and other Materials and Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: and other Materials and Apparatus Employed therefor.
°
We CHARLES DRATZ, and HENRI DRATZ, of 37 Rue Philippe le Bon Brussels, in
the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to a certain improved process of impregnating with
colours and their mordants, textile materials, whether woven spun or in fibre as
well as other materials such as wood, leather, paper etc., with the object of dyeing
or colouring said materials and producing various effects thereon. The invention
consists in the method of effecting this impregnation and also in the apparatus
employed for the purpose.
The improved process for effecting the impregnation of the matters consists in
applying the liquid dye or colouring agent in the form of spray with the aid of
steam either by causing a steam jet to carry the said colouring agent, or by suction,
compression, or other means forcing the colouring agent against a steam jet, so
as to atomize it and impregnate the fabric or material to be dyed therewith.
The pressure of the steam employed should be sufficient to enable the colour to
penetrate the thickest fabrics, or even several fabrics stretched one upon the other.
It is necessary that each colour be applied separately upon that part of the surface
to be dyed which is to receive that particular colour, and this is effected with the aid
of stencil plates or open work patterns.
Previous to applying the process it is first necessary to divide up or analyse the
design or picture to be reproduced in colour upon the fabric or material into a
number of maps, each of which will represent accurately the shape or configuration
of each separate part or patch of colour. To this end as in chromolithography
tracings are made of the separate parts or patches of colour and transferred by
suitable processes to stencil plates of zinc or suitable material and thus a series of
stencils is obtained each representing one of the colours of which the picture is
composed; or in some cases the pattern sheets may be formed of open work fabrics
rendered impervious and suitable for the purpose by any suitable means such as
electro-metallurgy, or by impregnation with albumen, gum, gelatine, or other
suitable substances, or starch rendered insoluble by bichromate of potash.

page_text: The said stencil plates may be placed flat on the material one for each colour
required, or an open pattern sheet may be arranged so as to form a cylinder, or
otherwise so disposed and arranged in regard to the material to be impregnated that
either one or the other or both may be caused to travel over each other, so that the
said stencils will simultaneously and each in its turn allow the required colour to
impregnate the fabric at the proper place, great care being in all cases observed in the
accurate registration of the parts.
The mode of operation varies according to the kind of work to be executed and
the process may be intermittent, that is, the stencils being changed for each colour
and the work removed for drying after each impregnation, or it may be continuous
by means of endless band arrangements. Rollers covered with felt or equivalent
means are employed for absorbing any excess of colour, and means are provided
for washing and cleansing these at intervals during the continuous process.
The stencils or open work patterns being arranged and fixed, steam may be turned
on, which will cause the liquid colouring agent to be forcibly projected against the
stencils, impregnating such parts of the fabric as are presented at and through the
openings thereof.
The apparatus for impregnating consists of injectors or atomizers which in a simple
case may mainly consist of a steam pipe and nozzle adapted to play upon the fabric
or material, and having a branch colour-supply- pipe extending into the colour
reservoir after the manner of an ordinary steam injector. When steam is turned on
the colour is projected along with the steam in the form of a spray as
described.
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A convenient mode of applying the atomizer to a pattern cylinder is to make its
shaft hollow and suspend the colour reservoir therefrom. Steam when admitted to
the atomizer through the hollow shaft will draw up the colouring agent and then
project it as described, and any desired number of such atomizers may be employed.
When it is desired to bring the colouring agent under the direct action of the
steam and so increase its temperature and the force of injection, another form of
impregnator may consist of a closed reservoir divided if desired into any desired
number of compartments each holding different coloured agents. In connection with
each chamber a steam pipe is arranged having atomizing nozzles; within: the said
steam pipe is a pipe for the colouring agent connected with the colour reservoir or
its compartments and having orifices corresponding exactly to the said steam pipe
nozzles. On steam being admitted the pressure forces the various colouring agents
through the nozzles which are directed to the various stencils covering the fabric at
the proper distance to ensure thorough impregnation.
.
For continuous work any desired number of cylinders constructed of open work.
stencils and each containing one or more atomizers and reservoirs of different colours
may be eniployed, all the cylinders being caused to rotate upon the fabric by suitable
means and having intermediate heated drying cylinders also rotated. At each end of
such a machine are mounted supply and receiving drums.
