IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE AND OTHER TISSUES OR FIBRES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING OR WATERPROOFING THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, ARTHUR William Lovell REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declaro the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE AND OTHER
TISSUES OR FIBRES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING OR WATERPROOFING THE
SAME, to be as follows :—
The present invention relates to the treatment of vegetable and other tissues and
fibres with the view of preserving them from decay or rendering them impermeable
by moisture.
To this end the tissues to be treated are soaked for about two hours in tepid
water, whereby all soluble foreign matter is removed. The tissues are then
dried in the air, and are next immersed in a bath or solution of water and tannic
acid derived from sumach, gall-nuts, or other substance possessing the saine
physical and chemical properties. The proportion of tannic acid varies between 2
and 4 kilos: acid, to 500 litres water, according to the delicacy of the tissues or
fibres under treatment.
The tissues should remain in the bath about two hours and be stirred or turned
over some four or five times during that time.
In certain cases froin 1 to 2 kilos of oil derived from the distillation of birch
bark may be added to the bath.
The tissues having been removed and dried in any convenient manner will be
found to be quite preserved from decay in water and proof against climatic
influences, while preserving their natural suppleness and flexibility.
To render the tissues waterproof as well as imperishable from water or damp,
they must after undergoing the previous treatment be immersed in a second bath
composed of the following ingredients in about the following proportions :-
Linseed oil, well refined
Birch bark distilled oil
500 litres.
20 to 25 litres.
-
Yellow litharge (litharge jaune)
White Lead
Talc
-
1 to 2 kilos
-
1 to 2 kilos
-
1 to 2 kilos

page_text: Having allowed the bath to cool down to a temperature of about 200°; from 10
to 20 kilos. of cerosine, or animal or mineral wax, are mixed with it, and the
tissues are immersed therein until they are saturated with the liquid substance of
the bath.
Tissues thus treated are made proof against decay and though they cannot
retain their natural suppleness possess a character quite different from the brittle
stiffness of ordinary tarpaulins, cart tilts and similar goods, while by the successive
immersions above described they have acquired so much cohesion as to be absolutely
untearable.
By these means tissues may not only be preserved from the destructive action of
water and damp, but may be rendered completely waterproof.
A fishing net treated according to this invention acquires unlimited durability
because the result of the process is to protect the tissue from the injurious action
of the oxygen.
. This result is due to the combination of the vegetable matter of the tissue with
appropriate fat and acid bodies in such a manner as to produce a composition
insoluble in water and unattackable by the microscopic animalcules traceable in
decaying substances.

page_text: I ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents, 66 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE AND OTHER
TISSUES OR FIBRES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING OR WATERPROOFING THE
SAME and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The present invention relates to the treatment of vegetable and other tissues
and fibres with the view of preserving them from decay, or rendering them
impermeable by moisture, or it may be both imperishable and impermeable.
To this end the tissues to be treated are soaked for about two hours in topid
water whereby all soluble foreign matter is removed. The tissues are then dried in
the air until all the water is evaporated, and are next immersed in a bath or
solution of water and tannic acid derived from sumach, gall nuts, or other substance
possessing the same physical and chemical properties. The proportion of tannie
acid varies between 2 and 4 kilos: acid to 500 litres water, according to the
delicacy of the tissues or fibres under treatment.
The tissues should remain in the bath about two hours and be stirred or turned
over some four or five times during that time.
- In certain cases it is necessary to add to the bath from 1 to 2 kilos: of oil derived
from the distillation of birch bark, which acts as an antiseptic.
The tissues having been removed and dried in any convenient manner will be
found to be quite preserved from decay in water and proof against climatic
influences while preserving their natural suppleness and flexibility.
To render the tissues waterproof as well as imperishable from water or damp,
they must after undergoing the previous treatment be immersed in a second bath
composed of the following ingredients in about the following proportions :—
Linseed oil, well refined
Birch bark distilled oil
-
Yellow litharge (litharge jaune)
White Lead
Talc
-
500 litres
20 to 25 litres
1 to 2 kilos :
1 to 2 kilos :
In certain cases it is necessary to add from 1 to 4 kilos
which possesses certain valuable antiseptic properties.
1 to 2 kilos :
of sulphate of iron
The whole is then well mixed and boiled until all the ingredients or substances
are completely dissolved.
Having allowed the bath to cool down to a temperature of about 200° from 10
to 20 kilos of cerosine, or animal or mineral wax, are mixed with it, and the tissues
are immersed and allowed to remain therein until they are saturated with the
liquid substance of the bath.
Tissues thus treated are made proof against decay, and though they cannot
retain their natural suppleness possess a character quite different from the brittle
stiffness of ordinary tarpaulins, cart tilts and similar goods while by the successive
immersions above described they have acquired so much cohesion as to be absolutely
antearable.
When the tissue has undergone the treatment which renders it imperishable it
retains entirely its original suppleness, and may, even though not waterproof,
remain with impunity in fresh or salt water, or be exposed to irregular temperatures.
for an indefinite time without decaying or changing its nature.

page_text: A fishing net, for example, treated according to this process acquires unlimited
durability because the effect produced by the process is due not to a purely chemical
operation but to a physisco-physiological action which consists in protecting
the tissue from the injurious action of oxygen; for the process combines the
vegetable matter of the tissue with appropriate or suitable fat and acid bodies in
such a manner as to produce a composition or substance insoluble in water and
other liquids, and unattackable by the microscopic animalcules traceable in all
putrid fermentations, because the process renders the vegetable fibre unsuited for
their nourishment.
By these means tissues may not only be preserved from the destructivo action of
water and damp, but may be rendered completely waterproof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1 Treating vegetable and other tissues or fibres after proper cleansing and
drying with a solution or liquid consisting of tannic acid and water to which birch
bark oil is added in certain cases, the several ingredients being used in or about
the proportions and under the conditions hereinabove indicated, for the purpose of
preserving such vegetable and other tissues from decay as set forth.
2. Preserving vegetable and other tissues or fibres from decay and rendering
them waterproof by first treating them with or immersing them in a solution of
tannic acid and water, with or without the addition of birch bark oil; and
afterwards, when thoroughly dried, saturating them with a liquid or immersing
them in a bath consisting of linseed oil, birch bark oil, yellow litharge, whitelead,
tale and wax, with or without the addition of sulphate of iron, in or about the
proportions and under the conditions, substantially as hereinabove described.
3. The use in the treatment of vegetable and other tissues or fibres, of solutions
consisting respectively of 1. tannic acid and water to which may be added birch
bark oil; and 2. linseed oil, birch bark oil, yellow litharge, white lead, talc and
wax; to which may be added sulphate of iron, the said solutions being prepared in
or about the proportions and under the conditions hereinabove indicated.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1884.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.