Improvements in Apparatus for Dyeing Straw Goods and for similar purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb.. 1391-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1391
[Communicated from abroad by EDWARD BAYLIES SEAVER, of 118, South Street,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Dyeing Straw Goods and for similar
purposes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents.
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 an apparatus for dyeing straw goods, which apparatus
may also be employed for performing analogous operations in which material is to
be subjected to the action of surrounding liquors or chemicals, as for example in
bleaching.
As is now generally practised the braided straw is dyed in large masses previous
to being made up into hats and the process of dyeing takes a long time, which is
very objectionable with goods of this kind as it frequently happens that there is a
quick demand for hats of a certain colour but as a considerable amount of time
is required to dye the straw and then make it up into hats, it is often the case that
the goods are not wanted by the time that they are ready and thus considerable loss
to the manufacturer ensues.
Another objection to the method of dyeing the straw before it is made up, is that
it requires that the thread should match the straw in colour, while if it were possible
to dye the hats after being made up the straw and thread might be made to receive
the same colour in the dyeing process..
.
The object of the present invention is to produce an apparatus capable of dyeing
goods in large quantities after being made up into hats or other articles, the process
of dyeing by the improved apparatus requiring but very little expenditure of time,
so that if the uncoloured hats are made up, an order for any given colour may be
supplied within a few hours after it is received.
This obviates the necessity of carrying a large stock of coloured goods which
owing to changes in fashion are likely to go out of demand, and thus cause loss to
the owner.
In the process of dyeing straw heretofore generally practised, the straw is boiled
in the dye liquor in open kettle, and owing to the peculiar character of the enamel
or surface of the straw, the boiling has to be continued for a long time, and in some
cases the straw has to be treated by alkalies, the effect of which has to be
subsequently neutralized, sometimes requiring that during the dyeing process the
material should be repeatedly removed from the kettle so that it becomes cool and
causes precipitation when again acted upon in the kettle, thereby increasing the time
and labour required for properly dyeing the goods and after the dyeing is completed
additional time is required to thoroughly dry the straw before it can be used to
make a satisfactory product.
In accordance with the present invention the straw hats or articles to be dyed,
which may have been previously made up into finished shape are supported on a
suitable carrier and then placed in a closed chamber or vessel capable of standing
a considerable internal pressure, in which vessel the dyeing and subsequent drying
of the straw is carried on and owing to the fact that the vessel is closed, the material
may be retained at a sufficiently high temperature to soften the surface of the straw
and cause it to take the dye without requiring the action of alkalies to effect this
result.
Means are provided for admitting dry steam to the cylinder, or chamber con-
taining the goods to be dyed; subsequently exhausting the air and water of

page_text: the said chamber and then admitting the ury stunne
heating the same; and maintaining ebullition or agitation of the said dye stuff' in
the chamber so that it acts uniformly upon all parts of the goods.
Means are also provided for withdrawing the liquor from the chamber and then
drying the dyed material while still in the chamber by causing hot air to flow
through the same or by permitting cool compressed air to expand around the same.
Apparatus has been devised for subjecting fibrous materials such as threads,
yarns, woven fabrics, etc., to the action of bleaching or dyeing agents, or other liquids
or gases in a closed tight chamber under pressure, but with such apparatus the
liquids were caused to circulate into and out from the chamber and were forced
through and through the materials to be treated, an operation which could not be
employed to dye the materials for which the apparatus forming the subject of the
present invention was devised, the main feature of which consists in the means
hereinafter described, for maintaining agitation or ebullition of the dye liquor
without producing bodily movement thereof into and out from the chamber and
through the material to be dyed contained therein.
In other words I imitate the action of the open kettle boiling process in so far as
that the dye liquor, while continually in ebullition or agitation, is at all times con-
tained in the kettle or vessel, and does not circulate in through, and out from the
same this action being one most advantageous and efficient in producing regularity
of colour and work; but whereas, in the open kettle boiling process the pressure can
never exceed that of the atmosphere, and the heat can never exceed 212°, with the
result of making the dyeing operation a tedious, prolonged and expensive one, by my
improvement that pressure can be, and is, greatly enhanced, as is also the heat, so that
the boiling takes place under a pressure of many atmospheres and a greatly
increased temperature, thus greatly reducing the time required for the dyeing
operation and obtaining important advantages in other respects-as for example the
increased heat and pressure serve to soften the enamel on the straw without making
necessary the use for that purpose of alkalies which must be used in the open kettle
boiling process, but which are detrimental to the proper action of certain dyes, such
as aniline dyes.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of an apparatus for dyeing embodying
this invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional and diagram view illustrating the operative relations of the
several parts of the apparatus and the passages for the various fluids employed in
the apparatus.
