IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE FIBRES, IN THEIR BLEACHING, MORDANTING, DYEING AND TRANSFORMATION INTO THREADS Or FABRICS HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF SILK
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of N° 11 Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE FIBRES, IN THEIR
BLEACHING, MORDANTING, DYEING AND TRANSFORMATION INTO THREADS Or
FABRICS HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF SILK" a Communication to him from
abroad by Louis Aubert, of Lyons, France,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Ofice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1883.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of N° 11 Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF
VEGETABLE FIBRES, IN THEIR BLEACHING, MORDANTING, DYEING AND TRANS-
FORMATION INTO THREADS OR FABRICS HAVING THE APPEARANCE OF SILK
A Communication to me from abroad by Louis Aubert, of Lyons, France,
"
This invention relates to new or improved processes of treating vegetable fibres,
bleaching them, trenting thein with mordants, dyeing them and transforming them
in-to threads or textile fabrics having the appearance of silk.
1°. The vegetable textile fibre (cotton, flax, hemp, jute or other) is steeped for
say four hours in a bath of the caustic Soda of Commerce at about 12°. “Baumé ”-
Steam is introduced into this bath to keep the temperature at 80 degrees
Centigrade."
46
2°. The gummy and extractive matters dissolved in the preceding treatment
still give to the separated fibre a yellowish appearance, which is easily removed by
immersion in a solution of lukewarm chlorhydric acid at 6°. "Baumé."
The material is then freely washed until the rinsing water is perfectly neutral
to test naher

page_text: 3º. The well washed fibre is then treated with a solution of hypochlorite of
sodium (7 degrees "Baumé ") until all color is removed from it.
4°. The material well dried is introduced into a hot solution of glucose, or of
sugar, at 8°. "Baumé," and there left during four or five hours; it is then thoroughly
dried.
5°. The material is peroxydised by steeping it in a mixture of non-hydrated
azotic and sulphuric acids. The sugar impregnating the fibre is transformed into
nitro-saccharose, and the cellulose into binitro-cellulose.
6. After a thorough rinsing, effected in a hydro-extractor provided with a
sprinkling cock, the fibre is plunged into a bath of boiling soap and then again
washed.
7°. A solution is then prepared of tannic acid, or any other body (such as sumach
gall nut etc). which will yield its tannin to the vegetable fibre. The material
is introduced into this bath heated to 30°. and left there for at least five hours.
8 On issuing from the tannic or gall bath the fibre is immersed in a cold
solution of double tartrate of Antimony and potash three per cent in weight of the
material) so that in the dyeing operations, mixed with silk, the vegetable fibre
yields to the animal fibre a certain quantity of antimony which will lessen its
porous and attractive properties
Under these conditions, if the vegetable material and the animal material are
dyed together cold the dyeing will be isochronal both for the one and the other
0°. The fibre thus prepared is fit for carding either pure or mixed with silk, or
silk waste.
For this purpose the steeping or moistening takes place; this consists in
moistening the fibre (mixed or not mixed with silk) by means of the following
preparation; pure water-pure olive oil soap-glycerine-virgin wax from the
comb of young bee's, the whole in proportions varying with those of the mixture
or of the quality to be treated.
Carding The improvement consists in fitting the carding engines with a
carding roller or urchin which returns the material to a fleecing or lap machine
("nappeuse") which delivers it to a horizontal automatic feeder ("mise en
pointe ").

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th June 1883.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of N° 11 Wellington Street, Strand, Loudon in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF
VEGETABLE FIBRES IN
THEIR BLEACHING MORDANTING DYEING AND TRANS-
FORMATION INTO THREADS OR FABRICS ПAVING THE APPEARANCE OF SILK
A Communication to me from abroad by Louis Aubert, of Lyons, France,
"
This Invention relates to new or improved processes of treating vegetable fibres,
bleaching them, treating them with mordants, dyeing them and transforming them
into threads or textile fabrics having the appearance of silk.
1°. The vegetable textile fibre (cotton, flax, hemp, jute, or other) is steeped for
say four hours in a bath of the caustic Soda of Commerce at about 12 degrees
Baumé." Steam is introduced into this bath to keep the temperature at 80
degrees "Centigrade."
"
2°. The gummy and extractive matters dissolved in the preceding treatment still
give to the separated fibre a yellowish appearance which is easily removed by
immersion in a solution of lukewarm chlorhydric acid at 6 degrees "Baumé."
The material is then freely washed until the rinsing water is perfectly neutral to
test paper,
3. The well washed fibre is then treated with a solution of hypochlorite of
sodium - CI ONA (7 degrees "Baumé ") until all colour is removed from it.
4°. The material well dried is introduced into a hot solution of glucose or of
sugar at 8°. degrees "Baumé," and there left during four or five hours; it is then
thoroughly dried.
5°. The material is peroxydised by steeping it in a mixture of non-hydrated
azotic and sulphuric acids The sugar impegnating the fibre is transformed into
nitro-saccharose = C₁₂ H₁s (Az O³) 10" and the cellulose into binitro-cellulose
= = C12 H (Az O³) 10¹º.
6°. After a thorough rinsing effected in a hydro-extractor provided with a
sprinkling cock the fibre is plunged into a bath of boiling soap and then again
washed
7°. A solution is then prepared of tannic acid or any other body (such as sumach,
gall nut etc) which will yield its tannin to the vegetable fibre. The material is
introduced into this bath heated to 30 degrees and left there for at least five hours.
8°. On issuing from the tannic or gall bath the fibre is immersed in a cold
solution of double tartrate of antimony and of potash C* H* Oª (Sb O) K. H²O
(three per cent in weight of the material) so that in the dyeing operations mixed
with silk the vegetable fibre yields to the animal fibre a certain quantity of
antimony which will lessen its porous and attractive properties.
=
Under these conditions if the vegetable material and the animal material are
dyed together cold the dyeing will be isochronal both for the one and the other.
9°. The fibre thus prepared is fit for carding either pure or mixed with silk or
silk waste.
For this purpose the steeping or moistening takes place; this consists in
moistening the hbre (mixed or not mixed with silk or wool) by means of the
following preparation; pure water-pure olive oil soap-glycerine-virgin wax
from the comb of young bees-the whole in proportions varying with those of the
mixture or of the quality to be treated.
Carding. The improvement consists in fitting the carding engines with a

page_text: carding roller or urchin ("hérisson ") which returns the material to a lap machine
("nappeuse") which delivers it to a horizontal automatic feeder ("mise en
pointe").
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention Communicated
to me as aforesaid.
I Claim as secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent :-
Firstly The several applications of the processes and the processes above
mentioned for giving to vegetable fibres a silky appearance and for dyeing them
like silk itself substantially in the manner above specified.
Secondly-The mixture which may be made of the fibres thus treated, with
silk or wool, as above des ribed.
Thirdly The combing and carding of these fibres, mixed or not, as above
described.
In Witness whereof I the said William Edward Gedge have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty sixth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand Eight hundred and eighty three.