IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE. OF PAPER FROM MARINE VEGETABLE MATTERS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE. OF PAPER FROM MARINE VEGETABLE
MATTERS." A communication from abroad by Pierre Ernest Gégnon,
Commission Agent, and Charles Marie Gagnage, Chemist, both of 29,
Boulevart St. Martin, Paris..
Sealed the 17th April 1866, and dated the 23rd October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd October 1865..
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FROM MARINE VEGETABLE
MATTERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the application of materials indigenous to the sea
for the manufacture of paper.
The seaweeds I use by preference are those known by the names of fucus
comosus (zostera maritima), especially the varieties termed fucus giganteus,
or fucus comosus of the Equator, a similar plant being used in Norway and
the North of Europe for roofing huts, as litter, for packing fragile articles,.
and for other purposes. It is found in the form of long glutinous coriaceous
shreds or strips of a brownish green color, and when dry it in form presents

page_text: somewhat the appearance of tobacco. I wash the seaweed in such manner as.
to deprive it of all impurities and slime, it is then further washed in any
suitable alkaline, carbonated, or oxidated soapy solution marking twelve
degrees Beaumé. This raw material is washed. repeatedly until the water
resulting from the washing remains perfectly clear, and is then submitted to
the action of one or more ordinary mills or crushing apparatus provided with
water, which in addition to the preceding operations disengages all foreign
matters from it. There then remains a celular fibre similar to rags, which
can be used in the manufacture of paper and cardboard.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PAPER PROM MARINE VEGETABLE MATTERS," a communication to mo
from abroad by Pierre Ernest Gégnon, Commission Agent, and Charles.
Marie Gagnage, Chemist, both of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly, describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within.
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, 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'
(that is to say):-
This Invention relates to the application of marine vegetable substances for
the manufacture of paper.
:
The seaweeds I use by preference are those known by the names of fucus
comosus (zostera maritima), especially the varieties known as the fucus
giganteus, or fucus comosus of the Equator, a similar plant being used in'
Norway and the North of Europe for roofing huts, as litter, for packing
fragile articles, and other purposes. It is found in the form of long glutinous
coriaceous shreds or strips of a brownish green color, and when dry it in form
presents somewhat the appearance of tobacco. I wash the seaweed in such
manner as to deprive it of all impurities and slime, it is then further washed
in any suitable alkaline, carbonated, or oxidated and soapy solution marking
twelve degrees Beaumé. This raw material is washed repeatedly until the
water resulting from the washing remains perfectly clear, and is then sub-
mitted to the action of one or more mills or crushing apparatus provided with
water, which in addition to the preceding operations disengages all foreign
matters from it. There then remains a cellular fibre similar to rags, which
can be used in the manufacture of paper and cardboard.
: :
The Invention thus consists in the improved processes for the production of
pulp for paper or pasteboard from marine plants, and especially those before
mentioned. The marine plants may be used either dry or in a wet state as
they are taken from the sea. As this latter condition will be the one in-
which they are most commonly employed, I will describe the processes
suitable for the treatment of seaweed in a wet state, although dry seaweeds
are treated in the same-way after previously steeping them in water.
The following is a description of the treatment by crushing and pressing:-
The wet seaweed contains from seventy to eighty per cent. of water, and from"
eight to ten per cent. of soluble substances, by crushing and pressing it the
greater part of the soluble colored or colourable matters are separated, which
facilitates and cheapens the subsequent operations of steeping and bleaching.
The crushing may be effected by means of stampers, vertical mills, or crushing
rollers, either grooved or otherwise. After a primary treatment the material
is subjected to the action of any suitable hydraulic or other press, the pulp is
then placed in pure water, and then again pressed, which renewed operation
is sufficient to remove the soluble salts from the pulp, The first and following
liquors when sufficiently rich in saline substances may be evaporated, in order

page_text: to extract by calcination the salts contained in the seaweed. The pulp is
now again washed in plenty of water before being subjected to the steeping
operation. This is effected in an ordinary apparatus in a slightly concentrated
alkaline solution of carbonate of soda, of a strength of from one-fifth to one-
tenth per cent. (001 to 002); after steeping the material is subjected to
pressure in order to deprive it of a greater part of the lye, which may be
used again by adopting a gradual steeping action, care being had that the
liquors are sufficiently concentrated for evaporation in order to extract the
soda. This evaporation may be still more economically effected by making
use of the liquids for producing the necessary steam for heating; the material
is next subjected to a gradual washing in order to utilize the soda as much
as possible, and then washed in plenty of water. The material having been
subjected to the preceding operations is bleached in the ordinary way by
means of gaseous chlorine and hypochlorites, after which bleaching the
washing and draining is effected, as ordinarily in the manufacture of pulp for
paper. The bleached material may be used in this state, or it may be
submitted to a further pounding, in order to bring it to the required fineness
for use.
The chief features of the Invention are,-
First, the primary purification of the material by crushing and pressure, so
as to extract the salts contained in seaweed, and also the azoted organic
matters, which may be used as manure, the resulting fibre being used for the
manufacture of paper.
Secondly, the gradual steeping of the material, in order to withdraw the
greater part of the soda employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)