IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLAX
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bethell, of No. 8, Parliament Street,
Westminster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF FLAX."
Scaled the 6th October 1853, and dated the 14th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bethell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th April 1853.
I, JOHN BETHELL, of No. 8, Parliament Street, Westminster, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLAX" to be as follows:-
My improvements in the manufacture of flax consist in an easier
mode of obtaining the flax fibre from the straw than has hitherto been
done by the process of retting..
By this process of retting, all the gummy, mucilaginous, and pithy
substances in the flax straw, which cover and bind the flax fibres
together in the stalk, are dissolved out in the water by the aid of the
fermentation which takes place during the process; but there are
many objections to this retting process, which I need not now describe.

page_text: My Invention consists of dissolving out these gummy, mucilaginous
substances in the flax straw by a process very similar to the "mash-
ing process used by brewers for extracting beer from malt, and which
I carry out as follows:-
I place the flax straw in a vessel like a brewer's mash tub, and cover
it over with hot water of about the temperature of 105 degrees of
Fahrenheit, then cover over the tub, and allow it to steep for some
time, during which time the straw is agitated or stirred about (as the
brewers stir about the malt in their mash tubs); after some time more
water is added, of a higher temperature, so as- to-increase the heat of
the water up to about 120 degrees; and, if this is not sufficient, a
little more water is added, of a higher temperature.
After some hours (which varies according to the kind of the straw
operated upon) the liquor -is- drawn-off; and a charge of fresh water.
heated to about 120 degrees, is added, and the steeping continued for
some time longer; and if, on drawing off this second charge of liquor,
it is found that the flax is not sufficiently prepared, more charges of hot
water are added, until the whole of the gummy mucilaginous matter
is dissolved out of the straw. The flax is then taken out of the mash
tub, and dried either in the air, or in a drying house. After it is dry
it is passed between rollers, to break off the external skin, and then
skutched in the usual way.
Instead of using one mash tub or yat, several vats may be used, one
above another, each of which vats may be filled with flax; and the
liquor from the first and top vat runs into the second, and so on, until
all the gummy mucilaginons matter is extracted, and a very strong
solution obtained, which solution can be employed with great success
for feeding cattle.
I sometimes add to the water, before it is used, a little soda, or
a little liquor ammonia, or other alkalie, to make the water feel soft,
which enables it to dissolve this mucilaginous matter in the flax straw
more easily.
I claim as my Invention the using the process above described
(which is similar to the masling process used by brewers to extract
beer from malt), instead of the well-known retting process, for the

page_text: purpose of dissolving out all the gummy mucilaginous matter in the
flax straw, and thus preparing it for the usual and well-known processes
of rolling and scutching.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Bethell, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 14th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I;
JOHN BETHELL, of No. 8, Parliament Street, Westminster, Gentleman,
send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth Day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Bethell, Her special licence
that I, the said John Bethell, my executors, administrators, and assigns;
or such others as I, the said John Bethell, my executors, admini-
strators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF FLAX," upon the condition (amongst others) that I;
the said John Bethell, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 John Bethell, do hereby declare.
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed; to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:
My improvements in the manufacture of flax consist in an casier

page_text: mode of obtaining the flax fibre from the straw than has hitherto been
done by the old process of retting. By the process of retting all the
gummy, mucilaginous, and pithy substances in the flax straw, which
cover and bind the flax fibres together in the stalk, are dissolved out
in the water by the aid of the fermentation which takes place during
the process, but there are many objections to this retting process, which
I need not now describe.
My Invention consists of dissolving out these gummy, mucilaginous,
and pithy substances in the flax straw without fermentation, and by a
process very similar to the mashing process used by brewers for ex-
tracting beer from malt, and which I carry out as follows:
I place the flax straw in a vat or vessel like a brewer's mash tub,
which has in it a coil of steam pipe, and I cover the straw with hot
water not exceeding the temperature of 105 degrees of Fahrenheit,
then cover over the vat, and allow the straw to steep for some time
(about 2 hours), during which time the straw is agitated or stirred
about as the brewers stir about the malt in their mash tubs, and the
temperature is kept up to 105, or rather more; after some time (about
2 hours) the temperature is increased, either by passing steam through
the coil of pipe, or by adding water of a higher temperature, so as to
increase the heat of the water gradually up to about 120 degrees, and
then gradually up to 200° degrees of heat of Fahrenheit. After some
hours (which varies from six to ten hours, according to the kind of
the straw operated upon,) the liquor is drawn off, and a second charge of
fresh water, heated to about 120 degrees, is added, and the steeping
continued for some time longer, the temperature being gradually in-
creased up to 190° degrees, as before; and if, on drawing off this
second charge of liquor, it is found that the flax is not sufficiently pre-
pared, more charges of hot water are added, until the whole of the
gummy, mucilaginous, and pithy matters are dissolved out of the straw.
The flax is then taken out of the mash tub, dried, and scutched in
the usual way.
Instead of using one mash tub or vat, several vats may be used, one
above another, cach of which vats may be filled with flax, and the
liquor from the first and top vat run into the second, and so on, until

page_text: all the gummy, mucilaginous, and pithy matters are extracted, and a
very strong solution obtained.
At the commencement of the process the straw must be kept in
water, not exceeding 105° degrees of Fahrenheit, for about two hours,
whereby the albuminous matter will be dissolved out. If the water
was hotter at first, the albuminous matter would be liable to coagulate,
and would not afterwards so easily dissolve; but after the albuminous
matter is dissolved out the temperature is to be gradually increased up
to 190 degrees, whereby the pith in the straw will be dissolved, and
the flax fibres liberated.
I sometimes add to the water before it is used, a little soda, or little
liquor ammonia, or other alkali, to make the water feel soft, which
enables it to dissolve the mucilaginous matter in the flax straw more
easily.
The solution or extract thus obtained from the straw will be found
to be very valuable for mixing with other food to feed cattle with.
I claim as my Invention the using the process above described
(which is similar to the mashing process used by brewers to extract
beer from malt), instead of the well known retting process, for the
purpose of dissolving out, without fermentation, all the gummy, mucila-
ginous, and pithy matters in the flax straw, and thus preparing it for
the usual and well-known process of scutching.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bethell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, 1853.
JN DETHELL. (L.S.)