AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING WOOL AND OTHER TEXTILE PRODUCTS
Year: 1888

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We, GEORGE BURNELL and ARTHUR BURNELL both of Hindmarsh in the Province
of South Australia Woolstaplers, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for
AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING WOOL AND OTHER TEXTILE PRODUCTS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
!
The object of our Invention is to provide an apparatus for manipulating wool and
other similar textile products during a process of cleansing in which use is made of
a volatile solvent such as benzine for the purpose of extracting the grease yolk and
other oils.
The advantage of employing this class of solvents is that the wool (in which term
both here and hereafter we include all other similar materials) is cleansed from all
impurities including sand and earthy matters except seeds or burrs without tearing
and tangling the fibres or breaking up the fleeces.
The process for the carrying out of which, our apparatus is designed consists in
passing greasy wool through benzine and subjecting it during such passage and
whilst in the solvent to repeated squeezings for the purpose of removing the grease
and earthy matters. The latter being precipitated during the progress of the opera-
tion are removed by an automatic appliance and on the solvent becoming saturated
with the grease and yolk it is removed for their recovery by further treatment.
After eliminating as far as possible the benzine by final compression the process
further consists in passing the partially cleansed wool through water for the purpose
of removing the potash and other similar substances soluble in water. During such
passage and whilst in the water the wool is again subjected to repeated squeezings
and after a final compression by which as much as possible of the liquid is removed,
is delivered for drying, free from all impurities except seeds or burrs.

page_text: Our apparatus consists of a receptacle or pair of tanks each provided with a
revolving drum and a series of rollers compressed by springs upon the circumferences
of the drums. Additional rollers are also provided for the final elimination of the
solvents and for the transit of the wool during the progress of the operation. Whilst
the tank containing the benzine is constructed with an apparatus for the automatic
removal of the heavier impurities precipitated during the process.
In order that our Invention may be the better understood we will now proceed to
describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawings in which :-
Fig. I., is a longitudinal elevation partly in section of the apparatus complete the
outer casing being removed in order to more clearly shew the internal mechanism.
Fig. II. an end sectional elevation of the main tank.
Fig. III, a side sectional elevation shewing the end of a squeezing roller with
bearing block and actuating spring, the flange of the main drum and teeth of gear
wheels.
Fig. IV, end elevation partly in section of squeezing roller and attachments.
Fig. V, side elevation of end of compressing rollers showing spring attachment
for straining them together.
Fig. VI, end elevation of compressing rollers and spring attachments.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in all figures.
Referring to Figs. I and II where, are shewn, longitudinal and cross sections of an
apparatus, consisting of two tanks or receptacles for solvents and mechanism for
treating the wool; A, is a drum or roller constructed preferably with cast iron
flanges and having its circumference covered with sheet metal. A¹, spindle of A,
revolving in suitable bearings provided in the main framework and actuated by a main-
driving pulley with loose pulley as shewn. A², deep flanges of A, (Figs. I, II
and III). A³, toothed flanges or gear wheels for actuating the subsidiary rollers.
The toothed flange A³, for the sake of clearness of detail is shewn as extending only a
short distance round the circumference of the drum A, but in actual practice has
no break and is constructed in one piece with the flange A2. B, a second drum of
similar construction to A, but of smaller size. B', spindle of B, revolving in suitable
bearings provided in the main framework. B², deep flanges of B. The flanges 132,
are constructed with further toothed flanges similar to A³, but which are not shewn
in the Drawings. C, C, (Figs. I, II, III, IV) subsidiary rollers constructed pre-
ferably with cast iron flanges covered with sheet metal and of such length as to
revolve freely between the flanges A², or B2. C, spindles of same. 02, toothed
wheels or discs attached to C, and geared into A3, by which they are driven. The
rollers C. connected with the smaller drum B, are provided with similar gear wheels
not shewn in the Drawings. D, D, adjustable bearing blocks of spindles C.
(Figs. I, III and IV). D¹, D¹, guide blocks for D, dovetailed into the rim of main
framework. E, E, spiral springs fitting into a recess in each block D, and taking
a bearing on the rims of the tanks (Figs. III and IV) for the purpose of com-
pressing the rollers C, against the circumferences of A, and B. F, F, carrier
rollers for conveying the wool under treatment from one tank to another. F", F¹, gear
wheels for driving carrier rollers. G, G, (Figs. I, V and VI) wringing rollers
covered with cloth or other elastic material and of such length as to revolve freely
between the flanges A², or B2. The rollers G, G, are driven the reverse way to A,
and B, and strip the wool therefrom. G³, spindles of G, revolving in suitable
bearings in the main framework. G³, smaller wringing rollers. G³, collars on
spindle G¹. G, collars on spindles of G. provided with flanges for keeping the
rollers apart (Fig. VI). Go, spiral springs by which the collars G, are suspended
from G³, and thereby the rollers G, G³, compressed together. Gear wheels are
attached to G, and G, by which they are actuated. H, H, scraping rollers actuated
by gear wheels and provided for the purpose of preventing the wool from wrapping
round the wringing rollers G. I, I, feed rollers connected by gear wheels and
forming the entrance to the machine. I, I, are surrounded by a lip of leather
or other suitable material in close contact so as to prevent as much as possible the
escape of the fumes from the solvent. A similar lip is provided at the exit opening

