Year: 1876

page_text: LONDON:
PRINTED BY GEORGE . EYRL AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODI
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY:
PUBLISHED AT THE GREAT SEAL PATENT OFFICE,
25, SOUTHAMPTON BUILDINGS, HOLBORN.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT James Robert Dry. of 25. Oriental Street. Fast India Road,
in the County of Middlesex, and Sebastian Anderson, of Crutchal Friars, in the
City of London, for the Invention of IMPROVED MEANS OF OR PROCESS FOR
TREATING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS AND FIBROUS BODIES, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR OPENING THE FIBRES OF THE STRAWS SO
TREATED, AND FOR OPERATING UPON FIBROUS STRAWS (RETTED) GENERALLY."
Sealed the 15th June 1877, and dated the 20th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robert Dry and
Sebastian Anderson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th
December 1870.
JAMES ROBERT DRY, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road, in the County of
Middlesex, and SEBASTIAN ANDERSON, of Crutched Friars, in the City of London.
"IMPROVED MEANS OF OR PROCESS FOR TREATING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS
AND FIBROUS BODIES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR OPENING THE
FIBRES OF THE STRAWS SO TREATED, AND FOR: OPERATING UPON FIBROUS STRAWS
(RETTED) GENERALLY."
This Invention relates to improved means of or process for treating flax and
other like straws and fibrous bodies, and in apparatus for separating or opening the
fibres of the straws so treated, and for operating upon fibrous straws (rotted)
generally, and consists, firstly, in boiling the raw straws in water in which a
quantity of best yellow soap is present to soften the straws, the soap being in the
proportion of about one pound to about 15 gallons of water.
The boiling is carries on briskly for about three-quarters of an hour, and at this
stage about one pound of best soft soap is added, and the mass is again boiled for a
further space of three-quarters of an hour. If the straws have been well harvested.
a small quantity of soda is added to the first boiling to assist the alkali in the yellow
soap in softening, and of the other soap in the second boiling in extracting the
vegetable matter from the straws.
The straws are then removed and inserted into a fresh boiler containing, say, a
similar quantity of clean water, in which about half a pound of borax has been
added, the boiling being carried on for about 10 minutes. The straws are again

page_text: removed and rinsed in a tank of hot water, and afterwards rolled or otherwise
acted upon to extract the moisture prior to being dried in the open air or within a
1.
The action of the two class soaps, one to soften and the other to attract and extract
the vegetable matter, may he perceived by the condition of the mixture when cold,
the matter being held by one sap, and leaving the other quite free.
The aqaratus is composed mainly of a series of comb teeth upon an endless belt,
which travels over a table roved or not by a parchment or similar smooth sheet.
The comb teeth are so and that they enter into the straws completely to
separate and on the same without exerting an influence upon the parchment r
tearing the thres of the straws, as is done in the ordinary process of heckling. The
straws are laid upon the parchment (when parchment is used) lengthwise of the
table, and are held at one end to prevent them travelling along with the comb.
The other ends of the straws are hell by a bar, which has an up-and-down motion
imparted to it to clear the ens sal there be any fibres adhering to the teeth.
The perenssive action of the bar on the straws tends to bruise them, and assist
the passage of the comb teeth through between them.
The less lt or band of comb teeth and the covered or flat surfaced table
above described is applicable in the treatment of all kinds of straws or fibrous
bodies requiring such action, the combs serving as divisional points only to separate
the fibres.
In some cases rushes are employed in combination with the combs upon the
endless belt, or the conibs may be upon one belt and the brushes upon another.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Robert Dry and Selastian Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th June 1877.
JAMES ROBERT DRY, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road, in the County of
Middlesex, and SEBASTIAN ANDERSON, of Crutched Friars, in the City of London.
"IMPROVED MEANS OF OR PROCESS FOR TREATING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS
AND FIBROUS BODIES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR OPENING THE
FIBRES OF THE STRAWS SO TREATED, AND FOR OPERATING UPON FIBROUS STRAWS
(RETTED) GENERALLY.”
This Invention relates to improved means of or process for treating flax and other
like straws and fibrous bodies, and in apparatus for separating or opening the fibres
of the straws so treated, and fe operating upon fibrous straws (retted) generally,
and consists, firstly, in boiling the raw straws in water in which a quantity of best
yellow soap or its equivalent is present to soften the straws.
proportion of about one pound to about 15 gallons of water.
