AN IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL SUBSTANCE TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALEBONE WHERE THAT SUBSTANCE IS COMMONLY USED OR FOR LIKE PURPOSES AND IN THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, Patent Agent of 38 Southampton
Buildings London for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL SUBSTANCE
TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALEBONE WHERE THAT SUBSTANCE
IS COMMONLY USED OR FOR LIKE PURPOSES AND IN THE METHOD OF
MANUFACTURING THE SAME A communication from abroad by George H.
Phelps of Newton County of Middlesex, Massachusetts United States
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1882.
WILLIAM MORGAN BROWN Patent Agent of 38 Southampton Buildings London.
"AN IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL SUBSTANCE TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALE-
BONE WHERE THAT SUBSTANCE IS COMMONLY USED OR FOR LIKE PURPOSES AND
IN THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME.' [A communication from abroad
by George H. Phelps of Newton County of Middlesex, Massachusetts United
States]
This Invention has for its object the production of an artificial substance called
by the communicator whaleboline, to be employed chiefly as a substitute for
whalebone for corsets, whips, and other purposes where whalebone is commonly
used.
Prior to this Invention various substitutes for whalebone have been devised
such for instance as horn, cane. reeds, and raw-hide each cut into shape and usually
prepared by some treatment to make it suitable for the use intended.
In all these plans the shapes to be used are formed by the separation into
smaller size of certain larger solids found in nature, and making them more
elastic, but in the practice of this Invention numerous small particles of material
are united together into a larger mass thus composing slabs or sheets of material
which are subsequently subdivided into strips or ribs of the proper width aud
length.
This novel whalebone is composed of vegetable or animal fibres, preferably long
fibre such as tampico or istle, which is bound together to form sheets, slabs or

page_text: strips, the latter having sufficient size, elasticity and strength, owing to the accumu-
lation of numerous individual strands, side by side, the said accumulated strands
being bound or united together to form a narrow strip or rib of greater diameter
and strength than the diameter and strength of the separate individual fibres from
which this strip or rib is composed.
It is preferable to unite the individual fibres composing the strip or rib of whale-
boline by means of a cementitious glutinous, plastic or adhesive compound which,
applied to the fibres, will cause them to adhere, and thus form a stiffer, stronger
substance, and I prefer that the plastic or adhesive compound be waterproof or
substantially so, and also that it shall withstand considerable heat, more than that
derivable from the body without being affected thereby, and preferably the plastic
or adhesive compound will be made odorless.
Whalebone is composed of numerous strong elastic fibres united by a tough
cartilagenous substance consisting largely of albumen and gluten.
To manufacture whaleboline I take preferably tampico or istle fibre, cleanse it,
and place it in a vessel, preferably a metallic vessel where it can lay out straight
with the individual fibre, parallel or nearly so.
I apply to it a solution of the cementitious glutinous or other adhesive substance
to be first employed to saturate the said fibres.
This substance so employed to saturate and soften the fibre will preferably be
a thin solution of gelatine, say half an ounce of good gelatine dissolved in one
quart of water, the said substance being kept at a heat of two hundred Fahrenheit
more or less for one or two hours.
After this the fibre so treated is removed from the vessel, drained and partially
dried, but while yet quite damp the said material is laid or placed on a bed or
support of metal or other hard, metal and drawn, combed, or brushed out to form
a flat slab of the requisite thickness according to the thickness of the article to be
made from the slab.
While in this condition the said material is thoroughly saturated with a solution
of chromic acid, say one ounce chromic acid to one pint of water more or less.
I then again partially dry the said material in a dark place, and apply a thick
warm solution of gelatine in water, the same being carefully worked into the mass
by combing or brushing, or both, after which the slab is dried in the light exposing
it to the sun as much as possible for say from six to ten days, the slab in the
meantime being turned frequently.
A slab made as thus far described would be limited in one direction by the
length of the fibre used, and to a thickness say not exceeding two or three fibres.
In arranging the fibres it is best to keep the butt ends in the same direction or
all one way, and so arranged the slab will be thicker along one than along its other
edge, which is made serviceable when subsequently the thinner edge of ono slab, is
lapped over the thinner edge of another slab, as when a number of slabs are to be
united together by pressure to form a slab of indefinite length in the direction in
which the fibre is extended in the slab.
To unite two or more slabs, I take a strong metallic box, constructed with
hollow steam tight sides and bottom and above it place a hollow steam top or lid
to fit into it as a piston.
A sufficient number of slabs to make a compound slab of the proper thickness
are laid in this box with their thin ends overlapping, say about one eighth of an
inch, then on these slabs lay a sheet of metal and then again other layers of slabs
and metal until the box is filled, when the cover is forced down by a powerful
press, consolidating the several slab which are in direct contact, into single
homogeneous slabs.
