US47301A - Improvement in separating gummy and silicious matters from vegetable fibers - Google Patents

Description

I UNITED STATES CHAS. nnnronior new YORK, n. v.1 I

PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEPARATING GUMMY AND SILICIOUS MATTERS mom VEGETABLE FIB RS;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,301, dated April 1Q, 1365.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES HEATON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Method of Separating Gummy or Silicious Matters from Vegetable and other Fibrous Materials, to be used in the manufacture of textile fabrics, paper-pulp, paper, other articles or fabrics; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and use my improvement. I

It is well known that fibrous substances-such as cane, straw, bamboo, and hemp or flax are composed principally of fiber, gum, and

silex, and in the manufacture of textile fabrics, paper, 8rd, from the said substanees,it is necessary to separate the fiber or fibers from their surrounding gums and silicious matters before the fibers can be economically used. Various methods are employed for the purpose of separating the fibers from their said surroundings. One method is to blow the said fibrous substances from a gun or cylinder, in which they have been subjected to pressure, into the atmosphere, in order to disintegrate the fibers. Another plan is to place the said fibrous substances in a steam-boiler and submit them to the action of alkaline solutions and great heat,for

the purpose of dissolving the gums and silicious.

matters, and thus separating the fiber. Under the influenec of heat and moisture in boiling, the gums which surround the fiber of such raw fibrous substances-such as cane, straw, hemp,bamboo,or flex-become softened,but do not dissolve. The said gums remain in a pasty state or soft condition attached to the fibers,

and resist the dissolving action of the water inwhich they are boiled, except when caustic alkalies are used, in which case the gums and silex dissolve, and in conjunction with the caustic alkali form a highly-colored liquid, the removal of which from the fibers is very difficult, and prevents the fibers from being easily bleached.

The object of my invention is to separate the gummy, silicious, and other surrounding mat-.

ters from the said fibers in a simple and expeditious manner, and to employ mechanical means in part for that purpose. I

I place the cane, straw, hemp, or

other fibrous substance within a tank, which] may or may not be steam-tight, and steam the I; said substances with steam of any pressure until the pores or interstices between thefibres have become open; I then apply to the said substances in anyconvenient manner a solul. I tion of caustic alkali or its equivalent, which, owing to the previous steaming process, p p1 quickly and readily finds its way into the said substances,and softens or dissolves the gummy I and silicious matters according to the strength I I of the solution. After thisjalkaline soaking of the said substances the gummy and silicious matters are in a pasty condition, but they still closely adhere to the fibers. I nowpassthe cane straw, hemp, bamboo, flax, or fibrous sub stances, through a series of rollers, or su'bmi the said substances to some other suitable form) of mechanical pressure, gradually compress; ing the said substances more and more, so to smash outlthe said material in a lateraldirection, thus separating "the fibers one fr m; the other, and causing the gummy matters to run together and partially separate fromthe fibers. After this crushing orsmashing action of the rollers I allow the fibrousmass todry. The drying process may be quickenedjby the I application of heat injany suitable, manner. I y When the fibrous mass is sufiiciently drylfor y manipulation, the gummy and Silioiousmatf ters are so far separated from the fibers that they can be shakenonbeateuaway, and for the purpose of further separating the said matters from the fibres, I now passthe fibrous mass through a willowU or other equivalent machine, where the mass isshaken, agitated, or beaten. By this action the gummy and sili= cious matters are separatedfromthe fibersto a great extent and floataway in the form of dust, while the fibers take on the appearance of tow or wool. and are nowready for further treatment. If it is required to make the fibers into textile fabrics, they are to be] passed through machinery for that purpose. If itjis w required to make them intopaper-pulp, they are to be placed in aboiler and boiled inalka line solutions; but it will be foundthat the action of the rollers or other mechanical press- 1 ure (after the action of the alkali) has jrelnoyed the greater part of the gums; and 'silex, and

bamboo, or

that the fibroussubstance is in a much better rating gummy or silicious matters from vegetable fibrous materials.

CHARLES HEATON. Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGsToN, J. P. HALL.