Improvements in Machinery for Drying Rags and other Materials or Fibrous Substances.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th May, 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Drying Rags and other Materials or
Fibrous Substances.
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of Whitelee, Batley, in the County of York, Flock
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in a new arrangement and combination of mechanism for
drying rags, flocks and other materials or fibrous substances.
In constructing a machine according to my invention I arrange an inclined
perforated bed or floor supported by suitable framework. Upon this inclined bed
or floor are a series of parallel bars having a slow reciprocatory motion imparted to
them by levers and rods or other suitable mechanism. These reciprocating bars
are all provided with hooks or notches projecting on their upper sides and preferably
each notch is arranged to be opposite the space of its adjoining bar. The flocks or
other material to be dried are placed upon these reciprocating bars which in their
forward or advancing movement carry the flocks forward, but on their return
motion they do not bring the flocks back with them as the hooks on the bars ride
underneath the flocks. When the flocks arrive at the bottom of the inclined bed
or floor they drop onto another set of reciprocating forked bars which are resting
upon an inclined perforated bed or floor, but in this case the inclination of the bed
or floor is reversed to the top one so that the flocks are pushed forward to the
feeding end of the machine where they fall onto the ground or into a receptacle
placed to receive them.
In order to accelerate the drying of the flocks, steam pipes are arranged in close
proximity to the upper and lower sets of reciprocating bars and an exhaust fan is
employed which is in communication with an orifice in the side of the machine in a
position between the two inclined beds, such exhaust fan drawing air through the
flocks and through the perforated beds upon which the reciprocating bars rest, the
air being heated by contact with the heated pipes and steam boxes at each end of
the pipes. These steam pipes have peculiar shaped flanges and they are made of
the shape required so as to get the steam pipes close together.
In order to ensure that all the air which the exhaust fan draws through the
machine shall pass over the steam pipes I cover up the openings in the end of the
machine with flaps of felt or other suitable material.
By the use of a machine such as herein described flocks or fibrous materials after
being fed to the machine will be carried forwards self-actingly until they drop onto
the floor, thoroughly dried and in a light and lofty condition to handle.
Dated this 9th day of August 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Drying Rags and other Materials or
Fibrous Substances.
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of Whitelee, Batley, in the County of York, Flock
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 consists in a new arrangement and combination of mechanism for
drying rags, flocks and other materials or fibrous substances.

page_text: To describe more fully my improved apparatus I will make reference to the
accompanying sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is sectional
elevation of certain portions of my improved machine and Fig. 2 is plan view of same.
A represents sheet iron framework which encloses the apparatus. B and C repre-
sent two perforated inclined floors or beds, but there may be more than two if
thought desirable. These perforated floors B and C are inclined in opposite
directions as shewn in Fig. 1 and there are resting upon the said floors a series of
reciprocating hooked bars D the hooks of each bar being arranged to be opposite
the space of their adjoining bars. The hooked bars are made to move backward
and forward on their perforated bed by means of lever E which by connecting
rods F, G, are attached to cross bars H, I, to which the hooked bars are attached,
so that on the said hooked bars being made to move forward the rags thereon are
carried along with them, but as the hooked bars return they do not bring the rage
back with them as the hooks on the bars ride underneath the rags. The rags to be
dried are fed into the machine at J and when they arrive at the bottom of the
upper inclined bed B they drop onto the second inclined bed C but in this case the
inclination of the bed is reversed to the top one so that the rags are pushed
forward to the feeding end of the machine where they fall onto the ground or onto
a receptacle placed to receive them. The shaft L of the lever E is made to rock
by crank M and rod N operated by any well known form of mechanism. In order
to accelerate the drying of the rags, steam pipes O are arranged in close proximity
to the upper and lower sets of reciprocating bars, and an exhaust fan is employed
in communication with the orifice P formed in the casing of the machine in a
position between the two inclined beds, such exhaust fan drawing hot air through
the rags and through the perforated beds, the air being heated by contact with the
heated pipes O and steam boxes Q arranged at each end of the said pipes. These
steam pipes O have peculiar shaped flanges at a and they are made of this shape so.
as to permit the steam pipes to be placed close together. Hot air to be conducted
to the machine, in addition to the heat given off by the steam pipes O is produced
or generated in a furnace shewn in Figs: 3 and 4 the former being a cross section
and the latter also a cross section taken through the line b and c in Fig. 3. R is a
furnace of ordinary construction and there are arranged above it a series of pipes S
so that atmospheric air entering at d becomes highly heated and enters into the
hot air chamber T which by pipes U in Fig. I are connected to the machine. In
order to obtain a larger quantity of hot air I arrange a series of pairs of sheet iron
plates V the tops and bottoms of which are bent and rivetted as shewn at e and
between each pair of these rivetted sheets there are vertical pipes or spaces W BO
that as the heat and gases from the furnace impinge against these spaces and
rivetted plates, cold atmospheric air entering between the rivetted plates becomes
-highly heated before entering the hot air chamber T. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view
of the top of the rivetted plates V and Fig. 6 is a plan view of same. If the furnace
has a very quick draught I place the rivetted plates V at an angle so as to prevent
the too rapid ascent of the gases from the furnace._
It must be clearly understood that the apparatus is enclosed in sheet metal
casing. The plate X in Fig. 1 not only prevents the admission of cold air but
guides the rags in dropping from the upper to the lower bed. I have also fixed a
plate Y at the exit end of the machine. The space under this plate becomes
charged with rags so that they do not leave the machine too easily. By the use of
a machine such as that herein described and shewn in the drawings, rags, flocks or
other fibrous materials after being fed into the machine will be carried forward
slowly and self-actingly until they drop onto the floor and through the medium of
the hot air they will be dried and found in a light and lofty condition to handle.
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 :-
Firstly. In a machine for drying rags and other fibrous materials having

page_text: perforated floors, the combination therewith of reciprocating hooked bars, as shewn.
and described herein.
Secondly. In a machine for drying rags and other fibrous materials having
perforated floors and reciprocating hooked bars, the combination therewith of steam
pipes O with or without steam boxes A.
Thirdly. In a machine for drying rags and other fibrous substances having
perforated floors and reciprocating hooked bars, the combination therewith of a
furnace for heating hot air to be conveyed to the machine.
Fourthly. In a machine for drying rags and other fibrous substances having
perforated floors and reciprocating hooked bars, the combination therewith of an
exhaust fan to draw hot air through the machine.
Fifthly. The improved form of flauge as shewn at a when used for purposes set.
forth and herein shewn.
Dated this Oth der of M 1904
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.