Improvements in Machinery for Finishing Cloth, Felt, and other similar Fabrics.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
Improvements in Machinery for Finishing Cloth, Felt, and other
similar Fabrics.
I, CARL HERMANN BEHNISCH, of 60, Friedrich Strasse, Luckenwalde, in the
Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in machinery for dressing and
finishing cloth, felt, or other similar fabrics whereby it is made possible to dress
and finish the cloth without having to raise same and also to treat the cloth or
fabric in a moistened state which was not previously possible on account of the
rollers not being waterproof.
The invention consists in the use of dressing and finishing rollers of finely
ground glass, flint, or emery, so arranged as to be impervious to moisture, either
in combination on one machine, or separately on different machines, in combina-
tion, in either case, with a pneumatic bed or beds for that side of the fabric which
is not operated upon by the rollers; also the combination of the pneumatic bed
with a polishing roller, heated or otherwise, and with a device for moistening
the fabric before it engages with the above-mentioned rollers.
The rollers for treating the cloth consist of iron cylinders over which felt is
wrapped, finely ground glass, flint, emery, or the like, being then fastened on
to the felt by means of shellac or other suitable substance. The rollers can also
be provided with wires made sufficiently pliable for the purpose in view.
The pneumatic bed for that side of the cloth not operated upon by the rollers
is formed of an inverted channel shaped rail in which an air-tight india-rubber
tube is inserted in such way that it can be inflated with, or emptied of, air from
outside. This india-rubber tube is covered with soft leather or other suitable
substance. The ends of the tube and the cover are fastened to the ends of the
rail by means of small screw clamps and means are provided for being able to
adjust the breadth of the pneumatic bed to the breadth or width of the fabric to
be treated.
The moistening device consists essentially of a small trough in which is an
enamelled roller, round which and another roller placed above passes an endless
felt band. This band absorbs the water from the trough and moistens the roller
over which the fabric passes and which roller is provided with an absorbent cover
for the purpose.
1 Th dow of Tonnery 1898

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Finishing Cloth, Felt, and other
similar Fabrics.
i
I, CARL HERMANN BEHNISCH, of 60, Friedrich Strasse, Luckenwalde, Province
of Brandenburg, Prussia, in the German Empire, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
11
The improved machinery for finishing cloth, felt and other similar fabrics
forming the object of the present invention has for its purpose by polishing the
surface of the articles mentioned by means of finely powdered glass dust, emery
or flint, to produce a finish which forms an intermediary between the two well
known finishes, that is to say, the Melton and hatching finishes and which will be
known under the denomination" half-hatching finish." This finish, which is in
appearance similar to that on a good felt hat, is produced by only polishing and
surfacing, without roughening.
It has been previously proposed to employ emery and glass-surfaced rollers for
polishing cloth and other similar fabrics, but without any particularly favorable
result. This was due, on the one hand, to the fact that the cloth was always
polished dry, as the emery rollers consisted of wood with emery glued on and
was consequently not waterproof; on the other hand, suitable beds for pressing
the material against the emery rollers were lacking.
No suitable beds being hitherto available, the polishing was effected by stretch-
ing the material between a set of rollers and then causing the emery roller to act
on the so stretched cloth. It is obvious that the cloth did not present resistance
to the polishing rollers sufficient for attaining a thorough polishing, as is necessary
to obtain a good finish.
In order that my invention be more readily understood, I will now proceed to
describe same in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,-
Figure 1, illustrates a side elevation of the machine.
Figure 2, is a cross section through the same.
Figure 3, shews the polishing roller and the bed for same in longitudinal
section, and
Figure 4, illustrates the polishing roller and the bed for same in cross
section.
In the accompanying drawings (A) denotes the apparatus for moistening the
fabric with water or any other suitable liquid, (B) and (C) the beds for polishing
and (D) illustrates the rollers between which the fabric passes.
The apparatus for moistening, (A), is mounted on the front part of the machine
and consists of the water receptacle (a) within which an enamelled iron roller (b)
revolves. Over this roller (b) and a second similar roller (c), mounted above the
water receptacle (a), an endless felt band is placed and slowly moved through the
liquid. The endless band absorbs liquid and transmits moisture to a third larger
roller (d) coated with a layer of felt. From this roller (d) the moisture is im-
parted to the fabric travelling over this roller. The surface of the fabric absorbs
the moisture by virtue of the contact, so that its surface will be uniformly moist
in accordance with the desired degree.
The fabric then reaches the polishing rollers and beds respectively. According
to the present invention these latter consist of waterproof polishing and surfacing
rollers (f), above which are mounted adjustable counter beds. The waterproof
polishing roller (f) is formed by an iron cylinder (f) coated with a circular layer

page_text: of felt (g). The glass, emery or flint dust is fixed on the latter by means of shellac.
A cross beam (k) is mounted above the polishing and surfacing roller (f) and
adjustable in lateral guides (2). A roof-like rail (m) is fastened
by means of screws to the lower surface of the cross beam (k). This roof-like rail
serves for the reception of an inflatable air tube (7) which acts as a bed for the
fabric. A ledge (o) secured to the rail (m) by means of screws (n) serves for
fastening the inflatable air tube, by projecting over the longitudinal edges of the
tube and pressing them tightly against the rail (m). Semi-circular sheet iron
channels (9) are movably arranged at both ends of the air tube (7) in suitable
guides (p) fast to the rail (m). These semi-circular channels (g) which surround
the lower portion of the air tube (7) serve for adjusting and varying the working
length of the air tube (7) according to the width of the fabric to be treated, for
which the tube (1) forms the counter bed after same has been fully inflated. A
plug (s) closes one extremity of the air tube (1), the other extremity which serves
for the inflation is provided with a suitable valve (r).
'
The uniformly moist fabric is pulled by the rollers (D) and passes between
the polishing rollers (f) and their pneumatic counter beds (7). The pneumatic
beds press the cloth uniformly and elastically against the polishing rollers, thereby
obtaining a more perfect polishing action than was previously obtainable when
polishing the material in a dry condition and without a suitable bed.
Motion is imparted to the polishing rollers (f) and the traction rollers (D)
from the driving shaft (t) by means of belts (u) and toothed gearings (v)
respectively.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
In machinery for finishing cloth, felt and other similar fabrics.
Firstly. The arrangement of waterproof polishing rollers, consisting of an in-
ternal iron cylinder (f) with a circular coating of felt on which the polishing
agent glass, emery or flint dust is fixed by means of shellac substantially as set
forth.
Secondly. The arrangement of an adjustable pneumatic polishing bed consist-
ing of an inflatable air tube (1), the working length of which can be varied by
movable channels (9) substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. The arrangement of a moistening apparatus (A) for uniformly
moistening the surface of the fabrics substantially as set forth.
Dated one on day or
W. D. ROWLINGSON,
7, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.