GB1095505A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,095,505. Making surgical or hygienic swabs. R. P. WALTI. March 2, 1965 (Nov. 27, 1964], No. 8804/65. Heading A5R. An absorbent swab for hygienic use is produced by a multi-stage process from a cellulose pulp from wood, esparto grass, cotton or bamboo. A cellulose pulp is prepared by chemical or mechanical means from conventional cellulosic raw material, and freed from hemicellulose by chemical or mechanical means; the pulp is dried on continuous felts with compression to give a pulp web of thickness 0.004 to 4 inches or 0.01 to 1.41bs./sq. it. weight, and having a moisture content of 1-40% by weight. The web is wound on a spool to give a roll 16 of 4 inches to 10 ft. diameter. From the roll, the web is. fed into a shredder 17 and beaten into loose fibres or flocks, which are blown in an air stream from the blower 18 to a suction belt 19, where the loose fibrous material is deposited on a conveyer belt 20 over which runs a layer of textile 24 run in from a roll 22. The cellulose fibre mass on the belt 20 passes between this belt and a further belt 21 bearing a second layer of textile 25 from a roll 23, so that, after leaving the belts, the fibres form a loose flat web 26, between two holding envelopes. The textile may be paper, particularly silk crepe paper, or fleece material such as non-woven bonded fabric, or gauze or knitted fabric. The flat web passes through an edging machine 27, wherein it is embossed with longitudinal and transverse edges, and thence to a cutter where the embossed web is severed into individual swabs 30. Disinfecting, deodourising or hemostatic agents may be added to the cellulose pulp prior to drying, e.g. alcoholic menthol, Lugol solution, chlorophyll compounds, alcoholic coumarin, tannin, alum, and iron chloride. The embossed edges of the swab may be additionally strengthened by welding or bonding when the holding envelopes are synthetic thermoplastic material, or by quilting. The swab is for use as a sanitary napkin, a diaper, or any proteotive bolster against blood or urine.