A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF. CORDAGE AND OF WOVEN FABRICS FROM THE TEXTILE MATERIAL OF THE HOP PLANT
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF. CORDAGE AND OF
WOVEN FABRICS FROM THE TEXTILE MATERIAL OF THE HOP PLANT." —A
communication from abroad by Pierre Edouard Jourdeuil and
François Parisot, both of Dijon, Côte d'Or, France.
Sealed the 28th January 1873, and dated the 3rd August 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd August 1872.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF CORDAGE
AND OF WOVEN FABRICS FROM THE TEXTILE MATERIAL OF THE HOP PLANT," a
communication to me from abroad by Pierre Edouard Jourdeuil and
François Parisot, both of Dijon, Côte d'Or, France, to be as follows:-
1°. Processes of Preparation.-The stalks or bines of the hop are
habitually abandoned or burnt upon the ground after the picking; but

page_text: like all the urtica the hop contains a textile material of an excellent
quality and capable of being transformed into very strong cordage and
woven fabrics.
After many trials and patient researches, a very certain
and economical means of extracting and manufacturing the textile
material has been obtained.
The processes of preparation are three in number, the rotting, the
crushing or extraction of the textile material, and the carding.
°
Retting. Twenty-four hours after the picking of the cones the cut
stalks or hop binds are gathered from the ground, tied into bundles of
about 5 feet in height, by from 24 to 40 inches in circumference, and
are placed in water in the same manner as hemp. About a month
afterwards they are withdrawn, left to dry in the sun for about twelve
hours, and then stored in a dry place. Such is the operation of the
retting. It may be practised without any inconvenience in any waters,
even in waters used for drinking, as the hop is a medicinal plant, con-
taining no injurious matter, and gives no unwholesome exhalations,
which is a great superiority over the retting of hemp, and greatly
facilitates this operation.
Crushing or Decortication.-The hop bind not being naturally break-
able like hemp and flax, requires to be firstly beaten ("bocardé")
like flax, by means of an ordinary beater ("bocard") then flattened
between two cylinders, crushing the ligneous part and leaving the textile
part exposed. After this operation these two parts are separated from
each other by hand, and very strong filaments are obtained of an average
length of from 12 to 20 inches, and of a light brown colour.
Carding. The carding of the filaments or raw hop fibre, is operated
by means of ordinary cards of different sizes according to the use for
which the thread is intended. This raw hop fibre may be carded to an
extreme degree of fineness, even to obtaining a thread fine enough to be
used for ordinary weaving.
2°. Processes of Manufacture.-The processes of manufacturing the
textile material of the hop bind necessitate no special machines, exactly
the same machines may be used as those adopted in rope making by
hand or by machinery, or in the manufacture of woven fabrics of average
thickness. Excellent cord or rope of every thickness, from whip cord to

page_text: ship's cables, may be made from the textile material of the hop bind, as
well as indestructible bands for tying up hay and cereals, mats in imitation
of esparto mats, and at half the price, and finally, woven fabrics.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent.
Office on the 29th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, 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 successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence
that I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF CORDAGE AND OF WOVEN FABRICS FROM THE TEXTILE MATERIAL
OF THE HOP PLANT," a communication to me from abroad by Pierre
Edouard Jourdeuil and François Parisot, both of Dijon, Côte d'Or,
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 VE that I the soid William Tullmond Cod
1

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
1°. Processes of Preparation.-The stalks or binds of the hop are.
habitually abandoned or burnt upon the ground after the picking; but
like all the urtica the hop contains a textile material of an excellent
quality, and capable of being transformed into very strong cordage and
woven fabrics. After many trials and patient researches a very certain
and economical means of extracting and manufacturing the textile
material has been attained by the processes herein-after described.
The processes of preparation are three in number, the retting, the
crushing or extraction of the textile material, and the carding.
Retting. Twenty-four hours after the picking of the cones, the cut.
stalks or hop binds are gathered from the ground, tied into bundles of
about 5 feet in height, by from 24 to 40 inches in circumference, and
are placed in water in the same manner as hemp. About a month
afterwards they are withdrawn, left to dry in the sun for about twelve
hours, and then stored in a dry place. Such is the operation of the
retting. It may be practised without any inconvenience in any waters,
even in waters used for drinking, as the hop is a medicinal plant, con-
taining no injurious matter, and gives no unwholesome exhalations,
which is a great superiority over the retting of hemp, and greatly
facilitates this operation.
.
Crushing or Decortication.-The hop bind not being naturally break-
able like hemp and flax, requires to be firstly beaten, pounded, or
crushed ("bocardé ") like flax, by means of an ordinary pounding or
crushing machine ("bocard"), then flattened between two cylinders,
crushing the ligneous part and leaving the textile part exposed. After
this operation these two parts are separated from each other by hand.
and very strong filaments are obtained of an average length of from 12
to 20 inches, and of a light brown colour.
Carding. The carding of these filaments is operated by means of
ordinary cards of different sizes, according to the use for which the thread
is intended. This raw hop fibre may be carded to an extreme degree of
fineness, even to obtaining a thread fine enough to be used for ordinary
weaving.
2°. Processes of Manufacture.-The processes of manufacturing the
kastila mataniel of the hon hind necessitate no onocial machines avently

page_text: the same machines may be used as those adopted in rope making, by
hand or by machinery, or in the manufacture of woven fabrics of average,
thickness. Excellent cord or rope of every thickness, from whip, cord
to ship's cables, may be made from the textile material of the hop bind,
as well as indestructible bands for tying up hay and cereals, mats in
imitation of esparto mats, and at half the price, and finally, woven
fabrics.
In witness whereof, Ì, the said William Edward Gedge, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.