An Improved Process and Apparatus for Separating the Bark from the other Portions of Flax, Hemp, and similar Plants.
Year: 1885

page_text: An Improved Process and Apparatus for Separating the Bark
from the other Portions of Flax, Hemp, and similar Plants.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
THE BARK FROM THE OTHER PORTIONS OF FLAX, HEMP AND SIMILAR PLANTS
be as follows :-
to
This invention relates to a process of separating the bark of dicotyledonous
plants from the other parts thereof.
It is known that the branches or stalks of all the dicotyledonous plants present
from the exterior to the interior a series of concentric layers divided into two
systems which are the cortical system and the central system.
The cortical system comprises 1st the epidermis or bark; 2nd the herbaceous
cover (second layer of the bark); 3rd the cortical layers; and 4th the bast (which
is the collective name of the most recent cortical layers).
The central system is composed of the sapwood, the wood proper, the medullary
layer and the pith.
The various parts of the cortical system are all composed of cellulose, that is to
say they contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the proportions of C¹³ H¹º 01,
and are covered by parenchymatous mucilage which is nothing but the primarily
colourless liquid sap, containing carbonic or oxalic acides, free, or combined with
lime or potash, and which in a more advanced period of the vegetation increases
in consistency by the effect of various new principles which are formed according
to the class to which the plant belongs, and the temperature to which it is exposed,
and this in a different proportion for each layer of the said cortical system.
The epidermis contains about 40%, the herbaceous cover 30°, and the cortical
layers and the bast 30% of the total weight contained in the entire cortical
system.
For textile uses, the cortical layers only can be utilized; it is therefore necessary
to separate them from the other parts, that is to say from the bark and the central
system.

page_text: The separation of the central system from the dicotyledous flax, hemp and jute
(commonly called the straw of the flax, and stalk of the hemp and the jute) is
effected by breaking and stripping, preceded by the chemical operation termed
retting.
The separation of the bark from flax and from hemp, which is very fine compared
with that of the other dicotyledons, is effected to a great extent during the
operations of the breaking and stripping, and completely by renewed breaking
and beating after stripping. This operation of breaking and beating causes a
great separation of the fibres, and produces the qualities generally termed "fine
sorts."
The separation of the bark from jute takes place by causing the stalks which
pass from the retting pit to strike upon flowing water.
The bark of jute, is very thick, and has little strength by reason of the small
quantity of cellulose it contains. Owing to these circumstances it possesses the
quality of separating easily under blows and of being carried away by the flowing
water.
For the dicotyledon nained ramie, the various means indicated above for
collecting the cortical layers which can be utilized cannot be employed, by reason
of the recognized impossibility of subjecting it to the operation of retting under
the desired conditions.
Since the fibres of this plant have been employed in the manufacture of thread,
the cortical layers have only been separated by hand from the bark and stalks.
More recently the cortical system has been separated by mechanical means from
the central system, and thus slivers are obtained containing the whole of the bark
(epidermis and herbaceous cover).
In this state these slivers are not fit for being spun, for it has not hitherto been
possible to remove, in a practical manner, the parenchymatous mucilage and the
cellulose which constitute the bark, the means proposed up to the present being
very expensive in the first instance, and rendering the material perfectly unfit for
being utilized for the textile industry.
The communicator of this invention has discovered that this bark, which must
be removed for enabling the cortical layers or fibres of the dicotyledons to be
advantageously utilized can be easily and practically removed by means of the
following method.
The cortical system, being separated either by hand, or mechanically, from the
central system (straw or stalks), is brought to an ordinary state of desiccation (that
is to say that which is necessary for transport as well as for spinning) and it is
subsequently placed upon a level table or block of stone, wood, iron, copper, or
other suitable material offering the necessary resistance, upon which table or block
a hammer or beater of wood, iron or other material is caused to strike.
The more or less rapid and violent beating of the bark, according to its nature,
between these two surfaces breaks the bark without damaging the fibres. This
result cannot be obtained by the action of fluted cylinders, the latter breaking the
fibres simultaneously with the bark, which fibres are thus converted into a tow
which cannot be utilized in the textile industry.
The cortical layers thus treated by beating can be used immediately for spinning,
or can be subjected, if need be, to the action of an alkali, the quantity of which
varies according to the condition of purity of the gum which it is desired to obtain.
If this separation of the bark from the fibres is not effected prior to subjecting
the fibres to the action of the alkalies, the large amount of parenchymatous mucilage
contained in the said bark requires such quantities of alkali for dissolving it that
the fibres are violently affected.
Moreover, it becomes almost impossible, under these conditions, to perfectly bleach
the fibres on account of the tint which has been imparted to them by the presence
of the mucilage contained in the bark.
Also, the cost of removing the gum in this method necessitates such an expendi-
ture for soda, acid, chloride, washing, coal, apparatus, and the like, that the materials

