IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND MACHINERY FOR THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS PLANTS AND TEXTILE MATERIALS SO AS TO REMOVE THE FIBRES FROM INCRUSTING MATERIAL AND TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE TO BE MIXED WITH OR TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOLLY MATERIALS FELTS AND TISSUES OF ALL KINDS
Year: 1882

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer of 33 Chancery Lane! in the
County, of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF
AND MACHINERY FOR THE TREATMENT OF FIBROUS PLANTS AND TEXTILE
MATERIALS SO AS TO REMOVE THE FIBRES FROM INCRUSTING MATERIAL AND
TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE TO BE MIXED WITH OR TO BE USED AS A
SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOLLY MATERIALS FELTS AND TISSUES OF ALL KINDS "
A communication to him from abroad by "La Compagnie Generale des Fibres
Cosmos" of Brussels in the kingdom of Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on. the 4th October 1882.
**
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND MACHINERY FOR THE TREATMENT OF
FIBROUS PLANTS AND TEXTILE MATERIALS SO AS TO REMOVE THE FIBRES FROM;
INCRUSTING MATERIAL AND TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE TO BE MIXED WITH OR.
TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOLLY MATERIALS, FELTS AND TISSUES OF.
ALL KINDS," (A Communication to me from abroad by "La Compagnie Generale
des Fibres Cosmos" of Brussels in the kingdom of Belgium)
In apparatus suitably arranged to resist necessary internal and external pressure'
there is caused to act either hot or cold ammoniacalegas from alcaline lyes, from
earthy alcalipes, sulphurets or alcaline sulphydrates, glycerine, oleic acid, glucose
and different acids, sulphuric, sulphurous, acetic, pyroligneous or uric obtained by
synthesis. These products may be used alone or suitably combined with one
another in proportions varying according to the nature of the materials to be
treated. There can also be produced in digesters the combinations which are
employed. It should however be observed that one or other of the products above
cited should not as is the case in some industries be employed as almost each
particular case requires study and a special dose, the quantity or quality of the
incrusting materials of fibrous stalks or stems are so very different. There are
the different fibres also which present more or less resistance to the action of the
chemical agents.
The general principle consists in rendering soluble the materials surrounding the

page_text: fibre the constitution of which varies little from that of its envelope, it will bo
ensily understood that if too violent agents are employed the risk is run of
dissolving the one as well as the other at least that which it is important to leave
intact is exposed to the risk of being deteriorated.
Other cases may still present themselves in endeavouring to render soluble
certain silicious parts, it is evidently wrong to combine the principal alcalines so as
produce insoluble silicates. This would be the case for example if the fibres were
at the same time treated with potass.or soda and by lime. Potass and soda form
soluble silicates the lime decomposing them partly in soluble silicates. Thus very
little would be gained; a judicious doso alone can thus only obtain a good result.
These considerations were necessary to well show that this process does not
consist only in the employment of certain products but also in a just appreciation
of the effect to be produced. Thus when it is thought proper to employ caustic
potass-it is not sufficient to employ that potass called caustic potass of commerce;
this latter has to be treated with a suitable quantity of lime or barytes. The
mixture of potass and lime or barytes is made dry and it is sprinkled with wator
80 as to cause a re-action under the most favorable conditions. That which is
thus described in the case of the potass and soda should also be strictly observed
for the other chemical agents; on the other hand the boiling apparatus or digesters
are made use of utilizing as much as possible the arrangements which thus present
advantages. Thus supposing that green or dry stems or stalks of flax jute or hemp
or ramie have to be treated, they are placed in the boiler or digester which is
securely closed, steam is injected so as to drive out the air as much as possible
(pumps and other apparatus to produce for example a vacuum may be employed)
then the inlet for the passage of the chemical solutions is opened and it follows
from such operation that the inside even of the stem or stalk having the air
removed and already heated is eminently suitable to receive the chemical products
to be employed, these the better they are incorporated the more efficiently
they act,
After the
At the end of the time necessary for reaction the solutions are caused to pass
from one vessel or digester to another, the result, obtained besides is that the
effect of re-cooling of the stalks which are very much swelled contract afresh and
combined with the action of the following solution is better done.
action of the alcaline solutions, solutions of pyroligneous acid or others exactly
dosed are injected also for neutralizing the bases without acid being in excess.
