US47068A - Improved process for removing mineral, gummy - Google Patents

Description

UNITED. STATES Aren't OFFICE.

ANTONIO MEUCCI, OF CLIFTON, ASSIGNOR 'ro WM. RIDER, oF NnwYonK,

mrrovzn PROCESS FOR REMOVING MINERAL, GUMMY, AND RESINOUS SUBSTANCES FROM VEGETABLE FIBER.

- S ecification forming partof Letters latent No. 47,668, dated March 28, 1865.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, ANTONIO MEUOCI, of Clifton, in the county of RichmonQand State of New York, have invented certain new and,

useful Improvements in the Process of Removing the Mineral, Gummy, and Besinous Substances from Vegetable Material, (for which Letters Patent, No. 44,7 35, were granted to me the 18th day of October, 1864;) and I de clare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my said improvements.

My present improvement consists in treating the vegetable materials, first, while in a dry state, with the gases produced by the action of Enitro-muriatic acid upon iron and carbonate of lime, or their equivalents; second, while in a wet state, with the same gases; and, third,

with a caustic alkali, these threeoperations constituting one compound process.

My improvement consists, further, in treating the vegetable material subjected to the first two of the above-recited operations with a mixture of caustic alkali and oil, the effect of which is to give elasticity to the fiber produced.

In order to practice this process, I make use of a vat to contain the vegetable material, and

-a gasgenerator to generate the gas. The vat may be a cylindrical vessel fitted with a perforated cover, and with a perforated diaphragm at a short distance above its bottom to hold the vegetable material. The vat should also be provided with'a cover which fits it tightly, andwhich may be substituted for the perforated cover. This vat should either be made of some material which is not affected materially by cinity of the grating for the purpose of introducing the acid, andwith a pipe connecting its upper part with the vat beneath the perforated diaphragm thereof, so as to conduct the gases from the generator to the under side of the diaphragm of the vat. If wood be the vegetable material to be treated, Isaw it crosswise I to the grain into pieces about three inches thick, and then split it in the direction of the grain into pieces of about the size of matchsplints. The split wood, which, if not already dry, should be dried by stoving it, is placed in the vatupon the perforated diaphragm and is covered with the perforated'cover. The gasgenerator is charged with oyster-shells or other form of carbonate of lime, and suificient water is introduced to cover them. The acid is then poured little by little into the funnel-pipe, and the mixture of gases produced by the action of the acid upon the oyster-shells and the iron of the grating passes through the connectingpipe to the under side of the mass of dry split wood and rises among it. This operation or dry-gasing of the material .is continued until the gas begins to escape at the perforations of the cover of the vat. Then waterat the temperature of the atmosphere is poured into the vat until the wood is covered. The tight cover is then applied to the vat, and the introduction of the gases from the generator is continued, so that the wood is subjected, while wet, to the action of the gases, and this wet-gasing iscontinued until the-wood becomes yellow throughout its entire substance, the result being better the longer the wood is subjected to this second operation. The wood is then withdrawn from the vat and is drained of the liquid, after which it is steamed until it becomes tender, this operation being conveniently effected by placing it in a covered vat and admitting steam from a steam-boiler. After it is steamed it is wet with the caustic alkali, or with the compound of the caustic alkali and oil, and is crushed in an ordinary putty-mill until'it is reduced to a fibrous mass, the wetting with alkali being continued during the crushing.

The fibrous material produced by the above operations should be well washed with water, to free it, as much aspossible, from the alkali. If it is required to be white, it should be bleached with chlorine in the following manner: The

,fiber is steeped and stirred in a solution of muriatic acid in water in the proportion of from two to five parts of acid to one hundredflof water. A solution of chloride oflimc in the pro portion of from one to live pounds of chloride to one hundred pounds of water, in water, is

gradually added, the stirring being continued during this operation. The fibrous material, when sufficiently bleached by these operations, is drained, washed in water, drained of water, pressed, and dried for use; or, if required, it may be used in the wet state;

The nitro-muriatic acid employed by me'witli success in practicing the above process is a mixture of four parts, by weight, of commercial nitric acid of 24 of Baumes hydrometer with one part, by weight, of commercial muriatic acid of 20 of Banms hydrometer.

The caustic alkali used by me with success is a solution of caustic soda in water of from. 2 to 5 of Baums hydroineter, and when oil isused the alkaline solution is mixed with three per cent. of a non-drying oil, such as cottonseed oil or olive-oil. This mixture should be used in a warm-state ray at a temperature of not less than 150 ut' Fahrenheit. The water in which the material is wash d and the bleaehing solutions should also be used warm, the temperature being not less than 150.

The kinds of wood which I prefer to employ, when the fiber produced is to be used for the manufacture of paper, a e white pine and spruce, the branches being preferred, as they contain less resin and are more readily split.

Having thus described the best mode with which I am acquainted of practicing my improvement, what I claim as my invention, and

desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

. 1. The improved process of treating a vegetable material. by treating it, first, in a dry state, with the gaseous substances produced by the action of nit-ro'muriatic acid upon carbonate of lime and iron, or their equivalents; second, in a wet state, with the same substances; and, third, with aeaustic alkali, substantially as Set forth.

2. The process of treating" the vegetable material which has been subjected to the first two operations above recited with a mixture of caustic alkali and oil. substantially as above S913 forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this'llth day of 1*ebrnary, A. l). 1865.

ANTONIO MEUCCT. Witnesses;

E. S. RHNWIGK.

W. L. BRNNEM.