US1590607A - Treatment of organic material - Google Patents

Description

June 29 1926. 1,590,607

E. TAYLOR TREATMENT OF ORGANIC MATERIAL Filed July 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I E Q 5 5 5 9 N k N N 166/45 BURNER ROTATING UFO INVENTOR 0 BY [M w *6 M, +M E 5 ATTORNEY! '9 June 29 1926. 1,590,607

E. TAYLOR TREATMENT OF ORGANIC MATEHIAL Filed July 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITE-D EDWIN TAYLOR, or am un zmw' roitm ssrenon 'ro 'mrnon mnomrronms,

me. or new YORK. N. Y.. A conronermn orimiw roux.

TREATMENT OI ORGANIC MATERIAL.

Am-memos" filed- I'uly- 2,

My invention relates to-improvements in the; treatment of organic material im paii'tieula'rly w the treat'nintf of cellulose meteml for makin sheete'or" films of non- 6 fibrous" o'ellulose a a tedfor various uses.

The main object of t e invention is to provide a ifiethodwhereby s'zt'itl sheets or film may beiformedeontinuously in efiieient and" economical manner. "Fur therand more speeific ohj'edts; features endfldvanta es will mhre clearly'appear from thedeteil escriptien given below taken in lammation; with the; aeeonipaiiyihg sheets 'off didwings which fox-in" a part ofithis specification. In thediawings Fig. 1 is'h vertieal' seetion' largely di a rarnrnaticah' through 3, portion of an e'ppdratusembodying my pigive hents in aprefrred form ther'eof."- 'g: 21'is'. e similar vi'wjshowing another-glortibn g? the e'pparaitu'sen d FigI' ais eteil illustrating one riiethodofoontr'ollin the "flew of dissolved oellulose or organic material to the supply crop hef Fig. 1.

"Referring to the drawi i represents w arm er substantiall 't-h wifdth' ofthe sheets or film to be r' need: sdid drum bejourrialed at 5 and provided with a niokel psliited copper peripheral surface. The jdifi'hh "of the drum 4 are supgorted by hhhie week 6 and the drum is"? 8 riven by means-er a worm '8 driving a; wa m gear 9 Seehi'ed" to the"dru1n, the 8 being amen Byeworm ear ro 'inesmn with a.

' vifblm on it shaft 11 to which iss'oured a belt bw'er. Underneeth the drum Land into whibh the drinn 4 dips, is afshallow trough 12supp0rted upon suitithle' sup orting blocks 13. fExtehding arori'hdthe' rum 4 and f fitting closely to the sides-of the drum 4 'f'but spacedfslightly from" the periphery tee-meagestetionary casing 15. '16 repreal g i'iis burner in a; (Pipe l'ig hich pipe l'f i s efie osed by a eylin rice-1 met'alrnember 1sjpf i-iqrat q at 1 9 and o en; up the top at 29, heated pipe lhheets the air sit uiidiilg the Seine in the'eylinder 18 oaii ngfthe air to be drawn in through perfore iphs 19 and heated passed out u "through the passageway?!) to t e shite betweenfthe drum 441ml the surroundpuil'ey lfi'driten from any suitable source of 1924. Serial No. 723.654.

gn'fi enclosure "15 as indicated by the arrows in 1 1. indicates a wool covered wooden ro dip rng into a trough of dilute sulphuric or n trio acid 23. t

The operation of the parts so far described may as follows. A solution of oellulose, for etarnple cotton or other oellu'l'osic materiel dissolved in a metal ammonia solutIo n su'cli as a, cupro-aifnmoiiiasolution; is placed the trough '12 and the dem se slowly totated therethro h whereupon the surfece of the drum up e'fla ever solution and carries it 'diretlybver 't e jhot air-froth the passageway 20.' The layer of cellulose solution on the drumcontinues in contaot-withfthis warm air as the drum rota-tes until the "drum as rotated ne'arl it whole revolution. "This-subjects the cillu oee' solutioli to em oration whereupbnit in dreeses' greatly stiffness and so that it may be mechaniciilly handled like 1 "film or sheet. The filmpesses around the roller 22 whereby it is caused to pass through the dllute'ecid 23 which more or less hydrolyzes the cellulose rendering it endless liable td break in handlin e film (indicated at 24)-then passes from the M1122 over a; roll 25. The roll 22 causes the film to be stripped from the drum 1 and the surrounding chamber 15 is extended M226 and 27 and the warm air follows the path of the filth until it passes out throu en exhaustopening 28} =The roll 25 is rit'en by means of a worm 29 on shaft 30 and inter mediate gears 31 from the shaft on which the worm gear 10 is located.

