IMPROVE- MENTS IN BLEACHING, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM MATHER, of Salford Iron Works, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BLEACHING, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE, to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the better carrying out, by mechanical means, of
the process of bleaching, known as the "Thompson Process," for which Her
Majesty's Letters Patent were granted to Jacob Baynes Thompson, on the 3rd of
February 1883, and numbered 595, and my Invention consists in causing the
textile fabric, under treatment, to pass continuously and, by preference, in an open
state, or in its full breadth, through the operations described in the specification of
the patent aforesaid.
The most important operation in the Thompson process is the thorough saturation
of the fabric by the bleaching liquor, and then immediately following the exposure
of the fabric to the action of an atmosphere of carbonic acid in order to liberate the
chlorine on the fibre, the decomposition requiring more or less time according to
the activity with which the carbonic acid attacks the bleaching liquor.
In the apparatus described in the specification of the patent herein before referred
to, the cloth, in the form of a rope, is placed loosely in a kier or vessel, and is piled
7 or 8 feet deep, so that there is considerable pressure at the bottom, and in the
centre of the pile, rendering it somewhat difficult to saturate the fabric rapidly and
thoroughly throughout, and also requiring a pressure to force the carbonic acid into
the centre of the pile, after the bleaching liquor has been run out, to enable the gas
to effectually come into contact with the innermost folds and surface of the fabric
throughout the pile. Also, time is required to drain off the bleaching liquor, and
to perform the alternate action of filling the kier or vessel with liquor and gas.
Now, my improvements consist in causing the fabric to pass through a vessel,
or compartment, containing a solution of bleaching liquor, and in which vessel
I arrange squeezing rollers, so adjusted as to leave the fabric at the proper degree
of saturation, and then in passing the fabric through an air tight chamber, also
fitted with rollers, and containing an atmosphere of carbonic acid, or into a chamber
into which carbonic acid is forced, by means of a pump, or from a gas holder, under
D37

page_text: pressure, and in such a manner that the gas impinges in several places against the
fabric across its full breadth, thus causing the carbonic acid to come into intimate
and instantaneous contact with the entire surface of the fabric, as it passes along,
so that a uniform saturation and decomposition can be effected on the fibre, at
a very rapid rate. The apparatus is so constructed and arranged as to repeat the
above operations continuously, and as often as necessary, to secure for the fabric
the proper whiteness, and to pass the fabric, without a pause, through a washing
compartment, (provided likewise with rollers), and finally to squeeze and dry the
Before the final washing the fabric may be passed through a compartment
similar to that in which the gas is introduced, but jets of steam are here employed
to kill any trace of chlorine remaining on the fabric.
same.

page_text: I, WILLIAM MATHER, of Salford Iron Works, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BLEACHING, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention has for its object the better carrying out, by mechanical means, of
part of the process of bleaching known as "The Thompson Process," described in
the specification of British Letters Patent granted to Jacob Baynes Thompson on
the 3rd of February 1883, No 595, and my invention consists in subjecting textile
fabrics or yarns, in a continuous manner, to certain of the operations described in
the said specification, and to other operations, and in construction and arrangement
of apparatus for that purpose.
The most important part of the Thompson process is to thoroughly saturate the
fabric with bleaching liquor, and then, immediately afterwards, to expose it for
some time to the action of carbonic acid gas. As described in the said specification,
the fabric, in the forin of a rope, is piled up in a vessel to such height that there is
considerable pressure at the bottom and in the middle of the pile. This renders it
difficult to saturate the fabric rapidly and thoroughly with the bleaching liquor,
and after the liquor is removed, pressure is needed to force the carbonic acid gas
into the body of the pile so that the gas may effectually come into contact with the
innermost folds and surface of the fabric. There is also considerable loss of time
in draining off the bleaching liquor, charging with the gas and alternating these
operations, it may be several times successively.
Now, according to my invention, I effect these operations continuously, along
with other operations, where necessary, in the following manner. I cause the
fabric to pass first through a vessel or compartment containing a solution of
bleaching liquor and then between squeezing rollers so adjusted as to leave the
fabric in the proper condition of saturation. I then pass the fabric through an
approximately air tight chamber containing an atmosphere of carbonic acid gas
supplied or forced in under pressure by means of a pump, or from a gas holder.
The fabric is passed under and over rollers in the gassing chamber in such a manner
that the gas has free access to all parts of its surface as it passes along, and effects
a uniform saturation and action on the fibre at a very rapid rate.
The apparatus may be so constructed and arranged as to repeat the above
mentioned operations continuously several times, if necessary, for obtaining the
required whiteness of the fabric, and also to pass the fabric, in its continuous course,
through washing, squeezing and drying apparatus.
Before the final washing the fabric may be passed through a compartment similar
to that in which the gas is introduced, but supplied with jets of steam to remove
traces of chlorine remaining on the fabric.

