IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE FIBRES, AND OF YARNS AND FABRICS MANUFACTURED THEREFROM
Year: 1884

page_text: We Dr AUGUST PRINZ of Meissen Saxony, German Empire and EMIL QUELLMALZ
of Dresden, Saxony, German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE FIBRES, AND OF YARNS
AND FABRICS MANUFACTURED THEREFROM "
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the treatment of vegetable fibres used in spinning,
especially the nettle fibre, rhea, hemp, flax, Sunn, Gambo, Apocynum, Sida, Pine-
Apple, Hops, Pyta, Willow bark, Bass varieties and particularly Jute for purposes
of the textile and paper making industries; and it comprises improvements in the
chemical part of the treatment of such fibres, as well as in the spun and other
tissues made from them.
The methods hitherto employed in the preparatory treatment of such fibre
resolve themselves mostly, so far as the chemical operation is concerned, into
boiling with caustic soda lye or with other alkalies. However under these hitherto
known methods no one has succeeded in thoroughly freeing the fibre from
encrusting substances, such as resins, gluten, and the characteristic ligneous starch
which they contain without at the same time impairing the firmness and suitability
of the fibre for spinning purposes.
By means of the present process we have succeeded, particularly in regard to
jute fibre, in producing a substance of which the smallest sizes of yarn can be made
cheaper and better than has heretofore been the case, while the waste products form
an extremely valuable substance from which to make the finer sorts of paper.
process in addition to this enables us to impart to yarns and tissues made of fibres
so treated a greater degree of compactness and a more woolly appearance than
heretofore.
Our
With
The essential part of our process consists in subjecting the mechanically prepared
fibres or fabrics spun and woven from them, prior to treating them with alkalies,
to a process of maceration in a diluted solution of hypo-chlorite of lime.
this treatment hereinafter described, we succeed in dissolving and removing even
before applying any heat, the larger portion of the encrusting matter in the fibre,
particularly jutine a substance discovered by us-and which is a characteristic
[Price Ad

page_text: resin occurring in jute fibre, as well as the gluten and ligneous starch; and thus we
so far isolate and prepare the fibres, yarns, and tissues for the treatment with
alkalies, that not only is the duration of this process shortened very considerably,
but the fibres besides acquire the qualities already named and become silk like or
woolly in character, without in anyway diminishing their degree of firmness. The
use of hypo-chlorite of lime in this manner has not yet been used for this purpose.
Chloride of lime has been proposed for bleaching fibres treated with caustic
alkalies, but it will be readily understood that maceration by means of a solution
of hypo-chlorite of lime cannot be deemed similar to the method of bleaching by
means of a solution of lime, because the bleaching action of the latter solution
must rank very low, as compared with the removal of resinous component parts in
the fibres in such a manner as to adapt them better for the treatment with
alkalies.
It should be pointed out also more especially that fibres macerated without heat
in a weak solution of chloride of lime scarcely exhibit any marked degree of
discoloration, so that there can be no question here as to bleaching in the hitherto
accepted sense of the term.
Before maceration of the raw fibre, the root ends and points should be properly
removed because these parts abound in encrusting matter. The bath to be used
for the process of maceration is prepared by dissolving chloride of lime in water,
putting 100 kilos of chloride of lime into about 1500 litres of water, letting it
settle, and then drawing off the clear solution. Then this solution is again further
diluted in about a double quantity of water, and is then fit for the process of
maceration, when 50 kilos of raw fibre yarn or tissue should be placed in about
900 litres of the solution. The articles for maceration are placed horizontally in
_ receptacles which may be made of wood,-metal-or masonry; and the solution is
poured over them. The materials remain immersed for a space of 24 hours or
more. The encrusting parts, particularly the gluten (in the caso of jute, the jutine)
as well as the ligneous starch, will be for the most part dissolved and removed in
this cold process of maceration, without the fibre proper being in any way
attacked.
The maceration being at an end, the macerated fibres are strained and treated
with caustic alkalies, sometimes with the addition of Benzine, Naphtha, Petroleum
or Sulphuret of Carbon. We use these carburetted substances because alkalies do
not decompose them, as would be the case with Alcohol recommended by others,
and because these carburetted substances are excellent solvents for resinous
constituents.
Treatment with Alkalies may consist either in boiling, or the maccration may be
effected without the heating if the materials are meant to assume more of the
character of animal fibre.
In the boiling process it is advantageous to put the fibres vertically in receptacles
with perforated walls and suspend these bodily in the boiling vat. We have found
that it will be sufficient to use 100 parts in weight of caustic soda to 100 parts in
weight of fibre, and these 100 parts caustic soda should be dissolved in as much
water as will produce a lye from, say 4° to 6° Baumé in strength; and then the lye
may be further supplemented with an addition of 30 parts by weight of Benzine,
Naphtha, Petroleum, or Sulphuret of Carbon.
In this lye the material should be boiled for a space of from 2 to 5 hours
duration under a steam pressure of from 3 to 6 atmospheres.
The boiling being over, the washing, bleaching, and drying of the material, now
quite freed from encrusting matter of any kind whatsoever, takes place the fibres
being opened up and distinct from one another, and exhibiting so silk-like a gloss,
that they can be spun into the finest sized yarn.
If it be desired to impart a woolly, feathery appearance to the fibre, or the yarn,
and tissue made thereof, the cold maceration process with soda lye concentrated up
to 45° Baumé should be resorted to.

