IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Routledge, of Ford Works, near
Sunderland, Paper Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
PAPER."
Sealed the 14th December 1869, and dated the 16th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Routledge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th June 1869.
I, THOMAS ROUTLEDGE, of Ford Works, near Sunderland, Paper
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
PAPER," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is the manufacture or production of
half stuff or paper stock from esparto grass or other fibrous substances,
or from rags so deprived or partially deprived of its moisture that it can
be delivered to the paper manufacturer in a condition fit for use with the
minimum cost of carriage thereon. All raw or unprepared fibrous
substances when treated by the paper manufacturer for paper stock are

page_text: first submitted to a process of boiling in alkaline leys, by which they are
deprived of their extractive and coloring matters, which constitute a
large proportion of their weight, this being replaced by water which the
most powerful pressure exerted fails to extract entirely, so that half stuff
or stock in this stage of preparation generally contains at least fifty
per cent. of water, which it is the object of this Invention to remove in
order to diminish the cost of packages and carriage. Moreover half
stuff or stock if kept for any period of time in the damp or wet state
is liable to be spoilt or damaged by fermentation, mildew, or otherwise,
whereas when dried it not only is reduced in bulk, but a saving of
carriage of at least forty per cent. is effected, and it can be kept for an
indefinite period of time ready for conversion into pulp, which may be
bleached or otherwise, and into paper.
According to this Invention the esparto grass or other fibrous
substances after being boiled or steamed in the ordinary manner is
pressed by hydraulic pressure squeezing rollers, or other contrivances for
expressing moisture, it is then opened or teased out, and subsequently
subjected to a drying process, whereby the remaining moisture is
expelled or partially expelled.
One mode or process for drying which I have found to be effectual is
as follows:-The esparto grass or other fibrous substance is. caused to
pass on to and over a revolving cylinder covered with wire
gauze, cloth,
or other similarly reticulated surface, on which it is held by an endless
apron, tapes, or other suitable contrivance travelling with it. This
cylinder may be disposed in a chamber, and a current of cold dry air, or
air heated in any convenient manner, forced or drawn through the
substance being operated upon, which by the motion of the cylinder is
carried round and delivered at any suitable point in a dry or partially
dry condition; it then may be pressed into bales for transit or
exportation.
By the above means the esparto or other fibrous substances may be
prepared of such variation of quality as to suit the requirements of
different paper makers, and the material in this simply boiled form is
ready for filling into the preparing engines, and being then bleached or
otherwise can be converted into paper or the process of bleaching may
be completed, and the bleached stuff may be pressed to get rid of the
bulk of the water, afterwards disintegrated or comminuted, then dried
on trays, drawers, or portable shelves formed of openwork, or otherwise

page_text: placed one above the other and constructed to move forwards, upwards,
or downwards, arranged in a suitable frame. Hot or cold air may be
forced or drawn through the material to complete the drying, or the
drying may be effected in any other convenient manner. This dried and
bleached half stuff may then be pressed into bales for exportation or
transit, and will be ready for the paper makers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Routledge in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROUTLEDGE, of Ford Works, near Sunderland, Paper Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the 32nd
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Routledge, Her special license that I,
the said Thomas Routledge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Routledge, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should, at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF
MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Routledge, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next. and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Routledge, do hereby declare
MF
soid Invention and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is the manufacture or production of
paper stock or half stuff from esparto grass or other fibrous substances,
or from rags, the said paper stock being so deprived or partially
deprived of moisture that it can be delivered to the paper manufacturer
in a condition fit for use with the minimum cost of carriage thereon.
All raw or unprepared fibrous substances when treated by the manu-
facturer for paper stock are first submitted to a process of boiling in
alkaline leys, by which they are deprived of their extractive and coloring
matters which constitute a large proportion of their weight, this being
replaced by water which the most powerful pressure exerted fails to
extract entirely, so that paper stock or half stuff in this stage of pre-
paration generally contains at least fifty per cent. of water, which it
is the object of my Invention to remove in order to diminish the cost
of packages and carriage. Moreover half stuff or stock if kept for
any period of time in the damp or wet state is liable to be spoilt or
damaged by fermentation, mildew, or otherwise, whereas when dried
it not only is reduced in bulk, but a saving of carriage of at least forty
per cent. is effected, and it can be kept for an indefinite period of time
ready for conversion into pulp, which may be bleached or otherwise,
and into paper.
According to my said Invention the esparto grass or other fibrous
substances after being boiled or steamed in the ordinary manner is
pressed by hydraulic pressure, squeezing rollers, or other suitable con-
trivances for expressing moisture, it is then opened or teased out, and
subsequently subjected to any convenient drying process, whereby
the remaining moisture is expelled, or partially expelled.
One mode or process for drying which I have found to be effectual
is as follows:-The esparto grass or other fibrous substance is caused
to pass on to and over a revolving cylinder covered with wire gauze,
cloth, or other similarly reticulated surface, on which it is held by an
endless apron, tapes, or other suitable contrivance travelling with it.
This cylinder may be disposed in a chamber, and a current of cold
dry air, or air heated in any convenient manner, forced or drawn through
the substance being operated upon, which by the motion of the cylinder
is carried round and delivered at any suitable point in a dry or partially

page_text: dry condition; it then may be pressed into bales for transit or
exportation.
The esparto or other fibrous substances having been prepared of such
variation of quality as to suit the requirements of different
paper makers
and the resulting paper stock dried, is in this simply boiled form ready
for filling into the preparing engines, may then be bleached or otherwise,
and can be converted into paper; or the process of bleaching may be
completed, and the bleached stuff may be pressed in order to get rid of the
bulk of the water, afterwards disintegrated or comminuted, and then dried
on trays, drawers, or portable shelves formed of openwork or otherwise
placed one above the other, and constructed to move forwards, upwards, or
downwards in a suitable frame. Hot or cold air may be forced or drawn
through the material to complete the drying, or the drying may be
completed in any other convenient manner. This dried and bleached half
stuff may then be pressed into bales for exportation or transit, and will
be ready for the paper maker.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the
system or mode of treating esparto grass and other fibrous substances
by boiling, hydraulic pressing to express the bulk of the extraction
and coloring matters and the water so far as is possible, and then by
opening or teasing the same, and subsequently drying them, and then
compressing the paper stock into bales convenient for transport,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Routledge, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of
December One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.