for Upholstering Uses.
Year: 1885

page_text: for Upholstering Uses.
I, WESLEY WASHINGTON HAMILTON, of 123, Macon Street, Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings, and State of New York United States of America, Salesman ;
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 the treatment of animal, and vegetable fibres whereby
they are made more suitable for upholstering uses. I have discovered, and by a
series of experiments have demonstrated, that certain animal fibres, to wit, Hog, or
Pig hair, and the hair from the tails of Horses and Cattle, and manes of Horses,
and certain vegetable fibres, to wit, Istle, or Tampico, and Cocoa nut fibre, can by
a certain mechanical and boiling treatment have imparted to them improved
upholstering properties, that is to say, that by said mechanical operation they are
curled, bent, or twisted, and by said boiling operation said curls, bends, or twists are
partially relaxed, and then confirmed or made more permanent in their relaxed con-
dition, and this I accomplish by subjecting to the novel process hereinafter described
the raw material mentioned, to wit, Horse-hair, Hog-hair, Istle, and Cocoa-Nut
Fibre, which in their normal, or commercial condition do not possess these improved
properties. Curl is an essential to a good upholstering fibre. The character of the
curl is also to be considered. A "ringlet" curl is too regular in its form, and does
not retain its upholding power when in ordinary use. Softness, slipperiness, and
strength of spring, are also desirable features. I do not use the term "Curl" in
its strictest sense, but I mean thereby a waved, bent, or twisted form. Curl,
resiliency, and strength and durability of spring, constitute some of the leading
characteristics of good upholstering Fibres. Such characteristics are found in a
greater, or less degree in what is known in the market as "Curled Hair" after it is
curled, and as "Horse Hair" before it is curled, and which is the hair from the
tails and manes of horses, and the tails of Cattle. This "Horse Hair" is curled by
what is known as the "roping process." This "roping process". is mainly applicable
to long fibres, though short fibres are sometimes curled by that process, in connection
with long fibres. I am not aware, however, that short fibres, for example, short,
straight, rigid, Hog-Hair, can be successfully curled alone by this "roping process,"
so as to yield good upholstering results, This “" roping process" is also applied to

page_text: certain vegetable fibres, as, for example, cocoa-nut fibre, but it yields very poor
upholstering results, except when applied to long "Horse Hair" or mixtures of long
and short fibres. Certain animal hair is also curled by chemical process, cow hair,
for example, but the corrosive action of the chemicals employed injures the strength
of the hair, and imparts to it feltive properties which are hurtful to upholding
power. Another process publicly employed to impart curl to vegetable fibres to
improve their upholstering value is winding the fibres around a small heated
spindle this spindle process is chiefly confined to cocoa-nut fibre; it is a very
slow, and a very expensive process. There is also in operation a" crimping process"
which is substantially limited in its employment to cocoa-nut fibre. The "curl
imparted to the fibres by this "crimping process "is simply crimped impressions.
It is a cheap, and a quick process, but it yields an unsatisfactory upholstering
product. By my process I impart an irregular curl to either long or short animal,
or vegetable fibres, for example, to Hog or Pig hair, to the hair taken from the
tails and manes of horses, and the tails of Cattle, to the vegetable fibres called Istle,
or Tampico, and Cocoa-nut fibre. My process is quick, simple, inexpensive, and
can at all times be kept within the safe control of the operator, who can, at will,
vary the degree of curl to be imparted to the fibre under treatment, according to
its length, nature, quality, and strength.
In carrying my Invention into practical effect I take, for example, "Horse-hair"
about nine inches long, and of good elastic quality, and intermingle the fibres, so
that they will lie more or less across, and not parallel with each other.. I then
take the fibres while so intermingled, in double handfuls at a time, and squeeze
them tightly into a close bunch, and place the squeezed bunch in a strong vessel of
cylindrical form in its interior, then take other double handfuls of the fibres, and
squeeze, and bunch, and place them in the cylinder, and pack them down tightly
therein by rammer, or by hand, and this I repeat until all the fibres that are to be
treated in one operation are in the cylinder, and the cylinder is nearly full of fibres.
