IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF THE GENUS GENISTA FOR USE IN MANUFACTURES OF FIBROUS MATERIAL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Alfred Barlow of 6 St. Paul's Churchyard in the
city of London Patent Agent and Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF THE GENUS GENISTA FOR USE IN
MANUFACTURES OF FIBROUS MATERIAL A communication to me from abroad
by Felix Globotsching of Bologna, Italy and Moritz Müller Junior of Vienna,
Austria
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Alfred Barlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1883.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW of 6 St Pauls Churchyard in the city of London
Patent Agent and Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF
THE GENUS GENISTA FOR USE IN MANUFACTURES OF FIBROUS MATERIAL" &
communication to me from abroad by Felix Globotsching of Bologna Italy and
Moritz Müller Junior of Vienna Austria
This invention relates to certain improvements in the treatment and use of the
plant Genista L the object being to treat and prepare such plants in such manner as
to render them useful in the industries for which purpose they have not heretofore
been applied; for example. These plants may be successfully employed for spinning
weaving and similar manufactures especially for making cordage, ropos, yarn, paper
and such like.
Plants of the species Genista L or broom furze genus are found growing in
almost all parts of the world and they are to be treated as follows according to this
invention:-
. Such plants when full grown are cut down close to the root the stump that is
left will in the year following shoot forth a large number of small branches
so that the single original stem will produce up to about 25 smaller stems
or branches and if cut every year the root of the plant will after 6 or 7 years have
a very deep and firm hold in the ground and will attain a thickness of up to
3 inches. The branches of the plants so cultivated become more luxurient at each

page_text: successive growth and develop more and more spinning fibres which are separated
by the following process.
The cut plants are placed in small bunches into a tank or vessel filled with
water which is then brought to the boiling point. To this water is added
lye, lime, soda, or an equivalent, of either in proportions of about 30 to 60 lbs. to
800 lbs. of the plants. In such solution the plants are boiled for about 5 or
6 hours after which they are left to cool gradually.
After having been removed from the vessel the plants are subjected to
treatment for separating the fibres from the waste pulpy matter that is they will
be steeped dried broken and combed to be subsequently employed for spinning
weaving making cordage and for other purposes in place of hemp flax jute or
similar plants.
From the waste and residue of the plants may be produced a very tough and
soft paper as well as ropes, cords or yarn, by the process commonly employed in
these manufactures.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Walter Alfred Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th October 1883.
39
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW of 6 Saint Pauls Church Yard in the City of London
Patent Agent and Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PLANTS OF
THE GENUS GENISTA FOR USE IN MANUFACTURES a communication to me from
abroad by Felix Globotschnig of Bologna Italy and Moritz Muller Junior of Vienna,
Austria
This invention relates to certain improvements in the treatment and use of the
plant Genista L the object being to treat and prepare such plants in such manner
as to render them useful in the industries for which purpose they have not
heretofore been employed.
These plants if properly cut and treated with caustic baths, either cold or hot
produce not only the same results as hemp or flax but better; the textile fibre
being much stonger than hemp has the incalculable advantage that ropes, either
for ships or other uses made from the fibre of these plants instead of becoming
weaker and rotting in the water or through the influence of moisture like those
made of hemp acquire, on the contrary, greater strength-Besides this by suitably
treating the refuse or wooden part from which the textile fibre has been taken by
this improved process, an excellent cellulose substance may be obtained for the
manufacture of good strong paper.
The fibres obtained from this plant may also be bleached and may whether
bleached or unbleached be successfully employed for spinning weaving and other
similar manufactures.
If the plants of the species Genista L or brown furse genus which are found
growing in almost all parts of the world when full grown are cut down close to the
root the stump which is left will in the year following shoot forth a large number
of small branches so that the original single stem will produce up to about twenty
five smaller stems or branches and if cut every year the root of the plant will after
six or seven years have a large deep and firm hold in the ground and will attain a
thickness of up to three inches while the branches of the plants so cultivated become
more luxuriant at each successive growth and develop more and more spinning
fibres which are separated by the following process :—
The cut plants are placed preferably in small branches into a tank or vessel filled
with water which is then brought to the boiling point-To this water is added
either before or during the boiling, lye in proportion of about 30 to 60 lbs to
800 lbs of the plants-The lye may be added to the water as such already prepared
or caustic alkaline earths in combination with carbonates of alkalis may be employed,
which form the lye in the water containing the plants.
There is employed by preference lime and soda in proportion of about 30 to 40 lbs
of Lime and 8 to 12 lbs of soda for 800 lbs of plants.
In this lye the plants are boiled about 5 or 6 hours after which they are left to
cool and are then removed from the tank or boiler.
The plants are then subjected to treatment for separating the fibres from the
waste pulpy matters that is they will be steeped, dried, broken and combed to be
subsequently employed for spinning weaving making cordage yarn and for other
purposes in place of hemp, flax, jute or similar plants. From the waste and residue
of the plants cellulose for the manufacture of paper may be made by any of the
known processes

page_text: Having thus described the nature and particulars of the said Invention I
claim:-
The process for the treatment of the plant of the genus Genista L in order to
render the same useful for the industries, characterized by cutting the plant in the
manner herein described, placing the stems or branches of the same in water either
cold hot or boiling which contains lye, or has lye forming alkalis therein, such for
instance as lime and soda added to it and subsequently subjecting the plants to
the same treatment as flax or hemp such as steeping drying, breaking and combing
as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Walter Alfred Barlow have hereunto set my hand
and seal this first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
WALTER A, BARLOW (L.S.)