THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIAL TO BE USED AS A Substitute for WHALEBONE, WHICH INVENTION ALSO RELATES TO FIBRES FOR BRUSHLES AND BROOMS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Rudolph Auerbach, of Coleman Street, in the City of
London, Merchant, for an Invention of "THE MANUFACTURE OF AN
IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIAL TO BE USED AS A Substitute for WHALEBONE,
WHICH INVENTION ALSO RELATES TO FIBRES FOR BRUSHLES AND BROOMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Rudolph Auerbach at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th July 1880.
RUDOLPH AUERBACH, of Coleman Street, in the City of London, Merchant.
"THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIAL TO BE USED AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALEBONE, WHICH INVENTION ALSO RELATES TO FIBRES FOR
BRUSHES AND BROOMS."
This Invention relates chiefly to the manufacture of a new substanco which
forms an artificial or vegetablo whalebone, and which is produced by treating
vegetable fibres of various kinds in the manner herein described. This improved
material will bo equal to real whalebone for many purposes for which the latter is
now used; and will be cheap in comparison with the same.
The said Invention also comprises the utilization for brushes and brooms of the
thin and short fibres separated from the other portions of the fibrous material used
in such manufacture.
In the manufacture of the said artificial whalebone I use the fibres of piassava,
palm leaves, alpha grass, kitool, or other like plants, or any other woody materials.
I 'steep the same in naphtha containing resin or other resinous substances in
solution, or boil them in linseed oil with such resinous matters.
I make a solution of silicate of soda alone or mixed with sulphate of barytes or
feldspar, or common chalk, and saturate the said fibres therewith to cause them to
adhere together in the form of flat or round strips, pieces, or bands; or instead of
using the above solution I may commence by applying to the fibres glue, gum, or
cement mixed with treacle, red lead (miniun), or similar material to give softness
and flexibility to the fibres.
When the strips or pieces of fibrous material thus saturated or treated are dry, I
apply to the same a coating of thin metal, preferably brass foil or tin foil, in which

page_text: I may encase the flat or round strips; or instead of the thin metal I may apply to
the said fibres a coating of celluloid, xylonite, or the like; or I may apply the latter
over the said thin metal. I then coat or cover the said strips or pieces with
shellac, mastic, or other suitable varnish of any given color or tint.
For the preparation of fibres for brushes or brooms I take the thin short fibres
which are unsuitable for the above manufacture and saturate them in a solution of
naphtha and resin or other suitable glutinous or resinous matter to toughen them,
so that they will be sufficiently stiff and durable to serve in the place of ordinary
bristles in various kinds of brushes or brooms, thereby affording great economy in
the production of these articles, and I apply then any kind of varnish of any
given color or tint.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Rudolph Auerbach in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
January 1881.
ct
RUDOLPH AVERRACII, of Coleman Street, in the City of London, Merchant.
THE MANUFACTURE OF AN IMPROVED FIBROUS MATERIAL TO BE USED AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR WHALEBONE, WHICH INVENTION ALSO RELATES TO FIBRES FOR
BRUSHES AND BROOMS."
This Invention relates chiefly to the manufacture of a new substance which
forms what I term artificial, fibrous, or vegetable whalebone, and which is produced
by treating vegetable fibres of various kinds in the manner hereinafter described.
This improved material will be equal to real whalebone for many purposes for
which the latter is now generally used, and will be cheap in comparison with the
same.
The said Invention also comprises the utilization for brushes and brooms of the
thin and short fibres separated from the other portions of the fibrous material used
in such manufacture.
In the manufacture of the said artificial whalebone I take the fibre of pinssava,
alpha-grass, kitool, Moxican fibre, or leaves, and any other woody or vegetable
material, and subject the same to the processes hereinafter fully described, that is
to say: :-
I take fibrous material of any of the kinds above specified and saturate the same
with a solution of silicate of soda alone or mixed with sulphate of barytos, or
felspar, or common chalk, and thereby cause the said fibres to adhero together in
the form of a flat or round body or mass. Instead of the above solution I however
prefer to uso for this purpose gum of any kind, isinglass, glue, shellac, or any
suitable cement or mucilaginous, glutinous, or viscid substances, and in some cases
I may also use resinous materials in solution.
As soon as the said fibres adhere to each other uniformly throughout the mass or
body (which may be round, flat, or of any other desirable shape as stated) I divide
the same into flat or round layers or strips with smooth surfaces.
When I treat kitool or coir, hemp, cotton, and the like, I prefer to make the.
same into flat strips, and attach to the edges of such kitool or other strips fibres of
piassava or other straight fibre, so as to render the edges of said strips straight; in
some cases I use for so edging kitool-strips thin metal wire.
When the strips, bars, or bodies are thus prepared, and after they have been
carefully dried, I apply thereto, by means of a brush or otherwise, a coating or
covering of celluloid, xylonite, or the like, but preferably of glue, or shellac, or of
isinglass, or some other gelatinous mass or composition capable of hardening by
exposure to the atmosphere.
For the purpose of rendering the said strips waterproof (after having coated tho
same as last herein described) I further cover or coat them with india-rubber-
solution, copal, or any other suitable waterproof compound.
To increase the strength and durability of my strips or bars of artificial whale-
bone I ultimately cover the same by any appropriate means with metal-foil or
other very flexible material, by preference however with a silk, cotton, linen, or
other textile tape or band wound spirally around such strip or bar. This tape
or band tends to prevent the cracking or detachment of any portion of the
gelatinous coating by the bending or twisting of the strip when in use.
For the preparation of fibres for brushes or brooms I take the thin short fibres
which are unsuitable for the above manufacture, or which are separated from the
fibres used therein, and saturate them in a solution of resin or other suitable
matter (which may be glutinous, resinous, or mucilaginous), to toughen them, so

page_text: that they will be sufficiently stiff and durable to serve in the place of ordinary
bristles in various kinds of brushes or brooms, thus affording great economy in the
production of these articles. I may apply to the fibro varnish of any desired color
or tint.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing 5
the same, I wish it understood that I do not limit myself precisely to the above
described materials or mode of procedure in the manufacture of the said artificial
whalebone, as it is obvious that the same may be varied without materially
affecting the result, and I claim,--
First. The manufacture from vegetable fibres, substantially as above described, 1
of a new product which possesses the properties of whalebone, and which may be
advantageously used as a substitute therefor, as above set forth.
Second. The preparation of fibres for brushes or brooms, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rudolph-Auerbach, have-hereunto-set-my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord 1
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.