An Improved Method of Treating the Leaves or other Parts of Dried Palms and other Plants for Decorative Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1896
An Improved Method of Treating the Leaves or other Parts of Dried
Palms and other Plants for Decorative Purposes.
I, CONSTANT EDWARD OSMAN, of 132 Commercial Street, London, E.
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved method of treating the leaves
or other parts of dried palms and other plants to render them saitable for
decorative purposes.
According to my invention, when treating dried palm leaves, I first place them
into an acid bath aud afterwards boil them in a solution of glycerine. They are
then dried preferably by artificial heat and subsequently inoistened with water and
subjected to an ironing operation, preferably on a cylindrical block, so that the
leaves will assume their natural shape and soft appearance. After this operation
the loaves are coated or coloured with a very thiu liquid oil paint that has been
mixed with a suitable varnish.
The leaves, having dried, are then ready to be employed for any desired
decorative purpose.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method of Treating the Leaves or other Parts of Dried
Palms and other Plants for Decorative Purposes.
I, CONSTANT EDWARD OSMAN, of 132 Commercial Street, London, E.,
Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention has for its object an improved method of treating the leaves or
other parts of dried palms and oth er plants to render them suitable for decorative
purposes.
According to my invention. when treating dried palm leaves, I first place them
in a bath cousisting of dilute acid, or preferably a bath consisting of a solution of.
chloride of lime and soda. In this bath the dried leaves are allowed to soak for
one or two days according to the condition of the leaves under treatment, the
object being to bleach them.
After this treatment the leaves are removed and boiled in a solution of glycerine
for one or two days, which imparts to then a soft and pliable condition resembling
that which they possess in their natural state. The glycerine solution advantageously
consists of two parts of glycerine to one part of water.

page_text: The leaves are thou preferably placed in a bath of aniline green which gives to
them the desired ground tint and prevents them from regaining the colourless
appearance they possessed in their dried condition.
The leaves are then dried, preferably by placing them in a steam jacketted
chamber. They are then moistened with water and subjected to a pressing
operation on a cylindrical block to causo them to assume their natural curved
shape and glossy appearance. To prevent the ground tint of green paint from
peeling off I prefer to dress the leaves with linseed oil.
The leaves aro finally coloured, in imitation of the natural tints of the leaves,
by painting them with a thin liquid oil paint of suitable colour mixed with good
transparent varnish.
After the leaves have dried they are ready to be used for the required decorative
purpose.
By means of this method the said leaves, when mounted on a suitable stem in
imitation of a palm as is well understood by those persons acquainted with
the manufacture of artificial plants, will present an appearance almost identical to
that of living palm leaves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The method of treating leaves or other parts of dried palms or other plants
substantially as hereinbefore described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 6th day of November 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings; London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.