IMPROVEMENTS IN DISAGGREGATING TEXTILE PLANTS AND WOOD
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustave Demailly, of the City of Lille, in the
Department of the Nord, France, Manufacturer, for the Invention
of “IMPROVEMENTS IN DISAGGREGATING TEXTILE PLANTS AND WOOD, AND
Sealed the 26th March 1872, and dated the 5th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustave Demailly at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th October 1871.
I, GUSTAVE DEMAILLY, of the City of Lille, in the Department of
the Nord, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISAGGREGATING TEXTILE PLANTS
AND WOOD, AND IN THE APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," to be as
follows:-
The apparatus for separating the fibrous matter of textile plants and
wood forming the subject of the present Invention is characterized by
two special features, the first being the great surface of heat it presents to

page_text: the substance to be operated on, which admits of a large quantity of
material being treated at a time; and the second consisting in the
rapid and continuous transmission of heat communicated from the stove
by means of tubes fixed at one end of the boiler and arranged semi-
spirally outside it and penetrating the interior of the receiver about
15 centimetres below the level of the alkaline liquid mass which
immerses the whole of the substance, thus producing a movement of
the liquid in the tubes from top to bottom which accelerates and
facilitates the separation of the matters. These conducting tubes of the
alkaline liquor or other suitable or calorific fluid may be arranged in
any suitable manner.
The apparatus alluded to consists of a sheet-iron or steel boiler closed
at the top by a lid bolted to it, and capable of bearing a pressure of
20 atmospheres; the bottom receives the ends of the spiral pipes above
mentioned, which penetrate the interior of the boiler a little below the
level of the liquid. The lid is supplied with a safety valve, a
manometer, and a ring for its removal and adjustment. The boiler
is fixed in masonry so arranged as to admit of the heat of the stove
being employed to the greatest advantage, and combustion is induced by
a jet of steam taken into the apparatus by a pipe furnished with a tap.
.The chimney is placed as desired.
The following is the operation to which the wood is subjected :-After
having cut it into lengths of 12 to 15 centimetres by means of a
machine whose blade takes an oblique or transverse course to that of
the fibres, it is placed in a perforated receiver, and an alkaline liquor is
poured on to it so that it is immersed; the strength of the liquor
varies from 8 to 10 degrees Beaumé for wood, and 2 to 5 for other
substances, a sufficient quantity being allowed for evaporation so as to
keep the matters always covered during the whole operation. It is not
necessary to cut or divide the plants into fragments. Having fastened
down the lid, the internal temperature is raised from 200 to 210 degrees
centigrade in 2 hours by aid of the stove and tubes in which latter the
alkaline currents continually circulate from top to bottom. At the end
of this time the operation is completed and the liquid and steam is
evacuated by means of a purging cock, the recipient is removed, and it
only remains to bleach the products obtained and employ them either
in the manufacture of paper or for spinning.

page_text: To the quantity of soda used, 25 per cent. of lime or other matter is
added if necessary for removing the coloring matter as fast as the
soda works, so that the latter is continually revivified and retains its
intensity of action to the last.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Gustave Demailly in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 4th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAVE
DEMAILLY, of the City of Lille, in the Department of the Nord,
France, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Gustave Demailly, Her special
licence that I, the said Gustave Demailly, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Gustavo Demailly, 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
“IMPROVEMENTS IN DISAGGREGATING TEXTILE PLANTS AND WOOD, AND IN THE
APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," upon the condition, (amongst
others,) that I, the said Gustave Demailly, my executors, or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Gustavo Demailly, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: Demaway & improvemen
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
-
.
The apparatus for separating the fibrous matter of textile plants and
wood forming the subject of the present Invention is characterized by
two special features, the first being the great surface of heat it presents
to the substance to be operated on, which admits of a large quantity of
material being treated at a time; and the second consisting in the
rapid and continuous transmission of heat communicated from the stove
by means of tubes fixed at one end of the boiler and arranged semi- 1
spirally or vertically outside it and penetrating the interior of the
receiver about 15 centimetres below the level of the alkaline liquid
mass which immerses the whole of the substance, thus producing a
movement of the liquid in the tubes from top to bottom which
accelerates and facilitates the separation of the matters. These con- 1
ducting tubes of the alkaline liquor or other suitable calorific fluid may
be arranged in any suitable manner.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section following the line E, F, and Fig. 2 a
plan sectioned by the line A, B, C, D.
a is a sheet-iron or steel boiler capable of bearing a pressure of
20 atmospheres, closed at the top by a lid c bolted to the body of
the apparatus. The bottom of the boiler a receives the ends of the
pipes b, b, b, turning spirally or placed vertically (as shown in the
Drawing) to debouch in the interior of the boiler a a little below the
level of the liquid. A piece e fixed to the boiler supports the safety :
apparatus, the valves d, and the manometer f. The lid c is furnished
with a ring g for removing or replacing it. The boiler a is supported
by the metal pieces 1, 2, which are bolted to the masonry h, so arranged
that the heat of the furnace i may be used to the best advantage.
Combustion may be activated by a jet of steam, air, or other means. m is
the flue, collector of the lost heat, from whence it escapes by a chimney
arranged conveniently; r is the tap of the emptying pipe & com-
municating by joints with the principal conduit t. is the steam
escapement pipe, meeting and joining which are the branches of the
respective boilers, and is furnished with a tap r. k represents the
receptacle of the matters to be disaggregated, on account of its great
length, this reservoir is strengthened by armatures o, o, o.

page_text: The following is the modus operandi for disaggregating wood:-After
having cut the wood in lengths of 12 to 15 centimetres, more or less,
by means of a machine whose blade takes an oblique or transverse
course to that of the fibres, these pieces are placed in the reservoir / of
perforated or trellised metal, and an alkalino liquor is poured on to
them so that they are immersed; the strength of the liquid varying
from 8 to 10 degrees Beaumé for wood, and from 2 to 5 for other
substances, a sufficient quantity being allowed for evaporation so as to
keep the matters always covered during the whole operation. It is
unnecessary to cut or divide the plants into fragments, as they may be
used in their natural state. Having fastened down the lid the internal
temperature is raised from 200 to 210 degrees centigrade in 24 hours by
aid of the stove and tubes, in which latter the alkaline currents
continually circulate from top to bottom. At the end of this time the
operation is completed, and the liquid and steam is evacuated by means
of the purging cocks r, r³, the reservoir is removed, and it only remains
to bleach the products obtained and employ them either in the
manufacture of paper or for spinning.
To the quantity of soda used, 25 per cent. of lime or other matter
may be added if necessary for removing the colouring matter as fast as
the soda works, so that the latter is continually revivified and retains its
intensity of action to the last.
Such is the nature of the process and apparatus for which I claim the
exclusive privilege for the disaggregation of textile matters and wood,
reserving to myself the right of varying or modifying the materials of
construction and dimensions of the apparatus, as well as the disposition
of the tubes, conductors of the alkaline fluid or other calorific fluid
suitable for the purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustave Demailly, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the year
GUSTAVE DEMAILLY. (L.S.)