IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, of the Firm of
J. Brandt and G. W. v. Nawrocki, of 124, Leipzigerstrasse, Berlin, in the
German Empire, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF WOVEN FABRICS." A communication from Carl Friedrich
Hartmann, of Wüstewaltersdorf, in Silesia, in the German Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von
Nawrocki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th January
1880.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. v.
Nawrocki, of 124, Leipzigerstrasse, Berlin, in the German Empire, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WOVEN FABRIOS." (A communication from
Carl Friedrich Hartmann, of Wüstewaltersdorf, in Silesia, in the German Empire.)
This Invention refers to the application of vegetable fibre cellulose for loading or
filling light cotton and linen woven fabrics, either with cellulose alone, or in
combination with other finishing or dressing substances for the purpose of rendering
these fabrics more suitable for being worked by the needle, and for offering tho
appearance of a closer texture.
Fabrics treated according to this Invention may be applied to a great many
purposes; as examples I will name toilet covers, tracing cotton, roller blinds, linings
for garments, the interior of paper collars and cuffs, plaister linen, bellows for dolls
or toy figures. These light articles have heretofore been made of fabrics loaded
with mineral substances, such as plaster of Paris, clay, chalk, sulphate of baryta,
and even other substances deleterious to health, in combination with some adhesive
substance, such as starch, gum, or glue.
According to this Invention, the vegetable fibrous material is divided as carefully
as possible into the finest little fibres, which may suitably be done in a cylinder,
such as is used in paper mills. The material is then intimately mixed with potato
flour in a stirring apparatus without any previous felting operation; the mixture is
made to boil, and is then so perfect that it is suitable for impregnating the fabric
therewith. This may be done on a machine consisting of a series of metal rolls,
having different speeds of rotation.
When the fabric has been thus impregnated or loaded therewith under heavy
pressure, the fabric passes between a quickly rotating india rubber roller and a
metal roll for equalising the distribution of the material in the pores of the fabric,
and for covering any bare places that may have been left.
The fabric is then dried slowly in slightly heated rooms, not on cylinders, and the
material will be found to adhere very firmly to the fabric, which may then he
further finished according to the purpose for which it is intended.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th July 1880.
"
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI, of the Firm of J. Brandt and G. W. v.
Nawrocki, of 124, Leipzigerstrasse, Berlin, in the German Empire, Patent Agent.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WOVEN FABRICS." A communication from
Carl Friedrich Hartmann, of Wüstewaltersdorf, in Silesia, in the German Empire.
This Invention refers to the application of vegetable fibre cellulose for loading or
filling light cotton and linen woven fabrics, either with cellulose alone, or in
combination with other finishing or dressing substances, for the purpose of rendering
these fabrics more suitable for being worked by the needle, and for offering the
appearance of a closer texture.
Fabrics treated according to this Invention may be applied to a great many
purposes; as examples I will name toilet covers, tracing cotton, emery cloth, roller
blinds, lining for garments, the interior of paper collars and cuffs, plaister linen,
bellows for dolls or toy figures. These light articles have heretofore been made of
fabrics loaded with mineral substances, such as plaster of Paris, clay, chalk,
sulphate of baryta, and even other substances deleterious to health, in combination
with some adhesive substance, such as starch, gum, or glue.
The greatest disadvantage of the process heretofore used is, that the dust from
the loading material arising after the drying of the article, as well as in the
manufacture is deleterious to the health, and also that it produces inconveniencies
in the manufacture, the loading material for instance cracking off in the folds if
sharp. Toilet and other covers loaded therewith cause dust and injure the articles
which they cover; machine sewing is also often rendered imposible by the dust
entering the needle and parts of the machine. By loading with vegetable fibre
material, all these evils are avoided, and light fabrics acquire by a suitable choice of
loading material the appearance, and for many purposes the usefulness almost of
closer woven and much dearer fabrics.
According to this Invention the vegetable fibrous material is divided as carefully
as possible into the finest little fibres which may suitably be done in a cylinder,
such as used in paper mills. The materials used are wood or straw cellulose, and
for finer fabrics the offal from cotton or linen spinning and weaving mills. The
material having been finely divided is then intimately mixed with potato flour in a
stirring apparatus, without any previous felting operation; the mixture is made to
boil, and is then so perfect that it is suitable for impregnating the fabric therewith.
This may be done on a machine consisting of a series of metal rolls having different
speeds of rotation.
When the fabric has been thus impregnated or loaded therewith under heavy
pressure, the fabric passes between a quickly rotating india rubber roll and a metal
roll for equalizing the distribution of the material in the pores of the fabric, and
for covering any bare places that may have been left.
The aforesaid stirring apparatus may consist of a wooden cylinder provided with
a perforated double or false copper bottom covered with hair gauze; in the centre
of the latter is the step for the upright shaft which is provided with a number of
skew-wooden mixer arms; this shaft is driven by bevil gearing, the bearings for
the shafting being above the cylinder. The perforated double bottom is by a valve
connected to a steam pipe, and the mixture is boiled evenly by steam while being
stirred by the mixer. On the side of the cylinder at the double bottom there is a
close fitting sluice valve for drawing off the completely boiled material. A stoppage
of the mixer is apt to produce the destruction of the fibres, and to cause irregu-
larities in the subsequent impregnation. The proportions of materials used differ
according to the requirements of the fabrics, as to whether they are to be subject to

page_text: light or hard usage; the proportion of the potato flour therefore ranges between
10 and 30 per cent.
The impregnating machine consists of a stout lower and a smaller upper metal
roller, having their gudgeons in two cast iron frames. Under the large roller there
is a copper box for receiving the loading material, and so arranged that the roller
dips entirely into same. The two metal rollers are worked by tooth wheel gearing
outside of the framing, and so that the rollers have different speeds of periphery,
thus causing friction between them; the amount of friction may be varied by
change wheels, according to fineness or strength of the fabric to to be impregnated.
At the height of the centre line of the upper metal roller there is an india rubber
roller running in sliding bearings, so that it by means of weighted levers can be
pressed hard against the said upper roller. The india rubber roller rotates with a
speed of periphery about 20 per cent. greater than that of the upper metal roller
and in the direction of the fabric; it is worked by a system of small spur wheels
from the upper metal roller. The pressure of the two rollers against each other can
be regulated to any desired extent by the levers and weights.
When the fabric saturated with the material has passed between the two metal
rollers under heavy pressure, the quickly rotating india rubber roller working
against the upper metal roller completes the even distribution of the fibrous
material in and on the fabric, covering also any bare places.
The fabric after having been thus impregnated is then dried slowly in slightly
heated rooms, not on cylinders, and the material will be found to adhere very
firmly to the fabric, which may then be further finished according to the purpose
for which it is intended. During the drying, the fine fibres enveloped in the starch
are caused to adhere so firmly to the threads of the fabric that dusting or falling off
of the material becomes impossible, and that it can only be removed by repeated
soaking and washing.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention com-
municated to me, and the mode of carrying the same into effect, I declare that I
claim,―
The impregnation of linen and cotton fabrics with cellulose, and the process
berein described for causing such impregnation.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GERARD WENZESLAUS VON NAWROCKI. (L.S.)