Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of a Composition from Rhea Fibre; applicable for Electric Insulation and other Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of a Composition
from Rhea Fibre; applicable for Electric Insulation and other
Purposes.
I, WILLIAM JAMES CORDNER,, of 17, Shaftesbury Avenue, in the County of
London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature, of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of a composition from Rhea fibre
applicable for electric insulation and other purposes such as the manufacture of
golf balls, pulleys, and similar articles, and has for its object the production
of a material which shall be a high electrical insulator in comparison with its
thickness, which is practically a non-absorbent of water and which can be pro-
duced at a low cost.
To carry my invention into effect, the fibre is first cleansed of impurities by
washing and drying, and if the final composition is for use in high class insulation
it may be necessary to de-guni the material before commencing the treatment.
After the above described preliminary treatment the fibre is immersed in a
solution of silicate of soda or a density of from 15 to 20 degrees Beaumé and
when thoroughly saturated it is carefully dried in a suitable oven or drying
room at temperatures commencing at 80° and rising to 250° Fahr. until all the
moisture has been extracted. The fibre is then immersed in a bath of resin or
other heavy hydrocarbon oil at a temperature of about 275° Fahr. until it has
taken up all the oil it can possibly absorb when it is removed from the oil bath
and placed into a machine such as a hydro-extractor, which is worked in a tem-
perature of 300° Fahr. and the superfluous oil is extracted.
The fibre is then suspended in a drying room and thoroughly dried in a tem-
perature of 250° Fahr. until it has assumed the character of pure hydro-carbon
cellulose. It is then carefully examined and the parts that have not assumed
the desired character are removed and re-treated to the bath and extraction pro-
cess until it becomes as 'desired.
Having formed the cellulose in the manner described it is thoroughly treated.
n a dry mixer. until the original fibrous formation of the material has entirely
lisappeared.
It is now ready for incorporation with oils, resins, gums and similar materials
ccording to the class of material desired. For example if hard material is
equired an excess of resinous gums is mixed with the cellulose, or if soft and
lexible material is required a larger amount of readily oxidisable oil is incor-
orated, the oil being first treated and thickened with the oxygen gas given off
y oxide of manganese when heated.

page_text: For cable insulation where a very high resistance is required it is sometimes
advisable to add a small portion of gutta percha but this is not necessary for
purposes of ordinary insulation.
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of a Composition
from Rhea Fibre applicable for Electric Insulation and other
Purposes.
I, WILLIAM JAMES CORDNER, of 17, Shaftesbury Avenue, in the County of
London, Merchant, 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:—
This invention relates to the manufacture of a composition from Rhea fibro
applicable for electric insulation and other purposes such as the manufacture of
articles which are usually now made of india rubber and the like and has for
its object the production of a material which shall be a high electrical insulator
in comparison to its thickness, which is practically a non-absorbent of water and
which can be produced at a low cost.
To carry my invention into effect the Rhea fibre is first cleansed from impuri-
ties by washing and drying in any of the well known ways such as by treatinent
with carbonate of soda; and if the final composition is for use in high class
insulation it may be necessary to degum the material before commencing the
process hereafter described by treatment under any known process of degum-
ming.
After the above described preliminary treatment the Rhea fibre is immersed
in a solution of silicate of soda of a density of from 15 to 20 degrees Beaume,
the exact density being dependent on the amount of gum in the fibre, for
example the greatest density of 20° Bc. is only used when the fibre has been
thoroughly degummed: When the fibre is thoroughly saturated it is carefully
dried in a suitable oven or drying room at temperatures commencing at .80°
and rising to 250° Fahr. until all the moisture has been extracted.
The fibre is next immersed in a bath of resin .or other heavy hydrocarbon oil
at a temperature of about 275° Fahr. until it has taken up all the oil it can
possibly absorb, when it is removed from the oil bath and placed into a machine
such as a hydro extractor or press, which is worked in a temperature of 300°
Fahr. and the superfluous oil is extracted.
•
The fibre is then suspended in a drying room and thoroughly. dried in a
temperature of 250° Fahr. until by the reaction of the silicate of soda and heavy
hydrocarbon on the fibre it has assumed the character of pure hydrocarbon cellu-
lose. It is then carefully examined and the parts that have not assumed the
desired character; i.e. a complete transformation into cellulose, are removed and
retreated to the hydrocarbon bath and extraction processes and again put into
the drying room.
Having formed the cellulose in the manner described it is thoroughly treated

page_text: mechanically in a dry mixer until the original fibrous formation of the material
has entirely disappeared.
It is now ready for incorporation with oils, resins, gums and similar materials,
such as linseed oil, resin' oil, and rubber oil, and Ballater gum, india rubber and
gutta percha according to the class of material desired! For example, if hard
material is required an excess of resinous gums is mixed with the cellulose, or
if soft and flexible material is required a larger amount of readily oxidisable oil.
is incorporated, the oil being first treated, and thickened with oxygen gas which
is advantageously given off by black oxide of manganese when heated; this
method imparts no disagreeable smell to the resultant product.
I have found the following mixtures to give good results for the classes of
material specified
For cable insulation where a very high resistance is required, it is sometimes
advisable to add a small portion of gutta percha, but this is not necessary for
purposes of ordinary insulation.
In a similar sense the heavy hydrocarbon cellulose may be employed to load
india rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
Ist. A process for the manufacture of a composition consisting of the treat-
ment of thea fibre, gummed or degummed, in a solution of silicate of soda of
a density of 15° to 20° Beaume, the drying of same to extract the moisture, the
saturation of the fibre with a heavy hydrocarbon such as resin oil and the like,
the mechanical removal of superfluous heavy hydro-carbon, the treatment by heat,
of the saturated fibre to transform it into a heavy hydrocarbon cellulose, the
mechanical disintegration of the said cellulose and the mixture therewith of
gums, resins, oxidisable oils and the like to form a composite material, sub-
stantially as described.
2nd. A composite material made from Rhea fibre consisting of heavy hydro-
carbon cellulose mixed with oils, resins, gums and similar materials; substan-
tially as described:
3rd. A process for the manufacture of heavy hydro-carbon cellulose, consisting
of the treatment of Rhea fibre, gummed or degummed, in a solution of silicate
of soda of a density of 15% to 20° Beaume, the drying, of the same to extract
the moisture, the saturation of, the fibre with a heavy hydro-carbon such as resin

page_text: oil and the like, the mechanical removal of superfluous heavy hydro-carbon, the
treatment by heat of the saturated fibre to transform it into heavy hydro-carbon
cellulose and the mechanical disintegration of the same, substantially as described.
4th. A heavy hydro-carbon cellulose made from Rhea fibre and heavy hydro-
carbon, substantially as described!
er 1899.
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.