After passi over the roll '25 the of strip of somew at hardened cellulose v solution passes through an electrolytic tank or cell 32. For this purpose the tank is pro-j somewliet tou her.

anodes 36 are connected to a common buss bar 38, and the cathodes 37 are connected to a common buss bar 239, The electrolytic cell 32 is filled with a suitable electrolyte such as dilute acid or ammonium nitrate and the electrodes being energized as the film or strip passes thcrethrongh, the current will pass between the electrodes, through the film and cause the copper or metal solvent constituent in the cellulose to be removed by electrolytic action and deposited on the copper cathode freeing the ammonia. which is given 01? as the gas and which by suitably covering the cell and conducting the ammonia away, may be'condensed and recovered for re-use. The cell 32 is provided with a valved drain-off pipe 40'and the bottom of the cell is inclined toward this drain-off so that any sediment which may collect will be carried toward the drain-ofi' and may be easily removed.

From the roll 35 the film or strip of cel lulose passes over a roll 41, down into a. tank 42 containing wash water. The film passes under a roll 43 in the bottom of the tank and up out of the tank over a roll 44. The tank in provided with a central pan tition or baffle 45 extending down nearly to roll 43. Wash water is run into the tank through pipe 46 and allowed to overflow through pipe 47 so that wash water travels through the tank in a direction counter to the movement of the film therethrough. This washing substantially frees the film of chemicals from the electrolytic tank 32. A valved drain pipe for the tank 42 is shown at 48.

For certain purposes the film may be treated with caustic soda. For this urpose the film is shown running from t e roll 44 over a roll 49 down into a tank .50 filled with caustic soda solution, say of spec. gravity of 1.2 to 1.3, the film passing under the roll 51 in the bottom of the tank and then up and out over roll 52. The tank 50 .is shown as provided with a valve drain otl' pipe at 53. The tank 50 is provided with steam heating pipes 50* in order to heat the solution therein when and to the extent desired. This treatment with caustic soda may be used to produce va 'ious efiects in the cellulose film or sheet as described in my copending application Ser. No. 720,525 filed June 17, 1924. V

From the roll 52 the film is shown as pass ing over roll 70 and under rolls 59 and u over rolls 60, alternately, in a wash tank I; (see Fig. 2). Thesvash water is con tiir:- ously introduced through pipe 62 and overflows through pipe 63. The tank is provided with battle partitions 64extending up wardly from the bottom of the tank and withdownwardly extending movable bafilc partitions 65 adapted to slide up and down in gromcs in the side walls of the tank and carrying at their lower ends the jfihrnal'jsin which the rolls 59 are journalcd. The balil-es 65 may be easily lifted by rods 68 attached to the tops of the battles having rings 66 at the .upper ends thereof. The rods 65 pass through transverse members 67 supported on the top of the tank and are held inadjust-ed position therein by set. screwgw. The baflles 64 and 65 cause the wash water to travel up and down in the tank and flow t-herethrough in a direction counter to the movement of the film through the tank so that it is given a thorough washing to remore surplus chemicals therefrom.

From the roll 57 I next preferably pass the film strip down into a tank 61,under a roll 56 in the bottom thereof and up out over a roll 54. I preferably treat the cellulose film in the tank 55 with a solution of glycerine and water which serves to render the film tough and elastic and for. this purpose the tank 61 may be filled with a solution of gycerine and water containing about 30% glycerine and 70% water. The solution is preferably heated as by steam pipes 58. The proportions, etc. may be changed to produce various efi'ects as described in my said copending application Ser. No. 720,525.

The cellulose film passes from the tank 61 over roll 54 and into a drying chamber 71 wherein it first passes around a small guide roll 72 and then around a large drum 73 and then in the opposite direction around another large drum 74, whence it passes 1 around a small guide roller 7 5, thence out of the. drying chamber under a guide roller 76 and onto a take up reel 77. Warm air is caused to circulate over the cellulose film as it passes through the drying chamber in order to dry the film to the desired extent. The warm air is produced by means of a gas burner 78 in a pipe 79 whereby the air in the cylinder 80 surrounding the pipe 79 is heated. The air enters the cylinder 80 through apertures 81 in the bottom there.- of and after being heated passes out through the top and through a passageway 82 into the main part of the dryer where by reason of the interposition of the travelling film it is caused to How down under the drum 74 then up past the film through laterally extending by-passes 83 and over the top of the drum 73 in contact with the other side of the film and thence out through the exhaust passage 84. 85 represea s a glass covered window for inspecting the operation from the outside. The drums IS and 74 are preferably open at both ends but run close to the sides of the drying chamber and I preferably make. the no riphery of the drums of monel metal. 1

In order to keep the level of the solution in the trough 12 at a substantially constant lrrcl, the method illustrated in Fig. 3 may be employed wherein the trough 12 is shown eminerterl with an elevated solution tank so by means ol' pipe RT entering the bottom of the tank 86 and adapted to he closed by a valve 88 therein. The valve 88 is carried on a spindle 89 guided at the bottom by a guide 90 fixed thereto and operating in the pipe 87. The upper end of the spindle passes through the top of the tank 86 and carries a collar 91 fixed thereto. Between the collar 91 and the top of the tank is a coiled compression spring tending to open the valve 88 and allow solution to run from the tank into the trough 12. Secured to the upper end of the spindle 89 is the core or armature 92 operating within a solenoid electro-magnet 93 connected in circuit with a source of electric current 94 by means of switch 95. \Vhen the trough 12 becomes filled tothe desired height with the solution, the solution will complete the circuit through two contacts 96 in the end of the trough thereby energizing the solenoid, causing it to close the valve 88. \Vhen the level of the solution in the trough 12 dro s below the contacts 96 the circuit will tie opened and the coiled spring will open the valve 88 thus regulating the supply of solution to the trough to maintain the level of the solution therein substantially constant.