This operation I will call the "Preliminary Packing." The cylindrical vessel is made
in two longitudinal sections, is firmly bound together by metal clamps and rings, is
closed at the bottom by a removable plate fastened to it by hooks and pins, is
smooth inside, and has vents distributed in and about the bottom plate for the
escape of air, and its height is four times as great as its internal diameter. Upon
this charge of fibres I superimpose a thick metal plate, fitting snugly to the interior
of the cylinder, but free enough to move therein without binding. Upon this plate
I apply strong pressure through a piston, or follower, so as to compress the inter-
mingled fibres between the top, and bottom plates, and against the inner surface of
the cylinder. In the instance given I employ pressure sufficient to pack thirty-
five pounds of the fibres into the space of one cubic foot, and maintain the pressure
long enough to give the fibres under compression a "set," or deadened compaction,
say about five minutes.
This operation I will call the "Pressure treatment" The pressure is then
removed from the fibres, and the compressed fibres, removed from the cylinder,
preparatory to giving them another pressure, which I will call "reverse pressure."
The mass of compressed fibres is then divided into lumps, or sections and the lumps
or sections put in the cylinder, but in a position therein the opposite to that they
occupied during the "pressure treatment" that is to say that the parts of the mass
of fibres that had a horizontal position during the "pressure treatment," are now
therein in a perpendicular position to receive "reverse pressure." The fibres are
then subjected to strong pressure to the same extent as in the "pressure treatment
The mass of compressed fibres is then removed from the cylinder, and is bound
somewhat loosely with strong cord, or wire, so as to allow a little space for the
fibres to relax, and expand from their compaction, while undergoing the boiling
operation which is to follow; or instead of being so bound I put it into a cage
made of wire cloth, having meshes about one-eighth of an inch in size, the cage
being made in two parts hinged to each other at the back, and fastened in front
when closed, by hooks, and eyes, its interior being of a shape suited to the shape of

page_text: the compressed mass of fibres, and of an interior size a little larger than the size
of the compressed mass of fibres. The object and effect of this relaxing and
expanding space is to allow room for the indentations, and any sharp angles,
imparted to the fibres by the pressures, to swell and round out by the action of the
boiling water upon them, and thereby remove, or reduce feltive effects, and promote
resiliency in the curled fibres. I then submerge the compressed mass of fibres
while so bound, or so caged, in boiling water, and keep it submerged under boil for
about twenty minutes. The object and effect of this boiling operation is to
confirm, or make more permanent the curls imparted by the pressures after they
have been so relaxed, and expanded. The mass of treated fibres is then removed
from the boiling water, and put into cold water for a few minutes so as to arrest at
this stage the action of heat upon the animal fibres. It is then removed from the
water, and set aside, in its bound condition for a couple of hours, then released
from its binding, and its compaction relaxed by pressure put upon its sides, then
the fibres are partially opened out by hand and dried. When thoroughly dry,
they are finally opened out by hand, or other suitable means, and it will be found
that the formerly straight fibres are now of a curly bent, or twisted form, and are
better adapted for upholstering uses.
