A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF HEMP AFTER THE STRIPPING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Joseph Louis Cloux,. jun, in the
Empire. of France, and of 16, Castle, Street, Holborn, (City,)
London, for the Invention of "A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF
HEMP AFTER THE STRIPPING."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Joseph Louis
.Cloux at the Office of the "Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 15th October 1853, pursuant to
the 9th section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
I, CHARLES JOSEPH Louis "CLOUX jun, in the Empire of France,
and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn (City) London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF
HEMP AFTER THE STRIPPING".to be as follows, viz. :-
:.
The present mechanism for spinning hemp only permits of obtaining
thick and very imperfect products compared with tliose of flax, cotton,
&c. The difficulty of obtaining fine and regular threads from hemp
arises from the giminy and resinous matter it contains, which unites
the fibres, and for the separation of which means are employed which
injure the strength and quality of the thread. Strong chemical agents
have been tried in order to remedy these defects, and which have also
resulted in deteriorating the strength and durability of tissues made
with threads thus, prepared. The discovery of a process for spinning
henip in fine and regular numbers, and still preserving the strength of
the threads, is therefore of great importance. After being stripped, the
3

page_text: hemp is weighed, and put into a vat or tub with water suflicient to
immerge it. The water is then heated at a low temperature, say
15 or 20 degrees. It remains in this state for 10, 12, or 15 hours,
according to the nature of the hemp. The water is then drawn off and
replaced by other water, containing (one kilogramme) about two
pounds of salt of soda, and (one kilogramme) about two pounds of green
soap, in the proportion of about 2 per cent. of the weight of hemp.
The temperature is then to be raised to about 100 degrees for four or
five hours, or it may be boiled during the said time. The hemp is then
dried in the open air, in the shade, or in a stove at a low temperature,
When the
taking care to have the air renovated from time to time.
hemp is dry it is passed between cylinders or rollers finely grooved;
it then acquires the softness of flax, without losing any of its original
strength. This process does not affect the fibre of hemp; they retain
all their strength. The matter in excess, which causes them to adhere,
is alone dissolved; and from a given quantity of hemp more material
suitable for spinning can be obtained than by the methods now in use.
The duration of the processes, and the quantity of matter employed,
are variable according to circumstances of locality, the apparatus, and
the quality of hemp operated upon. The waste steam from a steam
engine may be employed with considerable advantage, and many other
arrangements can be made, by which this process can be applied with
ease and economy.
Having now described the process and operation of my Invention,
what I claim is, a system for the preparation of hemp, so that it can be
spun in the same manner as flax, obtaining threads of all numbers,
and of great strength.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Joseph Louis Cloux, jun',
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three
C. J. L. CLOUX. (L.S.)