While being pressed together steam is admitted into the box and cover, and the
whole kept hot and under pressure from three to twenty four hours according to
the number and thickness of the slabs.
The greater the pressure, so long as it is not a disintegrating pressure, the stiffer
and more elastic the slab and strip or rib produced therefrom.

page_text: After becoming cool, pressure is relaxed, and the slabs, composed each of several
slabs, are removed and cut into strips or ribs, of the proper width and length.
The strips should be exposed to light and air before being used.
By this process it is obvious that the slabs or sheets of whaleboline may be
made of any required width, length, and thickness.
If desired, the material composing the slab may be put into moulds of the shapo
it is desired the finished strip or rib to have, such moulds being square, round, or of
other shape in cross section.
Instead of employing flat plates, smooth on their sides, I may employ metal
plates grooved at each side to correspond in shape with the cross-section desired
for the rib or strip or finished thing to be produced.
Instead of gelatine and chromic acid which I prefer, as in the process described, I
may employ a vulcanizable preparation of caoutchouc or india-rubber; or 1 may
use any other adhesive or cementatious substances having the properties of the
substances already mentioned, the said substance being sufficiently tough and
adhesive to retain the fibres together.
Instead of tampico and istle I nay employ long horse hair such as used in hair-
cloth for furniture, or jute, manilla or exparto, or other similar fibres.
The box will be supplied with steam from any suitable steam generator, and
will have a pipe to take away water of condensation.
The cover may be heated by means of a pipe laid on or coiled thereon, the end
of the pipe being extended out through the cover to permit the escape of steam or
water.
One of the first steps in the process as it will be seen is arranging the tampico
or istle fibres closely together to be coated with gelatine.
In some instances I may connect them together mechanically, say in a loom, the
said fibre being used as a weft, the smallest number of warps possible being used
to hold the tampico or istle strands parallel, the said strands being beat up closely
together or so manipulated with relation to the said warps as to permit the strands
to be laid one over the other to a certain extent as in weaving thick fabrics.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st July 1882.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN Patent Agent of 38 Southampton Buildings London
"AN IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL SUBSTANCE TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALE-
BONE WHERE THAT SUBSTANCE IS COMMONLY USED OR FOR LIKE PURPOSES AND
IN THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME." A communication from abroad
by George H. Phelps of Newton County of Middlesex Massachusetts United
States.
This Invention has for its object the production of an artificial substance called
by the communicator whaleboline, to be employed chiefly as a substitute for
whalebone for corsets, whips, and other purposes where whale bone is commonly.
used.
Prior to this Invention various substitutes for whalebone have been devised for
instance as horn, cane reeds, and raw-hide each cut into shape and usually prepared
by some treatment to make it suitable for the use intended.
In all these plans the shapes to be used are formed by the separation into smaller
size of certain larger solids found in nature, and making them more elastic, but in
the practice of this Invention numerous small particles of material are united
together into a larger mass thus composing slabs or sheets of material which are
subsequently subdivided into strips or ribs of the proper width and length.
This novel whalebone is composed of vegetable or animal fibres, preferably long
fibre such as tampico or istle, which is bound together to form sheets, slabs or strips,
the latter having sufficient size, elasticity and strength, owing to the accumulation
of numerous individual strands side by side, tho said accumulated strands being
bound or united together to form a narrow strip or rib of greater diameter and
strength than the diameter and strength of the separate individual fibres from
which this strip or rib is composed.
It is preferred to unite the individual fibres composing the strip or rib of
whaleboline by means of a cementitious, glutinous, plastic or adhesive compound
which applied to the fibres, will cause them to adhere, and thus form a stiffer, stronger
substance, and I prefer that the plastic or adhesive compound be waterproof or
substantially so and also that it shall withstand considerable heat, more than that
derived from the body without being affected thereby, and preferably the plastic or
adhesive compound will be made odorless.
Whalebone is composed of numerous strong elastic fibres united by a tough
cartilaginous substance consisting largerly of albumen and gluten.
Figure 1 represents in vertical cross section an apparatus to be employed in the
manipulation of whaleboline. Figure 2 represents a slab of whaleboline, the dotted
lines indicating how it may be cut into strips and
Figure 3 represents one of the whaleboline strips.
To manufacture whaleboline I take preferably tampico or istle fibre cleanse it
and place it in a vessel, preferably a metallic vessel where it can lay out straight
with the individual fibres parallel or nearly so.
I apply to it a solution of the cementitious, glutinous or other adhesive substance
to be first employed to saturate the said fibres.
This substance so employed to saturate and soften the fibre will preferably be a
thin solution of gelatine, say half an ounce of good gelatine dissolved in one quart
of water the said substance being kept at a heat of two hundred Fabrenheit more
or less for one or two hours.

