Improvements in the Treatment of Vegetable Textile Materials and of Threads and Fabrics made therefrom.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th Mar., 1887.
Improvements in the Treatment of Vegetable Textile Materials and
of Threads and Fabrics made therefrom.
I FIRMIN MOLLET-FONTAINE, of La Madeleine-lez-Lille, Nord, Franco, Manu-
facturing Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The primary object of this invention is to effect a complete bucking (débouillissage)
of threads and fabrics of vegetable origin at a single operation, and consequently to
obtain superior white products at a single bleaching operation either by means of
chlorine or by the electric process without affecting the fibre.
Hitherto threads have been bucked in a kier or vessel by adding thereto an alkali,
or an alkaline carbonate, or lime, or carbonate of lime. The liquid has been boiled
for a certain number of hours, and generally a circulation through the textile mass
from bottom to top has been kept up by means of steam.
When the operation has
been considered finished, the liquid has been run off, the threads rinsed with cold
water and then taken out. This very simple operation is unfortunately incomplete as
a result, and a series of buckings and of chlorine actions are necessary to obtain
sufficiently white products; and in this series of operations the threads often lose their
resistance or strength.
The process which I employ for effecting a complete bucking of the textile
matters consists in carrying out a methodical or regular lye-washing by using lime,
caustic soda, a carbonate of lime or of soda, or simply hot water under pressure, in
the way that soap, hydrocarbides or other solvents of fatty bodies are sometimes used
for the treatment of wool. I will explain in a general manner the process as carried
out in, for example, 4 vessels. We will suppose that in vessel 4 there is a fresh lot
of textile matters; and in vessels 3, 2 and 1, lots of textile matters that have been
boiled or bucked for 1, 2 and 3, hours respectively. I prepare the water containing
the reagent in a separate reservoir; under pressure from a pump, injector, or a higher
reservoir if the pressure is to be only slightly above atmospheric pressure, I introduce
the liquid through a set of pipes or a serpentine into vessel 1; there is communication
between the several vessels and the liquid from 3 passes through the fresh material
in 4 either upwards or downwards. After a certain time run off the liquid
from 4 into a vessel in which the set of pipes or serpentine before mentioned is

page_text: situated so that the liquid which is about to pass into the series of vessels is heated
by the liquid that issues therefrom. In order to withdraw the liquid from vessel 4
water must be introduced into vessel 1. This water drives the alkaline liquid before
it into vessel 2 where it comes in contact with textile matter which has already
received two treatments of the liquid. The liquid in vessel 2 passes into 3. The
liquid in each of the vessels can then be advantageously made to circulate the same as
if such vessels were separate, by any ordinary means such as a pump. The
operation is finished by rinsing the matter in vessel 1 with hot water and then cold.
I can heat the liquid either in the vessels or before it enters them. For the next
operation, vessel 2 becomes the last and vessel 1 the first of the series and so on. The
washing in the first vessel may be commenced by pure hot water or by steam. The
liquid run off from ordinary bucking kiers can be used to heat the liquid on its way
to such vessels by causing the evacuated liquid to pass through a vessel containing a
set of pipes or a serpentine through which the fresh liquid flows as above described.
The main object of the operation of bucking is to form soluble products, especially
soluble alkaline metapectates whilst the pectose and the pectic acid are insoluble. If
it be considered that by a prolonged boiling only these latter bodies are trans-
formed into soluble metapectic products it follows that if raw flax (or other fibre) he
placed in apparatus like those I have described the retting of the flax will be effected
by simple boiling. I therefore ret flax simply by putting it into a series of vessels
such as I have described containing water and I utilize the heat of the liquid drawn
off from the series to heat the liquid about to enter it, as before explained. I
can add lime, caustic soda, or their carbonates, or sulphuric acid which is beneficial in
facilitating the dissolving of the gummy matters. I can also use the liquid hydro-
carbides; they have only a partial action but the fibre is made whiter. This retting
operation can be carried on at atmospheric pressure but it is preferable to have a
higher pressure, variable according to the nature of the flax. I begin the operation
by an injection of steam before introducing the hot water especially when dealing
with common flax. When dealing with very fine flax I employ steam expanded by
means of vacuum, and wash with water of a temperature a little below 100°
Centigrade.
As Hax that has to be retted softens in water especially when it has been submitted
to a preliminary disaggregating operation an entanglement of the fibres is liable to
occur. This can be obviated by arranging them in small bundles or by forming them
into thin layers separated by perforated metallic sheets or osier mats.
At the end of
the operation they can be removed either altogether by a small crane or some at a
time. When the. fibre has been removed from the vessels it may be passed between
pressing rollers so as to squeeze out as much liquid as possible and thereby facilitate
the drying operation. When the washing operation is finished by rinsing with hot
water in the last vessel of the series a vacuum may be formed therein by an exhauster
and steam forced into it such steam passing out into the next vessel of the series so as
to raise its temperature.
My methodical or regular system of washing as before described can be applied at
any stage in which it is desired to remove the pectic matters. For example for wet
spinning I can apply the washing to the fibres before the drawing operations, either
at ordinary pressure but preferably at a somewhat higher pressure. I thus remove
nearly all the pectic matters from the fibres about to be spun; I finish by rinsing with
hot or cold water.
In whatever stage of the treatment of the fibres my-methodical system of washing
is applied, the fibre can be moved or agitated at the same time that the liquid has a
regular circulation; for instance, when animal charcoal is used the holders containing
the fibre will have an up and down movement so as to be alternately submerged and
then lifted out to drain; or the fibre may be laid in a thin layer upon an endless
chain which is caused to pass through a series of vessels in which the liquid has a
regular circulation; in these cases however a pressure higher than atmospheric
pressure cannot be employed.
For some kinds of flax especially the superior kinds, in order to dispense with a

