IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND IN TREATING CHINA GRASS, RHEA FIBRE, MUDAR, AND OTHER SIMILAR VEGETABLE FIBRES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Blake, of 61, Tachbrook Street, Pimlico,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR AND IN TREATING CHINA GRASS, RHEA FIBRE, MUDAR, AND
OTHER SIMILAR VEGETABLE FIBRES."
Sealed the 2nd March 1860, and dated the 6th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Blake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th September 1859.
I, EDWARD BLAKE, of 61, Tachbrook Street, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR AND IN TREATING CHINA GRASS, RHEA FIBRE, MUDAR, AND OTHER
SIMILAR VEGETABLE FIBRES":
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating China grass,
rhea fibre, mudar, and other similar vegetable fibres. For this purpose the
fibre in the raw state is laid on a perforated metal plate, each skein or small
bundle of the fibre, being carefully laid straight and opened out, and the skeins
are separated the one from the other by partitions of perforated metal attached
to the bottom plate, and running from end to end of it. When all the
partitions of the bottom plate are filled with fibre, a top plate also of per-
forated metal is placed upon it, but does not press on the fibre, as it rests
on the tops of the partition plates. Several plates, having skeins of fibre

page_text: arranged between them in this manner, are placed horizontally and one over
the other in a vessel in which they exactly fit, and this vessel is filled with an
alkaline solution, by preference a solution of soda ash, and steam is admitted
into the vessel, beneath the lowest plate, and it passes up through the perfora-
tions in this plate, and in the plates above it, and traverses the whole of the
fibre the vessel contains. When this process is complete, as is known by the
appearance of the fibre, the plates are removed from the vessel, and the
skeins of fibre are taken out one by one; they are then rinsed by hand in hot
water, and are passed between a pair of pressing rollers. The fibre is
afterwards further treated by machinery, such as is used in the manufacture
of silk waste. To prepare the fibre for this treatment, it is first dried, and hen
again moistened with water containing soap in solution; in this state the
fibre is placed between plates and pressed heavily, the pressure being kept
on for several days. The silk waste machinery is then employed, that is to say,
the fibre is placed on an endless apron, which carries it forward between
porcupine rollers, and these present it gradually to the action of a drum, on
which teeth are mounted at intervals. This machine is called a "filling
engine." When the teeth on the drum of the filling engine, become full
of fibre, the machine is stopped and the fibre is taken off the teeth. Each
quantity of fibre is then clamped by one end between two boards, and is
taken to another machine containing an endless web of leather or other
flexible material, which travels continuously, and has card teeth fixed in it;
to these travelling teeth the free ends of the fibre are gradually presented.
When the fibre is sufficiently worked at one end, it is unclamped, turned end
for end, and again secured between the boards, in order that the other ends
of the fibre may be subjected to the card teeth. The machine last described
is called a "dressing frame." When the fibre has passed through the dressing
frame it is prepared for spinning in the ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Blake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th s
March 1860.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BLAKE, of 61, Tachbrook Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Blake, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Blake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Blake, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR AND IN TREATING CHINA GRASS, RHEA FIBRE, MUDAR, AND OTHER
SIMILAR VEGETABLE FIBRES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Edward Blake,. my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Edward Blake; 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 fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating China grass,
rhea fibre, mudar, and other similar vegetable fibres. For this purpose the
fibre in the raw state is laid on a perforated metal plate, each skein or small.
bundle of the fibre being carefully laid straight and opened out, and the
skeins are separated the one from the other by partitions of perforated metal
attached to the bottom plate,. and running from end to end of it. When all
the partitions of the bottom plate are filled with fibre, a top plate, also of
perforated, metal is placed upon it, but does not press on the fibre, as it rests
on the tops of the partition plates. Several plates, having skeins of fibre
arranged between them in this manner, are placed horizontally and one over
the other in a vessel, into which they exactly fit, and this vessel is filled
with an alkaline solution, by preference a solution of soda ash, and steam is
admitted into the vessel beneath the lowest plate, and it passes up through
the perforations in this plate, and in the plates above it, and traverses the
whole of the fibre the vessel contains. When this process is complete, as is
known by the appearance of the fibre, the plates are removed from the vessel,
and the skeins of fibre are taken out one by one; they are then rinsed by
hand in hot water, and are passed between a pair of pressing rollers. The fibre