Fig. 3 a plan view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 an enlarged detail illustrating the construction of the frame or support
upon which the goods to be dyed are held while undergoing the dyeing process.
Fig. 5 a modification of the means for supporting the material to be dyed, and
Fig. 6 a detail to be referred to.
Fig. 7 represents a vertical section showing an improvement.
The various operations on the material to be dyed take place in a chamber a
shown as cylindrical in shape, which in practice may be five or six feet in length
and diameter so as to contain a large quantity of the material to be dyed.
In a working apparatus there are preferably two or more of the cylinders a, as
represented in Fig. 1, used in connection with the other parts of the apparatus so
that one operation may be going on in one, while another operation is going on in
another cylinder.
For example, while the material is being subjected to the action of the dyeing
liquor in one cylinder, the material already dyed in the other cylinder may be dried,
removed, the cylinder again filled, and the material prepared for receiving the dye
liquor, during which time the material in the first cylinder will have been thoroughly
dyed and ready for the drying and removal and restocking of the said cylinder,
while the dyeing operation is going on in the other one, and so on.
The cylinders a are provided with covers a² so arranged that they can be con-
veniently operated for opening and closing the cylinders.

page_text: As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 each cylinder has near its top an enlargement
receive the cover a which seats from below against an overhanging flange as against
which it may be pressed by suitable cams or eccentrics a' operated from outside the
cylinder as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3.
When the cylinder is under pressure the said pressure will tend to keep the
cover a tightly seated upon the under side of the flange a between which and the
edge of the cover a suitable gasket or packing may be interposed.
Each cylinder near its top communicates with a lateral recess a into which the
cover may be moved when it is desired to open the cylinder, the covers being shown
in this instance as each provided with a rack a' at its under surface which comes
into engagement with a pinion as when the cover is lowered by turning down the
eccentrics a².
The pinions as are operated by hand wheels a' see Fig. 3, in convenient position,
and by rotating said hand wheels the cover may be moved laterally into the
recess a leaving the tops of the cylinders open and unobstructed as shown at the
left hand of Fig. 1.
The racks of the two covers are slightly offset with relation to one another
as shown in Fig. 3, (in which their position is represented in dotted lines,) so
as to economize space, the rack of the left hand cover passing by the pinion
that operates the right hand cover as shown in Fig. 1.
The two recesses a are completely cut off from one another as shown in Fig. 1,
so as to prevent communication between the two cylinders.
When the cylinder is open the cage or frame b, see Fig. 1, upon which the
material to be dyed is supported is lowered into the cylinder, a suitable crane or
hoisting apparatus being provided for facilitating this operation when required.
The said frame consists of a central stem & on which are supported foraminous
shelves provided at their middle with socket pieces capable of longitudinal move-
ment on the stem and provided with set screws by which they are made fast
when placed at the proper height, (see Fig. 4).
For certain kinds of material it is desirable to leave a small space, an inch or
two for example, between the consecutive pairs of shelves so as to afford a body of
the dyeing liquor unobstructed by the material to be dyed at various levels in the
dyeing chamber a.
In this way I avoid danger of channeling the goods, or making passages through
them, which is apt to occur when the liquor is forced through goods placed in
layers directly one upon the other. The clear spaces between the layers afford a
place where the liquor after passing one layer can gather, and then exert an even
action upon the next layer.
In filling the cage or support 6 the lowermost shelf will have the articles to be
dyed placed upon it as close as possible to one another, after which the next shelf
is lowered down to just engage the upper part of said articles so as to prevent them
from being displaced by the agitation of the liquor, and in some cases the articles
may be placed immediately upon the next shelf, and so on, but in other cases the
articles may be placed on every alternate shelf with the space intervening between
the shelf that rests on the top of the articles below and the next shelf above that
supports articles upon it, as has just been stated.
In packing the articles to be dyed they are commonly nested one within the
other to form long columns which may be coiled up spirally upon the shelves of the
supporting frame as shown at the lowermost shelf in Fig. 1, although it may
occasionally be necessary or desirable to set the articles side by side on the shelves
as indicated at 3, Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents the construction in which spaces are to be left in the cylinder
between the horizontal rows or layers of the material to be dyed, in which case two
of the shelves having such space between them may be connected with a single
sleeve or thimble which is adjusted on the stem 6 so that the lower shelf just
engages the top of the material supported on the next shelf below to prevent the
same from rising or becoming displaced by the agitation of the liquid.

page_text: For some kinds of goods, especially those which are kept in shape by size, it
may be necessary to provide supports for each hat or article, to keep the same
in shape while being operated upon in the cylinder, such support being made of
soft wire which can be bent to sustain the hat or other article being operated
upon.
