IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND PASTEBOARD
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Courtais and Fortuné Jammet, both of Port-
Vendres, Pyrénées-Orientales, Empire of France, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND PASTEBOARD."
Sealed the 2nd July 1861, and dated the 5th January 1861.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Pierre Courtais and Fortuné
Jammet, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition and Declaration, on the 5th January 1861, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, COURTAIS
PIERRE and FORTUNE JAMMET, both of Port-Vendres, Pyrenées-Orientales,
Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OR PAPER AND PASTEBOARD," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn declaration that we are the
true and first Inventors thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Courtais Pierre and Fortuné Jammet,
do hereby declare that the following Complete Specification under our hands
and seals, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of paper, cardboard, millboard, and
other similar articles by the employment of a material not hitherto used for

page_text: that purpose, by which means great economy is effected in the manufacture, and
a superior article is produced.
Many attempts have been made to discover a material which might be
employed with advantage as a substitute for linen rags for the manufacture of
paper, which is rendered costly in consequence of the limited supply and high price
of such rags, but no suitable substitute has yet been found which exists in sufficient
quantity to render its employment advantageous. Now this Invention consists in
the employment for this purpose of a material which is found in nature in large
quantities and can be obtained without any expence save that of gathering or
collecting it. This substance is sea-weed, which is constantly being thrown up on
the shore by the action of the sea, and the supply of which is exhaustless and ever
recurring. It is also peculiarly adapted for the manufacture of paper and mill-
board or such like articles as are liable to be exposed to damp or corrosive action
of any kind. Among the advantages attendant upon the employment of this sub-
stance the following may be mentioned.
First, simple washing with water is sufficient to dissolve any salt whh this
substance may contain, if this be desired, but this operation is not indispensable;
we have not resorted to it in any of our experiments and have nevertheless
obtained excellent products.
Second, the stalks and leaves of sea-weed are of a very pure nature, and
the employment therefore of this substance is calculated to improve the quality
of the paper which is manufactured from it.
Third, sea-weed is an incorruptible matter which is not acted upon even by
lime, and which after being buried in the ground for many hundred years, have
been found on being dug up from several yards depth, to be in a perfect state
of preservation.
This property will be found of great utility when the paper or millboard is
employed for the sheathing or coating of ships or vessels, the material now
used for that purpose being liable quickly to decay and leave wrinkles or cracks
injurious to the vessel, whilst by the employment of the sea-weed an article will
be produced the liability of which to decay will be diminished in proportion to
the quantity of sea-weed which enters into its composition.
Fourth, this substance is found all over the world where there is a sea
shore, the supply is exhaustless, and only requires to be gathered, which labor
may be easily performed by young children.
Fifth, the manufacture may be carried on by means of the apparatus ordi-
narily employed for that purpose, and considerable economy is effected in the
cost of the product.
If the stalks of the sea-weed are to be employed, they are to be steeped in

page_text: water for a suitable time in order to soften them and to allow of their being more
readily crushed by the engine. If the leaves are employed they are to be
triturated without any other preparation. The sea-weed, whether stalks, or
leaves, or both, are to be supplied to the engine in equal proportion with the
rags or fifty per cent of each, and although we have not found it necessary
to wash the weed or to employ size in the manufacture there is no doubt
that the quality of the product would be improved by these additions.
All the other operations are conducted in the ordinary manner of manufac-
turing paper or card board from rags.
In witness whereof, we, the said Courtais Pierre and Fortuné Jammet,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of January
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
COURTUTS
COURTUS (is.)
F. JAMMET. (L.S.)
COURTUS
(ive.)
F. JAMMET. (L.S.)