page_text: The length of this operation will depend upon the character of the fibre.
Fibres may be left standing in the cold maceration lye as long as 50 hours.
After maceration the fibres should be washed clean with water, which may be
Buitably acidulated.
By means of this treatment, a swelling out of the fibre is effected which
thereafter in the yarn or tissue will shrink again, thus resulting, in the manu-
factured fabric, in extra twisting of threads, more compactness, and more woolly
appearance.
DL:
"1 1004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.
We, Dr AUGUST PRINZ, of Meissen, Saxony, German Empire, and EMIL
QUELLMALZ, of Dresden, Saxony, German Empire, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE FIBRES,
AND OF YARNS AND FABRICS MANUFACTURED THEREFROM
and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
"
This invention relates to the treatment of vegetable fibres especially the nettle
fibre, rhea, hemp, flax, sunn, gambo, apocynum, sida, pine-apple, hop, pita, willow
bark, bass varieties and particularly jute, for the purposes of the textile and paper-
making industries; and it comprises improvements in the chemical part of the
treatment of such fibres, as well as of the yarn and tissues made from them.
The methods hitherto adopted in the preparatory treatment of such fibres
resolve themselves mostly, so far as the chemical operation is concerned, into
boiling with caustic soda lye or with other alkalies. However, with these known
methods, no one has succeeded in removing from the fibre all encrusting substances
such as resins, vegetable gluten, and the characteristic ligneous starch which they
contain, without impairing the strength and suitability of the fibre for spinning.
By means of this process we have succeeded in obtaining, particularly from jute
fibre, & material from which the smallest sizes of yarn can be made cheaper and
better than has heretofore been the case, whilst the waste products form an
extremely valuable substance from which to make the finer sorts of paper. Our
process in addition to this enables us to impart to yarns and tissues made of fibres
so treated a greater degree of compactness and a more woolly appearance than
heretofore.
The essential part of our process consists in subjecting the mechanically prepared
fibres, or fabrics spun and woven from them, prior to treating them with alkalies, to
a process of maceration in a diluted solution of hypo-chlorite of lime. With this
treatment, hereinafter described, we succeed in dissolving and removing, in a cold
state, the larger portion of the encrusting matter from the fibre, particularly what
we term jutine which is a characteristic resin that we have found occuring in jute
fibre, as well as the vegetable gluten and ligneous starch; and thus we so far