Salts are thus formed which the following injection of steam will swell und
which the rinsing water will dissolve so much better when they have been quickly
seized or operated on. It will result from these successive manipulations that
by the contracting action re-actions are produced even in the interior of the
stalks; the incrusted parts, partly dissolved have a much greater tendency to
become detached and separated from the fibres; they would have been alternately
raised and contracted by the mechanical action of the heat and cold. The
re-actions which liave taken place in their interior would make them much more
disintegrated as they have been acted on more intimately.
The drying should be conducted very quickly which is very important. It'
should be added that the waters having thus served for the solutions of the
products or having acted on the materials to be treated as washing, water should
be collected in special basins arranged in florentine receivers. In these basins the
materials to be treated are submitted to a preliminary immersion which will act as
a beginning of the rotting or soaking and which in all cases will act by facilitating
the effect following the successive operations.
+
The heat also of the large masses of liquid which are employed for the washing
and chemical treatment are utilized.
The apparatus employed is composed chiefly.
1. A boiler producing steam at a high pressure.-
2. Vessels of wood or metal in which the re-agents are dissolved or mixed before
their introduction into the digesters or boilers.

page_text: 3. The digesters or boilers are made of sheet iron or copper closed by covers
bolted on.
These digesters are provided with pressure gauges and safety valves, in
fact with all the necessary safety apparatus.
For the treatment of certain plants which are less resistant or less incrusted it
may not be necessary to employ these digesters in this case the vessels may be.
simple receivers inade of wood and provided with the necessary heating apparatus
as well as with overflow apparatus. The digesters are united to one another by
an arrangement of pipes and valves so that the lye may pass freely from one or
the other as may be required they are each connected to the steam boiler
At the bottom of the vats and the digesters metal serpentine coils are placed in
which the steam necessary for the heating circulates.
The materials to be treated are placed in iron or copper perforated baskets or
vessels. These baskets are mounted on frames provided with wheels forming small
waggons or waggonets and are introduced running on rails fixed to the base of the
boilers. Traversing cranes receive these metal baskets and convey them either to
the drying place or to any other convenient position or specially arranged machine.
As it is not possible to describe each particular case as besides the different treat-
ment must depend upon the proportions or the nature of the products employed
and the mode of operation remains the same for all the plants or textile materials
one example of the mode of operation will be given. Supposing there are to be
treated 2000 Kilogrammes (4408 lbs 6 ozs) of Ramie (Boelmeria utilis) previously
separated from its woody parts by passing it through the decorticating machine
about to be described.
:
The decortication of plants or the separation of the fibrous portion of the woody'
part and of the incrusting material comprises two distinct operations which according.
to this invention are accomplished with one and the same machine.
The first operation is to crush and break the woody parts to separate it from the
bark containing the fibres. The second operation consists in suitably. rubbing the
fibres one against the other (without however either bruising or splitting them) so
as to separate the fibres from the greater part of the incrusting materials which
surround them and hold them together. This new machine is composed of metal'
rollers covered with caoutchouc, leather or paper. These rollers receive a rotary
movement and at the same time have a to and fro rectilinear alternate motion
obtained by eccentrics. The rotary motion is obtained by gearing driven by.
pulleys. The rotary motion of the cylinders is not equal for all that is to say that
one set of the cylinders revolve somewhat faster than another set and another set
still faster. The stroke of the to and fro movement can be regulated by eccentrics*
with slots and pins.
The toothed wheels of the rollers are sufficiently broad to support without
sensible wear the to and fro movement. With, this object the bearings are very
broad.
In order to be able to change at will the amount of friction exerted by the
cylinders there is on the shaft carrying the eccentrics a pulley instead of driving it.
directly by the gearing. There are gratings provided which have a rapid vibrating
sort of motion imparted to them. These gratings facilitate the passage of the fibres
from one cylinder into the other, the vibrating movement separates the broken
woody parts which after passing through the interstices fall under the machine.
A fibrous stalk or stem passing through the machine will be treated as follows:
Taken up by the first set of rollers it will be first crushed (the necessary pressure
is obtained by the weight even of the cylinders increased at will by tightening up
the caoutchouc pads placed above the bearings) it will pass onto the grating, the
movement of which striking the small pieces of the broken woody parts will assist
them to fall, the stalk or stem will then be taken by the other rollers and will be
again crushed and besides be submitted to a bruising action produced by the to
and fro movement of the cylinders it will then arrive on the other grating which
will drive out of it the last traces of the woody parts, this will be continued again
in the other cylinders but as. the speed of the cylinders is not equal the fibre being.

