Improvements in and relating to Process of and Apparatus for the Treatment of Wool.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Process of and Apparatus for the
Treatment of Wool.
I, JAMES CALDWELL ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States of America,
of No. 939 Rookery, in the City of Chicago, County of Cook and State of Illinois,
one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in process of and
apparatus for the treatment of animal wool, for the purpose of extracting and
recovering all grease and other foreign matters, and leaving the wool in condition
for manufacturing purposes.
In the ordinary manipulation of wool in this country for the market, the wool
raiser washes his sheep and then clips the fleece, rolling it up, and then ships to the
market in an analogous manner to the shipment of "green" hides, all fatty and
volatile constituents which are incorporated with the wool, except such proportion
thereof as may naturally escape by evaporation in the atmosphere, remaining in
the wool. The foreign constituents thus remaining in the wool are valuable, but
their presence deteriorates the commercial value and quality of the wool, and the
object of my invention is to eliminate and recover these valuable and objectionable
constituents and to leave the wool in a thoroughly cleansed condition and possessing
the highest qualities for manufacturing purposes. And with these ends in view
my invention consists in the novel steps or method of treatment and the peculiar
construction of apparatus hereinafter described.
In order that those familiar with the art may fully understand my invention
I will proceed to describe the same, referring by letters to the accompanying
drawings which show the apparatus I have designed to successfully practice the
process, and in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus ;
Figure 2 a top plan view;
Figure 3 a detailed view on an enlarged scale, and partly in section, showing
the evaporating device;
Figure 4 a similar view of a condensing device;
Figure 5 an enlarged perspective view of a divisional part of the school of devices
employed;
Figure 6 a cross or horizontal section of one of the wool digesting or cleaning
tanks;
Figure 7 a transverse or vertical section of the lower portion of the same, and
Figure 8 a bottom view of the cover for closing the upper end of the wool
anks.
Similar letters denote like parts in the apparatus which I will first describe.
A represents a series of wool digesting tanks adapted for use in cleaning wool
according to this invention; B a series of hydrocarbon tanks with axially arranged
condensers, and C a series of evaporators and condensers.
The tanks A are arranged in a battery or series with a corresponding number of
the evaporators C and hydrocarbon tanks B, and connected with one another in the
nanner presently described.
The tanks A are provided with an interior steam jacket D of the form shown at
Figure 6, providing comparatively small and constricted channels a, and curved.
Figure 4 a similar view of a condensing device;
Figure 5 an enlarged perspective view of a divisional part of the school of devices
employed;
Figure 6 a cross or horizontal section of one of the wool digesting or cleaning
tanks;
Figure 7 a transverse or vertical section of the lower portion of the same, and
Figure 8 a bottom view of the cover for closing the upper end of the wool
canks.
Similar letters denote like parts in the apparatus which I will first describe.
A represents a series of wool digesting tanks adapted for use in cleaning wool
according to this invention; B a series of hydrocarbon tanks with axially arranged
condensers, and C a series of evaporators and condensers.
The tanks A are arranged in a battery or series with a corresponding number of
the evaporators C and hydrocarbon tanks B, and connected with one another in the
nanner presently described.
The tanks A are provided with an interior steam jacket D of the form shown at
Figure 6, providing comparatively small and constricted channels a, and curved
LO

page_text: and comparatively longer bridges b, the object of such construction being to provide
for the rendy upward flow of the eliminated greases mixed with the liberating
hydrocarbon in the vertical channels a, while the more extended curved surfaces or
bridges & sustain the wool against radial thrust and prevent it from packing and
closing the channels a. The steam jacket D is of less circumference and diameter
than the tank A and is secured thereto by shoulder rivets c so that steam admitted
between the jacket and the wall of the tank is free to circulate around and in
contact with the entire exterior surface of the channels a and bridges b.
