Improvements in Vegetable Glues or Sizings.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vegetable Glues or Sizings.
I, FRANK HEPBURN, of Derwent Cottage, Sutton, in the County of Surrey,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of vegetable glues or sizings from a
new source, and to a process for manufacturing the same. In carrying my invention
into operation I take the root of the palmetto plant which is cut up in a suitable
machine. The sliced wood or root is placed in a suitable vessel and first
subjected to the treatment of steam at a high temperature, and is then boiled with
acidified water until all the soluble matter has been extracted. The resulting
liquor is drawn off, and may be decolourised by filtration. I may use any known
charcoal filter, but a carbonised tropical moss forms an excellent filtering medium.
The liquor is then concentrated into a vegetable glue or size according to the
degree of concentration.
Although I have obtained very satisfactory results from the palmetto plant I
do not confine myself to this course, as other vegetable fibres containing starch
may be used.
Dated thi 1111 1
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
improvements in vegetable Glues or sizings.
I, FRANK HEPBURN, of Derwent Cottage, Sutton, in the County of Surrey,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what maner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The nature of this invention is a process for obtaining or extracting from the
palmetto or other similar plants, a product in the nature of a vegetable glue or
sizing, composed mainly or largely of pectinous matter; also the product obtained
thereby.
My process, as applied to the palmetto, which I have found to contain a large
quantity of pectinous matter, is as follows:
-
I take the roots or underground stems of the palmetto and by means of a
suitable disintegrating or cutting machine I divide the same into thin slices or
small particles.
These I place in a suitable vessel and subject them to the action of steam of a
high temperature, say about 300 degrees, Fahrenheit, for an hour, more or less;
[Price 8d71

page_text: that is to say the cuttings are maintained at about that steam temperature for
such time, or thereabouts.
I then introduce into the vessel a quantity of water, say sufficient to cover the mass
of material. This mixture is then maintained at the boiling point, or thereabouts
until the pectinous matter has been extracted or exhausted therefrom. I finally
draw off the liquid from the vessel, and after clarifying the same, by filtration,
or otherwise, if desired, I concentrate it, preferably in vacuo, to the required
density.
The resulting product is a substance in liquid, jelly like, or solid form, according
to the extent of concentration, consisting chiefly, or essentially, of pectinous
matter, and constituting a sort of vegetable glue or sizing with difficulty soluble
in cold water, of considerable adhesive quality, and also useful as a sizing for many
other purposes for which glue, dextrine and the like are employed in the arts,
but costing very much less to produce than glue, dextrine &c.
In order to avoid liability to fermentation of the substance when put up for the
market I would usually add thereto some suitable antiseptic, or it might be, a
small quantity of acetic acid.
The object of using steam in the process is to subject the material to heat with,
or in the presence of moisture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is: :-
1. The herein described manufacture of vegetable glue or sizing.
2. The herein described substance or product in the nature of a vegetable
glue or sizing obtained from the palmetto, said substances being composed chiefly
of pectinous matter, glutinous and soluble with difficulty in cold water.
3. The process of obtaining an agglutinant which consists in subjecting palmetto
roots to the action of heat and moisture to effect chemical combination which forms
a soluble agglutinant, and then extracting the agglutinant by washing, substantially
as described.
4. The described process of extracting from palmetto, or other similar plants a
substance, in the nature of a vegetable glue or sizing composed chiefly of pectinous
matter, which process consists in subjecting the roots or other parts of the plant
containing pectinous matter to a temperature of about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, in
the presence of moisture, then adding water thereto, then subjecting the mixture
to heat at or about the boiling point, and concentrating the same to the desired
density, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 9th day of February 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.