page_text: pushed out somewhat by the first cylinders will be bruised or crushed and folded
over and over before being taken up by the following rollers. Between each roller
the same effect is produced; on the other hand as these eccentrics are keyed at
varying angles the fibres are well opened and each thread is well separated from
its neighbour.
The decortication is thus complete without its producing any injurious effect or
any felting. It should be noticed that the advantage to be obtained by having
the cylinders. lined with an elastic supple material does not deteriorate the fibres
and assists by a moderate rubbing to separate the fibres one from the other.
The fibres being placed in the aforesaid baskets are introduced in charges of
five hundred Kilogrammes (1102 lbs 10 ozs) in each of the four digesters which are
then closed.
Having dissolved or previously mixed in two separate vessels.
In one vessel
A
331bs of flowers of sulphur
88 lbs 2 ozs of caustic soda
550 gallons of water
In the other vessel
B
33 lbs of glycerine
60 lbs 1 oz 8 drs of caustic potash
11 lbs
88 lbs. 2 oz
i glucosó
oleic acid
"
the whole in 550 gallons of water.
The fibrous material is introduced into the first digester then the steam is
injected then the lye and heat by the serpentines and by the direct injection of
steam until the pressure gauge indicates two atmospheres which last about
45 minutes by means of the system of tubes adhoc the lye is made to pass from
one digester to the other leaving each of them in contact with the fibres for twenty
minutes. During those operations a small quantity of the lye is removed a rapid
doso enables the strength to be ascertained.
Suitable quantities of the chemical agents are added to maintain exactly the
strength of the solutions.
Under the action of these alternatives of treatment and, of partial cooling the
incrusted material of the fibres become detached and even partially dissolved.
When the lye has twice passed into each digester it is withdrawn by an exit tap
and by means of a current of warm water the fibres are washed in the digesters
themselves. The washing water is then removed and replaced by the B solution
following the same method as for the A solution, with this difference that tho
pressure is maintained at four atmospheres.
The fibres are again washed in warm water and then removed from the digesters
when they are carried into the drying places. They are then suitable for
manufacturing purposes..
+
Ammoniacal gas is not employed except for very delicate fibres.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Griffith Brewer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th April 1883.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND MACHINERY FOR THE TREATMENT.OF FIBROUS
PLANTS AND TEXTILE MATERIALS SO AS TO REMOVE THE FIBRES, FROM INCRUSTING
MATERIAL AND TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE TO BE MIXED WITH OR TO BE USED
AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOLLY MATERIALS FELTS AND TISSUES OF ALL KINDS "
(A communication to me from abroad by La Compagnie Générale des Fibres
Cosmos of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium.).
•
In apparatus suitably arranged to resist necessary internal and external pressure
there is caused to act either hot or cold ammoniacal gas from alcaline lyes from
earthy alkalines, sulphurets or alkaline sulphates, glycerine; oleic acid glucose and
different acids, sulphuric, sulphurous, acetic, pyroligneous or uric obtained by
synthesis. These products may be used alone or suitably combined with one
another in proportions varying according to the nature of the materials to be
treated. There can also be produced in digesters the combinations which are
employed. It should however be observed that one or other of the products above
cited should not as is the case in some manufactures be employed as almost each
particular case requires study and 'a special dose, the quantity or quality of the
incrusting materials of fibrous stalks or stems are so very different. There are the.
different fibres also which present more or less resistance to the action of the
chemical agents.
The general principle consists in rendering soluble the materials surrounding the
fibre the constitution of which varies little from that of its envelope; it will be
easily understood that if too violent agents are employed the risk is run of dissolving
the one as well as the other; at least that which it is important to leave
intact is exposed to the risk of being deteriorated. Other cases may still present
themselves in endeavouring to render soluble certain silicious parts, it is evidently*
wrong to combine the principle alcalines so as to produce insoluble silicates. This
would be the case for example if the fibres were at the same time treated with
potash or soda and by lime. Potash and soda form soluble silicates the lime decom-
posing them partly in insoluble silicates. Thus very little would be gained, a
judicious dose alone can thus only obtain a good result.
