A New or Improved Material capable of being used in Substitution for Leather and for Ordinary Paper.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
A New or Improved Material capable of being used in Substitution
for Leather and for Ordinary Paper.
I, NORINARI KUMAGAYA of Osaka in the Empire of Japan, but at present of
70 Market Street, Manchester in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
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 relates to a new or improved material intended for use principally
in the construction of various kinds of rollers, and which may also be used for
wrappers and linings, and for other purposes in substitution for leather and for
ordinary paper. Its objects are when the material is to be used in substitution
for leather, to obtain a satisfactory and in some cases a superior result at a less
cost, and when the material is to be used in substitution for ordinary paper, to
obtain greater durability and toughness with a less susceptibility to hygroscopic
variations.
"
The basis of the new material which is the subject of this invention is a strong
paper such as "Torinoko or Japanese paper made from the fibres of the Kozu or
Paper Tree of Japan, or that made from Manilla hemp, and similar papers, the
former on account of its greater toughness being preferred. This paper is, during
or subsequent to its manufacture mixed or impregnated with gelatinous matters by
the ordinary or by special means. For example, a solution of gelatine may be
mixed with the pulp, or the sheets or web of paper may be passed through such a
solution and dried, or both methods may be employed. The amount of this sizing
with gelatine or the like will vary according to the nature of the material and
according to the purpose to which the product will have to be applied, but for
ordinary purposes the amount of sizing may be that used with ordinary writing
paper.
As an example of the sizing process, a solution may be made consisting of one
part of dry gelatine dissolved in water. This gelatine bath is warmed, and the
unsized paper is saturated therein and dried. If it be found that with any
particular paper, the sizing causes it to become too stiff, the bath is diluted. On
the contrary if the sizing be found to be insufficient, the treatment is repeated.
In no case however should glycerine or any hygroscopic substance be added to the
sizing bath or to the paper before or after sizing.
The sized paper is brushed with a solution containing tannic acid, and dried.
Or, instead of being brushed, the paper may be run through such a solution or be
otherwise conveniently wetted by it. This treatment of the paper with the tannin
solution may be repeated as many times as desired, but generally two or three
times will suffice.
The tanning solution which I prefer to employ is that made from persimmon,
but as this material is not commercially employed in this country, I may here
employ oak bark solution or liquor of a strength of from 25° to 33° Tw., this being,
so far as I have been able to ascertain, the best liquor available, but other tanning
solutions may be used.
After the material is finally dried, it is ready for use in the ordinary manner
either as a substitute for leather or for ordinary paper in cases to which its use is
applicable. It is especially adapted for covering the rollers used in spinning
machinery, as a substitute for the paper used in the manufacture of "paper bowls"
for calenders and for friction pulleys, and it may also be used for wrapping and

page_text: covering goods to protect them from damp and dust, to line damp walls, and for
the like purposes.
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. As a new article of manufacture, a substitute for leather and for ordinary
paper, consisting of paper sized with gelatinous material and treated with a tannin
solution, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The hereinbefore described method of preparing a material for use in sub-
stitution for leather and for ordinary paper, and which consists in charging the paper
with a gelatinous solution during or after the process of manufacture and wetting
it one or more times with a tannin solution, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 16th day of October A D 1804