Improvements in the Treatment of Cotton or other Vegetable Fibres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1897
ለስ
1000
.
ம
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Cotton or other Vegetable Fibres.
I, HORACE ARTHUR LOWE, of Heaton Moor, in the County of Lancaster,
Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
This invention relates to a process of treating cotton or other fibres of a
vegetable origin preparatory to spinning or manufacture, for the purpose of
imparting to them a silk-like lustre or brilliance and a greater affinity for dyes.
It is well known that mercerising has been applied to yarns and manufactured
goods to increase their capacity of absorbing dyes, and by stretching such yarns
or fabrics during the process, that a glossy appearance has been imparted thereto.
Such glossiness, however, does not pervade equally all the fibres of the yarn,
owing to the inability of stretching or treating each separate fibre equally.
I now find that by treating the fibres individually, as distinguished from a
bundle or group of fibres twisted or connected together in the form of yarn, I
can impart to each separate and individual fibre, a silk like lustre and brilliance.
My invention therefore consists essentially in taking the fibres in a loose
condition after they have been set or placed parallel by carding or other operation,
treating them with a mercerising agent of suitable strength, and then stretching
each individual fibre to prevent or eliminate shrinkage, and subsequently spinning
the fibres so treated into yarn.
In carrying out my invention (as applied to cotton) I take the cotton as it
comes from the carding engine or other machine, in which the fibres are arranged
or placed parallel, but while yet they can be separated individually, and saturate
them with an alkaline hydrate or other mercerising agent of suitable strength.
When the fibre has been acted upon to the required degree, I wash out the agent,
thereby dissipating the chemical combination that has taken place, and pass the
fibres in a wet condition, between sets of rollers by which each individual fibre
is stretched before it loses the soft or plastic condition into which it has been
reduced by the previous operations.
The fibre may be treated in the form of sliver, lap or rove, and the agent I
prefer is caustic soda, though caustic potash or other mercerising or suitable agent
may be employed.
I at present prefer to first treat the cotton in the form of a sliver with caustic
soda, until it has assumed a clear or transparent appearance, then wash it free
from the sodic combination, and until the clastic state has passed, and subse-
quently before it
sets"
to pass it between rollers placed sufficiently close
together to grip both ends of the individual fibres and stretch them.
and
or
I find however, that the fibres may be treated with the caustic soda (or other
agent), subsequently washed while passing between and held or stretched by
the rollers, the stretching taking place at any time during the pliability of the
fibres, provided it is continued until the elasticity or liability to contract or shrink
again has ceased.

page_text: The rolls may be made of metal, boxwood, rubber or other suitable material,
either fluted or plain, each succeeding pair or set travelling quicker than the
preceding ones to give the desired amount of pull or stretch to the fibre.
Each fibre of the mass is thus individually acted upon and stretched, while in
a pliable condition (consequent upon the combination of the caustic soda or other
agent with the cellulose) and has imparted to it a glossy brilliant or silk like
lustre.
The fibres are subsequently dried and are spun into yarn.
Before spinning, the fibres may be dyed, and any two or more shades or colours
of the dyed fibres may be mixed either by re-carding or doubling, or the fibres
may be mixed with silk at any stage in the process preparatory to spinning, to
produce a mixed yarn to be subsequently dyed or a mixed yarn containing glossy
cotton and another fibre or fibres.
I can also produce a soft weft cotton yarn with a silk like lustre, which it has
been found impossible to do hitherto.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
Improvements in the Treatment of Cotton or other Vegetable Fibres.
I, HORACE ARTHUR LOWE, of Heaton Moor, in the County of Lancaster,
Technical 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:―
This invention relates to a process of treating the ultimate fibres or fibrils of
cotton or other fibres of a vegetable origin preparatory to spinning or manufac-
ture, for the purpose of imparting to them à silk-like lustre or brilliance and a
greater affinity for dyes.
It is well known that mercerising has been applied to yarns and manufactured
goods to increase their capacity of absorbing dyes, and by stretching such yarns
or fabrics during the process, that a glossy appearance has been imparted thereto.
Such glossiness however, does not pervade equally all the fibres or fibrils of the
yarn owing to the inability of stretching or treating each separate fibre equally
It is obvious that the ultimate fibres or fibrils do not receive any stretch other
than that due to the clinging of those in their immediate neighbourhood, and
thus transmitting a certain amount of tension imperfectly and unequally by
means of the bind due to the twist of spinning. And thus it comes about that
only certain qualities, having through their length of fibre and degree of twist
a sufficient clinging action can be lustred by a process of mercerisation and
tension in the yarn.
I now find that by treating and stretching the ultimate fibres or fibrils indi-
vidually and directly as distinguished from a bundle or group of fibres twisted or
connected together in the form of yarn, I can impart to each separate and
individual fibre or fibril a silk-like lustre and brilliance.
My invention, therefore, consists essentially in sorting the fibres into parallel
streams in a loose condition by carding or other operation, treating them with a
mercerising agent of, suitable strength and temperature and then stretching each
individual ultimate fibre or fibril whilst in a plastic state, and subsequently
spinning the fibres so treated into yarn.