page_text: preliminary mechanical preparation for the purpose of disaggregating the fibres, I
allow expanded steam at 45° to remain in the first vessel of the series for an hour, o
water at from 35° to 45° to produce a commencement of fermentation; then I run off
the water which has caused this fermentation and effect the washing as hereinbefore
described.
The vessels employed for the purpose of this invention are preferably of galvanized
iron or copper or of iron lined with a thin layer of copper, lead, wood, or cement so as
to prevent the coloring of the fibres by oxide of iron.
The vessels can be made movable so that when the washing operation has been
finished in any one of them it can be replaced by another and wheeled or moved into
a hot air channel or chamber in order that the fibre therein may be dried without
being displaced.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.

page_text: of Threads and Fabrics made therefrom.
I FIRMIN MOLLET-FONTAINE of La Madeleine-lez-Lille, Nord, France, Manufac-
turing Engineer 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 primary object of this invention is to effect a complete bucking (débouillissage)
of threads and fabrics of vegetable origin at a single operation, and consequently to
obtain superior white products at a single bleaching operation either by means of
chlorine or by the electric process without affecting the fibre.
Hitherto threads have been bucked in a kier or vessel by adding thereto an alkali
or an alkaline carbonate or lime or carbonate of lime. The liquid has been boiled for
a certain number of hours, and generally a circulation through the textile mass from
bottom to top has been kept up by means of steam. When the operation has been
considered finished, the liquid has been run off, and the threads rinsed with cold water
and then taken out. This very simple operation is unfortunately incomplete as a
result, and a series of buckings and of chlorine actions are necessary to obtain
sufficiently white products; and in this series of operations the threads often lose
their resistance or strength.
The process which I employ for effecting a complete bucking of the textile matters
consists in carrying out a methodical or regular lye-washing by using lime, caustic
soda, or carbonate of lime or of soda, or simply hot water under pressure, in the way
that soap, hydrocarbides or other solvents of fatty bodies are sometimes used for the
treatment of wool. I will explain in a general manner, and with the aid of the
annexed diagram, the process as carried out in, for example, 4 vessels. We will
suppose that in vessel 4 there is a fresh lot of textile matters; and in vessels 3, 2 and 1
lots of textile matters that have been boiled or bucked for 1, 2 and 3 hours respec-
tively. I prepare the water containing the reagent in a separate reservoir R; under
pressure from a pump, injector, or a higher reservoir if the pressure is to be only
slightly above atmospheric pressure; I introduce the liquid through a set of pipes-or-
a serpentine S into vessel 1; there is communication between the several vessels and
the liquid from 3 passes through the fresh material in 4 either upwards or down-
wards. After a certain time I run off the liquid from 4 into the vessel 1 in which
the set of pipes or serpentine S is situated- so that the liquid which is about to pass
into the series of vessels is heated by the liquid that issues therefrom. In order to

