GB424187A - Improvements in or relating to the decortication of vegetable plants and to degumming of fibres obtained therefrom - Google Patents

Abstract

424,187. Decorticating and degumming fibres. STRAW FIBRES, Ltd., 128, Bishopsgate, London, and TIRAFERRI, L. R., 17, Via Mazzini, Bologna, Italy. May 15, 1933, No. 4614. [Class 120 (i)] Fibres are produced from the leaves or leaves and stalks of vegetable plants such as flax, hemp, jute, sisal, ramie or rhea, aloe, cactus, or palm leaf by subjecting the leaves or stalks in a weathered and dry condition to one or more decorticating actions such as breaking by the use of crushing rollers, shaking, scutching, and teasing, moistening as by spraying the material with an aqueous solution of a bactericide or germicide at any stage in the decorticating process, and then degumming the fibres or tow by treatment with an aqueous solution of saponified casein. A suitable bactericide is bichloride of mercury, while olive oil or other vegetable oil may be added thereto. The treatment with casein may be carried out in an open vat and, if desired, the two may be previously immersed in hot or cold water. The preferred method, however, is to treat the material in an autoclave for about half an hour at 125-150‹ C. and about 2-3 atmospheres pressure, the contents being stirred or agitated. Specifications 408,007, 410,144, 424,153, 424,186, and 424,189 are referred to.