Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
The process is as follows:-
:-
The stalks of ramie are cut to length having been split, as shown in Figure 1,
in which a shows the woody part 6 the pith c the textile fibres and d the bark.
The object of splitting the stalks is to facilitate the action of the dissolving
bath hereinafter described.
The stalks are then arranged in layers composed of a greater or less number of
stalks according to the dimensions of the vat. These layers take the form of
hurdles the stalks A being arranged side by side at a little distance from one
another. They are secured in position by frames such as B and C between which
the stalks are placed and firmly held by means of bolts and nuts. The frames have
at their upper part lateral projections C¹ resting on the crosspieces B₁ whose ends
rest on the edges of the vat. The bolts and the like should be of bronze or other
suitable material, the use of iron being avoided.
The frames thus prepared are then suspended vertically in the vat D of enamelled
iron plate or casting Figure 4 in such manner that the stalks may be horizontal
and separate one from another to aïd the action of the bath.
This bath is composed of a saturated soap solution of about 90 degrees centigrade
containing 30% to 40% of soap and is run into the vat D and gradually raised
to a temperature near the boiling point by means of a coil E or other suitable
This temperature is maintained for about forty eight hours and the
means.
Price 8d 1

page_text: hurdles are then withdrawn and drained. The bark is so to speak dissolved
under the action of the soap solution and separates from the fibre in a gelatinous
form; the separation is hastened by the use of a scraper F, Figure 5 having an
elastic edge N. The hurdles are then placed in a vat of hot water, and washed;
the object of this is to remove entirely the excess soap. The skein of ramie
fibre thus produced is then plunged for from a quarter of an hour to two hours
according to dimensions in a bath containing about six per cent. of a salt of
alumina magnesia or lime such as soda or potash alum, sulphate of magnesia,
or chloride of calcium respectively. The process is completed by a thorough
washing and the skein is dried either in the open air or in a stove or otherwise.
After this treatment the ramie is entirely freed from all agglutinative matters.
It is moreover partially bleached, and its yield is considerably increased, because
the whole of the textile fibres are obtained.
In proof of the superiority of this method of treatment, it may be noted that
the yield is about thirty per cent. of textile fibres, fifty-five per cent. of wood, and
fifteen per cent. of bark after drying.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The preliminary splitting of the ramie stalks for the purpose of aiding the
action of the bath.
2. The arrangement in layers or hurdles of such prepared stalks, plunged in a
bath; the stalks being horizontal and the frames vertical.
3. The decorticating and dissolving effected by means of a hot concentrated
soap solution penetrating the fibre cells and completely dissolving the agglu-
tinating materials causing the textile fibres to separate, after having entirely
removed gummy matters.
4. The soaking of the fibres obtained as herein before set forth in a solution of a
salt of alumina, magnesia, or lime.
5. The herein before described process for the treatment of ramie fibre and the
like, whereby operations tending to weaken and partly destroy the fibres are
obviated.
6. The treatment of ramie and the like without the use of any complicated and
expensive machine and the production therefrom of the textile fibres whole, neither
broken nor injured and retaining all their physical properties substantially as
described.
10
.
1007
10
1007
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents for the Applicants, 322, High Holborn, London, W.C.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents for the Applicants, 322, High Holborn, London, W.C.