IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRINGS, BANDS, AND BELTS FROM ANIMAL GUT, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED THEREFOR."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Turner and Charles McBride, both of Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRINGS, BANDS, AND BELTS FROM ANIMAL GUT,
AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OR APPLIANCES TO BE USED THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Turner and Charles
McBride at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th October
1881.
JAMES TURNER and CHARLES MCBRIDE, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRINGS,
BANDS, AND BELTS FROM ANIMAL GUT, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OR
APPLIANCES TO BE USED THEREFOR."
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of strings, round
bands, and belts, from animal gut, and to an improvod process, or mode and means,
or appliances to be used therefor; and the object of the Invention is mainly to
enable the intestines or gut of oxen or beef cattle to be employed instead of sheep
gut for the production of what are known as "cat gut " bands or belts, and as
strings or cords for musical instruments, for the cordage of lawn tennis or
"Incrosse," rackets or bats, and for other similar purposes.
The intestines of sheep have been commonly used for making the article
popularly known as "cat-gut," but only the intestines of sheep were considered fit
for this purpose, and thus the manufacture has hitherto been practically limited to
the locality where sheep are raised. The inner membrane only of the intestines of
sheep is used, as the other portions are unfit for the purpose. We have however
discovered that first class strings, belts, and bands may be made from the outer
skin of the intestines of oxen or beef cattle, by selecting the proper parts and

page_text: treating them in a particular manner, as hereinafter described, by which means a
superior article is produced from material that has hitherto been only refuse. In
the preparation and manufacture of strings, cords, and bands, according to our
Invention, fresh heef gut is first taken and carefully washed in pure water and
thoroughly freed from all fatty substance, by means of cutting or splitting
appliances hereinafter described.
The gut is then split into two distinct parts in such a manner as to separate, the
upper half of the gut from the lower half; the lower half, that is, the part to which
the net or web of fat is attached, being refused as worthless. The said upper part
of the gut retained is next, according to the fineness of the strands desired, split
into two, three, four, or more strands, and the outside skin is then removed from
those strands. This outside skin is the material employed by us in manufacturing
the strings, bands, and belts, all the other portions of the gut being thrown away
as refuse matter, for the reason that the substance other than the outside skin
detracts from the strength and durability of the manufactured article; and tho
manufacturer would be subjected to severe losses were the parts other than the
outside skin employed, from the fact that it would be often impossible to prevent
putrefaction taking place during the process of preparing tho material.
This outside skin made use of by us can be preserved for weeks and months by
steeping in common salt. The material is next split or made into strands or
threads, and afterwards subjected to a bath of potash water, this bath being
continued and changed daily for four or five days. The material is next treated to
acid baths alternating with alkaline carbonate of ammonia baths, and then pure
water. A certain number, according to the thickness of the strings or bands
desired of those fine strands so prepared and treated, are then taken and spun.
The material is next placed in an air-tight compartment and subjected to the
action of sulphur fumes. The compartment in which sulphurization takes place is
preferably either made of iron, or the inner surface lined with that material; then
the sulphur fumes or vapours combining with oxygen and the iron produce a gas
possessing superior bleaching qualities, and quickens the bleaching process. After
being removed from the bleaching process the material is first dried, and then
steeped in a solution of acetic acid and gelatine, then again sulphurized or sub-
jected to sulphurous fumes, dried, and finished off with gum-arabic and oil. The
material possesses certain proportions of gelatine in its natural state, but loses it
during the process of preparation, and it is therefore preferred, as described, to
restore a certain proportion of this during the finishing process, in order to stiffen
the material and increase the adhesive qualities. The employment of acetic acid
in preparing the solution of gelatine has the effect of producing a clearer solution
than if hot water were used, and prevents the solution from affecting the
transparency of the manufactured goods.
