IMPROVEMENTS IN RETTING UNGUMMING WASHING AND OTHERWISE TREATING RHEA KAMIE OR CHINA GRASS HEMP FLAX JUTE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1887
.Complete Left, 13th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1888
I HENRY MERCER GIRDWOOD of Broughton Flax Mills in the County of Lancaster
Flax Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
RETTING UNGUMMING WASHING AND OTHERWISE TREATING RHEA KAMIE OR CHINA GRASS
HEMP FLAX JUTE AND CERTAIN OTHER FIBRES, to be as follows:-
The chief object of my Invention is to facilitate and expedite the operations of
retting ungumming washing and otherwise treating rhea ramie or China grass hemp
flax jute and certain other fibres in order to remove the bark or outer covering and
gum as well as foreign substances from the fibre.
To effect this I employ an improved apparatus consisting of skeleton cages formed
by preference of metal rods or wire work. The cages are preferably cylindrical in
section and made in two halves hinged together longitudinally with or without ends
but any other suitable construction of skeleton cage may be employed. The rhea or
other fibre is laid straight in the cages which are supported on discs placed in a kier
the discs receiving a revolving motion by any suitable means so that the rhea is
gently turned or tumbled over and opened; during this process the rhea is subjected
to the action of water steam or chemicals until the fibre has been thoroughly steeped
retted and ungummed. An independent rotatory motion may be given to the cages on
their axes in addition to the revolving motion round the axis of the discs.
Instead of mounting the cages on discs and giving them a revolving motion as
described they may be simply stacked in the kier.
The fibre may be washed in the above named kier or the cages filled with the
partially cleaned fibre ready for the operation of washing are then removed from the
kier and placed in a separate washing machine consisting of either a closed or an open

page_text: vessel which contains two or more dises mounted and free to revolve as before.
Revolving motion is given to the dises and so to the cages mounted thereon by which
action the fibre which is wholly or partially submerged in the water or scouring liquor
is effectually and quickly washed without being matted or tangled.
The cages may also be employed in the subsequent operations of bleaching and
dyeing the liquor for bleaching or the dye liquor being contained in any suitable vessel
and the cages with the fibre are placed in the vessel and by preference caused to
revolve in any convenient manner.
By the employment of this arrangement of cages for holding the fibre in conjunction
with the revolving discs in kiers and vessels the whole of the operations of retting
ungumining bleaching colouring or dyeing or otherwise treating the fibre is effected
without handling or tossing it as it can be passed through all the different operations
without being removed from the cages or holders.
Dated this 29th day of June 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Retting, Ungumming, Washing, and otherwise
Treating Rhea, Ramie, or China Grass, Hemp, Flax, Jute, and
Certain other Fibres.
I HENRY MERCER GIRDWOOD of Broughton Flax Mills Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Flax Spinner, 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 :-
The chief object of my Invention is to facilitate and expedite the operations of
retting ungumming washing and otherwise treating rhea ramee or china grass hemp
flax jute and certain other fibres in order to remove the bark or outer covering and
gum as well as foreign substances from the fibre.
To effect this I employ an improved apparatus consisting of skeleton boxes or
cages formed by preference of metal or other rods or wire work. The rhea or other
fibre is laid straight in the cages which are supported on dises or spider wheels placed
in a kier or other vessel and a revolving or reciprocating motion is given to the discs
by any suitable means so. that the fibre is gently turned or tumbled over and opened;
during this process the fibre which is in a very open condition is subjected to the
action of steam water or chemicals until the fibre has been thoroughly steeped retted
ungummed and washed. An independent rotatory motion may be given to the cages
on their axes in addition to the revolving motion round the axis of the discs.
The same or similar boxes or cages may be utilized for the subsequent operations of
bleaching and dyeing the fibre.
And in order that my Invention may he fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying six Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 a longitudinal section and Fig. 3 an end view
of apparatus conveniently constructed and arranged for carrying out my improve-
ments in retting ungumming washing and otherwise treating rhea ramee or China
grass hemp flax jute and certain other fibres and Figs. 4 and 5 are two views of a
cage or skeleton receptacle for containing the fibre under treatment according to
my Invention.
In Figs. 1 to 3.-a designates the kier or vessel through which is passed a shaft b
a steam tight joint being made by stuffing boxes e revolving or reciprocating motion
is given to the shaft b by any suitable means (not shown in the Drawings) and on the
shaft are secured arms or spider wheels or it might be discs d. The cages or
skeleton receptacles e (see Figs. 4 and 5) containing the fibre are supported in