The chamber a is provided with a steam inlet pipe c by which steam may be
taken from a boiler d and admitted to the interior of the said chamber.
The pipes and passages communicating with the chamber a are best seen in
Fig. 2. The steam pipe c is controlled by a stop valve. The chamber a also
communicates by a pipe e with the exhaust chamber from which air may be
exhausted by a pump or other suitable exhausting device, and if desired the
same pump may be employed to compress air into a compressed air receiver g at
any suitable point, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The pipe e
is controlled by a stop valve e² and as both pipes c and e communicate with the
chamber a through a common inlet entering at the lower end of the chamber, one
of said valves c² or e² will commonly have to be closed before the other is opened.
The passage entering the lower end of the chamber is also extended so as to form
the outlet or drain pipe controlled by a valve h³.
At some suitable position at a higher level than the chamber a is placed a
preparing chamber 4, in which the various liquors required for dyeing, such as
mordants, dyes, raising or saddening liquors are prepared, such chamber h, being
filled with water and being provided with a steam inlet pipe 20, controlled by
valves, 31, see Fig. 2, so that steam may be admitted to raise the liquid
to the boiling temperature or above the usual boiling point if required, as the
said vessel is closed so that it can withstand an internal pressure.
i
In order to introduce dye stuff into the chamber 10 without reducing the pressure
of said chamber and also to insure the proper solution or distribution of the dye in
the liquid, the chamber is provided with the following mechanism for introducing
the dye stuff best shown in Fig. 6. The chamber is provided with an inlet pipe or
passage having two valves or gates, at a sufficient distance apart to provide a
chamber or space between them in said pipe of sufficient size to receive a cage or
basket which may be of wire netting and may contain the dye stuff. The said
cage is connected with a cord or chain, wound upon a pulley operated by a
handle at the outside of the chamber so that the cage may be raised or
lowered by turning the said handle. The stem connecting the pulley and
handle works in a stuffing box and is longitudinally movable so that the
pulley may be withdrawn laterally from the port of the pipe to permit the
cage to pass it.
When the dye stuff is to be introduced the valve is closed and the valve ³
opened and the dye stuff placed in the basket which may be withdrawn from the
pipe to receive the dye stuff if required, and is then lowered into the chamber or
space in the pipe i between the valves and . The valve is then closed and
the valve opened and the basket is then lowered, by turning the handle, into
the liquid where it remains suspended until the dye stuff is all dissolved or taken
up by the liquid. These appliances prevent the dye stuff from settling to the
bottom of the chamber 10, as might happen if the dye stuff were merely permitted
to drop by gravity.
In working the apparatus thus far described, the materials to be dyed, after
having been suitably packed or loaded upon the cage are introduced into the
chamber a the cover of which is then closed, and steam is then admitted through
the pipe c to the chamber all other passages leading to and from the said chamber
being closed by their respective valves.
Dry steam is then caused to permeate through the material to be dyed at a
sufficiently high temperature to soften the enamel or surface of the straw and
prepare it to receive the dye. The heat of the steam expands the air in the straw
and expels it therefrom. The steam is then cut off by closing the valve c² and the
chamber placed in communication with the exhaust by opening the valve e² when

page_text: any water of condensation which may have formed will pass out from said chamber
together with the steam and air contained therein, so that a nearly perfect vacuum
is formed in the chamber.
The expulsion of the air from the straw and subsequent withdrawal of the air
from the chamber leaves the meshes of the straw ready to receive and draw in the
dye liquor when introduced into the chamber so that the latter will act upon all
parts of the surface of the straw and colour the same between overlying portions or
layers of the braid so that in the subsequent shaping of the hat by pulling and
shaping over blocks, there is no danger of exposing any undyed portion.
The valve e is then closed and the dye liquor which has been previously prepared
in the reservoir 10, by introducing a sufficient. portion of the colouring matter into a
body of water in said chamber, and heating the same by admission of steam
through the pipe 20, may be permitted to flow by gravity through the pipe 140
controlled by the valves into the chamber a.
With some dye liquors it will be necessary or desirable to introduce the dye
liquor to the chamber a with great rapidity in order that its effect may be uniform
on the materials contained in the said chamber, and for this purpose the introduction
of the liquor from the chamber 10 into the chamber a may be accelerated by steam
pressure which may be introduced to the upper part of the chamber 4 through the
steam pipe 50, controlled by the valve
The liquor is thus introduced into the chamber a so as to act directly on the
material to be dyed, but it is necessary in most cases for efficient action that.
the liquor should be agitated, as otherwise the colouring material is likely to settle
upon the material to be dyed, or into the bottom of the chamber instead of being
applied uniformly over the material.