page_text: employ the same solution as that which has served for the fourth boiling of a
previous batch, to which a little additional soda ash may be added; the second,
third, and fourth boilings are performed with fresh solution, which is prepared
by dissolving 10 lbs. of ash in 60 gallons of water, and this quantity of solution
will be found sufficient for 56 lbs. of fibre. After these operations the fibre is
boiled a fifth time with a solution, consisting of 5 lbs. of soft soap, 5 lbs. of
soda ash, and 60 gallons of water. After this boiling the fibres will be found
to be soft and pliable, and to separate readily the one from the other; the
plates with the fibre on them are then taken out of the vessel ȧ, and the
skeins are taken from them one by one, and are rinsed in hot water. In order
partially to dry them they are passed through pressing rollers mounted and
arranged in the manner shown in longitudinal section at Figure 3. a is a
frame carrying the shaft b, which receives motion by means of the pulley 6¹
and strap 62; it has a pinion e mounted on it, and d is a spur wheel gearing
with this pinion. The spur wheel dis mounted at the end of the rollér e,
which is carried in suitable bearings on the frame, and over it in the roller f,
the bearings of which can slide vertically in suitable guides, and by the lever g
and weight g¹ this roller is constantly pressed down to the roller e; thus, when
the skeins or small bundles of fibre are passed between these rollers, inuch of
the moisture they contain is pressed out; the skein or bundles, after passing
between the rollers, slide down inclinė h into the receiver i, from which they
are from time to time removed by hand, and the drying is completed in a
heated chamber or otherwise. When it is desired to complete the treatment
of the fibre, it is passed several times through fluted rollers till it becomes soft,
and is afterwards moistened by sprinkling it with a solution of soap in water.
I generally employ about half a gallon of water, containing about a quarter of
a pound of soap for each hundredweight of fibre, and the fibre pressed
between plates, or, as I find more convenient and better in practise, it is
placed in a vessel with vertical sides, and a plate is laid on the top; when
the vessel is full, I apply a pressure of a hundredweight or more per square
foot of surface, and continue the pressure for about a week. The fibre next
passes to the machine shown in side view at Figure 4, and in plan at Figure 5.
a is an axis, on which are fast and loose pulleys, and it is driven by a belt b; c iś
a pinion on this axis gearing with a spur wheel,d, and thus driving the drum ẻ
fixed on the same axis; at intervals around this drum are placed teeth e¹, e²,
about 1 inches long, and of an inch the one from the other. By means of
the train of wheels f, g, h, and i, the roller ; on the axis of the last of these
wheels receives motion; k is another roller above the roller j, and geared with it,
as is shown; and m are two small pullies; n, n, are belts carrying porcupine-

page_text: teeth, these teeth are also about of an inch apart, but are shorter than the
teeth on the drum; o. is an endless apron passing over rollers o¹, o¹, one of
which is driven from the roller by pinions. p and q; at r is a row of teeth
similar to the teeth on the drum, which pass within a short distance of them;
these teeth are mounted at the circumference of a cylinder, having on its axis
a worm wheels, which can be turned by a hand. wheel .actuating a worm t.
The fibre is carefully laid on the endless apron o, so that the fibres may all
enter: the machine lengthways, and. is by it carried between the porcupine
teeth on the bands n, n, (see Figure. 6, which shows a section of these parts,)
and is then taken by the teeth e'. The teeth r serve to remove any loose fibre
when they become full; the cylinder which carries them is caused partly to
revolve, which removes the teeth from the drum, and the fibre on them is
stripped off; this fibre is again passed through. the machine. When the
teeth e' are full, that is, when about six pounds of fibre has been fed into the
machine, it is stopped; any fibres then projecting from one set of teeth to
another are cut, and the projecting ends of the fibres are. then clamped
between pairs of boards or holders, and it is removed. to another machine.
This machine is shown in side view at Figure 7, and in plan at Figure 8.
a is a driving pulley, which is capable of being thrown in and out of gear with.
its axis 6 by the lever handle a¹; on the axis 6 is fixed a cylinder c, and there
is another cylinder c³ at the other end of the frame; the bearings in which the
axes of these cylinders turn can be caused to traverse on the frame by screws.
d and d¹ ;.e is an endless belt passing round the cylinders c and c¹, and carrying
card teeth e, e¹; fiis a carriage capable of running to and fro in a direction
across the machine; it passes under the endless belt, as is shown; it is carried
on a pivot f on the rectangular frame g; h, h, are the fibre holders already
mentioned; they are formed in a similar manner to the holders ordinarily
employed for holding flax while it is being hackled; these holders are supported
on ledges on each side of the frame g; between the holders filling pieces i, i, are
placed, and the holders and filling pieces are clamped in the frame by being
pressed by cross pieces j, j, at the ends of the frame (and which are drawn up
by screws.and nuts k,. k, as is shown) against the cross bar g¹ at the centre of
the frame. When the frame g is full, it is run under the belt with card teeth;.
then the machine being set in action, levers l, l, gradually rise, their ends being
connected by a cord with the roller m on which the cord is wound, the roller
being caused to revolve by gearing connecting it with the ratchet wheel n
actuated by the driver o, which receives its motion from an excentric on the
axis of the cylinder c'. The levers l, l, are thus soon brought in contact with
the under part of the frame g, and they lift it (there being a lever at each of.

page_text: its corners) till the teeth enter the fibre, and the frame rises until the fibre is
worked close-up to the holder. The holders are prevented coming in contact
with the teeth by a stop p, which before this can happen holds the pawl 9 out
of the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The frame g is then lowered, and is run out
from under the endless belt; the fibre is then put into other holders, being
turned end for end, and it is then again submitted to the card teeth, as before.
The fibre when thus prepared is ready for the ordinary treatment by which
long fibre is prepared for spinning and is spun.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the exact details described; but what I claim is the method of treating
China grass, rhea fibre, mudar, and other similar vegetable fibres herein
described, also the apparatus shown at Figures 1 and 2 for steeping and
boiling the fibre while the skeins or bundles are kept separate, as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Blake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
ED. BLAKE. (L.S.)