IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FROM FLAX, HEMP, JUTE, INDIAN GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, OB THE TOW PRODUCED FROM SUCH FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Jackson, of Commercial Road, Pimlico,
in the County of Middlesex, Contractor for Public Works, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER FROM FLAX,
HEMP, JUTE, INDIAN GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, OB
THE TOW PRODUCED FROM SUCH FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 31st October 1854, and dated' the 2nd May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Jackson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd May 1854.
I, THOMAS JACKSON, of Commercial Road, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, Contractor for Public Works, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PROM FLAX,
HEMP, JUTE, INDIAN GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, OR THE.
TOW PRODUCED FROM-SUCH FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in manufacturing paper from flax, hemp, jute,
Indian grass, and other fibrous vegetable substances (or the tow, produced in
manufacturing the same), by means of a combination of processes, as follows:
I.take flax straw or other fibrous vegetable substances in the dry state.from the

page_text: field, & break or scutch the same by any of the ordinary methods of breaking or
scutching, so as to separate the woody matter or "shove;" I then proceed to cut
it up into short lengths, which I do by any suitable machine for that purpose.
Then I boil the same in a solution of caustic alkali, after which I subject it
whilst wet to repeated mechanical pressure and the action of a stream of
water, for the purpose of more effectually removing its resinous or gummy
matters, according to means for which Letters Patent were granted in England
to Charles James Pownall, on or about the 15th day of July 1852, and having
by such means removed the glutinous matter, I submit the fibrous vegetable
substance to a bath of acidulated water, for the purpose of further removing
any coloring matter remaining therein.
I then proceed to bleach it by any of the ordinary methods, by which means
I produce a clean white pulpy substance ready for the pulping machine, where,
as well as in the after processes, I proceed as when making paper from rags.
In case of using tow I omit the breaking and cutting up, using a cleaning
machine instead, and then proceed by subjecting it to Pownall's process,
already referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Jackson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
JACKSON, of Commercial Road, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
tractor for Public Works, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Jackson, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas.
Jackson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas Jackson, my executors, administrators, and 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 ""IM-

page_text: PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PROM FLAX, HEMP, JUTE, INDIAN
GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, OR THE TOW PRODUCED FROM
SUCH FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Jackson, 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 Jackson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be:
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof.(that is to say):
This Invention consists in manufacturing paper from flax, hemp, jute,
Indian grass, or other fibrous vegetable substances suitable for the making of
paper (or from the tow produced in manufacturing the same) by a com-
bination of processes, as follows:-I take flax-straw or other suitable fibrous.
vegetable substance in a dry and unretted state, and where necessary break
or scutch the same by any ordinary method of breaking or scutching, so as to
prepare the woody matter or "shove" for separation by suitable machinery,
which may be of the ordinary kind employed when separating the woody
matters or "shove" from flax and other fibrous substances, in order to prepare.
the same for weaving purposes; I then, where the staple of the fibre is too
long, cut it into short lengths, such as are best suited to the action of the
pulping machine. It is now fitted for the following chemical and mechanical:
processes:-
. I boil the fibre thus prepared in a solution of caustic alkali of the specific
gravity 1005, at a temperature of 212° Fahrenheit, and I subject the fibre to
this solution for the space of four to six hours, after which I subject it whilst
wet to repeated mechanical pressure and the action of a stream of water, for
the purpose of more effectually removing its resinous or gummy matters,
according to means for which Letters Patent were granted in England to
Charles James Pownall, on or about the Fifteenth day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-two, and having by such means removed the glutinous
matter, I submit the fibrous vegetable substance to a bath of acidulated
water, composed of hydrochloric acid of the specific gravity 1.010, for the
purpose of further removing any coloring matter remaining therein.
period which I have found to answer for the subjection of the fibrous
matter to this bath is ten or twelve minutes. Before submitting the fibre to
The

page_text: the chemical and mechanical processes above described, and before boiling
it in the solution of caustic alkali, as described, I have found it of advantage,
after cutting up the fibre into suitable lengths, to boil it in pure soft water, for
the purpose of. removing such portions of gum and chlorophyll as are soluble
in water; I continue the ebullition till it is found that no further disengage-
ment of soluble matter takes place. The length of time required for the
boiling varies from one and a half to two and a half hours.
.
The fibre, after being subjected to the acidulated bath, is ready for bleaching,
either by the direct action of chlorine gas or by a solution of hypochlorite of
lime, as employed when bleaching yarns for weaving purposes. If the solution
of hypochlorite of lime be adopted, I take the fibre while moist with the acid
from the last operation, and place it in a vat, fitted with a false bottom and
discharge cock, wetting each layer with a bleaching solution of requisite
strength till a sufficient quantity of fibre and solution have thus been placed
together in the vat. The discharge cock is then opened, and the bleaching
solution, being caught in a proper receptacle, is ladled over the top of the
fibrous mass by a workman, and the circulation is continued till the fibres are
perfectly white. By 'this mode of applying the bleaching, compound fresh
particles are continually brought in contact with the material to be bleached;
the result is, a more complete and rapid arrival at the end desired, with less
expenditure and a more complete consumption of the bleaching principle in
the solution.
A stream of pure soft water is now allowed to percolate through the mass of
bleached fibre to remove the soluble salt formed during the bleaching. This
having been effected, acidulated water, of the same specific gravity and
description.as before, is employed to remove any slight remains of the chloro-
compound, which might be injurious were it allowed to remain in the
fibre. A final percolation of water through the mass to remove the acid
completes the process. The fibre is now ready for the ordinary pulping
machine, and I then proceed as in the usual way of making paper from rags.
In case of using tow, I omit the breaking and cutting up, herein-before
described, using instead a cleaning machine, such as is now employed in
cleaning tow, but in other respects I proceed by subjecting the tow to the
same processes as are herein-before described.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the means
which I adopt for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, nor
do I claim the exclusive right to manufacture paper from flax, hemp, and

page_text: other fibrous substances, irrespective of the combination of means or processes
herein referred to; but what I do claim is, the combination of processes herein
referred to, that is to say, the treating of flax, hemp, and other suitable
fibrous substances by the combination of means or processes herein explained,
whereby the same are rendered suitable to the manufacture of paper.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Jackson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
--Patent Agent,
73, Chancery Lane,
London.
THOMAS JACKSON. (L.S.)