IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING FEATHERS, AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Martin, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING FEATHERS, AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Martin at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1881.
JOHN MARTIN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
PURIFYING FEATHERS AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The object of this Invention is to perform the three operations of cleansing
scalding, and baking bed-feathers, hair, and flocks by means of a single machine.
The body of the machine consists of a fixed cylindrical vessel or drum; this
drum has an opening on the side near the top, so that the feathers or flocks to be
operated on can be introduced by means of a hopper or by rollers. There is a door
on the side near the bottom which can be opened as required to allow the finished
goods to leave the machine.
The ends of the cylinder are preferably of cast iron, and have large openings in
centre, say, one third the diameter of cylinder. A revolving axle runs through the
whole length of the machine and through the openings at ends of cylinder; this
axle carries a hollow barrel of same diameter as openings in ends of cylinder; this
barrel is open at the ends; the periphery is covered with gauze, wire, or perforated
material, so that air can freely enter at ends of barrel and through perforations into
body of machine or main cylinder. On this barrel are fixed several large teeth or
beaters, and as the axle revolves rapidly these beaters beat the dirt and dust out of
the feathers, et cetera.
About one half of the periphery of the main cylinder is composed of hot plates,
heated preferably by high pressure steam. About one third is made up of sieves,
composed of gauze, wire, or perforated metallic sheets, through which dust and
steam escape into an enclosed chamber or dust room.
The remainder of cylinder casing is composed of space for entrance and door for
exit of goods, and also of carriers or bars extending from one end to the other;
these bars serve to carry teeth pointing inwards, as in ordinary willows.

page_text: The dust room receives the dust and steam driven out of main cylinder; this
dust room is furnished with an exhaust fan, preferably driven from main axle by
fast and loose pullies, so as to be used as required.
A small perforated pipe carries steam into lower side of main cylinder, so that
steam can be introduced to scald or damp the goods, as is usual in feather steaming
machines.
When raw feathers, flock, or other material to be operated on are introduced into
the machine, they are first exposed to the revolving beaters until they are free
from dust; they are then exposed to open steam from the small perforated steam
pipe until they are sufficiently damp. The drying or baking is afterwards effected
by turning steam into the hot plates while the beaters keep the goods in motion.
A modification of the machine may be made by having the inner barrel solid
and shorter than the main cylinder, the holes in end of cylinder being filled with
perforated metallic sheets, so that the air may enter direct amongst the goods.
A moveable shield may be placed at each end of cylinder to check the admission
of cold air at will.
Heated air may be led in pipes and admitted round axle through the openings
in ends of cylinder.
By a few simple modifications of the machine, such, for instance, as placing the
hot plates chiefly below and the sieves in great part above, this apparatus can be
adapted for washing feathers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th January
1882.
JOHN MARTIN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. " IMPROVEMENTS IN
PURIFYING FEATHERS AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR.'
"
The object of this machine is the performance of the three operations of
cleansing, scalding, and baking feathers, hair, flocks, or the like substances in such
a manner that the goods need not be removed from said machine from the com-
mencement of the first operation until all the operations are finished.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a transverse section, Fig. 2 a longitudinal
section, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the machine.
The body of the machine consists of a fixed cylindrical vessel or drum C; this
drum has an opening on the side near the top, so that the goods to be operated on
can be introduced by means of a hopper H, or they can be introduced by means of
rollers.
There is a door D on the side near the bottom, which can be opened to allow the
finished goods to leave the machine.
The ends of the cylinder C are preferably of cast iron, and have large openings c
in centre, say, of one third the diameter of cylinder. A revolving axle b runs
through the whole length of the machine and through the openings in ends of
cylinder; this axle carries a hollow barrel B of rather larger diameter than the
opening c. The barrel B is open at the ends, and its periphery is covered with
gauze, wire, or perforated material, so that air can enter freely through ends of the
barrel and through perforations into body of machine. On the barrel B are fixed
several large teeth or beaters d, and as the axle b revolves rapidly these beaters
beat the dirt and dust out of the feathers, et cetera.
The rims of ends of barrel B should be turned true and brought to a V edge, so
that there may be very little space for stray material to lodge and cause friction at
ends of same. In some cases it would be well to have the ends of the barrel hooped
by a projecting hoop of steel with a knife edge towards the cylinder end, so that
the barrel as it revolved would cut its way through any stray material falling
between itself and the ends of main cylinder.
About one half of the periphery of main cylinder is composed of hot plates P,
heated preferably by high pressure steam. About one third is made of sieves G,
composed of gauze, wire, or perforated metallic sheets, through which dirt or
steam can escape into an enclosed chamber or dust-room R. The remainder of
cylinder casing is composed of space for entrance at hopper H and door D for exit
of goods, and also of carriers or bars E of iron extending from end to end, which
serve to carry teeth e pointing inwards, as in ordinary willows.
The dust room R receives the dust and steam driven out of main cylinder C, and
it must be provided with a large flue T for the escape of same. The roof of this
dust room may conveniently be made to serve as a platform from which to feed
material into the hopper H. The dust room R may in some cases be furnished
with an exhaust fan, preferably driven from end of main shaft by fast and loose
pulleys, so as to be used when required. In most cases a fan will not be necessary,
for if the barrel of machine makes, say, two hundred or three hundred revolutions
per minute the centrifugal force will cause a constant rush of air through the sieves
into the dust room, while pure air will rush into the machine through the barrel
to take the place of the air expelled, so that at ordinary speeds there will be a
constant rush of pure air through the goods.

page_text: The sieves G should be arranged so that they could be easily removed for
cleaning, and it would be well to have duplicate sets, so that there need be but
little stoppage during cleansing or repairing.
A small perforated pipe S runs along lower side of main cylinder; through this
pipe steam is admitted to scald or damp the goods as required. A similarly per-
forated pipe W runs along the upper side of cylinder, by means of which water can
be introduced to damp the goods at pleasure.
When raw feathers, flock, or other material to be operated on are introduced
into the machine, they are first exposed to the revolving beaters d until they are
free from dust; they are then exposed to open steam (admitted through pipe S) to
scald or damp them, or they are damped by water (through pipe W) if preferred;
then the final operation of drying, baking, or desiccating is performed by admitting
steam into the hot plates P, while the beaters keep the goods in motion.
K, pipe for inlet of steam into hot plates P; L, pipes connecting hot plates,
whereby steam passes from one to another; M, outlet of steam from hot plates;
N, inlet of steam to perforated steam pipe S; and O, inlet pipe to perforated water
pipe W.
In some modifications of the machine shields may be arranged in connection
with the sieves, so as to shut off a portion of the same at pleasure. Shields may
also be arranged at openings leading into cylinder ends, so as to check the current
of air passing in, or hot air may be led to these openings, and so admitted to the
goods in machine.
Having now described my Invention and the best modes known to me of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new
and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. In machines for purifying feathers the arrangement of sieves and hot
plates in the periphery of a fixed cylindrical vessel, into which open steam or water
can be admitted at will, substantially as described.
Second. In combination with a cylindrical vessel, such as above described, an
inner revolving barrel carrying beaters perforated on the periphery and open at the
ends for the admission of air, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Third. Arranging a machine for purifying or cleaning feathers so that the goods
are (firstly) freed from dust, (secondly) scalded or damped, and (thirdly) dried,
baked, or desiccated consecutively and without removal from the machine,
substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Martin, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
"Witness,
WM P. THOMPSON,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool & London.
JOHN MARTIN. (L.S.)