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of a complete range of apparatus for bleaching,
including parts arranged to operate according to my invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 4,
are a side elevation, a side sectional elevation, and an end sectional elevation,
respectively, on an enlarged scale, of parts of the same, and figs. 5 and 6 are
detailed views illustrative of the means which I employ for closing the mouths of
the passages leading to and from the gassing chambers.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The fabric a, is drawn over guides a¹, and under guides a², into and through
bleaching liquor in the vessel b, then between weighted squeezing rollers c, c, over
guides a³, into the passage d, the mouth of which is preferably provided with lips d',
of india rubber, or other suitable material, which serve to close the mouth of the
passage by pressing against the fabric as it passes between them. The passage d,
leads into the upper part of a chamber e, which is filled with carbonic acid gas
supplied under moderate pressure from a gas holder or reservoir f, by means of the
pipe g, controlled by the valve h. A gauge f¹, is used to indicate the pressure of
the gas in the reservoir f, and another gauge, having a glass tube i, containing
a float ball, is employed to shew when the chamber e, is charged with gas.
The fabric a, passes from the guide a³, down the passage d, into the chamber e,
in which it is caused to travel under and over guide rollers a', finally leaving
the chamber through a passage j, which, like the passage d, is provided with lips j₁,
similar to the lips d¹. The fabric then passes over the guide a³, and between
squeezing rollers c¹, c¹, into the tank, k, where it is washed and beaten by the
revolving beater 1, as it passes over the rollers a. From the washing tank k, the
fabric passes between squeezing rollers c³, c², and again through bleaching liquor
contained in the tank b¹, between another pair of squeezing rollers c³, c³, over
a guide roller a*, into a second gassing chamber e¹, from which it passes between
squeezing rollers c, c, to a tank k¹, where it is again washed and beaten. The
fabric is then led over the roller as, into the lower part of a chamber m, through
which it passes while it is subjected to steaming, in order to remove traces of
chlorine. The fabric then passes over the roller a³, into and through a souring
tank n, containing a weak solution of sulphuric, or hydrochloric, or other acid, such
as is commonly used by bleachers, and over the roller a¹0, into the washing tank k²,
and over the roller a", into the tank ³, where it is finally washed and beaten, and
where
whence it is led between the squeezing rollers c³, c³, to the drying machine o,
the process is completed.
The fabric, which is preferably open, exposing its full width, is passed through
the successive parts of the apparatus, but it may be passed through in rope form,
and in like manner continuous lengths of yarn may be treated.
Although I have shewn in the drawings two sets b, b, c, e¹, of compartments for
impregnating the fabric with bleaching liquor and subjecting it to the action of
carbonic acid gas, along with an intermediate washing tank k, it is to be understood
that one of these sets may, in some cases, be dispensed with, or additional sets may
be introduced if necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I make
no general claim to impregnating fabrics with bleaching liquor and exposing them
to the action of carbonic acid, but what I claim is
1. The method, substantially as herein described, of applying continuously to
fabrics or yarns, that part of the "Thompson Bleaching Process" which consists
in treating them with bleaching liquor and carbonic acid in conjunction with

page_text: washing, squeezing and drying operations, so that the fabrics or yarns pass, by
their continuous movement, through the successive operations.
2. For carrying out the method hereinbefore described, the construction and
arrangement of apparatus, substantially as described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.