IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM WOOD, FOR SURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBROUS MATERIAL
FROM WOOD, FOR SURGICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :--
This invention relates to the manufacture of wood fibre, for use as a substitute
for lint for surgical purposes, or as filling material for other purposes. The said
fibre may also be spun into yarn, and in this form be used in the manufacture of
woven fabrics, cord, braided articles, netting, embroidery and knitted fabrics.
Up to a recent date the dressing materials used for surgical purposes were made
almost exclusively from linen or cotton. G. W. Von Nawrocki, however in the
specification of Letters Patent granted to him dated September 17th A.D. 1883
No 4444, a communication from Paul Hartmann of Heidenheim describes a method
of preparing surgical dressings from wood.
The wood fibres prepared according to the invention of Hartmann are not
altogether suitable for dressing purposes in surgery by reason of the slight manner
in which the several particles or fibres cling to each other, and of their splintery
condition, and can only be used by placing them in small sacks or bags or by
carding, when mixed with cotton, to wadding.
According to the present invention I have succeeded in producing from wood a
dressing material which not only possesses the great absorbent qualities peculiar to
wood; and the softness and suppleness of linen lint but in which the several
threads or fibres cling together in a similar manner to the linen lint known in
surgery. The improved material is also considerably cheaper than dressing materials
heretofore used.
The improved material which I term "wood lint" consists, like linen lint, of very
fine long threads, having an unchanging fibrous structure, which can be placed
directly upon a wound

page_text: As compared with the linen lint hitherto used the wood-lint possesses the great
advantage that the danger of spreading contagious diseases is obviated, whilst with
the linen lint mostly taken from old materials this danger was exceedingly great.
The wood-lint can be employed in a loose condition, either raw or soaked with
anti-septic or styptic materials for surgical purposes. Moreover, the raw wood-lint
can be used as a filling material instead of sea-weed, down, horse-hair, or the like.
This product may also either raw, or with anti-septic or styptic materials, be
pressed into the form of plates, or carded into the form of wadding, without its
being necessary to mix any other material with it.
This product can also be spun into yarn and the latter I term "wood-yarn."
From this "wood-yarn" woven fabrics, cord, braided articles, netting, embroidery
and knitted goods can be manufactured which are stronger and cheaper than
articles manufactured from jute, and in addition possesses great hygroscopic
qualities, which are advantageous for various purposes, for instance for surgical
purposes.
The manufacture of the wood threads for my "wood-lint" and wood-yarn takes
place in the following manner; that is to say:-
The wood is cut into blocks or pieces of about 50 centimeters in thickness and
is barked on all sides or only on the upper side, a smooth surface being formed by
cutting away a suitable portion-Strips or boards can be treated in this manner.
The wood is then scraped in the raw state by means of a scraper, either by
hand or by machinery, the scraper being inclined in the same direction as that in
which it is drawn.
This scraping forms the essential part of my process, because the raw wood fibre
can only be obtained in thread-like form by scraping.
The product obtained by the scraping is cleansed from the dust-like particles,
either by sifting, shaking, beating or washing, but preferably by means of a shaking
machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what`
I claim is
First. The long thread fibrous material obtained by scraping, strips or blocks of
wood, which material is similar to linen lint and may be used as lint for surgical
purposes; or as filling material and may be spun into yarn, and in the form of spun
yarn be used in the manufacture of woven fabrics, cord, braided articles, netting,
embroidery and knitted goods.
Second. The hereinbefore described process for the manufacture of the improved
fibrous material.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.