improvements in the Application of Electricity to the Treatment of Vegetable Fibre for the Production of Half Stuff.
Year: 1885

page_text: improvements in the Application of Electricity to the Treatment
of Vegetable Fibre for the Production of Half Stuff.
I WILLIAM BRYER NATION, of 26 Abbey Road, West Ham, in the County of
Essex, Analytical Chemist do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF ELECTRICITY TO THE TREATMENT OF
VEGETABLE FIBRE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HALF STUFF," to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to utilise electricity in the manufacture of half
stuff from vegetable fibre, for the purpose of paper making, and other purposes.
In carrying out my invention I place the raw material in tanks, such tanks
being in some cases covered, and in other cases more or less uncovered, according to
the character of the materials. The covers are used to convey the gases generated
to another part, or other parts of the tank or tanks, or to other apparatus. In some
cases the tanks are fitted with porous partitions.
In the tanks I place a solution of alkaline salt, or a combination of salts, and, in
some cases I add thereto an alkaline earth.
The ingredients may be heated by the exhaust steam from a high pressure steam
engine, or by steam direct from a boiler, or by any other suitable source of heat.
I apply currents of electricity to the ingredients by means of carbons or other
suitable electrodes, immersed in the mixture, whereby the salts are decomposed and
organically changed; such by-products being of considerable commercial value.
I also utilise the gases produced from the above process in bleaching and other
useful operations.
The purpose of the porous partitions in the tanks, is to assist in the separation
and decomposition of the salts, the currents of electricity being caused to flow
in opposite directions alternately.

page_text: Improvements in the Application of Electricity to the Treatment
of Vegetable Fibre for the Production of Half Stuff.
I WILLIAM BRYER NATION, of 26 Abbey Road, West Ham, in the County of
Essex, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 my invention is to utilize electricity in the manufacture of half
stuff from vegetable fibre, for the purpose of paper making, and other purposes.
In carrying out my invention I place the raw material in tanks, such tanks
being in some cases covered, and in other cases more or less uncovered, according
to the character of the materials. The covers are used to convey the gases
generated to another part, or other parts of the tank or tanks, or to other apparatus.
In some cases the tanks are fitted with porous partitions.
In the tanks I place a solution of alkaline salt, or a combination of salts; and,
in some cases I add thereto an alkaline earth.
The ingredients may be heated by the exhaust steam from a high pressure steam
engine, or by steam direct from a boiler, or by any other suitable source of heat.
I apply currents of electricity to the ingredients by means of carbons or other
suitable electrodes, immersed in the mixture, whereby the salts are decomposed, and
organically changed; such by-products being of considerable commercial value.
I also utilise the gases produced from the above process in bleaching and other
useful operations.
The purpose of the porous partitions in the tanks, is to assist in the separation
of the gases, the currents of electricity being caused to flow in opposite directions
alternately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The application of electricity to the treatment of vegetable fibre for the
production of half stuff, substantially as herein before described.
2. In the treatment of vegetable fibre by electricity as and for the purposes
aforesaid, the use, in combination therewith, of solutions of alkaline salts, or a
combination of salts, with or without an alkaline earth, substantially as herein-
before described.
3. In connection with the above described process, the utilisation of the gases
thereby produced for other useful purposes, substantially as described.
4. The application of currents of electricity to the vegetable fibre and other
ingredients, while under treatment, by means of carbons or other suitable elec-
trodes, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.