The Extraction and Utilization of Gelatinous Matter and Cellulose. from Marine Plants and the Treatment of the Liquors Obtained.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd June, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
The Extraction and Utilization of Gelatinous Matter and Cellulose.
from Marine Plants and the Treatment of the Liquors Obtained.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me from.
abroad by G. Laureau, Son, and Company," of Quiberon, Morbihan, France,
Merchants,) to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a process for extracting organic matters
from marine plants together with, as secondary products, substances containing
salt and iodine.
All marine plants such as kelp, fucus, algae and lichen of all kinds usually
furnish these products in greater or less quantities. They may be treated
either fresh, preserved or dried.
The process consists in treating the kelp or other plant with lime water or
chloride of lime containing 5 or 10% of lime. By immersion for from a half to
one hour I eliminate a large portion of the saline substances consisting prin-
cipally of chlorides and iodides and fit the "plant for rapid' disintegration by
alkalies. The cellulose remains unattacked and the gelatinous matter intact.
I pass the kelp from vat to vat until the water no longer increases in density.
Saline water of from 4 to 5 degrees no longer increases in density by
contact with fresh material. The water is then removed for concentration and
recovery of the salt and iodine it contains. The kelp is rinsed and dried in the
atmosphere or in a furnace.
.
Any other method of applying the lime may be employed whether manual
or mechanical,
The gelatinous portion may be dissolved by means of alkaline solutions or
steam.
In the treatment of leaves the proportion of sodium carbonate is from 15 to
20% with heat and from 20 to 25 % in the cold; it is raised to 30 and 35 %
for the stalks. With heat disintegration is immediate. In the cold 2 to 3 days
are requisite according to the materials of the plants employed.
Steam at 2 to 4 atmospheres either alone or with a small addition of alkaline
matters produces rapid disintegration without injury to the quality of the
extracts.
The disintegrated mass contains gelatine and the fibre of the kelp with a
certain portion of the saline matters which have been able to withstand the
lime water; it is either filtered pressed or treated in a centrifugal machine to
obtain on the one hand the insoluble material, which is cellulose suitable for
paper making, pasteboard and the like and on the other hand a liquid suitable
for the extraction of a jelly for food. This jelly is obtained according to the
nature of the coagulent employed, either in the form of a firm sinewy coagulum,

page_text: The saline water is led from a reservoir into a tank placed about 50 metres
above the mouth of the furnace. This tank is pierced with numerous holes all
filled with iron rods or stout iron wire descending to the bottom of the furnace.
This latter is inclined and leads the concentrated water into an outer tank from
whence it passes into an evaporating boiler or back into the furnace or into a
second furnace in series with the first, for further concentration.
It
This furnace is heated by means of an outer grate the chimney of which
opens into the middle of the furnace at about 1 metre from the bottom.
is thus a hot air evaporating furnace having a great draught which accelerates
evaporation. The draught is regulated by means of a damper placed in the
opening for the liquid outlet.
The waters which pass into the furnace are regulated by means of a cock.
This furnace resembles a lime kiln, to which is applied the principle of a brewery
malt kiln. The rods of iron or iron wire may be replaced by iron blades or
gutters or pipes filled with tin plate or other material.
Dated this 26th day of September 1898.
The Extraction and Utilization of Gelatinous Matter and Cellulose
from Marine Plants and the Treatment of the Liquors Obtained.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me from
abroad by G. Laureau, Son, and Company, of Quiberon, Morbihan, France,
Merchants,) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object a process for extracting organic matters
from marine plants together with, as secondary products, substances containing
salt and iodine.
All marine plants such as kelp, fucus, algae and lichen of all kinds usually
furnish these products in greater or less quantities. They may be treated
either fresh, preserved or dried.
The process consists in treating the kelp or other plant with lime water.or
chloride of lime containing 5 or 10% of lime. By immersion for from a half to
one hour I eliminate a large portion of the saline substances consisting prin-
cipally of chlorides and iodides and fit the plant for rapid disintegration by
alkalies. The cellulose remains unattacked and the gelatinous matter intact.
I pass the kelp from vat to vat until the water no longer increases in density.
Saline water of from 4 to 5 degrees Beaumé no longer increases in density by
contact with fresh material. The water is then removed for concentration and
recovery of the salt and iodine it contains. The kelp is rinsed and dried in the
atmosphere or in a furnace.
Any other method of applying the lime may be employed whether manual
or mechanical.
The gelatinous portion may be dissolved by means of alkaline solutions or
steam.
In the treatment of leaves the proportion of sodium carbonate is from 15 to
20% with heat and from 20 to 25 % in the cold; it is raised to 30 and 35 %
for the stalks. With heat disintegration is immediate. In the cold 2 to 3 days
are requisite according to the materials of the plants employed.
Steam at 2 to 4 atmospheres either alone or with a small addition of alkalinę