By slight modification machines may be constructed to apply the principle of this
invention in any desired manner but we would have it understood that the nature
and essence of our invention lies first, in the process of impregnating the required
parts of materials with the required colours by the use of stean atomizers or
injectors; secondly, in the application of the said process by the use or combination
therewith of stencils or open work patterns; and thirdly in the various arrangements
of apparatus and machinery we employ for this purpose.*

page_text: An Improved Process or method of Dying
and other Materials and Apparatus Employed therefor..
We CHARLES DRATZ, and HENRI DRATZ, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineers, 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 :-
The present invention relates to a certain improved process of impregnating with
colours and their mordants, textile materials whether woven spun or in fibre as well
as other materials such as wood, leather, paper etc., with the object of dyeing : or
colouring said materials and producing various effects thereon..
The invention consists in the method of effecting this impregnation and also in the
apparatus employed for the purpose.
The improved process for effecting the impregnation of the matters consists in
applying the liquid dye or colouring agent in the form of spray with the aid of steam
either by causing a steam jet to carry the said colouring agent, or by suction, by
compression as hereinafter explained, or by other means forcing the colouring agent
against a steam jet so as to atomize it and impregnate the fabric or material to be
dyed therewith.
The liquid colouring agent is heated prior to introducing it to its containing vessel
and the pressure of the steam upon the liquid colour should be sufficient to compel
it to penetrate the thickest fabrics or even several fabrics stretched one upon the
other. It is necessary that each colour be applied separately upon that part of the
surface to be dyed which is to receive that particular colour, and this is effected with
the aid of stencil plates or open work patterns.
$1,
We will now describe the operations employed in applying this process for
producing a picture suitable for reproduction in carpetings.
The operations are as follows:-
We first proceed as in chromolithography by making copies of the different parts
of the picture in each of the colours of which it is composed. For this purpose a
complete tracing of the picture is first made on very transparent vegetable paper,
care being taken to place register marks on the margin in the manner well known to
those skilled in the art, after which the tracing is mounted upon glass. We
then take sheets of paper of the same dimensions as the tracing and render them
transparent by coating them with wax spread thereon by means of a heated iron. A
sheet of this waxed paper is then applied upon the tracing upon the glass plate after
which a copy of the tracing is obtained upon the waxed paper by transmitted light
in a camera in the ordinary way. We then with the aid of oil colours or other fatty
inks cover those parts of the waxed paper and also trace over the register marks
on the tracing, with the colour desired, the same process being repeated (that is to
say for each colour a separate sheet of waxed paper is applied upon the tracing and
coated with a particular colour) for each of the colours of which the picture to be

page_text: :
reproduced is composed until a perfect analysis of the picture is obtained on as many
sheets of waxed paper as there are colours composing it, each of these waxed paper
sheets, constituting the configuration which each colour presents upon the picture,
serving as a pattern from which a metallic stencil is obtained.
These stencils are made of sheet zinc of the same dimensions as the sheet" of
waxed paper and then dipped in a bath of paraffin heated to 60° and afterwards
exposed to the air. Upon the zinc sheet when coated the sheet of waxed paper is
applied and with the aid of a soft iron point the outline is traced of the drawing or
colour thereon with sufficient pressure to mark the paraffin, but without injuring the
waxed paper.
The centres of the register marks are also marked with a point after
which the sheet of paper is carefully removed having paraffin perfectly adhering
thereto at all the parts over which the iron point has passed. The zinc is thus left
exposed at these parts and may be bitten out by means of acid in the ordinary way.
In this manner we obtain a series of metallic stencils each representing one of the
colours of which the picture is composed.
In some cases the patterns may be formed of openwork fabrics rendered impervious
and capable of resisting the pressure of steam by any suitable means such as electro
metallurgy or by impregnating with albumen, gum, gelatine, or starch rendered
insoluble by means of bichromate of potash for example.
The pattern having been made to register upon the fabric to be dyed which is
stretched upon a frame the following is the method of proceeding.
We use a steam atomizer operated by pressure-this is shown in figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings. The nozzle n is directed towards the fabric to be dyed and
connection with the steam supply is made by the pipe a which may be partly flexible;
a branch pipe al dips down into a jar or other vessel containing the liquid colour,
which is projected by the steam pressure on its surface and by aid of the nozzle in a
spray against the fabric upon which the stencil is applied, so as to dye or stain it at
those parts left uncovered by the openings in the stencil plate forming the pattern.
The frame with the fabric stretched thereon is then removed and placed in a hot air
chamber where it is quickly dried, after which a second colour is then applied by means
of another stencil plate and so on in succession for each colour to be applied upon
the fabric.
