Improved Method of and Apparatus for Removing Gummy and other Matters from Vegetable Fibres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Removing Gummy and
other Matters from Vegetable Fibres.
I, CHARLES WETHERWAX, Manufacturer, of Best, in the County of
Rensselaer and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved method and
apparatus for removing gummy and other matters from vegetable fibres, to keep
the latter straight and untangled and in the best possible condition for further
treatment, and at the same time obtain the gums, resin, etc., as a valuable commercial
product.
The method consists in placing the fibres in partitioned baskets located one above
the other in a digesting vessel, and subjecting the fibres to the action of a heated
liquor circulating in a downward direction through the fibres.
The apparatus consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same,
as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in both the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement; and
Figure 2 is a plan view of a basket for holding the fibres.
The apparatus as shown in the drawings is provided with a digesting vessel A,
in which is adapted to be set a cage B supporting a series of baskets C, placed one
on the other and adapted to receive the fibres. to be treated. Each basket C is
provided with a spirally-arranged partition, forming a spiral compartment into
which the fibre is placed in a winding position, to permit the heated liquor to act
on the fibre throughout its length. The cover of the vessel A is removable, to
permit of conveniently inserting or removing the cage B with the filled baskets,
suitable hoisting apparatus being employed for this purpose.
Into the upper end of the vessel A discharges a liquor circulating pipe D, formed
into a coil D extending within a heater E and leading to a rotary pump F, of any
approved construction, the inlet pipe D' of said rotary pump being connected with
the bottom of the digesting vessel A.
In order to heat the heater E, I provide a boiler G, or other suitable source of
A steam
steam supply, and connect this boiler by a pipe H with the heater E.
pipe I leading from a boiler G connects with the pipe D at or near the entrance of
the same to the digesting vessel A, so that the liquor is subjected to the action of
the steam and thereby highly heated. When the liquor within the digesting
vessel A is at the proper temperature, the heater E is cut off, and for this purpose
a pipe J is employed and suitable valves are provided on the pipe D, to cut out the
coil D. From the bottom of the vessel A leads a discharge pipe K for carrying
off the solution of liquor and resin or like gummy matter removed from the fibres.
It will be seen that when the cage B and the filled baskets are in the digesting
vessel A and the pump F is set in motion, the liquor is circulated through said
vessel A and through the coil D', to be heated, and a steam pressure is established
within the digesting vessel A, steam being supplied by a pipe I from the boiler, as
previously explained.

page_text: By the arrangement described, the liquor is circulated through the digesting
vessel A in a downward direction, so that all tangling of the fibres is entirely
prevented. The circulation of the liquor through the fibres is maintained for any
desired length of time, after which the cover of the digesting vessel A is removed,
and the cage with the baskets containing the cleaned fibres is lifted out of the
vessel A. The fibres are then in proper condition for further treatment.
It will be seen that by the arrangement described, any desired degree of heat
may be maintained within the digesting vessel, so that all gummy and resinous
matter is taken out of the fibres.
By introducing live steam directly by means of the pipe I into the digester,
I am enabled to entirely dispense with the heater if I find it necessary to do so;
the whole cooking of the fibres being then accomplished without the use of the
heater for the liquor. The live steam passed into the heater is also utilized for
washing out the gums or other matter. The baskets are open at the top, and the
bottom of one basket forms the top for the next one below, as will be readily
understood by reference to the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is,
1. The herein described method for removing gummy and other matter from
vegetable fibres which consists in placing the fibres in partitioned baskets placed
one above the other in a digesting vessel, then subjecting the fibres to the action
of a heated liquor circulating in a downward direction through the fibres, and
maintaining at all times the desired degree of heat and pressure within the vessel,
substantially as shown and described.
2. An apparatus for removing gummy and other matter from vegetable fibres,
comprising a digesting vessel, a cage adapted to be set in said vessel and
containing baskets having spiral partitions, means for circulating a liquor in a
downward direction through said digesting vessel, and means for heating said
liquor and maintaining a pressure in the vessel, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 28th day of November 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.