Preparation of alkali cellulose

Claim 1

IN A SLURRY PROCESS FOR PREPARING ALKALI CELLULOSE FROM TYPES OF FIBROUS CELLULOSE WHICH HAVE A MARKED TENDENCY TO PERSIST AS FIBER AGGREGATES IN A SLURRY WHEREIN FIBROUS CELLULOSE OF THE INDICATED TYPE CELLULOSE IN PARTICULATE FORM SUSPENDED IN AN INERT ORGANIC SLURRYING MEDIUM IS CONTACTED IN THE SLURRY WITH CAUSTIC ALKALI AND WATER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING ESTABLISHING A LIQUID ATTRITION ZONE WITHIN THE BODY OF SLURRY, IMPARTING VELOCITIES OF AT LEAST ABOUT 1000 FEET PER MINUTE TO THE SLURRY IN THE LIQUID ATTRITION ZONE RELATIVE TO THE BODY OF SLURRY, AND REPEATEDLY PASSING SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE CELLULOSIC SLURRY INTO AND THROUGH THE LIQUID ATTRITION ZONE, WHEREBY THE CELLULOE IN THE LIQUID ATTRITION ZONE IS SUBJECTED TO A DISAGGREGATION AND PULLING APART OF CELLULOSE FIBERS AND A RUBBING TOGETHER AND MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER OF THE CELLULOSIC FIBERS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE CAUSTIC ALKALI AND WATER.