ROVEMENTS IN PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING RAGS AND. OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1884

page_text: COME DETE DI DUIFICATION.
"
We SAMUEL WEBBER PARKER and HENRY BLACKMAN, residing at Temple Court
No 5 Beekman Street and Temple Court N° 5 Beekman Street respectively in the
City County and State of New York in the United States of America gentlemen
do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS OF
AND APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING RAGS AND. OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS" aud
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Fig 1 shows a view in side elevation of our apparatus, a portion of the side wall
of the disinfecting chamber being broken away to show the interior arrangement
of parts.
Fig 2 a longitudinal vertical central section of the same.
Fig. 3 an end elevation of the bale.
Fig 4 a detail sectional view, showing the means for feeding forward and back
the bale carrying carriage.
Fig 5 a detail longitudinal sectional view of one of the screw injector tubes and
Fig. 6 a similar view showing a modified form of injector tube.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
Heretofore rags and other fibrous materials have been disinfected by being
subjected in various ways to germ destroying gases or liquids in suitable enclosing
chambers, but in order to make the disinfecting process efficient and thorough it
has been necessary to treat the material in a loose state.
No apparatus or process has hitherto been invented which could successfully and
thoroughly disinfect rags or other fibrous materials while in the bale.
It has been necessary in order to insure that every portion of the mass of
material should be reached and acted upon by the disinfecting gas or liquid as
used in the processes heretofore known to loosen and spread out the material in the
disinfecting chamber or put it in a loose state in the liquid.
This unbaling and loosening or spreading of the undisinfected material is
absolutely unsafe and dangerous to the workmen, or those in the vicinity, because
of the consequent setting free of the disease germs and the exposing of any
decaying or deleterious matters which may be held in the material while it is
compressed in the bale. The unbaling and necessary subsequent rebaling of the
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page_text: material for transportation, also involves much trouble expense and loss of time.
Large and cumbersome apparatus is also necessary to treat large quantities of
material loosened or spread out as heretofore.
In the case of rags imported from Egypt, and other foreign countries, it is
especially desirable that some efficient, rapid and thorough process and apparatus
for disinfecting should be devised. In order to meet the quarantine requirements,
it must be thorough and certain in its action, and in order that the lives of the
workmen, and of others in the vicinity may not be endangered, by the liberating
of active disease germs, or exposure of decaying and deleterious matters, and that
the delay, trouble and expense of unbaling and rebaling, may be avoided,.it must
be capable of use upon the rags while in the bale and of doing its work rapidly,
efficiently and completely when so used.
The object of our invention is to provide such apparatus for and process of
disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials while in the bale or package without
necessitating the opening or spreading thereof, and to this end,
Our invention consists in the construction arrangement and combination of parts
of the apparatus and 'in the process as hereinafter specified!"
Offic
In the drawings. A designates the main or, disinfecting chamber which is to be
made of wood metal or other material as desired.
One end of this chamber is provided with an opening A¹ and a door B hinged at
its lower edge or side and adapted to be swung up to close the opening tightly.
This door is so hinged that when swung down as shown in Fig 1 with its outer
end supported by a block or knob B₁ attached to it and resting upon the floor or
surface supporting the apparatus, it will form a continuation of the false bottom B²
of chamber A. This false bottom we contemplate making if desired, of longi-
tudinal strips placed" parallel to, but at a slight distance from each other so as to
allow free circulation of the disinfecting fluid forced into the chamber.
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16.
For supporting and carrying the bale C of material to be placed in the chamber
we have provided a car or carriage C consisting of a platform supported' upon
suitable wheels or castors c. c., While the carriage is wholly within the chamber A,
as shown in Fig: 2 these wheels rest upon the false bottom, B2, When the carriage
is rolled back and out of the chamber as shown in Fig 1. they roll upon the upper
face of door B swung down. If desired both the false bottom and door can be
provided with suitable rails and the wheels can be flanged or grooved to run upon
them.
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The carriage is as shown provided on each side with. at clamping. or holding
device D adapted to hold a bale firmly and immovably. To cause the carriage to
move into and out of the chamber;,weiprovide.upon the under side. of its platform,
a fixed sleeve E interiorly threaded to fit the screw E¹ journalled, at one end near
the opening in the chamber end. in. a. stationary, block E2. fixed upon the false
bottom B or any portion of the chamber casing. utku.
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From this, end the screw, extends along under the can.through.the screwisleeve
and to the other end of the chamber. At this end it is provided with a cylindrical
shank e. which is journalled in and passes through a journal bearing el extending
through the wall of the chamber..
