US396981A - Sidney smith boyce - Google Patents

Description

To aZZ whom it may concern:

ATnNr rricn.

SIDNEY SMITH. BOYCE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF DISINTEGRATING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,981, dated January 29, 1889. Application filed December 13, 1888. Serial No. 293,415. (No specimens.)

Be it known that I, SIDNEY SMITH: Boron,

of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Process of Disin- I tegrating Fibrous Substances, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. The ob ect of this invention is to effect the direct and speedy separation of the fibers from the natural straw of fiber-bearing plants such as flax, hemp, ramie, and jute; also, to remove from the fibers the adherin gum my, resinous, glutinous, and niucilaginous substances; and, also, to bleach the fibers and impart to them soft and pliable qualities and a polished or glossy finish.

My invention consists in such mechanical j and chemical treatment of the fibers of said plants as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

I11 the practice of my invention I take the natural straw of the flax or other fibrous plant and subject the same to the action of a suitable breaking mechanism until the said straw is thoroughly broken and the been and woody substances broken up and removed. from the fibers, so far as the same can be effected by the breaking operation. Any of the wellknown forms of breakirig-machines suited for the particular plant or straw to be treated may be employed for the above purpose; hence a particular (loser-nation of such nmchanisms is not here necessary. The fibrous material recovered from the straw, as above described, I then place in a suitable vessel crmtaining a boiling solution of soap and water, which solution must be neutral in respect to alkalies, and, preferably, rich in respect to oleaginous matters, made by dissolving from four to six ounces of such soap to the gallon of water, in

which solution I boil the fibrous material for a period of from one to five minutes, accordupon the fibers is to disintegrate, perfect, gloss, and polish them and impart to them a soft, fine, and silky quality, which is highly desirable. I do not confine myself torolling; but other means for separating the dried. masses of fibers may be employedas, for instance, they may be picked apart 'or separated by hand.

The effect of boiling the fibrous material in the saponaceons solution is to remove at once, to a great extent, the glutinous, mucilaginous, resinous, gummy, and coloring matters, and other impurities, and to clean, bleach, dress, and separate the fibers and render them fit for immediate use in the arts for spinning and other purposes.

The successof my invention depends in thoroughly breaking the fiax or plant and re moving the boon, and in then. boiling the fibers for a brief period in a neutral sapon'aceous solution, or, preferably, a solution rich in oleaginous matter.

The strength of the solution required slightly varies, as does the time of boiling, according to the nature of the fibrous material. Fibers from good bright flax straw require four ounces to the gallon of water and one min 7 5 utes time of boiling. An overripe fiber will require six ounces to a gallon of water with about one minntes boiling, although for less perfect results the strength may be diminished, and for a softer and more silky fiber the strength may be increased. For ramie, four ounces to a gallon of water and about one 1ninutes boilin are suificient. For hemp, four to six ounces to the gallon of water and from three to five minutesboilingmaybe employed; or the treatment may be repeated in a solution of four ounces to the gallon of water and with one minutes boiling each time.

To produce the soapy solution rich in oleaginous matter, the soap may be specially so 0 made by saponifying an excess of oily or fatty matter therewith, or a quantity of oil or other fatty matter may be heated to the boiling point and an equal amount of soap dissolved therein by boiling and agitating while a small 5 amount of water is added.

I have in the foregoing description stated the essential steps I employ for obtaining the fibers in a condition lit for use in the arts.

I will now mention a few additional details I00 of my practice which have a tendency to increase the excellence of the results I obtainnamely, before boiling in the soapy solution the fibrous materialinay be subjected to the action of hot or boiling water and cleansed. In preparing the saponaceous bath I prefer to use a good soap made high in animal or vegetable oils. The effect of usin such soap is to render the fibers more soft and pliable. After treatment of the fibers in the saponaceous bath, the fibers may be rinsed in water and then dried.

As results of my invention I do away with the tedious, expensive, and difficult modes of treating flax and other fibrous plants heretofore deemed necessary-such as long retting, long boilinf s,treatments with alkalies, acids, mineral oils, and bleaching and scutching, &c.bywhieh, as I believe, the fibers are more or less wasted, weakened, and injured, and I '1 substitute in lieu thereof the quicker, more simple, and more economical modes of treat- Having thus described my invention, what I 2 5 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The process of disintegrating fibrous substances, consisting of, fi rst, breaking the straw;

second, subjecting the fibers to the action of 30 a boiling neutral soapy solution made by dissolving soap high in fatty matters in water; third, drying the fibers, and, fourth, subjecting the dried fibers to rolling and finishing, as herein described.

SIDNEY SMITH BOYCE.

Witnesses:

(l. SnncwIcK, E'own. M. CLARK.