page_text: even supposing they are not deteriorated by the various operations, are much too
expensive for permitting them to be practically utilized.
Finally, the bark, although freed by these means from the parenchymatous
mucilage, remains in the fibres in the form of a pellicle (similar to the skin of an
onion) which is very fine certainly, but which nevertheless carries with it, when
the combing takes place, a considerable quantity of fibre thereby causing a waste
which is obviated by subjecting the dicotyledonous materials to a beating action
between plane surfaces.
This result can be obtained by various means.
A machine suitable for this purpose comprises a frame carrying at its lower part
a cross beam of wood, upon which is supportel a well dressed stone, the upper.
surface of which is on a level with a table from which the materials to be beaten
are fed. This beating takes place by means of plain hammers or beaters of wood,
iron or other material, which hammers or beaters are fastened to the lower end of
rods guided between cross-beams and which are lifted by cams. The latter are
fixed upon a shaft to which a continuous rotary motion is imparted.
The plants to be beaten are shaken between the stone and the hammers or beaters
in order that they may be uniformly beaten throughout. The bark is broken by
the blows without the fibres being broken or changed, because the beating takes
place between flat surfaces.
This process offers, besides the primary advantage of rendering all the
dicotyledons fit for utilization in the textile and other industries, the following
advantages; viz:—
(1) It diminishes the cost of transport and packing by reason of the reduction
in the weight and volume of the cortical systein from which the greater portion
which cannot be utilized is separated. (2) It enables the agriculturist, considering
the simplicity of the process, to increase greatly the value of his products by
employing his labourers in the beating operation during the winter and other:
periods of rest (3) For the ramie or other similar dicotyledons, the bark of which
is carse, it enables the growers to collect the waste, which, when restored to the
ground, provides it with almost the whole of the fertilizing principles which are
taken away by the plant; and finally it enables them to undertake the operation
of removing the gum, which does not offer the slightest difficulty, either by retting
or by a more or less prolonged immersion in diluted alkalies, which, after use,
furnish a manure of the first order.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Process and Apparatus for Separating the Bark
from the other Portions of Flax, Hemp, and similar Plants.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 process of separating the bark of dicotyledonous
plants from the other parts thereof.
It is known that the branches or stalks of all the: dicotyledonous plants present
from the exterior to the interior a series of concentric layers divided into two
systems which are the cortical system and the central system.
The cortical system comprises 1st the epidermis or bark; 2nd the herbaceous
cover (second layer of the bark; 3rd the cortical layers; and 4th the bast (which is
the collective name of the most recent cortical layers).
The central system is composed of the sapwood, the wood proper, the medullary
layer and the pith.
The various parts of the cortical system are all composed of cellulose, that is to
say they contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the proportions of C¹² Ho 010
and are covered by parenchymatous mucilage, which is nothing but the primarily
colourless liquid sap, containing carbonic or oxalic acids, free or combined with
lime or potash, and which in a more advanced period of the vegetation increases in
consistency by the effect of various new principles which are formed according to
the class to which the plant belongs and the temperature to which it is exposed,
and this in a different proportion for each layer of the said cortical system.
The epidermis contains about 40%, the herbaceous cover 30% and the cortical
layers and the bast 30% of the total weight contained in the entire cortical
system.
For textile uses, the cortical layers can only be utilized, it is therefore necessary
to separate them from the other parts, that is to say from the bark and the central
system.
The separation of the central system from the dicotyledons flax, hemp jute
(commonly called the straw of the flax and stalk of the hemp and the jute) is
effected by breaking and stripping, preceded by the chemical operation termed
retting.
The separation of the bark from flax and from hemp, which is very fine as
compared with that of the other dicotyledons, is effected to a great extent during
the operations of the breaking and stripping, and completely by renewed breaking
and beating after stripping. This operation of breaking and beating causes a
separation of the fibres and produces the qualities generally termed "fine sorts."
The separation of the bark from jute takes place by causing the stalks which
pass from the retting pit to strike upon flowing water.
The bark of jute, is very thick and has little strength by reason of the small
quantity of cellulose it contains. Owing to these circumstances it possesses the
quality of separating easily under blows and of being carried away by the flowing
water.

