Improvements in Parchmentized Fibre Tubes, and in the Process and Apparatus for Making them.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb.,. 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Parchmentized Fibre Tubes, and in the Process
and Apparatus for Making them.
I, ROBERT PORTER FRIST, of 1407 Harrison Street in the City of Wilmington,
County of Newcastle, and State of Delaware, U.S.A., Fibre Worker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PARCHMENTIZED
FIBRE TUBES, & IN THE PROCESS & APPARATUS FOR MAKING THEM, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Prior to my invention, so far as my knowledge extends, the only known mode of
making tubes of parchmentized fibre consisted in winding a sheet of fibre, the
width of which was equal to the length of the tube desired, upon a rod or mandrel,
in successive layers, caused to adhere together by pressure-rolls. This method was
capable of producing good results only when producing short tubes, of comparatively
large diameter, as the length of the tube was necessarily limited by the width of
the sheet, and the strain upon the mandrel was so great as to cause it to spring or
yield laterally when making small tubes, neither the roll nor the mandrel being
able to resist the lateral pull of the fabric.
My invention has for its object, the manufacture of tubes of parchmentized
fibre of almost any desired diameter, and length. In carrying out my invention,,I
employ strips of fibre, such as cotton paper, subject them to the action of a
transforming agent, bath or fluid, such as sulphuric or nitric acid, the chloridės of
zinc, or other baths and fluids well known in the art, and I wind the strips of fibre
so treated spirally one upon the other, and cause the adjacent or abutting edges
and surfaces to adhere, to form a comparatively rigid tube with close joints.
I may wind about a mandrel one strip at a time, or I may apply several strips
simultaneously. Each strip may consist of a single layer, or of several layers
consolidated.
In order that my invention may be more particularly ascertained, reference is
made to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively diagrammatic plan views, illustrating one form
of apparatus for carrying out my invention.
Fig. 1 illustrates the commencement of the operation of winding a suitably
prepared moist strip upon a mandrel.
Fig. 2 illustrates my method of winding a second such strip upon the first
mentioned strip in the reverse direction, or with its spirals crossing.
Fig. 3 is a similar view with a super-posed strip wound upon, and parallel with,
the under strip with its joints overlapping.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modification of the apparatus in which several-strips,
each composed of a number of layers of paper, are applied simultaneously, about. a
mandrel.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3, show a mandrel a, supported and operated in usual ways. A
traversing carriage b, provided with guides for the strip, is mounted on a screw-
shaft d, parallel with the mandrel and rotated by suitable means. This rotation
causes the carriage to traverse the mandrel, and lay the strip of chemically treated
fibre, as it passes from the treating bath, on the mandrel in spiral form, the relative
feed of the carriage and mandrel being such that the edges of the strip, will abut
closely against each other, without overlapping.
When the carriage reaches the end of its traverse; its movement may be reversed
to wind another layer upon the first one, in the reverse direction, or with its spirals
crossing, as shown in Fig. 2. Instead of doing this, however, the carriage may be
run back to the starting point, and the succeeding strip wound upon the first, with

page_text: its spirals parallel thereto, but with the joints overlapping so as to break joints, as
shown in Fig. 3.
As the strips are wound on the mandrel, or upon each other, they are subject to
pressure, which has the effect of cementing their surfaces together. The abutting
edges of the spiral convolutions of each strip are likewise cemented by reason of
their contact and the character of the material, thus forming a continuous tube.
The strips of paper, or other fibrous material of which the tubes are to be made
are preferably thin in order to secure the effective action of the chemical trans-
forming-bath. When thick tubes are desired, several strips may successively be
wound, one upon the other, until the desired thickness is obtained."
The apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is designed to form tubes of parchmentized
fibre by simultaneously winding several strips which may consist of several
consolidated layers. The apparatus for forming the strips being shown in duplicate,
the description of one set will be sufficient.
Unless otherwise indicated, the parts are of usual well-known construction.
Each paper-roll A, A', A2, is mounted so as to turn freely in bearings over a vat
or tank B, containing the transforming fluid; each strip a, passes under a suitable
roller b, beneath the fluid in the tank, so arranged that the strips pass from the
tank, lying one over the other, and being still moistened with the transforming
fluid, are consolidated by passing between the pressure-rolls C. The consolidated
strip e, is then wound around a mandrel D, of suitable diameter and length, rotated
by well-known means, in such manner that the edges of the strip abut closely.