In order to effect such agitation of the liquor in the chamber, so as to have a
similar effect to that of boiling in an open kettle, with the advantage that the action
can be carried on at a much higher temperature and pressure, owing to the fact that.
the chamber a is confined and may be subjected to a greater pressure than the
atmospheric pressure, the following means are provided for effecting such agitation
of the liquid.
It may however, first be necessary to admit more steam from the boiler directly
into the mass of the liquor in order to raise the same to substantially the temperature
of the water in the steam generator which may be done by admitting more steam
through the pipe c.
When, however, the steam has brought the liquor to substantially the same tem-.
perature as that in the steam generator, there would be no further agitation of the
liquor, and in order to provide for such agitation the upper portion of the chamber a
is provided with a passage k communicating with a suitable condenser shown as a.
coil contained in a chamber m into the lower portion of which cold water is
admitted through the pipe m², said cold water surrounding the pipe k² and
condensing any steam which may pass into the said pipe through the pipe k from
the chamber .
The passage kis provided with a pressure valve which may be similar to an
ordinary safety valve and operate to maintain any desired pressure in the pipe k
below it, and in the chamber a, but is opened when the pressure increases above the
point for which the valve is set, and permits the steam to pass out through the valve
and into the condenser coil k*.
The water that condenses in the pipe is led through a pipe to an injector n
which may be of any suitable or usual construction and which is set in operation
by admitting steam through the pipe to said injector.
An overflow is provided at n which may be opened in order to start the operation
of the injector and a check valve is provided at between the injector and the
inlet to the chamber a.
After the operation of the injector is started, the overflow passage n² is closed by
a suitable stop cock n' and the combined jet of steam and condensed water passes.
on through the check valve n³ into the chamber a thus agitating the liquor therein,.

page_text: while a sufficient portion of steam forms in the upper part of said chamber and is
conveyed therefrom to the condenser to keep up the operation, it being
understood that when the operation begins the liquor does not quite fill the
chamber a.
By this means a continued agitation of ebullition of the liquid is maintained in
the chamber u, without bodily movement or flow of the liquid, and the dye becomes
very rapidly applied to the material to be dyed, owing to the high temperature and
pressure at which the operation takes place, and in practice it is necessary to
maintain this operation for a period varying for a few minutes to two or three hours
instead of for many hours or even a day, as is necessary in the operation of dyeing
as heretofore generally practised.
h
After this operation has been carried on for a sufficient length of time, steam is
shut off from the injector, and the discharge passage is opened permitting the
liquor that has been used to flow out from the chamber a after which it is only
necessary to dry the material that has been dyed to make the material ready for use.
This drying operation is preferably performed while the material still remains in
the chamber a, by means of the following appliances.
The water in the chamber m becomes heated in condensing the steam in the pipe k
and is permitted to escape from the upper part of the chamber m through a pipe o
which passes in the form of a coil through a chamber o³, into which compressed air
is admitted from the compressed air chamber g or directly from the compressor if
desired. The water in flowing through the pipe o thus tends to heat the compressed
air in the chamber o² which may be further heated by other means if desired, and
in order to dry the material in the chamber a the said compressed air is admitted
through a pipe p controlled by a valve into the upper portion of the said
chamber through which it passes downward escaping through a suitable pressure or
safety valve which thus causes the pressure to be maintained in the chamber a so
that the air penetrates and acts upon all parts of the straw, the said air rapidly
absorbing the moisture from the material that has been dyed so that it is quickly
dried, and it is then ready for removal from the chamber which can be immediately
used to dye another lot.
The air becomes cool and laden with moisture in acting on the wet straw, and
the cool, moist air naturally passes to the bottom of the chamber and escapes
through the valve r as it is displaced by the dry air entering at the top of the
chamber through the pipe p.
In some cases it may be objectionable to subject the goods to dry heat, and in
such cases they may be dried by the action of cool compressed air which may be
admitted from the chamber g through the branch pipe 20 controlled by a suitable
valve, or when necessary the said air may be cooled after being compressed.
During the time the compressed air from the chamber is being admitted into
the dye chamber, the action of the compressor-pump is of course suspended.
For drying by cool air, the outlet pipe / may be partly open so as to permit the
air to escape more freely, thus giving it an opportunity to expand in the chamber a
and thereby take up the moisture from the straw.
The dye preparing chamber 10, is preferably provided with a gauge shown as a
float 10, the stem of which passes through a suitably packed opening in the said
chamber and by its position indicates the height of the liquor in the reservoir.
