IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HALF STUPP AND PAPER
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Foley, of the City of Montreal, in the
Dominion of Canada, Merchant, now residing at the Inns of Court
Hotel, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Foley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1872.
I, JAMES FOLEY, of the City of Montreal, in the Dominion of Canada,
Merchant, now residing at the Inns of Court Hotel, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HALF STUPP AND PAPER," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
half stuff and paper. The discovery consists in producing a paper pulp
from a plant which grows wild in immense quantities in Canada and the

page_text: United States, and is there popularly known as the wild rice plant,
although it differs widely from the grain-bearing rice plant. The
botanical name of the plant is "zizania acquatica."
The plant may be cut into short lengths or otherwise broken up,
mashed, crushed, or ground, or may be used whole; being thoroughly
washed or cleansed the plant is placed in a close boiler or vessel which
may be either stationary or revolving. After the boiler or vessel is
charged with the plant it is closed steam tight, and the air exhausted
therefrom by any suitable means for the purpose of opening the cells
and pores of the plant by expansion of the air contained therein. When
the superabundant air is exhausted a communication with a tank con-
taining alkali is opened and caustic alkaline liquor is introduced into the
boiler or vessel.
The alkaline liquor, owing to the vacuum caused by the exhaustion of
the air from the boiler, will rush into the boiler upon opening the com-
munication and come in contact with every part of the plant contained
therein. The necessary quantity of the liquor being thus introduced,
pneumatic, hydraulic, hydrostatic, or steam pressure obtained by any
suitable means may be used for the purpose of forcing the alkaline
liquor into every cell or pore of the plant under treatment; heat is then
applied to the boiler or vessel and its contents for from 3 to 5 hours, at
the end of which time it will be found that the plant has been reduced
to a pulpy condition.
The plant may also be reduced to a pulp in an open vessel or boiler.
The vessel or boiler is provided with a grating of perforated plates. The
plant being placed in the vessel. or boiler alkali liquor is then introduced
which descends by its own gravity to the space between the bottom of
the vessel and grating, heat is then applied; and the natural consequences
of ascension of the heated lighter portions of the liquid takes place,
which meeting with no resistance in the pipes or channels or space pro-
vided for such ascension will rise above the top of the stock or plant and
fall on the same, descending by its own gravity and lessened in tempera-
ture through the stock or plant to the space at the bottom of the vessel
or boiler, and by difference of gravity displacing the heated portions of
liquid, thus causing a continuous current of liquor to circulate through
the stock or plant, and in the course of from 3 to 4 hours it will be
reduced to a pulp ready for further treatment.
"

page_text: -
The above treatment is necessary when the plant contains a large
quantity of silica or gluten, but when it contains but a small portion of
these substances it may be treated in a paper maker's beating or washing
engine, or pulped by introducing caustic alkali liquor with the stock.
or plant, and boiling it with ordinary or superheated steam for 3 or 4
hours, after which the engine is put in motion and the stock or plant
reduced to a fine pulp in the usual manner. It may also be washed and
bleached if found necessary in the same vessel.
After having reduced the plant to a pulp as described, it is placed in a
washing vat and thoroughly cleansed of the alkali and dirt contained
therein. After being properly washed and freed from the presence of
water by draining or otherwise it is then bleached by putting it into a
close vessel and subjected to the action of ordinary bleaching liquid
applied under pressure or otherwise for the purpose of bringing every
portion of the stock or plant into contact with the bleach. The stock or
plant on being removed from the vessel is ready for conversion into
paper by ordinary means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Foley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
FOLEY, of the City of Montreal, in the Dominion of Canada, Merchant,
now residing at the Inns of Court Hotel, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said James Foley, Her special license
that I, the said James Foley, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said James Foley, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
THE MANUFACTURE OF HALF STUFF AND PAPER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Foley, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands &
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
· Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Foley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
half stuff and paper from a plant which grows wild in immense quantities
in Canada and the United States, and is there popularly known as the
wild rice plant, although it differs widely from the grain-bearing rice
plant. The botanical name of the plant is "zizania acquatica."
The plant may be cut into short lengths or otherwise broken up,
mashed, crushed, or ground, or may be used whole; being thoroughly
washed or cleansed the plant is placed in a close boiler or vessel which
may be either stationary or revolving. After the boiler or vessel is
charged with the plant it is closed steam-tight, and the air exhausted
therefrom by any suitable means for the purpose of opening the cells
and pores of the plant by expansion of the air contained therein. When
the superabundant air is exhausted, a communication with a tank con-
taining alkali is opened and caustic alkaline liquor is introduced into the
boiler or vessel.
The alkaline liquor, owing to the vacuum caused by the exhaustion of
the air from the boiler, will rush into the boiler upon opening the com-
munication and come in contact with every part of the plant contained
therein. The necessary quantity of the liquor being thus introduced,
pneumatic, hydraulic, hydrostatic, or steam pressure obtained by any
suitable means may be used for the purpose of forcing the alkaline
liquor into every cell or pore
of the plant under treatment; heat is then
applied to the boiler or vessel and its contents for from 3 to 5 hours, at

page_text: the end of which time it will be found that the plant has been reduced
to a pulpy condition,
The plant may also be reduced to a pulp in an open vessel or boiler.
The vessel or boiler is provided with a grating of perforated plates. The
plant being placed in the vessel or boiler, alkali liquor is then introduced
which descends by its own gravity to the space between the bottom of
the vessel and grating; heat is then applied, and the natural consequences
of ascension of the heated lighter portions of the liquid takes place,
which meeting with no resistance in the pipes or channels or spaces pro-
vided for such ascension will rise above the top of the stock or plant and
fall on the same, descending by its own gravity and lessened in tempera-
ture through the stock or plant to the space at the bottom of the vessel
or boiler, and by difference of gravity displacing the heated portions
of liquid, thus causing a continuous current of liquor to circulate
through the stock or plant, and in the course of from 3 to 4 hours it will
be reduced to a pulp ready for further treatment.
The above treatment is necessary when the plant contains a large
quantity of silicia or gluten, but when it contains but a small portion of
these substances it may be treated in a paper maker's beating or washing
engine, or pulper by introducing caustic alkali liquor with the stock or
plant, and boiling it with ordinary or superheated steam for 3 or 4 hours,
after which the engine is put in motion and the stock or plant reduced
to a fine pulp in the usual manner. It may also be washed and bleached
if found necessary in the same vessel.
After having reduced the plant to a pulp as described, it is placed in
a washing vat and thoroughly cleansed of the alkali and dirt contained
therein. After being properly washed and freed from the presence of
water by draining or otherwise it is then bleached by putting it into a
close vessel and subjected to the action of ordinary bleaching liquid
applied under pressure or otherwise for the purpose of bringing every
portion of the stock or plant into contact with the bleach. It is advan-
tageous after the stock is placed in the bleaching vessel to close the
same air and gas tight, exhaust the air, and immediately afterwards to
introduce by a force pump or by other means dilute chlorine gas or air
separately or combined to produce pneumatic pressure. The stock or
plant on being removed from the vessel is ready for conversion into
paper by ordinary means.