Iм- PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF INDIA AND CHINA GRASS, PINE APPLE, HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Joseph Cregeen, of Plough Road, Rotherhithe,
in the County of Surrey, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of" Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF INDIA AND CHINA GRASS, PINE APPLE,
HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 14th December 1858, and dated the 16th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left, by the said James Joseph Cregeen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th June 1858.
I, JAMES JOSEPH CREGEEN, of Plough Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of
Surrey, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF INDIA AND CHINA GRASS, PINE APPLE,
HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of treating vegetable
fibres, such as India and China grass, pine apple, plantain, wild hea, Nilgerry
nettle,jute,jute, hemp, and flax, and other fibrous plants, whether in their green
state as taken from the field, or after having been retted, whereby a silky and
woolley material of a superior texture is obtained suitable for spinning. I
propose to treat all resin-bound fibres, but especially pine apple and plantain,
Price Sill

page_text: India and China grass, which cannot in this country be treated green from the
soil, by steeping them in warm water, and afterwards washing and wringing
them, by pressing them between a barrel or drum having an undulating
surface, and other smaller drums placed round the first or between two rollers
having undulated surfaces. The main or central drum is heated in the
wringing machines either by passing the waste steam of the engine therein, or
by means of gas burners placed inside it, or by any other convenient con-
trivance, so as to wring the goods, whether in the form of fibres, yarns, or
fabrics, nearly dry. The fibres are then submitted to the action of a bruiser
or crushing machine, which consists of a large perforated drum having a
slightly undulated surface, and fitted with a number of ribs, shaped after the
form of double or molar teeth, which ribs, in conjunction with other ribs shaped
like molar and canine teeth, and arranged alternately on the surfaces of a
number of other smaller and different sized drums or rollers surrounding the
large one, serve to draw in and to crush the fibres. When these are prepared
in a dry state, a fan inside the main drum serves to blow off the dust and resin.
By making the surface of the main drum undulating, a beating action on
the part of the smaller drums is obtained. This machinery can be driven
either by hand, or by the aid of wind, water, or horse power, separately, or in
combination, but I prefer to connect this main drum with one of Hall's patent
oscillating cylinder engines.
The smaller drums or rollers surrounding the central main drum are fitted
in sliding brasses for the purpose of readily disconnecting them from the teeth
of the large drum, in which case the latter will act as a fly wheel to the
engine, when not otherwise required for crushing purposes. And for the
purpose of preventing friction, I cause cach of the brasses to slide between
antifriction rollers.
The fibres after having been cleaned and opened by suitable scutching and
hackling machinery, are carried to steeping vats for the finishing process
previous to being spun, if not required to be dyed. In these vats the fibres
are steeped in oil of any kind, whether animal or vegetable, mixed with water
and ammonia, or its carbonate, sufficient to render the mixture saponaceous;
this mixture may be used either hot or cold, according to the nature of the
fibres and quality to be produced. The fibres are suspended in the vats by
galvanized iron holders, and the hot water is poured over them into the vat
through a perforated lid or cover.
Steam pipes are used for keeping the mixture up to the proper temperature,
that is, about 80 or 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If strength and greater length
be preferred to fine quality of fibre, I prefer immersing the same for about

page_text: twelve hours in the saponaceous mixture herein-before referred to, boiling
water being added and the whole then left to cooldown under a closed cover.
The fibres are now removed to a washing machine, which consists of a
number of small fluted revolving rollers arranged round a central fluted and
perforated drum; the lower rollers are partially immersed in a water tank, and
a jet of either hot or cold water is directed inside the perforated drum through
its axle, a continuous stream of water being thus allowed to play upon the
fibres. The upper rollers squeeze out the dirty or resinous matter and the
attendant after well washing the material in this manner, lifts it from thewater
tank, and passes it through the upper set of rollers only, whence it is removed
partially wrung to the dry wringing machine, similar to that herein-before
referred to, which completes the process. These washing and wringing
machines will also be found applicable to the washing and wringing of yarns
and piece goods.
