IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF THE GENUS HOLLYHOCK TO OBTAIN FIBRES AND OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Purchase, of Taunton, in the County of Somerset,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF THE
GENUS HOLLYHOCK TO OBTAIN FIBRES AND OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
Sealed the 2nd June 1876, and dated the 21st March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Purchase at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st March 1876.
JOSEPH PURCILASE, of Taunton, in the County of Somerset.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF THE GENUS HOLLYHOCK TO OBTAIN FIBRES AND
OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
This Invention relates to the treatment of plants of the genus hollyhock in
order to obtain fibres and other valuable products therefrom. These plants are
grown, seeded, and harvested in a similar way to other crops, and when severed are
dried if desirable. The plants or products (after boiling or steaming and dissolving
the same in water) are submitted whilst in a wet state to various degrees of pressure
by means of rollers or passed through other machinery for the purpose of disintegra-
tion, and in order to free the fibres from sap, gum, and other matters. The fibres
are then steeped in an alkaline solution, washed and dried, and may be bleached
in the same manner as other fibres if thought requisite. The fibres obtained can be
spun and used in manner similar to hemp, and are applicable to various useful
purposes. The roots, stalks, and other fibrous residues of these plants are also
treated in a similar way and then operated upon by pressure, and may be mixed
with other substances or used alone as may be deemed most desirable for conversion
into paper pulp and other materials of like nature.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Joseph Purchase in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th August 1876.
JOSEPH PURCHASE, of Taunton, in the County of Somerset. "THE TREATMENT OF
CERTAIN PLANTS TO OBTAIN FIBRES AND OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
This Invention relates to the treatment of plants of the genus hollyhock in
order to obtain fibres and other valuable products therefrom. These plants are
grown, seeded, and harvested in a similar way to other crops, and when severed are
dried if desirable. The plants or products (after boiling or steaming and dissolving
[Price 4d.]

page_text: the same in water) are submitted whilst in a wet state to various degrees of pressure
by means of rollers or passed through other inachinery for the purpose of disintegra-
tion, and in order to free the fibres from sap, gum, and other matters. The fibres
are then steeped in an alkaline solution, washed and dried, and may be bleached in
the same manner as other fibres if thought requisite. The fibres obtained can be
spun and used in manner similar to hemp, and are applicable to various useful
purposes. The roots, stalks, and other fibrous residues of these plants are also
treated in a similar way and then operated upon by pressure, and may be mixed
with other substances or used alone as may be deemed inost desirable for conversion
into paper pulp and other materials of like nature.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in the treatment of plants
of the genus hollyhock to obtain fibres and other products therefrom may be
properly understood, I will now proceed to describe more particularly the modus
operandi I prefer to employ in carrying out the said improvements. The well known
flowering plant the hollyhock, which is a variety of the genus althæa or mallow
species, is capable of yielding under proper treatment a large proportion of excellent
fibre which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of paper as well as of textile
fabrics, that is to say, the stem and branches of the plant consist principally of fine
fibrous material admirably adapted to the purposes just referred to. As, however,
the demand for fibre is very large it follows that the hollyhock plant would
require to be cultivated upon a proportionate scale, and, in fact, to be treated in
like manner to the growing of hemp and flax or other like fibre producing plants.
In the cultivation of the various sorts of the genus hollyhock preference is given
to the taller varieties of the plant in order to produce the largest proportion of fibre,
which when fit are harvested as other crops of a similar nature. After beating out
and gathering the seed the stems of the plants are submitted to heat, either by
boiling them in suitable vessels or by submitting them to the pressure of steam in a
suitable generator. This is done for the purpose of dissolving out the chlorophyl
and other gummy or resinous matters that are soluble in water, and so leave the
fibre in a softened state and ready for the next operation. The fibrous material
may then, if necessary, be washed in pure water and then subjected to pressure.
This is done by passing between suitable rollers or other machinery, such as is
ordinarily used for the purpose in the preparation of fibrous materials. The effect
of this operation is that the fibres are thereby thoroughly disintegrated and freed
from the gummy and vegetable matters that were held therein after the process of
boiling or steaming, as well also as being deprived to a great extent of moisture.
The next operation is that of steeping the fibres in an alkaline solution, which
dissolves any extraneous or otherwise insoluble matters that may be left therein.
The fibres are finally washed in pure water, once, twice, or oftener, as may be
found necessary, and then dried. If desirable the fibres may be bleached by the
ordinary chlorine process, and they are then ready for the manufacturer's use to be
applied either to the production of paper or used in the manufacture of textile
fabrics as a substitute for hemp, flax, or other similar fibrous material. The residuary
portions of the plants as, for example, the roots, leaf, stalks, &c., may be treated
with advantage in like manuer to the foregoing, and when properly prepared may
be either used alone for manufacturing purposes or they may be mixed or blended
with other suitable materials, and so made available for use in the manufacture of
paper or employed for other useful purposes in the arts. By treating the fibre of
the hollyhock in this way a fibre of superior quality is obtained, and one that is
specially suited for manufacturing purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Invention
of improvements in the treatment of plants of the genus hollyhock to obtain
fibres and other products therefrom, and in what manner the same is or may be
carried into effect, I desire it to be understood that what I consider to be new and
claim as my Invention is-
The application and use of the fibres of the plant known as the althæa or holly-
lock to and for the manufacture of paper and textile fabrics, whether obtained in

page_text: the precise manner or by the processes herein-before described or any mere equivalent
therefor.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Purchase, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
TANKAR
JOSEPH PURCHASE.
(L.S.)