The main difference in the mode of treating or preparing and manufacturing
strings or bands from the gut or intestines of beef cattle, as compared with that
adopted in the case of sheep gut, is that while sheep gut may be used entire, it is
necessary in using cattle gut to separate not only the inner membrane from the
outer tough skin of the gut, but also to cut off more than the half of the cross
section of the gut by cutting longitudinally. This longitudinal cutting is effected
by means of a novel appliance, which consists of a semi-circular guiding core piece,
by preference oval or nearly oval in cross section, and rounded at the ends so that
it resembles a sausage. This central guide piece, which may be made of wood or
metal, is supported by a vertical peg or pin over the table on which the gut is
placed to be trented, and a sharp cutting knife or blade is fitted vertically through
the guide piece at the side of the supporting peg, and by preference near the outer
edge. To cut the gut longitudinally the intestine is passed on the end of the guide
piece and drawn over it by hand. The cutting blade in the guide piece cuts
the gut longitudinally as it is drawn past, and while the inner fatty part or
length of the gut is rejected, the outer part or strip is used for the manufacture

page_text: of the strings or bands.
This outer strip of gut is split by hand to separate
the inner membrane from the outer skin, and this outer skin is the portion
used for strings or bands, which require to be of considerable strength. Tho
inner membrane of the split strips may be used for strings or cords of less
strength, or rejected as waste. In addition to the vertical knife or cutter fitted
in the guide piece over which the intestine or gut is drawn, there may also bo
fitted thereto or on a separate holder a series of knives or cutters placed
horizontally or inclined, to cut the part of the gut which is retained for use into
narrow strips or threads, which may be of varying widths according to the strength
or thickness of strings or cords to be made.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Turner and Charles McBride in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th April 1882.
JAMES TURNER and CHARLES MCBRIDE, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North-Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRINGS,
BANDS, AND BELTS FROM ANIMAL GUT, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OR
APPLIANCES TO BE USED THEREFOR."
Our said Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of strings, round
bands, and belts from animal gut, and to an improved process or mode and means
or appliances to be used therefor. The object of the Invention is mainly to enable
the intestines or gut of oxen or beef cattle to be employed instead of sheep gut
for the production of what are known as "cat-gut" bands or belts, and as strings
or cords for musical instruments, for the cordage of lawn tennis or "lacrosse'
rackets or bats, and for other similar purposes.
The intestines of sheep have been commonly used for making the article
popularly known as "cat-gut," but only the intestines of sheep which are free
from fat were considered fit for this purpose, and thus the manufacture has
hitherto been practically limited to the localities where sheep are raised. The inner
membrane only of the intestines of sheep is used, as the other portions are unfit for
the purpose.
We have however discovered that first class strings, belts, and bands may be
made from the outor skin of the intestines of oxen or beef cattle by selecting the
proper parts and treating them in a particular manner, as hereinafter described, by
which means a superior article is produced from material that has hitherto been
only refuse.
In the preparation and manufacture of strings, cords, and bands, according to
our Invention, fresh beef gut is first taken and carefully washed in pure water
and thoroughly freed from all fatty substance by means of the cutting or
splitting appliances, hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
The gut is by this apparatus split into two distinct parts in such a manner as to
separate the upper half of the gut from the lower half, that is, the part to which
the net or web of fat is attached being refused as worthless. The said upper part
of the gut retained may also, according to the fineness of the strands desired, be
split into two, three, four, or more strands, and the outside skin is then removed
from those strands.
This outside skin is the material employed by us in manufacturing the strings,
bands, and belts, all the other portions of the gut being thrown away as refuse
matter for the reason that the substance other than the outside skin detracts from
the strength and durability of the manufactured article, and the manufacturer
would be subjected to severe losses were the parts other than the outside skin
employed, from the fact that it would be often impossible to prevent putrefaction
taking place during the process of preparing the material. This outside skin made
use of by us can be preserved for weeks and months by steeping in common salt.
The material when split or made into strands or threads is subjected to a bath of
potash water, this bath being continued and changed daily for four or five days.
