IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT AND PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Martin, of Brentford, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT AND PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
PAPER, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Martin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 2nd January 1864, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
MARTIN, of Brentford, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT AND PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, AND
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," and have petitioned
Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration
that I am the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Martin, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following] statement,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say):-
My said Invention consists of a combination of certain processes and
mechanical arrangements and apparatus adapted for the treatment of fabrics
of a mixed nature, or composed partly of vegetable and partly of animal
material, as well as of other fabrics and materials, preparatory to the same or
a portion thereof being employed for the manufacture of paper, and whereby
in the case of mixed fabrics the separation of the vegetable from the animal
fibre or substance in such mixed fabrics as aforesaid is effected more com-
pletely and with greater facility and economy than by the methods previously
in use; while in the treatment of ordinary rags by thoroughly washing away
the colour abstracted by the chemicals employed, instead of allowing the same
to be partially absorbed, as by the usual process, a considerable saving of
chlorine is effected.
The rags of the mixed or other fabrics having been cut by the ordinary
means, or by any suitable arrangement of mechanism, into pieces of a con-
venient size, in order to prevent their matting or roping together, are boiled
in a rotary boiler with an adequate quantity of water, to which is added lime
in the proportion of about 10 per cent., and soda or potash in the proportion
of about 5 per cent. (the preparation known as "Anton Verwey's patent
alkali," being used by me in preference). It is desirable that the lime and
alkali should be intimately mixed and incorporated with each other, and a
sufficient quantity of water to effect such incorporation before they are added
to the water in which the materials under treatment have been placed, as
before mentioned.
In order to economise time and reduce the cost of labour which would
attend the operations herein-mentioned being separately performed by such
means and appliances as have hitherto been in use, and to effect the separa-
tion of the animal fibre, or substance, or dye which has been dissolved by
boiling, and to facilitate the action thereon of the chemical substances.em-
ployed in dissolving such animal fibre or substance, or cleansing the materials
under treatment, the same are subjected to a rubbing and beating operation,
which is produced by the following arrangements:-The boiler employed, for

page_text: the purposes of this Invention is in the form of an ordinary rotary boiler, and
is suspended upon an axis or trunnions, the rotary motion being produced by
gearing actuated by the known methods; steam is admitted through the axis
or trunnions, supply pipes for the introduction of water and chemicals, and
also an ejection pipe, being provided as herein-after mentioned. A series of
projecting beds or platforms are arranged in the interior of the boiler, and
also a beater or beaters, which is or are actuated by the rotation of the boiler,
and between which and the beds or platforms the materials under treatment
are rubbed and beaten.
The process will be more clearly understood by reference to the Drawing
hereunto annexed which represents a transverse section of the rotary boiler.
A is the main pipe, with perforations throughout its entire length, passing
through the axis or trunnions at either end, and at one of which steam is
admitted. At the other end two pipes are admitted, as shewn in the Drawing,
and marked 1 and 2, for the supply of water and chemicals, and also the
ejection pipe, marked 3, for conveying the residuum resulting from the opera-
tion to tanks of adequate size and suitably arranged for its collection, as
herein-after mentioned. On the rags being placed in the boiler and the
necessary supply of water and chemicals admitted by the pipes 1 and 2, steam
is supplied and the boiler is put in motion in the direction shewn by the
arrows. The beater (one only being shewn in the Drawing, although more
may be employed if desired) is suspended by the hanger C on the hanger
bar D, which is held in its position by the bracket E, the latter being firmly
secured to the main pipe A. When the beater is raised to the point shewn
by the dotted lines it falls upon the rags lying on the bed or platform F, and
so as each bed or platform raises it, it falls in its upward motion rubbing the
rags lying between it and the bed or platform raising it.
When this opera-
tion has been continued a sufficient length of time (ordinarily about five
hours) to dissolve and beat out the animal fibre, or substance, or dye, the
steam may be turned off, a plentiful supply of water admitted, and the ejection
pipe opened, when the boiler being still in a state of rotation the residuum
will be washed away, and may be conveyed by suitable channels or pipes to
the tanks provided for its collection. If found desirable the operation may
be repeated.
The rags will thus be left perfectly clean, and will be in a fit state to be
reduced to half-stuff and bleached in the ordinary way, or as follows:-The
surplus water having been drawn off, ordinary bleaching liquid, consisting of a
solution of chloride of lime or soda with a proportion of sulphuric acid, the
strength thereof being determined by the amount of colour in the rags so

page_text: admitted into the boiler as aforesaid is introduced. The liquid having been
raised to a temperature of 100 or 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and the materials
under treatment having been steeped therein for a sufficient length of time, the
acid is washed out by the admission of a plentiful supply of water, when the
materials are finished as follows:-A solution of cream of tartar with sulphuric
acid and water is admitted into the boiler, the temperature thereof, if thought
advantageous, being raised to 100 or 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The materials
under treatment may then be again washed with a plentiful supply of water,
the rotation of the boiler effecting the same purpose as the dash wheel when
employed for similar operations, but more effectually. The rags may then be
removed and passed through a powerful roller press to extract the water con-
tained in them, and are subsequently dried by passing them through a wire
cylinder supplied with a blast of hot air, or by means of any analogous or
equivalent apparatus, when they will be delivered ready for packing.
When the rotary boiler is specially prepared for the purposes of my said
Invention, it should be made of wood, with copper fastenings. Tanks have
been herein-before mentioned as being used for the collection of the residuum
resulting from the before-mentioned processes, and which residuum may be
utilized in various ways. The tanks should be of sufficient size or capacity to
contain the liquid and residuum resulting from one operation, and sufficient
time should be allowed for its settling or being precipitated to the bottom,
when it may be collected, or courses similar to those employed for the collec-
tion of slime in washing and dressing the ore at lead mines may be used.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would
observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details herein-before described, as variations may be made therefrom without
departing from the principles or main features of my said Invention, and I
would also wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim the exclusive
use and application of the several chemicals herein-before mentioned for the
purposes aforesaid, but what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting my said Invention, are,―
Firstly, the construction of the rotary boiler and the mechanism and
arrangements connected therewith, in manner herein-before described and
set forth.
Secondly, the maceration or partial maceration of the materials under
treatment as aforesaid, while in a heated state under pressure, as herein-before
mentioned and described, or any mere modifications thereof.
And, thirdly, the general arrangement and combination of mechanism and

page_text: processes for effecting the purposes aforesaid, as herein-before substantially set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Martin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
15, Southampton Buildings,
Agent for the Applicant.
CHARLES MARTIN. (L.S.)