page_text: After this the fibre so treated is removed from the vessel, drained and partially
dried, but while yet quite damp the said material is laid or placed on a bed or
support of metal or other hard material and drawn combed, or brushed out to form
a flat slab of the requisite thickness according to the thickness of the article to be
made from the slab.
While in this condition the said material is thoroughly saturated with a solution
of chromic acid say one ounce chromic acid to one pint of water more or less:
I then again partially dry the said material in a dark place and apply a thick
warm solution of gelatine in water, the same being preferably carefully worked into
the mass by combing or brushing, or both, after which the slab is dried in the light
exposing it to the sun as much as possible for say from six to ten days, the slab in
the mean time being turned frequently.
A slab made as thus far described would be limited in one direction by the
length of the fibre used and to a thickness not exceeding say two or three fibres.
In arranging the fibres it is best to keep the butt ends in the same direction, or
all one way, and so arranged, the slab will be thicker along one than along its other
edge, which is made serviceable when subsequently the thinner edge of one slab is
lapped over the thinner edge of another slab, as when a number of slabs are to be'
united together by pressure to form a slab of indefinite length in the direction in
which the fibre is extended in the slab.
To unite two or more slabs, I take a strong metallic box a constructed with
hollow steam tight sides a² and bottom a³ and above it place a hollow steam top or
lid b to fit into it as a piston.
A sufficient number of slabs c to make a compound slab of the proper thickness
are laid in this box with their thin ends overlapping, say about one eighth of an
inch, then on these slabs I lay a sheet of inetal d and then again other layers of
slabs and metal until the box is filled, when the cover b is forced down by a
powerful press, consolidating the several slabs which are in direct contact, into single
homogenous slabs.
While being pressed together steam is admitted into the box and cover, and the
whole kept hot and under pressure from three to twenty four hours according to
the number and thickness of the slabs.
The greater the pressure so long as it is not a disintegrating pressure, the stiffer
and more elastic the slab and strip or rib produced therefrom.
After becoming cool, pressure is relaxed, and the slabs, composed each of several
slabs, are removed and cut into the strips or ribs e of the proper width and length.
The strips should be exposed to light and air before being used.
By this process it is obvious that the slabs or sheets of whaleboline may be made
of any required width length and thickness.
If desired the material composing the slab may be put into moulds of the shape
it is desired the finished strip or rib to have, such moulds being square round, or of
other shape in cross section.
Instead of employing flat plates d smooth on their sides I may employ metal plates
grooved at each side to correspond in shape with the cross section desired for the
rib or strip or finished thing to be produced.
The Drawing shews two of these plates grooved to produce strips with rounded
edges.
Instead of gelatine and chromic acid which I prefer as in the process described I
may employ a vulcanizable preparation of caoutchouc or india rubber; or I may use
any other well known adhesive or cementitious substances having the properties
of the substances already mentioned said substance being sufficiently tough and
adhesive to retain the fibres together.
Instead of tampico and istle I may employ long horse hair such as used in hair-
cloth for furniture, or jute, manilla or esparto, or other similar fibres.
The box a will be supplied with steam from any suitable steam generator, and
will have a pipe to take away water of condensation.
The cover may be heated by means of a pipe laid on or coiled thereon, the

page_text: end of the pipe being extended out through the cover to permit the escape of steam
or water.
One of the first steps in the process as it will be seen is arranging the tampico or
istle fibres closely together to be coated with gelatine.
In some instances I may connect them together mechanically, say in a loom the
said fibre being used as a weft, the smallest number of warps possible being used to
hold the tampico or istle stands parallel, the said strands being beat up closely
together or so manipulated with relation to the said warps as to permit the strands
to be laid one over the other to a certain extent as in weaving thick fabrics.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention
and the manner of carrying the same into effect I would have it understood that
what I claim is :-
1st. As an improved article of manufacture whaleboline or substitute for
whalebone, it being composed of long fibres, such as described, arranged in mass with
individual strands parallel, the said strands being united together to form strips or
ribs substantially as described.
2nd A sheet of whaleboline composed of fibrous material gelatine and chromic
acid, or equivalents united under pressure, substantially as described.
3rd That improvement in the art or method of forming whaleboline or
substitute for whalebone, which consists in arranging the fibres of tampico istle or
equivalent fibre side by side coating or treating the same with a solution of
gelatine, then with chromic acid and then subject the same to the action of light
heat and pressure, to form the said fibre into a homogenous substance, adapted to be
cut into strips or ribs, substantially as described.
4th That improvement in the art or method of manufacturing whaleboline or
artificial whalebone, which consists in uniting the fibres of tampico, istle or
equivalent substances with a cementacious or glutinous material substantially as
described.
In witness whereof I the said William Morgan Brown have hereunto set
my hand and seal this First day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.