IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL OR GARMENTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS
ENT to Frederick Luke Stott, of Rochdale, Mechanic,
Thomas Belward, of the City of Manchester, Joiner, and James Findlow,
of the same Place, Joiner, all in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL OR
GARMENTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF TEXTILE FABRICS."
Sealed the 28th November 1856, and dated the 30th May 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Luke Stott;
Thomas Belward, and James Findlow at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th May 1850.
We, FREDERICK LUKE STOTT, of Rochdale, Mechanic, THOMAS BELWARD, of
the City of Manchester, Joiner, and JAMES FINDLOW, of the same Place, Joiner,
all in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL OR
GARMENTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF TEXTILE FABRICS," to be as follows:-
It consists of a steam-tight vessel of cylindrical or other suitable form,
which encloses a drum or frame capable of rotating on pivots or axes that rest
in suitable bearings formed in or attached to the steam-tight vessel, one of the
axes passing to the exterior of the steam-tight vessel through a stuffing box.
The axes of the rotating drum or frame is placed in an horizontal position,
and it is constructed with perforations or passages, so that steam and water, or

page_text: the washing mixture employed, may freely pass to and from it. Articles to
be washed are introduced into the interior of the rotating drum or frame
through a door or opening formed in it, and one formed in the steam-tight
vessel, which doors or openings are placed in positions corresponding to each
other. These doors or openings are closed and secured when the articles to be
washed have been put in the drum or frame. The interior of the drum or
frame is provided with ribs across it, so that when rotated it will carry round
with it the articles placed in it, or carry them from the lower to the upper part,
so that they may turn over and fall to the lower part.
The water, liquid, or mixture employed in washing may be introduced into
the steam-tight vessel through pipes or passages provided with suitable cocks
or valves, or through the door made for introducing into the drum or frame
the articles to be operated upon. The steam is supplied to the steam-tight
vessel by pipes provided with a suitable stop-cock, and it is distributed in the
interior of the vessel by a pipe having small perforations. The water or liquid
is drained or drawn off from the steam-tight vessel by a suitable cock or valve
placed at the lowest part of it. As a security against undue pressure, the
steam-tight vessel may be provided with a safety valve or syphon pipe. The
drum or frame may be rotated, cither by hand or power, by securing pulleys, or
a winch handle, on the axis projecting through the stuffing box. The steam
used may be supplied from any ordinary steam generator.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward, and James Findlow
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
LUKE STOTT, of Rochdale, Mechanic, THOMAS BELWARD, of the City of Man-
chester, Joiner, and JAMES FINDLOW, of the same Place, Joiner, all in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward, and James Findlow, Her especial
license that we, the said Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward, and James
Findlow, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,

page_text: the said Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward, and James Findlow, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL OR GARMENTS, AND OTHER ARTICLES MADE OF
TEXTILE FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward, and James Findlow, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward,
and James Findlow, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings
(that is to say)
Our Invention consists of a steam-tight vessel of cylindrical or other suitable
form, which encloses a drum or frame capable of rotating on pivots or axes
that rest in suitable bearings formed in or attached to the steam-tight vessel,
one of the axes (at least) passing to the exterior of the steam-tight vessel
through a stuffing box or other steam-tight bearing. The axis of the rotating
drum or frame is placed in an horizontal position, and it is constructed with
perforations or passages, so that the steam and water, or the washing mixture
employed, may freely pass to and from it. Articles to be washed are introduced
into the interior of the rotating drum or frame through a door or opening.
formed in it, and ono formed in the steam-tight vessel, which doors or
openings are placed in positions corresponding to cach other. These doors or
openings are closed and secured when the articles to be washed have been put
in the drum or frame. The interior of the drum or frame is provided with ribs
across it, so that when rotated it will carry round with it the articles placed in
it, or carry them from the lower to the upper part, so that they may turn over.
and fall to the lower part of it.
The water, liquid, or mixture employed in washing may be introduced into.
the steam-tight vessel through pipes or passages provided with suitable cocks.
or valves, or through the door male for introducing into the drum or frame,
the articles to be operated upon. The steam is supplied to. the steam-tight

