AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE CONSISTING IN THE CONVERSION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF THE PLANT KETMIE OR SYRIAN MALLOW INTO PAPER PULP AND ALCOHOL
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of ** AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE CONSISTING IN THE
CONVERSION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF THE PLANT KETMIE OR SYRIAN MALLOW
INTO PAPER PULP AND ALCOHOL."-A communication from abroad by
Henri Montmagnon, of Paris, France, Chemist.
Sealed the 28th May 1875, and dated the 5th December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th December 1874.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE CONSISTING
IN THE CONVERSION OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OF THE PLANT KETMIE OR SYRIAN MALLOW
INTO PAPER PULP AND ALCOHOL,” a communication, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is the application to the constituent
substances of the plant known as ketmic or Syrian mallow, of the

page_text: chemical agents of transformation under whose influence starch (C¹³, H,
01) passes into the state of dextrine by a simple isomeric change, and
afterward into the state of glucose (O", H", 0, 4H°,) and finally into
the state of alcohol, carbonic acid, and water (2 (C*, H, O²), 4Co² + H°)
by fermentation, with the object of obtaining two manufacturing products
in great demand, namely, first, the cellulose tissues of the ketmie, such
as fibrose, paracellulose, vasculose, and the like for making paper pulp;
second, alcohol derived from the transformation of the starch of this
variety of malva.
The species of mallow (ketmie) to which this process is applicable
with the greatest advantages with regard to the rendering of paper pulp
and alcohol are the garden variety, the vascular variety, and the edible
variety. These plants when dried should be subjected to a. preparatory
treatment before being treated for the separation of their immediate
principles, the starch and cellulose, that is to say, they should be reduced
to chips or pieces, then rasped dry by means of rasping machines, such
as are employed in fecula or starch works. When brought into this
state of preparation for ensuring the better effect- of the treatment to
which they are to be subjected they are introduced into vats with double
bottoms, heated by steam.
By the action of diastase or any of the acids (except acetic acid), and
of alcoholic fermentation, the starch converted into alcohol remains in
solution in the water, and the cellulose tissues are washed in a washing
machine, where they are reduced to paper pulp, isolating themselves
completely from the amylaceous matters.
The acid solution, composed of 2 or 2 kilogrammies of sulphuric acid
(SO³, HO) to 2000 litres of water and 500 kilogrammes of mallow at a
temperature of 104 degrees centigrade, kept up for 4 hours, will be
amply sufficient to transform the amylaceous matter into soluble glucose.
It is the same with a solution of germinated barley of 15 kilogrammes
or its equivalent, 5 to 6 grammes of diastase in 2000 litres of water, for
.500 kilogrammes of the mallow at a temperature of 70 to 75 degrees.
On their removal from the aforesaid vats in which they are treated the
'cellulose tissues of the mallow are submitted to the action of beaters
and washers for cleansing them by repeated washings with fresh
quantities of water from any traces of alcohol which they might retain,
and reducing them to paper pulp for commercial use. On the other

page_text: hand the solutions of amylaceous matter transformed into glucose are
submitted to fermentation for developing the alcohol and afterwards
recovering it by distillation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and 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
"AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE, CONSISTING IN THE CONVERSION OF CERTAIN
PRODUCTS OF THE PLANT KETMIE OR SYRIAN MALLOW INTO PAPER PULP AND
ALCOHOL," a communication to me from abroad by Henri Montmagnon,
of Paris, France, Chemist, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 William- Robert Lake, do hereby

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The object of this Invention is the application to the constituent
substances or principles of the plant known as the ketmie or Syrian
mallow, of the chemical agents of transformation under whose influence
starch (C, H, O,) passes into the condition of dextrine by a simple
isomeric change, and afterwards into the condition of glucose (O, H,
O, 4H,) by a true hydration, and finally into the condition of alcohol,
carbonic acid, and water (2) C+, H°, 0%,) 400 + 2 H°) by fermentation,
with the object of obtaining certain manufacturing products in great
demand, namely, first, the cellulose tissues of the ketmie, such as fibrose,·
paracellulose, vasculose, and the like for making paper pulp; second,
alcohol produced by the transformation of the starch of this variety of
malva.
The species of mallow (ketmie) to which this process is applicable
with the greatest advantages with a view to the production of paper pulp
and alcohol are the garden variety, the vascular variety, and the edible
variety. These plants when dried should be subjected to a preparatory
treatment before being treated for the separation of their immediate
principles, the starch and cellulose, that is to say, they should be reduced
to chips or pieces, then rasped dry by means of rasping machines, such
as are employed in fecula or starch works. When brought into this
state of preparation for ensuring the better effect of the treatment to
which they are to be subjected they are introduced into vats with double
bottoms, heated by steam.
By the action of diastase or any of the acids (except acetic acid), and
of alcoholic fermentation, the starch converted into alcohol remains in
solution in the water, and the cellulose tissues washed in a washing
machine, where they are reduced to paper pulp, completely isolate their
isomers from the amylaceous matter.
An acid solution composed of 2 or 2 kilogrammes (4 or 5 lbs.
avordupois) of sulphuric acid (SO³, HO) to 2000 litres (about 450 gallons)
of water, and 500 kilogrammes (1,100 lbs.) of mallow at a temperature of
104 degrees centigrade, kept up for 4 hours, will be amply sufficient to
transform the amylaceous matter into soluble glucose. The same result
would be obtained with a solution of malt of 15 kilogrammes, or its
equivalent of 5 to 6 grammes of diastase, in 2,000 litres of water for 500

page_text: kilogrammes of the mallow at a temperature of 70 to 75 degrees. On
their removal from the aforesaid vats in which they are treated the
cellulose tissues of the mallow are submitted to the action of beaters and
washers for cleansing them by repeated washings with fresh quantities
of water from any traces of alcohol which they might retain, and
reducing them to paper pulp for commercial use. On the other hand
the solutions of amylaceous matter transformed into glucose are sub-
mitted to fermentation for developing the alcohol, and afterwards
recovering it by distillation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, the novel application of the
influence of diastase and of acids for the transformation of starch into
dextrine and glucose, and afterwards by the addition of an alcohol
ferment, obtaining two new manufacturing products not heretofore
obtained from ketmie, namely, paper pulp completely free from any
trace of amylaceous matter, and alcohol derived from this amylaceous
matter.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
JAMES EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)