page_text: connection with the second set of wringing rollers G. G².
or
J, feed brat
endless band for conveying the wool to the mouth of the machine. K, bracket
supporting J, bolted to one of the main supports. L, Figs. I and II, grooved
roller for removing the sand and earthy impurities. L', spindle of L, revolving
in suitable bearings and driven by a pulloy from the main spindle A¹. M, cylinder
casing of L, holted to the main framework of the first tank. N, N, deep longi-
tudinal grooves in the rollers L. P, opening or slot in the main tank leading to
the grooved roller L. Q, trap-door hinged to M, forming the outlet of tho carthy
impurities and closed as shewn when the machine is at rest in order to prevent
the escape of the solvent. T, T, tanks containing the solvent. U, U, cast iron
supports. V, V, cover of tanks T, T. W, escape pipe of fumes from solvent.
X, delivery brat"
or endless band on which the wool is received from the final
wringing rollers G, G³, and carried to the drying room for final treatment.
The mode of cleansing wool and removing the precipitated earthy matters by means
of our apparatus is as follows:-The first or larger tank is partially filled with benzino
to the dotted line of solvent as shewn. The second or smaller tank is partially filled
with water to the dotted line of water as shown. On the machine being set in motion
by moving the main driving belt from the loose to the fixed pulley Fig. II, the wool
spread open on the feed band J, is conveyed in a continuous stream to the feed rollers I.
By these it is seized and being carried into the machine is passed on to the circum-
ference of the drum A. As the drum A, revolves in the direction shewn by the
arrows the toothed flange A³, engages the gear wheels C³, and turns the rollers C,
in the reverse direction as shewn by the arrows. The wool being carried round by
the drum A, receives repeated squeezings as it passes between the rollers C, which
are compressed sufficiently for this purpose by the action of the spiral springs E,
on the adjustable blocks D, which carry the spindles C. As an effect of the solvent
together with these repeated squeezings during its progress through the solvent the
grease and earthy impurities are gradually eliminated. The grease is held in partial
suspension by the solvent but the heavier particles are precipitated to the bottom of
the tank and fall through the opening P. into the grooves N, of the roller L, as the
latter slowly revolves in the cylindrical casing M. Means is also provided by a tap
or otherwise for the removal of the saturated solvent for recovery of the byproducts
by evaporation and condensation of the solvent through any known process.
The wool becoming cleaner and cleaner through the repeated squeezings in the
solvent is carried round to the wringing rollers G, G. The roller G, is driven the
reverse way to A, as shewn by the arrow and lifting the wool from the surface of
the latter carries it between G, and the supplementary wringing rollers G². These
being drawn tightly against the circumference of G, by the suspension springs G³,
wring out almost the whole of the solvent and pass the wool on to the carrying
rollers, ready for the second part of the process. To prevent the wool wrapping
round the roller G, a stripping roller H, is provided driven the reverse way to G,
by an intermediate gear wheel. The carrier rollers F, connected by the gear
wheels F, pass the wool along their upper surface to the second tank and deliver it
onto the circumference of the drum B. The second tank is filled with water at a
suitable temperature in which the wool is again subjected to repeated squeezings by
the rollers C, as before. By this further process the potash and other impurities
soluble in water are removed. The wool is meanwhile carried round to the second
set of wringing rollers which have a similar action to the first set. Here it receives
a final compression in order to free it from the water as much as possible and being
lifted from the roller G, by the stripping roller H, is delivered on to the endless
band X, for carriage to the drying chamber.
The apparatus is rendered vapor proof as much as possible by suitable lips or
coverings at the entrance and exit of the wool and is besides provided with an
exhaust W, through which the fumes of the solvent, given off during the cleansing
operation are carried for condensation and further use."
We wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
particular number of tanks composing the apparatus or to the combination of two

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or a series in one machine. Nor do we confine ourselves to any particular number of
the rollers C, or the method of compressing the same on the drums A, and B, nor to
any particular number of grooves in the roller L, but :-
-
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declaro that what we
claim is :-
First. In the construction of machines for cleansing wool the drums A, and B,
or either of them in combination with a series of rollers C, compressed upon the
circumference of A, and B, by springs acting upon the bearing blocks with which
the spindles of C, are provided or by other suitable means for the purpose of
subjecting the wool to repeated squeezings whilst in the solvent substantially as herein
described and shewn in Figures I and II.
Second. The combination with the drums A, and B, or either of them, of a wringing
attachment consisting of the rollers G, G2, with their attachments G3, G4, G, and
the stripping rollers H, substantially as herein described and shewn in Figures I, V,
and VI.
Third. The apparatus for the removal of the earthy matters consisting of the
roller L, constructed with deep grooves N, revolving in the cylinder casing M,
for the purpose indicated substantially as herein described and shewn in Figures I
and II.
Fourth. The general construction and arrangement of the apparatus as a combination
of parts.