Improvements in Cleansing, Bleaching, and Dyeing Textile Materials and Fabrics, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cleansing, Bleaching, and Dyeing Textile Materials
and Fabrics, and in Apparatus therefor.
We, DUNCAN STEWART, of London Road Iron Works, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, and THOMAS LAMBERT, of the same place,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is
to say -
Our said invention comprises an improved combination of processes for cleansing,
bleaching, and dyeing textile materials and fabrics, together with apparatus in
which to satisfactorily and economically effect such processes.
In carrying out our invention we subject the textile materials and fabrics to a
primary cleansing process for getting rid of all greasy or fatty matter, and thereby
render the goods the better adapted for being effectively, uniformly, and
economically bleached or dyed. And we employ considerable pressure in such
cleansing process and also in the subsequent processes when desirable or beneficial.
The goods are, for the purpose of being operated upon, placed in a keir or
vessel which can be closed airtight, and which is by preference of the kind
described in the Patent Specification of Duncan Stewart (one of us) No. 16,463
of 1891. The keir is provided with various pipes and stopcocks for introducing
and withdrawing fluids, and is connected by one pipe with what is hereinafter
termed a pressure vessel, the pipe which is connected to the top of the keir
extending down within the pressure vessel nearly to the bottom of it. Store tanks
for containing the cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing liquids are placed at a level
higher than the pressure vessel, into which each liquid can be drawn from cach
tank as required.
The cleansing liquid employed is solvent naphtha or other suitable volatile
hydrocarbon; and a charge of goods being enclosed in the keir, and a suitable
quantity of the solvent, having been run into the pressure vessel, and the inlet and
outlet stopcocks being closed, air is by a pump or pumps forced into the pressure
vessel until the pressure therein is about 80 pounds per square inch (or whatever
pressure is found most efficacious). The communication with the keir is then
opened and the solvent is transferred into it by the action of the pressure, the
pressure being kept up by the pumps until what is considered a suitable pressure
is established in the keir as shown by a gauge or gauges. After a suitable time
during which the goods lie steeped in the solvent under pressure; the solvent is
discharged, the upper portion of it which holds none or little of the dissolved
greasy or fatty matters being led directly back to the store tank, whilst the lower
portion is led into a distilling vessel, which is a closed cylinder heated by means of
a worm or coiled pipe through which steam is passed. The solvent is distilled
over into a condenser from which it is transferred to the store tank. In order to
remove the solvent completely from the goods, high-pressure steam is admitted
into the keir and the steam and vaporised solvent are passed over into the
condenser, from which the solvent, separated from the water, is transferred to the
store tank. Care is taken to prevent any escape of solvent or of its vapor from
any part of the apparatus through which it passes.
If the goods are to be bleached the "chemic." or solution of hypochlorite of
lime, is drawn into the pressure vessel, transferred thence to the keir, and after a
suitable time discharged thence; and afterwards the "sour" or acidulated water
for developing the bleaching action is passed through the apparatus in a similar
way.
If the goods are to be dyed the dye liquor is passed into the keir and steam or

page_text: pressure or both are applied as required according to the nature of the goods and
of the dyes.
The goods may be treated with mordanting liquors before dyeing if required;
and the bleaching agent employed may be varied in different cases to suit the
goods operated on.
Dated this First day of September 1892
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cleansing, Bleaching, and Dyeing Textile Materials
and Fabrics, and in Apparatus therefor.
We, DUNCAN STEWART, of London Road Iron Works, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, and THOMAS LAMBERT, of the same place,
Chemist, 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, that is to say :-
Our said invention comprises an improved combination of processes for
cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing textile materials and fabrics, together with
apparatus in which to satisfactorily, and economically effect such processes.
In carrying out our invention we subject the textile materials and fabrics to a
primary cleansing process for getting rid of all greasy or fatty matter, and
thereby render the goods the better adapted for being effectively, uniformly, and
economically bleached or dyed. And we employ considerable pressure in such
cleansing process, and also in the subsequent processes, when desirable
beneficial.
or
The goods are, for the purpose of being operated on, placed in a keir or vessel
which can be closed air tight, and is provided with various pipes and stopcocks or
stopvalves for introducing and withdrawing fluids, and is connected by one pipe
with what is hereinafter termed a pressure vessel. Store tanks for containing
the cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing liquids are provided and placed so that the
liquids can be conveniently transferred from them to the keir. The cleansing
liquid employed is solvent naphtha or other suitable volatile hydrocarbon; and a
charge of goods being, enclosed in the keir, a suitable quantity of the solvent is
first forced into it, and then air until a pressure of about 80 pounds per square
inch is maintained. After a time the solvent is discharged the upper portion of
it being led directly back to the store tank, whilst the lower portion which
contains most of the impurities and which may be discharged first is led into a
distilling vessel. The solvent containing the impurities is distilled over into a
condenser from which it is transferred to the store tank. In order to remove the
solvent completely from the goods, high-pressure steam is admitted into the keir,
and the steam and vaporised solvent are passed over into a condenser from
which the solvent, separated from the water, is transferred to the store tank. If
the goods are to be bleached or dyed they are subjected to similar operations
hereinafter described.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and showing an arrangement of apparatus for
effecting our improved processes for cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing textile
materials, and fabrics.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a plan and Figure, 2, an elevation of the
apparatus.
In these drawings the samne reference letters and numerals are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The goods are for the purpose of being operated upon, placed in a keir or

