Improvements relating to the Treatment of Vegetable Fibre and to Apparatus therefor, whereby a New Material is Produced.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 11th Feb.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Treatment of Vegetable Fibre and to
Apparatus therefor, whereby a New Material is Produced.
We, ADOLPH GLATZ, of No. 23, Johannis-strasse, Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of
Wurtemberg, German Empire, Director, and THE VEREINIGTE FILZFABRIKEN, a
Company incorporated according to the laws of Wurtemberg, domiciled at the same
place, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the production of a fibrous felt or material from
vegetable fibre and to apparatus therefor.
The chief object of the said invention is to unite vegetable textile fibres in
unbroken or untorn state, (that is to say, such fibres of vegetable origin which
have not been reduced in the beating engine to a size necessary for paper making)
by means of resinous soap or similar substance, so as to form a homogeneous,
durable and pliable material.
The invention consists in utilizing vegetable fibres of every kind, such as cotton,
flax, tow, jute, turf and the like, or waste from the same, for producing, after such
fibres have been carded, by means of resin or similar adhesive substance a tough,
pliable, leatherlike material which, speaking generally, combines the qualities of
paper with those of leather.
The process of producing such vegetable fibre felt is carried out chiefly in such
a way, that the vegetable fibres which being used in their whole length and there-
fore insuring a greater tenacity, are first loosened and freed from dust. To this
end the machines employed for similar purposes in spinning may be used. The
loosened, cleaned mass of fibre is then spread out uniformly in layers of definite
length and width, and a wadding-like quality is given to it; it is then saturated
in thin layers of even surface, under the influence of a suitable temperature and a
suitable binding substance, for which resinous soap or adhesive substance or the
like may advantageously be employed; and then, passing the mass between press-
ing rollers, and transferring the same to a drying apparatus from which the finished
vegetable fibre felt is delivered.
While the initial stages of this process are carried out by means of machines
used in spinning, such as willows, teasels and the like, and the final stages by means
of the corresponding machines in paper making, the desired saturation with the
binding material is performed by a peculiar apparatus forming part of this
invention.
This apparatus mainly consists in a pair of endless perforated aprons which
travelling through the heated bath of binding material convey the loose fibrous
mass, having a wadding-like form, through the bath and deliver it in a coherent,
uniform shape to pressing rollers which take hold of the material as it comes from
the bath and press therefrom the superfluous binding liquid preparatory to the
drying, this being completed in or upon a suitable drying apparatus.
The material thus produced, is found to have qualities between those of paper
and textile material; it is distinguished however by greater toughness and flexi-

page_text: bility, is cheaper than any textile fabric and not dearer than paper, and, in
consequence of its valuable qualities, it is of great importance from its use in the
manufacture of linoleum, oil cloth, wall paper and the like, that is to say, linoleum,
oil cloth, wall paper, and the like, may be produced therefrom.
Dated this 21st day of March 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Scuthampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to the Treatment of Vegetable Fibre and to
Apparatus therefor, whereby a New Material is Produced.
We, ADOLPH GLATZ, of No. 23, Johannisstrasse, in Stuttgart, Kingdom of
Wurtemberg, German Empire, Director, and THE VEREINIGTE FILZFABRIKEN, a
Company incorporated according to the laws of Wurtemberg, domiciled at the
same place, 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 the production of a fibrous felt or material from
vegetable fibre and to apparatus therefor.
The chief object of the said invention is to unite vegetable textile fibres in an
unbroken or untorn state, (that is to say, such fibres of vegetable origin which
have not been reduced in the beating engine to a size necessary for paper making)
by means of resinous soap or similar substance, so as to form a homogeneous,
durable and pliable material.
The invention consists in utilizing vegetable fibres of every kind, such as cotton,
flax, tow, jute, turf and the like, or waste from the same, for producing, after such
fibres have been carded, by means of resin or similar adhesive substance a tough,
pliable, leatherlike material which, speaking generally, combines the qualities of
paper with these of leather.
The process
of producing such vegetable fibre felt is carried out chiefly in such
a way that the vegetable fibres which, being used in their whole length and there-
fore insuring a greater tenacity, are first loosened and freed from dust. To this
end the machines employed for similar purposes in spinning may be used. The
loosened, cleaned mass of fibre is then spread out uniformly in layers of definite
length and width, and a wadding like quality is given to it; it is then saturated
in thin layers of even surface, under the influence of a suitable temperature and a
suitable binding substance, for which resinous soap or adhesive substance or the
like may advantageously he employed; and then, passing the mass between press-
ing rollers, and transterring the same to a drying apparatus from which the finished
vegetable fibre felt is delivered.
While the initial stages of this process are carried out by means of machines
used in spinning, such as willows, teasels and the like, and the final stages by means
of the corresponding machines in paper making, the desired saturation with the
binding material is performed by a peculiar apparatus which is shown in the accom-
panying drawing.
The saturating fluid may consist of 9 parts of water and 1 part resinous soap,
glue and glycerine of equal proportions; że one third of resinous soap, one third
of glue, and one third of glycerine.

page_text: The fibrous mass, loosely wound around a roller F, or just passing over it, is
gripped by two endless perforated aprons S, S¹, in the manner shown in the draw-
ing these aprons conduct the said fibrous mass through a bath B which contains
the saturating fluid (resinous soap), riz. a material for causing the adhesion of the
separate fibres. The bath B may be heated, for example, by a steam box 1) and on
the other side of the machine are arranged pressing rollers G which take hold of
the material as it comes from the bath and press the superfluous binding liquid
therefrom preparatory to the drying, (in such a manner that the various layers of
the material, after the treatment with the selution, are by means of the said press-
ing rollers brought into a uniform shape, that is to say the separate fibres lie
close to and upon each other, and that the material obtained is of uniform thickness)
which is continued and completed in or upon a suitable drying apparatus.
The material thus produced, is found to have qualities between those of paper
and textile material; it is distinguished however by greater toughness and flexi-
bility, is cheaper than any textile fabric and not dearer than paper, and, in
consequence of its valuable qualities, it is of great importance from its use in the
manufacture of linoleum, oil cloth, wall paper and the like, that is to say, linoleum,
oil cloth, wall paper and the like, may be produced therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A vegetable fibre felt produced from carded vegetable fibre, united by resin,
essentially as described.
2. A process for producing a tough and pliable felt material from vegetable
fibre distinguished by the fibres, which retain their entire length, being loosened,
divided uniformly into layers, then saturated in thin, even layers with a binding
material such as resinous soap or adhesive substance; heat being applied thereto,
and the material dried in a compact form of uniform thickness, substantially as
described in the foregoing specification.
3. An apparatus for use in carrying out the above described process and adapted
for saturating with a binding material the vegetable fibre which is produced in a
wadding like form the said apparatus being distinguished by a pair of endless
perforated aprons (S, S¹) which travel through the heated bath (B) of binding
material, the said aprons conveying the loose fibrous mass through the bath, and
delivering it in a fixed, compact form of uniform thickness to pressing rollers (G)
in front of the drying apparatus, substantially as described.
Dotad this with day of October 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.