page_text: matters produces rapid disintegration without injury to the quality of the
extracts.
The disintegrated mass contains gelatine and the fibre of the kelp with a
certain portion of the saline matters which have been able to withstand the
lime water; it is either filtered pressed or treated in a centrifugal machine to
obtain on the one hand the insoluble material, which is cellulose suitable for
paper making, pasteboard and the like and on the other hand a liquid suitable
for the extraction of a jelly for food. This jelly is obtained according to the
nature of the coagulent employed, either in the form of a firm sinewy coagulum,
or in the form of a mucilaginous jelly either insoluble, little soluble or soluble
in water.
With strong mineral acids such as nitric, sulphuric, hydrochloric, and phos-
phoric acids, the coagulum is firm and insoluble. With dilute acids or with
feeble or with organic acids such as sulphurous, acetic, tartaric acids, the jelly
has little consistency and easily breaks up in hot water. The alkaline syrupy
liquor when first treated with oxygenated water, with chlorine, with bleaching
liquor, with an alkaline hypochlorite or permanganate, and then with a strong
acid, but not in excess, forms a jelly soluble in hot water. Carbonic acid,
seltzer water and vinegar precipitate a very fine jelly, which breaks up in cold
water and dissolves in hot water. Alcohol gives a lustrous precipitate, which
is very easily soluble in cold and hot water. These jellies contain the pectine
and the pectic acid of fruit according to the mode of operation employed.
The preparation of them consists in adding the coagulent desired to the
alkaline liquor of the kelp until completely coagulated, filtering and washing
in water the jellies which are insoluble in water, in alcohol those soluble in
water.
The precipitates produced by alcohol- and by carbonic acid in concentrated
liquors are particularly interesting, in that it is possible to recover the alcohol
employed and by a subsequent concentration of the liquor to recover all the
alkaline matters employed in a state capable of again disintegrating kelp
In all cases the waters deprived of the gelatinous matters, are evaporated,
concentrated, dried and calcined with a little alkali, and give a saline residue
which is lixiviated and treated in a similar manner to kelp, soda for extracting
the salts of sodium, and potassium and the iodine and bromine mother liquors.
The gelatinous matters obtained from marine plants are jellies identical, to
those of fruit, and may be utilized for food and especially for making.. pre-
serves and confectionery when mixed with sugar, the juice of fruit or essences
and suitably cooked. The fibrous jelly forms the flesh of the fruits, and the
fine jelly forms the jelly of it.
1!
They are employed either alone or mixed together, according to the kind of
product to be made; the proportions of these elements employed are:-
Fibrous or fine jelly
Sugar
Water
Fruit Juice
Or essences
300 grams
150 to 200
200 to 300
50 to 100
$30 to $50
XC >
This composition weighs after cooking about 500 grams.. Jellies. and pre-
serves of gooseberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries,
peaches, apples, pineapples and other fruits, are made thus
apricots, plums;
Dried fruits previously steeped in water and mixed with sugar and fine-jelly
make a preserve, similar to Dundee preserves.
These various jellies may also be mixed with gelatine, agar agar, amylaceous
matters and any other edible gelatinous matters, and thus enter into the pro-
duction of the preserves of commerce.
The gelatine of kelp in its several forms. of jelly, may be; put on the market
as such or in a dry state or in solution.

page_text: I may make with these various jellies, marmalades, stewed fruits, preserves,
fluid or iced jellies, preserved fruits, bonbons, compositions having chocolate
as a base, sweetened pastes and the like, and also syrups.
The saline waters resulting from the treatment of kelp are evaporated in
order to obtain the saline and iodine products.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:—
1. The extraction from marine plants of their organic and inorganic matters
which consists in treating the said plants with lime or chloride of lime, then
disintegrating them with alkalies or with steam, either free or in an autoclave,
and either alone or with alkalies.
2. The gelatinous matter obtained substantially as described which is suitable
as an article of food.
3. The cellulose obtained by the process described.
4. The treatment of the saline liquors for the purpose of extracting the saline
and iodine products, substantially as described.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.