Improvements in the Preparation of Wool for Underclothing.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Preparation of Wool for Underclothing.
1, CARL FRIEDRICH FECKER of Bruchsal in the Grand Duchy of Baden,
Germany, Hose Manufacturer, 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 :-
Though what has hitherto been accomplished in the provision of woollen
sanitary underclothing corresponds pretty nearly with hygienic requirements, yet
an especial interest attaches to the present process seeing that thereby such
qualities are developed in the wool-e-the texture-as can not be too highly
appreciated.
During wear the wool prepared by this method remains generally odourless and
obtains an unsurpassable suppleness and softness, while a special advantage as well
is found in the peculiar absorptive activity of the texture on the humours and
perspiration of the body which are thereby drawn to the outside of the texture
causing the body to keep dry. Another important property is that the wool-
i.e. the texture-loses its natural harshness (strongly adhering particles of dust
which, hitherto, could not he removed) and thus the prepared material does not
irritate the body nor engender itching of the skin. As salt takes from a radish its
strongness" (acridity or pungency) so the extract used takes from the wool-fibres
their barshness (strongly adhering dust-atoms called "sweat "), and thereby is
originated the most important means of differentiating the effects of the process in
crispings of the fibres in zig-zag formed curves. This develops prominently after
the treatment of the wool. The single fibres become exceedingly elastic, porous,
more capable of absorption, and shrink no more, so that the properties beneficial
to the human body are never lost, even by washing, cleaning, and thorough airing
of the stuff.
This special method of preparation consists in soaking at a temperature of
35 degrees Reaumur the pure, unsulphured, undyed wool in an extract as hereafter
described.
Bark, taken from the stem and roots of the Daphne mezereum a tree growing
in the northern regions of Europe, after being dried in the air for somewhat less
than a year is cut up finely and placed in 40 per cent. of spirits of wine and
60 per cent. of water for a period of six days, in the proportion of one part of bark
to four parts of such mixture of spirits and water. In this time the spirits of wine
draw out of the bark all it contains of extractives-resin, oil, daphnine, wax, etc.—
and a brownish mass results. After straining it off from the macerated bark, the
extract is put into a copper vessel of such shape and size as may be suitable and
convenient, heated to 35 degrees Reaumur, and the wool is placed therein and
maintained for three hours at this temperature, whereby the wool becomes
impregnated with the alcoholized extract. After this time the wool is taken out
of the vessel and dried on wide meshed hurdles, and can then be spun and woven.
The wool must be treated in a completely loose condition so that the extract may
reach and act on all the fibres.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A method of production of sanitary prepared wool for underclothing, the special

page_text: features of which are that through soaking dried, finely cut up bark of the Daphne
mezereum in a mixture of spirits of wine and water an extract is obtained which
being freed by filtration of the particles of bark is placed in a vessel together with
pure, unsulphured, undyed wool to be treated, heated, and left thus for three hours
at a temperature of 35 degrees Reaumur whereby the extract permeates the wool.
Dated this 29th day of June 1895.