À MODE OF TREATING THE VEGETABLE FIBRES, AND SPECIALLY THE WASTE OF FLAX, HEMP, JUTE, CHINA GRASS, &c., IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM THE SAME INTO COTTON
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by (Louis) Duffaud and (William
Henry) Frear at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 21st September 1872.
We, (Louis) DuffAUD and (WILLIAM HENRY) FREAR, of Boulevard
Malesherbes, 187, à Paris, do hereby declare the nature of the said.
Invention for "À MODE OF TREATING THE VEGETABLE FIBRES, AND SPECIALLY THE
WASTE OF FLAX, HEMP, JUTE, CHINA GRASS, &c., IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM THE
SAME INTO COTTON," to be as follows:-
The treatment which forms the subject of the present Invention is
intended to radically change the quality and nature of the textile
materials to which it is applied. It enables us to utilize the waste
products from manufacturing processes, which are generally thrown
away or burnt, supple and silky filaments, the resemblance of which to
cotton and even to wool is striking. We produce in a manner a real
cottonization of all vegetable filaments.
Our treatment comprises two chief operations herein-after described,
viz., disaggregation and bleaching, these operations are characterized by
the employment of certain chemical agents made use of under conditions
absolutely new for the object proposed.

page_text: Disaggregation.-Filamentous vegetables or textile plants having long
fibres, especially the tow and waste of flax, hemp, jute, phormium, and
china grass are more or less dirty or impure, and it is necessary first to
submit them to the action of a beater, such for example as that used for
beating and opening wool. The object of this operation is to remove
dust and other foreign matters. The materials thus beaten are placed in a
lye bath the strength of which should be 5° Beaumé for all filamentous
vegetables, but it will be fit to apply the following proportions for those
matters named: 1st, 4 degrees for waste of flax and china grass; 2nd, 6
degrees for waste of hemp, and 3rd, 8 degrees for waste of jute or
phormium. To make the lye we employ an alkaline substance, by
preference carbonate of soda or artificial soda. We boil the materials in
this lye for 5 hours for flax and china grass, 6 hours for hemp, 8 hours
for jute or phormium, and 5 hours for other filamentous vegetables. We
afterwards rinse them with cold water and allow them to drain. After 1
this operation the fibres are completely separated, the disaggregation of
the filaments is therefore effected, the matters foreign to the filaments,
such as straws and boons, are entirely detached from them and quite
disappear in the carding.
Bleaching. When it is required to bleach the materials, on their 2
leaving the lye and having been rinsed with cold water and allowed to
drain, we immerse them in a cold bath composed of a solution of chloride
of lime in the proportion of 5 grammes (about 77 grains) per litre,.
(about 1% pints) of water for all filamentous vegetable matters, other
than those about to be named, to which it will be suitable to give the a
following doses, viz: 6 to 8 grammes (92 to 123 grains) per litre, of
water according to the nature and quality of the material for flax; 8 to
10 grammes (123 to 154 grains) per litre for hemp; 10 grammes (151
grains) for jute or phormium, and 4 grammes (61 grains) for china
grass; we make a flow during the duration of the bath which should be a
3 hours. If the bleaching is insufficient we employ stronger baths;
experience and the quality of the material will decide the proper degree
aud the requisite duration of the immersion. After the material is with-
drawn and allowed to drain we immerse it in a hot bath of sulphuric
acid composed of 4 grammes (61 grains) to the litre of water. This 3
bath should continue five minutes. The material having been with-
drawn is again washed with cold water and allowed to drain. It is then
placed in a hot bath of soap water composed of 5 grammes (77 grains)

page_text: of Marseilles soap to the litre of water, and it is allowed to steep for 5
hours. The material on being withdrawn. is again carefully washed with
cold water and dried. After drying and carding the material may be
employed either alone or mixed with wool and cotton in the manufacture
of fabrics.
The baths of lye and soap should be kept, as they will serve indefi-
nitely, taking care always to add for every litre of pure water added to
the baths the proportions of soda or alkaline substance and of soap
above indicated.
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