An Improved Process for Removing the Gum or Glutinous Matter from Textile Fibres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Removing the Gum or Glutinous Matter
from Textile Fibres.
1, JURGEN SOLTAU, of Bergedorf near Hamburg Germany, Chemist, 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 nud by the following
statement:
This invention consists in an improved process for removing the gum or
glutinous matter from textile fibres (such as cocoons of raw-wild silk, flax, hemp,
China grass, nettle and the like) by treating then with the pancreas of mammals
or pancreatic preparations.
All methods at present used for the artificial mgumming of fibres for spinning
are based upon the principle of decomposing the pectinates and resinous parts by
the more or less energetic treatment of the raw products with chemicals and
removing the soluble products of this decomposition by washing.
These methods have all more or less the disadvantage, that if the respective
energetic action be not sufficiently performed the dissolving effect is insufficient so
that in the further mechanical treatment a great loss of material is caused; or on
the other hand when energetically acted upon, the fibre though sufficiently freed
from its gums is itself attacked to such an extent that the resulting produce is
lessened in durability and quality.
Thus for instance the cocoons of the so-called wild-silks are treated by boiling
and steaming them with soda-lye and acids, whereby a silk results which is far
inferior in strength and resistance to the original state of the fibre and is of less
agreeable appearance. Thus vegetable fibrous substances are usually either
exposed to the danger of being retted and steeped too much by which their
qualities are impaired or they are insufficiently treated with the chemicals and thus
not sufficiently freed from gum.
These disadvantages are avoided by using this improved process which is: The
raw material after having been cleaned in the usual manner, is placed in suitable
vessels such as vats, casks, and these latter are filled with water, to which about
1% of pankreas in disintegrated condition or a corresponding quantity of preserved
pankreas (preserved in glycerine or salt) or raw pankreatine and 1% of
bicarbonate of soda is added, in which process the absorption of the solvent may
be accelerated by utilizing a vacuum.
After the material under treatment has been completely soaked, so large a
quantity of liquid is added as is necessary for completely covering the raw material
and then the whole is in any suitable manner heated to a temperature of 40 degroes
Centigrade and kept to this temperature until the solution of the pectinates and the
like has taken place.
The period therefor varies according to the species of raw material. Thus for
instance the cocoous of Antheraea Mylitta requires some 24 hours, those of
Antheraea Pornyi about 36 hours. And while flax for instanco only requires
18 to 24 hours soaking, hemp necessitates a treatment of 48 hours.
After having ascertained the sufficiency of the action upon the material the
liquid is drawn off and after the material has been softened with ordinary water it
is ready for further treatment.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
An improved process for removing the glutinous substances from textile fibres
for the preparation thereof for spinning, consisting in the treatment of the raw
products with pankreas or a preparation of pankreas.
Dated this 6th day of March 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.