An Improved Method of Imparting a Silk like Appearance and Quality to Cotton Yarns, Skeins, or Hanks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 21st July, 1900
An Improved Method of Imparting a Silk like Appearance and
Quality to Cotton Yarns, Skeins, or Hanks.
A communication from JULIUS DOLDER, Engineer, of Breitestrasse, Andernach,
Germany.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, County of Middlesex, Char-
tered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
It has been found that isinglass or fish glue in combination with ether, mixed
with caustic alkali, possesses the remarkable quality of imparting to cotton yarns,
skeins, or hanks treated with it a silk like appearance and extraordinary supple-
ness, very superior to similar qualities produced by any other process known at
present. For this purpose the fish glue is dissolved in dilute alcohol and to the
solution thus obtained ether is added. A convenient formula is, water 100 litres,
alcohol 5 litres, isinglass 2 kgs. mixed with about 100 litres of ether. When to
this solution an equal weight of a soda lye of a strength of 20 to 22° Be., is added
a composition is obtained adapted to give a durable and high brilliancy to the
cotton fibres. Or to 100 litres of soda lye (36° B.) is added 3 litres of ether
and 1 kilos. of fish glue dissolved in water. For this purpose the cotton, pre-
ferably in the form of skeins, is placed in a suitable machine and first impreg-
nated with the solution then pressed, rinsed and finally slightly acidulated.
During the different phases of the process, the skeins are stretched or relaxed,
according to requirement, i.e., the skeins are kept stretched during the process
of impregnation, at their natural length, during the wringing process the skeins
are held loose, the tension being relaxed and during the rinsing process they are
subjected to a tensional drawing out of about 5% as regards their natural length.
In addition to the novelty of the process it offers the following advantages:
1. The cotton has imparted to it a silken brilliancy and a suppleness which is
very superior to that produced by any other known process.
2. The quantity of production is very greatly increased when the operations
follow each other rapidly and the working expenses are reduced.
3. The fibres are in no way harmed, and a breaking of the fibres during the
operation is not possible under ordinary conditions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A method of imparting a silk-like appearance and quality to cotton yarns,
keins and hanks consisting in impregnating the material in a bath comprising
solution of fish glue or isinglass in alcohol to which ether and some weak
austic alkali is added substantially as described.
2. Immersing yarns, skeins or hanks of cotton in a bath of fish glue or isinglass,

page_text: alcohol, ether and soda lye, pressing out the fluid, rinsing and drawing out the
threads and finally neutralising the alkalinity of the fibres substantially as
described.
Dated this 25th day of September 1889.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.