A NEW MODE OF TREATING OR PREPARING THE SORGHO PLANT (HOLCUS SORGHUM), SO AS TO RENDER THE FIBRE THEREOF USEFUL IN MANUFACTURES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR HORSEHAIR AND OTHERWISE
Year: 1864

page_text: Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "A NEW MODE OF
TREATING OR PREPARING THE SORGHO PLANT (HOLCUS SORGHUM), SO AS TO
RENDER THE FIBRE THEREOF USEFUL IN MANUFACTURES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR
HORSEHAIR AND OTHERWISE."
Sealed the 10th February 1865, and dated the 16th August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Francois Darcagne
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th August 1864.
I, CHARLES FRANCOIS DARCAGNE, of. Upper Thames Street, in the City
of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
MODE OF TREAT.NG OR PREPARING THE SORGHO PLANT (HOLCUS SORGHUM), SO AS TO
RENDER THE FIBRE THEREOF USEFUL IN MANUFACTURES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR
HORSEHAIR AND OTHERWISE," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in separating the fibres of the sorgho plant, which
grows in America and Italy, but principally in France and Algeria, so as to
adapt same to the manufacture of cordage, carpets, dusting brushes, feathers,
all kinds of tissues as a substitute for horsehair, also suitable for stuffing
cushions, beds, mattrasses, saddles for horses, and for various other useful
purposes.
The following is an example of the means of operating upon the sorgho

page_text: plant for separating the fibres thereof. and preparing for manufacturing pur-
poses: steep or soak the plant either in its green or dry state (until it
becomes soft) in a vessel containing salt water without the use of other
chemical agents. I then proceed to cut the branches or panicula of the
plant into pieces in a machine similar to a chaff cutter; these parts of the
plant form a material similar to hemp, and the body or main stem, and like-
wise the leaves of the plant and the refuse therefrom. after it has been
combed, are suitable for pulp to manufacture into paper. I next proceed to
place the pieces of fibre in a double cylinder (formed with flutings or channels)
working in opposite directions. and afterwards remove and comb it in a
combing machine: the fibres are then washed in tepid water. and are then
ready to be manufactured, as may be desired. When it is desired to bleach
the material for making paper from. 1 employ a bath made of soda and and
chloride of lime mixed with water and a small quantity of cobalt blue. In
preparing the fibres for weaving. I further bleach them by placing them
while wet in a close chamber in which burn sulphur; and, lastly, to render
the fibres soft. 1 place them in a bath of soapy water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Francois Darcagne in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. CHARLES
FRANCOIS DARCAGNE of Upper Thames Street, in the City of London. send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August. in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four. in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign. did. for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Francois Darcagne. Her special licence that I. the
said Charles Francois Darcagne, my executors, administrators, and assigns.
or such others as 1. the said Charles Francois Darcagne. my executors,
administrators, and assigns. should at any time agree with. and no others.
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed. should and lawfully might make, use, exercise. and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW MODE OF TREATING OF PREPARING

page_text: THE SORGHO PLANT (HOLCUS SORGHUM,) SO AS TO RENDER THE FIBRES THEREOF USEFUL
IN MANUFACTURES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR HORSEHAIR AND OTHERWISE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I. the said Charles Francois Darcagne,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my. or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE. that I, the said Charles Francois Darcagne. do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention. and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in separating the fibres of the sorgho plant, which
grows in America and Italy, but principally in France and Algeria, so as to
adapt same to the manufacture of cordage. carpets. dusting brushes, feathers,
all kinds of tissues as a substitute for horsehair. also suitable for stuffing
cushions, beds, mattrasses, saddles for horses, and for various other useful
purposes.
The following is an example of the means of operating upon the sorgho
plant for separating the fibres thereof. and preparing for manufacturing pur-
poses I steep or soak the plant either in its green or dry state (until it
becomes soft) in a vessel containing salt water without the use of other
chemical agents. I then proceed to cut the branches or paniculae of the
plant into pieces in a machine similar to a chaff cutter: these parts of the
plant form a material similar to hemp, and the body or main stem, and like-
wise the leaves of the plant and the refuse therefrom. after it has been
combed, are suitable for pulp to manufacture into paper. I next proceed to
place the pieces of fibre in a double cylinder (formed with flutings or
channels) working in opposite directions, and afterwards remove and comb it
in a combing machine; the fibres are then washed in tepid water, and are
then ready to be manufactured as may be desired. When it is desired to
bleach the material for making paper from. I employ a bath made of soda
and chloride of lime mixed with water and a small quantity of cobalt blue.
In preparing the fibres for weaving, I further bleach them by placing them
while wet in a close chamber in which I burn sulphur; and, lastly, to render
the fibres soft, I place them in a bath of soapy water.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now

page_text: proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows:- take the different species of the
sorghum plant, some of which are named holcus sorghum or sorgho,
sorghum de Balais, red sorghum, white sorghum, and other varieties of the
sorghum plant, and operate thereon, as follows:--When the fibre of the
above plant is required for manufacturing into textile fabrics, I proceed to
prepare same by first dividing the paniculae from the main stem by shears or
other suitable cutting instruments, the paniculae supplying the best fibre. I
next proceed to triturate or set free the coloring and gummy matters con-
tained in the fibre by steeping or boiling same in a solution of caustic lime
and soda ashes or other alkali until the fibre becomes soft. I have found a
solution composed of 5 pounds by weight of caustic lime and 8 pounds of soda
ashes to every 112 pounds by weight of the fibre answer well. I next proceed
to crush the plant by passing same between a pair of plain or fluted rollers;
after which I thoroughly cleanse the fibre from all remaining coloring or
resinous matter by boiling same for about one hour in a solution of carbonate
of soda in the proportion of about four pounds by weight of the soda to every
cwt. of the fibre, or the same effect may be produced by repentedly rinsing the
fibre in luke-warm water. after which it may be carded or combed in the usual
manner and by the ordinary machines. The refuse from this last operation is
well adapted for stuffing chairs and other articles as a substitute for horse-
When the fibre is
hair, and may be dyed by any of the ordinary methods.
required to be very soft, I immerse it in a bath of soapy water, and afterwards
well wash same. When it is required to bleach the fibre thus prepared. I
employ an ordinary chlorine bath (which may be used in the proportion of
about 10 pounds by weight of chloride of lime to every 112 pounds by weight
of the fibre). and a bath of dilute sulphuric acid in the proportion of about.
half an ounce of the acid to a gallon of water. I place the fibre alternately in
said baths until the desired degree of whiteness has been obtained. taking care
to well wash the fibre between each immersion, and also shortening the length
of time of each immersion; for example, for the first immersion I leave it in
the bath about six hours, for the second about 3 hours, and for subsequent
immersions (if necessary) about 1 hour.
In operating upon the fibre for the manufacture of half-stuff for paper-
makers, I employ the whole of the plant, and treat it in the manner above
described, with the exception that the breaking and bleaching may be per-
formed in the ordinary rag engines used by paper-makers and I would here
remark, that the modes above described in this my Final Specification of

page_text: eating the sorgho plant and preparing the fibres thereof are those which I
refer as being more effective in practice than the mode of operating set forth
the above recited Provisional Specification of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Francois Darcagne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
CH. DARCAGNE. (L.S.)