Title of Invention

ECO-FRIENDLY METHOD OF MANUFACTURING MULBERRY SILK (BOMBYX MORI) YARN

Abstract

ABSTRACT Eco - Friendly method of manufacturing Mulberry Silk (Bombyx Mori) Yam, Where in the Cocoons are protected in the bamboo made baskets at a temperature ranging from 0°C to 30°C, so as to enable the moth to pierce out safely after its due period of 7 to 10 days and reproduce and lay eggs, instead of conventional method of pouring the live cocoons in boiling water, followed by the conventional steps of degumming the pierced cocoons with water and soda ash at boiling temperature of 100°C followed by conventional process of spinning the silk yam of desired count. Fig. 1

Full Text

This invention relates to Eco-Friendly Method of Manufacturing Mulberry Silk (Bombyx Mori) Yam. Silk is the product of the silk worm, constituting the cocoon, which the worm spins when it is transformed in to the chrysalis stage of its development. There are many types of silk worms but, BOMBYX MORX is the most important commercial cultivation. In wild silk, three types of silks are available viz, Tussar Silk, Muga Silk and Eri Silk. THE PRESENT PROCESS The silk worms are placed in a bamboo basket called CHANDRIKA by feeding the mulberry leaves. While eating the mulberry leaves the silk worm exudes viscous fluids, through glands in its head when forming the cocoon. The substances exuded are FIBROIN (Silk) and SERICIN (Silk gum). These harden off on contact with air, forming a basic silk filament, which is combination of two filaments held together by the gum. The silk worm oozes out the fibroin continuously for about 1000 yards, forming oval shape nest like thing called cocoon by arresting itself in the cocoon. The worm is live in side the cocoon. If nature allowed to fend for itself for a week or 10 days the worm would make a hole and pierce out of the cocoon as a moth/butterfly. But before moth coming out from cocoon (once the moth came out fi-om cocoon it is not useful for reeling i.e. production of silk yam and which is a waste). The farmers will sell them to the reelers. By pouring such live cocoons in to boiling water, they extract silk yam by cmelly killing the silk worms, which are inside the cocoons. THE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE Few people know that silk worms wrap themselves up in cocoons made of layers of thread to protect themselves from predators while they mature into butterflies or moths. It is this butterfly baby that is boiled alive and its thread used for silk. It takes the life of 15 silk moths to produce 1 gram of woven silk., 15 silk moths are either boiled or steamed alive in their cocoons. To produce one hundred grams of pure silk, approximately fifteen hundred chrysalis have to de. One sari uses up to 50,000 dead creatures. If life is the same in all then how much more frightening to wearing the skin of 50,000 murdered animals than one. THE NEED Wearing silk is not only status symbol, but became xnseparable part of our Indian culture irrespective of religion. So an altemative is very much needed, wherein the production processes does not involve killing helpless creatures. A serious thought is given, a perfect plan is made and I swung into action to create a silk fabric without killing a single mo' th. Out of the three available wild silks Tussar and Muga silks are reelable and the silk is being produced only through reeling process by killing the silk worm. Where as Eri silk is being produced from pierced cocoons by process of spinning because it is not reelable. The Eri cocoons, unlike other varieties do not have continuous filament and hence, are spun. The Eri silk yam is not known as finest silk and it is only used for producing shawls and chaddars, as this yam containes higher micron (about 18-20) resulting thicker/coarser yam production. Thus where the finer silk is produced only through reelable process by killing silk worms till today, more particularly in mulberry silk production, the new invention by way of producing silk yam with out killing silk worms is novel in silk production. THE INVENTION The normal cocoons are purchased from various units and kept as it is for a period of 7 to 10 days. The mo ths are allowed to pierce out from cocoons in their natural way as shown at Figure 1, stages G & H. 100 kgs of such pierced cocoons are taken for spinning to extract silk yam in very laborious, time consuming and expensive process. The spinning takes place after degumming the pierced cocoons. The spinning of silk yam starting from as coarser as '0' counts to as finer as 210/2s. the finer counts as useful for saris, Angavastrams, fabrics etc., and the coarser counts are useful for made-ups, dress materials, etc. The dyes used for this silk yam for coloring is basic and Acid dyes. With this yam any pattern can be produced like: Tie & dye, plain, checks, Jacquard fabrics etc.. This process requires commitment, honesty and tmstworthiness. So, I have consulted many spinning mills for the purpose and ultimately chosen prestigious Lohia Group Spinning Mills situated in Chttisgarh state and handed over 100 kgs of pierced cocoons to them for spinning such 100 kgs of cocoons yielded only 16 kgs of 210/2s Silk yam, unlike the yield of 60 to 80% in the regular process. The spinner charges Rs.lOOO/- per kg for spinning. By using such yam I have produced silk saris and Angavastrams. There is no violence^no killing no ecological imbalance in entire process, but it is totally non-violent, natural and eco-friendly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES Figure 1, Illustration of life cycle of Silk Worm: A. The eggs of silk worm from which the silk worms are being bom. B. New bom larvae (or) 1/12*" long silk worm. C. The fully grown 3 "/a" long caterpillar, which eats the mulberry leaves. The silk worm exudes viscous fluids through its glands in its head. D. Forming/spinning of cocoon. The substance exudes through its glands are Fibroin (silk) and Sericin (gum). These harden off on contact with air forming a basic filament, which is combination of two filaments held together by the gum, which forms/spins in oval shape forming a cocoon. E. The cocoon containing the live chrysalis in side the cocoon. F. The conventional methods of reeling/extracting the silk yam by pouring the live cocoons in boiling water to extract the silk by cruelly killing the silk worms which are inside the cocoons. In the process of Eco-friendly silk yam production to boiling/killing of silk moth/worm is avoided. G. After 7 to 10 days the moth is piercing the cocoon. H. The moth is coming out from/pierced ' cocoon. I. Fully developed silk moth/butterfly. J. The male and female moth/butterflies are mating. K. The moth/butterfly is laying the eggs. I CLAIM 1. An Eco - Friendly method of producing Mulberry Silk (Bombyx Mori) yam comprising the steps of : Storing the cocoons at a temperature varying from 0°C to 30°C for a period of 7 to 10 days to enable the moth to pierce out safely ; Boiling the pierced cocoons in water and soda mixture to obtain silk fiber : Drying the silk fiber in a known manner feeding the dried silk fiber to a spinning machine to produce silk yam of predetermined cont. 2. Mulberry Silk (Bombyx Mori) yam produced by the method as claimed in Claim 1. 3. Silk fabric woven from Mulberry Silk (Bomboyx(Mori) yam produced by method as claimed in Claim 1

Documents:

0217-mas-2002 abstract duplicate.pdf

0217-mas-2002 abstract.jpg

0217-mas-2002 abstract.pdf

0217-mas-2002 claims duplicate.pdf

0217-mas-2002 claims.pdf

0217-mas-2002 correspondence-others.pdf

0217-mas-2002 correspondence-po.pdf

0217-mas-2002 darwings duplicate.pdf

0217-mas-2002 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

0217-mas-2002 description (complete).pdf

0217-mas-2002 drawings.pdf

0217-mas-2002 form-1.pdf

0217-mas-2002 form-13.pdf

0217-mas-2002 form-19.pdf