The ring cover E closes at the top, the space between the jacket D and the wall of
the tank A, and the latter is provided with a perforated false bottom F and a
non-perforate secondary bottom G providing a steam space below the latter com-
municating with the vertical steam space surrounding the jacket D. The top of
the tank A through which the wool is fed to the same is closed by a cover H which
is constructed of the form shown at Figure 8 and bolted in place. Hanging or
'dropping from the solid upper portion of said cover is a disc-shaped grate I extend-
ing below the overflow point of the space between the tank A and jacket D to
prevent the wool from floating up into contact with the under side of the cover and
closing the free movement of the grease from the channels a to the exit pipe.
The evaporators C are provided with a closed and open flighted coil J, and the
hydrocarbon tanks B are connected axially by conduits K, and a continuous double
flighted coil L is arranged axially therein and connected with a water supply.
At one end of the battery or series of hydrocarbon tanks B is mounted upon
suitable supports a secondary condenser M provided with a condensing coil N
similar in construction to the coil L, and a water pipe d connects the closed flights
of the coils L and N so that the water passing through the coil L in the direction
of the arrows to condense the hydrocarbon passes into and through the coil N in
the condenser M for the purpose presently explained. The water pipe d is provided
with a suitable valve to shut the water off from the condenser M if desired, in
which case a branch or exit pipe with a valve therein is connected with the pipe d
to secure continuous circulation through the coil L if the condensers M should not
be in use.
As clearly shown in Figure 1, the water pipe d communicates with the closed
flight of the coil N in the condenser M, and the opposite end of said closed coil
flight communientes with another water pipe e which traverses horizontally adjacent
to the wool tanks A, with the interior wool space of which it communicates by
suitable branch pipes having valves to close or shut off the supply of water to the,
wool space of the tanks A when desired.
The pipes and valves connecting the hydrocarbon tanks B, wool tanks A and
evaporators C for the purpose of controlling the action of hydrocarbon delivery.
and condensation, the escape of grease, hydrocarbon and vapours from the tanks A,
and evaporation in the evaporators C and M will be particularly referred to
hereinafter in describing the process.
O is a vapor pipe communicating through branch pipes (and above the grease
exits thereof) with the wool space in tanks A and also with the space in the con-
denser M, surrounding the coil N for the purpose hereinafter explained when the
process is being described.
Having generally described the construction of the apparatus, I will proceed to
describe the process of treatment to eliminate and recover the constituents which
are in themselves valuable, but which it is important to separate from the wool, and
in order that my process may be more readily understood and disassociated from
all other known processes, I will state that it has been common to treat wool by
what is known as the boiling process, which involves subjecting the wool to the
action of hot water in suitable vessels and scouring the same. This process is not
only primitive and ineffectual for the complete extraction of the grease, but also
permits the escape to the atmosphere of all volatile products and vapors, which are
inherently valuable. Another common and well known method of treatment
consists in subjecting the wool to the action of alkalies and then washing the wool,

page_text: all impurities and valuable constituents passing off with effluent waters, and being
lost, while the wool is left in a harsh and broken up condition.
To overcome the disadvantages attending this primitive process or method of
treatment, it has been proposed to treat the wool in closed tanks by saturating it
with hydrocarbon solvent entering at the top of the tank and filtering through the
body of wool by gravity to the bottom where such hydrocarbon mingled with
the eliminated greases is withdrawn, and by the aid of pamps again returned to
the top of the wool tank to again gravitate through the wool, so that the suspended
impurities will be eliminated from the solvent by a sort of filtering process, the
wool acting as the filter. This circulation is continued until the solvent as alleged,
appears as a clear solution, which can be then drawn off and distilled to separate
the grease and recover the solvent, the remaining valuable matters left in the wool
being recovered in well known ways, and the wool finally washed. The difficulties
attending this method of treatment are found in the fact that the continued re-use
and return of the hydrocarbon through the wool not only filters out and onto the
wool the "suspended impurities," but the grease eliminated by any one of the
downward circulations of the solvent is also to a certain extent filtered out and
onto the wool at the next downward circulation, and the subsequent washing of
the wool, as well as the recovery of the greases and solvent are accomplished by.
individual and independent treatment, and this involves the use of extensive and
complex apparatus, liability of leakage, and the like.
