Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture or Production of Paper Pulp and Textile Fibre.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1892-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture or Production of
Paper Pulp and Textile Fibre.
I, CARL GUSTAV HAGEMANN, of No. 13 Moltkestrasse Ludwigshafen on the
Rhine, Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
To obtain vegetable fibre in a condition sufficiently pure to be employed for the
manufacture of paper pulp or for textile purposes it has heretofore been usual to
first subject the vegetable fibrous substances employed to the action of a compara-
tively strong solution of caustic alkali, at a high temperature, it may be that
corresponding to the boiling point of the solution. By this treatment however,
the fibre is very much weakened and becomes more or less brown, thereby increasing
the difficulty of the subsequent bleaching process.
Numerous and tedious experiments with the object of effecting the treatment of
the fibrous materials with a solution of caustic alkali in such a manner as to obtain
with certainty a fibre that should also be suitable for textile purposes, first led to
the knowledge of the fact that, by using a dilute solution of caustic soda át a
temperature so low as not to weaken the fibre, the fibre from the plants heretofore
utilized for the manufacture of cellular substance cannot be obtained of the purity
necessary for its technical utilization. Continued experiments with various fibrous
materials have however shewn that there exists a woody fibrous plant which is
affected by a relatively weak solution of caustic alkali (for instance by a solution
of soda of 4-6° Beaumé) at ordinary temperature, in such a manner and without
the fibre being in any way attacked, that the incrustations and other parts can be
readily separated from the fibre, and the latter can be obtained in an uninjured,
durable, and pure condition extremely suitable for textile purposes. This fibrous
plant which differs in the most unexpected manner from other plants, is the rush,
reed or cane Arundo Donax.
Now this invention has reference to a process whereby there can be obtained a
pure, durable vegetable fibre, suitable for the manufacture of paper, by the action
of a solution of caustic alkali on Arundo Donax at the ordinary temperature.
The Arundo Donux, (hereinafter called the rush) is, for the purpose of facili-
tating the penetration by the solution, suitably comminuted, and then immersed in
a solution of caustic alkali which may advantageously be a solution of caustic soda
of 4-6° Beaumé. After the rush has lain for about 4 to 6 days in the solution at
ordinary temperature (immersion in the solution for a longer period does not injure
the material), the incrustations are for the greater part dissolved, whilst the incrus-
tations that are insoluble in the solution are greatly softened and have become so
much swollen that they can be easily separated mechanically from the long and
very strong fibre. The fibrous mass thus treated by means of the alkaline solution
is, after it has been washed, passed through crushing rolls, or crushed under edge
runners, or stampers.
The crushed fibrous mass is then ground in a rag engine with the requisite
quantity of water, but without the addition of chemicals, and at the ordinary
temperature. The spongy incrustations that have not been dissolved, flow almost
entirely away through the washing drum of the rag engine. The material thus
obtained is then bleached and washed in the rag engine in the known manner,
thereby effecting such a complete cleansing that the pure cellular substance
obtained can be converted by the drying machine directly into the ordinary article
of commerce.
To produce fibre for textile purposes, the rush is split into long strips, which

page_text: can be advantageously effected by light rolling. These strips are then lixiviated
with a solution of caustic alkali in the same manner as in the treatment for the
production of cellular substance, and are then washed. The material so treated is
then beaten by hand, or by power, with wooden beaters upon wooden supports for
the separation of the single fibres, and is then converted into fibre capable of being
spun, by subjecting it to carding, beating, thrashing, or like operations in a similar
manner to that adopted for the treatment of hemp.
If however it be desired to obtain a very soft fibre, it is preferred to allow the
fibrous material which has been taken out of the solution of caustic alkali and has
been beaten, to rot in water, exactly in the same manner as carried out in the case
of hemp, flax, and other like fibrous plants.
The duration of the rotting process is determined by exactly the same conditions
as in the cases mentioned. The fibres after having been taken out of the rotting
bath are then converted into an article of commerce as above described, by.
subjecting it to carding, beating, thrashing or like operations. The waste from the
rush which is not suitable for manufacture iuto textile fibres, may advantageously
be treated for the production of cellular material as above described.
The fibrous substances produced as hereinbefore described from the Arundo
Donac, constitute a novel and valuable material for the textile and paper-making
industries, having special features most closely resembling those of the flax fibre.
Under the microscope a single uninjured fibre appears as a cylindrical hollow body
tapering at both ends with a smooth surface, and distinguishable from the flax fibro
only by its somewhat greater thickness.
Dated this 27th day of October 1891.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per James G. Stokes,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture or Production of
Paper Pulp and Textile Fibre.
I, CARL GUSTAV HAGEMANN, of No. 13, Moltkestrasse Ludwigshafen on the
Rhine, Germany, Engineer, 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: -
To obtain vegetable fibre in a condition sufficiently pure to be employed for the
manufacture of paper pulp or for textile purposes it has heretofore been usual to
first subject the vegetable fibrous substances employed to the action of a compara-
tively strong solution of caustic alkali, at a high temperature, it may be that
corresponding to the boiling point of the solution. By this treatment however, the
fibre is very much weakened and becomes more or less brown, thereby increasing
the difficulty of the subsequent bleaching process.
Numerous and tedious experiments with the object of effecting the treatment of
the fibrous substances with a solution of caustic alkali in such a manner as to
obtain with certainty a fibre that should also be suitable for textile purposes,
first led to the knowledge of the fact that, by using a dilute solution of caustic
soda at a temperature so low as not to weaken the fibre, the fibre from the plants
heretofore utilized for the manufacture of cellular substance (paper pulp) cannot
be obtained of the purity necessary for its technical utilization. Continued
experiments with various fibrous materials have however shewn that there exista
a woody fibrous plant which is affected by a relatively weak solution of caustic
alkali (for instance by a solution, of soda of 4-6° Beaumé) at ordinary temperature,
in such a manner and without the fibre being in any way attacked, that the
incrustations, and other parts can be readily separated from the fibre, and the

