A New or Improved Process for the Treatment of Textile Vegetable Fibres, and Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Process for the Treatment of Textile Vegetable
Fibres, and Apparatus connected therewith.
I ALFRED FRANCIS BILDERBECK GOMESS of 24 Alfred Place West
South Kensington in the County of Middlesex Chemist do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to render textile vegetable fibres (especially
those of the urtica family) more suitable for textile purposes than heretofore.
Hitherto it has been found difficult to get rid of the cement that binds the fibres
together and of the pellicle which envelopes them.
Now according to this invention taking rhea by way of example I take the
ribbons and first subject them to the action of suitable deoxidizing and reducing
agents for a variable period according to the quality of the material to be treated
by which the epidermis will have undergone such a change as to be soluble to a
great extent by boiling in chemicals hereafter described. The lime which in
some instances is present in large quantity hinders the action of the chemicals
therefore its removal at the outset is a matter of primary importance.
It will be easily understood that if a substance like thio-sulphate of sodium be
employed in proper quantity not only will the epidermis have undergone the above
change alluded to but the lime also will at the same lime be rendered soluble by
being converted by double decomposition into the soluble thio sulphate of lime
which the subsequent washing will remove thus effecting its elimination without
the use of hydrochloric acid as hitherto employed. When deoxidizing agents are
employed which will not eliminate all the lime I effect its entire removal by the
use of lactic or acetic acid or according to this invention the lime may be removed
by the use of distilled water alone.
In order to carry the above into effect the rhea ribbons are steeped in a cold
solution of thio sulphate of sodium for about 24 hours and then well washed in
cold water and boiled in a solution of caustic alkali and zinc dust for about 2 hours
by which nascent hydrogen is produced as well as zincate of the base. Sometimes
I add sulphate of sodium or potassium to the above.
The ribbons thus treated are next steeped in a solution of hypochlorite of an
alkali and dilute hydrochloric acid and again well washed in water and then
passed through a weak solution of ammonia and boiled in a weak lye in
combination with fatty acids.
The apparatus I employ consists of a hollow drum made of wood or other
suitable material and mounted in suitable bearings so as to be capable of being
revolved and inside said drum I fix a number of pins or fingers of any suitable
form and material and fixed circumferentially either in form of a spiral or fixed
parallel or otherwise suitably arranged.
Into the said drum I place either the ribbons or fibre either in a wet or dry
state and if found desirable I may apply heat during the operation and I sometimes
introduce sand with or without balls of rubber or other suitable material the drum
being then revolved for a suitable length of time.
Dated this 13th day of October 1892.
BROWNE & Co.,
9, Warwick Court, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: A New or Improved Process for the Treatment of Textile Vegetable
Fibres, and Apparatus connected therewith.
I ALFRED FRANCIS BILDERBECK GOMESS of 24 Alfred Place West,
South Kensington in the County of Middlesex Chemist, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of textile
vegetable fibres.
The process hereinafter described is more particularly applicable to vegetable
fibres of the urtica or nettle family, but it is also applicable to the preparation of
the vegetable fibre from the cortex of other plants.
The processes consist in a series of operations whereby the cortex of the plants
having been removed by any of the well known processes the lime is removed
from the cortex which is then deprived of its epidermis.
The fibres are then separated from the cementitious matter which surrounds
them and are ultimately obtained in a condition ready for manufacturing
operations.
My first object is to remove the lime in the cortex which exists in the form of
calcium-oxalate calcium pectate and other compounds of lime.
Hitherto the lime has been removed by the use of mineral acids.
This is objectionable because the mineral acids tend to damage the quality of
the fibre.
According to my invention I eliminate the lime by soaking the cortex in a cold
solution of thio-sulphate or sulphite of soda.
The quantity of thio-sulphate or sulphite of soda required varies with the
amount of lime in the cortex, but I find that 12 parts by weight of thio-sulphate
to 100 parts by weight of cortex is generally sufficient.
There must be sufficient thio-sulphate left after rendering the lime soluble by
conversion of it into a soluble thio-sulphate of lime to deoxidise the epidermis of
the cortex which makes the epidermis soluble and easily removable in the
subsequent treatment.
