The Mechanical and Chemical Treatment and Preparation of the Plant Botanically termed Bauhinia Vahlii.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 21st Jan., 1887.
The Mechanical and Chemical Treatment and Preparation of the
Plant Botanically termed Bauhinia Vahlii.
I JOHN HESELGRAVE WILSON of 44 Avondale Square Camberwell in the County
of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
THE MECHANICAL AND CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF THE PLANT BOTANICALLY TERMED
BAUHINIA VAHLII to be as follows:-
The Mechanical and Chemical preparation and treatment of the plant botanically
termed Bauhinia Vahlii and obtaining therefrom fibrous and other materials for
use in the manufacture of Woollen Textile and other Fabrics, Ropes, Mattings,
Canvas and Canvas-cloths, Steam-joint packing and packing generally, Paper and
Paper material, Papier Mache, Compressed ware for domestic and trade uses, and
Gun Cotton and other purposes.
I attain these objects by mechanical division of the plant and by maceration in
Water or Alkaline solutions and by the direct action of Chlorine Gas or by the use of
the Hypochlorites of Soda, Lime or other alkaline materials.
JOHN HESELGRAVE WILSON.

page_text: Plant Botanically termed Bauhinia Vahlii.
I, JOHN HESELGRAVE WILSON of 44 Avondale Square, Camberwell, Surrey,
Manufacturing 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
and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to operate by mechanical appliances the dried stalks
or stems and runners of the plant botanically termed "Bauhinia Vahlü" so as to
disintegrate and break up its fibres and to separate the outer shell or bark, which bark
in powder form can be associated with compounds such as are used for making Floor
Cloth, Linoleum, and the like.
The fibrous portion of the plant is washed and treated chemically by an oxidising
agent such as chlorine water, chlorinated carbonates of soda or potash which convert
the vasculose into soluble substance and effect, the separation of the gum and resinous
bodies contained in it to render it suitable for the usual ginning, spinning operation,
for the manufacture of fabric, ropes, matting, canvas, canvas cloth, steam joint packing
and packing generally, also for admixture with pulp used in the manufacture of paper,
paper material, papier maché, compressed ware for domestic and trade purposes also for
gun cotton and otherwise.
If a very fine class of goods is required, the fibres of the plant, after separation as
above set forth are assorted and the better kind is treated in Alkaline Solutions by the
direct action of chlorine gas or hypochlorites of lime, soda, or potash according to the
degree of whiteness or bleach required.
To carry my invention into practice I pass dried stems of the plant above named
between roughened rollers which in addition to their ordinary rotary motion have
an end on reciprocating action so as not only to feed but to break up the fibres. I
employ sets of rollers of different degrees of fineness as far as their roughened
surfaces are concerned to operate upon the plant stems in succession to the desired
degree of separation, this being determined according to the uses to which they have
to be placed and according to the coarseness or fineness of the stems themselves and
also the length of fibre which they contain.
Some parts of the stems of the plant "Bauhinia Vahlii" are very fine and require
less treatment than other parts. These, after the mechanical division of the plant only
need a simple maceration in water and a bleaching.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
The treatment of the plant, botanically termed "Bauhinia Vahlii," both mechanically,
and chemically, substantially in the manner set forth, and its utilization in the manu-
facture of fabrics, packing, paper and other useful purposes as described.