page_text: bearings on the armis & and the bearings are so arranged that the cages can be readily
placed and secured in position on the arms d as shown in Fig. 3.
The cylindrical cage e illustrated by Figs. 4 and 5 may be made of metal or other
rods or wire work preferably in two separate parts as shown which are hinged together
at e and fastened on the opposite side by clips or catches or otherwise. The cage
shown and described is well adapted for the purposes of my Invention but any other
description of cage or open work box or skeleton receptacle may be employed.
The bundles of rhea or other fibre are laid straight in the cages and then the lid is
closed over and fastened by the clips . The doors of the kier are then opened and
the cages containing the fibre are then placed in their positions on the arms d and the
doors closed and secured by the levers and nuts 7. The kier is then partially filled
with any liquor suitable for ungumming soaping washing and otherwise treating the
fibres which I propose to pump in hot and in order to maintain steam pressure in the
kier I employ the steam jacket a¹ which is kept constantly supplied with steam or 1
admit steam directly into the kier or any suitable means may be employed for keeping
the contents at the required pressure or temperature.
Motion is then given to the shaft and through the arms d to the cages by which
means the fibre is carried through the hot liquor and gently tumbled over in the com-
partments thus allowing the liquor and steam to attack the gum and also to loosen the
bark or outer covering from the fibre. The shaft & may be driven continuously in
one direction or it may receive a reciprocating motion on its axis and an independent
rotatory motion may be given by suitable gearing to the cages on their axes in addition
to the revolving or reciprocating motion of the shaft and its arms d.
I propose to draw off the liquor requisite for each operation when the fibre has
been sufficiently treated thereby from the kier into a tank or reservoir ready for use
again when required and I then pump the fresh liquor necessary for the next operation
preferably in a hot state into the kier and again revolve the cages in the fresh liquor
whereby the fibre is further washed and cleansed. Or instead of pumping the first
liquor from the kier the cages filled with the partially cleansed fibre ready for the
operations of washing etc. which do not necessarily require to be carried out under
a steam pressure may be removed from the kier and placed in water or scouring liquor
contained in a separate washing or other machine consisting of either an open or
closed vessel which contains a revolving shaft and arms d or equivalents as before.
Revolving or reciprocating motion is given to the cages by which action the fibre
is effectually and quickly washed or otherwise treated without being matted or
tangled.
After the fibre has by the above described operations been thoroughly steeped
retted ungummed washed or otherwise treated the fibre is removed from the cages
ready for the next operation usually that of passing the fibre through squeezing
rollers which not only remove the gummy substances still left in but also partially
dry the fibre.
Similar cages or skeleton receptacles preferably constructed of materials to with-
stand the use of the Acids or other strong liquors used may also be employed in the
subsequent operations of bleaching and dyeing, the liquor for bleaching or the dye
liquor being contained in any suitable vessel and the cages with the fibre being
caused to revolve in any convenient manner.
By the employment of this arrangement of cages or skeleton receptacles for
holding the fibre being treated in kiers or vessels the operations of retting ungum
ming and washing or bleaching colouring or dyeing or otherwise treating the fibre
are effected with the minimum amount of handling and without tossing the fibre
which is passed through several of the operations above named without being
removed from the cages whereby a great saving in time and labour is also effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is-
1. The process of treating rhea ramee china grass hemp flax jute and certain

page_text: other fibres consisting in placing said fibres in cages or skeleton receptacles then
placing the cages in a kier or vessel containing liquor or steam or both and
imparting a revolving or reciprocating motion to the cages substantially as heroin
set forth for the purposes specified.
2. The use and application of cages or skeleton receptacles in combination with
means for imparting motion to the same when placed in a kier or other suitable
vessel in the process of steeping retting ungumuning washing and otherwise treating
rhea ramee china grass hemp flax jute and certain other fibres substantially as and
for the purposes herein described with reference to the Drawings annexed.
at this 8th day of Fab 100
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.