IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING SHEEPS' WOOL AND OTHER WOOL INTENDED TO BE COMBED
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Puech, one of the Firm of Puech Brothers, of
Mazamet, Department of Tarn, in France, Manufacturers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING SHEEPS' WOOL AND OTHER
WOOL INTENDED TO BE COMBED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Puech at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1877.
PIERRE PUECH, one of the Firm of Puech Brothers, of Mazamet, Department of
Tarn, in France, Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING
SHEEPS' WOOL AND OTHER WOOL INTENDED TO BE COMBED."
The process usually employed for treating wool for combing, that is, wool from
sheep skins from La Plata, and dry skins in general, requires much time and
expensive labour, and leaves much that is desired as regards the good preservation
of the products.
This process consists in leaving the skins in cold water for a day or two
to freshen them, they are then burred in a machine, then drained for a day,
and afterwards put in a drying stove for about 8 days, then shaven, and finally
dried.
The whole operation mentioned required 8 to 10 days in summer, and much
longer in winter.
By the improved process, one hour suffices to produce wool prepared for combing
with the dry skins of La Plata or any other foreign country, fresher skins only
require a few minutes.
The following is the process:-The skins are put and steeped in a hot bath for 4
or 5 minutes, and as they are withdrawn from the bath they are placed in the
burring machine, Chaudet's, of Rouen, for example, for half a minute for each skin,
This cleansing may be effected
when they are cleansed from foreign matter.
without water, or with cold water; but if it is desired to produce a more perfect
result, and that the wool should preserve all its softness and silkiness, hot water

page_text: should be used for burring. After withdrawing the skins from the cleansing or
burring machine they are placed in a hot water bath and allowed to remain there
about 10 minutes, which sufficiently softens the skin; its pores are then well pre-
pared for subsequently removing the fleece. After cleansing and steeping in hot
water the skins are dried or passed under a pressing roller, which is almost an
instantaneous operation. Whilst the skins are yet warm, a depilatory is passed
over the fleshy side.
Instead of the latter operation the skin may be put in a drying stove.
By both methods the stripping is facilitated, but preference is given to the use of
the depilatory, as the stove is not only prejudicial to the wool but it likewise
requires 8 days for the operation in warm weather and more in winter.
The skins
are then immediately shaven by hand or mechanically, and the wool obtained (to
which I give the appellation of Roubaisienne wool) whilst still tepid and moist, is
at once combed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Pierre Puech in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th March
1878.
PIERRE PUECH, one of the Firm of Puech Brothers, of Mazamet, Department of
Tarn, in France, Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING
SHEEPS' WOOL AND OTHER WOOL INTENDED TO BE COMBED."
The process ordinarily employed in preparing wool for combing, such as that
from the sheep skins of La Plata, and dry skins generally, require much time and
expensive labour, and leaves much to be desired as regards the quality and good
preservation of the products.
The means employed up to the present time are as follows:-
1st. The skins are steeped in cold water from 24 to 48 hours, so that the skins
may be brought to the same condition of freshness they were in at the time of
slaughtering, or when the sheep were skinned, that is to say, as fresh as
possible.
2nd. The skins are submitted to the operation of beating or burring, either by
hand or by machine, the object being to cause the burrs, sticks, straws, and foreign
matters to fall from the wool.
3rd. After the beating or burring the skins are drained for a day; they are then
placed in hermetically closed stoves, where they are allowed to remain 8 days in
winter and three in summer, that is to say, until the skins fermenting allow the wool
to detach.
4. The skins are then stripped by hand or mechanically.
5. Terminating finally by drying, after which latter operation the wool is ready
for combing.
All these operations, from the time of steeping the skins to the time of drying
them, requires ordinarily 8 days, and longer in winter.
Frost and cold check fermentation; but if cold weather retards this species of
industry the heat of summer also occasions great loss, for the skins impregnated

page_text: with water and charged with filth easily prick in the drying stove, without counting
that the wool becomes yellow to the sight.
As here demonstrated 8 days at least are required to prepare the wool for combing
from sheep skins from La Plata or other foreign country.
By my new process one hour suffices to reach the result, fresher skins requiring
a few minntes only.
The following is the description :-
1st. The skins are steeped for four or five minutes in a hot water bath.
2nd. As fast as the skins are removed from the bath they are passed to the
beating machine to remove the burrs and foreign matters. This operation lasts half
a minute for each skin, and for the machine. It should be observed that the skins
may be beaten without water, or they may be beaten with cold water; but if it is
desired that the operation should leave nothing to be desired, and that the wool
should preserve all its softness and silkiness, the skins should be beaten with warm
water or tepid water. The beaten skins are then placed in a bath of hot water,
where they remain about 10 minutes. By this means the skin is sufficiently
softened, and the pores are well prepared to submit to the subsequent stripping.
3rd. After beating and steeping in hot water the skins are dried or passed under
a pressing roller, which is an almost instantaneous operation.
4. Whilst the skin is still hot a depilatory substance for the purpose is passed over
the fleshy side with a brush or otherwise, which operates in the space of about 30
minutes. For this latter operation may be substituted putting the skins in the
stove. By both means the stripping is facilitated, but greater preference is given
to the use of the depilatory, because placing the skins in the stove is not only injurious
to the good preservation of the wool but it also takes at least 8 days, and in the
winter the excessive cold renders it impracticable.
5. The skin is finally stripped by hand or mechanically, and the wool thus
obtained is "Roubasienne wool," which whilst still tepid and moist, is immediately
delivered to the combing machine.
I claim as my Invention the general treatment in hot water of the sheep skins of
La Plata, and other skins more or less fresh, either indigenous or from foreign
countries, which process consists in the following operations:-Steeping the skins
in hot water for 8 to 10 minutes beating them in hot water for again 8 to 10
minutes, drying them, applying the depilatory (which may however be replaced
by putting them in the drying stove, though less advantageous) and finally the
stripping and immediate combing without drying, but whilst moist. Hence a
great saving of labour, by reason of the rapidity of the operations, and not
drying the wool. As an industrial result the combed wool is whiter, more silky
and soft, and is moreover a superior product, the whole process occupying less
than an hour.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Puech, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
PIERRE PUECH. (L.S.)