IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MARINE VEGETABLES FOR THE SEPARATION OF THEIR SALINE, CELLULOSE, AND GELATINOUS CONSTITUENTS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MARINE VEGETABLES FOR THE SEPARATION
OF THEIR SALINE, CELLULOSE, AND GELATINOUS CONSTITUENTS." A com-
munication from abroad by Monsieur Le Marquis Alexandre de Saint-Yves,
of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th March 1881.
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MARINE
VEGETABLES FOR THE SEPARATION OF THEIR SALINE, CELLULOSE, AND GELATINOUS
CONSTITUENTS." [A communication from abroad by Monsieur Le Marquis
Alexandre de Saint-Yves, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to the treatment of marine vegetables in the humid way
for the separation of their constituents, some of which are applicable for chemical
purposes, some are available for fibre or pulp, some for the production of dextrine,
starch, glucose, spirit, and vinegar, with generally a residue useful as manure.
For this purpose the selected marine plants are washed, dried at a temperature
under boiling point, and then placed in vessels which are preferably closed to
prevent waste by evaporation of the chemical substances employed in the treatment.
In these vessels the plants are placed on moveable perforated or wicker screens
and soaked in three or four times their weight of water, which, when acid treatment
is employed, contains about 10 per cent. of acid, preferably hydrochloric acid,
which has very little action on the fibrous and cellulose ingredients, and usually
renders the saline ingredients soluble. The action may take place at ordinary
temperatures, but it can be accelerated by warmth and pressure, so that after about
an hour only the cellulous fibres and woody ingredients remain on the screens
with the principle portion of the gelatinous matter, the salts being mostly dissolved
1

page_text: in the liquor, which is drawn off and filtered. Steam under pressure is then
introduced, and thereafter the vessels are emptied and refilled with fresh vegetables
to be treated in like manner. The liquor may be used repeatedly until it becomes
saturated, when it can be treated by the known methods for the extraction of
salts, iodine, and bromine.
Marine vegetables may also be subjected to treatment with alkalies or alkaline
earths. For this purpose they are in the first place piled in layers, alternating
with layers of hydrated alkali or alkaline earth amounting to 10 to 30 per cent. of
the weight of vegetables. They are then placed on the screens in the vessels and
subjected to the alkaline action, care being taken not to let the temperature exceed
375° Fahr.
When the vegetable matter has been cleared of all acid and alkali it can have
its cellulose separated from the fibre and gelatine by the action of steam in closed
vessels with an equal weight of liquor, which may contain 15 to 30 per cent. of
sour beer or vinegar or acetates of alkaline bases. The cellulose and fibrous
ingredients remain on the screens and the gelatine is in the liquor which is drawn
off, neutralized by ammonia or other alkali concentrated, filtered, and dried at a
temperature under boiling point.
The cellulose and fibrous matters may be bleached by 10 to 20 per cent. of
chloride of lime.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th September
1881.
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MARINE
VEGETABLES FOR THE SEPARATION OF THEIR SALINE CELLULOSE AND GELATINOUS
CONSTITUENTS." A communication from abroad by Monsieur le Marquis
Alexandre de Saint-Yves, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to the treatment of marine vegetables in the humid way
for the separation of their constituents, some of which are applicable for chemical
purposes, some are available for fibre or pulp, some for the production of dextrine,
starch, glucose, spirit, and vinegar, with generally a residue useful as manure. For
this purpose the selected marine plants are washed and dried at a temperature
which should be under boiling point so as to avoid alteration of the organic
constituents. The dried materials are then preferably chopped up to facilitate the
subsequent operations, and are placed in vessels which are preferably closed to
prevent waste by evaporation of the chemical substances employed in the treatment.
In these vessels the plants are placed on moveable perforated or wicker screens and
soaked in three or four times their weight of water, which, when acid treatment is
employed contains about 10 per cent. of acid, preferably hydrochloric acid, which
has very little action on the fibrous and cellulose ingredients, and usually renders
the saline ingredients soluble. The action may take place at ordinary temperatures,
but it can be accelerated by warmth and pressure, so that after about an hour or
a little more only the cellulose fibrous and woody ingredients remain on the screens
with the principal proportion of the gelatinous matter, the salts and vegetable
extracts being mostly dissolved in the liquor which is drawn off and filtered.
Steam under pressure is then introduced, and thereafter the vessels are emptied and
refilled with fresh vegetables to be treated in like manner. The liquor may be
used repeatedly until it becomes saturated, when it can be treated by the known
methods for the extraction of salts, iodine, and bromine.
Marine vegetables may also be subjected to treatment with alkalies or alkaline
earths. For this purpose they are in the first place piled in layers from one to two
feet deep, alternating with layers of hydrated alkali or alkaline earth amounting to
10 to 30 per cent. of the weight of the vegetables. They are then placed on the
screens in the vessels and subjected to the alkaline action, care being taken not
to let the temperature exceed 375° Fahr., otherwise the cellulose constituents might
be damaged.
Instead of the hydrated alkalies, compounds of alkaline metals, such as sodium or
potassium sulphide, may be employed. When carbonates are used after treatment
of the vegetable matter the liquor may be regenerated by a current of carbonic
acid. When sulphides are used regeneration may be effected by evaporation and
calcination, but this is objectionable as it is costly and troublesome, and involves
considerable loss of iodine.
When the vegetable matter has been cleared of all acid and alkali it can have
its cellulose separated from the fibre and gelatine by the action of steam in closed
vessels, with an equal weight of liquor, which may contain 15 to 30 per cent. of
sour beer or vinegar, or acetates of alkaline bases. After boiling, the celluloso and
fibrous ingredients remain on the screens and the gelatine is in the liquor which is
drawn off, and after settlement and decantation is neutralized by ammonia or
other alkali, concentrated, filtered, and dried at a temperature under boiling
point.

page_text: The cellulose and fibrous matters may be bleached by chloride of lime, employing
10 to 20 per cent, according as acids or alkalies had been used in the previous
process.
This bleaching should be carried on in closed vessels in which the materials are
agitated without heat, so as to avoid loss of chlorine.
The principal matters recovered by the processes above described are-
1. Fibre suitable for spinning or weaving.
2. Pulp of coarse quality suitable for caulking, of middling quality suitable for
mill-board, and of fine quality for paper.
3. Amylaceous substances analogous to starch.
7. Acetic acid, and
8. Residues in form of cakes suitable for feeding cattle.
Having thus described 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 claim,―
-
The herein described process for treating marine vegetables for the separation of
their saline, cellulose, and gelatinous constituents.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOHN IMKAY. (LS.)