The soap is in the
The boiling is carried on briskly for about three-quarters of an hour, and at this
stage about one pound of best soft soap or its equivalent is added, the boiling being
continued for a further space of three-quarters of an hour. If the straws have been
well harvested a small quantity of soda is added to the first boiling to assist the
alkali in the yellow soap in softening, and of the other soap in the second boiling in
extracting the vegetable matter from the straws.
The straws are then removed and inserted into a tank containing, say, a similar
quantity of clean water (at about 50' temperature) in which about half a pound of
horax and, say, half a pound Sentch soda liave been abled, in which the straws are
rinsed. The straws are afterwards rolled, a jet of water being put into contact with
the straws at the entry side of the rolls to enable the rolls the better to act on the
straws, and thereby express any matter or impurity left in them. After the rinsing
the straws are driel in the open air or within a room.
The action of the two class soaps, one to soften the gum and neutralize the silica

page_text: or acid, and the other by affinity to attract and extract the rosin, the temperature
or action of boiling water not being suflicient to liquity it, the frature of this part
of our Invention is the use of soap or its extracts or saponaceous matter in the
retting of lax or any fibrous lady. The condition of the mixture may be perceived
when coll, the matter being held by one soap, and leaving the other quite free.
Our process is a boiling of the straws, and in consequence of the many failures by
such means may be viewed with distrust; "a burnt child dreads the fie." but y
considering the matter carefully the cause of failure is apparent. The action of int
or boiling water alone as an agent injures the fibre by setting free the silica and
other acids without neutralizing them.
The fruit of the tax straw is the fibre, and its protector the gum or rosin; the
temperature of boiling water is not sufficient or of a nature to liquify the rosin or
extract it, and the in su thoroughly pervades all parts and particles of the filare
alrealy weakened by the acid that it will not bear the scatching or the means used
afterwards to separate the Ble. Like starched muslin it is harsh and bende;
then, again, boiling water. with the alition of caustic alkalies, has but one result,
it only neutralizes the acid, and at the same time all the nature and quality prized
by the spinner is positively in a worse condition for manufacturing purposes than
when raw. The sin must be decomposed or extracted, the one by fermentation,
the other by atiinity, and no such result can be obtained by stean or boiling water
alone, or with the addition of caustic alkalies with safety to the fibre.
It may not be necessary to state more here; it has proved a failure and a loss to
many. The process at present used in this country and in Ireland is very ertain
on account of the sudden changes in the temperature.
Nature if allowed by the
process of fermentation means nothing short of destruction; vitality having ra
the primitive form of matter is her ubject, and requires peculiar skill to stop the
action at the right time, and should the fermentation cense too soon from any cause
petrifaction to a certain extent, instead of putrifaction, would be the result.
Our process cannot be justly termed artificial when the laws of its action are
natural. for it disturbes at once all the chemical properties contained by the straw
and bound up in the fibre.
Three principal things are necessary to be accomplished: preserve the flax,
neutralize the various acids, and extract the gun or rosin; this it does electually,
for not a particle of gum remains in the fibre, as may be seen by subdividin
and, further, the harmless properties of our admixture may be observed by boiling
many delicate grasses (not having any of the chemical properties of the flax stravy
for hours in the solution, and taken out preserved, and in a condition bright and
tough, and may be kept so for years. This part descriptive account of the treatment
may be sufficient with the proofs we hold, namely, the flax retted, scutched, hackled,
spun into yarn, and woven into linen.
This process of treating fax and other like straws is preparatory to any after
treatment (mechanically), and forms an essential feature in our Invention, whether
the flax or other straws are to be acted upon by the mechanisin hereafter described
or not.
This combing machine is composer of two side frames, as in Figures 1, 2, 3, and
4, upon a table on which the scutched straws can be placed. The frame of the
combing machine has arms N, N, at right angles, upon which as a kind of lay-lye
the table can be shifted for any purpose. The table is set upon a centre pin of the
platform of the combing machine, and can be moved along by rack and pinion to
receive a pressure from the roller P, which presses upon the straws upon the table,
and holds them securely thereon while being combed. The surface of this table is
covered with a smooth byly, such as parchment. Deyoud the roller P is an endless
band Q of bars passing over end rollers R, R. The bars have grooves in one of their
faces, into each of which a series of finger points, as in Figure 5, or edged blades, as
in Figure 6, or points, as in Figures 7 and 8, are fitted and held by a clamp screw
at one end. These points or knives, as comb teeth, enter into the straws, and impart
a true combing and not a tearing action upon them, the distance to which the

page_text: points enter being determined by their length and the set of the band in relation to
the table.
