New or Improved Manufacture of Artificial Whalebone.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Manufacture of Artificial Whalebone.
We, PAUL DAME, Chemist and LÉON PRUD'HON Banker both of 15 Rue des
Halles, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved manufacture of artificial whalebone,
the object being to obtain a product superior to that heretofore obtained.
For this purpose an albuminous substance such for examples as animal fibres or
horn is treated in the manner hereinafter described. In carrying out our invention
we consider it advantageous to use horse hair or other animal hair for example
wool, which we treat as follows:-
The horse hair after being well washed and freed from fatty substances, is soaked
in a more or less concentrated solution or aqueous mixture of lime and potash.
Usually a solution or mixture of two parts by weight of potash, one part by
weight of lime, and one part by weight of water will be found suitable. It is
advantageous to use this solution or mixture in a heated state as it then has a much
more rapid action; if it be cold, or less concentrated, its action will be slower.
Under the action of the solution or mixture each hair is attacked on its outer side
with the result that sulphide of potassium; sulphide of calcium; phosphate of
potash, phosphate of calcium and proteine are formed and the hair becomes
softened.
When this action has proceeded sufficiently, the hair is removed and immersed
in a vessel through which water is caused to flow whereby the hair is freed from
excess of lime, potash, and the soluble salts which have been formed, and there
remains around the hair, proteine containing an alkaline liquid.
The hair is then immersed in dilute acetic acid which causes the formation of
acetate of potash and acetate of lime which are precipitated; the proteine is
also rendered insoluble by the acetic acid and caused to become fixed around
each hair.
The hairs may be arranged in skeins or otherwise; it is however considered
advantageous to arrange them parallel to one another, and so as to form a layer or
sheet, in a frame in which the ends of the hairs are tightly held.
The layers or sheets of hair thus obtained, and in which the hairs are arranged
parallel with each other, are then subjected to a more or less prolonged preliminary
drying operation. A suitable number of these layers or sheets, according to the
thickness which it is desired to give to the product, are then placed whilst still soft
in a mould, and subjected to hydraulic or other pressure varying say from about
200 to 280 kilogs. per square centimetre, according to the state of moistness of the
hair, after which the hair is dried in a stove under pressure. The artificial whale-
bone or product thus formed closely resembles genuine whalebone, for which it
serves as a valuable substitute.
The hair may be of various kinds and colors and obtained from different sources.
By suitably mixing hair of different colors we have succeeded in obtaining a product
possessing not only the qualities of homogeneity and clasticity, but also the
appearance of natural whalebone.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Manufacture of Artificial Whalebone.
We, PAUL DAME, Chemist, and LÉON PRUD'HON, Banker, both of 15 Rue des
Halles, Paris, France, 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 relates to a new or improved manufacture of artificial whalebone,
the object being to obtain a product superior to that heretofore produced.
For this purpose an albuminous substance such for examples as animal fibres is
treated in the manner hereinafter described. In carrying out our invention we
consider it advantageous to use horse hair or other animal hair for example wool,
which we treat as follows:-
The horse hair after being well washed and freed from fatty substances, is
soaked in a more or less concentrated solution or aqueous mixture of caustic
lime and caustic potash. Usually a solution or mixture of two parts by weight
of potash, one part by weight of lime, and one part by weight of water
will be found suitable. It is advantageous to use this solution or mixture at a
temperature of say about 40° to 50° C. as it then has a much more rapid action; if
it be cold, or less concentrated, its action will be slower. Under the action of the
solution or mixture each hair is attacked on its outer side with the result that
sulphide of potassium, sulphide of calcium, phosphate of potash, phosphate of
calcium and proteine are formed and the hair becomes softened.
When this action has proceeded sufficiently, which is determined by the hair
having become soft, but still resisting, the hair is removed and immersed in a
vessel through which water is caused to flow whereby the hair is freed from excess
of lime, potash, and the soluble salts which have been formed, and there remains
around the hair proteine dissolved in an alkaline liquid.
The hair is then immersed in dilute acetic acid which causes the formation of
acetate of potash and acetate of lime which are precipitated and then re-dissolved;
while the proteine is also rendered insoluble in the alkaline solution by the acetic
acid and caused to become fixed around each hair.
The hairs to be treated may be arranged in skeins or otherwise; it is however
considered advantageous to arrange them parallel to one another, and so as to form
a layer or sheet, in a frame in which the ends of the hairs are tightly held.
The layers or sheets of hair whether the hairs be arranged parallel or not with
each other, are, after being treated in the manner hereinbefore described, subjected
to a more or less prolonged preliminary drying operation until they begin to
become viscous but not liquid. A suitable number of these layers or sheets,
according to the thickness which it is desired to give to the product, are then
placed whilst still soft in a mould, and subjected to hydraulic or other pressure
varying say from about 200 to 280 kilogs. per square centimetre, according to the
state of moistness of the hair, after which the hair is dried in a stove under pressure.
The artificial whalebone or product thus formed closely resembles genuine whale-
bone, for which it serves as a valuable substitute.
The hair may be of various kinds and colours and obtained from different sources.
By suitably mixing hair of different colours we have succeeded in obtaining a
product possessing not only the qualities of homogeneity and elasticity, but also the
appearance of natural whalebone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The herein described manufacture of artificial whalebone having for its
base animal hairs, such as horse hair, the several hairs being arrangeď narallel

page_text: or approximately so to one another, and agglomerated or united together as set
forth.
2. The manufacture as hereinafter described of artificial whalebone, from
albuminous substances of the kind herein referred to, by subjecting such substances
after the same have been cleaned, to the action of a mixture of lime and potash,
washing the product to remove soluble salts therefrom, then immersing it in dilute
acetic acid, subjecting it whilst in a moist state, to pressure, and drying it whilst
under pressure substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 5th day of December 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.