THE UTILIZATION AND PREPARATION OF BAMBOO REED OR CANE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"THE UTILIZATION AND PREPARATION OF BAMBOO REED OR CANE FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIALS." A communication from
abroad by William Ogden Giles of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lako at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "THE UTILIZATION AND PREPARATION OF
BAMBOO REED OR CANE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IMPROVED FIBROUS
MATERIALS." [A communication from abroad by William Ogden Giles, of the
City and State of New York, United States of America.]
The fibres of the plant variously termed bamboo reed or cane when properly
prepared possess all the properties requisite for being spun in combination with the
fibre of wool to produce yarn suitable for being woven or knitted to form fabrics
which will have substantially the same qualities as if woven or knitted wholly of
woolen fibres.
This Invention relates to the manufacture of such yarn and fabrics.
The fibres obtained from the said plant, when properly prepared, have the same
appearance, present the same soft and elastic feeling, and will take color in dyeing
and printing just as readily, and of the same shades, as the fibre of wool.
Caustic soda, by being dissolved in water and made into caustic liquor, has long
been used for dissolving silicious, resinous, albuminous, and glutinous matter of
fibre and wood, but after many years' experience in the use of caustic liquor for
theso purposes the communicator of this Invention has discoved that he can at a
very much less expense accomplish the same result by the use of caustic steam or
steam generated from caustic liquor, and in carrying this Invention into practice
the following process for preparing the fibre of bamboo for mixing with wool to bo
spun into threads and woven into cloth or knitted is found to be successful, that is
to say :-
place in a vessel containing the fibro some caustic liquor, and by the aid of
steam in pipes passing through the boiler and into spaco I generate the caustic

page_text: liquor into steam. I do not confine myself to this process, as I can generate the
steam in a superheater and put it into the boiler containing the fibre, or pass
steam through caustic soda, and then into the boiler containing the material to be
treated.
Caustic soda being a great dissolvent, I find it becomes more effectual when
carried into vapor or steam, and used in combination in this manner for many
purposes at a very much less expense than otherwise, and very much to the
advantage of fibre for textile and other purposes. It more effectually opens the
fibre, by dissolving the resinous, silicious, and glutinous substances, than other
vapors.
I provide a boiler with a valve by means of which I can suddenly discharge the
steam and draw all the dissolved, and nearly all the softened, substances from the
fibre in the discharge of the same. The removing of the foreign matter of
the fibre is not attainable to the same degree unless the sudden discharge of steam
is provided for. When the steam has been discharged and I find the hot air is
passing out, I suddenly close the valve and again heat whatever moisture may
remain until thero is a pressure of say fifty pounds to the square inch, which
is done by steam passing through pipes into space, and not into the boiler
containing the fibre. This again vaporizes the soluble matter under treatment in
the boiler, and again is discharged in a similar manner, removing more foreign
matter of the fibre. I again heat the boiler and expand all the fibre, and leave all
the contents of the boiler in a dry, open, and heated state.
The knots of the plant are cut off, and the length between the knots or joints
are treated from 7 to 9 hours as before described in an aqueous solution of caustic
alkali termed caustic soda, of a strength from 6 to 10 degrees Baumé.
It is preferred to Loil under a pressure of from 40 to 100 pounds to the squaro
inch. The length of time of the treatment, also the heat or pressure, and the strength
of the liquor will depend upon the size of the plant. The object of boiling in
caustic alkali is to dissolve the approximates of the plant, and hence the larger the
bamboo the longer it will take to effect the result, and as heat increases the
dissolving action of the alkaline solution, and the rapidity of its action is increased
by increased strength, in working the process the temperaturo and strength of the
solution and the time of boiling must to a certain extent be controlled by the
judgment of the operator, who can readily tell by inspection when the proximates
have been dissolved and removed from the fibres; and as the plant is tapering from
the butt to the tip it is found best in practice after it has been cut into lengths to
divide it into batches, so that for each boiling the size of the pieces shall be nearly
of the same size. After boiling, the plant should be washed in hot water and then
passed between rollers to press out the solution and dissolve the proximates, and
to disintegrate, so that the fibres may be more readily separated, which latter
is to be effected by subjecting it to the action of a rotating picker, the teeth of
which separate the fibres as gradually presented and. fed forward by suitable feed
rollers in a manner well known to persons familiar with the construction and
operation of pickers. After the fibres have been separated by the pickers they are
passed through strong cards, the teeth of which operate as heckles do on the fibre
of hemp, and then they are passed through fine cards. The fibre after having been
been treated as above stated is then to be mixed with woollen fibres in the same
manner as different qualities of woollen fibres are mixed. The mixed fibres are
then subjected to the operation of the machine known as the "devil," and then to
the successive operations of carding and spinning, to produce yarn suitable for
weaving and knitting. The fibre after being so prepared and combined with wool
will take and retain the colors in dyeing and printing as effectually as if composed
of wool alone, and in that respect, as well as in the others herein before stated, they
are essentially like woollen fibres, and distinctly different from other vegetable
fibres,
5