page_text: vessel by pipes provided with a suitable stop cock, and it is distributed in the
interior of the vessel by a pipe or by pipes having small perforations. The
water or liquid is drained or drawn off from the steam-tight vessel by a suitable
cock or valve placed at the lowest part of it; and, as a security against undue
pressure, the steam-tight vessel may be provided with a safety valve or sypon
pipe. The drum or frame may be rotated, either by hand or power for securing
a winch handle or pulleys on the axis projecting through the stuffing box or
steam-tight bearing. The steam used may be supplied from any ordinary
steam generator.
The Sheet of Drawing annexed hereto represents four views of a machine
or apparatus constructed according to our Invention. Fig. 1 and 2 are
sectional elevations of the machine, one view taken at a right angle to the
other; and Fig. 3 and 4 arc, respectively, a front and side elevation.
a is the iron frame of the machine; it embraces within it the lower part of
the steam-tight vessel b, which is made of wood, as shown; the upper half has
two iron hoops (c) secured to it, by which it is screwed down tight upon the
lower half by bolts in the framing. is an iron door and frame; it is fixed by
bolts to the steam-tight vessel b; the door shuts against a packing washer, so
as to make a good joint, being secured tight against it by a hand screw bolt.
Another door may be made in the casing 6 below the axis for machines of
large size, from which the articles operated upon may be more easily removed.
e is a safety valve at the upper part of the vessel b; f is a cock, or spigot and
faucet, to draw off liquid from the vessel; g is a pet cock, or spigot and faucet,
to enable the user to ascertain when the vessel is sufficiently full, the cock or
spigot and faucet being placed at that level; h is the drum or frame, made of
wood; its periphery is lathed or ribbed, and encircled by a metallic perforated
plate h, which allows the liquid or stream to enter it. ³ are cross ribs
to carry round the articles placed in it when it is rotated; h" are pivots or axes,
attached to four radiating arms, by which they are bolted to the ends of the
drum or frame. The pivots rest in bearings or stuffing boxes on the framing a,
the joints being made sufliciently tight for small machines by a washer h',
having a little hemp packing placed between it and the side of the vessel b.
The drum or frame (h) has a door (not shewn) made in its end opposite the
door d, which door opens inward and may be secured when the articles have
been placed in the drum or frame by a common swivel. h, winch handle, by
which the drum or frame is rotated; k, pipe by which steam is supplied; the
part of it within the vessel has a row of perforations from one end to the other.
Several perforated branch pipes may be employed in large machines.
We have described the machine or apparatus as we construct it, but wo

page_text: desire it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the mode of
construction shewn in the Drawings, and herein-before described, nor to
the material used. Copper may be used, but we prefer to use wood, where
practicable, for economy, and because it does not rust; and in those parts
where iron is used, and which come in contact with the articles operated upon,
we prefer them to be galvanized. When an iron, copper, or other metallic
casing (b) is employed, and the generation of steam in a separate vessel for the
machine is inconvenient, then a fire may be arranged under the lower part of
the casing (as shewn by dotted line, Fig. 1,) to heat and boil the liquid in the
vessel. A gas fire will be convenient for the purpose, which can be instantly
lighted, modified, or put out, as required.
We have now particularly described the nature of our Invention, and the
mode of carrying the same into effect, and claim, as our Invention, machinery
or apparatus (for washing wool or garments, and other articles made of textile
fabrics,) combining a skeleton drum or frame (h) euclosed in a steam-tight
vessel or casing (b), the former capable of rotating in the latter, substantially
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Luke Stott, Thomas Belward,
and James Findlow, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.
FREDERICK LUKE STOTT. (L.S.)
THOMAS BELWARD
JAMES FINDLOW.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)