Improved Process and Means for the Chemical Treatment of Ramie Fibre, Flax, or Hemp, in either a Green or Dried State.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Means for the Chemical Treatment of Ramie
Fibre, Flax, or Hemp, in either a Green or Dried State.
I, JULES PIERRE ARSENE BLAYE, of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for object a new chemical process for the special decortication
and disintegration of ramie fibre, hemp and flax both in a green state as well
as in a dried state, in a single warm bath without the use of any acids or any
pressure.
The processes which have hitherto been suggested or used for the decortication
of the above mentioned plants comprise either boiling by means of digesters,
or treatment and removal of the glutinous substances by means of hydrochloric,
sulphuric, or other acids which more or less injure the strength and solidity of the
fibres.
The object of this process is to perform in one and the same operation, firstly,
the preparation for removal of the skin which is found on the stalks and adhering
to the fibres, and, secondly, the partial removal of the resin or gum existing partly
on the fibres and partly under the skin.
For this purpose, a bath is prepared composed as follows, for every 100 litres of
HỌ + CaO + NaOCO
=
CaOCO + NaOHO.
[Price 6d.]

page_text: The free soda saponifies the resinous matter into the form of a soluble resinous
soap which a final washing in plenty of water easily removes.
2nd. The object of the alum is to render the fibres more adherent among
themselves and especially more adherent to the stalk, probably in consequence of
the coagulation of the gelatinous or albumenoid substances of the plant.
In this way, when the decortication is finally to be performed, none of the fibres
of these textiles are lost.
Dated this 31st day of July 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Means for the Chemical Treatment of Ramie
Fibre, Flax, or Hemp, in either a Green or Dried State.
I, JULES PIERRE ARSENE BLAYE of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Chemist, 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 has for object a new chemical process for the special decortication
and disintegration of ramie fibre, hemp and flax both in a green state as well
as in a dried state, in a single warm bath without the use of either acids or
pressure.
The processes which have hitherto been suggested or used for the decortication
of the above mentioned plants comprise either boiling by means of digesters, or
treatment and removal of the glutinous substances by means of hydrochloric,
sulphuric, or other acids which more or less injure the strength and solidity of the
fibres.
The object of this process is to perform in one and the same operation, firstly,
the preparation for removal of the skin which is found on the stalks and adhering
to the fibres, and, secondly, the partial removal of the resin or gum existing partly
on the fibres and partly under the skin.
For this purpose, a bath is prepared composed as follows, for every 100 litres of
water:-

page_text: with the aid of a piece of linen, by passing the stalk between the fingers. Imme-
diately afterwards and without any washing being required, the fibre is removed by
hand and dried. It is then ready either for rope making or for spinning.
The chemical re-action of the operation takes place in the following manner :-
1st. The lime when boiled by contact with the carbonate of soda is partially
transformed into carbonate of lime by releasing an equivalent of soda thus→
HỌ + CaO + NaOCO
= CaOCO + NaOHO.
The free soda saponifies the resinous matter into the form of a soluble resinous
soap which a final washing in plenty of water easily removes.
2nd. The object of the alum is to render the fibres more adherent among them-
selves and especially more adherent to the stalk, probably in consequence of the
coagulation of the gelatinous or albumenoid substances of the plant.
In this way, when the decortication is finally to be performed, none of the fibres
of these textiles are lost.
The proportions of the substances employed can be varied according to the
qualities of the textile materials which are to be treated; and also any other
chemical equivalents capable of producing the above described results can be
employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained. the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process for treating ramie fibre, flax or hemp in either a green or dried
state and which consists in first subjecting the stalks of the fibre under treatment
to a chemical bath formed as described, then withdrawing and placing them in
a pure but tepid watres ubstantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
2. A chemical bath, for the treatment of ramie fibre, flax or hemp, in either a
green or dried state, composed of water, slacked lime, carbonate of soda and alumn,
preferably in the proportions and prepared as herein before described.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.