page_text: withdraw the liquid from vessel 4 water must be introduced into vessel 1. This water
drives the alkaline liquid before it into vessel 2 where it comes in contact with textile
matter which has already received 2 treatments of the liquid. The liquid in vessel 2
passes into
The liquid in each of the vessels can then bo advantageously made to
circulate the same as if such vessels were separate, by any ordinary means such as a
pump. The operation is finished by rinsing the matter in vessel 1 with hot water and
then cold. I can heat the liquid either in the vessels or before it enters them.
the next operation, vessel 2 becomes the last and vessel 1 the first of the series and so
on. The washing may be commenced in the first vessel by pure hot water or by
steam. The liquid run off from ordinary bucking kiers can be used to heat the liquid
on its way to such vessels by causing the evacuated liquid to pass through a vessel
containing a set of pipes or a serpentine through which the fresh liquid flows as above
described.
For
The main object of the operation of bucking is to form soluble products, especially
soluble alkaline metapectates whilst the pectose and the pectic acid are insoluble. If
it be considered that only by a prolonged boiling these latter bodies are transformed
into soluble metapectic products it follows that if raw flax (or other fibre) be placed
in apparatus like those I have described the retting of the flax will be effected by
simple boiling. I therefore ret flax simply by putting it into a series of vessels such
as I have described containing water and I utilize the heat of the liquid drawn off
from the series to heat the liquid about to enter it, as before explained. I can add
lime, caustic soda, or their carbonates, or sulphurous acid which is beneficial in
facilitating the dissolving of the gummy matters. I can also use the liquid hydro-
carbides; they have only a partial action but the fibre is made whiter. This retting
operation can be carried on at atmospheric pressure but it is preferable to have a
higher pressure, variable according to the nature of the flax. I begin the operation
by an injection of steam before introducing the hot water especially when dealing
with common flax. When dealing with very fine flax I employ steam expanded by
means of vacuum, and wash with water of a temperature a little below 100° Centi-
grade. As flax that has to be retted softens in water especially when it has been
submitted to a preliminary disaggregating operation an entanglement of the fibres is
liable to occur. This can be obviated by arranging them in small bundles or by
forming them into thin layers separated by perforated metallic sheets or osier mats.
At the end of the operation they can be removed either altogether by a small crane or
some at a time.
When the fibre has been removed from the vessels it may be passed
between pressing rollers so as to squeeze out as much liquid as possible and thereby
facilitate the drying operation. When the washing operation is finished by rinsing
with hot water in the last vessel of the series a vacuum may be formed therein by an
exhauster and steam forced into it such steam passing out into the next vessel of the
series so as to raise its temperature.
My methodical or regular system of washing as before described can be applied at
any stage in which it is desired to remove the pectic matters. For example, for wet
spinning I can apply the washing to the fibres before the drawing operations, either
at ordinary pressure but preferably at a somewhat higher pressure. I thus remove
nearly all the pectic matters from the fibres about to be spun; I finish by rinsing with
hot or cold water.
In whatever stage of the treatment of the fibres my methodical system of washing
is applied, the fibre can be moved or agitated at the same time that the liquid has a
regular circulation, for instance when animal charcoal is used the holders containing
the fibre will have an up and down movement so as to be alternately submerged and
then lifted out to drain; or the fibre may be laid in a thin layer upon an endless
chain which is caused to pass through a series of vessels in which the liquid has a
regular circulation; in these cases however a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure
cannot be employed.
For some kinds of flax especially the superior kinds, in order to dispense with a
preliminary mechanical preparation for the purpose of disaggregating the fibres I

page_text: allow expanded steam at 45° to remain in the first vessel of the series for an hour, or
water at from 35° to 45° to produce a commencement of fermentation; then I run
off the water which has caused this fermentation and effect the washing as hereinbefore
described.
The vessels employed for the purpose of this invention are preferably of galvanized
iron or copper or of iron lined with a thin layer of copper, lead, wood or cement so as
to prevent the coloring of the fibres by oxide of iron.
The vessels can be made movable so that when the washing operation has been
finished in any one of them it can be replaced by another and wheeled or moved into
a hot air channel or chamber in order that the fibre therein may be dried without
being displaced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process or method herein before described of bucking or washing threads and
fabrics formed of vegetable textile materials.
2. The process or method hereinbefore described of retting or treating flax or other
vegetable fibres
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.