The same mode of treatment is equally applicable to green hemp and flax,
straw, and similar wood and resin bound fibres, but in this case I first clean
out all the woody and resinous matter before washing and wringing, and
discharge, by means of hot water, all the dirt and resin. By this treatment
the fibre is not only preserved in its full length and strength, yielding less tow
than retted flax, and one third more of long fibre which is of a glossy silky
texture..
For common purposes and coarse yarns 30 to 60 Lea; for flax spinning, I
find the machinery and water bleach the most economical and productive,
as to weight, from a given quantity. I also find that for fine purposes, say,
70 to 200 Lea, the oil, ammonia, and water will render all kinds of vegetable
fibre fine at pleasure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Joseph Cregeen in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JOSEPH CREGEEN, of Plough Road, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey
Doctor of Medicine, 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 fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said James Joseph Cregeen, Her special license that I, the said James Joseph
Cregeen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Joseph Cregeen, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CHINA GRASS, PINE APPLE, HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER
SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Joseph
Cregeen, 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 James Joseph Cregeen, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of treating vegea.
table fibres, such as India and China grass, pine apple, plantain, wild rhea,
Nilgerry nettle, jute, hemp, and flax, and other fibrous plants, whether in
their green state as taken from the field or after having been retted, whereby
a silky and woolley material of a superior texture is obtained suitable for
spinning. I propose to treat all resin-bound fibres, but especially pine apple
and plantain, India and China grass, which cannot in this country be treated
green from the soil, by steeping them in warm water, and afterwards washing
and wringing them by pressing them between a barrel or drum having an
undulating surface,and other smaller drums placed round the first or between
two rollers having undulated surfaces. The main or central drum is heated
in the wringing machines either by passing the waste steam of the engine
therein, or by means of gas burners placed inside it, or by any other convenient
contrivance, so as to wring the goods, whether in the form of fibres, yarns, or
fabrics, nearly dry. The fibres are then submitted to the action of a bruiser
or crushing machine, which consists of a large perforated drum having a
slightly undulated surface, and fitted with a number of ribs shaped after the
form of double or molar teeth, which ribs, in conjunction with other ribs
shaped like molar and canine teeth, and arranged alternately on the surfaces

page_text: of a number of other smaller and different sized drums or rollers sur.
rounding the large one, serve to draw in and to crush the fibres. When these
are prepared in a dry state, a fan inside the main drum serves to blow off the
dust and resin. By making the surface of the main drum undulating, a
beating action on the part of the smaller drums is obtained. This machinery
can be driven either by hand or by the aid of wind, water, or horse power
separately or in combination, but I prefer to connect this main drum with
one of Hall's patent oscillating cylinder engines. The smaller drums or rollers
surrounding the central main drum are fitted in sliding brasses for the pur-
pose of readily disconnecting them from the teeth of the large drum, in which
case the latter will act as a fly wheel to the engine, when not otherwise re-
quired for crushing purposes; and for the purpose of preventing friction I
cause each of the brasses to slide between antifriction rollers. The fibres
after having been cleaned and opened by suitable scutching and hackling
machinery, are carried to steeping vats for the finishing process previous to
being spun, if not required to be dyed. In these vats the fibres are steeped
in oil of any kind, whether animal or vegetable, mixed with water and
ammonia, or its carbonate, sufficient to render the mixture saponaceous. This
mixture. may be used either hot or cold according to the nature of the fibres
and quality to be produced. The fibres are suspended in the vats by gal-
vanized iron holders, and the hot water is poured over them into the vat through
a perforated lid or cover. Steam pipes are used for keeping the mixture up
to the proper temperature, that is, about eighty or ninety degrees Fahrenheit.
If strength and greater length be preferred to fine quality of fibre, I prefer
immersing the same for about twelve hours in the saponaceous mixture
herein-before referred to, boiling water being added, and the whole then left
to cool down under a closed cover. The fibres are now removed to a washing
machine, which consists of a number of small fluted revolving rollers arranged
round a central fluted and perforated drum; the lower rollers are partially
immersed in a water tank, and a jet of either hot or cold water is directed
inside the perforated drum through its axle, a continuous stream of water being
thus allowed to play upon the fibres.
