An improved Process of Preparing or Treating Vegetable Fibrous Material for Obtaining Fibre therefrom.
Year: 1888

page_text: An improved Process of Preparing or Treating Vegetable Fibrous
Material for Obtaining Fibre therefrom.
I, JAMES MACTEAR, of Victoria Mansions, in the City of Westminster, Chemical
Expert, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention to be as follows :-
--
This Invention relates to an improved process of preparing or treating vegetable
fibrous material, the especial object of the invention being to effect the loosening or
separation of the glutinous gummy or other foreign matter associated with the fibre in
the plant, so as to facilitate the final separation thereof and the obtaining of the clean
fibre by the usual mechanical means.
The Invention consists essentially in submitting the fibrous material to the action of
Ammonia in the presence of caustic soda or potash or of carbonate of soda or potash,
this action being, in some cases, coupled with the application and use of an electric
current sufficient to decompose water, in which cases the gases evolved by the electric
current act on the said foreign matter in such a way as to loosen and destroy it and
render the action of the Ammonia and alkali more rapid and effectual.
In one modification of the process an open tank made of any suitable material is
used, and on the bottom thereof is placed a metallic grating which can be connected
to one pole of a battery or other source of electric supply when it is required to pass
an electric current through the contents of the vessel. The fibrous material to be
treated is placed upon this grating in loose bundles or may be enclosed in cases or
crates of wire netting, and upon the top of the whole there is placed another metallic
grating which is connected with the other pole of the battery or source of electric
supply. The tank is supplied with an alkali solution say for example a solution con-
taining from about 2 to about 5 per cent of caustic soda or of such a strength as will
not act injuriously upon the particular fibre being treated. The solution is preferably
kept hot and in circulation and this may be done by any convenient means such for
instance as a circulating pipe into and through which a jet of steam is directed.
When the fibrous material is well soaked and softened a quantity of a salt of ammonia
such as a sulphate, chloride or carbonate is added to the solution in the tank and the

page_text: heating and circulation of the solution is continued so that the ammonia may act
sufficiently upon the gummy and resinous matter. The electric current may at the
same time be passed through the solution so that the action of the 'gases evolved may
be simultaneous with the evolution and action of the ammonia.
In some cases organic substances which under the influence of either an alkali or the
electric current will yield ammonia may be used instead of a salt of ammonia.
The operation may be carried out in open or closed vessels and the arrangement of
the apparatus used may be variously modified.
When it is desired to recover the ammonia a covered tank with suitable condensing
apparatus may be used.
By such improved means the desired loosening or separation of the glutinous and
other foreign matters is obtained.
The duration of the process varies with the class. of fibre operated upon but when
complete the treated fibre is to be washed, dried and submitted to the usual mechanical
treatments for finally separating such. foreign matters and obtaining the clean fibro
therefrom.
L 1 17
1000
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process of Preparing or Treating Vegetable Fibrous
Material for Obtaining Fibre therefrom.
I, JAMES MACTEAR, of Victoria Mansions, in the City of Westminster, Chemical
Expert, do hereby declare the nature of the said 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 an improved process of preparing or treating the fibre
yielding parts of flax, hemp, jute, rami, rhea, china grass and other fibre yielding
"the . fibrous
plants and vegetable fibrous material (hereinafter referred to as
material") for dissolving or discharging the resinous, gummy and analogous foreign
matter associated with the fibre in the plant and obtaining the clean fibre.
The Invention consists essentially in submitting the fibrous material to the action
of ammonia in the presence of sodium or potassium hydroxide, (caustic soda or potash),
carbonate or borate, or in the presence of any combination of any two or more of
such substances, in solution, the fibre being subsequently washed in water. The
an electric
action, may, when of advantage, be aided by subjecting the solution to
The term "alkaline solution" hereinafter used is intended to comprehend a solution
of any of the aforesaid hydroxides, carbonates or borates or of any combination of any
two or more thereof.
current.
The improved process can be carried out in any suitable apparatus. According to
one modification, an open tank made of any suitable material may be used, and on
the bottom thereof may be placed a metallic grating which may be connected to one
pole of any suitable source of electric supply: The fibrous material to be treated
(after being, if required, previously subjected to any suitable mechanical treatment
for separating it from the woody core or other parts associated with it in the plant and
not required to be treated for the aforesaid purpose) may be placed upon this grating
in loose bundles or may be enclosed in cases or crates of wire netting and the
upon
top of the whole there may be placed another metallic grating which may be con-
nected to the other pole of the source of electric supply.
In carrying the Invention into effect, the fibrous material to be treated is placed in
the tank which is supplied with an alkaline solution of such a strength as will not
act injuriously upon the particular fibre being treated. The fibrous material is left
in such solution until sufficiently well soaked and softened, the solution during such
time being preferably kept hot and in circulation by means of a perforated pipe
through which steam is directed thereinto or in any other suitable manner.
When the fibrous material has been sufficiently treated by such means, a suitable
quantity of sulphate, chloride, carbonate or other salt of ammonia is added to the
solution, the heating and circulation of which are continued until the ammonia
has dissolved or discharged the resinous, gummy and analogous foreign matter from
the fibre which is subsequently washed with water and dried and is then fit for use.