The comb bars ride in slotted sides of the supports, and maintain a parallel
travel above the parchment. As the table with the straws pass from the roller P
to and under the enlless band of comb teeth the teeth enter the straws in succession,
and then pass out of them again by a sliding combing action as the straws are fed.
Each bar of the endless band has four grooves or more in one face; into one
groove, say, for the first entering teeth 1 fit teeth comparatively far apart; in the
next groove I fit teeth not quite so far apart; the teeth in the next groove are again
not so distant as those of the second groove, and those of the fourth groove are the
closest together of the four sets of teeth of each bar. Every bar of the endless band
is titted in this mauner, whereby the points act as divisional points only for separating|
and opening out the fibre.
The teeth in the several bars of the endless band are not arranged in lines, con-
sequently every particle of the straws is acted upon many times.
As an example of our combing operation, suppose the table with the flax straws
upon it is fed under the endless band of teeth at the rate of 15 inches per minute,
the band travels at 621/, feet per minute; the band has 28 bars of 4 rows of teeth,
consequently 1120 rows of teeth act upon the flax in the 15 inches, because the
band completes 10 revolutions during that period of time. The combs continue to
act upon the straws as they enter until the desired length of straws have been
so operated upon; the table then by a shift of the pulley Lands returns, taking the
straws with it, the combs still being at work, these being driven by a separate
pulley from that of the feed rollers.
The essential feature in this part of our Invention is combing by sets of teeth as
divisional teeth only for operating upon straws for the purposes set forth, whether
the straws be upon a flat surface on which parchment is placed or not. We however
prefer to arrange the divisional comb teeth in endless band form above a flat table
covered with parchment, and fitted to work horizontally, as shown in the Drawings.
The table may however be at any angle.
In some cases brushes are employed in combination with the combs; a cleaning
brush may be fitted wear one of the band carrying rolls to remove any fibre that
may be drawn out by the comb teeth.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,
Firstly. Treating flax and other like straws in boiling water in which yellow
soap or its equivalent is present in about the proportions nained and for the purpose
described, said soap or its equivalent having soft soap or its equivalent added for
the continued boiling, as set forth, by which said straw or fibrous body is retted, as
explained.
Secondly. We claim the combing of flax and other like straws and fibrous bodies
by teeth fitted within bars, as described, by which a division or separation only of
the fibres takes place, (true combing not heckling, as hitherto,) said flax or straws
being upon a flat surface, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Robert Dry and Sebastian Anderson,
have hereunto set our hand and scals, this Twentieth day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES ROBERT DRY. (L.S.)
SEBASTIAN ANDERSON. (LS.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robert Dry, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road,
in the County of Middlesex, and Sebastian Anderson, of Crutched Friars, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF OR PROCESS FOR
TREATING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS AND FIBROUS BODIES, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR OPENING THE FIBRES OF THE STRAWS So
TREATED, AND FOR OPERATING UPON FIBROUS STRAWS (RETTED) GENERALLY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robert Dry and
Sebastian Anderson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th
December 1876.
JAMES ROBERT DRY, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road, in the County of
Middlesex, and SEBASTIAN ANDERSON, of Crutched Friars, in the City of London.
"IMPROVED MEANS OF OR PROCESS FOR TREATING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS
AND FIBROUS BODIES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR OPENING THE
FIBRES OF THE STRAWS SO TREATED, AND FOR OPERATING UPON FIBROUS STRAWS
(RETTED) GENERALLY."
This Invention relates to improved means of or process for treating flax and
other like straws and fibrous bodies, and in apparatus for separating or opening the
fibres of the straws so treated, and for operating upon fibrous straws (retted)
generally, and consists, firstly, in boiling the raw straws in water in which a
quantity of best yellow soap is present to soften the straws, the soap being in the
proportion of about one pound to about 15 gallons of water.
The boiling is carried on briskly for about three-quarters of an hour, and at this
stage about one pound of best soft soap is added, and the mass is again boiled for a
further space of three-quarters of an hour. If the straws have been well harvested
a small quantity of soda is added to the first boiling to assist the alkali in the yellow
soap in softening, and of the other soap in the second boiling in extracting the
vegetable matter from the straws.
The straws are then removed and inserted into a fresh boiler containing, say, a
similar quantity of clean water, in which about half a pound of borax has been
added, the boiling being carried on for about 10 minutes. The straws are again

page_text: removed and rinsed in a tank of hot water, and afterwards rolled or otherwise
acted upon to extract the moisture prior to being dried in the open air or within a
room.
The action of the two class soaps, one to soften and the other to attract and extract
the vegetable matter, may be perceived by the condition of the mixture when cold,
the matter being held by one soap, and leaving the other quite free.