In case it is desired to impregnate the film with metal constituents or the like, the same may be accomplished by placing the treatment reagents in the tank 50. For ex ample if it is desired to roduce a substitute for tin foil, I prefera ly place in the tank 50 a solution of tin hydrate in caustic soda. This solution may be made ,by Inixing about 1 volume of a suspension of tin hydrate in Water containing about 10% metallic tin, with 3 volumes of a 22% caustic soda solution. Then while the film is assing therethrough the solution of tin by rate in caustic soda is boiled by heat from the steam pipes 50. With an ordinary thin film or strip of the cellulose I referably adjust the speed of the same so that it will remain in the boiling solution for about fifteen minutes. This causes the formation I believe of sodium stannate, and the dep osition of metallic tin in the cellulose Whereby the film is impregnated with metallic tin and gives to the film substantially the properties of tin foil except it is much stronger; it being understood that after this impregnation with the tin, the film is passed through the glyeerine bath and washed and dried as above described.

While I have described my improvements in great detail and with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, I do not desire to be limited to such details or forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the improvements embodied in widely different forms without departing from the spirit .aud scope thereof in their broader aspects; hence I desire to cover all modifications and forms coming within the language or scope of any one or more of from said carrier, and passing the belt or strip through an electrolytic cell to remove solvent constituents from the cellulose material by electrolytic action.

2. The method of treating organic material which consists in passing a carrier throu h a solution of the organic material where y the carrier picks up a layer of the solution, subjecting the solution onthe car rier to evaporation to substantially increase the stillness of the solution and form a sub stantially continuous strip of the solution, removing said strip from the carrier and passing the same through an electrolytic cell to remove solvent constituents from the organic material by electrolysis.

3. The method of treating cellulosic or organic material which consists in passing a carrier through a solution of the material whereby the carrier picks up a layer of the solution, subjecting the solution to evaporation on the carrier to increase the stiffness of the solution and form a substantially continuous strip of the solution, and without stopping passing said stri through an electrolytic cell to remove sol vent constituents from the material electrolytically, and without stopping passing the strip through a wash water tank and then through a drying apparatus.

4. The method of treating cellulosic or organic material which consists in passing a carrier through a solution of the material whereby the carrier picks up a layer of the solution, subjecting the soluti n to evaporation on the carrier to increase the stiffness of theisolution and form a substantially continuous strip of the solution, and with out stopping passing said strip through an electrolytic cell to remove solvent constituents from the material electrolytically, and without stopping passing the strip through a glycerine tank and a wash wate tank and then through a drying apparatus.

5. The method of treating cellulosic or other organic material which consists in passing a strip of the material containing a metallic element through an electrolytic cell to remove the metallic element from the material by electrolytic action, and without metallic element from the material by elecstopping passing the strip through a wash trolytio action, and without stopping passtank and drying apparatus. ing the strip through glyeerine and drying 10 6. The method of treating cellulosic mateapparatus.

rial containing a metallic element which con- In testimony whereof I have signed my sists in passing a strip of the material name to this specification.

through an electrolytic cell to remove the EDWIN TAYLOR.

material by electrolytic action, and without metallic element from the material by elecsto ping passing the strip through a wash trolytic action, and withoutstoppmg passtan and drying apparatus. mg the strip through glycerine and drying 10 6. The method of treating cellulosic mateapparatus 5 rial containing a metallic element which con- In testunony whereof I have signed my I sists in passing a strip of the material name to this specification.

through an electrolytic cell to remove the EDWIN TAYLOR.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 590,607, granted June 29, 1926.

l m EDWIN TAYLOR.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the 2 above mentioned patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 100, for the word"'represents" read "represent"; page 2, line 27, for the word "in" read "is"; line 82, after the word "up" insert the word "and", and line 88, for the mispelled word "gycerine" read "glycerine"; and that the said LcttcrsPatent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1927.

M. J. Moore, Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 590,607, granted June 29, 1926.

m EDW] N TA YLOR.

It is hereby certified that error appears be printed specification of the above mentioned patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 100, for the word"represents" read "represent"; page 2,, line 27, for the word "in" read "is"; line -82, after the word "up" insert the word "and", and line 88, for the mispelled word "gycerine" read "glycerine"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of March, A. D. 1927.

M. J. Moore, Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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