IMPROVEMENTS IN SCOURING, BLEACHING, AND DYEING
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
ALLIOTT, of Lenton, in the County of Nottingham, Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fourth day of February, in the seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Alliott, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Alexander
Alliott, my exors, admors, or assigns, and such others as I, the said
Alexander Alliott, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter, during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within that part of Her said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCOURING,
BLEACHING, AND DYEING;" in which Letters Patent there is contained a proviso
that I, the said Alexander Alliott, sball cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately

page_text: after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Alexander Alliott, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention
consists in causing the liquids employed in scouring, bleaching, and dyeing,
to be driven centrifugally, rapidly, and continuously or intermittingly through
the goods operated upon, and that the manner in which the same is per-
formed is by subjecting the said goods to the operation of machines, such
as are herein after described, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Figure 1 of the said Drawings is a top plan, and Figure 2 a sectional
elevation of one machine adapted to the purposes aforesaid. A is a circular
pan curved at the bottom in the manner shewn, and a¹ a raised socket screwed
firmly to the centre of this pan. B1, B2, B3, is a three-armed framework
which is bolted to and rises upwards from the top of the pan, meeting at top in
a common boss B', to which they are also bolted. C is a vertical shaft which
turns at bottom on the socket a¹, and at top in a bearing let into the
boss B. D¹ is a hollow drum which is loosely fixed on the shaft C, and
consists of three compartments d¹, d³, d³. The innermost compartment d' is
completely boxed off from the others, and also from the socket a¹ and
the lower end of the shaft C, by the partitions c, c. It is likewise divided
near to the middle into two parts by a diaphragm g.
The compart-
ment d² is open at bottom, and in this open space are placed the curved
plates M, M, afterwards described, by which the compartments d' and d³.
are connected together at the bottom. The compartment d³ is closed at.
bottom. The external side 2, dowu to the point d', where it inclines
inward, and the whole of the external side of d' are perforated with numerous
holes. The goods to be operated upon are placed in the compartment d³, and
the liquid is drawn upwards through the curved plates M in the bottom of the
compartment d², and forced thence into and through the goods in d³. D is
an outer case without any bottom, which surrounds the drum D', but is quite
closed all round (with the exception of the orifices o, o, afterwards described),
and is inclined a little inwards from the top to the bottom; it is loosely
attached to D¹ by hinges, and further fastened to it when the machine is in
action by means of sliding bolts f, f. F is a lid adapted to the top of the drum
D', which may be made fast or unfast on putting in and taking out the goods
by locking or unlocking the bolts f,f, before mentioned, which bolts are fixed
on to the top of this lid, and on being pushed forward pass through the heads
of the upright bars do, bolted to the outside of the drum D', and through the

page_text: angle rings at the top of the outer case D³. On the top of these bolts there
are springs s, s, (as shewn) which, when the bolts are pushed forwards, serve
to raise the outer case D into close contact at bottom with the drum D¹.
G is a separate cover which extends only over and is bolted to the two inner
compartments d¹ and d³. E¹, E, are two conical bearings attached to the
shaft C, with corresponding conical boxes e¹, e, one of which is fixed to the
cover G on the inside, and the other to the top of the diaphragm g of the
innermost compartment d'. H, H, is a centrifugal governor, the bent arms
of which are loosely attached at the elbows by a pin to a stud, which is
itself attached by a joint to the cover G while the horizontal parts at top
pass through slots in the conical box e¹, and rest in recesses in the bearing E¹.
K, K, are two arms which are connected at the shoulders by universal joints
(of which a sectional view on an enlarged scale is given in Figure 5¹) to
the shaft C, and pass downwards through holes in the diaphragm g, whereby
on the shaft C being caused to rotate, the drum D¹ is carried round along
with it. As the velocity of the shaft and drum encreases the weighted
arms of the governor H, H, expand outwards, whereby the drum is lifted from
its original bearings, and left at liberty to take from time to time the point of
rotation determined by its centre of gravity. L, L, are springs placed between
the flanges of the conical bearing E', and of the box e¹, to assist the action of
the governor in raising the drum. M, M, are curved plates which are fixed
in the open space at the bottom of the compartment d³, and serve to connect at
the bottom the compartments d' and d³; these plates are inclined in relation to
the axis in such a way that when the drum is revolving they serve as scoops to
draw up the liquid, which is afterwards projected by the centrifugal action
forcibly against and through the outer perforated sides of the compart-
ment d³ into and through the goods in the compartment d³. N is a valve by
which the dyeing, bleaching, or other liquid is admitted into the pan A at
bottom to about the height of the line x, z, so that the bottom edge of the
outer case D³ may dip a little way therein. R is a ledge which projects
from the inside of the pan partly above and partly below the water line x, z,
and is so shaped as nearly to abut against the outer case D2 at bottom,
whereby the air which might have a cooling and deoxidizing effect on the
liquid is to a great extent excluded. S are ribs (indicated by dotted lines in
Figure 2) on the bottom of the pan A, which are curved from the outside
towards the centre in such directions as to guide the liquid towards the scoops
M, M. Z' is a hollow tube which encircles the vertical shaft C immediately
above the top of the drum D', and is connected with a horizontal shaft Z³,
passed through one side or half of the lid F of the drum D', in the manner