The apparatus is composed mainly of a series of comb teeth upon an endless belt,
which travels over a table covered or not by a parchment or similar smooth sheet.
The comb teeth are so arranged that they enter into the straws completely to
separate and open the same without exerting an influence upon the parchment or
tearing the fibres of the straws, as is done in the ordinary process of heckling. The
straws are laid upon the parchment (when parchment is used) length wise of the
table, and are held at one end to prevent them travelling along with the comb.
The other ends of the straws are held by a bar, which has an up-and-down motion
imparted to it to clear the combs should there be any fibres adhering to the teeth.
The percussive action of the bar upon the straws tends to bruise them, and assist
the passage of the comb teeth through between them.
The endless belt or band of comb teeth and the covered or flat surfaced table
above described is applicable in the treatment of all kinds of straws or fibrous
bodies requiring such action, the combs serving as divisional points only to separate
the fibres.
In some cases rushes are employed in combination with the combs upon the
endless belt, or the combs may be upon one belt and the brushes upon another.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Robert Dry and Sebastian Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th June 1877.
JAMES ROBERT DRY, of 25, Oriental Street, East India Road, in the County of
Middlesex, and SEBASTIAN ANDERSON, of Crutched Friars, in the City of London.
"IMPROVED MEANS OF OR PROCESS FOR TREATING FLAX AND OTHER LIKE STRAWS
AND FIBROUS BODIES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING OR OPENING THE
FIBRES OF THE STRAWS SO TREATED, AND FOR OPERATING UPON FIBROUS STRAWS
(RETTED) GENERALLY.”
This Invention relates to improved means of or process for treating flax and other
like straws and fibrous bodies, and in apparatus for separating or opening the fibres
of the straws so treated, and for operating upon fibrous straws (retted) generally,
and consists, firstly, in boiling the raw straws in water in which a quantity of best
yellow soap or its equivalent is present to soften the straws. The soap is in the
proportion of about one pound to about 15 gallons of water.
The boiling is carried on briskly for about three-quarters of an hour, and at this
stage about one pound of best soft soap or its equivalent is added, the boiling being
continued for a further space of three-quarters of an hour. If the straws have been
well harvested a small quantity of soda is added to the first boiling to assist the
alkali in the yellow soap in softening, and of the other soup in the second boiling in
extracting the vegetable matter from the straws.
The straws are then removed and inserted into a tank containing, say, a similar
quantity of clean water (at about 50° temperature) in which about half a pound of
borax and, say, half a pound Scotch soda have been added, in which the straws are
rinsed. The straws are afterwards rolled, a jet of water being put into contact with
the straws at the entry side of the rolls to enable the rolls the better to act on the
straws, and thereby express any matter or impurity left in them. After the rinsing
the straws are dried in the open air or within a room.
The action of the two class soaps, one to soften the gum and neutralize the silica

page_text: or acid, and the other by affinity to attract and extract the rosin, the temperature
or action of boiling water not being sufficient to liquify it, the feature of this part
of our Invention is the use of soap or its extracts or saponaceous matter in the
retting of flax or any fibrous body. The condition of the mixture may be perceived
when cold, the matter being held by one soap, and leaving the other quite free.
Our
process is a boiling of the straws, and in consequence of the many failures by
such means may be viewed with distrust; "a burnt child dreads the fire," but by
considering the matter carefully the cause of failure is apparent. The action of hot
or boiling water alone as an agent injures the fibre by setting free the silica and
other acids without neutralizing them.
The fruit of the flax straw is the fibre, and its protector the gum or rosin; the
temperature of boiling water is not sufficient or of a nature to liquify the rosin or
extract it, and the rosin so thoroughly pervades all parts and particles of the fibro
already weakened by the acid that it will not bear the scutching or the means used
afterwards to separate the fibre. Like starched muslin it is harsh and brittle;
then, again, boiling water, with the addition of caustic alkalies, has but one result,
it only neutralizes the acid, and at the same time all the nature and quality prized
by the spinner is positively in a worse condition for manufacturing purposes than
when raw. The rosin must be decomposed or extracted, the one by fermentation,
the other by affinity, and no such result can be obtained by steam or boiling water
alone, or with the addition of caustic alkalies with safety to thic fibre.
"
It may not be necessary to state more here; it has proved a failure and a loss to
many. The process at present used in this country and in Ireland is very uncertain
on account of the sudden changes in the temperature. Nature if allowed" by the
process of fermentation means nothing short of destruction; vitality having ceased
the primitive form of matter is her object, and requires peculiar skill to stop the
action at the right tine, and should the fermentation cease too soon from any cause
petrifaction to a certain extent, instead of putrifaction, would be the result.
