IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC- TURE OF PAPER AND ROPES, YARNS, AND OTHER FABRICS MADE FROM VEGE- TABLE FIBRE, AND IN OBTAINING FIBRE TO BE USED FOR THESE PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hawksley, of No. 420, Caledonian Road, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF PAPER AND ROPES, YARNS, AND OTHER FABRICS MADE FROM VEGE-
TABLE FIBRE, AND IN OBTAINING FIBRE TO BE USED FOR THESE PURPOSES."
A communication from abroad by Christopher Jolliffe Barter, of Tuticorin,
Madras, in the Empire of India.
Sealed the 21st October 1879, and dated the 14th August 1879.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hawksley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th August 1879.
GEORGE HAWKSLEY, of No. 420, Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND ROPES, YARNS, AND OTHER
FABRICS MADE FROM VEGETABLE FIBRE, AND IN OBTAINING FIBRE TO BE USED FOR
THESE PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by Christopher Jolliffe Barter,
of Tuticorin, Madras, in the Empire of India.]
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of paper and
ropes, yarns, and other fabrics made from vegetable fibre, and in obtaining fibre to
be used for these purposes.
According to this Invention a pulp suitable for the manufacture of paper is
obtained from the stalks of the leaves of the palmyra, palm, and cocoanut palm trees.
Fibre suitable for the manufacture of yarn, rope, or cordage is also obtained from
these stalks.
To obtain fibre from the stalks of the leaves the stalks are cut into lengths and
introduced into the drums of machines known as disintegrators; the stalks are
thereby broken down and the pithy and non fibrous portions of the stalks are in
great measure broken away from the fibrous portions, and can be separated from
them. The fibrous matters are afterwards boiled with caustic alkali, and subse-
quently treated in the same way as esparto is now treated, to form it into a pulp

page_text: suitable for paper making. The stalks should be cut up and treated as above
described as soon as possible after the leaves have been cut, so as to avoid fermenta-
tion. If the fibre is allowed to remain for a length of time in the stalks after the
leaves are cut the fibre sets hard and tough.
To separate fibre from the stalks in a state suitable for making into yarn, ropes, 5
and cordage the stalks may be broken down by crushing, and it may be also by
rubbing them between rollers, and also submitting them to the action of revolving
spiked rollers, and the fibre so obtained may subsequently be made up into yarn in
the same way as yarns are now made from flax and other fibre.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Hawksley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
February 1880.
GEORGE HAWKSLEY, of No. 420, Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND ROPES, YARNS, AND OTHER
FABRICS MADE FROM. VEGETABLE FIBRE, AND IN OBTAINING FIBRE TO BE USED FOR
THESE PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Christopher Jolliffe Barter,
of Tuticorin, Madras, in the Empire of India.
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of paper and
ropes, yarns, and other fabrics made from vegetable fibre, and in obtaining fibre to
be used for these purposes.
According to this Invention a pulp suitable for the manufacture of paper of all
kinds, whether as pasteboard or in thin sheets, is obtained from the stalks of the
leaves of the palmyra, palm, and cocoanut palm trees. Fibre suitable for the manu-
facture of yarn, rope, or cordage is also obtained from these stalks.
To obtain fibre from the stalks of the leaves the stalks are cut into lengths and
introduced into the drums of machines known as disintegrators; the stalks are
thereby broken down, and the pithy and non-fibrous portions of the stalks are in
great measure broken away from the fibrous portions and can be separated from
them. The fibrous matters are afterwards boiled with caustic alkali, and subse-
quently treated in the same way as esparto is now treated, to form it into a pulp
suitable for paper making, or the fibre might be at once placed into a rag or pulping
engine without previously subjecting it to the action of caustic alkali. The stalks
should be cut up and treated as above described as soon as possible after the leaves
have been cut, so as to avoid fermentation. If the fibre is allowed to remain for a
length of time in the stalks after the leaves are cut the fibre sets hard and tough.
