The Manufacture of an Improved Fibrous Material.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1897
DI DUIT ALLON.
The Manufacture of an Improved Fibrous Material.
1, JULES AMÉDÉE MAQUAIRE, of No. 31 Boulevard Montmorency, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The
My invention relates to an improved fibrous material which 1 call by the name
of "Eucalyptus wool or wadding" and to the process of producing the same.
said fibrous material is obtained by the treatment and the utilization of the fibres
of a well-known plant of the Myrtaceae family designated under the generic name
of eucalyptus.
The eucalyptus are woody plants which often grow to great heights and of
which the leaves, the liber and the tissues contain fibres capable of being brought
into the filamentous condition. These eucalyptus fibres, thus treated and rendered
capable of being utilized in spinning and weaving as well as for other industrial
applications, form the improved material which is the main feature of the present
invention.
Although the eucalyptus fibres can be treated by all the processes generally used
for the conversion of ligneous fibres into textile threads, I prefer to work according
to the following process which better suits their special nature.
The parts of the plant to be used are first allowed to soak for about 15 to
20 hours, in a bath of lukewarm water; they are then heated in a boiler or
in a digester, the temperature being raised progressively by 10° every half-hour,
until 120° is reached, which brings the total duration of this operation up to about
5 hours.
The fibrous mass is then rolled and brought into the form of very thin ribbons
or strips, then washed in a 5 per cent. bath of carbonate of soda or in any other
equivalent alkaline bath.
The fibres are then beaten, and afterwards thoroughly washed with water,.
again beaten and placed for 24 hours in a bath of lukewarm water to which has
been added 10 per cent. of hydrochloric acid and 1 per cent. of ammonium chloride
(sal ammoniac).
In place of the hydrochloric acid and sal ammoniac, I can employ any other acid
and any other suitable ammoniacal salt or alkali salt.
After this treatment, the mass is subjected to a washing with resin soap, then
to a washing with plenty of water which will free it from all free and soluble
bodies.
Afterwards, the fibres are dried, scutched and stripped and when thoroughly dry
are ready for the carders to make wool or wadding.
In order to make up for the loss of the useful principles, which is caused by the
above mentioned treatment to which the fibrous material is subjected, the resins
obtained in the course of this treatment are restored to the wool or wadding by
slow fumigation, at a high temperature (about 120°) in a cylinder provided with
paddles for suitably stirring the mass.
The eucalyptus threads thus brought to the condition of textile fibres form, as I
have said, an improved fibrous material which can be used either as such in the
manufacture of all objects into which wool or wadding enters, or it can be utilizel.
in any other desired manner.

page_text: For instance my improved material can serve for the manufacture of all kinds
of felt or be spun so as to make pure eucalyptus yarn, or mixed yarn, by
admixture with other textiles, such as flax, hemp, silk, ramie, wool, cotton, or
the like.
These pure or mixed yarns can be used alone or serve in the manufacture of all
fabrics or knitted goods, either alone or in the combination with any other kinds
of textile threads."
In this case, the products obtained by the application of encalyptus wool or
wadding possess all the hygienic and absorbent properties of the material of which
they are composed, and they remain in a good condition for a very long time by
reason of the imputrescibility of this material.
Dated this 17th day of February 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
ап
I, JULES AMÉDÉE MAQUAIRE, of No. 31 Boulevard Montmorency, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved fibrous material which I call by the name
of "Eucalyptus wool or wadding," and to the process of producing the same. The
said fibrous material is obtained by the treatment and utilization of the fibres
of a well-known plant of the Myrtaceae family designated under the generic name
of eucalyptus.
The eucalyptus are woody plants which often grow to great heights and of
which the leaves, the liber and the tissues contain fibres capable of being brought
into the filamentous condition. These eucalyptus fibres, thus treated and rendered
capable of being utilized in spinning and weaving as well as for other industrial
applications, form the improved material which is the main feature of the present
invention.
Although the eucalyptus fibres can be treated by all the processes generally used
for the conversion of ligneous fibres into textile threads, I prefer to work according
to the following process which better suits their special nature.
The parts of the plant to be used are first allowed to soak for about 15 to
20 hours, in a bath of lukewarm water; they are then heated in a boiler or
in a kier, the temperature being raised progressively by 10° every half-hour,
until 120° is reached, which brings the total duration of this operation up to about
5 hours.
The fibrous mass is then rolled and brought into the form of very thin ribbons
or strips, then washed in a 5 per cent. bath of carbonate of soda or in any other
equivalent alkaline bath.
The fibres are then beaten, and afterwards thoroughly washed with water,
again beaten and placed for 24 hours in a bath of lukewarm water to which has
been added 10 per cent. of hydrochloric acid and 1 per cent. of ammonium chloride
(sal ammoniac).
In place of the hydrochloric acid and sal ammoniac I can employ any other acid
and any other suitable ammoniacal salt or alkali salt.
After this treatment, the mass is subjected to a washing with resin soap, then

page_text: to a washing with plenty of water which will free it from all free and soluble
bodies.
Afterwards, the fibres are dried, scutched and stripped and when thoroughly dry
are ready for the carders to make wool or wadding.
The stripping is effected either by hand or mechanically and serves to separate
the fibre from the tissue which surrounds it.
In order to make up for the loss of the useful principles caused by the above-
mentioned treatment to which the fibrous material is subjected, the resins obtained
in the course of this treatment are restored to the wool or wadding by slow
fumigation, at a high temperature (about 120°) in a cylinder provided with paddles
for suitably stirring the mass. This cylinder may consist of a polygonal drum, one
of the sides of which can be opened to permit the introduction of the wool, wadding
or threads to be treated. The axis of this drum is hollow and perforated and
serves for the introduction of the volatile products to be restored to the fibre.
This axis is protected at its perforated end by a metal sheet to prevent the wool,
threads, or the like from blocking up the apertures therein.
Before employing them as above described, the said resins are first dissolved
in the essence of eucalyptus, for example, in the proportion of from 3 to
4 per cent. of eucalyptus or Australiau kino resin to 96 to 97 per cent. of essence of
eucalyptus.
In place of this essence any other suitable solvent can be employed, for example,
spirit of turpentine.
The eucalyptus threads thus brought to the condition of textile fibres form, as I
have said, an improved fibrous material which can be used either as such in the
manufacture of all objects into which wool or wadding enters, or it can be utilized
in any other desired manner.
For instance my improved material can serve for the manufacture of all kinds
of felt or be spun so as to make pure eucalyptus yarn, or mixed yarn, by
admixture with other textiles such as flax, bemp, silk, ramie, wool, cotton, or
the like.
These pure or mixed yarns can be used alone or serve in the manufacture of all
fabrics or knitted goods, either alone or in combination with any other kinds of
textile threads.
In any case, the products obtained by the application of eucalyptus wool or
wadding possess all the hygienic and absorbent properties of the material of which
they are composed, and they remain in a good condition for a very long time by
reason of the imputrescibility of this material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
First. As a new article of manufacture, eucalyptus wool or wadding obtained by
he treatment of the leaves and other filamentous parts of plants of the genus
Eucalyptus."
Second. The process of treatment of the filamentous parts of the eucalyptus
ubstantially as hereinbefore described and for the purpose specified.
Third. The application of eucalyptus wool or wadding to the manufacture of
extiles, felts, woven fabrics or other objects or articles, substantially as herein-
efore described.
Dated this 30th day of October 1806
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.