page_text: For the dicotyledon named ramie the various means indicated above for
collecting the cortical layers which can be utilized cannot be employed, by reason
of the recognized impossibility of subjecting it to the operation of retting under
the desired conditions.
Although the fibres of this plant have been employed in the manufacture of
thread, the cortical layers have only been separated from the bark and stalks by
hand.
More recently the cortical system has been separated by mechanical means from
the central system, and thus slivers are obtained containing the whole of the bark
(epidermis and herbaceous cover).
In this state the slivers are not fit for being spun, for it has not hitherto been
possible to remove in a practical manner the parenchymatous mucilage and the
cellulose which constitute the bark, the means proposed up to the present being
very expensive in the first instance and rendering the material perfectly unfit for
being utilized for the textile industry.
The communicator of this invention has discovered that this bark which must
be removed for enabling the cortical layers or fibres of the dicotyledons to be
advantageously utilized can be easily and practically removed by means of the
following method.
The cortical system, being separated either by hand or mechanically from the
central system (straw or stalks), is brought to an ordinary state of desiccation (that
is to say that which is necessary for transport as well as for spinning) and it is
subsequently placed upon a level table or block of stone, wood, iron, copper, or
other suitable material offering the necessary resistance, upon which table or block
a hammer or beater of wood, iron or other material is caused to strike.
The more or less rapid and violent beating of the bark according to its nature
between these two surfaces breaks the bark without damaging the fibres. This
reşult cannot be obtained by the action of Hluted cylinders as heretofore proposed,
the latter breaking the fibres simultaneously with the bark which fibres are thus
converted into a kind of tow which cannot be utilized in the textile industry.
The cortical layers thus treated by beating can be used immediately for spinning,
or can be subjected, if need be, to the action of an alkali, the quantity of which
varies according to the purity of which it is desired that the mucilage removed
should possess.
If this separation of the bark from the fibres is not effected prior to subjecting the
fibres to the action of alkalies, the large amount of parenchymatous mucilage con-
tained in the said bark requires such quantities of alkali for dissolving it that the
fibres are injuriously affected. Moreover it becomes almost impossible under these
conditions to perfectly bleach the fibres on account of the tint which has been
imparted to them by the presence of the mucilage contained in the bark.
Also the cost of removing the mucilage in this method necessitates such an
expenditure for soda, acid, chloride, washing, coal, apparatus, and the like, that
the materials, even supposing they are not deteriorated by these various operations,
are much too expensive for permitting them to be practically utilized. Finally, the
bark, although freed by these means from the parenchymatous mucilage remains in
the fibres in the form of a pellicle (similar to the skin of an onion) which is very
fine, certainly, but which nevertheless carries with it, when the combing takes
place a considerable quantity of fibre thereby causing a waste which is obviated
by subjecting the dicotyledenous materials to a beating action between plane
surfaces.
This result can be obtained by various means and I have represented in the
accompanying drawing a machine for the purpose.
Figure 1. is a side view of the said machine, and
Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
This machine comprises a frame B, carrying at its lower part a cross beam A of
wood, upon which is supported a well dressed stone C. The upper surface of this
stone is on a level with a table D from which the materials to be beaten are fed.

page_text: The beating is effected by means of plane hammers or beaters E E of wood, iron
or other material, which hammers or beaters are fastene i to the lower end of rods F
guided between the cross beams G G and which are lifted by cams H H. The
latter are fixed upon a shaft M to which a continuous rotary motion is imparted.
The plants to be beaten are shaken by handfulls between the stone and the
hammers or beaters in order that that they may be uniformly beaten throughout.
The bark is broken by the blows without the fibres being broken or changed, because
the beating is performed between flat surfaces.
This process offers besides the primary advantage of rendering all the dicotyledons
fit for utilization in the textile and other industries, the following advantages viz.
(1) It diminishes the cost of transport and packing by reason of the reduction in
the weight and volume of the cortical system from which the greater portion which
cannot be utilized is separated. (2) It enables the agriculturist, considering the
simplicity of the process, to greatly increase the value of his products by employing
his labourers in the beating operation during the winter and other periods of rest.
(3) For the ramie or other similar dicotyledons, the bark of which is coarse, it
enables the growers to collect the waste which when restored to the ground provides
it with almost the whole of the fertilizing principles which are absorbed by the
plant and finally it enables them to undertake the operation of removing the
mucilage, which does not offer the slightest difficulty either by retting or by a more
or less prolonged immersion in diluted alkalies, which latter after use furnish a
manure of the first order.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
-
First. The process hereinbefore described of separating the bark of dicotyledonous
plants, from the other portions thereof which process consists in breaking the bark
by beating the said plants between two plane surfaces.
Second. The apparatus constructed substantially as herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawing for the purpose specified.
.
Dated this 11th day of Decembar 100%
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.