While still moist, with the transforming fluid, and while still on the mandrel, these
spirals are traversed by pressure-rollers E, on opposite sides of the mandrel, curved
to conform to the shape thereof, or to the tube to be formed, thereby uniting the
abutting edges of the strip and causing them to adhere together.
Any desired number of strips may be thus wound, one over the other, in which
case the pressure-rolls not only cause the adhesion of the abutting edges of the
strip, but of the abutting surfaces of the superimposed strips.
The drawings show the apparatus as organized for the superposition of two
strips, one upon the other. The organization is also such, it will be observed, that
both strips are wound in the same direction; that is, with their spirals parallel,
and breaking joints; that is, one strip overlaps the joint of the other; thus
stiffening the tube, and increasing the tightness of its joints.
In operation, as many strips as desired are conducted through the bath, super-
posed one upon the other, and pass between the consolidating rolls which condense
all the strips passing between them into one, each strip being then wound upon the
mandrel and consolidated by the pressure-rolls. The drawings show two sets of
baths and consolidating rolls, one on each side of the mandrel, but both sets of
apparatus might be on the same side of the mandrel, or the number may be
increased so as simultaneously to wind additional layers, as will readily be under-
stood from the foregoing description. The superposed strips are preferably kept
Separate until consolidated by the consolidating-rolls.
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 I
claim is-
1. The herein described method of making tubes, which consists in subjecting a
strip of paper, or fibre, to a chemical bath, and while it is in a soft or moist
condition winding it spirally on a mandrel.
2. The herein described method of making tubes of parchmentized fibre, which
consists in winding moistened strips of the treated fibre in spiral form, so that its
edges shall closely abut, and cementing said edges by pressure, as set forth.
3. The hereinbefore described method of making tubes of parchmentized fibre,
which consists in winding moistened strips of the treated fibre in spiral form, one
upon the other, with their edges closely abutting, and cementing and consolidating.
the edges and the surfaces of the strips together by pressure, as set forth.

page_text: 4. The hereinbefore described method of making tubes of parchmentized fibre,
which consists in winding moistened strips of the treated fibre in spiral form, one
upon the other, with closely abutting edges, those of one strip being parallel with,
but overlapping or breaking joints with the others, and cementing and consolidating
the abutting edges and surfaces, by pressure, as set forth.
5. A tube composed of parchmentized fibre or paper having a spiral structure.
6. As a new article of manufacture, parchmentized fibre tubes, composed of
spirally wound strips, with their abutting edges consolidated and cemented together
so as to form a continuous fabric, as set forth.
7. As a new article of manufacture, parchmentized fibre tubes, composed of
superimposed, spirally-wound strips, with their abutting edges and surfaces
consolidated and cemented together so as to form a continuous fabric, as set forth.
8. The herein described method of making tubes of parchmentized fibre, which
consists in winding spirally around a mandrel a strip of parchmentized fibre while
in a moist condition, and simultaneously winding spirally around the mandrel and
over the first mentioned strip, a second moist strip, and consolidating the strips by
pressure.
9. The herein described method of making tubes of parchmentized fibre, which
consists in passing separate strips of paper through a transforming bath, and
consolidating them by pressure, winding the consolidated strip spirally around a
mandrel to form a tube, and cementing or consolidating the edges or surfaces of
the consolidated strip by pressure.
10. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a transforming
bath, means for passing strips of paper separately through the bath, means for
consolidating these strips into a single strip, a rotating mandrel upon which the
consolidated strip is wound spirally, and means for consolidating and cementing the
adjacent edges or surfaces of the consolidated strip.
11. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a transforming
bath, means for passing separate strips of paper therethrough, rollers for con-
solidating these strips, a rotating mandrel upon which the consolidated strip is
wound spirally with closely adjacent edges, and pressure rollers traversing the
consolidating strip to consolidate and cement its adjacent edges or surfaces.
12. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth; of a rotating
mandrel, a transforming bath, rollers submerged in the bath for guiding strips of
paper therethrough, consolidating rollers between which the strips pass, and grooved
pressure rollers traversing the mandrel longitudinally, for the purpose specified.
13. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of separate trans-
forming baths, paper rollers supported over them, rollers in the baths under which
strips of paper pass, and by which they are super-posed one above the other,
consolidating rollers between which these super-posed strips pass after leaving the
bath, a rotating mandrel upon which the separate consolidated strips are
simultaneously wound spirally one upon the other, and pressure rollers traversing
the mandrel to consolidate and cement the strips as they are wound thereon.
14. The manufacture of tubes of parchmentized fibre substantially as described
and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1891.