My process is designed to overcome all of the difficulties experienced in the
several methods referred to, and involves a continuous treatment within sub-
stantially one enclosure, by which all the foreign constituents, including the volatile
products, such as ammonia (and which have heretofore been allowed to go to waste).
are removed and recovered, and the wool finally washed and dried from the core
of the fibre outward to the surface, thus leaving the fibre of the wool in a perfectly
clean, unbroken and unfelted condition, and with all the advantages existing in the
foreign seasoned wool, as will be best understood by the following detailed
description of the manner in which the wool is treated, in which I shall again.
refer to the apparatus heretofore described, and which I have designed for the
purpose.
The wool to be cleaned is placed in one or more of the battery of tanks A, the
valves in all of the pipes leading thereto being closed. After a sufficient quantity
of wool has been placed in the tank the cover H is bolted in place, the grated
disc I holding the wool down, as heretofore stated. Steam is then admitted to the
jacket space of the tank through pipe 1, and sufficient water is then admitted to the
wool space of the tank A to properly moisten the wool, the action of the heat
produced by the steam in the jacket serves to expand the wool and to partially
loosen the "suint" and other fatty matters. The degree of heat should be such
only as is necessary to raise the temperature to a degree below the boiling point
and yet high enough to eliminate the moisture and produce a vapor, or what may
be called a "water-smoke," which vapor containing volatiles and the like, is
carried through the pipe O to the vapor condenser M where it is condensed and the
volatiles recovered. After the wool has been thus heated to eliminate the volatiles
and to thoroughly dry the wool, the hydrocarbon solvent is permitted to flow by.
gravity from the tank B through conduit pipe 2 and enter the bottom of wool
tank A, flowing gradually upward through the wool and attacking and liberating
the contained "suiut" and other fatty matters, the hydrocarbon holding in solution
the fatty matters, trickles or flows upward and radially to the vertical channels a
of the jacket D till it reaches the overflow grease pipe 3, by which it is conducted
to the closed flight of the coil J in the evaporator C, through which coil it traverses
slowly and under the evaporative action of the steam surrounding said coil, which
is admitted through the shell or wall of the evaporator by a branch pipe leading.
from the steam supply pipe 1, a suitable valve being employed in the branch pipe.
to control the passage of steam.
The hydrocarbon vapors generated during the digesting and evaporating process

page_text: in the coil J, escape through the pipe 4, and are delivered to the tank B, where
they are condensed, and any similar vapors produced in the digester A are also
conducted to the condenser B by a valve-controlled pipe 5.
During the step of moistening and heating the wool in the digesters A, the
valves in pipes 2, 3, 4 and 5 are closed, and the interior or wool space of the
digesters A communicate at the top by a valve-controlled branch pipe 6 with a
vapor pipe O which traverses adjacent to the series of digesters and communicates
with the space between the coil N and the walls of the auxiliary condenser M, so
that any vapors or volatilized constituents which may be eliminated during the
moistening and heating of the wool are condensed and recovered through the valve-
controlled spout or pipe 7.
