IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FOREIGN PLANTS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE FIBRES DERIVED THEREFROM
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Goulston Ghislin, of Hatton Garden, in the
City of London, Importer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FOREIGN PLANTS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE
FIBRES DERIVED THEREFROM."
Sealed the 21st April 1863, and dated the 10th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Goulston Ghislin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th November 1862.
I, THOMAS GOULSTON GHISLIN, of Hatton Garden, in the City of London,
Importer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FOREIGN PLANTS, AND IN THE APPLICATION
OF THE FIBRES DERIVED THEREPROM," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the treatment of the following South African
plants, their families and species, viz.: oxalideæ, hibiscus, and other malvaceæ,
virgilia, bryonia, gnaphalium, ficoidea, salicornia, euphorbiacea, urtices, ficus,
proteaceæ, cycadeæ, phoenix reclinata; indeæ, including Watsonia humilis and
others; gladiolus, antholyza, lapeyrousia, barbiana, witsenia, tritonia and
sparaxis; juncaceæ, serratus and trista, various restiaceæ, cyperaceæ and
graminea; holcus saccharatus, maize, and stipa.

page_text: By treating these plants in the way to be presently described I am enabled
to obtain useful fibres of various characters or qualities, which may with
advantage be applied to such purposes as hemp, flax, cocoa fibres, hair, and
whalebone, have hitherto been employed for. The leaves, fronds, or stalks of
these various plants I ret or steep in a weak solution of alkali, and afterwards
in a weak solution of sulphuric acid; or I boil them in alkali and then steep
them in a cold solution of sulphuric acid, and by friction I release the fibres
from the sheaths or cuticles. They are then washed well in cold water and
left to dry.
In the treatment of the plant trista I cut the plant some inches from
the root, which I either boil in weak alkali or beat out or crush green by
the use of rollers or beaters, thus converting it into fibrous tufts suitable
for the manufacture of brushes. The long stalk I boil with soap or alkali
until softened, and then, by suitable friction, open out the fibres. These I
either use (after being curled.). for stuffing purposes, or they may be woven
into a cloth suitable for covering furniture in lieu of hair cloth. Both portions
of the plant may be either dyed or bleached as may be desired. By using the
plant when young I produce a kind of flax by the processes" of boiling and
opening out the fibres. These fibres. may either be spun or reduced to pulp
for making paper. With regard to the juncus serratus, I propose to apply a
fibre that grows as.a cuticle round the web leaf to the purposes for which
cotton or flax are ordinarily employed, and to that end I prepare and spin this
fibre in the ordinary manner of treating cotton and flax. I also propose to
utilize the top root of this plant, and by steeping and crushing it to obtain
fibre therefrom. I also apply the web leaf of this plant to stuffing purposes,
and to render it suitable for this purpose I cut it into strips and curl it. The
other first-named plants, when treated as described to effect the separation of
their fibres, will form a cheap and efficient substitute either. for flax, hemp,
hair, or bristles.
by the said Thomas Goulston Ghislin in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GOULSTON GHISLIN, of Hatton Garden, in the City of London,,Importer, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Goulston Ghislin, Her special license that I; the said Thomas
Goulston Ghislin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas Goulston Ghislin, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter, during the term therein expressed, should. and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FOREIGN PLANTS,
AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE FIBRES DERIVED THEREFROM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Goulston Ghislin, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be.per-
formed, and, cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Goulston Ghislin, 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 (that is to say):-
.
My Invention relates to the treatment of the following South African
plants, their, families and species, viz., oxalideæ, hibiscus and other malvaceæ,
virgilia, bryonia, gnaphalium, ficoides, salicornia, euphorbiacea, urtices, ficus,
proteaceæ, cycadeæ, phoenix reclinata; indeæ, including Watsonia humilis and
others; gladiolus, antholyza lapyrousia, barbiana, witsenia, tritonia, and.
sparaxis; juncaceae, serratus, and trista; various restiaceæ, cyperaceae, and
gramineae; holcus saccharatus, maize, and stipa...
By treating these plants in the way to be presently described I am enabled
to obtain useful fibres of various characters or qualities, which may with
advantage be applied to, such purposes as hemp, flax, cocoa fibres, hair, and
whalebone have, hitherto been employed for. The leaves, fronds, or stalks of
these various plants I ret or steep in a weak solution of alkali, and afterwards
in a weak solution of sulphuric acid; or I boil them in alkali and then steep
them in a cold solution of sulphuric acid, and by friction I release the fibres
from the sheaths or cuticles. A convenient mode of applying friction to the

page_text: plants for the purposes of removing the woody, gummy, and non-fibrous parts
from the useful fibres is to pass them through a machine in which a rotary
brush, driven at considerable speed, is made to operate the fibres, while they
are held by a pair of rollers which will gradually allow the fibres to advance,
so that they may be operated upon throughout their whole length and be
delivered clean at the opposite end of the machine. The fibres are then
washed well in cold water and left to dry.
In the treatment of the plant trista I cut the plant some inches from
the root, which I either boil in weak alkali or beat out or crush green
by the use of rollers or beaters, thus converting it into fibrous tufts suitable
for the manufacture of brushes. The long stalk I boil with soap or alkali
until softened, and then, by suitable friction, open out the fibres. The
fibres of the plant trista cannot be conveniently cleaned by the brushing
machine, as they are matted or reticulated, so that the brush cannot
remove the woody matters. The best method of expressing or removing
extraneous matters from the fibres is to take up the fibres by bundles or
handsful and submit them to a wringing operation. The fibres, when
washed and curled, are used for stuffing purposes, or they may be woven
into a cloth suitable for covering furniture in lieu of hair cloth. Both portions
of the plant may be either dyed or bleached as may be desired. By operating
on the plant when young I am enabled to produce fibres which may be used
as a substitute for flax. To this end the fibres should be submitted to the
processes of boiling and opening out, so as to produce fine fibres. These
fibres may then be either spun into yarn or reduced to pulp for making paper.
With regard to the juncus serratus, I remove from the stalk a fibrous cuticle
which grows round the web leaf, and after submitting this cuticle to the
processes herein-before referred to, I apply the fibres to the purposes for
which cotton or flax are ordinarily employed. To that end I prepare and
clean these fibres in the manner already explained, and I can then spin this fibre
in the ordinary manner of treating cotton and flax. I also utilize the tap root
of this plant, and by steeping and crushing it obtain fibre therefrom. I also
apply the web leaf of this plant for stuffing purposes, and in order to render
it suitable for this purpose I cut it into strips and curl it. The other first-
named plants, when treated as described to effect the separation of their
fibres, will form a cheap and efficient substitute either for flax, hemp, hair, or
bristles.
Having now explained my Invention of improvements in the treatment of
certain foreign plants, and in the application of the fibres derived therefrom,

page_text: and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim,
as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the mode
herein set forth of treating or preparing the above-mentioned foreign plants
for the purpose of obtaining the useful fibres therefrom; and I claim the
application of such fibres as substitutes for hemp, flax, or cotton, in manu-
facturing industry.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Goulston Ghislin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
THOMAS GOULSTON GHISLIN. (L.s.)
66, Chancery Lane.