IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUB- STANCES, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SPUN OR TWISTED THREADS OR CORDS, AND ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND, CARDBOARD
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SPUN
OR TWISTED THREADS OR CORDS, AND ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
AND, CARDBOARD." -A communication from abroad by Ignacio Tito-
Vignolo, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Merchant.
ealed the 12th August 1873, and dated the 27th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th March 1878.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SPUN
OR TWISTED THREADS OR CORDS, AND ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND
CARDBOARD," a Communication to me from abroad by Ignacio Tito-

page_text: Vignolo, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Merchant, to be as
follows:-
of a
This Invention relates to the manufacture of filaments and
paper
silken texture from the bark of the mulberry tree, as well as from the
roots and branches thereof, which latter have never hitherto been made 5
available for such purposes.
For the carrying out of this Invention the branches of the mulberry
tree are to be annually cut or pruned in such a manner as to ensure
increased foliage and branches of a more vigorous growth.
Setting aside the leaves which are used for the feeding of silkworms :
the branches are utilized according to this Invention by first subjecting
them to the action of a mechanical or other cutting apparatus which
cuts them up into pieces of a suitable length. These pieces are bruised,
The branches thus
crushed, or ground beneath heavy millstones.
bruised, crushed, or ground, as well as the bark derived from the trees, :
or from the peeling of the branches, are then dried either in the sun, or
otherwise, and afterwards subjected to maceration until the epidermis
becomes separated from the filamentous portion, which is extracted
separately, and dried until it acquires a glossy whiteness. This fibrous
material is then carded or combed in order to yield filaments of great
strength, which are specially suitable for the manufacture of every
description of "twistings" or cords.
The waste products resulting from these different operations are
employed for the manufacture of paper of every description, from the
finest to the most ordinary kinds, at a cheap rate.
The crushed materials not utilized in the preparation of the filaments
are sorted, lixiviated, bleached, and converted into paper or pasteboard
by the usual mechanical means. The paper thus manufactured from the
bark and boughs of the mulberry tree is found to be imputrescible, and
for the purpose of distinguishing it it is designated "silkworm" or
"silkworm nursery" paper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Hor Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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
THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE APPLI-
CATION OF THE SAME TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SPUN OR TWISTED THREADS OR CORDS,
AND ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND CARDBOARD," a communication
to me from abroad by Ignacio Tito-Vignolo, of Paris, in the Republic of
France, Merchant, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the manufacture of filaments and paper
of a silken texture from the bark of the mulberry tree, as well as from
the roots and branches thereof, which latter have never hitherto been
made available for such purposes.

page_text: For the carrying out of this Invention the branches of the mulberry
tree are to be annually cut or pruned in such a manner as to ensure
increased foliage, and branches of a more vigorous growth..
Setting aside the leaves which are used for the feeding of silkworms,
the branches are utilized according to this Invention by first subjecting t
them to the action of a mechanical or other cutting apparatus which
cuts them up into pieces of a suitable length; these pieces are then
bruised, crushed, or ground beneath heavy millstones. The branches
thus bruised, crushed, or ground, as well as the bark derived from the
trees or from the peeling of the branches are then dried, either in the 1
sun or otherwise, and afterwards subjected to maceration until the
epidermis becomes separated from the filamentous portion, which is
extracted separately, and dried until it acquires a glossy whiteness. This
fibrous material is then carded or combed in order to yield filaments of
great strength, which are specially suitable for the manufacture of every :
description of "twistings" or cords.
The waste products resulting from these different operations are
employed for the manufacture of paper of every description, from the
finest to the most ordinary kinds, at a cheap rate.
The crushed materials not utilized in the preparation of filaments
are sorted, lixiviated, bleached, and converted into paper or pasteboard
by the usual mechanical means. The paper thus manufactured from the
bark and boughs of the mulberry tree is found to be imputrescible, and
for the purpose of distinguishing it it is designated "silkworm or
silkworm nursery" paper.
"
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The employment of the bark and of the annual and other
branches of the mulberry tree when dried, sorted, macerated, again dried
and carded or combed, for the production of a filament of a silken
texture, substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. The employment of the waste products resulting from the
operations herein-before described, combined with the whole of the
-

page_text: branches, sprigs, and roots which are derived from the annual cutting to
which all mulberry trees properly maintained are subjected, for the
manufacture of paper and cardboard of every quality, substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.s.)