To separate fibre from the stalks in a state suitable for making into yarn, ropes,
and cordage the stalks may be broken down by crushing, and it may be also by
rubbing them between rollers, and also submitting them to the action of revolving
spiked rollers or to the action of beaters, and the fibre so obtained may subsequently
be made up into yarn in the same way as yarns are now made from flax and other
fibre.
In cases where the stalks can be at once acted upon as soon as they have been
cut I prefer to pass them between crushing rollers to break down the stalks and
extract from them as much as possible of the juice they contain, and then to soak
the crushed stalks in water and again pass them through rolls to again extract from
them as much moisture as is practicable. This operation may be repeated again and
again until the juice contained in the stalks is practically washed out from them.
Figures 1 and 2 shew an end view and side view of roller squeezing apparatus
suitable for being used for this purpose. A, A, are a pair of metal rolls; the lower
one is carried in fixed bearings, whilst the upper one is forced downwards by the
action of a weighted lever B, as shewn ; C, C, are toothed wheels by which the rolls
are revolved. The stalks to be crushed are laid on to a table D and fed between
the rolls. As they pass between the rolls they are crushed and some juice is
squeezed out from them; this juice falls from the rolls on to a tray E and is con-
veyed away. The stalks, as they escape from the rolls, drop into a tank of water.
After soaking for a time they are lifted from the water and passed through a second
pair of rolls G similar to the first pair, and this may be repeated and the fibre passed
through as many pairs of rolls as desired. When the stalks have thus had the
soluble juicy matters washed out from them they may be afterwards placed into a
beating machine of the kind known as disintegrators, in order to detach and separate
the pithy and non fibrous portions from the fibrous matter. If the fibres are to be
used for making paper they may then be at once placed into a rag beating or pulping

page_text: engine to reduce them to pulp, which may then be made into paper or paste board,
or such like matters, in the ordinary manner; or previously to reducing the fibre to
pulp it might be boiled in a caustic alkaline solution, to remove from it all traces of
silicious matter, as is now commonly done when treating other fibrous matters to
prepare them for paper making; or, especially if the fibre is to be used for making
yarn or rope, the stalks may be acted upon by revolving spiked rollers or revolving
beaters, somewhat in the same way as flax is commonly treated, the stalks being
first held at one end in a clamp or between rollers, whilst the other end is acted
upon by the spiked roller and then taken out of the clamp and changed, end for
end, to allow of the ends which were first held in the clamp being submitted to the
action of the spiked roller.
Figure 3 shews a machine suitable for thus acting upon the stalks. A is a rapidly
fevolving spiked drum; B, B, are a pair of rollers between which the stalks may be
passed endwise to allow the spikes of the roller to act upon them. The rollers B
may be revolved to feed the stalks slowly forwards; their motion may be reversed
when the stalks are to be drawn back, or provision may be made for then lifting
the upper roller to free the stalks from the grip of the rollers. The ends of the
stalks which for the time are not being acted upon by the spiked roller may be
secured in a clamp, which can be held back by hand or allowed to move forward,
as desired; this clamp may be used either alone or in addition to the rollers B, B,
Figure 3.
A clamp or holder suitable for thus holding the stalks at one end whilst their
other end is beaten and torn is shown at Figures 4 and 5. Figure 6 shews a guide
along which the clamp or holder may be slidden to allow the clamp to be moved
gradually up towards the revolving spiked roller or beater which is to act upon the
stalks.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim,―
First. The employment of fibre obtained from the stalks of the leaves of the
palmyra, palm, and cocoanut palm trees in the manufacture of paper and ropes, yarns,
and such like fibrous fabrics.
Second. The treatment of the stalks of the leaves of the palmyra, palm, and cocoa-
nut palm trees, substantially as herein before described, to obtain from them fibre
suitable for being used in the manufacture of paper and ropes, yarns, and other
fabrics made from vegetable fibre.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hawksley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.