The upper rollers squeeze out the dirty or resinous matter, and the atten-
dant after well washing the material in this manner, lifts it from the water
tank and passes it through the upper set of rollers only, whence it is removed
partially wrung to the dry wringing machine similar tothat herein-before referred
to which completes the process. These washing and wringing machines will
also be found applicable to the washing and wringing of yarns and piece
goods. The same mode of treatment is equally applicable to green hemp and

page_text: flax, straw, and similar wood, and resin-bound fibres, but in this case I first
clean out all the woody and resinous matter before washing and wringing, and
discharge by means of hot water all the dirt and resin. By this treatment,
the fibre is not only preserved in its full length and strength, yielding less tow
than retted flax, and one-third more of long fibre, which is of a glossy silky
texture. For common purposes and coarse yarns, thirty to sixty Lea. For
flax spinners, I find the machinery and water bleach the most economical
and productive, as to weight, from a given quantity; I also find that for fine
purposes say, seventy to two hundred Lea, the oil, ammonia, and water will
render all kinds of vegetable fibre fine at pleasure.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that pur-
pose I shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts through-
out all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of my drawings represents a vertical transverse section
of the washing machine, which I employ for removing dirt and extraneous
matter from those fibrous plants which cannot in this country be obtained
green or fresh from the soil; Figure 2 is a corresponding front elevation of
the same;
and Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine corresponding to
Figure 1.
In treating the stalks or stems of all resin-bound fibrous plants, but more
particularly those of pine apple, and India and China grass, (which are bound
together by green, resinous, or pulpy matter, and not by wood and resin like
our hemp and flax), I find that as such fibres cannot be obtained in this
country in a green or fresh state, it is requisite that they should be steeped in
warm water at a temperature of from eighty to ninety degrees Fahrenheit,
until the gummy or resinous matters are thoroughly softened. They are then
laid upon the feeding board A of the washing machine, whence they are
carried through the machine between the fluted or ribbed surface of the
central drum or cylinder B, and the several smaller fluted or ribbed rollers
C, C, which are arranged round the main central drum. A number of jets of
hot or cold water, as found most desirable, are directed from the perforated
surface of the hollow shaft D on to the interior surface of the drum B,
which drum is also perforated over its entire surface, so as to enable the
internal jets of water to act upon the fibres, and remove the gummy and
resinous matter therefrom, with all other impurities which fall into the water
tank E, in which the lower rollers are half immersed. After the fibres have
been well cleansed by this machine, the water is partially wrung out of them

page_text: by passing them under the upper rollers, the water jets being previously shut
off. Fis the pipe which supplies the water to the perforated shaft D); it is
furnished with a stop-cock, and is connected to the shaft D by a water-tight
trunnion joint H. The bearings orbrasses I of the rollers C, C, are all free
to slide in radiating slots cast in the side standards K, K. in order that they
may be capable of yielding more or less according to the thickness of material
which is passing beneath them. A screw spindle L works into each of the
roller bearings, and slides freely through a guide plate M bolted to the
periphery of the standard, a collar or shoulder being formed on the spindle
immediately above the guide plate. On the extreme outer end of each of
these spindles is a grooved pulley N, over the whole of which is passed a wire
rope or other flexible cord or band O, which, being secured at one end P to
the standard, and having a weight Q attached to the other end, imparts a
yielding pressure to the rollers, and serves to keep them in close contact with
the periphery of the main central drum. As it is necessary occasionally to
remove the three lower rollers out of contact with the drum, I employ a
separate cord O' and weight Q'for these rollers. The distance of the several
rollers C from the surface of the central drum is regulated according to the
pressure to be applied to the fibres, and to the quantity or bulk of fibres
passing through the machine by turning the screw spindles L, L, whereby the
bearings of the rollers are caused to slide in their guiding slots to or from the
central drum, as may be found requisite. Before turning a screw spindle, the
cord must obviously be slipped off the pulley on the end of the spindle, and
in order to maintain the cord in a circular direction round the standards, I
employ fixed guiding pullies R, R, carried on studs, which are secured to the
circumference of the standards between each of the screw spindles L.