These considerations were necessary to well show that this process does not
consist only in the employment of certain products but also in a just appreciation
of the effect to be produced. Thus when it is thought proper to employ caustic
potash it is not sufficient to employ that potash called caustic potash of commerce;
this latter has to be treated with a suitable quantity of lime or barytes. The
mixture of potash and lime or barytes is made dry and it is sprinkled with water
so as to cause a reaction under the most favourable conditions. That which is
thus described in the case of the potash and soda should also be strictly observed
for the other chemical agents. On the other hand the boiling apparatus or
digesters are made use of utilizing as much as possible the arrangements which
thus present advantages. Thus supposing that green or dry stems or stalks of flax
jute or hemp, or ramie, have to be treated; they are placed in the boiler or digester
which is securely closed; steam is injected so as to drive out the air as much as
possible (pumps and other apparatus to produce for example a vacuum may be
employed) then the inlet for the passage of the chemical solutions is opened and it
follows from such operation that the inside even of the stem or stalk having the
air removed and already heated is eminently suitable to receive the chemical
products to be employed; These the better they are incorporated the more efficiently
they act. At the end of the time necessary for reaction the solutions are caused

page_text: to pass from one vessel or digester into the other, the result obtained besides is
that the effect of recooling of the stalks which are very much swelled contract
afresh and combined with the action of the following solution is better done. After
tho action of the alcaline solutions, solutions of pyroligneous acid or others exactly
dosed are injected, also for neutralizing the bases without.acid being in excess.
Salts are thus formed which the following injection of steam will swell and which
the rinsing water will dissolve so much better when they have been quickly seized
or operated on. It will result from these successive manipulations that by the
contracting actions, reactions are produced even in the interior of the stalks, the
incrusted parts. partly dissolved have a much greater tendency to become detached
and separate from the fibres they would have been alternately raised and contracted
by the mechanical action of the heat and cold. The reactions which have taken
place in their interior would make them much more disintegrated as they have
heen acted on more intimately The drying should be conducted very quickly
which is very important. It should be added that the waters having thus served
for the solutions of the products or having acted on the materials to be treated as
washing water should be collected in special basins arranged in florentine receivers.
In these basins the materials to be treated are submitted to a preliminary immersion
which will act as a beginning of the rotting or soaking and which in all cases will
act by facilitating the effect following the successive operations.
The heat also of the large masses of liquid which are employed for the washing
and chemical treatment are utilized.
The apparatus employed is composed chiefly.
1. Of A boiler producing steam at a high pressure.
2. Of Vessels of wood or metal in which the re-agents are dissolved or mixed
before their introduction into the digesters or boilers.
3. The digesters or boilers are ninde of sheet iron or copper closed by covers
bolted on. These digesters are provided with pressure gunges and safety valves,
in fact with all the necessary safety apparatus.
For the treatment of certain plants which are less resistant or less incrusted it
may not be necessary to employ these digesters. In this case the vessels may be
simple receivers made of wood and provided with the necessary heating apparatus
as well as with overflow apparatus. The digesters are united to one another by an
arrangement of pipes and valves so that the lye may pass freely from one or the
other as may be required; they are each connected to the steam boiler.
At the bottom of the vats and the digesters metal serpentine coils are placed in
which the steam necessary for the heating circulates.
The materials to be treated are placed in iron or copper perforated baskets or
vessels. These baskets are mounted on fraines provided with wheels forming sinall
waggons or wagg nets and are introduced running on rails fixed to the base of the
boilers. Traversing cranes receive these metal baskets and convey then either to
the drying place or to any other convenient position or specially arranged machine.
As it is not possible to describe each particular case, as besides the different treat-
inent must depend upon the proportions or the nature of the products employed
and the mode of operation remains the same for all the plants or textile materials,
one example of the mode of operation will be given Supposing there are to be
trented 2000 kilogrammes (4408 lbs 6 ozs) of Ramie (Bochinerin utilis) This ramie
may have been previously separated from its woody parts by passing it through
the decorticating machine about to be described.
The decortication of plants or the separation of the fibrous portion of the woody
part and of the incrusting material comprises two distinct operations which
according to this invention are accomplished with one and the same machine.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view in plan partly in section,
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to this invention
and Figure 3 is a section through the lines dc and a E respectively.
The first operation is to crush and break the woody parts to separate them from
the bark containing the fibres.

page_text: The second operation consists in suitably rubbing the fibres one against the other
(without however either bruising or spliting them) so as to separate the fibres from
the greater part of the incrusting materials which surround them and hold them
together. This new machine is composed of cast iron metal rollers .covered" with
caoutchouc, leather, or paper. These rollers receive a rotary movement and at the
same time have a to and fro rectilinear alternate motion obtained by eccentrics.