page_text: isolate and prepare the fibres, yarns, and tissues for the treatment with alkalies,
that not only is the duration of this process shortened very considerably and much
fewer alkalies required, but the fibres acquire also the valuable qualities already
named and become silky or woolly in character, without in any way diminishing
their strength.
Hypochlorite of lime has not heretofore been used in this manner for this
purpose. Chloride of lime has been proposed for bleaching fibres treated with
caustic alkalies, but it will be readily understood that the maceration of the fibres
by means of a solution of hypochlorite of lime cannot be deemed similar to the
method of bleaching by means of a solution of chloride of lime, because the
bleaching action of the latter solution is of secondary importance as compared with
the removal of resinous portions of the fibres in such a manner as to adapt them
much better for the treatment with alkalies.
It should be specially pointed out that fibres macerated without heat in a diluted
solution of chloride of lime scarcely exhibit any marked discoloration, so that there
can be no question here as to bleaching in the hitherto accepted sense of the term.
Before tho maceration of the raw fibres, the root ends and points should bo
properly removed, because these parts abound in encrusting substances. The bath
to be used for the maceration is prepared by dissolving chlorido of lime in water,
putting 100 kilograms of chloride of lime into about 1500 litres of water, letting
it subside, and then drawing off the clear solution. This solution, after having been
further diluted in about a double quantity of water, is fit for the maceration,
50 kilograms of raw fibre yarn or tissue being used with about 900 litres of the
diluted chloride of lime solution.
The materials to be macerated are placed horizontally in receptacles which may
bo made of wood, metal or masonry; and the solution is poured over-them.-Tho
_materials remain immersed in this bath for 24 hours or even longer. The
encrusting portions, particularly the vegetable gluten (in the case of jute fibro
the jutine,), as well as the ligneous starch, are for the most part dissolved and
removed in this cold process of maceration, without the fibre proper being in any
way attacked.
The maceration being at an end, the macerated materials are strained and
treated with caustic alkalies, sometimes with the addition of benzinc, naphtha,
petroleum, or sulphuret of carbon. We use these hydrocarbons because alkalies do
not decompose them as would be the case with alcohol recommended by others, and
because these hydro-carbons are excellent solvents for the resinous constituents.
The treatment with alkalies may consist either in boiling, or the maceration
may be effected without heat if the materials are to assume more of the character
of animal fibre.
In the boiling process it is advantageous to place the fibres vertically in receptacles
having perforated walls and suspend these receptacles in the boiling vat.
-
We have found that it is sufficient to use, with 100 parts by weight of fibre,
100 parts by weight of caustic soda, which is dissolved in as much water as will
produce a lye from say, 4° to 6° Baumé; and to this lye may be added as much as
30 parts by weight of benzine, naphtha, petroleum or sulphuret of carbon.
In this lye the material is boiled for a space of from 2 to 5 hours duration under
á steam pressure of froin 45'to 90 lbs.
The boiling being terminated, the washing, bleaching and drying of the material,
now quite free from encrusting matter of any kind whatsoever, takes place, whilst
the fibres are opened and isolated, exhibiting such beautiful, silky lustre, that they
may be spun into yarn of the finest size..
If it is desired to impart a woolly, crisp appearance to the fibre, or the yarn and
tissue made thereof, the cold maceration process with soda lye concentrated up to
45° Baumé is resorted to.
The length of this operation depends upon the character of the fibre, which may
be left in the cold lye for as long as 50 hours. After the maceration, the fibres are
washed with water, which may be suitably acidulated.

page_text: In consequence of this treatment the fibre swells and subsequently the yarn
or tissue shrinks, the result being a tighter twist of the threads, more compactness,
and a woolly appearance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
wo claim is:—
First. In the chemical treatment of vegetable fibres, and of yarns and tissues
made therefrom, the cold maceration of the said fibre in a dilute solution of
chloride of lime.
Second. In the chemical treatment of vegetable fibres, yarns and tissues, the
preparatory cold maceration of the same in a dilute solution of chloride of lime in
conjunction with the subsequent boiling under pressure with alkalies.
Third. In the chemical treatment of vegetable fibres, yarns and tissues, the
preparatory cold maceration of the same in a dilute-solution of chloride of lime in
conjunction with the subsequent treatment in cold alkaline lye.
Fourth. In the process of boiling with alkalies, as indicated in the second
claiming clause, the addition of benzine, naphtha, petroleum or sulphuret of carbon,
for the purposes specified.