page_text: In carrying out my invention (as applied to cotton)
take the cotton after the
fibres or fibrils have been arranged or placed parallel, but while yet they can be
separated individually, and saturate them with an alkaline hydrate or other
mercerising agent of suitable strength.
The fibres may be treated in the form of sliver, lap or rove and the agent I
prefer is caustic soda at from 15° to 72° F. accordingly as the temperature ranges
between 0° and 60° F. Caustic potash or other mercerizing or hydrolytic agent
may however be employed..
When the fibres or fibrils have been acted upon until the hydrolytic change is
complete and they have assumed a clear or transparent appearance I remove
excess of the solution in a centrifugal extractor or by pressing rollers or otherwise
and then pass the sliver or rove between rollers placed sufficiently close to grip
both ends of the individual fibrils and stretch them until the elasticity or liability
to contract has ceased or been eliminated. The fibres may be washed
neutralized as they pass through the machine or after leaving it by means of a
spray of water, a bath or other efficient arrangement.
or
As an alternative I may first wash the fibres or fibrils free from the sodic
combination and then pass them through the rollers as above described to give
the desired stretching. I, however, at present prefer the first method described
as giving the best result.
The treatment with the hydrolytic solution may take place in a bath through
which the fibres may be drawn or immersed in any convenient form of roll or by
a spray or by centrifugal impregnation or other convenient method.
The mercerising can take place whilst the sorted streams of cotton fibrils are
held between rollers which counteract the tendencies of the fibrils to shrink or
contract and they may be subsequently stretched in excess or neutralized by
washing or by an acid bath.
The stretching of the fibres is effected by means of a series of rolls made of
metal, boxwood, rubber or other suitable material, either fluted or plain, each
succeeding pair or set travelling quicker than the preceding ones to give the
desired amount of pull or stretch to the fibre.
Each fibre of the mass is thus individually acted upon and stretched, while in
a pliable condition (consequent upon the combination of the caustic soda or other
agent with the cellulose) and has imparted to it a glossy, brilliant or silk like
lustre.
The fibres are subsequently dried and where necessary, are re-carded, combed,
drawn or otherwise treated and then spun into yarn.
Before spinning, the fibres may be dyed, and any two or more shades or colours
of the dyed fibres may be mixed either by re-carding or doubling or the fibres
may be mixed with silk at any stage in the process preparatory to spinning, to
produce a mixed yarn to be subsequently dyed or a mixed yarn containing glossy
cotton and another fibre or fibres.
I can also produce a soft weft cotton yarn with a silk like lustre, which it has
been found impossible to do hitherto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The method of manufacturing yarns from cotton or other vegetable fibres
with a glossy, lustrous, or silky appearance consisting in arranging or placing
the fibres or fibrils parallel in the form of sliver lap or rove, subjecting the fibres
whilst in this parallel form to the action of an hydrolytic agent, stretching the
ultimate fibres or fibrils individually (either before, during or after washing or
neutralization) washing or neutralising the fibres and subsequently spinning
same into yarn substantially as described.
2. In the treatment of cotton or other vegetable fibres the method or process of

page_text: imparting a lustrous and glossy appearance to each ultimate individual fibre or
fibril whilst in a loose or unspun state, substantially as described.
3. The method of stretching fibres or fibrils of cotton or other vegetable.
material in a loose or unspun- condition whilst in a plastic state to produce a
lustrous or silky appearance thereon consisting in passing them through a series
of rollers placed sufficiently near together that each fibre may be gripped at both
ends each succeeding pair of rollers travelling quicker or at a greater surface
speed than the preceding pair.
Dated this 20th day of Mah 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.