greatly varied circumstances which concur in producing a rapid or slow
fermentation of the plant, and to climatic influences which prevent the drying under
favourable conditions, resulting in a reduced yield, or the impossibility of a successful
manufacture.
According to my present invention, I obviate all the above mentioned dis-
advantages, losses, and defects by entirely doing away with both the retting and the
combing, and, taking the flax or other plants rough dried as they come from the
field where they have grown, subjecting them to the operation of scutching in any

page_text: suitable scutching machine, from which machine I then at once convey the fibre to
the spinning machinery.
The unretted flax may however also be subjected to the usual combing operation,
if considered necessary for certain purposes.
The filaments thus produced leave nothing to be desired as regards their regularity
and strength; they can be woven either in ther natural state, or after being washed
or bleached to any required extent.
In fact they fulfil all the conditions required of them for weaving, rope making,
or other applications, without giving rise to any of the inconveniences or objections
that occur with retted and combed flax.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In treating flax and other fibrous plants for obtaining the fibre therefrom,
dispensing with the operation of retting by directly scutching the rough dried plants
as thoy come from the field, and, if necessary, combing the scutched fibres substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 26th day of April 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.