The rotary motion is obtained by gearing driven by pulleys. The rotary motion of
the cylinders is. not equal for all, that is to say, that one set of cylinders or
rollers A A revolve somewhat faster than the cylinders or rollers BB', and BB'
still faster than the cylinders or rollers CC¹. The extent of the to and fro
movement can be regulated by eccentrics with slots and pins.
Figures 1 and 3 indicate sufficiently the construction of these eccentrics. The
toothed wheels of the rollers are sufficiently broad to support without sensible wear
the to and fro inovement. With this object the bearings are very broad.
In order to be able to change at will the amount of friction exerted by the
cylinders there is as shown in the drawings on the shaft carrying the eccentrics a
pulley instead of driving it directly by the gearing Figures 1 and 2 show gratings
which have a rapid vibrating sort of motion imparted to them. These gratings
facilitate the passage of the fibres from one cylinder into the other, the vibrating
movement separates the broken woody parts which after passing through the
interstices fall under the machine.
A fibrous stalk or stem passing through the machine will be treated as follows.
Seized or taken up by the first set of cylinders or rollers A A¹ it will be first
crushed (the necessary pressure is obtained by the weight even of the cylinders or
rollers increased at will by tightening up the caoutchouc pads placed between the
bearings) it will pass on to the grating the movement of which striking the
small piece of the broken woody parts will assist them to fall, the stalk or stem
will then be taken by the other cylinders or rollers B and B and again crushed and
besides be submitted to a bruising action produced by the to and fro movement of
the cylinders. or rollers; it will then arrive on the other grating G" which will
drive out of it the last traces of the woody parts this will be continued again and
the same in the other cylinders or rollers D D', but as the speed of the cylinders or
rollers' is not equal the fibre being pushed out somewhat by the first cylinders will
be bruised or crushed and folded over and over before being taken up by the
following cylinders. Between each cylinder or roller the same effect is produced;
on the other hand as these eccentrics are keyed at varying angles the fibres are
well opened and each thread is well separated from its neighbour.
The decortication is thus complete without its producing any injurious effect or
any felting. It should be noticed that the advantage to be obtained by having the
cylinders or rollers lined with an elastic supple material does not deteriorate
the fibres and assists by a moderate rubbing to separate the fibres one from the
other.
The fibres being placed in the aforesaid baskets are introduced in charges say of
500 kilogrammes (1102 lbs 10 ozs) in each of the four digesters or boilers which
are then closed.
Having dissolved or previously mixed in two separate vessels.
In one vessel
A 22 1h of flawarg of culnbun
"

page_text: .
The lye A is introduced into the first digester or boiler then the steam. is
injected, then the lye and heat by the serpentines and by the direct injection of
steam until the pressure gauge indicates two atmospheres which lasts about
45 minutes, by means of the system of tubes ad-hoc the lye is made to pass from
one digester to the other having each of them in contact with the fibres for twenty
minutes. During these operations a small quantity of the lye is removed, a rapid
dose enables the strength to be ascertained: Suitable quantities of the chemical
agents are added to maintain exactly the strength of the solutions.
Under the action of these alternatives of treatment and of partial cooling the
incrusted material, of the fibres become detached and even partially dissolved.
When the lye has twice passed into each digester it is withdrawn by an oxit
tap, and by incans of a current of warm water the fibres are washed in the
digester themselves. The washing water is then removed and replaced by the
B solution following the same method as for the A solution, with this differenco
that the pressure is inaintained at four atmospheres.
The: fibres are again washed in warm water and then removed from the digester,
when they are carried into the drying places.
They are then,suitable for manufacturing purposes.
Ammoniacal gas is not employed except for very delicate fibres.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be employed I declare that I claim.
.
First The successive and several operations above. described that is to say
the employment of alkalines, eartily alcalines, cyanures and alcalino sulphurets,
employed in varying doses either pure or mixed; the whole completed by a
prolonged boiling in a lyo, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described:
Second-The employment of cylinders or rollers in machinery for the purposes
specified provided with some elastic material so acting that the fibres are not
injured and assisted in separating the one from one another in combination with
the special arrangement of a rotary and to and fro alternate. rectilinear motion,
substantially as shown and described with reference to the accompanying.drawings.
In-witness whereof I the said Edward Griffith Brewer have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourth day of April in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
T A
ווr T