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
September 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "THE UTILIZATION AND PREPARATION OF
BAMBOO REED OR CANE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IMPROVED FIBROUS
MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by William Ogden Giles, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to the utilization of bamboo reed or cane in the manu-
facture of yarns and woven or knitted fabrics.
The fibres of the plant termed bamboo reed or cane when properly prepared
possess the properties requisite to allow of their being spun in combination with
wool to produce yarn suitable for the manufacture of woven or knitted fabrics
which will have substantially the same qualities as those woven or knitted wholly
of woollen fibres, that is to say, the fibres obtained from these plants when properly
prepared present the same appearance, have the same soft and elastic feeling, and
will take color of any tint or shade in dyeing and printing as readily as the fibre of
wool. These fibres are prepared for mixing with the wool by treating them as
hereinafter specified.
Caustic soda in the form of caustic solution or caustic liquor has long been used
for dissolving the silicious, resinous, albuminous, and glutinous portions of wood
and other fibres, but prior to the date of this Invention it has not been known that
the same result can be accomplished with a great reduction of the cost by the uso
of caustic steam, or steam generated from caustic liquor.
According to my Invention the bamboo cane or reed fibres are prepared for
mixing with wool to be spun into yarns or threads and woven into cloth or knitted
by the following process
I place the fibres in a boiler or vessel provided with pipes extending through the
same. Through these pipes I pass steam obtained in any convenient manner, and
thereby generate steam from the caustic liquor; or I generate the caustic steain in
a superheater, and pass it therefrom into the boiler containing the fibres; or 1 pass
ordinary steam through caustic soda and then admit it into the boiler containing
the fibres to be treated.
Caustic soda is a very effectual solvent, and I find its effect is greatly increased
when it is used in the form of vapour or steam in this manner for the purposo
of my Invention. It effectually opens the fibres by more thoroughly dissolving
the resinous, silicious, and glutinous substances of the plant, and by suddenly
discharging the vapour or steam all of the dissolved and nearly all of the softened
substances inay be drawn from the fibres.
In practising my Invention 1 may use any suitable apparatus, but I have shewn
in the accompanying Drawing a boiler and other parts which have been found to
serve very advantageously for ny purpose. Figure 1 is a sectional clevation of the
entire apparatus; Figure 2 is a section of a valve.
In order to permit the required sudden discharge of steam I provide the said
boiler with a discharge valve a arranged as shown. This boiler and valve permit
the removal in a very advantageous manner of the foreign matter of the fibre to
an extent which would not be practicable without such provision for the sudden
discharge of the steam.
When the steam has been discharged and I find that hot air is passing out of the
boiler, I suddenly close the valve and heat whatever moisture may remain in the
boiler to convert the same into steam at a pressure of, say, fifty pounds to
the square inch. The heating of the contents of the boiler is effected by steam

page_text: passing through the pipes which conduct this steam into the space outside of the
boiler and do not adinit it to the fibres therein. The soluble matter in the boiler
being thus again vaporized is again discharged in a similar manner, more of the
foreign matter being thereby removed from the fibres. I then again heat the boiler
and expand the fibres and leave the contents of the boiler in a dry, open, and heated
state.
The knots of the plant are cut off, and the portions between the knots or joints
are treated for about seven to nine (7 to 9) hours as above described in an aqueous
solution of caustic alkali (caustic soda) of a strength of from six to ten (6 to 10)
degrees Baumé.
I prefer to boil the same under a pressure of froin forty to one hundred (40 to
100) pounds per square inch. The length of time occupied by this treatment, the
heat and pressure, and the strength of the liquor employed will depend upon the
condition and quality of the fibrous plant. The object of boiling in caustic alkali
is to dissolvo all except the fibrous portions of the plant. The larger the plant, the
longer will be the time required to effect the desired result, and as heat increases
the dissolving action of the alkaline solution, and such action is accelerated by
increased strength of the alkali, the temperature and strength of the solution, and
the time of boiling, must to a certain extent be controlled by the judgment of the
operative, who can readily tell by inspection when the non-fibrous portions have
been dissolved and removed from the fibres. Moreover, experience has shewn that
as the bamboo or cane plant tapers or diminishes in diameter from the butt to the
tip, it is desirable that after it has been cut into lengths it should be divided into
batches, so that for each boiling the picces shall be nearly of the same size.
After the boiling the plant should be washed in hot water and then passed
between rollers to press out the solution and to dissolve and disintegrate the non-
fibrous portions so that the fibres may be more readily separated. The latter
operation is to be effected by subjecting the fibres to the action of a rotating picker,
the teeth of which separate the said fibres as they are gradually presented and fed
forward by suitable feed-rollers, or otherwise.
After the fibres have been separated by the pickers they are passed through
strong cards, the teeth of which operate as heckles, and then they are passed
through fine cards.
The bamboo cane or reed fibres after having been treated as above specified are
to be mixed with woollen fibres in the same manner as different qualities of woollen
fibres are mixed with each other. The mixed fibres are then subjected to the
operation of a machine termed a "devil," and then to the successive operations of
carding and spinning to produce yarn suitable for weaving and knitting. The
fibres after being so prepared and combined with wool will take and retain colors
in dyeing, and in this as in other respects, as hereinbefore specified, they are
essentially like woollen fibres, and distinctly different from other vegetable fibres.
They differ from other vegetable fibres chiefly in respect of their quality of fulling
and felting, and in their great strength, so that cloth made according to my Invention
will not only be much cheaper than cloth made entirely of wool, but will be as
strong and durable, and will present as good an appearance, as woollen cloth.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I am aware that prior to my Invention attempts have been made to utilize
various kinds of vegetable fibre in the manufacture of cloth, but the result has not
been satisfactory, as no vegetable fibres that have heretofore been used for this
purpose possess the qualities requisite therefor. And I further wish it understood
that I do not claim for the purpose of my Invention any fibres other than those
above specified; neither do I claim or limit myself to the use of the machinery
or apparatus shewn in the accompanying Drawing, but I claim,-
First. The preparation by the process above described, or by any equivalent
process, of the fibres of the bamboo reed or cane in such a manner as to fit them
to be mixed or combined with wool in the manner and for the purposo specified.

page_text: Second. The improved yarn consisting of mixed fibres of bamboo reed or cane
and wool, as and for the purpose above set forth.
Third. An improved woven or knitted fabric manufactured from yarns consisting
of mixed fibres of the bamboo reed or cane and wool, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. ROB. LAKE. (I.S.)