The mode of operation would vary according to the kind of work to be executed.
It is preferred to execute hand work by means of the steam atomizer figure 1 above
described or by means of the apparatus represented in figures 2 and 3 to be herein-
after described, when the surface to be operated upon does not exceed more than a
few square yards and only a small number of copies are required.
If on the other hand it is required to execute work of large dimensions and
complicated patterns and where a large number of copies are required (such for
example as hangings, curtains, or carpets,) the operation may be performed in a
continuous manner by means of the machine illustrated in figure 4 sheet 1.
This machine is composed of a number of cylinders A made to rotate simultaneously
in any suitable manner. These cylinders are constructed of openwork metal patterns
such as those before described and correspond in number with the number of the
colours contained in the picture or work to be executed, each cylinder thus bearing a
different part of the pattern of the same design. The shaft m of each cylinder A is made
hollow and serves as a steam pipe through which is introduced steam for supplying
a series of atomizers n' as shown on a larger scale in figures 5 and 6 sheet 1, by
which the colour is projected against the interior of the pattern cylinder and passes
through the openings therein. These atomizers are placed in sufficiently close
proximity to ensure the penetration of the colour through the whole of the openings
during the rotation of the cylinder. Figures 5 and 6 show with sufficient clearness
the construction and mode of operating the atomizers n¹; nn being the nozzle
pipes suspended from steam pipe m and connected with the colour in trough 6 by dip
pipes as shown.
The fabric passes in succession round each pattern cylinder A all the points of
whose circumference are successively brought in contact therewith at the same time

page_text: that the atomizers n¹ project the sprayed colour towards this line of contact.
Between the cylinders A are placed cylinders B containing hot water or steam for
drying the fabric after it has been coloured. At the two ends of the machine are
mounted drums W W₁ one of which W carries the fabric to be dyed which is wound
off the same, passed through the machine and afterwards wound on to the other
drum W' converted into a carpet. This rotary machine may be employed for the
manufacture of curtains, hangings, carpets etc.
For large art tapestries it is preferred to employ the flat machines hereinafter
described.
The atomizer represented in figures 1, 5, and 6 consists of a simple aspirator by
means of which the liquid colour is drawn from the trough 6 and pulverized by the
steam jet.
The colour may however be brought under the direct pressure of the steam and
thus increase the temperature to which it may be raised as well as the force with
which it is projected upon and into the materials to be treated.
For this purpose the atomizers represented in figures 2, 3 and 10 are employed
with both of which is combined an hermetically closed receiver.
The atomizer, figures 2 and 3, is employed in flat machines while the atomizer
shown in figure 10. is preferably employed with rotary or continuous machines.
Molifications of these machines will be hereinafter described.
The atomizer represented in figures 2 and 3 is composed of a cylinder C closed at
both ends and furnished with a handle.
The cylinder is provided with end pivots c received in the slotted ends of arms d
and fixed therein by screw nuts d', said arms having felt covered rollers a mounted
on their lower ends placed one in front of the other in rear of the cylinder C and
serving to maintain the contact between the metallic stencil and the fabric to be
dyed as well as to absorb the colour projected against the fabric or other material
under treatment. The cylinder C carries one or more atomizers n¹ dipping into the
colour contained therein in a liquid state. D is the steam supply pipe connected to
the top of the cylinder C by means of which the desired pressure is produced in said
cylinder either directly or by means of branch pipes D¹ outside the cylinder C
connected with the spray nozzles n.
The construction and operation of these atomizers will be readily understood from
the foregoing description with the aid of the drawings.
The dimensions of each cylinder and the number and arrangement of the atomizers
may be varied without departing from the principle of the invention.
The atomizer represented in figure 10 adapted for rotary machines consists
essentially of a horizontal pipe E to which steam is supplied by a pipe D and of a
dye trough C (capable as will be hereinafter described with reference to figure 10
of being divided into compartments) to which steam is admitted by a branch pipe or
pipes E according to whether the trough be divided or not into compartments.
The steam pipe E encloses a dye tube into which the dye under pressure in
reservoir rises through the pipe or pipes E". The dye tube F is furnished with
rows of small branch pipes e figure 9 through which the dye under pressure is
discharged. The steam pipe E is provided with a flange el having a row of conical
orifices e corresponding exactly with the small branch pipes e of tube F.