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A collar e on the screw bears against the inner end of this journal bearing, and
upon the outer end of shank e bearing against the other end of the journal is fixed
a pinion F which is to be driven in either direction as desired, by means to be
hereinafter described..
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Above this journal bearing there is a series of similar long journalt bearings G G
passing through and supported in the thick wall of the chamber. There can be
any number of these but in the drawings we have shown five. Of these the
middle one is in line with the center of the bale supported and held on the rolling
carriage. The others are arranged at the corners of a square of which.the first one
is the center and of which two sides are horizontal. al
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3.
Journalled in these bearings are the hollow.shanks H.H of the hollow or tubular
screws II pointed at, their. outer. ends. I' I!..The bore of each of these screws

page_text: extends as shown best in Fig 5,' well up into the point but at the extreme point is
closed.
Each screw is provided with a number of small. openings or perforations i i
situated between the threads. These perforations are made as numerous as
possible and extend from the fixed collar K bearing against the inner end of the
bearing to the point of the screw.
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Upon the tubular shanks H H of the screws, just outside of the wall of the
chamber and bearing against the outer ends of the bearings G G are fixed the gear
wheels LL The one on the shank of the central screw gears with and drives all
the rest! At a short distance from the end of the chamber A is the hollow
chamber or receptacle Minto which is to be forced in any desired way a dis-
infectant either in the form of gas or liquid. The tubular shanks H H of the
screws project through the wall M of this chamber or receptacle, passing through
suitable stuffing boxes m, m, adapted to prevent leakage, and their bores com-
municate with the chamber interior.
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The shank of the middle screw is continued through the opposite wall of said
chamber and a suitable stuffing box; and on its closed or solid projecting 'end is
provided with two fixed pulleys N N and with a loose pulley O loosely journalled
upon it between them Two belts P P¹ driven in opposite directions as shown by
the arrows can be shifted over these pulleys in the well known way to cause the
iniddle shank and screw to be driven in either direction as desired. The threads
on the other screws are inclined in a direction opposite to that of the thread on the
central screw, because such other screws are driven in a direction opposite to that
of the rotation of the central screw by the intermeshing gears. To bring the bore
of the central hollow screw shank into "communication with the interior of
chamber M; an opening is provided in that portion of the shank which passes
through the chamber. Several of such openings can be made in the screw shank.
Whatever disinfectant is used, whether gas or liquid it is to be caused to enter
and fill this chamber under pressure, so that it will be forced out through the
tubular shanks, the hollow screws and the perforations in the latter
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We contemplate where a liquid is to be used; providing an elevated tank or
receiver R containing the liquid, and connected with the chamber M by a pipe R¹
provided with a suitable valve or stop cockin
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Where a disinfectant in the form of gas or vapor is to be used it can be forced
by any desired means, as a pump or injector through the pipe S into the chamber,
the pipe being provided with a stop cock or valve T to shut off and turn on the
disinfectant
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With one of the gear wheels on the shank of one of the lower screws, meshes
the pinion U journaled on a stud and gearing with the pinion F'on the end of
the shank of the carriage driving or feeding screw-E This screw is constructed
so that as the tubular perforated screws II are turned so as to screw them into
anything brought against their points, it will, by the gearing described, be turned
in the screw sleeve on the carriage so as to draw the latter inward towards the
screws II thus feeding the baleupon the carriage up to and against the screw
points. This feeding of the bale forward-is continued as tho screws II enter and
are screwed into it. i ge
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The feeding screw is preferably made with threads of less pitch than those of the
other screws, and by the gearing is revolved more rapidly to compensate for this
difference.
To
As most fibrous materials and especially rags are baled so as to be in layers we
prefer to so place the bale to be treated upon the carriage that the perforated
screws or nozzles shall penetrate it in directions at right angles to the layers.
By-so doing we insure that the gas or liquid, used issuing through the holes in
the nozzles or screws shall pass in all directions throughout the bale so as to come
into intimate contact with and act upon every portion of the material in every
layer When the material is in layers, if the screws for nozzles were inserted into

page_text: the bale in directions parallel with the layers, the gas or liquid would be apt to
pass out between such layers and the screws or nozzles projected between thus
leaving much of the material, not acted upon or treated by the disinfectant.
When however the bale is not stratified in its formation the nozzles or screws
can be forced into it in any direction desired. In the upper part of the main
chamber A are shown several perforated shelves V V upon which, if desired, any
material to be treated can be spread out and subjected to disinfecting gas or vapor
passed up through the screens and layers of material thereon. On top of the
casing of the chamber A is a tank W nearly filled with disinfecting liquid.
A passage W¹ extends from the upper portion of chamber A up into the tank
above the level of the liquid therein, and then is carried at its end down below the
surface of such liquid. At its other end the tank W is provided through its top,
with a discharge opening X and a suitable pipe or stack X¹ forming a continuation
of the opening.
With this construction all vapors or gases passing out of the closed chamber A
through the passage WI must pass through the disinfecting liquid in the tank before
escaping through opening X and stack. X¹ into the open air.
Any foul or deleterious gases arising from the material being treated in the
tank will thus be rendered inert and harmless, and any disease germs floating in
the air or gas within the chamber will be killed or destroyed, and as the air or gas
passes upward and outward through the disinfecting liquid. However foul and
disease infected the material being treated may be, the air or vapor passing from
the disinfecting chamber through the tank and then escaping into the open air, will
be thoroughly disinfected and rendered harmless.
When a sufficient amount of disinfectant has been forced into and through the
bale, the disinfectant is turned off and cold dry air can be forced into the receptacle
or chamber M and out through the nozzles and bale.
Any desired means can be used for compressing and cooling the air and forcing
it into the chamber.
In passing through the bale this air cools and dries it and then as it issues from
the bale and fills the disinfecting chamber it drives the foul air and gases from
such chamber up and through the disinfecting liquid in the tank W.
Only a very short time is required to thus cool and dry the bale and drive out
all the foul air from chamber A so that it will be perfectly safe to open and enter
the latter.
Instead of using perforated hollow screws for the injector tubes, if desired, sharp
pointed hollow perforated injecting nozzles or spindles may be employed which can
be stationary or caused to rotate as they penetrate the bale.
The operation of our apparatus is briefly as follows:
The door of the disinfecting chamber being open and the bale carrying car
being run out thereon a bale is firmly clamped upon the car. The hollow
perforated screws are then driven by the means described to rotate so as to screw
into the bale when it is brought against their points.
By the connecting gear the feed screw is at the same time driven to move the
car and bale inward towards the revolving hollow screws.
The bale is thus fed up to said screws as they work into it until they have
penetrated it to their full lengths.
When the screws have penetrated the bale to their full lengths the driving
power is disconnected or stopped.
Then the door having been swung up to close the chamber a disinfectant either
in the form of a gas, liquid or vapor is forced into the receptacle or chamber M.
out through the hollow screw shanks and screws and caused to issue through the
perforations in the screws in small jets in every direction so that it will permeate
every part of the mass of material in the bale.
Where as shown in the drawings the injecting screws are five in number and
arranged as described and shown, the center screw penetrates the center of the

page_text: bale, and the others penetrate it at points upon the diagonal lines from the center
of the bale and to its corners. Instead of five injecting screws thus arranged, any
desired number can of course be used.
As the disinfectant is, as described caused to penetrate and permeate the mass
of the bale in every direction it will as it passes outward come in contact with
every portion of the material thereof, and will act upon every particle of deleterious
or decaying animal or vegetable matter, and kill every disease germ among
the fibers.
If any active disease germ be loosened or liberated from among the fibers to
float in the air within the chamber it will be killed either by the disinfectant
vapor or gas issuing from the bale or by the liquid in the tank above as. it
passes
from the chamber out through it.
When the bale has been a sufficiently long time subjected to the disinfecting
process the disinfecting fluid or vapor is turned off and cold dry air is then forced
through the nozzles or screws, and the bale, to cool and dry it and drive out from
the bale and the surrounding chamber all noxious gases and vapors, and cause them
to pass up through the tank disinfecter W as indicated hereinbefore.
This cooling, drying and purifying part of the process is not always necessary
and can be dispensed with if desired We find it however preferable to use it.
When the bale has been sufficiently disinfected and cooled and dried, the driving
power or means is caused to drive the injecting screws so as to withdraw them
from the bale, the feeding screw being thereby turned correspondingly to withdraw
the car and bale from the injectors.
The door is opened and the car with its bale is caused by the action of the feed
screw to run out upon the door so that the bale can be removed and a new one put
in its place.
The perforated nozzles or injectors instead of being screw threaded through our
their lengths can be partially threaded or they can be smooth hollow spindles
adapted to be thrust into the bale either with or without rotary motion.
We prefer however the screw form of nozzle because where a smooth one is used
the disinfectant issuing from the perforations under pressure finds too easy and
ready a way of escape along the smooth exterior of the nozzle between such
exterior and the surrounding material.
The threads on the screw-form of nozzle press into the surrounding material
and effectually prevent the escape of the disinfectant along the outside of the
nozzle.
The disinfectant is thus compelled to pass out properly through the material of
the bale.
We contemplate using with our apparatus any suitable kind of disinfectant as
for instance, sulphurous acid in gas or in solution superheated steam, carbolic acid,
any of the well known solutions or vapors containing chlorine or sulphur or, if
desired a solution containing a small quantity of corrosive sublimate.
When the disinfectant is in the form of a solution it can be used mixed with
air, in the form of spray or vapor, which can be forced through the perforated
nozzles into the bale.
Instead of injecting the disinfectant through the nozzle into the bale and
causing it to perineate it outward said disinfectant can obviously be caused to pass
inward into and be drawn off from within the mass of material.
In carrying out this idea, the disinfectant is fed in any desirable way into the
disinfecting chamber around the bale and the perforated tubular nozzles or screws
having been previously inserted into the bale in the same manner, as described
herein before, a vacuum is produced by any desirable means in the chamber with
the interior of which the outer ends of the bores of the nozzles communicate as
described.
The disinfectant within the disinfecting chamber surrounding the bale will then
be drawn inward through the bale to the perforated nozzles and out through them
into the vacuum chamber.

page_text: From thence the gases andivapors are to be drawn off by any suitable means and
passed through a disinfecting tank or apparatus of any desirable construction.
...
In the cooling and drying part of the process the air can be in the same way
drawn inward through the bale. Instead of causing the disinfectant and sub-
sequently the cool air to pass' inward through the bale and thence out through the
nozzles by suction the disinfecting chamber can be made strong enough to stand
considerable pressure and the disinfectant and afterwards the air can be forced
under pressure into it around the bale.
ot By such pressure the disinfectant can be caused to penetrate the bale from all
sides inward to the perforated nozzles within it and then to pass outward through
them: vote ni bil t
Either of these methods of causing the disinfectant and air to pass through the
bale can be used as desired but we prefer the one first and most fully described
herein of which the others are mere modifications not involving any departure
from our invention:
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Having now particularly described 'and 'ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is wlion d
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an apparatus for, disinfecting rags.or. other. fibrous materials while in the
bale, a series of tubular perforated nozzles adapted to be forced into the bale
substantially as shown and described.
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2. In an apparatus for disinfecting rags or other fibrous materials, while in the
bale, a series of tubular perforated nozzles, adapted to be thrust into the bale, in
means for forcing or drawing a disinfectant through the several
nozzles simultaneously substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a
na disinfecting apparatus for rags and other fibrous materials a series of
pointed tubular nozzles perforated throughout their lengths in combination with
means for forcing or drawing a disinfectant from a source of supply into and
through the several nozzles simultaneously.
.1.11
1.7
11.
4. In a disinfecting apparatus a series of tubular perforated nozzles in combination
with a chamber or receiver, whose interior is, in communication with the bores of
the nozzles and a source of supply of disinfectant under pressure connected with
such chamber, all substantially, as and for the purpose described.
10
to
11.
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5.In a disinfecting apparatus in combination with the series of pointed nozzles,
means substantially as described for feeding a bale of material up
terial up to the nozzles
and then feeding it along as the nozzles penetrate it as and for the purpose set forth.
adapted to be
6. In a disinfecting apparatus a rotary hollow perforated scre
screwed into a bale of the material to be disinfected substantially as and for the
purpose described.
fat batsuvine mujal on hingg
timecting apparatus o
In a disinfecting
a rotary hollow perforated screw in combination
with means substantially as described for forcing or drawing a disinfectant through
the screw substantially as and for the
8. In a disinfecting apparatus a series of rotary tubular perforated screws
adapted to be screwed into a bale of the material to be disinfected,
ted, in combination
with a source, of supply of disinfectant under pressure connected with the bores of
the screws substantially as and for the purpose described.
187.10 LIV
l purpose described."
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9. In combination with the receiving chamber, the series of rotary tubular
perforated
Screws
ews having their bores in communication with the interior of the
chamber, substantially as and for the purpose described.
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10. In combination with the disinfectant receiving chamber the series of rotary
tubular screws having, their bores in communication with the interior of the
chamber, and means substantially as described for rotating them to screw them into
a bale of the material to be treated substantially as and for the purpose described.
11.In a disinfecting apparatus for rags and other fibrous materials while in the
bale, in combination with the series of, rotary, tubular,perforated, screw nozzles;
means substantially as described for feeding the bale of material up to the nozzles
as they rotate substantially as and for the purpose described.
1977
-342 **

page_text: 12. In a disinfecting apparatus in combination with the series of rotary tubular,
perforated screw-nozzles, a carriage provided with a clamp or holder for holding,
a bale of material to be treated, a screw nut or sleeve, attached to the carriage and
a rotary screw passing, through such screw sleeve or nut substantially as. and for,
the purpose described.
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13. In a disinfecting apparatus in combination with the series of tubular,
perforated injecting screws means substantially as described for rotating, one of the
screws in either direction, gear wheels on the shanks, of the other screws, a gear,
wheel on the shank of the driven, screw meshing with such wheels, a bale-carrying.
car or carriage, a screw nut or sleeve on the same a screw passing through such nut,
or sleeve, a pinion on the shank of this screw and connecting gearing between this
pinion, and the gear on one of the screw slianks substantially, as and for the
purpose described.
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14. In a disinfecting apparatus in combination with the disinfectant receiving
chamber, and the disinfecting chamber the series of journal bearings, in the wall of
the latter, the hollow perforated rotary screws in; the disinfecting chamber having,
their hollow shanks journalled in such bearings and extending through them
and through the wall or side of the disinfectant receiver or chamber and means
substantially as described for rotating the screws and feeding a bale of material to
be treated up to and press the screws in the disinfecting chamber substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
15. In a disinfecting apparatus the disinfecting chamber in which the material
to be treated is subjected to the action of the disinfectant in combination with
a tank containing a disinfecting liquid and a pipe or passage extending from the
chamber and opening below the surface of the liquid in the tank substantially as
and for the purpose described.
...
16. In a disinfecting apparatus in combination with the disinfecting chamber,
a tank or receptacle containing a disinfectant liquid and a suitable pipe or passage
extending from the top of the chamber down below the surface of the liquid in the
tank so as to conduct the gases and vapors from the upper portion of the chamber
and discharge them into and through such liquid substantially as shown and
described.
17. In a disinfecting apparatus the disinfecting chamber provided with perforated
shelves upon which the material to be treated can be spread in combination with
one or more pipes for discharging a disinfectant fluid, gas or vapor into the lower
portion of the chamber, a tank containing disinfecting liquid and a pipe or passage
extending from the upper portion of the chamber and having its discharge end below
the surface of the liquid in the tank substantially as and for the purpose described.
18. The improved process of disinfecting rags or other fibrous materials while in
the bale which consists in inserting a perforated nozzle into the bale in a direction
at right angles to the layers of material therein and then forcing or drawing
a disinfectant through the nozzle substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
19. The process of disinfecting rags or other fibrous materials which consists in
forcing into a bale thereof, a series of perforated tubular nozzles and then forcing
or drawing a disinfectant through the several nozzles simultaneously substantially
as set forth.
20. The process of disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials which consists in
forcing into a bale thereof, at right angles to the layers of material in the bale
a series of perforated tubular nozzles and then forcing through the nozzles and the
perforations a disinfectant substantially as described.
21. The process of disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials which consists in
placing the material while in the bale within a chamber then causing a series of
perforated pointed tubes to penetrate the bale and then forcing a disinfectant
through the several tubes simultaneously substantially as described.
22. The process of disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials which consists
in placing the material while in the bale in a suitable chamber then screwing into
the bale at right angles to the layers of material in the bale, a series of perforated

page_text: tubular screw nozzles and then forcing through such nozzles a disinfectant
substantially as and for the purpose described.
23. The process of disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials which consists in
causing a disinfectant to pass into and through the material while in the bale and
then causing to pass into and through the bale cold air, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
24. The process of disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials which consists in
first injecting a disinfectant under pressure into the interior of the mass of material
while in the bale and then forcing cold air into the interior of the mass and
causing it to pass outward through the bale substantially as described.
25. The process of disinfecting rags and other fibrous materials while in the bale
which consists in placing the bale in a closed chamber, then injecting into the
interior of the bale a disinfectant under pressure, then turning off the disinfectant
and forcing into the interior of the bale dry cold air in sufficient quantity to cool
the bale as it passes out through it and to drive out the foul air and gases from the
chamber substantially as described.