A Manufacture of "Cellulose" or Wood Pulp from a Certain Tree- bark and Wood, and Treatment and Process Employed for Obtaining such Material.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1887
Complete Left, 17th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
A Manufacture of "Cellulose" or Wood Pulp from a Certain Tree-
bark and Wood, and Treatment and Process Employed for
Obtaining such Material.
We, HENRY JOHN SIMPSON, and GRANVILLE DE MONTMORENCY MACKIRDY both of
7 Rumford Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchants, and ANDREW
TAYLOR, of 11 Lutton Place, Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain,
Chemist do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows :--
Heretofore the bark of the Californian Red Wood Tree (Sequoia Sempervirens)
which is of exceptional length and thickness has been virtually a waste product and is
of no known industrial value. The wood of the tree also is at present of a compara-
tively small value as a furniture wood, because it has been found to flake off when
working under the carpenters tools and to warp to such an extent in furniture made
from it as to render it unsuitable for the purpose.
The object of this Invention is to render the bark a useful article and the wood a
more valuable one than hitherto. To this end experiments were made with the bark
and the wood, resulting in the discovery that both the bark and the wood are applicable
for making wood pulp or cellulose from which paper can be manufactured.
As already stated both the wood and the bark of the tree are applicable for conversion
into pulp, or cellulose suitable for making paper from. But for certain kinds of paper
requiring for their manufacture a longer fibred material, or for the manufacture of a
white pulp, or fibre, we find that a certain portion of the bark, namely the main bark
is particularly applicable. This portion is divided into two, the first we find lies
immediately below the outer bark and to be a fine bast fibre and of great length and
the second is the remainder of the main bark.
According to this Invention the wood and bark may be treated to obtain pulp or
cellulose therefrom as follows. As above mentioned the bark consists (1) of a rough
outer bark (2) of a fine bast fibre immediately below the outer bark and (3) the
remaining main bark. Of these the outer rough bark is applicable for making a
coarse pulp, suitable for conversion into coarse and brown paper, felting and other
like, or equivalent material. The bast fibre is of such a nature that it may be used as
a textile material, and the inner bark is particularly suitable for making "cellulose,"

page_text: from which many sorts of paper may be made. Hence all, or any of the three portions
of the bark may if desired be used for making pulp as may also the wood.
We will now describe processes and treatments according to our Invention by
which the main bark and also the wood may be converted into "cellulose." The
bark and wood is cut up into blocks of convenient size so as to preserve continuity of
vegetable fibre. The rough outer bark is then removed by a mechanical contrivance
so designed that the great length of the fibre distinguishing this tree may be
preserved. After this the bast fibre is removed by either a mechanical contrivance,
or a chemical process. The remaining portion of the main bark and the wood are
now treated to a steeping process in heated vats, or pans. The heat may be obtained
by steam passed through a coil of piping which are placed in the vats, or pans.
To remove organic acids which prevent the dissolution of Tannins and other
colouring matters in the material a caustic alkali is employed, which may be of the
strength usual in paper making operations. This treatment may be continued for
about four hours.
The liquor resulting from this process is now removed and the partially pulped
material is further treated as before, namely boiled with water for a reasonable period
but now with the addition to it of dilute sulphuric acid. The Gallates, Kinos and
other extracts will now be deposited and removed and the pulp from which the bodies
have been taken and which would prevent the whitening of the pulp may now bo
treated after the ordinary methods used by paper makers for the manufacture of wood
pulp. or cellulose.
When the outer bark, or bast, or the whole bark is utilized for the above described
purposes it may be treated by the processes herein substantially as described in part,
or in whole.
We would have it understood that this Invention is not confined to the exact
methods, or processes of treating the wood and bark herein specified, as these may be
varied in different ways according to varying circumstances and requirements without
departing from our Invention.

