IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, CHINA GRASS, FORMIUM TENAX, JUTE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Trimble, of the City of Glasgow, Flax
Spinner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING FLAX, HEMP,
CHINA GRASS, FORMIUM TENAX, JUTE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 26th July 1867, and dated the 12th March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Trimble at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
March 1867.
I, WILLIAM TRIMBLE, of the City of Glasgow, Flax Spinner, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING
FLAX, HEMP, CHINA GRASS, FORMIUM TENAI, JUTE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the preparatory treatment of flax, hemp, China
grass, formium tenax, jute, and other vegetable fibres in order to the
subsequent spinning of the same, and consist, firstly, in passing the sliver
through the drawing rollers in the process of drawing constantly in the same
direction, that is to say, introducing between the drawing rollers at each
operation or stage of the process that end of the sliver which was first
introduced between the rollers in the first operation of drawing. According to
the ordinary method of drawing the sliver after passing through the drawing'
rollers is received into a can, thereby causing the end which last passed
through the said rollers to become uppermost, and this end is passed first
through the drawing rollers in the next stage of the operation; in this manner

page_text: the direction in which the sliver is passed through the drawing rollers is
reversed at each drawing, and this reversal has a tendency to produce knots or
"
knaps" by bending or turning back the ends of the said fibres.
Now according to my Invention I take that end of the sliver which lies
undermost in the can after each drawing, and pass that end first through the
drawing rollers in each succeeding drawing, and thereby avoid the disadvantage
above referred to. In order to get at the said end of sliver I either turn out
the contents of the can into another can, or I use a can having a cover at each
end; when this can is filled with sliver I shut down the top cover and turn
the said can upside down and remove or turn back the cover on what is now
its upper end. In either case the contents of the can being reversed the
end of the sliver which was undermost now lies uppermost realy for the con-
tinuation of the process of drawing.
My Invention consists, secondly, in boiling or soaking in the manner
herein-after described the fibre under treatment for the purpose of softening
and purifying such fibre. Hitherto when it has been thought advisable to
boil or soak fibres during the process of preparation (whether in pure water or
in a chemical solution) an air-tight vessel has generally been used in which
the sliver or rove wound on the bobbin, cop, spool, or other axis has been
placed, and then the liquid has been either forced into the said vessel by
pressure or drawn into it by the creation in it of a vacuum more or less
perfect, this method, however, is attended by numerous disadvantages. The
rove so wound on the bobbin or other axis is not equally acted on either by the
fluid or fluids injected, or by the water in which such rove is washed, or by the
artificial heat used to dry the said rove, its outer rows or folds being more
exposed than its inner ones. The folds of the said rove are liable to become
displaced and their fibres entangled, and the free winding of the said rove off
the said bobbin or axis is impeded, also the boiling process injures the wood
of which the said bobbin or axis is usually made, so that the said bobbin or
axis cannot be frequently used. Now in order to avoid these and other
disadvantages. I begin my operations winding the rove (having first,
pared it either in the manner described under the first, head of my Invention
or in the ordinary way) off the bobbin on to a reel of the ordinary construc-.
tion, and making the said rove into hanks or skeins on the said reel; I then
take the said banks or skeins off the said reel and suspend them on a rod;
imparting, a gentle tension to the said hanks or skeins by means of another
rod (made of lead or other heavy substance) passed through and suspended by
the said hanks or skeins; I then lower them into a vat or vessel filled with
the water or solution prepared for the purpose, and which water or solution is
pre-

