Year: 1864

page_text: matter into glucose, and at the same time separate the cellular tissue
(cellulose) or fibre from it. Glucose produced by this means in solution
separated from the acid by saturation, when treated with yeast undergoes
vinous fermentation, and becomes converted into rectifiable alcohol. On the
other hand the cellular tissue or fibre, freed from the gummy or incrusting
matter, on being subjected to pressure takes the form of textile fibres similar
to all vegetable fibres, and is applicable to the manufacture of brown and
colored paper, and when bleached to the manufacture of white paper. This
process differs from those already known for the transformation of the cellular
tissue into glucose by means of concentrated acids in a cold state. In this
Invention the gummy or incrusting matter, and not the cellular tissue, is
transformed into glucose; the cellular tissue is insulated for the purpose of
forming it into a textile product. I prefer to use hydrochloric acid diluted in
the proportion of from 5 to 12 parts of acid of commerce to 100 parts of
water, according to the nature of the ligneous substance under treatment. The
ligneous substance should be entirely covered by the acid solution in some
vessel, and out of contact with metal, and 'should be boiled from six to fifteen
hours. Take, for example, the wood of the fir. tree, cut into blocks perpen-
dicularly to the grain and about half an inch thick, let them boil 12 hours in
a liquid composed of 10 to 12 parts of acid to 100 parts of water, the wood
will part with the gummy or incrusting matter under the form of glucose,
which dissolves, and the cellular tissue which remains when crushed under or
between stones or between rolls is a textile pulp. The saccharifying property
of the acid is not affected by its action on the ligneous substances, conse-
quently the solution may be used over and over again, adding each time the
requisite quantity of water and acid to maintain the solution at about an
uniform density. The ligneous remains from each bath are well washed, in
order to obtain every particle of glucose. The saturation of the acid in the
liquor to be fermented is effected by preference with carbonate of lime. When
neutrality is reached lime should still be added, which causes. a particular
precipitate without the liquid becoming alkaline. The addition of lime is
stopped when the liquid gives on the addition of turmeric a first indication of
alkalinity. After deposit of the precipitate the liquid is drawn off clear, and
yeast or other fermenting agent is mixed with the precipitate in about the
proportion of 5 parts of pressed yeast to 100 parts of glucose. During fer-
mentation a quantity of yeast, almost equal to that employed, is produced in
the form of a head, and may be employed in the following operations. The
distillation and rectification of the alcohol is effected in any ordinary manner.
The ligneous remains from this operation well washed, and if obtained from

page_text: wood submitted to crushing, are immediately applicable to the manufacture of
brown and colored papers and pasteboard. When it is desired to obtain white
pulp for the manufacture of white paper, the ordinary processes of bleaching
are resorted to. The following is considered good and economical:-After
having submitted the ligneous remains to cutting or tearing they are exposed
to the action of chlorine gas employed in quantities varying according to the
nature of the ligneous substances. This operation may be conveniently carried
on in water, and in a closed vessel provided with an agitator. The pulp is
afterwards washed in cold water, then boiled in a solution of soda or carbonate
of soda; after another washing a bath of hypochlorite gives it a final bleaching.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me; the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my exe-
cutors, 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 METHOD OF TREATING WOOD, AND
OTHER LIGNEOUS SUBSTANCES IN ORDER TO PRODUCE ALCOHOL, AND TO OBTAIN. THE
CELLULAR TISSUE- OR FIBRE FROM SUCH SUBSTANCES, APPLICABLE TO THE MANU--
FACTURE OF PAPER AND OTHER USES," (communicated to me from abroad' by
François Marie Bachet & Etienne Machard, of Annecy, France, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
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

page_text: 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
Wood and ligneous substances, such as straw and grasses, are composed of
two principal substances, cellular tissue or fibre and gummy matter. Now
the greater part of inorganic acids used diluted and hot transform the gummy
matter into glucose, and at the same time separate the cellular tissue
(cellulose) or fibre from it. Glucose produced by this means in solution,
separated from the acid by saturation, when treated with yeast undergoes
vinous fermentation, and becomes converted into rectifiable alcohol. On the
other hand the cellular tissue or fibre, freed from the gummy or incrusting
matter, on being subjected to pressure takes the form of textile fibres similar
to all vegetable fibres, and is applicable to the manufacture of brown and
colored paper, and when bleached to the manufacture of, white paper. This
process differs from those already known for the transformation of the cellular
tissue into glucose by means of concentrated acids in a cold state. In this
Invention the gummy or incrusting matter, and not the cellular tissue, is
transformed into glucose; the cellular tissue is insulated for the purpose of
forming it into a textile product. I prefer to use hydrochloric acid diluted in
the proportion of from five to twelve parts of acid of commerce to one.
hundred parts of water, according to the nature of the ligneous substance
under treatment. The ligneous substance should be entirely covered by
the acid solution in some vessel, and out of contact with metal, and should
be boiled from six to fifteen hours. Take, for example, the wood of the fir
tree, cut into blocks perpendicularly to the grain, and about half an inch
thick, let them boil twelve hours in a liquid composed of ten to twelve
parts of acid to one hundred parts of water, the wood will part with
the gummy or incrusting matter under the form of glucose, which dissolves,
and the cellular tissue which remains when crushed under or between
of
stones or between rolls is a textile pulp. The saccharifying property
acid is not affected by its action on the ligneous substances, and con-
sequently the solution may be used over and over again, adding each
time the requisite quantity of water and acid to maintain the solution at
about an uniform density. The ligneous remains from each bath are well
washed in order to obtain every particle of glucose. The saturation of the

page_text: acid in the liquor to be fermented is effected, by preference, with carbonate of
lime; when neutrality is reached lime should still be added, which causes a
particular precipitate without the liquid becoming alkaline. The addition of
lime is stopped when the liquid gives on the addition of turmeric a first indi-
cation of alkalinity. After deposit of the precipitate, the liquid is drawn off
clear, and yeast or other fermentating agent is mixed with the precipitate in
about the proportion of five parts of pressed yeast to one hundred parts of
glucose. During fermentation a quantity of yeast, almost equal to that em-
ployed, is produced in the form of a head, and may be employed in the
following operations. The distillation and rectification of the alcohol is effected
in any ordinary manner.
The ligneous residues from this operation well washed, and if obtained from
wood submitted to crushing, are immediately applicable to the manufacture of
brown and colored papers and pasteboard. When it desired to obtain white
pulp for the manufacture of white paper, the ordinary processes of bleaching
are resorted to. The following is considered good and economical:-After
having submitted the ligneous residues to cutting or tearing they are exposed
to the action of chlorine gas employed in quantities varying according to the
nature of the ligneous substances. This operation may be conveniently
carried on in water, and in a closed vessel provided with an agitator. The
pulp is afterwards washed in cold water, then boiled in a solution of soda
or carbonate of soda; after another washing a bath of hypochlorite gives it
a final bleaching.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim treating wood and
other ligneous substances, substantially in manner herein-before described,
whereby alcohol is produced, and the cellular tissue or fibre applicable to the
manufacture of paper and other uses obtained from such substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of October, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
DROOMAN