"
I have given one example of my process, though I make such modifications of
treatment as are found requisite or desirable in view of the nature, quality, and
length of the fibre under treatment, and the degree of curl desired to be imparted
to it. For example Hog hair is a short, straight, refractory fibre, and I have
advantageously put sufficient of the "pressure treatment" and "reverse pressure
on it to compress seventy pounds of it into the space of one cubic foot. Then again,
cocoa nut fibre, and Istle, of, say ten inches in length, will require a less amount of
the pressures than that quoted for Hog-hair. Forty pounds, or even less, of the
cocoa-nut-fibre, or of the Istle, compressed into the space of one cubic foot, will
yield a good curl result. I have found that the curl in Hog-hair, and in "Horse
Hair" can be sufficiently confirmed by a boil of from fifteen to forty five minutes,
according to the character of the hair and the degree of curl imparted. One hour's
boil generally suffices for Istle, or cocoa nut fibre, but their term of boil may be
extended into several hours, if desired, without injury to the fibres. The greater
the amount of pressure employed the greater the degree of curl imparted to the
fibres; and the shorter the fibre the greater the degree of curl desired. A less
amount of " pressure-treatment will be given to Istle, or "Horse-hair" twelve
inches long, than to Istle, or "Horse-hair" six inches long, and a greater amount of
pressure treatment" will be given to a short rigid hog-hair than to a long elastic
Hog hair. It will be seen therefore, that the amount of "
pressure treatment to
be put upon the fibres, must be determined by the operator, according to the
length, stiffness, quality, and nature of the fibre under treatment, and the amount
of curl desired to be imparted thereto. In some cases the "reverse pressure
be dispensed with, as for example, where it is desired to impart but a moderate
degree of curl to the fibre under treatment, as in the case of mixed cocoa-nut fibre,
which is uneven and very rough, and in the case of long soft and elastic "Horse
hair."
"
"
"
"
may
Most of the fibres sold in the market for upholstering uses are benefitted by.
being dyed. This is especially true of the vegetable fibres. The dye contributes to
resiliency, and the color enhances the commercial value of the vegetable fibres.
The fibres to be treated by my process may be dyed either before, or after the
process. If before, they should be dyed in strong dye liquor, and if the fibre is
animal, at a low temperature, and the dye-liquor should be free of caustic, whether
acid, or alkali. If the fibre is vegetable the temperature is immaterial, but the dye
liquor should be free of acid. In either case there should be added to the boiling
water in which the curl is to be confirmed, or made more permanent enough of the
dye liquor to prevent the water from extracting the dye from the fibres during the
boiling operation. If the fibres are to be dyed after the process, strong dye-liquor,
and low temperature should be employed for both animal, and vegetable-fibres,

page_text: I do not limit this Invention to the fibres named herein. I have tested it on
other fibres and found beneficial upholstering results therefrom, among which
I mention Sisal, and Manila.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention; and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what
I claim is
1. The process of treating animal, and vegetable fibres for upholstering uses,
which consists in first intermingling the fibres, then squeezing them into bunches,
and placing the bunches in a strong cylindrical vessel, and packing them down
tightly therein, then subjecting the fibres to strong pressure, and maintaining it for
awhile, then removing the mass of compressed fibres from the cylinder, and loosely
confining it in its compacted state by cord or wire cloth cage, then boiling it in
water, then putting it in cold water, then setting it aside in its bound condition,
then releasing it from its confinement, and putting pressure upon its sides, then
partially opening out the fibres and drying them, and finally opening them out
fully, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The process of treating animal, and vegetable fibres for upholstering uses;
which consists in first intermingling the fibres, then squeezing them into bunches
and placing the bunches in a strong cylindrical vessel and packing them down
tightly therein, then subjecting the fibres to strong pressure and maintaining it
awhile, then removing the mass of compressed fibres from the cylinder and
separating it into lumps, or sections, and putting the lumps or sections in the
cylinder in reverse position therein, then again subjecting the fibres to strong
pressure and maintaining it awhile, then removing the mass of compressed fibres
from the cylinder and loosely confining it in its compacted state by cord or wire
cloth cage, then boiling it in water, then putting it in cold water, then setting it
aside in its bound condition, then releasing it from its confinement, and putting
pressure upon its sides, then partially opening out the fibres, and drying them, and
finally opening them out fully, substantially as herein before described.
3. As a new article of manufacture, animal and vegetable fibres, such as herein-
before specified, made suitable for upholstering uses by being curled by strong
pressure, and the curl partially relaxed, and as relaxed, confirmed by being boiled
in water, substantially as herein before described.