The steam supplied to pipe E being of the same temperature and at the saine
pressure as the dye on which it acts in reservoir C escapes together therewith at the
orifices in flange e¹ and thus atomizes the dye at the moment of its discharge
which owing to its extreme sub-division, high temperature, and pressure will in this
manner thoroughly impregnate the molecules of the textile fibres.
The atomizing apparatus with dye reservoir divided into compartments as shown in
figure 10 is employed in cases where as is hereinafter described with reference to
figure 9 it is desired to apply several colours simultaneously in a continuous manner,
but where only one colour is to be applied the reservoir would not be provided withi
compartments.
The flat machine represented in figure 7 is designed for operating simultaneously

page_text: upon several pieces of material each receiving a different colour. In this case the
metallic stencils instead of being of cylindrical form are each fixed in a flat frame G
as shown which is applied upon the fabric stretched upon another frame. The fabric
and the stencil which are adjusted automatically in two superposed frames, are
caused by any suitable mechanical means to pass in front of the atomizers represented 5
in figures 2 and 3 and when the fabric is dried are transferred to the next apparatus
where the operation is repeated with another stencil and colour, and so on until each
piece of fabric has received all the colours desired.
Figure 8 represents a flat machine which may be arranged vertically but preferably
horizontally. It is constructed as follows:-
H are the side frames of the machine upon each of the end frames of which is
mounted a pulley H' around which passes a cord or band whose ends are attached
to the two ends of a carriage I mounted on small rollers and sliding on guide rails
fixed to the machine framing. The carriage I is drawn back and forth by means of
a hand wheel h¹ as shown. The fabric is stretched upon a frame I¹ which fits into
the carriage I and is provided with four register points serving as guides in placing
the flat stencils in position. After mounting the stencil in the frame I' the latter is
placed on carriage I and traversed with it from end to end of the machine. The
fabric is prevented from sagging by two wood rollers J which are mounted
springs j and are capable of being adjusted by means of a treadle or hand lever J'as
shown. Immediately over the rollers J J on the upper side of the fabric_are
mounted two felt covered rollers K K serving to take up the superfluous colour
from the stencil and fabric after they have passed beneath the atomizers n'. K' is a
roller for cleaning rollers K K.
Between the felt rollers K K and parallel therewith are disposed the atomizers n³
and cylinder C containing the dye and with one or more rows of atomizers constructed on
the principle described with reference to figures 2 and 3 as clearly shown by the
drawing.
The atomizing apparatus is put in communication with the steam supply pipe N
by means of a cock O and each atomizer is also provided with a separate cock as
shown.
The fabric after drying, is then again passed through the apparatus which has
meanwhile been supplied with a fresh dye reservoir, of another colour, and atomizers,
and also with another stencil to correspond with the fresh colour.
The above described machine works only in one direction and in order to convert
it into a continuous acting machine the carriage would be replaced by rollers
bearing register marks upon which the fabric to be dyed is stretched, the fabric
after it is dyed being passed to a suitable drying chamber and then returning for the
purpose of receiving a second colour with its corresponding stencil, and so on in a
manner known to skilled workmen; the stencils are replaced on the fabric during
its traverse through the machine, as many times as is required to produce the
pattern.
Figure 9 represents a cross section of a rotary machine also intended for dyeing
fabrics etc. in one or more colours in a continuous manner, except that in this case
the colours are not superposed. but are applied in the form of longitudinal stripes.
For this purpose we employ the atomizers and colour cylinders divided into
compartments for the purpose of separating the different colours, as represented in
figure 10 in which represents the partitions. P represents the fabric passing
through the machine during which progress it is subjected to the action of drying
cylinders Q similar to those of paper making machines. The dotted line R represents
the continuous felt serving to absorb the colour in excess after dyeing and which is
cleaned by passing between the two rollers ff and a water trough X. A is the
pattern cylinder which is maintained in circular form by means of suitable rollers
pressing upon its exterior and interior surfaces.
The colour tube C is in this case disposed in the interior of the pattern cylinder A
and is provided with atomizers of similar arrangement to those described with
reference to figure 10. With this arrangement and pattern stencil the design is
:

page_text: regular and the pattern consists of a series of vertical stripes of different colours side
by side; the dimensions of the design to be reproduced is limited to the development
of the circumference of the pattern cylinder A.