page_text: vessel, A, which can be closed air tight, and which is by preference of the kind
described in the Patent Specification of Duncan Stewart (one of us) No. 16463
of 1891. The keir, A, is provided with various pipes and stopcocks for introducing
and withdrawing fluids, and is connected by one pipe, B, with what is hereinafter
termed a pressure vessel, C, the pipe which is connected to the top of the keir
being arranged if desired to extend down within the pressure vessel nearly to the
bottom of it. Store tanks, D, D1, and, D2, for the bleaching or dyeing liquids
are placed at a level so that the liquid from them can be run when desired into the
keir, A, a pipe, D 3, connecting two of them, D, and, D 1, having another pipe, D4,
connected to it by a swivelling joint so that it can be turned down for running the
liquids into the keir, A. The pipe, D3, is fitted with a valve, E, for each tank D,
and, D1. The pipe, D4, instead of being arranged so as to be capable of being
turned up and down, may be permanently connected to the keir, A.
The cleansing liquid is contained in a store tank, F, placed at any convenient
place. The cleansing liquid employed is solvent naphtha or other suitable volatile
hydrocarbon. A charge of goods being enclosed in the keir, A, and a stopcock, C 1,
and a stop-valve, C 2, on the pressure vessel, C, being closed air is by a pump or
set of pumps, G, driven by an engine, G 1, forced into the pressure vessel until the
pressure therein is about 80 pounds per square inch or whatever pressure is found
most efficacious. On the stopcock, C 1, being opened the compressed air flows by
the pipe, C3, to the store tank, F, which is closed containing the cleansing liquid
and a suitable quantity of the solvent is by it transferred through the pipe, C4,
(the stop valve, C5, being open) to the keir, A, the pipe, C4, being arranged to
extend nearly to the bottom of the tank, F. The stopcock, C1, and the stop
valve, C5, are then shut and the stop valve, C2, is opened and the pressure being
still maintained the air is led through the pipe, B, to the keir, A, until what is
considered a suitable pressure is established in the keir as ascertained by a gauge
or gauges (not shown). After a suitable time during which the goods lie steeped
in the solvent under pressure the solvent is discharged the lower portion being led
by a pipe, H, the valve, H 1, being opened, into a distilling vessel, J, which is a
closed cylinder heated by means of a worm or coiled pipe, K, through which steam
is passed by a connection, L, provided for the purpose. The solvent is distilled
over into a condenser, M, the vapor first rising through a pipe, N, and afterwards
descending through a coil, N 1, in the condenser to its lower part, M 1, which is
arranged as a reservoir, from which it is transferred if the valve, M 2, is open to
the store tank, F, by the pipe, M 3. The upper portion of the solvent which holds
none or little of the dissolved greasy or fatty matters is led by the pipe, H 2, to
the lower part, M 1, of the condenser, M, and thence to the store tank, F, by the
pipe, M 3. In order to remove the solvent completely from the goods, high-
pressure steam is admitted to the keir, A, by a valve, P, and the steam and
vaporised solvent are passed over by the pipe, M. 4, into the condenser, M, from
the bottom part, M 1, of which the solvent, separated from the water, is transferred
by the pipe, M 3, to the store tank, F. Care is taken to prevent any escape of
solvent or of its vapor from any part of the apparatus through which it passes.
A pipe, Q, is fixed on the keir, A, and is provided with a three-way cock, R,
having two connections or branch pipes, one, R1, of which is for draining the
liquids off, the other, R 2, being for returning the liquids to the tanks, D, and, D 1,
above if desired.
If the goods are to be bleached the "chemic " or solution of hypochlorite of
lime, may if desired be drawn into the pressure vessel, C, and be afterwards
transferred thence to the keir, A, but the apparatus shown in the drawings is
arranged for running the chemic by the swivel pipe, D 4,-which can be turned
down for the purpose to the position shown by the dotted lines, S,-from the store
tank, D, direct to the keir, A. The pipe, M 4, is connected to a valve box, T,
containing a stop valve, on the top of the keir, A, and the valve box is formed with
an open top closed by a cover, T 1, held in place by a hand screw, T2, and
bow, T 3. The cover, T 1, is removed and the end of the pipe, D 4, inserted into

page_text: the top of the valve box, T, when the pipe is turned down for running in the
liquids. After a suitable time the chemic is discharged from the keir, A, and
afterwards the "sour" or acidulated water for developing the bleaching action is
passed from the tank, D 1, by the pipe, D 4, into the keir."
If the goods are to be dyed the dye liquor is passed into the keir, A, and steam
or pressure or both are applied as required according to the nature of the goods
and of the dyes.
The goods may be treated with mordanting liquors before dyeing if required;
and the bleaching agent employed may be varied in different cases to suit the goods
operated on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
-
1. The arrangement or combination of parts constituting our improved apparatus
employed for cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing textile materials and fabrics
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. In cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing textile materials and fabrics the com-
bination of the processes in which a charge of goods in a keir or vessel is first
subjected under pressure to a hydrocarbon cleansing liquid and afterwards in the
same vessel to the action of bleaching or dyeing liquids also under pressure
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In cleansing, bleaching, and dyeing textile materials and fabrics the employ-
ment of compressed air to act on the cleansing, bleaching and dyeing liquids
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of Nov 1802
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.