Improvements relating to the Treatment of Straw, Esparto Grass, and other, Fibrous Materials for the Manufacture of Paper and other purposes, and to Compounds therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Treatment of Straw, Esparto Grass,
and other, Fibrous Materials for the Manufacture of Paper and
other purposes, and to Compounds therefor.
I, EDWARD APPLEGARTH, of 4 Copthall Buildings, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the treatment of straw, esparto grass and other fibrous
materials for the manufacture of paper and other purposes.
According to my invention I provide for removing or extracting the gum, resin
and other objectionable matter, from straw, esparto grass and other fibrous materials.
By this treatment the said materials are rendered more suitable for use in the manu-
facture of paper or for other purposes and any knots that may be contained therein
are so acted upon as to be more easily bleached, than when treated by any other
process hitherto in use. My improved process moreover does not injuriously affect
the strength of the said materials, consequently the product is stronger, tougher and
more flexible and therefore paper of a much superior quality can be made there-
from than that produced from the said materials when treated by any of the processes
hitherto employed.
In carrying my said invention into practice 1 mix together suitable proportions of
caustic soda, horacic acid, water, kerosene oil, or any other unctuous, or spirituous
product of petroleum, coal oil, or rock oil, and animal fat or oil, or vegetable oil and
mix and boil them together until sufficiently concentrated to form a more or less
firm compound, which will be soluble in hot water or lye, and which will leave no
appreciable amount of free oil or grease in the water when dissolved therein.
In using the above composition I add a suitable quantity thereof to the caustic lye
or other alkaline solution in which the straw, esparto grass or other fibrous material is
intended to be boiled.
The following proportions I have found in practice to form an effective composition,
viz.: Fifteen pounds of caustic soda, one and a half pounds of boracic acid, three
gallons of water, one and a half gallons of linseed oil, and five gallons of kerosene oil.
The above ingredients to be well mixed and boiled for four hours more or less until
thoroughly combined and reduced to a sufficient consistency.
Although the above is found to be an effective composition I wish it to be clearly
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact proportions of the various ingre-
lients given, as the said proportions may be advantageously varied in accordance with
he material to be treated.
Moreover in some instances I dispense with the use of the boracic acid.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Treatment of Straw, Esparto Grass,
and other Fibrous Materials for the Manufacture of Paper and
other purposes, and to Compounds therefor.
I, EDWARD APPLEGARTH, of 4 Copthall Buildings, in the City of London, 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:
My invention relates to the treatment of straw, esparto-grass and other fibrous
materials to adapt the same for the manufacture of paper and for other purposes.
According to my said invention I provide for removing or extracting the gum,
resin and other objectionable or deleterious matters from the straw, esparto grass or
other fibrous materials, in a more efficient manner than is practicable by the means
heretofore employed. By my improved treatment the said materials are rendered
more suitable for use in the manufacture of paper and for other purposes, and any
knots that may be contained therein are so acted upon as to be more easily bleached,
than when such materials are treated by any process hitherto in use. My improved
process, moreover, does not injuriously affect the strength of the said materials, con-
sequently the product is stronger, tougher and more flexible than heretofore, and
paper of a much superior quality can be made therefrom than can be produced from
such materials when treated by any of the processes hitherto employed.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I first make an improved compound as
follows, viz. I mix together suitable proportions of caustic soda, water, kerosene oil,
or other unctuous, or spirituous product of petroleum or of coal oil or rock oil, and
animal fat or oil, or vegetable oil, and I boil the mixture until it becomes sufficiently
concentrated to form a more or less firm compound, which will be soluble in hot water
or lye, and which will leave no appreciable amount of free oil or grease in the water
when dissolved therein.
The following proportions I have found in practice to form an effective composition
for the treatment of the straw or esparto grass according to my said invention, viz. :-
Fifteen pounds of caustic soda, three gallons of water, one and a half gallons of linseed
oil, and five gallons of koroseno oil. The above ingredients to be well mixed and
boiled for four hours, more or less, until thoroughly combined and reduced to the
desired consistency.
Although the above is found to be an effective composition, I wish it to be clearly
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact proportions of the various ingre
dients above mentioned, as the said proportions may be advantageously varied in
accordance with the material to be treated.
I treat the straw, esparto grass or other fibrous material as follows, that is to say:-
I boil the same in caustic lye or other suitable alkaline solution to which has been
added a suitable quantity of the compound above described.
In using the aforesaid compound for treating straw and esparto grass, I find it most
economical to add about one per cent. of the compound, to the quantity of straw or
esparto grass when put into the boiler with the alkaline solution (or fye). The com-
pound being added. to the lye, greatly facilitates the action of the chemicals upon the
deleterious matters contained in the straw or esparto grass, by dissolving the gummy
or resinous matters more freely and thereby allowing the alkali to act more effectually
upon the silica. The action of the compound upon the knots or joints of the straw is
very advantageous, as it renders them sufficiently soft for paper-making when boiled.
I also find that straw can be boiled with less alkali when the compound is added, and
the straw comes out when washed a much lighter color and its fibre is stronger and
softer and requires less bleach, than straw boiled without the said compound.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
I claim :-
First. The improved compound made by mixing together water, caustic soda,
kerosene oil or other unctuous or spirituous hydrocarbon oil or spirit, and animal fat
or oil or vegetable oil, in, or about in, the proportions above stated, and subjecting the
mixture to heat, substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Second. The treatment of straw, esparto grass or other fibrous material by boiling
the same in caustic lye or other alkaline solution in which a suitable quantity of my
improved compound is dissolved, substantially as set forth.
Third. Straw, esparto grass or other fibrous material treated with my improved
compound in the manner hereinbefore described for the purposes specified."
100 1
CXL
1
1000
EDWARD APPLEGARTH.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.