AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL WOOL OR WOOL SURROGATE FROM THE WET OR DRY REFUSE FROM THE FLAX, JUTE, HEMP, OR OTHER SPINNERIES, FROM OLD JUTE OR HEMPEN SACKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Ambrose Brydges, of the Firm of Brydges and
Co,, Patent Agents, 32, Belle Alliance Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING
ARTIFICIAL WOOL OR WOOL SURROGATE FROM THE WET OR DRY REFUSE FROM
THE FLAX, JUTE, HEMP, OR OTHER SPINNERIES, FROM OLD JUTE OR HEMPEN
SACKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS." A communication from Michael
Neumann, of Raab, in the Kingdom of Hungary, Chemist.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges at
"
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December 1878.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES, of the Firm of Brydges and Co., Patent Agents,
32, Belle Alliance Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany. 'AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL WOOL OR WOOL SURROGATE FROM THE
WET OR DRY REFUSE FROM THE FLAX, JUTE, HEMP, OR OTHER SPINNERIES, FROM
OLD JUTE OR HEMPEN SACKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS." (A communication
from Michael Neumann, of Raab, in the Kingdom of Hungary, Chemist.)
My Invention relates to the utilization of the almost worthless refuse from the
flax, hemp, jute, and other spinneries, old jute or other sacks, jute fibre, etc., in the
textile industry.
The refuse from dry spinning is used as tow for stuffing articles of furniture and
for other purposes, but the refuse from wet spinning is, as being almost entirely
worthless, in most cases thrown away, or sorted out and sold at a mere nominal
price to the card-board mills.
I have now succeeded in inventing a method of treating these almost worthless
products, whereby the entire brittleness of the fibre is removed without injuring the
same in the least degree. The fibre retains its original strength and durability, and
becomes of such a wool-like appearance that none but those versed in the trade can
DA.J1

page_text: distinguish it from the real wool fleece, yarn, etc. Cloth and other textile fabrics
manufactured from this surrogate alone, without any wool whatsoever, are 80
durable, and have such a fine wool like appearance that they are equal to all but
the very finest qualities in sheep wool. My said Invention is carried into effect
mainly as follows, that is to say:-I prefer to treat the refuse or other suitable
material by having a tub or other suitable vessel filled, say, half full with water, in
which soda and soap is dissolved, and to heat the same, throwing in the tow or
other material to be treated, and to let the same remain a given time in the boiling
or hot solution; to take out the tow or other material and wash the same
thoroughly in a washing machine or otherwise; to fill a second tub or other
suitable vessel, which holds the same quantity as that above mentioned, about a
quarter full of lukewarm water; to dissolve chloride of lime and sulphate of mag-
nesia in this quantity of water; as soon as these ingredients are perfectly dissolved,
to fill the tub or other vessel up to half full, then to add muriatic acid, and stir the
solution well; to heat the water up to about 50 degrees centigrade and throw in
the tow or other matter. After this, the material is placed in a bath containing
sulphurous acid (SO). The tow is then removed, well washed, and rinsed, and
dried in a drying room or in other suitable manner. As soon as the product is
dried it is passed through the devil or other suitable machine, and is then carded
and prepared in the usual manner ready for spinning. The fibres are now per-
fectly clean, soft, glossy, and pliant.
The treatment is the same for hemp.
The flax refuse, tow, or other similar matter is passed through the devil or other
suitable machine before being placed in the bath.
If old sacks, rags, etc., or raw jute are used, the same must be passed through the
devil or other suitable machine before being submitted to my process.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th June 1879.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES, of the Firm of Brydges and Co., Patent Agents,
32, Belle Alliance Strasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany. "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL WOOL OR WOOL SURROGATE FROM THE
WET OR DRY REFUSE FROM THE FLAX, JUTE, HEMP, OR OTHER SPINNERIES, FROM
OLD JUTE OR HEMPEN SACKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR MATERIALS.” A communication
from Michael Neumann, of Raab, in the Kingdom of Hungary, Chemist.
