A LOUIS ROBERT AND HIS PAPER MACHINE Another in a coniinuing series of articles on the gen­ eral history of papermakinR by J. Marshall Buehler · Papermaking was born in China in 105 A.D., but it was purchased the Robert patent, employing Bryan Donkin to reborn again in 1799 in France with the invention of the improve the paper machine. The Fourdrinier brothers, paper machine. No other single invention was of greater who were wealthy paper merchants, finally went into importance to the paper industry than the invention of the bankruptcy trying to improve and sell paper machines. One endless papermaking machine of Louis Robert. thing they did profit by was the naming of the paper In previous issues of NEKOOSA NEWS we have briefly machine in honor of them. Thus, Robert paper machine has told of the early European paper industry which was ex­ come to be known as the Fourdrinier paper machine since clusively a handmade operation, and an industry that was that time. struggling to keep pace in producing a supply of paper to Handmade paper of England in 1806 sold for 16 shill~ meet the ever-increasing demand for that product. Ob­ ings per 100 pounds. H owever, with the invention of paper viously, the price of a piece of this handmade paper pro­ machines, the price was brought down to 3 shillings per hibited widespread usage of paper. What the industry and I 00 pounds. The Fourdrinier brothers offered their ma­ the world needed was a fast, mechanical, continuous, and chines to the industry for 715 pounds of sterling, about economical way of making sheets of paper. $2,000 in today's currency. The Czar of Russia, having heard of the marvelous machine during a visit to England, Louis Robert, an employee in the French papermaking purchased three papermaking machines to be delivered establishment of Francois Didot, conceived such an idea and set up in Russia. The Fourdrinier brothers delivered for making paper on an endless, moving wire screen. the machines, but the Czar failed to pay for them. Even Robert received 8,000 francs and a 15-year patent right a personal face-to-face visit between the Czar and Henry from the French government for his invention. In true Fourdrinier failed to get the remuneration due the Four­ loyalty to his employer, Robert turned to Didot for finan­ drinier brothers, and the machines were never paid for. cial assistance in further developing the paper machine. Didot, in return, shared in the patent rights of Robert. The paper machine developed by Robert, Didot, Donkin, Didot now hired outside help in the name of John Gamble. and Fourdrinier was a wet end only and did not include But the endless paper machine was still far from perfected. facilities for drying the paper. The wet sheets of paper were taken from the press rolls and air dried in a loft. Robert and Didot finally achieved the production of two Thus, to this day, we still refer to the wet end of the sheets of paper that were 30 feet in length, a historical paper machine as the Fourdrinier section as distinguished event which spelled out the doom of the handmade paper from the dryer section. industry. Robert's loyalty to his employer, Didot, changed With the widespread use of the paper machine, the rag and both men set out to perfect and sell paper machines industry was unable to keep pace with the demand for independently. The competition between the men grew in pulp. To satisfy the appetites of these new machines, new intensity and finally resulted in a court suit which Robert sources of papermaking fiber were developed, and this won, thereby repossessing his patent rights to the paper story will be presented next in this series. machine. Lacking necessary funds at this point, he turned Space prohibits detailed histories from being presented to England for assistance. in this magazine. However, should you desire further in­ Two English brothers, Henry and Sealy Fourdrinier, formation on any historical phase of papermaking, feel who were watching these developments in France, finally free to consult the Nekoosa archives or library. 10 APRIL NEKOOSA NEWS .