page_text: latter can be obtained in an uninjured, durable, and pure condition extremely
suitable for textile purposes. This fibrous plant which differs in the most unex-
pected manner from other plants, is the rush, reed or cane rundo Donas.
Now this invention has reference to a process whereby there can be obtained a
pure, durable vegetable fibre, suitable for the manufacture of paper, by the action
of a solution of caustic alkali on Arundo Donar at the ordinary temperature.
The Arundo Donax, (hereinafter called the rush) is, for the purpose of facilitating
the penetration by the solution, suitably comminuted, and then immersed in a
solution of caustic alkali which may advantageously be a solution of caustic soda
of 4-6° Beaumé. After the rush has lain for about 4 to 6 days in the solution at
ordinary temperature (immersion in the solution for a longer period does not injure
the material), the incrustations are for the greater part dissolved, whilst the
incrustations that are insoluble in the solution are greatly softened and have become
so much swollen that they can be easily separated mechanically from the long and
very strong fibre. The fibrous mass thus treated by means of the alkaline solution
is, after it has been washed, passed through crushing rolls, or crushed under edge
runners, or stampers.
The crushed fibrous mass is then ground in a rag engine with the requisite
quantity of water, but without the addition of chemicals, without necessarily
increasing the temperature. The spongy incrustations that have not been dissolved,
flow almost entirely away through the washing drum of the rag engine. The
material thus obtained is then bleached and washed in the rag engine in the known
manner, thereby effecting such a complete cleansing that the pure cellular substance
obtained can be converted by the drying machine directly into the ordinary article
of commerce.
To produce fibre for textile purposes, the rush is split into long strips, which can
be advantageously effected by light rolling. These strips are then lixiviated with
a solution of caustic alkali in the same manner as in the treatment for the produc-
tion of cellular substance, and are then washed. The material so treated is then
beaten by hand, or by power, with wooden beaters upon wooden supports for the
separation of the single fibres, and is then converted into fibre capable of being
spun, by subjecting it to carding, beating, thrashing, or like operations in a similar
manner to that adopted for the treatment of hemp.
If however it be desired to obtain a very soft fibre, it is preferred to allow the
fibrous material which has been taken out of the solution of caustic alkali and has
been beaten, to rot in water, exactly in the same manner as carried out in the case
of hemp, flax, and other like fibrous plants.
The duration of the rotting process is determined by exactly the same conditions
as in the cases mentioned. The fibres after having been taken out of the rotting
bath are then converted into an article of commerce as above described, by
subjecting it to carding, beating, thrashing or like operations. The waste from the
rush which is not suitable for manufacture into textile fibres, may advantageously
be treated for the production of cellular material as above described.
The fibrous substances produced by treating Arundo Donax with a solution of
caustic alkali, constitute a novel and valuable material for the textile and paper-
making industries, having special features most closely resembling those of the flax
Under the microscope a single uninjured fibre appears as acylindrical
hollow body tapering at both ends with a smooth surface, and distinguishable
from the flax fibre only by its somewhat greater thickness.
fibre.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of a new kind of cellular substance (paper pulp) or textile
fibre by subjecting rush (Arundo Donar) to the action of a dilute solution of caustic
alkali at ordinary temperature.
2. The hereinabove described new product, cellular substance (paper pulp) or

page_text: textile fibre obtainable by treating rush (Arundo Donar) with a solution of caustic
alkali as set forth.
Dated this 95th day of T.... 1000
C. G. HAGEMANN,
By L. W., per F. B.