IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE TREATMENT. OF FLAX AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MATERIALS
Year: 1857

page_text: Sealed the 14th April 1857, and dated the 4th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th February 1857.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields; in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said. Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE TREATMENT. OF FLAX AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MATERIALS,"
a communication from Julian Lefebure, of Brussels, in the. Kingdom of
Belgium, Merchant, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to an improved mode of treating flax and
other similar fibrous substances, whereby the old and injurious process of
retting is dispensed with, and the total removal of the gummy or resinous
matters contained in the flax or other similar fibrous material effectually.
accomplished with a great economy of time, whilst the texture of the fibres is
greatly improved, and "a considerable reduction in the waste of material
effected.

page_text: Secondly, to an improved mode of effecting the perfect division or separation
of the fibres after they have been subjected to the retting process.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention, it is proposed to com-
bine an alkali with the gummy or resinous matters adhering to the fibres
under treatment, and then to effect a chemical reaction upon this alkali, by
means of an acid, after which the fibrous substance should be well rinsed in
water.
The second portion of the. Invention.is accomplished. by drying the fibrous
substance after it has been treated in the, manner herein-before referred to,
and when dry impregnating it with a chemical salt or substance, which will
liberate gas freely on the application thereto of an acid. If the fibrous
substance, after having been treated as above described, be now subjected to
the action of an acid, the rapid disengagement of the gas, which will be effected
amongst the smallest of the fibres, will cause them to be divided or separated
in a most effectual manner, the operation being completed by again rinsing the
fibrous material in water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th August 1857.
SHALL
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47; Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex;
and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her. Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth.day of February, in the year of our, Lord One
thousand eight,liundred and, fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of. Her reign, did,.
for Herself, Her heirs. and successors, give and grant unto me, the, said John'
Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry, Johnson, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, or. such others as I, the said John
Henry. Johnson, my, executors, administrators, or 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
THE TREATMENT OF FLAX AND SIMILAR TEXTILE MATERIALS," a communication from
Julian Lefebure, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Merchant, upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I the said John Henry Johnson, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal; 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 John Henry. Johnson, do hereby declare
thio. 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;; that is to say
The. said Invention relates; first, to an improved mode of treating flax and
other similar fibrous substances whereby the old and injurious process of retting
is dispensed with, and the total removal of the gumimy or resinous matters
contained in the flax or other similar fibrous material is effectually accomplished
with a great economy of time and labor, whilst the texture of tlie fibres is
greatly improved and a considerable reduction in the waste of material
effected.
Secondly, to an improved mode of effecting the perfect division or sepa-
ration of the fibres after they, liave been freed from the gummy or resinous
matters:
1.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention, I combinė an alkali with
the gummy or resinous matters adhering to the fibres under treatment, and
then effect a chemical reaction upon this alkali, by means of an acid; after
which the fibrous substance should be well rinsed in water.
The second portion of the Invention is accomplished by drying the fibrous
substance after it has been treated in the manner herein-before referred to,
and when dry impregnating it with a chemical salt or. substance, which will
liberate gas freely on the application thereto of an. acid... If the fibrous
substance, after having been treated as above described; be now subjected to
the action of an acid solution, the rapid disengagement of the gas, which will
be effected. even amongst the smallest of the fibres; will cause them to be
divided or separated in a most effectual manner, the operation being com-
pleted by again rinsing the fibrous material in water.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood and carried
into effect; I shall now proceed to give a detailed and particular description of
the same: Taking for example a weight of about twenty pounds of flax (after.
it has been already freed as mucli as possible from its straw or woody matters,
I boil it for two hours in about seventy-four gallons of water, wherein about
three pounds of simple crystallised or calcined soda have been dissolved. The

page_text: fibrous substances having been then removed from the boiler, and well wrung
so as to remove the greater portion of the solution therefrom, are now placed.
during fifty or sixty minutes in about thirty-five'gallons of water, with which
about four and a half gallons of sulphuric acid have been previously mixed,
after which they are well' rinsed in warm or cold water, and then well pressed.
The material is then dried by a moderate heat, and I separate or soften its
fibres by mechanical or other ordinary means, this process completing at the
same time the separation of the straw or wood which may still be attached to
the fibres. When I operate on substances steeped or retted as in the old.
process this drying is not required. The fibrous material is now placed for
about half an hour in about thirty-nine gallons of water, in which about. three
and a half pounds of bicarbonate of soda have been dissolved. It is then
withdrawn, the surplus liquid is expelled by compressing it lightly, and it is
placed during ten or fifteen minutes in about thirty-five gallons of water,
with which about one pint and a half of sulphuric acid have been mixed.
The material having been washed, rinced, and dried, the process is complete.
The proportions of the above-mentioned liquids or solutions to the fibrous
material to be treated will be always the same as those already.mentioned,
save that the relative proportion of the first solution to the fibrous material' to
be treated must be increased or diminished according to the quantity of the
gummy or resinous substances contained in the fibrous material. These
proportions have been found by me after many trials and experiments to be
the best.
My process applies to the steeping of flax, hemp, alpha of Algiers, Manilla
hemp, Indian bastein, in fact, to all vegetable fibrous textile substances, and
I consider that the following advantages are obtained by using the same :-
First, the flax or other fibrous substance acquires greater softness and fine-
ness, since the fibres are completely cleaned of all the gummy or resinous
matter of the plant without loosing any of its strength.
Second, the quantity of textile material obtained by this process from a given
weight of the plant is greater than that obtained when the ordinary method of
steeping is employed.
Third, all the tow, much of which is usually destroyed or considered waste,
may, when this process is employed, be spun or otherwise turned to account,
and the ordinary tow is finer and may be spun to a greater fineness with
equal strength.
Fourth, the bleaching process to which the spun flax is usually submitted
before weaving becomes unnecessary, my process both cleansing and bleaching
the material at the same time.

page_text: Fifth, the bleaching of the yarns or the fabric is effected much more
quickly and more advantageously either in the field or by chemical processes.
Sixth, flax which, as hitherto treated has only imperfectly taken indigo dye,
will when treated by my process take it very well.
Seventh, the straw of the flax, to be treated by my process, being previously
separated from the fibres yields a new food to cattle, which is estimated by
agriculturists at about two-thirds the value of oil cake.
Eighth, the material resulting from the use of my process is considerably
improved in quality, softness, and whiteness.
Ninth, much time is saved since all the necessary processes are completed
in twenty-fours hours in all seasons, and there is besides a saving of
expense.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as certain variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention."
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the system or mode of treating flax and other similar fibrous substances
with a view to the removal of the resinous or gummy matter therefrom, as
herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of treating flax and other similar fibrous
substances with the view of effecting a perfect separation of the fibres thereof,
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set their hand and seal, the Fourth day of August One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)