In this machine the
In order that designs of any dimensions may be produced a rotary machine is
employed similar to the foregoing and represented in figure 11.
metallic stencil is replaced by an endless open work fabric S either metallized by
electrical deposit or rendered impervious by impregnating "if either with albumen,
gum, gelatine, or starch rendered insoluble with the aid of bichromate of potash.
The fabric P to be dyed passes between a sufficiently long length of the endless
metallized pattern S and a corresponding portion of the circumference of a drum T
driven at a speed equal to that of the said endless pattern stencil S, and receives
during its contact with the latter and through the openings in the endless pattern
stencil S the atomized colour sprayed thereon by means of an apparatus similar to that
shown in figure 10, the steam supply pipe D being however disposed horizontally as
illustrated in figure 11: with this endless fabric or pattern real designs are obtained
by covering over that part of the ground of the fabric which will represent the design
required and which thus will not receive colour, but remain of its original shade.
The full or solid parts of the stencil or pattern correspond to the design to be left
plain on the ground of the fabric, and the openings in the stencil correspond to the
ground of the fabric which is to be dyed.
The metallized pattern after passing in front of the atomizers and also the felt
band R after taking up the excess colour from the dyed fabric, each pass downwards
into a water tank X for the purpose of being washed after which they are led
between two squeezing rollers ss for pressing out the moisture in readiness for use as
before.
With this machine the pattern stencil S may be entirely dispensed with in which
case only vertical stripes of the different colours contained in the divided dye
reservoir C side by side are produced.
When desired to procure a stripe between two colours, white, or of the leading
shade of the fabric the part is to be covered with a solid metallic band rather larger
than the width required for the stripe.
As many of these metallic bands are mounted on the stencil rollers S as are required
to obtain the requisite number of stripes on the fabric and it is the succession of
bands which constitutes the metallic stencil.
By omitting the separate partitions of the colour reservoir (of the cylinder) one
colour only may be projected into the fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The process or method hereinbefore described of impregnating colouring or
painting fibrous materials by projecting on to them liquid colours or their mordants
under pressure and at high temperature atomized or in the form of spray.
2. The use for the purpose of carrying out the process aboved claimed of stencil
plates either cylindrical or endless arranged in manner and number suitable to the
design and the different colours to be projected upon and into the fabric through the
openings therein, substantially as set forth.
3. In carrying out the said process by the means hereinbefore described and
claimed
(a) A steam atomizer the nozzle of which is directed towards the material to be
treated and one of whose tubes is connected to a steam pipe whilst the other
is submerged in the liquid colouring agent under pressure as set forth in
reference to figure 1.
(b) The specific construction of an atomizer consisting of a cylinder containing
the colour under pressure. into which dip the legs of the spray pipes and
which also receives steam which acts on the colour, this cylinder being
combined with rollers adapted to maintain contact between the metallic stencil

page_text: and the fabric to be dyed and to sponge the fabric all in the manner and for
the purposes hereinbefore set forth in reference to figures 2 and 3.
(c) The special construction of atomizer consisting in a colour tube provided with
perforations communicating with a colour reservoir and being surrounded by
a steam pipe in connection equally with this reservoir and carrying a series
of coned apertures by which the atomizing and projection of colour is effected
by the aid of steam all constructed and arranged as and for the purposes set
forth in reference to figure 10.
4. In applying the process hereinbefore described and claimed a continuous
machine consisting essentially of stencils arranged to formn cylinders and enclosing
an atomizer which projects the colour into the fabric in contact with the exterior of
the pattern cylinder substantially as set forth in reference to figures 4, 5 and 6.
5. A flat machine constructed substantially as illustrated in figures 7 and 8
consisting of a frame carrying one pattern and one piece or a series of frames
carrying as many patterns and pieces of material to be treated as the latter are to
receive of different colours and driven with a to and fro movement adapted to cause
the said pattern stencils to pass within reach of the atomizers substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
6. In applying the process hereinbefore described and claimed in 1 a rotary
machine characterised by the arrangement in the interior of the pattern cylinder in
contact with the material to be treated of an atomizer receiving from a cylinder of
colour divided into compartments as many different colours as the said compartments
of the cylinder contain substantially as set forth in reference to figure 9.
7. In applying the process hereinbefore described and claimed a rotative machine
characterised by a cylinder rotating at a uniform speed with the material to be
treated, and an endless tissue applied upon this cylinder cut out to serve for stencil
and metallized or rendered impermeable beneath which is placed an atomizer
constructed as specified and all arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth
in reference to figure 11.