page_text: Obtaining such Material.
We, HENRY JOHN SIMPSON and GRANVILLE DE MONTMORENCY MACKIRDY, both of
7 Rumford Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchants, and ANDREW
TAYLOR, of 11 Lutton Place, Edinburgh, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
Heretofore the bark, of the Californian Redwood Trec (Sequoia Sempervirens)
which is of exceptional length and thickness, has been virtually a wast product and
of little known industrial value. The wood of the tree is also at present of a com-
paratively small value as a furniture wood, because it has been found to flake off when
working under the carpenters tools, and to warp to such an extent in furniture made
from it as to render it unsuitable for the
purpose.
The object of this Invention is to render the bark a useful article and the wood a
more valuable one than hitherto. To this end experiments were made with the bark
and the wood, resulting in the discovery that both the bark and the wood are
applicable for making wood pulp or cellulose, from which paper or like material can
be manufactured.
As already stated both the wood and the bark of the tree are applicable for con-
version into pulp or cellulose suitable for the manufacture of paper. But for certain
kinds of paper and other articles of convenience and utility, such as vases, hats,
railway wheels and for other useful purposes requiring for their manufacture a longer
fibred material, or for the manufacture of a white pulp or fibre, we find that a certain
portion of the bark, namely the main bark, is particularly applicable. This portion is
divided into two, the first we find lies immediately below the outer bark and to be a
fine bast fibre and of considerable length and the second is the remainder of the main
bark.
According to this invention the wood and bark may be treated to obtain pulp or
cellulose therefrom as follows:-As above mentioned the bark consists (1) of a rough
outer bark, (2) of a fine bast fibre immediately below the outer bark, and (3) the
remaining main bark. Of these the outer rough bark is applicable for making a

page_text: coarse pulp suitable for conversion into coarse and brown paper, felting and other
like, or equivalent material. The bast fibre is of such a nature that it may be used as
a textile material and the inner bark is particularly suitable for making "cellulose,"
from which many sorts of paper may be made. Hence all, or any of the three
portions of the bark may if desired be used for making pulp as may also the
wood.
We will now describe processes and treatments according to our invention by which
the main bark and also the wood may be converted into "cellulose." The bark or the
wood is cut up into blocks of convenient size so as to preserve continuity of vegetable
fibre. The rough outer bark may be removed by mechanical or chemical means, such
as treating with dilute sulphuric acid, or treating with steam, or by any known
mechanical contrivances used in like industries, so designed that the length of the
fibre distinguishing this tree may be preserved. The bast fibre is removed from the
bark by either a mechanical contrivance, or a chemical process. The remaining
portion of the main bark and the wood are now treated to a steeping process in heated
vats or pans. The heat may be obtained by steam passed through coils of piping
which are placed in the vats, or pans.
To remove organic acids and gums, which prevent the dissolution of Tannins and
other colouring matters in the material, a caustic alkali is employed, which may be of
the strength usual in paper making operations. The treatment may be continued for
about four hours, or more.
The liquor resulting from this process is now removed and the partially pulped
material is further treated as before, namely boiled with water for a reasonable period
but now with the addition to it of dilute sulphuric or hydrochloric acid. The
Gallates, Kinos and other extracts will now be deposited and removed and the pulp
from which the bodies (which would prevent the whitening of the pulp) have been
taken may now be treated after the ordinary methods used by paper makers for the
manufacture of wood pulp or cellulose.
When the outer bark, or bast, or the whole bark is utilized for the above described
purposes, it may be treated by the processes hereinabove described in part, or in
whole.
When the pulp herein specified is to be used as felting for covering boilers, steam
pipes and like heat retaining, or excluding purposes, we may instead of treating it
with sulphuric acid as set forth, simply remove the extracts, substantially as described,
and then treat the remainder by boiling it with more alkali, adding sulphate of
alumina, copper, or other salts, or earths. After this it might be passed through a
mashing machine to loosen the fibre from its original texture, and it may also be mixed
with hair, or other fibres to give it substance.
We would have it understood that this invention is not confined to the exact
methods, or processes of treating the wood and bark herein specified, as these may be
varied in different ways according to varying circumstances and requirements without
departing from our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. The manufacture herein described for the purposes specified, consisting of
cellulose, or wood pulp, produced from the bark, or wood of the Californian Redwood
Tree (Sequoia Sempervirens), substantially as set forth.
Second. The process or treatment herein described, for manufacturing cellulose or
wood pulp from the bark and wood of the Californian Redwood Tree (Sequoia
Sempervirens) for paper making and other purposes, which consists of (1) treating
the main portion, or any, or all of the bark and the wood by steeping and boiling in
water and alkali; (2) removing the liquor from the matter under treatment;
(3) subjecting the partially pulped material to a further boiling with water and dilute
sulphuric or hydrochloric acid; (4) removing the deposited Gallates, Kinos and

page_text: other extracts and (5) treating the residual pulp as described, all substantially as set
forth.
Third. The process or treatment herein described for manufacturing wood pulp
from the bark, or wood of the Californian Redwood Tree (Sequoia Sempervirens) for
felting, which consist of (1) treating the bark or wood by steeping and boiling in
water and alkali; (2) removing the extracts from the matter under treatment and
again boiling with water and alkali, substantially as set forth.