page_text: brought to such temperature as the particular material under treatment may
require. The rod on which the said hanks or skeins are suspended is so
placed that its ends rest on a ledge or shelf at each inner side and near to the
top or lip of the said vat; these ledges or shelves are so constructed that they
can be raised or lowered at will. Having thus suspended in the vat as many
hanks or skeins as I require I lower the ledge or shelf at each side so far as
to completely immerse the said hanks or skeins in the water or solution in
which they may remain as long as is required to suit the degree of fineness to
be obtained. In order that all parts of the said hanks or skeins may be
equally acted upon I cause the said ledge or shelf to be raised from time to
time so as to bring the rods on which the said hanks or skeins are suspended
out of the water or solution, and when in this position I turn the upper rods
round so.as to change the points of contact both at top and bottom and then
lower the said ledges or shelves so as again to cover the said hanks or skeins
with the fluid; this operation may be repeated at will when the banks or
skeins have been sufficiently acted on by the water or solution. I suspend
them on rods as before in the same or another similar vat or vessel, and cause
a gentle current of pure water to pass through them till the impurities
disengaged by the first immersion and the chemicals (if any) are effectually
removed, when the said banks or skeins may be partially or wholly dried by
pressure or otherwise and rewound on to the bobbins from which the rove was
taken, the winding being effected by means of any ordinary winding machine;
after which the purified rove thus rewound may be taken to the spinning frame.
In spinning materials prepared in this way I recommend that the water used
to macerate. the fibre when being spun be not heated as is usual in the
ordinary mode of spinning.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Trimble in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th.
September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TRIMBLE, of the City of Glasgow, Flax Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Trimble, Her special licence that I, the said William Trimble, my.

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Trimble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING
FLAX, HEMP, CHINA GRASS, FORMIUM TENAX, JUTE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Trimble, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Trimble, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
:
My improvements relate to the preparatory treatment of flax, hemp, China
grass, formium tenax, jute, and other vegetable fibres, in order to the sub-
sequent spinning of the same, and consists, firstly, in passing the sliver through
the drawing rollers in the process of drawing constantly in the same direction,
that is to say, introducing between the drawing rollers at each operation or
stage of the process that end of the sliver which was first introduced between
the rollers in the first operation of drawing. According to the ordinary
method of drawing the sliver after passing through the drawing rollers is
received into a can, thereby causing the end which last passed through the
said rollers to become uppermost, and this end is passed first through
the drawing rollers in the next stage of the operation. In this manner the
direction in which the sliver is passed through the drawing rollers is reversed
at each drawing, and this reversal has a tendency to produce knots or
knaps" by bending or turning back the ends of the said fibres.
66
Now according to my Invention I take that end of the sliver which lies
undermost in the can after each drawing, and pass that end first through the
drawing rollers in each succeeding drawing, and thereby avoid the dis-
advantage above referred to. In order to get at the said end of sliver I either
turn out the contents of the can into another can or I use a can having a
cover at each end; when this can is filled with sliver I shut down the top.
cover, and turn the said can upside down, and remove or turn back the cover

page_text: on what is now its upper end. In either case the contents of the cau being
reversed the end of the sliver which was undermost now lies uppermost ready
for the continuation of the process of drawing.
My Invention consists, secondly, in boiling or soaking in hot liquid in the
manner herein-after described the fibre under treatment for the purpose of
softeuing and purifying such fibre. Hitherto when it has been thought
advisable to boil or soak fibres during the process of preparation (whether in
pure water or in a chemical solution) an air-tight vessel has generally been
used in which the sliver or rove wound on the bobbin, cop, spool, or other axis
has been placed, and then the liquid has been either forced into the said
vessel by pressure or drawn into it by the creation in it of a vacuum more or
less perfect; this method, however, is attended by numerous disadvantages:
The rove so wound on the bobbin or other axis is not equally acted on either
by the fluid or fluids injected or by the water in which such rove is washed,
or by the artificial heat used to dry the said rove, it outer rows or folds being
more exposed than its inner ones. The folds of the said rove are liable to
become displaced and their fibres entangled, and the free winding of the said
rove off the said bobbin or axis is impeded; also the boiling process injures
the wood of which the said bobbin or axis is usually inade, so that the said
bobbin or axis cannot be frequently used. Now in order to avoid these and
other disadvantages I begin my operations by winding the rove (having first
prepared it either in the manner described under the first head of my Inven-
tion or in the ordinary way) off the bobbin on to a reel of the ordinary
construction, and making the said rove into banks or skeins on the said reel ;
I then take the said hanks or skeins off the said reel and suspend them on a
rod, imparting a gentle tension to the said hanks or skeins by means of
another rod (made of lead or other heavy substance) passed through and
suspended by the said banks or skeins; I then lower them into a vat or
vessel filled with the water or solution prepared for the purpose, and which
water or solution has been previously brought to such temperature as the
particular material under treatment may require. The rod on which the
said hanks or skeins are suspended is so placed that its ends rest on a ledge
or shelf at each inner side and near to the top or lip of the said vat; these
ledges or shelves are so constructed that they can be raised or lowered at will.
Having thus suspended in the vat as many hanks or skeins as I require I
lower the ledge or shelf at each side so far as to completely immerse the said
banks or skeins in the water or solution, in which they may remain as long as
is required to suit the degree of fineness to be obtained. In order that all
parts of the said banks or skeins may be equally acted upon I cause the said

