Manufacture of Paper Pulp and Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1885

page_text: Manufacture of Paper Pulp and Textile Fabrics.
We ROBERT CHARLES MENZIES of Inveresk Mills Musselburgh in the County
of Mid Lothian, Paper Manufacturer and CHARLES FREDERICK CROSS and EDWARD
JOHN BEVAN of 249 High Holborn London, Chemists, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP AND TEXTILE FABRICS," to be
'as follows:-
In the preparation of straw, esparto, flax, hemp, and like fibrous substances for
various purposes by treatment with alkaline solutions it has been found that a
great saving of alkali is effected by substituting for the boiling process ordinarily
practiced, the following:-The substances to be treated are first soaked in a solution
of caustic alkali; then drained from excess of liquor and finally subjected to the
action of steam. The above process has however the great disadvantage of
yielding a pulp or fibres somewhat difficult to bleach although in many respects
superior to pulp or fibres obtained by other methods of treatment.
Now our object is to improve the above process in such manner that the pulp or
fibre obtained shall be easily bleached and lose none of its superior qualities.
For that purpose we saturate the raw fibrous materials with solutions containing
both caustic alkali and an alkaline sulphite, the excess of solution is then drained
off or otherwise removed and the mass subjected to the action of steam in a
suitable vessel. The strength of the alkaline solution, as well as the duration of
the exposure to the steam and the pressure employed is determined by the nature
of the raw material and the degree of disintegration which is required to be
brought about. The proportion of sulphurous acid in the alkaline solution may
also be varied at pleasure; but we have found it expedient to use not less than
sufficient to neutralise one half of the total alkali i.e. to form with it the neutral
or normal sulphite; in the case of soda e.g. we employ the reagent in the molecular
proportions Na. O to Na. SO§.
After being steamed, the material is thoroughly washed and further treated with
bleaching chemicals or otherwise according to the uses for which it is required.

page_text: Manufacture of Paper Pulp and Textile Fabrics.
We ROBERT CHARLES MENZIES of Inveresk Mills Musselburgh in the County
of Midlothian Paper Manufacturer, and CHARLES FREDERICK CROSS and EDWARD
JOHN BEVAN of 249 High Holborn, London, Chemists, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the preparation of straw, esparto, flax, hemp, and like fibrous substances for
various purposes by treatment with alkaline solutions it has been found that a
great saving of alkali is effected by substituting for the boiling process ordinarily
practiced the following: the substances to be treated are first soaked in a solution
of caustic alkali, then drained from excess of liquor and finally subjected to the
action of steam. The above process has however the great disadvantage of
yielding a pulp or fibres somewhat difficult to bleach although in many respects
superior to pulp or fibres obtained by other methods of treatment.
Now our object is to improve the above outlined process in such manner that
the pulp or fibre obtained shall be easily bleached and lose none of its superior
qualities.
For that purpose we saturate the raw fibrous materials with solutions containing
both caustic alkali and an alkaline sulphite, the excess of solution is then drained off
or otherwise removed and the mass subjected to the action of steam, in a suitable
vessel. The strength of the alkaline solution as well as the duration of the
exposure to the steam and the pressure employed is determined by the nature of
the raw materials and the degree of disintegration which is required to be brought
about. The proportion of sulphurous acid in the alkaline solution may also be
varied at pleasure, but we have found it expedient to use not less than sufficient
to neutralize one half of the total alkali i.e. to form with it the neutral or normal
sulphite; in the case of soda e.g. we employ the reagent in the molecular
proportions Na, O to Na, SO,.
After being steamed, the material is thoroughly washed and further treated with
bleaching chemicals or otherwise according to the uses for which it is required.
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 :-
Saturating raw fibrous material for the manufacture of paper with solutions
containing both caustic alkali and an alkaline sulphite and subsequently treating
substantially as set forth.
DIL C
1 th 1000
J. T. KING,
Per J. Johnson, Agent.