My Invention relates to the utilization of the almost worthless refuse from the
flax, hemp, jute, and other spinneries, old jute sacks, jute fibre, etc., accruing in the
textile industry.
The refuse from dry spinning is used as tow for stuffing articles of furniture and .
for other purposes, but the refuse from wet spinning is, as being almost entirely
worthless, in the most cases thrown away, or sorted out and sold at a mere nominal
price to the cardboard mills. However, I have now succeeded in inventing a
method of treating these almost worthless products, whereby the entire brittleness
of the fibre is removed without injuring the same in the least degree. The fibre
retains its original strength and durability, and becomes of such a wool like
appearance that none but those versed in the trade can distinguish it from the real
wool fleece, yarn, etc.
Cloth and other textile fabrics manufactured from this surrogate or substituto
alone, without any wool whatsoever, are so durable and have such a fine wool
like appearance that they are equal to all but the very finest qualities in sheep
wool.
The refuse or other suitable material is treated in the following manner, the
proportions being calculated for 50 kilogrammes (or about 1 cwt.) of tow or other
material:-
A tub or other suitable vessel, which can hold about 1,200 litres or 280 gallons,
being filled half full with water, in this dissolve about 3 kilogrammes or 6 lbs. of
good English soda, or two kilogrammes or (4 lbs.) of caustic soda, and one kilogramme
or 2 lbs. of good common soap, or the soap can be left out and the soda or caustic
Boda alone be used. (Instead of the common or caustic soda, potash can be used,
but requires more time than soda or caustic soda.)
Heat the same up to about 100 degrees centigrade, throw in the tow or other
material to be treated, and let the same remain about an hour and a half in the
boiling or hot solution. Take out the tow or other material and wash the same
thoroughly in a washing machine or otherwise.
Fill a second tub or other suitable vessel, which holds the same quantity as above
mentioned, about a quarter full of lukewarm water. Dissolve about 10 kilogrammes
(or about 20 lbs.) of chloride, or chlorate of lime, and one kilogramme (or about
2 lbs.) of sulphate of magnesia.
As soon as these ingredients are perfectly dissolved, fill the tub or other vessel
up to half full, then add 2', kilogrammes or about 5 lbs. of muriatic acid, and stir
the solution well. Heat the water up to about 50° centigrade and throw in the
tow or other matter, but only in such quantity that the material is covered by the
solution.
As
The material remains in this bath about one hour and a half, it is then taken out
and placed in a bath containing about 0.5 per cent. sulphurous acid. The tow or
other matter remains in this bath about 30 minutes. It is then removed, well
washed, and rinsed, and dried in the drying room or in other suitable manner.
soon as the product is dried it is passed through the "devil" or other suitable
machine, and is then carded and prepared in the usual manner ready for spinning.
The fibres are now perfectly clean, soft, glossy, and pliant. If desirable, a bath of

page_text: water and Marseilles soap can be used to further soften the fibres. The treatment
is the same for hemp, but about 8 kilogrammes or about 16 lbs. of chloride or
chlorate of lime is used instead of 10 kilogrammes, and the material only remains
one hour in the bath instead of an hour and a half. The flax refuse, tow, or other
similar matter is passed through the devil or other suitable machine before being
placed in the bath. The treatment of the fibre is the same as given above, with
the exception that after the boiling in the first bath the material is placed in a bath
containing 0.5 per cent. sulphurous acid, and remains in the same about 30 minutes.
If old sacks, rags, etc., or raw jute are used, the same must be passed through the
devil or other suitable machine before being submitted to my process.
It must be carefully observed that the water used in this process must not contain
iron, neither must the said process be carried out in unenamelled iron vessels, the
said metal having a tendency to injure the action of the ingredients (in the baths)
on the material.
Having now fully described my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be carried out, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,-
Converting the dry or wet refuse out of the flax, hemp, or jute spinneries, old jute
sacks, etc., and also original or raw jute, and other similar materials or fibrous
substances into artificial wool or wool substitute by the method above described,
also the various baths, substantially as described in the foregoing Specification as
and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
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