When the quantity of thio-sulphate of soda is sufficient to remove the lime and
to deoxidise the epidermis is more or less bleached which is sufficient indication
that enough thio-sulphate has been used.
If the quantity of solution of thio-sulphate is not sufficient to bleach more
must be added.
After the treatment with thio-sulphate of soda I thoroughly wash in cold
water.
It is easy to test the efficiency of the washing by testing for thio-sulphate of lime
in the washing in any of the well known ways, but there is no practical difficulty
in knowing when the washing is sufficiently performed and the thio-sulphate
of lime completely removed.
The next process is to remove the epidermis and liberian membrane and the
cementitious matter.
The epidermis has been rendered more soluble by the deoxidation described.
To do this I boil in a solution of caustic soda to which I add zinc dust in such
quantity that the alkali shall always be greatly in excess of the zinc so that the
oxide of zinc formed will remain in solution.
I am aware that caustic soda and other alkalies have been used for this purpose
but not with zinc dust.

page_text: Moreover use the caustic soda and zinc dust subsequently to the above
described deoxidation and elimination of lime.
The use of zinc dust is advantageous.
This is because of the evolution of nascent hydrogen which prevents any
oxidation taking place.
The effect of this boiling is to remove nearly completely the epidermis and
cementitious matter and the liberian membrane.
I then well wash with hot water two or three times the last washing being with
cold water.
It is still necessary to remove substances allied to cellulose and any parts of the
epidermis etc. not having been previously removed.
To do this I soak the fibre in a solution of hypochlorite of an alkali and hydro-
chloric acid in such proportions that hypochlorous acid and not chlorine is formed
according to the equation 2 HCl and Na₂O,Cl² = 2 HOCI + 2 NaCl.
The solution must not be too strong or the cellulose will be attacked and
damaged.
I now again wash several times with cold water and then pass the fibre through
a weak solution of ammonia.
This rids the fibre of the traces of chlorine which are formed in the previous
operation.
I then again wash the fibre in warm or cold water and finally boil the fibre with
soap to clean it in the usual manner.
The apparatus I employ in some instances consists of a hollow drum made of
wood or other suitable material and mounted in bearings so as to be capable of
being revolved; and inside said drum I fix a number of pins or fingers of any
suitable form and material and fixed circumferentially or fixed parallel or otherwise
suitably arranged.
Fig. 1 of the drawing accompanying this Specification shews a sectional elevation
of an apparatus constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 2 shews section through line A B Fig. 1.
The same letters denote the same parts in both views.
a shews a hollow drum mounted in bearings 6 fixed on the frame c. d shews a
number of pegs or fingers fixed round the inside of the drum a. e shews door for
charging and discharging. shews pulley keyed on one of the axles g for rotating
the drum by power.
Into the said drum I place the finished fibre in a wet or dry state the drum then
being revolved for a suitable length of time in order to soften the fibre to a greater
extent.
When the fibre is introduced into the drum in a wet state I considerably reduce
or dispense with the fingers d, and I heat the drum preferably by passing hot
air into it through one of the hollow axles g, the moisture escaping through the
other.
I would remark in conclusion that I am aware that thio-sulphate of sodium has
been employed in the treatment of vegetable fibres but in a hot state.
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 process for the preparation of textile fibres from the cortex of plants
substantially as described.
(2.) In the treatment of the cortex of plants the above described process for the
removal of the lime by the use of a cold solution of thio-sulphate of sodium or
sulphite of sodium substantially as described.
(3.) In the treatment of the cortex of plants the above described use of
thio-sulphate or sulphite of sodium to deoxidise the epidermis substantially as
described.

page_text: (4.) In the treatment of textile vegetable fibres the employment of zinc in
conjunction with an alkali substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
(5.) In the treatment of the cortex of plants for the preparation of vegetable
textile fibre the use of the apparatus as described.
Dated this 14th day of August 1893
BROWNE & Co.,
9, Warwick Court, W.C., Agents for Applicant.