page_text: particularly shewn in the separate views of these parts given in Figures 4
and 5. This tube spreads outwards at bottom and terminates in a curved
piece a¹, which carries at top and bottom two bevil friction wheels a², a³,
which act on a corresponding bevil friction pulley y on the inner end of the
shaft Z. To the outer end of this shaft Ze is fixed a vertical endless screw Z³.
Into this vertical screw works a toothed wheel Z, the axis Z5 of which wheel
has a right-handed screw turned on it at one end, and a left-handed screw at
the other, and passes through two flanges a, a, of the ring Z, next to be
described, these flanges being tapped to correspond. Z is a ring valve cut
across at one part, which is laid loosely in a groove in the lid F, and is con-
nected to Z by the two flanges a* and a³, one at each end. This valves faces
the orifices o, o, before mentioned as being made in the outer case D³, and
closes them more or less according as it is more or less expanded by the
action upon it of the screw shafts and wheels with which it is in gearing.
Z is another ring cut through similar to Z, but smaller, which is laid in like
manner loosely in a groove at a little distance above the other. This groove
has a leather cover fastened over it, which, when the machine is at work,
is pressed outwards by the centrifugal action of the ring within against the
outer case D of the drum, and prevents the escape past it of any of the liquid.
According as the shaft Z is turned to the right or left the flanges a¹, a³, are
drawn further asunder or brought nearer to each other, and the turning of
that shaft in either direction when the machine is at work is effected by
clasping the tube Z¹ by the hand, and either pressing down the top friction
wheel upon the friction wheel y, or raising the lower friction wheel x³ so as
to press upwards against the friction wheel y. T¹ is a bevel wheel fixed on
the top of the drum shaft C below its top bearing b, and T2 another bevel
wheel which works into T', through an opening at one side of the boss B*. T³ is
the shaft of the bevil wheel T, & T is another shaft, and on which shafts are
fixed two differential cones V, V, and two drums W, W, though the medium
of which motion is given to the bevel wheels and drum shaft from any first
mover. The mode of working with the machine is as follows:-The drum D¹
and its outer case D' being made fast together by the bolts at top, and also
brought into close contact at bottom by the operation of the springs on the
top of the bolts, and the compartment ds being filled with the goods, a rapid
rotatory motion is given to the machine by the means before described. The
quantity of liquid required is then introduced gradually through the valve N,
and as it rises to the level of the scoops M, M, it is drawn up by them into the
interior of the compartment d², and then driven by the centrifugal tendency
imparted to it by the rotation of the machine against the perforated exterior

