Converting fibrous cellulose into an easily powderable form

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF CELLULOSE WHICH IS IN A VISIBLY FIBROUS FORM TO RENDER IT MORE EASILY POWDERED, WHICH COMPRISES SUNJECTING THE VISIBLY FIBROUS CELLULOSE TO THE SIMULTANEOUS ACTION OF MECHANICAL PRESSURE AND SHEARING FORCES APPLIED QUICKLY TO THE CELLULOSE BY THE COMBINED FORWARDING AND CRUSHING ACTION OF TWO OPPOSING ROTATING HARD CYLINDRICAL SURFACES HAVING A TEMPERATURE BELOW 150* C. AND A CLEARANCE AT THE NIP LESS THAN 0.05 INCH, WHEREBY THERE IS GENERATED IN THE CELLULOSE SUFFICIENT HEAT TO RAISE IT TO AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE BELOW ITS CHARRING TEMPERATURE, AND THE VISIBLY FIBROUS CELLULOSE IS CHANGED INTO A BRITTLE FORM NO LONGER POSSESSING A FIBROUS APPEARANCE.