page_text: ledge or shelf to be raised from time to time so as to bring the rods on which
the said banks or skeins are suspended out of the water or solution, and when
in this position I turn the upper rods round so as to change the points of
contact both at top and bottom, and then lower the said ledges or shelves so
as again to cover the said hanks or skeins with the fluid; this operation may
be repeated at will. When the hanks or skeins have been sufficiently acted
on by the water or solution I suspend them on rods as before in the same or
another similar vat or vessel, and cause a gentle current of pure water to pass
through them till the impurities disengaged by the first immersion, and the
chemicals (if any) are effectually removed when the said banks or skeins may
be partially or wholly dried by pressure or otherwise and rewound on to the
bobbins from which the rove was taken, the winding being effected by means
of any ordinary winding machine, after which the purified rove thus rewound
may be taken to the spinning frame.
Having now described the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe
the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure is a sectional elevation of a reversible can A for holding sliver ;
the said can has moveable ends a¹, a². When the sliver B is received into
the said can after passing through the drawing rollers the end 6 which first
passed through the said rollers is undermost; in order to get at this end the
cover a¹ is placed on the can, as represented; the said can is then turned
upside down, and the cover a³ is taken off. The end 6' of the sliver is thus
brought uppermost, and can be passed first through the drawing rollers in the
next stage of the process. Instead of using the can described a can of the
ordinary construction may be used, in which case I turn out the contents of
the said can between each drawing so as to bring uppermost that end of the
sliver which was first passed through the drawing rollers.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 represent an arrangement of apparatus by means of
which the fibres to be treated are soaked or boiled in the manner herein.
before described. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section (taken on the line X,
Figure 3) of a trough or vat in which the said fibres are immersed; and.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections of the same (taken on the line Y,
Figure 2). In Figures 2 and 3 the fibres are shown completely immersed,
and in Figure 4 they are shown partially raised out of the water or solution.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 2, 3, and 4.
A is a vat or trough containing the water or solution in which the skeins
of fibre B, B, are immersed; these skeins are passed over bars or rods
C, C; the bars C* being made of lead or other suitable heavy material; their.

page_text: suspension in the skeins B, B, imparts a gentle tension to the said skeins.
The ends of the bars C¹ rest on shelves or ledges D, D, which are suspended
from pulleys E, E, by means of cords F, F, one end of each of the said cords
being attached to one of the bars D, D, the other end of the said cord
carrying a counterbalance weight G; D', D', are guide brackets. By these
means the skeins B, B, can be lowered into or raised from the water or
solution as required.
My Invention may also be applied to the boiling of fibres. When so
applied a vessel capable of sustaining the application of external heat may be
used, and the fibre boiled either by fire applied externally or steam internally,
or otherwise. I would here remark that in practice I find that the dyeing of
yarns and other materials can be effected in a much more perfect and satis-
factory manner while the material is undergoing the process of soaking
herein-before described than when the said material is dyed in the ordinary
manner.
Although I have described one arrangement of apparatus by means of
which my Invention may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood
that I do not limit myself thereto as my said Invention may be carried
into effect by means of other suitable apparatus; but I claim as of my
Invention,-
Firstly, an arrangement of apparatus and order of process by means of
which the sliver is repeatedly passed through the drawing rollers with the
same end foremost, thereby preventing the injury to the fibre caused by the
ordinary method of changing at each operation the end first passed through
the rollers.
Secondly, an arrangement of apparatus for effecting the soaking of the
rove previously formed into banks or skeins by winding off the bobbin on to
a reel, such hanks or skeins being afterwards wound again on to bobbins, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Trimble, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
WILLIAM STEVENSON,
Mercantile Clerk.
WILLIAM TRIMBLE. (L.S.)