Our process cannot be justly termed artificial when the laws of its action are
natural, for it disturbes at once all the chemical properties contained by the straw
and bound up in the fibre.
Three principal things are necessary to be accomplished: preserve the flax,
neutralize the various acids, and extract the gum or rosin; this it does effectually,
for not a particle of gum remains in the fibre, as may be seen by subdividing it,
and, further, tho harmless properties of our admixture may be observed by boiling
Inany delicate grasses (not having any of the chemical properties of the flax straw)
for hours in the solution, and taken out preserved, and in a condition bright and
tough, and may be kept so for years. This part descriptive account of the treatment
may be sufficient with the proofs we hold, namely, the flax retted, scutched, hackled,
spun into yarn, and woven into linen.
This process of treating flax and other like straws is preparatory to any after
treatment (mechanically), and forms an essential feature in our Invention, whether
the flax or other straws are to be acted upon by the mechanism hereafter described
or not.
This combing machine is composed of two side frames, as in Figures 1, 2, 3, and
4, upon a table on which the scutched straws can be placed. The frame of the
combing machine has arms N, N, at right angles, upon which as a kind of lay-bye
the table can be shifted for any purpose. The table is set upon a centre pin of the
platform of the combing machine, and can be moved along by rack and pinion to
receive a pressure from the roller P, which presses upon the straws upon the table,
and holds them securely thereon while being combed. The surface of this table is
covered with a smooth body, such as parchment. Beyond the roller P is an endless
band Qof bars passing over end rollers R, R. The bars have grooves in one of their
faces, into each of which a series of finger points, as in Figure 5, or edged blades, as
in Figure 6, or points, as in Figures 7 and 8, are fitted and held by a clamp screw
at one end. These points or knives, as comb teeth, enter into the straws, and impart
a true combing and not a tearing action upon them, the distance to which the

page_text: points enter being determined by their longth and the set of the band in relation to
the table.
The comb bars ride in slotted sides of the supports, and maintain a parallel
travel above the parchment. As the table with the straws pass from the roller P
to and under the endless band of comb teeth the teeth enter the straws in succession,
and then pass out of them again by a sliding combing action as the straws are fed.
Each bar of the endless band has four grooves or more in one face; into one
groove, say, for the first entering teeth I fit teeth comparatively far apart; in the
next groove I fit teeth not quite so far apart; the teeth in the next groove are again
not so distant as those of the second groove, and those of the fourth groove are the
closest together of the four sets of teeth of each bar. Every bar of the endless band
is fitted in this manner, whereby the points act as divisional points only for separating
and opening out the fibre.
The teeth in the several bars of the endless band are not arranged in lines, con-
sequently every particle of the straws is acted upon many times.
As an example of our combing operation, suppose the table with the flax straws
upon it is fed under the endless band of teeth at the rate of 15 inches per minute,
the band travels at 621, feet per minute; the band has 28 bars of
rows of teeth,
consequently 1120 rows of teeth act upon the flax in the 15 inches, because the
band completes 10 revolutions during that period of time. The combs continue to
act upon the straws as they enter until the desired length of straws have been
so operated upon; the table then by a shift of the pulley bands returns, taking the
straws with it, the combs still being at work, these being driven by a separate
pulley from that of the feed rollers.
The essential feature in this part of our Invention is combing by sets of teeth as
divisional teeth only for operating upon straws for the purposes set forth, whether
the straws be upon a flat surface on which parchment is placed or not. We however
prefer to arrange the divisional comb teeth in endless band form above a flat table
covered with parchment, and fitted to work horizontally, as shown in the Drawings.
The table may however be at any angle.
In some cases brushes are employed in combination with the combs; a cleaning
brush may be fitted near one of the band carrying rollers to remove any fibre that
may be drawn out by the comb teeth.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
Firstly. Trenting flax and other like straws in boiling water in which yellow
soap or its equivalent is present in about the proportions named and for the purpose
described, said soap or its equivalent baving soft soap or its equivalent added for
the continued boiling, as set forth, by which said straw or fibrous body is retted, as
explained.
Secondly. We claim the combing of flax and other like straws and fibrous bodies
by teeth fitted within bars, as described, by which a division or separation only of
the fibres takes place, (true combing not heckling, as hitherto,) said flax or straws
being upon a flat surface, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Robert Dry and Sebastian Anderson,
have hereunto set our hand and seals, this Twentieth day of June, One
thousand sight hundred and seventy-seven.