Improvements in Producing Filaments for Textile Purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Producing Filaments for Textile Purposes.
I, ADAM MILLAR, of 45, Montrose Street, in the City of Glasgow, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention consists in producing threads or filaments suitable for textile
purposes, from albumen obtained from eggs or from blood, the gelatinous sub-
stance obtained from seaweed, and from other similar or analogous substances.
In carrying out this invention the albumen or other substance, from which the
threads are to be formed, is placed in a vessel and rendered liquid or plastic by
means of suitable solvents or by the action of heat. The vessel is furnished
with one or more nozzles or nipples through which the liquid or plastic material
exudes in the form of thin thread-like streams. These liquid or plastic threads
fall upon an endless travelling band of considerable length on which they are
dried to a sufficient degree to admit of their being lifted off the band and wound
on to a bobbin. In order to render these threads insoluble in water they are
subjected to the action of formic-aldehyde, a solution of common alum, of chrome
alum, or bi-chromate of potass, or they are treated by any other of the processes,
for rendering albumen and gelatine insoluble, in common use in several well
known photographic processes.
The invention consists further in combining with the albumen or other
analogous substances, metallic compounds especially of those metals known as
the metals of the alkalis and the metals of the alkaline earths, of which phosphate
of lime and phosphate of alum are examples. These metallic compounds may
also be combined with gelatine alone without any admixture of albumen or
other analogous substances. Filaments produced from the before mentioned
substances will be similar in chemical composition to silk, wool, hair and other
insoluble animal products, and will have the qualities of flexibility, elasticity and
tensile strength in a greater degree than when made from gelatine, albumen or
other analogous substances without the compounds of the metals described.
In carrying out this invention, the following process and appliances are or
may be used, subject to such modifications as may be required for the different
materials employed. The albumen or other similar substance containing a small
proportion of phosphate of alumina or other metallic compound is poured into
a cylindrical vessel, having a stop-cock attached to a distributing cylinder,
furnished with a series of nozzles. The cylinder is closed at the top by an air-
tight cover furnished with a stop cock joined to a pipe communicating with a
reservoir of compressed air maintained at say five pounds pressure per square
inch. The liquid or plastic material flows from the nozzles in fine threads,
which fall on to the endless travelling band carried by suitable drums or pulleys.
The endless band is of considerable length and the threads become dry before it
completes a whole round of its travel. The threads are gathered off the band on

page_text: to a revolving bobbin and are afterwards twisted together by suitable twisting
machines.
The chemical substances mentioned as possessing the property of rendering
albumen and gelatine insoluble may be incorporated with the albumen at the
same time as the phosphate of alumina, or by a second process after the threads
have been formed.
When it is required to use heat to obtain the proper degree of liquidness, a
hot water jacket is formed round the cylinder, in which water, heated to the proper
temperature, is made to circulate.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Producing Filaments for Textile Purposes.
I, ADAM MILLAR, of 45, Montrose Street, in the City of Glasgow, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement: —
The invention consists in producing threads or filaments suitable for textile
purposes, from albumen obtained from eggs or from blood, the gelatinous sub-
stance obtained from seaweed, and from other similar or analogous substances,
such substances being of the kind known to chemists as proteids.
In carrying out this invention the albumen or other substance, from which
the threads are to be formed, is placed in a vessel and rendered liquid or plastic
by means of suitable solvents such as water or by the action of heat. When
casein from milk is employed it may be dissolved in glacial acetic acid or other
suitable solvent, the solution containing about 50 er cent. of commercial
casein. The vessel is furnished with one or more nozzles or nipples through
which the liquid or plastic material exudes in the form of thin thread-like
streams. These liquid or plastic threads fall upon an endless travelling band of
considerable length on which they are dried to a sufficient degree to admit of
their being lifted off the band and wound on to a bobbin. In order to render
these threads insoluble in water they are subjected to the action of formic-alde-
hyde, a solution of common alum, of chrome alum, or bi-chromate of potass, or
they are treated by any other of the processes, for rendering albumen and
gelatine insoluble, in common use in several well known photographic processes.
The invention consists further in combining with the albumen or other
analogous substances, metallic compounds especially of those metals known as
the metals of the alkalis and the metals of the alkaline earths, of which phosphate
of lime and phosphate of alumina are examples. These metallic compounds may
also be combined with gelatine alone without any admixture of albumen or
other analogous substances about 5 to 20 per cent. of the metallic compounds
being used. Filaments produced from the before mentioned substances will be
similar in chemical composition to silk, wool, hair and other insoluble animal
products, and will have the qualities of flexibility, elasticity and tensile strength
in a greater degree than when made from gelatine, albumen or other analogous
substances without the compounds of the metals described. As an example of

page_text: the addition of chemical compounds to strengthen the albuminous matter,
chloride of aluminium" in the proportion of say 1 part to 300 parts of the
dry albumen is employed to give greater viscosity to the liquid solution and
greater strength to the filament produced from it.
For rendering the albuminous compound insoluble when it is dried, the
chemical product known as formic-aldehyde, also as formaline"
may be
employed, and may be employed by adding about one per cent. thereof of 40%
strength to the liquid solution of the albuminous compound; or the threads,
after being formed, may be treated with formaline either in the liquid form, or
in the form of a vapour.
In carrying out this invention, the process and appliances may be the same
or similar to those described in the Specifications of my Patents Nos. 15,522 of
1894, and 2713 of 1897, subject to such modifications as may be required for
the different materials employed. When common alum, chrome alum, or bi-
chromate of potass is used for rendering the filaments insoluble, the proportion
will be about five per cont. of the solution.
The chemical substances mentioned as possessing the property of rendering
albumen and gelatine insoluble may be incorporated with the albumen at the
same time as the chloride or phosphate of alumina, or by a second process after
the threads have been formed.
For example the threads may be made insoluble in water either by mixing
the proper chemical ingredients with the liquid material, so that as soon as the
threads are dried they are insoluble, or the insolubility may be produced by a
subsequent treatment, such as by unwinding the threads from the bobbin on to
an open reel or into the form of a hank and immersing the yarn in a solution
of the chemical substances which renders albumen insoluble, or the reels con-
taining the threads may be placed in a chamber and subjected to the action of
formic-aldehyde in the form of a vapour.
The threads may be dyed by the ordinary methods, with such modifications
as may be found advantageous, or colouring matter may be added to the liquid
material before it is drawn into threads.
When it is required to use heat to obtain the proper degree of liquidness, a
hot water jacket is formed round the containing vessel, in which water, heated to
the proper temperature, is made to circulate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The production of threads applicable to textile purposes from albumen or
other like materials known as proteids, such threads being rendered insoluble
in water substantially as described.
2. The production of threads applicable to textile purposes, from albumen or
other like materials, or from gelatine, combined with metallic compounds of the
class set forth and rendered insoluble in water substantially as described.
1000
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.