page_text: sides of the compartment d², through which it passes into and through the
goods in the compartment d³, and thence into the outer case D³. When the
liquid accumulates in the outer case D² in quantity sufficient to overcome, by
its downward and outward pressure, the power of the springs at top, the outer
case is separated at bottom from the drum D', which allows the liquid so accu-
mulated to flow back into the bottom of the pan A, to be again raised by the
scoops M, M, and returned through the machine as before, and by continuing
the rotation of the machine the same quantity of liquid may be driven through
any number of such circuits of revolution found needful. When it is desired
to change or draw off the liquid the tube Z' is laid hold of, and its friction
wheel pressed against the pulley y, which, turning the shaft Z³, causes the
ring valve Z to contract, and the orifices o, o, in the outer case D³ to be
thereby thrown open to the escape of the liquid through these orifices into a
spout A (the rotary motion of the machine being still kept up), which spout
carries it off into any convenient reservoir for future use. As, however, the
whole of the liquid cannot be ejected in this way from the machine, and
a portion of it will still remain at the bottom of the pan, there is a tap Be
by which this portion can be drawn off. In some cases it may be found'
expedient to draw off, by the means before described, the liquid as soon as it'
has made only one or two circuits of revolution, and to replace it after a brief
interval by another quantity of liquid, so that the goods may be partially dried
in the interim. So also the same lot of goods may, without removing them
from the drum, be operated upon by different sorts of liquids in succession; as,
for example, they may have one liquid passed through them, and after being
well washed with water be treated with a second liquid. When it is desired
to use the liquids or any of them in a warm or hot state steam is admitted'
into the pan A through a pipe C² connected with a steam boiler, whereby they
may be raised to the required temperature.
A second machine is represented in Figures 6 and 7 of the Drawings here-
unto annexed, the former being a top plan, and the latter a sectional elevation
of the same, which is more particularly adapted to the scouring of goods. It
is constructed and worked in most respects in the same way as the machine"
first before described, and the description which follows shall therefore be con-
fined to the principal points in which it differs from it. It has one large
cover F, and this cover terminates at each side in a turned down angle piece
or flange. The goods compartment d³, instead of being enclosed on the
outside of a perforated cylinder, is enclosed by an endless chain of wooden
bars G³, which are linked together by hinges G at top and bottom, and
admit any liquid to pass freely between them. This chain is inserted loosely

page_text: in its place, and is kept there partly by the centrifugal action of the machine,
which presses it outwards, and partly by the flange pieces, which prevent it
from being driven out or falling out. G³ is a framework, which projects from
the pan A at one side and carries on a shaft two horizontal pressure wheels
Ps, P2, which revolve through openings made in the pan, and press against
the chain bar periphery of the goods compartment of the drum, causing it to
curve inwards, as shewn in Figure 6. The distance of these wheels from the
drum, and, consequently, the extent to which they press on the chain bar
periphery inwards, may be varied at pleasure. The system of shafts, wheels,
pinions, and other appliances, by which these pressure wheels P², P³, are
caused to rotate at greater or less distance from the drum, will be readily
understood from inspection of the Drawings. While on the one side the
scouring liquid is forced into the goods by the centrifugal operation of the
drum, the wheels P2, P3, by their continuous pressure on the circular chain of
wooden bars G³ on the opposite side, cause it to squeeze the water out of
them again as fast as it is absorbed.
The machine which I have just described as being more particularly
applicable to scouring, is represented in the Drawings as being connected and
worked along with the other machine by means of one set of differential cones
and drums; but it will be understood that they may be either worked together
or separately, according to convenience. And although I have described only
two machines by which my said Invention may be worked out, I do not
confine myself to the use of these particular machines, but claim a right to
vary and modify the same to any extent, as long as the same general system
of procedure is followed. Of the materials of which the parts of the
machine should be composed, it is only necessary to observe, that they ought
to vary with the nature of the liquids employed, and that care should be taken
that they are not of a nature to affect injuriously the goods, or to be them-
selves wastefully acted upon.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, I declare that
I do not lay claim to any of the parts of which either of the machines herein-
before described consist as in and by itself new. I declare also that I am
aware that machines on the same principle have been before employed for
drying and fulling; but that what I lay claim to is the scouring, bleaching, and
dyeing of goods, by causing the liquids employed for the purpose to be driven
centrifugally, rapidly, and continuously or intermittingly through them, and
whether these operations are performed by means of either of the machines
herein before described, or by any modification or modifications thereof, in
which the same general system of proceeding is followed. And whether

page_text: also the machine or machines is or are employed for scouring, bleaching, and
dyeing, or any two of these processes, or one only.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Alliott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-four.
ALEXANDER (L.S.) ALLIOTT.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of August,
in the year of our Lord 1844, the aforesaid Alexander Alliott came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
cation aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.