THE USE OR APPLICATION OF THE STALK OF THE HOP PLANT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF F " OF PAPER, PASTEBOARD, AND MILLBOARD, CORDAGE, ROPE, AND TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas George Taylor, of King's Arms Yard, in the
City of London, Steam Share Broker, for the Invention of "THE USE
OR APPLICATION OF THE STALK OF THE HOP PLANT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
F
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas George Taylor
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th August 1854.
I, THOMAS GEORGE TAYLOR, of King's Arms Yard, in the City of London,
Steam Share Broker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"THE USE OR APPLICATION OF THE STALK OF THE HOP PLANT IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF PAPER, PASTEBOARD, AND MILLBOARD, CORDAGE, ROPE, AND TEXTILE FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
For paper, pasteboard, and millboard, the material is reduced to pulp by
processes similar to those ordinarily employed in making paper, &c. from
fibrous materials. For cordage, rope, and textile fabrics, the material after
being cleansed is manufactured by the usual processes of spinning and twisting
or weaving.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas George Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, TпомAS
GEORGE TAYLOR, of King's Arms Yard, in the City of London, Steam Share
Broker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas George Taylor, Her special licence that I; the said Thomas George
Taylor, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas George Taylor, 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 "THE USE OR APPLICA-
TION OF THE STALK OF THE HOP PLANT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, PASTE-
BOARD, AND MILLBOARD, CORDAGE, ROPE, AND TEXTILE FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas George Taylor, 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 Thomas George Taylor, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the use or application of the stalk or bine of the
hop plant in the manufacture of paper, pasteboard, and millboard, cordage,
rope, and textile fabrics. The cleanness and perfection of the fibre obtained
from the stalk or bine of the hop plant, and its consequent applicability to the
purposes of my Invention, depend mainly upon submitting the plant to
process immediately after the stalk is cut and the hops gathered, because if
the bine is left to dry in the heat of the sun, the resinous and gummy matters
(in which. there is much color) become so incorporated with the fibre, that

page_text: they are with difficulty afterwards separated therefrom, and require a much
more tedious and expensive process than would otherwise be requisite for the
purpose. The manner in which I proceed in carrying.my Invention into
effect is as follows:-
Immediately after being cut, the stalk or bine is to be tied up in bundles,
if possible, the whole length of the plant, (care in this particular assists the
after separation of the fibre from the pithy or woody interior,) and these
bundles are immersed in water pits, similar to those employed in operating
on flax and hemp, or in a running stream, and are kept there until a slight
fermentation ensues, sufficient to partially detach the fibre from the pithy and
woody portions of the stalk. (The leaves soon decay off)... Or the stalk may
be boiled in a weak alkaline solution or in water for from twenty minutes to
two hours, as may be required; or it may be placed in a steam vat or chest or
steam-tight chamber, and steamed till sufficiently softened to admit of the fibre
being separated from the pithy and woody matter, by squeezing the stalk in
the hand.. Whatever may be the mode adopted for separating the fibre, the
strength and quality of the fibre will depend much upon the care bestowed in
conducting the operation. The separation may be effected by hand, or by
passing the stalk between rollers with or without teeth, the woody or pithy
matter being picked out or washed out afterwards. After separation, the fibre
may be again boiled, if necessary, or steamed or washed in hot or cold water,
and rolled, if required to be very fine, but care must be taken to keep the
fibre wet until it is thoroughly cleansed from gummy and resinous matters by
repeated washing or steaming. The fibre will now be in the condition of half
stuff, and fit, after further bleaching (when such is necessary), for the manu-
facture of paper, pasteboard, cardboard, and millboard, by any of the well-
known and approved processes. In some cases it may be mixed in any desired
proportions with ordinary rag pulp. In the manufacture of the coarser,
of paper, pasteboard, &c. it will not be necessary to separate the fibre from
the woody or pithy matter, the latter being also convertible into an inferior
pulp, which combines readily with that produced from the more fibrous portions
of the stalk.
kinds
In the manufacture of thread and yarns for cordage, rope, and textile fabrics,
it is necessary to separate the fibre completely from the pithy and woody
matters; this may be done by either of the modes of operating herein-before
mentioned, and after the fibre is thoroughly cleansed it is dried, heckled,
carded, and spun into yarns or threads. These are then twisted and laid
into cordage and rope, or woven into canvas, sail-cloth, bagging, matting, and
other fabrics, including those of a finer description for clothing purposes, by

page_text: any of the methods adopted in the manufacture of such articles from flax,
hemp, cotton, and similar materials.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is, the use or
application of the stalk of the hop plant, when treated and prepared in the
manner herein-before described, in the manufacture of paper, pasteboard, and
millboard, cordage, rope, and textile fabrics; and I also claim the substitution
of the fibre obtained from the stalk of the hop plant, when treated and pre-
pared in the manner herein-before described, for Russian hemp and flax, for
all purposes to which the latter are applicable.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas George Taylor, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
T. G. TAYLOR. (L.S.)