US43015A

US43015A - Improvement in preparing short-staple fibers from hemp, flax

Info

Publication number: US43015A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1864-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 1881-06-07

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFrcE.

JIM B. FULLER AND JAMES P. UPHAM, QF CLAREMONT, NE 7 HAMPSHIIRE IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING SHORT-STAPLE FlBERS FROM HEMP, FLAX, dc.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,015, dated June 7, 1864.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JIM B. FULLER and JAMEs P. UPUAM, both of Claremont, in the county of Sullivan and State of New Hampshire, ha-ve invented a new and useful method of preparing iiaX, hemp, and other similar substances for cottonizing 7 or rendering applicable to manufacture into textile fabrics on short-staple machinery 5 and we. do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX act description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making part of this specification, wherein we have represented a vertical section of an apparatus in and by which our method may be performed.

Hcretofore in the preparation of flax, hemp,

dre., for fibrous and textile purposes, the

that when flax, hemp, or other similar substances are boiled with water in a close vessel under a high temperature and pressure, the gummy and coloring matter contained in such substancesis dissolved or softened so that it can be easily pressed out from the fiber it' pressed while in such heated and softened condition, and that when alkaline solutions are used instead of clear water, such heat and pressure accelerate the softening or dissolving of the gummy matter, and that if sufcientalkalies are used the softening or dissolving of the gummy matter can be eifected by boiling at atmospheric pressure.

The nature of our invention consists in preparing the bers of dax, hemp, and other similar substances for manufacture into shortstapled textile fabrics by subjecting them,

ber in a compact mass, still in theheatingvessel.

It also consists inthe peculiar manner of washing the ber while in the vessel in which it has been boiled.

rlhe apparatus in and by which our invention is performed may be. of various constructions, but the one herein described we consider the best adapted to the purpose.

A is a curing-vessel of cylindrical form and of suitablesize and strength.

B is a bonnet or cover bolted to the top of A.

C is a piston or follower perforated with severall holes, c c c c.

D is a piston-rod, one end of which is secured to the piston O, and the other end passing through a stuftingbox in the center of B. f E is an aperture in the bottom ot' A,through which steam from a boiler is admitted to A.

E is an aperture through which the'water rIhe operation of the apparatus thus far described is as follows: The material to Vbe treated is placed in the cylinder A, through the man-hole G, and the man-hole plate G' is secured in its place. The piston or follower being at the bottom, water or other liquid used is admitted through 'the aperture F into the cylinder A until the mass has become sat-4 urated. Steam from a boiler is then admitted through the aperture E into the bottom of A, raising the temperature and pressure necessary to dissolve or soften the gummy matter contain( d in the brous material.

It may here be stated that the time required to boil, and the temperature and consequent pressure, is determined by the nature ofthe material under treatment. When hemp or dax `is perfectly ripe,we consider it better to boil it at a temperature of about 27 50 Fahrenheit, but if the material is not ripe it can be boiled with a weak solution of soda-ash or caustic soda, at atmospheric pressure and 212O temperature.

After the material has been boiled until the gummy and coloring matter is dissolved, the steam and Water pipes are closed, and the piston or follower C is raised by any mechanical device applied to the piston-rod D. This causes the liquids contained in thecuringvessel A to pass down through the holes c c c c in piston C into the lower part of the curingvessel A, While the fiber is at the top of the 'curing-vessel in a solid compact mass. The

liquid and gummy'matter is then drawn from the curing-vessel Athrough the aperture E.

ln order to wash the material, the piston C is again lowered and the aperture Fis opened, which admits fresh water into the top of the curi 11g-vessel A. rlhe aperture F is thenelosed and the piston C` is again drawn up as before. This operation forces the Water through the material under treatment and through the piston into the bottom of the curingvessel, whence it can be drawn ott'at the aperture E. This Washing operation can be repeated until the tiberis perfectly clean. Itis then taken out ofthe curing-vessel A, through the manhole G, when it is ready to dry and piek, card, and spin on short-staple machinery.

le do not claim, broadly, boiling fibrous materials in water or other liquids either with or without pressure, in an open or closed vessel; neither do we claim pressing the gummy and coloring matter out of the fibrous ina-ss by means ot" a piston-plungeror follower.

What We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Preparing the fibers ol axrhxmp, and other similar substances for Uottonizing, or rendering applicable to short-staple textile fabrics, by subjecting such substances, While in the vessel in which they were boiled or cured With Water or other liquids used for softening or dissolving the gummy and coloring matter contained in such substances, to

the action of a piston, plunger, or follower, or

equivalent device, so arranged as to press the fiber into a solid compact mass in one part of the curngvessel, at the same time pressing out of the mass all or nearly all the dissolved gumlny and coloring matter While such gumrny and coloring matter is ina dissolved or softened condition, so that it can be readily drawn oil", while the ber is contained in the curing-vessel, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. lWashing the cured tiberby the combined action ot' the piston C, or its equivalent, and of Water, in the manner substantially as specified, and for the purposes set forth.

Claremont, New Hampshire, March 2, 1864,

JI B. FULLER, JAMES I). UDHAM.

Witnesses C. S. PARKIYIURs'r, JOHN M. MILTON.