By this means it is possible to determine the proportions of the various materials
very accurately, the material to be dyed being weighed if necessary while upon the
frame or cage, the amount of liquid in the chamber 410, being measured
accurately so that there need be no waste of the dyeing material, which may be
prepared in capsules or small packages properly proportioned for definite amounts
of liquid and material to be dyed.
'
The said capsules may be coated with paraffin or other material that will protect
the colouring matter in handling but will melt or dissolve when the capsule is lowered
into the liquor in the chamber a and as the said liquor is properly heated the said
. colouring matter will diffuse itself throughout the liquor.

page_text: It may be necessary or desirable at times to maintain an artificial ebullition or
agitation in the preparing chamber 10, in order that the dye stuff may be properly
distributed in the liquor, and the latter brought to a higher temperature than it
otherwise could.
This result may be effected by substantially the same means as are employed in
connection with the chamber a there being a branch pipe h", leading from the
injector n to the lower portion of the chamber 40, the said pipe containing a check
valve, and stop valve, and the vapour is permitted to escape from the upper
part of the chamber through the pipe 40, which for this purpose communicates with
a branch, controlled by a stop valve, and pressure valve, with the condenser
coil, it being understood that the stop valve h¹ is closed while this operation is
going on.
As the vapour escapes from the chamber a at a high temperature and pressure it
may in some cases be employed to effect the ebullition in the chamber ho.
For this purpose a stop valve 1, in the pipe k leading from the chamber a to the
condenser is closed, and a branch pipe 2, from the outlet of the valve 4, to the
pipe 2, is opened, the valve 3, on the boiler side of said branch in the pipe h2,
being closed and the valve 430, being open.
Thus the vapour which passes out from the upper part of the chamber a would
pass through pipes k, 2, and 20, into the lower part of the chamber 410.
The pipe opening into the upper part of the chamber 10, would have its
valve closed, while the valve , in the pipe 45, leading to the condenser
would be open thus permitting the vapour to pass from the chamber 41º, to the
condenser.
With this mode of operation ebullition would be maintained in the chamber a by
the steam entering from the injector n while the vapour that escaped from the upper
part of the said chamber a would enter the lower part of the chamber, at somewhat
less pressure and the vapour would escape from the upper part of the chamber 10,
and pass to the condenser where it condenses and is returned by the injector n to
the cylinder, a.
The pressure on the valves 20, and 17, would be properly adjusted for this
operation, to maintain the desired pressure in the two chambers.
If it is desired, the same apparatus may be used for sizing the articles after they
have been dried, the sizing material being prepared in a suitable reservoir above
the level of the chamber a and caused to flow into the chamber in the same manner
as the dyeing materials, and then the surplus size may be drawn off and the articles
dried to the proper temper for the subsequent blocking or shaping.
It is frequently necessary in the process of dyeing to subject the material to the
action of different liquids.
In the process heretofore commonly practised, in dyeing braided straw goods,
this necessitates the removal of the material from the kettle or receptacle in which
it is exposed to the action of one liquid, and the loosening or opening up of said
material, which may have become matted during the previous boiling, so that
the next liquid to which it is exposed may have access to all parts of the
material.
In the apparatus forming the subject of the present invention, however, the
materials to be treated may be exposed to different agents successively without
being removed from the chamber a, it being merely necessary to draw off the
liquid that has been acting upon the material from the said chamber a, and introduce
the liquid the action of which is next required into the chamber a, from the
preparing receptacle 10, in which the said liquid has been prepared, while the first
liquid is acting upon the materials in the chamber a.
The steam or vapour that passes from the dyeing chamber to the condenser does
not carry the colouring matter with it, and it may sometimes be necessary or
desirable to permit a portion of the condensed liquid to escape instead of carrying
it back into the dyeing chamber.
For example, if the material to be dyed and the liquor used are such as to require

page_text: the ebullition to be maintained for a considerable length of time, the constant
addition of steam delivered through the injector will increase the body of liquid
and thus dilute it and if such increase becomes objectionable in amount, the flow
of steam through the injector may be reduced and the overflow opened, permitting
a portion of the condensed liquid to escape, after which the normal operation of
the injector may be again carried on.
The valves and are called safety valves because they are or may be of the
same construction as an ordinary safety valve, but it is to be understood that their
function is not primarily to protect the chamber a against over pressure but to hold
back as it were, the fluid so as to maintain it under a certain amount of pressure
in the chamber, so that it will tend to enter and permeate all parts of the material
being acted upon, it being understood however, that the pressure of the fluid
entering the chamber is higher than that maintained by the safety valve so that
there is practically a constant admission of fluid to the chamber, and escape of
fluid from the chamber through the said valve while the operation is going on.