A strap
or guard is passed over each of these guide pullies for the purpose of
preventing the slipping off of the cord during its temporary removal from the
pullies on the screw spindles when the spindles require adjustment. When
treating fibrous plants which may be obtained fresh and green from the soil,
as, for example, flax and hemp, the same washing process is adopted, but the
previous steepingin warm water may be dispensed with. Figure 4 represents
a vertical transverse section of the dry wringing machine, through which the
washed and partially wrung fibres are passed after being taken from the
washing machine previously described.
Figure 5 is a corresponding front elevation of the wringing machine; one
of the essential features of this machine is the central drum A, the surface of
which, in place of being cylindrical, is made slightly corrugated or undulated
in the direction of its axis. This drum may be heated by the exhaust steam

page_text: of the engine used in the manufactory, or by a number of small gas burners
placed inside it. In the accompanying Drawing this drum is represented as
being heated by steam, and is therefore fitted with a steam-tight lid or cover a
at each end. The central shaft B is made hollow, and its surface inside the
drum is perforated to allow the steam to escape therein, suitable outlets being
fitted on to the ends of the drum to allow of the condensed steam being run
off when requisite. The drum is keyed on to the shaft, and the latter, which
works in suitable bearings on the end standards C, C, of the machine, is con-
nected by a steam-tight trunnion joint D to the supply pipe E, which latter is
fitted with a convenient stop-cock F. The opposite end of the shaft B to that
at which the steam enters is made solid, or may be plugged up, and a pair of fast
and loose driving pullies G, G, are keyed thereon for the purpose of rotating
the drum; H, H, are three small pressing rollers, the journals of which work
insliding brasses similarly arranged in every respect to those of the washing
machine herein-before described; a weight I and cord K passed over the
pullies of the screw spindles L, serving to keep the rollers pressed upon the
undulated surface of the heated drum. The fibres to be operated upon are
laid upon the feeding table M, and are then pushed forward by hand into the
machine until their ends are caught between the central drum and the first of
the small rollers, when they are immediately carried through the machine,
being subjected to the action of heat and pressure simultaneously. By making
the surface of the central drum undulated, as shewn in the Drawings, a
beating action upon the fibres is also obtained, as the rotation of a drum of
this form will impart a constant rising and falling motion to the surrounding
rollers, which will hammer or beat the fibres beneath them, and thereby
greatly expedite the extraction of the watery particles therefrom.
Another advantage derivable from the use of undulated surface drums in
wringing machines is, that a larger contact surface is obtained at those periods
when the small rollers lie in the hollows of the corrugations or undulations, as
shewn by the position of the two extreme rollers in Figure 4. The fibres
should be passed through and through this machine until they are perfectly
dry, after which they are removed to the crushing or bruising machine,herein-
after described.
A modified form ofapplication of undulated or corrugated drums to wringing
purposes is shewn in vertical transverse section at Figure 6. In this modi-
fication I dispense with the three small rollers above the drum, and substitute
therefor the single drum H, the surface of which is undulated or corrugated
longitudinally to correspond to the lower drum A; either one or both of these
drums may be heated, but in the Drawing I have represented the lower drum

page_text: only as being heated. The bearings of the upper drum H are free to slide in
slots in the end standards C, and it may be pressed on to the lower drum by
the ordinary arrangement of weighted levers adopted in callendering machines
or by any other convenient mode of applying a yielding pressure thereto.
Figure 1 on Sheet 2 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of my
improved bruising machine; Figure 2 is a corresponding front elevation and
partial section of the same; and Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of
the machine taken along the line 1, 2, in Figure 2; the rest of the Figures
are details which I shall hercin-after more fully describe and refer to.
This machine is driven by one of Hall's patent oscillating cylinder engines,
and is capable of being used either as a bruising or crushing machine, or as a
motor solely, the main central drum. A serving in the latter case as the
fly wheel of the engine.. B, B, are four cast-iron standards, having each a
number of radial slots cast therein for the reception of the sliding bearings
C, C, of the several rollers D, D, and D¹, D', which surround the main
central drum A, an elevational detail of which is shewn detached at Figure 4.
This drum is made in three sections or lengths bolted together at a, a, each
section having internal flanges, arms, and bosses b, 6 (Figure 2), cast thereon
for the facility of attachment to each other, and of being keyed on to the main
shaft E of the machine, which shaft constitutes also the main driving shaft of
the engine F. The portions 1, 2, and 3 of the main drum are undulated or
slightly corrugated on their surface, as shewn in the transverse section
Figure 3, and their undulated portions have a number of ribs c, c, cast
longitudinally thereon, each rib in transverse section resembling the form of a
molar tooth, as is clearly shewn in Figure 3. The undulated or slightly
corrugated form of the main central drum A will of necessity impart during
its revolution a sliding reciprocating motion to thebearings of the surrounding
rollers D, D, and D, D', causing them thereby to alternately approach
towards and recede from the centre of the drum. In order to reduce the
friction otherwise attendant on the several slidingbearings, I propose to insert
between the sides of each bearing and the interior of the slots in which they
work, small antifriction rollers d, d (Figure 1), such rollers being let into
grooves made for that purpose in the sides of the slots. Screw spindles G, G,
are fitted to work in the several sliding bearings of the rollers, and are
furnished with pullies H, H, to receive the weighted cords I, I', as herein-
before described in reference to the washing machine illustrated on Sheet 1 of
my Drawings. In this machine, however, the intermediate guide pullies on
the fixed studs are dispensed with, and the pullies are carried in swivel jaws
h,h,fitted to turn loosely on the ends of the spindles, so that the latter may be
B

page_text: turned when the adjustment of the roller is required by a spanner fitting the
screw heads i, i, without interfering with the weighted cords I, 1'. An enlarged
detail front and side elevation of one of the screw spindles G, with the pulley
and swivel jaw attached, is shewn at Figure 5. The rollers D, D, and
D, D', which surround the main central drum A, are formed with longitudinal
ribs on their circumference, of a section resembling a canine tooth; the larger
rollers D, D, have long and short teeth alternately, whilst the smaller rollers
D', D', have short teeth only. The long canine teeth on the larger rollers,
which teeth enter the spaces between the molar teeth on the main drum, as is
clearly shewn in Figure 3, act simply as drawers-in of the fibres and propel
them through the machine, whilst the smaller or shorter teeth which intervene,
and which are also formed on the smaller rollers, serve to crush or bruise the
fibres by pressing them on to the surface of the molar teeth on the central
drum, the entire surface of the fibres being thereby thoroughly crushed or
bruised. This peculiar combination and construction of teeth, in conjunction
with the undulated form of the main central drum, produces a most effective
bruising and beating action upon the fibres, and constitutes one of the principal
or main features of this portion of my Invention. The constant rising and
falling or beating action of the surrounding rollers D, D', produced by the
rotation of the drum A, is allowed for by the cords I, I', and weights K, K¹,
the latter being free to rise and fall according to the motions of the spindles
G connected with the rollers, the descent of the weights and consequent
tension of the cords producing the necessary pressure of the rollers upon the
fibres. A piece of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic material
may be inserted in the bottom of each of the radial slots, as shewn in the
Drawings, for the purpose of deadening the blow when the bearings are
forced inwards by the action of the cords. Each of the sections 1, 2, and 3,
of the drum A has its separate set of surrounding rollers, and the same
bearings in the two middle standards respectively serve for two sets of
journals, as shew in Figure 2.
The teeth or ribs in each succeeding section are made rather finer than the
preceding one; thus those in section 1 are of the coarsest pitch, and those of
section 3 the finest pitch, the middle section 2 being of an intermediate pitch,
as will be clearly seen on referring to the detail of the drum (Figure 4); the
teeth on the three sets of rollers D, D', are of course made to correspond to
those of their respective sections on the drum A. The surface of this drum at
section is perforated for the purpose of allowing the dust, resin, and other
extraneous matters to be carried off from the fibres by the action of a fan
blast, directed by the rotatory fan L from the interior of the drum through

page_text: the several perforations made therein. This fan revolves in a contrary
direction to the drum A, and is driven by a belt and small fast and loose
driving pullies M, M', carried by the tubular shaft N, which shaft turns freely
on the drum shaft E and carries the fan L. A brass bush k is fitted into the
central boss of the arms which support the end of the drum, and this bush
works loosely on the surface of the tubular shaft N, whilst at the same time it
gives the requisite support to the end of the drum. O, O, represent the
feeding boards or tables of the series of rollers of the main central drum; and
P, P, are the corresponding delivery boards or tables.
In operating by this machine, the fibres fresh from the dry wringing
machine herein-before described, are laid upon the feeding table O of the first
or perforated section of the drum, and are drawn through the first series of
rollers D and D', and crushed and bruised by the combined actions of the
canine and molar teeth, herein-before referred to, and by the beating action of
the rollers as the drum rotates; this process thoroughly loosens the woody and
resinous matters adhering to the fibres, which matters are blown off by the
internal fan blower above alluded to. The fibres which are delivered from the
rollers pass out by the delivery board P, and are removed to the second or
finer section, where they undergo precisely the same operation with the
exception of the blowing process, and are delivered as before; they are then
passed through the third or finest section, which operating in like manner to
the preceding one, discharges the fibre on to the third delivery board or table
in a perfectly crushed and bruised state and partially cleansed, so as to be in a
fit condition for scutching and hackling. I prefer for this purpose to use the
scutching and hackling machines, for which British Letters Patent have been
granted to James Hill Dickson on the Sixteenth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight; after having been well cleansed and opened by
the scutching and hackling machines above referred to, the fibres may by the
aid of an endless band or inclined feeding board be conducted thence to the
steeping vats for the finishing process, which process renders them fit for the
spinner, if they are not required to be colored for any other purpose,
previously.
It is well known to the spinners of flax, hemp, and foreign grasses, that the
value of such fibres depends on their oily nature or spinning qualities. Now,
in order to impart this oily nature and spinning quality to the fibres I entirely
abolish the use of alkalies or alkaline earths, which have merely the effect of
decomposing and rotting the fibre, and substitute therefor a saponaceous
mixture composed of oil of any kind, whether animal or vegetable, fixed or
essential, combined with water and ammonia or its carbonate. The oil may be

page_text: used either hot or cold, according to the quality of fibre to be produced, and
to the nature of the plant operated upon. The proportions which I have
found most efficient in practice are, four gallons of oil to one hundredweight
of fibre, with just sufficient ammonia or its carbonate added thereto to render
the oil saponaceous. Hot or boiling water is poured over the fibre, which is
held suspended in the vat by suitably constructed galvanized iron holders;
and in order to distribute the hot water as evenly as possible over the fibres'a
perforated strainer or rose jet may be used. The whole is kept closed by a
suitable lid or cover, and the supply of hot water is continued until the
suspended fibres are completely immersed. The fibres should remain in this
saponaceous mixture for the space of about two hours, when they may be
withdrawn by the holders. If proper care be taken to have the fibres of India
or China grass, pineapple, and other fibrous plants of this class thoroughly well
broken and cleaned before immersion in this mixture, they will after being
taken out, yield and split when under the operation of the hacker as fine as
silk, and will be altogether free or nearly so from the hard ends of dead
fibres which exist under the ordinary processes, which have hitherto unfitted
them for generaluse in yarn spinning. These steeping vats should be supplied
with steam pipes arranged beneath a perforated false bottom of galvanized
iron for the purpose of keeping up the mixture to a temperature of from 80°
to 90° Fahrenheit during the time the fibres are immersed therein. For
middle numbers, where strength and greater length of fibre is preferred to
fibre of a fine quality, which is always shorter, I find that an excellent result
will be obtained by sleeping the fibres for the space of twelve hours in the
mixture of oil and ammonia, after having been mixed with water in a boiling
state; the whole being then allowed to cool down under a closed cover. From
the fact of the fibres being only a short time under the influence of water
alone, there is no liability of their becoming decomposed, whilst the oil acts
on the fibre as a preservative or antiseptic; the ammonia being evaporated
and leaving the oil behind to lubricate and impregnate the fibre, and cause it
to run smoothly through the hackle with, comparatively speaking, very little
tow or waste by tearing it into short lengths, the only loss being that of the
resinous and woody matter which may be still adhering to the fibre. Fibres
treated in this manner are also capable of receiving fast colours, but more
particularly black dye. After this steeping process, the fibres are thoroughly
well washed by being again passed through the washing machine herein-before
fully described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3, on Sheet 1 of my
Drawings, and treated with hot or cold water, whereby any remaining woody
or resinous matter is finally removed therefrom. From this machine they

page_text: are passed along an inclined feeding board or endless cloth to the wringing
machine, also previously described and illustrated on Sheet 1 of my Drawings,
where they are finally wrong and dried in a rapid manner.