The material is next treated in acid baths alternating with alkaline carbonate of
ammonia baths, and is afterwards steeped in pure water. A certain number
(according to the thickness of the strings or bands desired) of those fine strands so
prepared and treated are then taken out and spun,

page_text: The material is next placed in an air-tight compartment and subjected to the
action of sulphur fumes. The compartment in which sulphurization takes place is
preferably either made of iron or the inner surface lined with that material; then
the sulphur fumes or vapours combining with oxygen and the iron produces a gas
possessing superior bleaching qualities and quickens the bleaching process. After
being removed from the bleaching process the material is first dried and then
steeped in a solution of acetic acid and gelatine, then again sulphurised or subjected
to sulphurous fumes, dried, and finished off with gum-arabic and oil. The material
possesses certain proportions of gelatine in its natural state, but loses it during the
process of preparation, and it is therefore preferred as described to restore a certain
proportion of this during the finishing process in order to stiffen the material and
increase the adhesive qualities. The employment of acetic acid in preparing the
solution of gelatine has the effect of producing a clearer solution than if hot water
were used and prevents the solution from affecting the transparency of the
manufactured goods.
The main difference in the mode of treating or preparing and manufacturing
strings or bands from gut or intestines of beef cattle, as compared with that
adopted in the case of sheep gut, is that while sheep gut may be used entire it is
necessary in using cattle gut to separate not only the inner membrane from the
outer tough skin of the gut, but also to cut off more than the half of the cross
section of the gut by cutting longitudinally. This longitudinal cutting is effected
by means of the novel appliance or device shown in the accompanying Drawings,
of which Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a plan. This device consists of a
semi-circular guiding core piece A, by preference oval or nearly oval in cross
section, and rounded at the ends, so that it resembles a sausage. This central guide
picce A, which is made of wood or metal, is supported by a vertical peg or pin c
over the table B, on which the gut is placed to be treated, and a sharp cutting
knife or blade C is fitted vertically through the guide piece A at the side of the
supporting peg, and by preference near the outer edge. In the device shown in the
Drawing the cutting blade C is made to carry the core or guide A for the gut, the
guide and knife blade being secured together by a wedge D. To cut the gut
longitudinally the intestine is placed on the end of the guide piece A, as shown by
the dotted lines E, and drawn over it by hand. The cutting blade C in the guide
piece A cuts the gut longitudinally as it is drawn past the blade, the inner fatty
part or length E of the gut, which is rejected, always taking the inner or concave
curve of the device, while the outer part or strip E is alone taken for the
manufacture of the strings or bands. This outer strip of gut E' is again split
by hand to separate its inner membrane from the outer skin, and this outer skin
is the portion used for strings or bands, which require to be of considerable strength.
The inner membrane of the split strips Emmay be used for strings or cords of loss
strength or rejected as waste.
In addition to the vertical knife or cutter fitted in the guide piece over which
the intestine or gut is drawn thero may also be fitted thereto, or on a separate
holder, a series of knives or cutters placed horizontally or inclined to cut the part
of the gut which is retained for use into narrow strips or threads, which may be
of varying widths according to the strength or thickness of strings or cords to be
made.
Having thus described our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what we believe to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The process or mode and means, substantially as herein described, of
preparing and treating the gut of oxen or beef cattle for the manufacture therefrom
of strings, cords, or bands.
Second. The longitudinal slitting or cutting into strips of animal gut by means
of devices or appliances, substantially such as herein described, and the splitting

page_text: or separating of the outer and inner membrane of such strips for the purposes
herein set forth.
Third. The construction and arrangement of the guide and cutting devices or
appliances (A, B, C), substantially as and for the purposes herein described in
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Turner, on behalf of myself and the
said Charles McBride, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
eighty-two.
Witness,
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.,
Of W. R. M. Thomson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Glasgow.
JAMES TURNER. (L.S.)