It may in some cases be desirable to dye the braid before being made up into
hats, or other articles, in which case the line of braid may be wound spirally and
preferably only a single layer deep upon tubular cores 60, see Fig. 5, of gauze,
perforated plate, or other foraminous material the said tubes being of different size
so that one can be placed within another being supported for example upon a spider
or perforated base piece 4" provided with a rod by which the material can be
lowered into and removed from the chamber a.
The herein described plan of maintaining ebullition or agitation of the liquid
around the material that is being acted upon by the liquid, may be applied
advantageously in some cases when it is not desired to raise the temperature above
the boiling point, or when it is desired to keep the temperature below the normal
boiling point.
For example, it is desirable in bleaching at times to subject the material
thoroughly to the action of liquid without raising the temperature to any great
extent although the effectiveness of the liquor on the material would be increased
if its pressure could be raised, as the liquor would thus more thoroughly penetrate
the insterstices and meshes of the material.
This result can be effected with the herein described apparatus by introducing
air with or without condensed liquor into the chamber a and permitting it to escape
through the pressure valve 20 which may be set to maintain any desired pressure.
To accomplish this result the apparatus may be provided with a pipe extending
from the compressed air chamber to the inlet of the injector n, the pipes and c
being provided with stop valves so that either may be closed when the other
is open.
In this manner air at any desired temperature may be caused to enter the
chamber a under sufficient pressure to maintain an agitation of the liquid therein,
similar to that produced by boiling, the said air passing out through the pipe k and
pressure valve k, the outlet of which may if desired communicate with a pipe ",
opening into the open air but as the air escaping from the chamber a will usually
be heavily laden with moisture it may be desirable to close the pipe k and permit
the air to pass into the condensing coil 2 where the moisture will condense out.
This pipe also serves as a by-passage through which steam in excess of that
required to maintain the proper level of liquid in the chamber a may be discharged
from the apparatus; or, as an equivalent for this purpose, the overflow of the
injector may be used, the opening of the overflow permitting the water of conden-
sation taken by the action of the injector to be discharged at that point instead of
being carried into the chamber a. In this way dilution of the dye liquor can be
prevented and it can be maintained at the proper strength.
The return pipe is provided with a branch pipe extending upward which
may then be opened to permit the air to escape while the liquid flows by gravity
down the pipe 3 and is carried back into the chamber a with the jet of air.
It is obvious that it is not essential that the moisture passing out from the

page_text: chamber a should be condensed and returned either when the apparatus is operated
with air or with steam. In either case the pipe ³ between the pressure valve
and the condenser coil might be closed by a stop valve and the steam or vapour
permitted to escape through the pipe but the preferable plan is to condense the
liquid and return it, as by this means the liquor in the chamber can be retained at
proper strength instead of becoming concentrated as it might if the moisture were
carried off and dispersed.
In Fig. 7 I show an improvement on the apparatus above described designed to
automatically regulate the supply of liquid furnished by the water of condensation
to the dye chamber in such manner as to maintain automatically a practically
constant level of liquid in the chamber and consequently to maintain the dye
liquor at a practically constant strength.
This result I attain by combining with the by-passage or overflow for the surplus
steam or liquid, and the passage leading to the condenser, a float which will rise
and fall with the rise and fall of the level of the liquid in the dye chamber,
and a cock or valve connected to and operated and controlled by the movement
of the float, so as to direct the steam passing from the top of the dye chamber,
either to the condenser or to the by or discharge passage, according as the liquid
in the dye chamber falls below or rises above the predetermined level.
The central stem of the removable supporting frame for the goods within the
chamber a is a tube closed at the bottom and having perforated sides to admit
the dye liquid freely to its interior.
Within the dye chamber is the removable supporting frame for the goods,
consisting of a series of foraminous supporting shelves for the goods, attached
to a central stem d which is a tube closed at the bottom and having perforated
sides to admit the dye liquid freely to its interior.
The removable cover A" of the dye chamber is bolted or otherwise suitably
secured to the top of chamber a, and is provided with eyes e, which fit around
vertical rods 90, attached to the chamber below, and a fixed framing X above,
so as to serve as guides on which the eyes will slide when the cover is lowered
or raised. The lifting and lowering of the cover can be effected by a rope or
chain H attached to it and passing up over pulley X" on the frame X
A weight in the nature of a counterpoise for the cover can be attached to this
chain if desired.
Within the tubular stem is a float G which is preferably a hollow body
of copper or other suitable metal having connected to it a vertical stem G
which extends out through a suitable stuffing box in the cover A", and cau
slide up and down therein. This stem is tubular; it communicates at its lower
end with the interior of the float, and at its upper end is open. One object of
this arrangement is to admit air freely to the interior of the float so as to prevent
the latter from collapsing-as it might otherwise do under certain conlitions.