After the wool has been thoroughly digested in the digesters A, the supply of
hydrocarbon is shut off and all the valves in the pipes connecting therewith are
closed except the steam in the supply, the pipe 5 and the valves in the pipes 8, which
latter communicates with the bottoni of the wool space and the lower end of the
closed flight of coil J of evaporator C. As the evaporation of the hydrocarbon
takes place in the evaporator C, the column of hydrocarbon in the digester A will
fall to natural lines of equilibrium until the entire amount of hydrocarbon which
would naturally flow to the evaporator has been duly evaporated and returned to
the tanks B. Any hydrocarbon which may be still held in contact with the wool
is then vaporized by the heat in the jacket D and escapes through pipe 5, and is
returned to the condenser tanks B. All the valves are then closed except that in
the steam supply, and the valve in the water branch pipe fis opened, through
which a supply of water which has been previously utilized in the condensers is
admitted upon the body of wool, to thoroughly wash the same. The water supply
is then shut off, and the action of the steam surrounding the jacket D causes this
body of water to be evaporated at a temperature below the boiling point of water,
or production of steam, the valve in pipe 6 being opened so that the heated vapors
containing volatilized products may pass to the auxiliary condenser M to be
condensed, and any valuable products of condensation recovered through the exit
pipe or drip 7. This process of drying wool after it has been washed, by contact
with the water, is believed to be a valuable and novel step in the treatment of
wool, and analogous to the water smoking process in the manufacture of bricks
because the moist vapors generated by the surrounding heat keep the exterior
surfaces of the wool fibres moist and hot enough to permit and cause the moisture
contained within the core or center to travel toward and escape from the surface,
and consequently the wool is left in an absolutely dry condition, and with no pent
up or confined moisture in the core, as would be the case if the wool were dried as
has heretofore been suggested, by blowing hot air through the mass, which process
tends to make a dry crust or envelope on the exterior surface of the fibre, and thus
imprison the moisture existing within the center or core.
After the wool has thus been thoroughly dried, the cap or cover is removed from
the digesters A and the contents are removed in any suitable manner, and will be
found in perfect condition for manufacturing purposes.
As the apparatus is composed of a series of devices, it is apparent that while one
or more of the wool digesters are being loaded or unloaded, the digesting,
evaporating and condensing may be going on in another series, and the operation
thus made continuous and unbroken.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is-
1. The process herein-described of treating wool, which consists in subjecting the
wool in a moist condition to the action of heat within a closed vessel to liberate the
volatile constituents and then condensing and recovering the volatile constituents,
substantially as described.
2. The process herein-described for treating wool, which consists, first, in

page_text: subjecting the wool in a softened condition is a closed vessel to the indirect action.
of heat to moisten and partially liberate the suint and other fatty matters, and.
recovering the volatilized products; second in saturating the wool with a hydro-
carbon or other suitable solvent to collect and husband the suint and other fatty
matters while still subjected to the action of indirect heat, third, subjecting the
hydrocarbon and commingled fatty matters to evaporation, by the action of indirect.
heat, fourth, recovering the fatty matters and condensing for re-use the hydrocarbon
solvent, fifth, washing the wool in a closed vessel, and, finally, drying the wet wool
by the application of indirect heat in the manner described and recovering any
valuable constituents set free by vaporization, substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
3. The process herein-described of drying moistened wool, which consists in
subjecting the same in a closed vessel to the action of indirect heat at a point below
the boiling or steam producing temperature for the purpose of keeping the surface
moist and extracting the moisture from the core or center, and continuing this.
treatment until the entire body is dried, and at the same time conducting away from
and condensing and recovering the products of vaporization, substantially as herein--
before described.
4. In an apparatus for the treatment of wool, a series or battery of digesters A
provided with steam jackets D, a series of solvent tanks B with a continuous.
condensing coil L, a series of evaporators C provided with evaporating coils J, an
auxiliary condenser M with coi! N, a water supply pipe d connecting the coil in the
tanks B and the coil in the auxiliary condenser M, a water pipe e connecting the
coil N and communicating with the wool space of the digesters A, the steam.
pipe 1 communicating by suitable valved connections with the digesters A and
evaporators C, and the vapor pipe O, connecting the digesters and auxiliary
condenser, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
5. The digester A provided with a steam jacket D having constricted fluid
chaunels a and extended bridges b, the diameter of the steam jacket being less than
the diameter of the digester, and the jacket and digester connected in concentric
relation by shoulder rivets c to produce a continuous space for the circulation of
steam, substantially as described.
6. In combination with the digester A and jacket D formed with constricted
channels a and bridges b; the cover or cap H, formed or provided with the
depending grated disc I, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. In combination with the digesters A, solvent tanks B and vapor conduit O, an
intermediate condenser M between the solvent tanks B and digesters A, and water
supply pipes d, e, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 30th day of January 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents..