Improvements in Apparatus for Drying and Finishing Fabrics.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drying and Finishing Fabrics.
I, FERNAND DEHAÎTRE, of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, in the Republic of France,.
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that the continuous drying of fabrics is at present effected either
by passing the fabric over steam-heated cylinders arranged horizontally, vertically,
circularly or in other suitable manner, or by means of drying appliances called'
revolvers heated by a current of hot air.
The invention which forms the object of the present application has for its object
the combination in one of these two methods of drying, whereby the production is.
increased very considerably with a much smaller consumption of steam than with the
apparatuses at present employed, whilst allowing of the reduction of the space.
occupied by the apparatus.
My apparatus is composed of a rotary drying cylinder having a double casing
forming two chambers. This cylinder is closed at its ends by two end pieces in such
a way as to form two perfectly tight chambers and is mounted on a horizontal shaft
by means of two end plates. The outer or annular space is heated by a circulation
of steam arranged in any suitable way.
The working takes place in the following manner:
Air is introduced by means of a pipe, through holes in the one end plate into the
inner chamber where it becomes heated by contact with the wall of the annular
chamber.
The air thus heated then escapes by holes in the other end plate and passes by two
lateral pipes to openings which distribute it into an external casing in which the fabric
which is to be dried is so arranged as to travel within this external casing and around
the cylinder. This current of hot air moving in an opposite direction to the fabric
completes the drying of the latter in the lower part of the external casing and then
carries off and absorbs in the upper part of the casing the vapour which is produced
in large quantity by the contact of the heated annular chamber with the moist fabric
and is finally discharged by means of a pipe or chimney.
The arrangement which I adopt in order to realize the combination of drying by
means of a cylinder and of a current of hot air presents three very distinct cases or
modifications according to the production which it is desired to obtain.
(1.) For a small production I employ a cylinder of small diameter. This cylinder
instead of having a double casing is provided with a group of horizontal tubes passing
longitudinally through the cylinder, which is thus converted into a tubular apparatus;
this arrangement of tubes forms the surface for heating the air.
(2.) For a somewhat larger production I employ a cylinder having a double
casing in which I place a closed drum mounted on the horizontal shaft in such a way
as to only leave between the wall of the heated cylinder and this drum a narrow
annular space forcing the air to be heated by contact with said wall.
(3.) Finally, for a very large production, I arrange in the interior of the inner
chamber either a group of flanged tubes or a tubular apparatus or a worm to allow
of the air being heated.
This methodical movement of the air and of the fabric, whilst ensuring a superior
production to that obtained by the apparatuses at present employed, admits of a very

page_text: appreciable economy in steam being effected. My drying 'apparatus is of course
provided in all cases with all the accessory parts usual in apparatus of this kind.
Dated this 29th day of June 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
I, FERNAND DEHAÎTRE, of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris in the Republic of France,
Engineer 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:-
It is well known that the continuous drying of fabrics is at present effected either
by passing the fabric over steam-heated cylinders arranged horizontally, vertically,
circularly or in other suitable manner, or by means of drying appliances called
revolvers heated by a current of hot air.
The invention which forms the object of the present application has for its object
the combination in one of these two methods of drying, whereby the production is
increased very considerably with a much smaller consumption of steam than with the
apparatuses at present employed, whilst allowing of the reduction of the space occupied
by the apparatus.
The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 being a longitudinal sectional view of the drying apparatus,
Figure 2 a transverse section,
Figures 3 and 4 transverse sections of modifications of this system.
My apparatus is composed of a rotary drying cylinder having a double casing
forming two chambers a and b. This cylinder is closed at its ends by two end
pieces cd in such a way as to form two perfectly tight chambers and is mounted on a
horizontal shafte by means of two end plates f g. The outer or annular space b is
heated by a circulation of steam arranged in any suitable way.
The working takes place in the following manner :-
Air is introduced by means of a pipe h, through holes i in the one end plate finto
the inner chamber a where it becomes heated by contact with the wall of the annular
chamber.b
The air thus heated then escapes by holes i in the other end plate 9 and passes by
two lateral pipes to openings & which distribute it into an external casing l'in which
the fabric which is to be dried is so arranged as to travel within this external casing
and around the cylinder. This current of hot air moving in an opposite direction
to the fabric completes the drying of the latter in the lower part of the external'
casing and then carries off and absorbs in the upper part of the casing the vapour
which is produced in large quantity by the contact of the heated annular chamber
with the moist fabric and is finally discharged by means of a pipe or chimney m.
The arrangement which I adopt in order to realise the combination of drying by
means of a cylinder and of a current of het air presents three very distinct cases or
modifications according to the production which it is desired to obtain.
(1.) For a small production I employ a cylinder of small diameter as may be
seen in the modification shown in Figure 3. This cylinder instead of having a double
casing is provided with a group of horizontal tubes n passing longitudinally through
the cylinder, which is thus converted into a tubular apparatus; this arrangement of
tubes forms the surface for beating the air.
(2.) For a somewhat larger production I employ. a cylinder having a double casing

page_text: (Figures 1 & 2) in which I place a closed drum o mounted on the horizontal shaft in
such a way as to only leave between the wall of the heated cylinder and this drum a
narrow annular space forcing the air to be heated by contact with said wall.
(3.) Finally, for a very large production, 1 arrange in the interior of the inner
chamber a as shown in the modification in Figure 4, either a group of flanged tubes p, .
or a tubular apparatus or a worm to allow of the air being heated.
This methodical movement of the air and of the fabric, whilst ensuring a superior
production to that obtained by the apparatuses at present employed admits of a very
appreciable economy in steam being effected. My drying apparatus is of course
provided in all cases with all the accessory parts usual in apparatus of this kind.
The right is reserved of varying the forms, dimensions, proportions and accessory
parts of the organs constituting this apparatus, and of employing for their construction
such materials as I may deem suitable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An improved system of apparatus for drying and finishing fabrics continuously,.
characterised by the peculiar arrangement of rotary drying cylinders, either simple
or with double walls or with hollow casings, heated by steam, placed horizontally or
vertically, into which a current of air produced by suction or pressure is passed and
is heated by contact, the hot air then passing into an external casing in which the
fabric travels and completing the drying of the fabric by flowing in an inverse.
direction to that of the travel of said fabric, and carrying off and absorbing the vapour.
which escapes by a discharge chimney placed on the upper part of the apparatus,.
substantially as set forth.
2. The special arrangement of rotary or fixed drying cylinders, with single or
double walls, heated by steam and placed horizontally or vertically, in which any
suitable heating apparatus, such as pipes, flanged tubes, worms or the like intended
to increase the air heating surface are arranged, substantially as hereinbefore described.
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
السيد
L 1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents..