Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Silk Filaments and in Apparatus for that purpose.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Silk Filaments
and in Apparatus for that purpose.
I, LE COMTE HILAIRE DE CHARDONNET, of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris,
France, Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the process and apparatus for spinning artificial silk from
dissolved nitrocellulose.
The cellulose properly purified and nitrated in the usual way is dissolved in a
mixture of equal volumes of ether and alcohol, to which is afterwards added an excess
of alcohol to the extent of about half the volume thereof first employed. The solution
well filtered is supplied to the spinning machine which is arranged as follows:-
Along the lower part of the machine extends a pipe for the flow of the solution
enclosed in a water jacket. From the middle of the pipe extends upwards a number
of tubes side by side, each tube having its lower mouth governed by a conical plug
that can be adjusted upwards or downwards by moving its stem which passes through
a stuffing box on the underside of the supply pipe. Each vertical tube has attached
to it a capillary nozzle within a water jacket open at the top, through which jacket
water is kept circulating, the same water being by preference used constantly because
The
it becomes more or less charged with solvent that would otherwise be lost.
solution is supplied to the pipe from a close vessel into which air is forced under con-
siderable pressure. This pressure causes a fine stream of the solution to issue from
each of the capillary nozzles, and this stream in passing through the water of the
jacket becomes set into the condition of a flexible thread or fibre. Above the row of
nozzles whence these fibres issue are mounted sets of traversing guides and bobbins
on which the fibres are wound, preferably several fibres being in each case grouped
together so that by their cohesion they form compound fibres. At first starting, sets
of pinching fingers, a pair for each nozzle, are brought by a system of levers to grip
the issuing fibres and to carry them upwards through a comb of stationary guide bars
and over the traversing guides and revolving bobbins to which the fibres adhere and
on which they become wound.
In order to provide in each case a second bobbin to take the place of one filled, a
pair of opposite bobbins is in each case mounted on two side cheeks which can turn
round the axis of a revolving drum on which the upper bobbin rests and by which it
is driven. When the upper bobbin is full, the cheeks are turned half round so as to
bring the empty bobbin up to the upper side of the drum to be driven in its turn,
while the full bobbin is brought down and can be removed to have a fresh empty
bobbin substituted for it. Above the row of bobbins and their driver, there is a
The gripping fingers, as
revolving brush having bristles or wires set helically on it.
they ascend with the fibres, after passing above the bobbins come in contact with this
brush by which they are cleared of the adhering fibres; so that when they descend
again they are ready to grip fibres afresh. The bobbins, fingers and brush all work
within a casing through which is made to pass, from below upwards, a current of air
heated to about 50° C., which takes up and carries with it the vapour of the solvent.
This air is made to bubble slowly through successive liquids which separate the
solvents as the air passes through them. The first liquid is a saturated solution of
carbonate of potash which condenses the vapour of water and also of the alcohol and
partly of the ether, the water mixing with the solution on which the alcohol and ether
Hoat, to be drawn off from time to time.
The solution can be concentrated again by evaporation, and the alcohol and ether
can be digested with dry carbonate of potash and, if necessary, distilled to serve

page_text: The air still containing some alcohol and ether, is passed through concentrated
sulphuric acid which entraps the remaining vapours, and from this they are recovered
partly by decantation, partly by distillation. The condensing vessels should be in
duplicate or triplicate, so as to be used in rotation.
Instead of mounting the bobbins as above described on cheeks that can be turned
round the axis of a driving spindle, they may be arranged in three horizontal rows
all driven by bands running over pullies on their spindles, as in many spinning
machines.
Two of each three spindles may always have bobbins winding on fibres, while a
filled bobbon on the third of the spindles can be removed, and an empty bobbin put
in its place, ready to wind when one of the others is filled.
When this arrangement is adopted, the bobbins and guides are arranged within a
case, preferably glass fronted, and the current of heated air is conveniently directed
downwards through the case.
The water through which the fibres pass in issuing from the capillary nozzles may
be charged with glutinous matter to cause greater adhesion of the fibres when they
are wound in groups, or it may be charged with substances to render the fibres less
combustible.
The fibres wound on the bobbins can be denitrated in the known manner as set
forth in my previous Specification No. 5270 of 1888.
Dated this 30th day of January 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Silk Filaments
and in Apparatus for that purpose.
I, LE COMTE HILAIRE DE CHARDONNET of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris
France, Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to the process and apparatus for preparing artificial silk
thread from dissolved nitrocellulose described in the Specification to my Patent
No. 2211 of 1886. In order that my present improvements may be readily under-
stood, I will describe the completo manufacture with my improvements applied
thereto.
The artificial silk consists essentially of dissolved nitrocellulose, which, on being
projected into another liquid, by which it is congealed, is formed at once into a
thread that can be treated in the same way as cocoon silk. In order to diminish
the combustibility of this substance, a portion of its nitric acid is removed by
suitable treatment and it can at the same time be made to absorb various saline
and coloring matters. Purified cellulose prepared from wood pulp, straw, cotton,
rags, paper, hemp, ramie, &c. is nitrated by known processes so as to render it soluble
in a mixture of alcohol and ether.
A more or less concentrated collodion is produced by dissolving the pyroxyline in
a mixture of 40 per cent. of ether and 60 per cent. of alcohol, in volumne. The
pyroxyline is first dissolved in equal parts of alcohol and ether and the excess of
alcohol is then added. This solution, well filtered, is introduced into a machine for
converting the same into thread of the construction shewn on the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 shews a side elevation, Fig. 2 a cross section, Fig. 3 a front view of my
improved machine for the production of artificial silk.
The collodion solution well filtered is introduced into a closed recipient, not shewn
on the drawing, in which a pressure of from 10 to 12 atmo-phere is maintained by
an air pump. This recipient, which is tinned inside, communicates by a pipe provided
with a cock, with a tube A which carries the thread producing device and which

page_text: extends the whole length of the machine. This tube A (see large detail at Figs. 4
and 5) is composed of three compartments, a central one B, which receives the
solution, and two lateral ones C in which a circulation of water is maintained
round the central tube B. Each threading device consists of a tube a to which is
soldered a capillary tube 6 and the lower orifice of which communicates with a
nozzle e screwed into the tube A, the inner end of which nozzle is immersed in the
solution. Each threading tube is fixed to its corresponding nozzle by means of a
screw union d, a liquid-tight joint being insured by means of washers of leather or
other material which press between them the flange e of the lower end of the tube a.
The flow of the liquid is regulated by means of the point f of a screwed rod h
which can be screwed more or less through the stuffing box j on the lower side of the
tube A so as to more or less close the orifice of the nozzle c through which the liquid
enters.
The upper ends of the thread tubes a are surrounded by a tube k which is supported
by the plate which runs in a longitudinal direction. This tube k supplies cold water
to the end of the thread tube such water being supplied from the tube D which
distributes it to all the tubes & by means of cocks E which serve for regulating the
supply of cold water in which is immersed the thread as it passes from the thread
tube a.
The water flows into a gutter F extending the whole length of the machine
and which is formed at the edge of the plate 1, this being inclined towards such
gutter.
When the machine is not at work the tubes A and D which supply the water and
the solution are kept closed and the orifices of the thread tubes are closed by a drop
of mineral oil which prevents all contact of air with the solution or with the water.
For starting the operation it is sufficient to reestablish the pressure in the tubes A
and D, whereupon the liquid thread of collodion passing from the thread tubes is at
once solidified by its passage through the water and forms instantaneously a thread
which passes down into the water contained in the tubes & where it is seized by means
of a special nipper shewn at Figs. 2, 5 and 6, which nipper consists of two blades m
suitably curved for embracing the outer tube and presenting an oblique part which
in sliding upon the tube forces the nipper open when it arrives against the tube k.
All the nippers m are carried by a bar n fixed at each end to a bell crank lever o
pivoted to the two curved arms p p Fig. 2, one of which receives an oscillating
movement which it imparts to the other through the bell crank levers o. Each of the
arms p is actuated in the following manner :
On the outside of the casing F is pivoted a crank q which is actuated by the rod r
moved by the toothed wheel which is rotated by a pinion s fixed on the shaft of the
driving pulley t. The shaft of the pinion s and that of the wheels 1 pass through
the whole length of the machine. Under the influence of this oscillating movement
of the arms p and p¹ the two bell crank levers carrying the nippers o are made to
occupy either the position shewn in full lines on the drawing or that, o¹, shown by
dotted lines.
