THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM A VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM A
VEGETABLE PRODUCTION." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Corral,
Tejado, et Corbera, of Madrid, Spain.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED
FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM A VEGETABLE PRODUCTION." [A communication from
abroad by Messieurs Corral, Tejado, et Corbera, of Madrid, Spain.]
This Invention relates to a new textile material, and to a process for obtaining
the same from a plant which has not hitherto been the subject of special observation,
and which consequently has not received any particular or distinctive name.
I will therefore proceed to give a detailed description of the said plant, whereby
the same will be easily recognized.
This plant is perennial, and grows wild in southern countries, for instance, in
Spain, and in that country is known by the name of "vivaz." It commences and
continues to grow under the soil without appearing above the surface of the
ground; its appearance is like that of a dry root, and its average thickness is
generally about five 5 centimetres. This plant can be grown in soil of any kind,
but it thrives best in clayey and calcareous soils, where it developes to a greater
extent than in other soils. It produces seed by which it is propagated, and as it
grows underneath the soil the surface of the latter may be utilized for agricultural
purposes. From this root grows stems of conical shape, the cone of which is formed
and surrounded by greenish membranes. Woolly white fibres or filaments surround
As the stem developes
the same inside, that is to say, at their common centre.
with the membranes, the above mentioned fibres or filaments grow in proportion.

page_text: The stems, when completely developed, become perceptible at the surface of the
ground, without however rising above the same, and their number is so considerable
that each plant is capable of producing from twelve to fourteen grammes of silky
fibre, which when treated as will be hereinafter set forth produce the filamentous
material to which this Invention relates. The said plant produces but few leaves,
and these consist of a portion of fibre and of peduncles or stalks coming from the
stem, united by a cellular tissue. These leaves are covered by a membrane, and
have a channelled form; their interior, which surrounds a part of the stem, is.
covered with silky filaments. Their edges are serrated, their top is pointed, and
their surface is even and smooth and free from cilia of any kind. The shape of
these leaves is irregular; they are herbaceous and soft. The roots are ramified,
and the plant is persistent. The shoots, like all the other parts of the plant, are
beneath the ground, and are formed at a level with the soil on the neck, where the
stems expand and where the silky covering is to be found.
Having thus very minutely described the nature of the plant which produces
the raw material from which I obtain my new textile or fibrous material, I will
now proceed to describe the process by which the said material is obtained.
This method of treatment or process, adopted after a careful study of the plant.
and after numerous experiments, is as follows, that is to say :-
I submit the part which I term the silky covering to great and sudden changes
in temperature, that is to say, the said covering portion is suddenly cooled and
heated; the vegetable material thereby becomes more and more fibrous till it
assumes the appearance of very fine cotton. When the plant has been brought to
this state or condition it is capable of being submitted to the processes of spinning
and weaving as ordinarily applied to fibrous materials in general, and it may be
used for all the purposes. to which fibrous materials are applicable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th October 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED
FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM A VEGETABLE PRODUCTION." A communication from
abroad by Messieurs Corral, Tejado, et Corbera, of Madrid, Spain.
This Invention relates to a new textile or fibrous material, and to a process for
obtaining or manufacturing the same from a plant which belongs to the family
of the compuestas or sinantereas, and is known in Spain by the name of
" vivaz."
This plant will be readily recognized by the following detailed description of the
same, that is to say:-The said plant is perennial, and grows wild in southern
countries, for instance, in Spain. It commences and continues usually to grow
beneath the soil without appearing above the surface thereof. Its appearance is
similar to that of a dry root, and its average thickness is generally about five (5)
centimetres. This plant can be grown in soil of any kind, but it thrives best in
clayey and calcareous soil, where it developes to a greater extent than in other
soils. It produces seed by which it is propagated, and as it grows beneath the soil
the surface of the latter may be utilized for agricultural purposes. From this root
grow stems of conical shape, chiefly formed of and surrounded by greenish
membranes. Woolly white fibres or filaments surround the same at their common
centre, and as the stem developes the above named fibres or filaments grow in
proportion. The stems when completely developed become perceptible at the
surface of the ground, without however rising above the same, and their number is
so considerable that each plant is capable of producing from twelve to fourteen
grammes of silky fibre, which when treated as hereinafter set forth produce the
filamentous material to which this Invention relates. The said plant produces but
few leaves, and these consist of fibres and of peduncles emanating from the stem,
and united by a cellular tissue. These leaves are covered by a membrane, and are
channelled; their inner portion, which surrounds a part of the stem, is covered with
silky filaments. Their edges are serrated, their vertex is pointed, and their surface
is even and smooth and free from cilia or hair of any kind. The shape of these
leaves is irregular; they are herbaceous and soft. The roots are ramified, and the
plant is persistent. The shoots are beneath the ground, that is to say, are formed
at a level with the soil on the neck, where the stems expand, and where the silky
covering is to be found.
•
Having thus described the nature of the plant from which I obtain my new
textile or fibrous material, I will now proceed to describe the process or method of
treatment by which the said material is obtained.
This method of treatment or process, adopted after a careful study of the plant
and after numerous experiments, is as follows, that is to say :-
I submit the silky covering or filaments to great changes of temperature, during
which the same will be suddenly cooled and heated; the vegetable material thereby
becomes more and more fibrous till it assumes the appearance of very fine cotton.
When the plant has been brought to this condition it may be submitted to the
processes of preparing, spinning, and weaving, as ordinarily applied to fibrous
materials in general, and it may be used for all purposes to which fibrous materials
are applicable.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my

page_text: foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
The new fibrous or textile product manufactured as above described.
Also the process of preparing the same by subjecting the raw vegetable matter
to sudden changes of temperature, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WM RORT LAKE