Improvements in the Treatment of Rhea to Obtain Fibre therefrom, and Appliance to be used in such Treatment.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
Improvements in the Treatment of Rhea to Obtain Fibre therefrom,
and Appliance to be used in such Treatment.
I, FREDERICK JOIN HODGE SAMPSON, of Glenalmond, Sydenham, Surrey,
Gentleman, 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:-
For the purpose of my invention, I first treat the rhea in a boiling solution
of the common kind of house soda until the gummy resinous crust or outside
coating is sufficiently softened and loosened on the fibre, the gum and resin
being then in a somewhat slimy semi-adhesive condition, easily removable under
a powerful sheet jet of boiling water and of steam (to maintain the temperature
of the boiling water) projected on to or against the rhea suspended close to a
wall or backing after being lifted from the vessel in which the rhea had been
boiled.
It is essential for clean washing and to prevent dulness in fibre that the
washing by the combined boiling water and steam be effected concurrently with
the removal and so that the gum or resin has not had time to chill or be
reduced in temperature which would render the first boiling next to useless.
The concurrent washing with boiling water and steam jet as set forth is an
important feature in my invention because not only do I cleanse the rhea of
impurities but I leave it with a slight glossy appearance which increases to a
marked extent during a gradually cooling down in a warm atmosphere, and with
the threads or fibres somewhat loosened among themselves, also in a better condition
for separation by rollers than by any known plan of preparing rhea.
The nozzle from which my jet steam and boiling water combined is directed
against the suspended rhea is of novel form as will be seen by the annexed
drawings Figure 1 being a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a partial plan. It is
of metal merging from a round at A to a flat at B with a slit shaped issuing
opening C within which nozzle is a steam passage D so that on the proper taps
such as at E F being opened the supply of boiling water through G and of steam
through H can be adjusted according to the age or condition of the rhea under
treatment. I is a non-conductor of heat to protect the hands of the operator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The hereinbefore described method or process of treating rhea, viz.; the
consecutive action of boiling in soda and washing by combined boiling water and
steam for the purpose set forth.
2. In connection with the described process of treating rhea by boiling in soda
and subsequent washing by boiling water and steam, the herein before described
double nozzle appliance.
3. In the treatment of rhea, the employment-after a boiling-of a combined
sheet jet of boiling water and of steam projected against rhea suspended close to a
wall or backing, as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 15th day of October 1801
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Frederick John Hodge Sampson.