To the stem G" is attached a cord or chain H which passes up over pulleys yo
on the frame X, and thence down to a lever I which is attached to the stem of
the rotary plug of a cock or valve-the valve case of which is shown at 0.
The case has three ports lettered respectively 11, 92, 93, communicating respectively
with the pipe leading from the pressure valve E to the case, the pipe leading
from the case to the condenser, and the discharge or overflow pipe The plug
has two separate passages 91 93, through it; passage is intended to establish
communication between ports 1, 2, and passage is intended to establish com-
munication between ports 13.
A turn-buckle or some equivalent means is introduced into the chain H for
the purpose of taking up any slight slack in the chain; and the chain itself is
united to the stem G by connection which will permit it to be taken up or let out
according to the height at which the stem should normally stand. To this end the
chain is united to the stem by a cross pin which passes through the stem and
that link of the chain which may meet it. The rest of the chain below the pin
13

page_text: is received and hangs down in the hollow stem, which is quite large enough to
accommodate it.
The arrangement of parts is such that the descent of the float G will lift the
lever [; the latter is provided with a weight I so that when the float rises,
the weight will act to depress the lever. In the position in which the parts are
represented the way is open to the condenser, and the overflow passage is closed.
As soon however as the water of condensation is forced by the injector into the
dye chamber to appreciably and materially raise the level of the liquid therein the
float will rise, and thus will permit the weight I" to depress the lever with the effect
of turning the plug g so as to open the port leading to the overflow and to close
that leading to the condenser. In this way condensation will be stopped, the supply
of water will be exhausted, the steam will discharge into the open air, and con-
sequently the level of the liquid in the dye chamber will fall with the effect of
causing the descent of the float and thereby lifting the lever I and operating the
cock to open the way to the condenser and close the overflow F. In this way a
practically constant level of the liquid in the dye chamber can be automatically
maintained, thus preserving a practically uniform strength of dye liquor.
I prefer to introduce between the condenser m and the injector n a small drum
which receives the water from the condenser and supplies it to the injector. This
drum is provided with a gauge glass 11 to indicate the height of water therein. In
the pipe between the drum and the injector is inserted a check valve m to permit
water to pass to the injector, but to prevent back pressure of steam in the drum.
In practice the dye chamber is of considerable size-say for example a cylindrical
vessel eight feet in diameter and twelve feet high. The quantity of goods put in
the chamber will vary at different times. On one occasion for instance the sup-
porting frame may be filled for one third of its height; on another for one half of
its height and so on. It is of course desirable to use no more dye liquor than is
requisite for the particular quantity of goods to be treated-all that is needed
being sufficient dye liquor to cover the goods allowing for that which is absorbed
by them. In order to determine the amount of liquid to be let into the dye
chamber for any particular lot of goods, I provide the central supporting tube do
with a scale marked off in feet or subdivisions thereof as convenient numbered from
the bottom; and I provide the float stem with a corresponding scale, but numbered
however from the top all as indicated in the drawing. When the float rests on
the bottom of the tube the two scales exactly correspond except of course that the
numbers are reversed. When arranging the goods for the dyeing operation, the
supporting frame of course is hoisted out from the dye chamber and the goods are
placed on the shelves-the operator noting the height to which the goods come on
the scale marked on the tube d-then the frame is lowered into the dye chamber,
the cover A is lowered and made fast-the unmarked end of the stem G pro-
jecting up through the stuffing box in the cover. Then the dye liquor is admitted
into the dye chamber from the preparing chamber and as the level of the liquid in
the dye chamber rises, the float will rise, and its stem G will move up through the
cover, until the number on it, corresponding to the noted number on the tube do is
reached at which time the operator will know that the liquid has reached the level
of the top of the goods; and then additional dye liquor can be introduced sufficient
to cover the goods and to furnish such additional supply as will be absorbed by the
goods during the operation.
As a further means of determining readily the supply of dye liquor, I make the
preparing chamber 410 of precisely the same dimensions internally as the dye
chamber a and I provide it with a float and stem 10 similar to the like parts in the
dye chamber and having a similar scale. Once having ascertained the height to
which the particular goods to be treated come on the scale of their supporting
frame, the operator by the scale on the float stem of the preparing chamber can
readily ascertain when he has introduced into that chamber the quantity of water
required for dye liquor sufficient to treat that lot of goods.