The same machinery and saponaceous preserving liquid are equally applicable
to green hemp and flax straw, and other wood and resin bound fibres capable
of being obtained fresh from the soil for the purpose of separating the fibres
from the wood and discharging the resinous and gummy matter, and for
softening and bleaching the fibres ready for the spinner. The preservative
qualities of the saponaceous mixture herein-before referred to, render all
goods manufactured from fibres which have been steeped in or treated by such
mixture doubly lasting, more especially if prepared from green unretted hemp
straw, whilst a much larger quantity of long fibre is obtained from the hackle
than can be produced from hemp or flax which has been subjected to the old
injurious retting process. Irish hand-scutched flax, which invariably loses its
natural oil in the process of fire drying to which it is subjected, will be greatly
improved by being redressed or treated by the machines herein-before
described, and submitted to the action of the oil and ammonia liquid. Dressed
or undressed fibres of the class herein-before enumerated, may also be treated
by boiling them with the seeds of cotton, rape, hemp, or flax, placed in per-
forated boxes, in lieu of using pure oil, whereby the oil is allowed to escape
from the seeds and enter the fibres under treatment.
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 I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but 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,-
First, the general constructious, arrangements, and combinations of
inachinery or apparatus for treating fibrous plants, as herein-before described
and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second, the application and use of a mixture composed of animal or
vegetable oil of any kind, and sufficient ammonia or its carbonate to render
the mixture saponaceous for thepurposeofcleansing, preserving, and improving
the quality of the fibres of fibre-producing plants, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of preserving and improving the spinning
qualities of the fibres of fibre-producing plants, by causing such fibres to be
impregnated with oil or fatty matter in any convenient manner.

page_text: Fourth, the application and use ofa perforated drum and heated undulated
cylinder in the washing and dry wringing processes, for effecting the cleaning
and finishing of the fibres as herein-before described, the same apparatus being
equally applicable to the washing and wringing of piece goods and yarns.
Fifth, the application and use of a fibre bruising or crushing machine
composed of a central drum having an undulated or longitudinally corrugated
surface formed with ribs of a molar tooth section in combination with a number
of smaller rollers having ribs of a canine tooth section, portions of such main
central drum being perforated and supplied with an internal blower, for the
purpose herein-before described.
Sixth, the application and use of weighted cords or ropes, for keeping the
smaller rollers of the washing, wringing, and bruising or crushing machines in
contact with the main central drum, in lieu of using separate springs to each
roller, as herein-before described.
Seventh, the combination of the main central drum of the bruising or
crushing machines with a steam engine in such a manner that, by disconnecting
the surrounding smaller rollers, the drum will serve as the fly wheel of the
engine, the whole being then applicable as a prime mover when requisite, as
herein-before described.
Eighth, the constructing of a drum of the shape herein-before described in
three or more sections, each succeeding section having finer teeth or ribs than
the preceding section, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described.
In wituess whereof, 1, the said James Joseph Cregeen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JAMES JOSEPH CREGEEN. (L.S.)
JAMES JOSEPH CREGEEN. (L.S.)