page_text: During the treatment of the fibrous material subsequent to the addition to the alkaline
solution of the ammonium salt the solution may be subjected to an electric current in
which event the action of the gases evolved will be simultaneous with the evolution
and action of the ammonia and the operation will be expedited.
The fibrous material may be treated wholly in the alkaline and ammoniacal solution
without being previously treated in the alkaline solution, but the process of treatment
hereinbefore described is preferred.
In some cases urine or other organic substance which under the influence of either
an alkali or alkaline carbonate or borate or any combination thereof or of an electric
current, will yield ammonia may be used instead of a salt of ammonia. Or ammoniacal
liquor, or ammonia in its uncombined state or in solution may be passed into the
alkaline solution.
The alkaline and the alkaline and ammoniacal solution may be used cold instead of
being used hot, but not so advantageously.
When it is desired to recover the ammonia, the aforesaid treatment of the fibrous
inaterial may be carried out in a covered tank adapted with suitable condensing
apparatus.
The duration of the treatment will obviously vary with the class of fibre operated
upon and with the strength and temperature of the solution used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The process of treating the fibre yielding parts of fibre yielding plants and
vegetable fibrous material for dissolving or discharging the resinous, gummy and
analogous foreign matter associated with the fibre in the plant and obtaining the clean
fibre consisting in submitting the fibrous material to the action of ammonia in the
presence of sodium or potassium hydroxide, carbonate or borate, or in the presence of
any combination of any two or more of such substances, in solution, and in subsequently
washing the fibre, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The process of treating the fibre yielding parts of fibre yielding plants and
vegetables fibrous material for dissolving or discharging the resinous, gummy and
analogous foreign matter associated with the fibre in the plant and obtaining the clean
fibre; consisting in submitting the fibrous material to the action of ammonia in the
presence of sodium or potassium hydroxide, carbonate or borate, or in the presence of
any combination of any two or more of such substances, in-solution, the solution
during the treatment of the fibrous material being subjected to an electric current, and
in subsequently washing the fibre, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 4th day of December 1888.
DAY; DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Date of Application, - 3rd Sept., 1888
Specification Accepted, 15th Jan., 1889
.L
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Calcining Pyrites and other Gold Bearing
Ores.
I, DAVID HUTTON, of Alfred Chambers, Currie Street, Adelaide, in 'the Province
of South Australia, Machinist, 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:-
The object of my Invention is to provide a method for the more perfect dis-
integration of the matrices containing Gold by a process of carbonization and
oxidization of the foreign matters enveloping the gold pellicles such as Iron, Arsenic,
etc. By my method nearly all the gold any ore may contain can be saved in the
form of free gold through being brought in contact with quicksilver in the ordinary
way.
In calcining pyrites by the methods usually adopted, the ore has first to be
reduced to a fine powder; and this, from its refractory nature, involves much labor
and expense.
In my invention, the pyrites are treated as received from the dressing
floors, and after calcination, are reduced to powder by crushing rolls for treatment
by any suitable gold saving method or apparatus.
My improved process of calcination consists in the injection of steam or of water,
and in some cases of a strong solution of Chloride of Sodium for the generation of
steam, into the kiln or furnace. By this means, a more complete carbonization and
oxidization of the pyrites is effected, and the ore is removed from the kiln or furnace
in masses which are friable and can be easily reduced to any required degree of
fineness; so that the gold, however finely divided, need not be lost.
My invention consists primarily in the injection of steam or aqueous vapours at
a sufficient pressure; but where such, from any cause, are not available, water, or
with some
ores a strong solution of Chloride of Sodium, may be injected.-Care
must then be taken that the fluid is only supplied in such quantities as will be
readily converted into steam or vapor or the full benefits of my process will not be
obtained. Steam or aqueous vapours may be injected into the kilns or furnaces by
any suitable methods; but an appliance for the purpose is shewn in the accom-
panying drawings, in which Fig. I₁ is an elevation of a square kiln; Fig. II, is a

page_text: "
plan of the floor of the same. A₁ Fig. I. is an ordinary kiln twelve feet square.
B₁ air-tight cover or lid. C₁ outlet door. D₁ safety valve in cover B₁. E, steam
supply pipe. F₁ Fig. II. brick gutter or perforated pipes on floor of kiln.
G, diagonal perforated pipes radiating from a central four-way joint and with F₁
connected with the main supply pipe E₁.
The kiln or furnace A, is charged in the usual way with ore or pyrites intermixed
with suitable fuel in such proportions as the class of ore to be treated may require.
The kiln is then fired and the contents heated to redness or such other degree as
may be necessary. Upon the required heat being attained, the cover of the kiln
is closed down so as to exclude the outer air and steam or aqueous vapours injected
from the supply pipe E, through the gutter F₁ and the diagonal pipes G₁. The
injection is continued until the steam ceases to be decomposed during its passage
through the charge of the kiln and is thrown off in moderate volumes through the
safety valve. On this being perceived the supply of steam or fluid is stopped. The
kiln is kept closed until the charge has sweated down and cooled. The latter is then
removed, and after, being exposed to the atmosphere for such period as may be
required, is ready for crushing and after treatment.
It will be found that during the process of calcination the ores have become
thoroughly carbonised and oxidised, and that in consequence they are so friable as to
be reduced to the finest powder with little labor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
First The method of obtaining the more perfect carbonization and oxidisation
of pyrites and other ores, such process consisting of the injection of steam or aqueous
vapours under pressure, or of fluid for the formation of such vapors, during the
period of calcination, and, after rendering the kiln or furnace airtight, of allowing
the charge to sweat down or cool, afterwards exposing it to the action of the
atmosphere, substantially as herein described.
Secondly In the process of calcinating pyrites and other ores, the injection from
underneath of steam or aqueous vapors during the period of calcination, substantially
as herein described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1888.
DAVID HUTTON.
G. G. M. Hardingham,
191, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.