page_text: In conclusion I would state that manifestly various mechanical intermediaries
between the float and the valve or cock can be availed of to cause the latter to be
operated by the rise and fall of the float. What is essential is that there should
be a cock controlling the water supply to the injector, which cock is connected to a
float which rises and falls with the level of the liquid in the dye chamber, and in so
doing operates the cock to regulate the flow of water to the injector according to
the level of the dye liquid.
I do not restrict myself therefore to the particular instrumentalities herein shown.
and described by me for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a dyeing apparatus, the combination with a tight-closed dye chamber,
having an inlet at the bottom and an outlet in the top thereof, of means for injecting
through said inlet, steam or heated air into the body of the dye liquid to keep the
same, in ebullition under pressure in said chamber, and a pressure valve controlling
the outlet for permitting the escape at a predetermined pressure of steam or other
gaseous fluid which may gather in the top of said chamber above the liquor,
whereby the dye liquor in the chamber is kept in continual ebullition or agitation
under pressure but without bodily movement into, through and out of said chamber,
and a condenser communicating on the one hand with the pressure valve, and on
the other hand with the injector, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
set forth.
2. In dyeing apparatus, the combination of a tight-closed dye chamber having an
inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top thereof, means for injecting through
said inlet steam into the body of the dye liquid, a pressure valve controlling the
outlet for permitting the escape of steam, a condenser communicating on the one
hand with the pressure valve and on the other hand with the injector, and a valve
or cock-controlled discharge passage_such_ask” whereby fluid in excess of that
required to maintain the proper level of dye liquor in the dye chamber may be
discharged from the apparatus substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth.
3. A dyeing apparatus comprising in combination with one and the same tight-
closed dye chamber, the preparing chamber and the compressed air reservoir com-
municating through valve or cock-controlled pipes with the upper part of said dye
chamber, the pressure valve controlling an outlet in the top of the dye chamber, the
injector communicating with an inlet in the bottom of the dye chamber, the con-
denser communicating on the one hand with the pressure valve and on the other
hand with the condenser, the exhaust f, and the pressure valve ? connected by a
valve or cock-controlled pipe with the inlet in the bottom of the dye chamber-all
under the arrangement and for operation substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
4. The combination of a preparing chamber provided with an inlet passage of
two valves enclosing a chamber between them in said inlet passage, a foraminous
cage working through said passage and a raising and lowering device for said cage,
substantially as described.
5. The combination of the tight dyeing chamber and the frame or support for the
material to be dyed therein, with an air compressor and ducts for introducing com-
pressed air into the upper part of said chamber and an outlet duct at the lower
part of said chamber provided with a pressure valve, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
6. The dye chamber provided with an overhanging flange around its open end,
and a lateral recess below said flange, combined with the laterally movable cover
working in said recess and adapted to seat against the under side of said flange to
close the cylinder. substantially as described.

page_text: 7. The dye cylinder provided with an overhanging flange combined with the
laterally movable cover working in the said recess and adapted to seat against the
under side of the said flange to close the cylinder, and cams provided with operating
handles outside the cylinder, for seating and unseating the cover, substantially as
described.
8. The dye cylinder provided with an overhanging flange around its end
open
and a lateral recess below the said flange combined with the laterally movable cover
working in the said recess and adapted to seat against the under side of said flange
to close the cylinder, and a rack and pinion for moving the said cover laterally into
and out from the said recess, substantially as described.
9. A supporting frame for goods to be dyed, comprising a central stem and
foraminous shelves between which the goods to be dyed are placed, each pair of
shelves between which goods are placed being separated from adjoining pairs by
clear spaces to afford an unobstructed body of dyeing liquor at various levels in the
dyeing chamber, and between the several layers of goods, substantially as and for
the purposes herein before set forth.
10. The combination in dyeing apparatus of the tight dye chamber, provided at
bottom with a steam inlet, and at the top with a steam outlet; the pressure valve
controlling the steam outlet; the injector; the water supply pipe connected to the
injector; the cock for regulating the flow of water to the injector; the float con-
tained in the dye chamber adapted to rise and fall with the level of the liquid in
said chamber, and provided with a stem projecting through the top of said chamber;
and adjustable connections between said float stem and cock whereby as the float
rises and falls the cock will be operated to cut-off or open, as the case may be, the
water supply to the injector, and thus preserve a substantially constant strength of
dye liquid in the dye chamber, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
set forth.
11. In dyeing apparatus the combination of the dye chamber provided with
steam inlet below and steam outlet above, the pressure valve controlling said outlet,
the injector, the condenser, the overflow or discharge passage, the cock whereby the
steam outlet from the dye chamber is put in communication either with the said
discharge or with the condenser, and the float connected to and adapted to operate
and control said cock-the combination being and acting substantially as herein-
before set forth.
Dated this 10th day of February 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.