IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, THREAD CORDAGE, AND FABRICS FROM BEETROOT
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Accarain, of Mons, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
and of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, THREAD
CORDAGE, AND FABRICS FROM BEETROOT."
Sealed the 5th February 1864, and dated the 25th November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Accarain at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th November 1863.
I, LOUIS ACCARAIN, of Mons, in the Kingdom of Belgium, and of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF PAPER, THREAD, CORDAGE AND FABRICS FROM BEETROOT," to be as follows:-
The leaf of the beetroot is first washed and then placed in a press,
which flattens it in the form of a ribbon or strip, and deprives it of a
greater part of the water it contains. These strips are then submitted
to the action of a very fine metal comb, which removes the gummy
matters and chlorophylline, and separates the fibres. In this manner
a fibrous material is produced, which may then be converted into thread
or cordage, or manufactured into fabrics after being treated in the
ordinary manner of preparing flax by carding, combing, drawing, and
spinning; or it may be used as pulp for the manufacture of paper, pre-

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Accarain in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Lours
ACCARAIN, of Mons, in the Kingdom of Belgium, and of 53, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Louis Accarain, Her special licence
that I, the said Louis Accarain, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Accarain, 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 MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, THREAD, CORDAGE
AND FABRICS FROM BEETROOT,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said Louis Accarain, my executors, or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 performed, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Accarian, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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):-
The leaf of the beetroot is first washed and then placed in a press,
which flattens it in the form of a ribbon or strip, and deprives it of the
greater part of the water it contains. These strips are then submitted
to the action of a very fine metal comb, which removes the gummy
matters and chlorophyllite, and separates the fibre.
In this manner

page_text: fibrous material is produced, which may then be converted into thread
or cordage, or be manufactured into fabrics after being treated in the
ordinary manner of preparing flax, by combing, drawing, and spinning,
&c.; or it may be used as pulp for the manufacture of paper, preparing
it in a similar manner to rags, by stamping, washing, and otherwise.
The leaf of the beetroot in its anatomical form presents a structure
composed of three elements, 1st, an exterior envelope or epidermis
forming the skeleton of the leaf, composed of long fibres extending from
the root of the penicule or stalk to the leaves, and forming the edges
thereof. These fibres may be easily peeled off and divided into strips,
consisting of a number of small filaments adhering together, the sub-
stance which unites them may easily be removed by washing in heated
water or alkaline lye. These filaments are colorless when united in
fibres in the whole leaf, and when they are separated present the colour
of the flax of linseed, are soft to the touch, flexible, strong, and possess
all the properties of the former. 2nd element, the mesophylle consists
of a very loose cellular tissue composing the interior of the leaf, and
containing in its meshes a quantity of vegetable juices. 3rd element,
greenish filaments contained in the mesophylle, which cannot be
separated permanently into slender fibres, and are of little tenacity.
From the anatomical structure of the leaves it follows that if one
could destroy or remove the two latter elements, the question of the pre-
paration of the fibres or threads from beetroot would be resolved. This
I claim to be effected by my Invention, as it is sufficient to submit the
leaf of this vegetable to the action of pressure by a powerful hydraulic
press, or otherwise, in order to destroy the two elements mentioned, or
rather to separate them easily from the first. This first operation being
terminated by using the ordinary carding or combing machine, the
fibres or flax is brought to a state of complete purity, or rather, this
first element is entirely separated from other matters. I afterwards
place it in contact with a heated alkaline solution in order to dissolve
the vegetable gum before mentioned; and, finally, a new application of
the card produces the flax or fibrous material in a perfect condition.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Accarain, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four
LOUIS ACCARAIN. (L.S.)