At the commencement of the operation the solution having issued above the outer
tubes & in the form of thread the spring nippers seize the same as they rise and raise
them to horizontal guides u and on to other guides of a forked form which unite them
into groups for carrying them to the bobbins G. The grouped threads adhere
together and form a twine of several threads. The process of spinning having com-
menced there is no solution of continuity between the orifice of the thread tube and
the collectors of the threads, so that the thread is continuously coiled up on the corre-
sponding bobbin. If one of the threads break, the broken end is seized by the
nipper as described. At the upper extremity of their movement the nippers come in
contact with the rotary brush H which cleanses them. This brush is formed of a
cylinder in which are fixed blades which scrape the nippers and remove therefrom
all excess of matter which may adhere thereto. The blades of the brush H are
arranged in helical lines. The nippers are alternately long and short as shewn in the
plan at Fig. 6 in order not to act all simultaneously upon the outer tubes k and thus
v

page_text: avoid or at any rate lessen the shock which is produced at the moment of contact. In
causing them to open alternately the action is rendered more regular.
A current of air heated to about 50° C. enters the lower part of the casing F and
issues at the upper part charged with the vapours of ether and alcohol. In order to
regain these vapors of the solvent it is preferred to cause the hot air issuing from
the machine to pass slowly through two washers cooled by a current of air, Fig. 2.
The washer contains water saturated with an excess of carbonate of potash. The
watery vapor carried with the air condenses in dissolving the excess of carbonate of
potash, the alcohol and ether also condense, but being insoluble in the watery liquid
they form a separate layer on the surface which is run off from time to time through
a cock gl. A second cock serves to discharge the condensed water and to maintain
the level of the carbonated solution. The dissolved carbonate can be revivified by
evaporation and be employed over and over again. Nearly the whole of the alcohol
and a part of the ether are thus retained in the first washer. A simple digesting in
contact with dry carbonate of potash followed, if necessary, by a distilling process
will render the alcohol and ether fit to be used for subsequent operations. A
considerable portion of the ether is carried with the air currents. The second and
third washers k', of which only one is shewn, are charged with concentrated
sulphuric acid, which retains the ether and the rest of the alcohol. When the
sulphuric acid of the second washer has absorbed about 4 times the volume of ether
it is discharged and poured into water, whereby about of the condensed ether will
be separated, the remaining being separated by distillation. This ether, after being
digested on the dry carbonate of potash and, if necessary, distilled, is also ready to
be used again. The air thus freed from the vapors is conveyed back to the spinning
machine by means of the fan or blowing machine. It is advisable to have three
sulphuric acid washers of which two are in use. When the acid of the first is
saturated the air is sent into the second and third condensers while the first one is
emptied and recharged. Thus all three of the washers are employed in rotation.
In order to ensure that the threads shall be coiled up regularly on the bobbins the
latter have a horizontal to and fro motion imparted to them. This motion is produced
by a cam K. formed by a drum which has an undulating projecting rib which,
during the rotation of the drum, moves to the right and to the left a grooved roller.
fixed on the axis of the bobbins, which thus are made to move to and fro while they
are rotated by means of the grooved pulley y driven by any suitable means.
The
grooved roller is formed of two hemispherical steel discs which can be moved
towards each other as the projecting rib wears away, thereby ensuring a con-
tinuously regular action. The bobbins are mounted in special discs where they are
secured by springs. The shaft O having continuous rotary motion imparted to it,
and at the same time longitudinal reciprocating motion, carries a series of discs P
mounted loose on the shaft and also other discs Q. The bobbins R are placed upon
spindles S which are held on the discs P by means of blade springs T which sorve as
axis of rotation to the bobbins as a small roller U which, being in contact with the
periphery of the disc Q, causes the spindle to revolve and consequently also the
group of bobbins mounted upon it, the spindle being for this purpose made with a
rectangular cross section. The discs P are all interconnected by means of bars V
whereby the whole system is made to revolve simultaneously when it is required to
withdraw the filled bobbins and to replace them by empty ones. In order to avoid
the necessity of turning the two systems of bobbins at the same time, the bosses w of
the discs P are made with a little play. The weight of the system causes the
rollers U of the upper bobbins to be pressed upon the discs Q and thereby to
disengage the rollers of the lower bobbins so that the latter do not revolve. In
order to facilitate the removal of the charged bobbins and the replacing thereof by
empty ones I arrange a series of holes X through which the hand can be passed into
the casing of the machine.
In order to ensure the correct position of the system during the working I arrange
at each end a fork a' which embraces the end of that bar V which is in the bottoin

page_text: position. This fork allows of the lateral movement of the system carrying the
bobbins, but prevents this from being carried round in the direction of the rotation
of the shaft o. The forks a' are mounted on rods b' which can be raised and lowered
from the outside by means of buttons c and their position can be regulated by a
screw which presses upon the tail e of the forks a¹, so as to adjust the upper
bobbin in the most suitable position for the winding on of the silk threads. The
casing of the apparatus has closed sight holes both in front and at back. It has a
cover L hinged to its upper part.
The water which moistens the thread tubes becomes charged with alcohol and ether
which should not be lost, consequently the same water is always used over and over
again, being made to circulate by a suitable pump.
On the side of the machine where the operator is situated there are two rows of
sliding doors M N to allow of the cleansing of the horizontal thread guides u. These
guides are merely pushed through the partition and can be easily withdrawn and
replaced from the outside.
As the threads retain a certain amount of adhesiveness during the drying this
allows of their being readily manipulated. Should they not possess sufficient
adhesiveness, there may be introduced into the water which moistens the thread tubes
any suitable adhesive substance. There might also be introduced in the same way
substances that would render the threads less inflammable, but this method would be
insufficient for preventing in any degree inflammability of the threads, this being
effected by denitration as described in my prior Patent No. 5270 of 1888, after the
threads have been formed into hanks. The regaining of the solvent by iñeans of
carbonate of soda or potash and sulphuric acid allows of the simplification of the
above described apparatus. With a strong suction which draws off into the condensers
all the air charged with vapours it is possible to open the machine frequently without
danger and even to work with the machine entirely open. The mechanisin can in
that case be reduced to the arrangements which are shewn at Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 7
shews a transverse section of the machine and Fig. 8 is an elevation. These figs.
shew the arrangement of the guides the pulleys and the threads in process of being
wound up. The thread tubes rise free above the supply tube A and themselves carry
the surrounding water tube. After having passed from the comb formed by the fixed
horizontal guides u the threads are placed by hand on the guides a' and upon the
bobbins R. These bobbins which are of ordinary form are threaded upon spindles
which revolve horizontally at right angles to the wall of the factory, being driven
by pulleys e fixed on the spindles which are carried in small cast iron brackets fixed
to the wall, being driven by belts in the usual manner. These pulleys with their
bobbins all revolve in the same direction, the requisite tension of the driving belt
being ensured by small tightening pulleys b'. The guides a' are made of thick
copper wire and are all fixed upon a cross bar c' which receives a horizontal to and
fro motion in a direction at right angles to the wall. This to and fro motion is
obtained either by means of a cam drum such as before described, or by any other
suitable known cam device. The air, dried and heated, arrives at the top of the
machine from the condensers and is drawn off from below, carrying with it the heavy
vapors of alcohol and ether. The front of the machine may at will be covered in by
means of closed frames sliding in grooves e¹. Only two of the three rows of
bobbins are in use at one time. As soon as a bobbin is filled, the operator passes the
group of threads on to the empty bobbin and after removing the filled one replaces
it by an empty one. The bobbins are held upon their spindles simply by friction as
in ordinary winding machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim in
respect of apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk is :-
1. The herein described arrangement of appliances for regulating the formation of
the thread externally of the casing in which the threads are formel and dried, so as
to be readily accessible to the operator.

page_text: 2. The herein described arrangement whereby any one of the thread guides can
be removed and replaced without interfering with the action of the machine.
3. The use of moveable bobbins on which are wound the threads coming from the
thread tubes, such bobbins being held in position by springs and being accessible to
the operator, so as to be readily removed and replaced, substantially as described.
4. The arrangement of the bobbins in two or more series mounted upon discs which
are all turned simultaneously for removing the filled bobbins and replacing them by
empty ones, substantially as described.
5. The use of three washing apparatus cooled by a current of water, into which
apparatus the hot air coming from the machine producing the silk threads is made
to pass in order to extract therefrom the vapours of the solvent, substantially as
described.
6. The improved apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk, combined and
operating as herein described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings.
7. The simplified arrangement described with reference to Figs 6 and 7 wherein
the bobbin spindles are arranged at right angles to the wall, and are separately driven,
the thread guides having a to and fro motion imparted to them in a direction parallel
to the bobbin spindles.
Dated this 28th day of October 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.