AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FIBRES, RAGS, AND FABRICS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of Whitelle, Batley, in the County of York Flock
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FIBRES, RAGS, AND
FABRICS," to be as follows:-
:-
WOVEN
The object of my Invention is to destroy, or carbonize cotton, jute, flax, or other
vegetable matter when mixed with fibres, woollen rags or woven piece goods; also
for the destruction of such vegetable matter when mixed with yarn wool and
waste.
The form of apparatus I employ to enable me to carry out my Invention
consists of a perforated cage, or cylinder mounted in suitable framing and caused
to revolve by suitable gearing. This rotary cage is placed within the flue of a
steam boiler, or steam jacket forming a hot chamber in which the cage revolves.
Fibres, rags, or yarns to be treated are placed within the rotary cage, and the flue
or chamber afterwards closed by means of a door-An exhaust fan is now set in
motion which draws hot air, previously heated through the machine, and through
the fibres or rags contained therein, until they are thoroughly dry. When the
fibres or rags are dry, all the apertures of the chambers are closed, and a valve
opened in connection with an air pump which is employed to withdraw the air
from the chamber, and form a vacuum therein, the vacuum varying in degree
according to materials operated upon. In some cases the exhaust fan will form a
vacuum sufficient for the purpose. A retort in close proximity to the machine is
employed for making certain suitable gases for destroying or carbonizing the
vegetable matter. The gas most suitable for the purpose is dry gas, and is made
from common salt and sulphuric acid, which after being produced into a vapour is
conveyed by pipe to a refining chamber where it passes through liquid sulphurie
acid, and pumice stone, which refines or extracts all the moisture from the said gas
producing what is most suitable for the purpose, a dry gas.
This dry gas which acts quicker than moist gas is now admitted into the
vacuum chamber, and is immediately absorbed by the dry rags, entering and
penetrating to the core of the fibre, quickly destroying every particle of vegetable
matter, whilst the animal matter remains intact.

page_text: When the destruction of the vegetable matter is complete the valve admitting
the gas is closed, and the exhaust fan set in motion again, drawing through the
chamber, and the rags another current of air, and as the cage continues to revolve
and agitate the said rags, the acid which may be adhering to the animal fibre is
removed in the form of fine dust, thereby leaving the said fibre practically free
from acid.
In cases where the acid has not been perfectly removed from the animal fibre, it
is subjected to another process for the purpose of more effectually neutralizing the
said acid; to effect which, I employ a large pipe having another pipe of smaller
diameter placed therein, the space between the two pipes being charged with
steam at high pressure, whereby the inner pipe becomes hot and forms a heating
chamber for containing liquid ammonia or other compound containing the same
elements. A suitable arrangement of taps and pipes are employed for filling the
heated chamber with ammonia which when ready, steam at a high pressure is
admitted and forces out the ammonia in the form of spray amongst the rags or
other material within the rotary cage, whereby the spray is spread over the fibre
and the neutralizing is completed.
Instead of the gas being refined or dried by allowing it to pass through a second
chamber containing liquid sulphuric acid, and pumice stone, the second chamber
may contain sulphate of chalsium for effecting the same purpose.
When operating upon woven piece goods, the same gases, and the same form of
apparatus is employed as that already described except that within the chamber or
cage are arranged a series of rollers, over which the woven pieces pass, the
vegetable matter contained therein, such as burrs; seeds, and other vegetable bits,
being destroyed by the gases, as the pieces travel around the rollers.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents,
12, Waterhouse Street, Halifax,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: "
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH of Whitelee, Batley in the County of York, Flock
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FIBRES, RAGS, AND WOVEN FABRICS."
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :--
The object of my Invention is to destroy or carbonize cotton, jute, flax, or other
vegetable matter when mixed with fibres, woollen rags, or woven piece goods; also
for the destruction of such vegetable matter when mixed with yarn wool, and
waste.
In order that my Invention may be better understood I herein give reference to
the accompanying Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is sectional
elevation of one side of machine, Fig. 2 elevation of opposite side, and Fig. 3 cross
section of same. Number 1 is the outer casing of a one flued steam boiler, 2 being
the flue or inner casing leaving a space 3 between the two for the reception of
steam or water.
Within the flue 2 is a perforated rotary cage 4 resting upon rollers 5 supported
by suitable brackets 6, secured by bolts to the inner side of the flue. The shaft 7
for driving the cage does not pass through it, but is secured at one end thereof by
a flange 8, the said shaft being driven by bevil wheels 9 and 10 from the shaft 11
which receives its motion by spur wheel 12 direct from a pinion on the rotary
disc 13 operated by connecting rod 14 of the steam engine cylinder 15.
In order to make the machine complete I have attached thereto a small steam
engine as will be observed from the Drawings, steam being conveyed to the cylinder
by pipe 16 from any convenient source, the machine however may be caused to
rotate by strap or wheels according to requirement. Within the cage are a series
of spikes, prongs, grates, or serrated plates 17 employed for the purpose of lifting
or carrying the fibrous materials above the centre of the cage, when they will fall
back again to the bottom thereof, thereby getting well agitated and thoroughly
exposed to the action of the gases as hereinafter explained. Steam is admitted to
the boiler by pipe 18 from whence it escapes at 19; and 20 is an exhaust fan
driven at a rapid rate by strap from pulley 21 keyed on the cross shaft 11, the said
exhaust fan being employed for causing a current of air to pass through the machine
thereby removing any acid and dust which may remain in the animal fibre after
the vegetable fibre has been destroyed and for clearing the air and gases from the
flue or chamber 2, so that it is more accessible for the workman to enter as it is
necessary for him to do from time to time in order to remove the fibre from the
cage and refill it again, or for forming a vacuum therein, a more perfect vacuum
however being formed by the air pump 22 operated when required by the piston
rod 23 which for this purpose passes right through the cylinder, the pump rod 24
being connected to the piston rod by a cotter or key 25 which when not required
is removed and the parts disconnected, the said air pump being connected by pipe 26
to the flue 2, the air removed therefrom being carried away by pipe 27 to any
convenient place.
The carbonizing gases which may be various are made in the retort 28 and
conveyed therefrom to the refining chamber 29 which contains pumice stone and
liquid sulphuric acid, or sulphuric acid without pumice stone somewhat after the
manner of a "Wolfs bottle or sulphate of calcium, through which the carbonizing
vapours pass for the purpose of refining or extracting all the moisture therefrom,
producing thereby a dry gas-which I find very suitable for the purpose.

page_text: The modus operandi is as follows:-The apparatus is provided with a steam
gauge 30 and blow off valve 31 to ascertain the pressure of steam and to guard
against over pressure as will be well understood.
The boiler or space 3 is then supplied with steam or water until the temperature
of the flue or chamber 2 is sufficiently hot, say 240 %, when the fibrous materials
to be operated upon are placed, within, the rotary cage 4 after which the door 32
of the flue is closed, and the cage set in motion, whereby the materials are carried
around the heated chamber by the prongs or serrated plates 17 in the cage which
distributes and agitates the fibres making them more accessible to the hot air
and gases.
A small door 33 in the main door 32 is now opened for the admission of air, and
the exhaust fan 20 set in motion which draws air (if necessary, previously heated)
through the fibres whereby they are expeditiously and thoroughly dried.
The doors and apertures of the flue are now closed, and a partial vacuum formed
therein by the continued action of the exhaust fau, if however the vacuum is not
sufficient, the pump rod 24 is connected to the piston rod 23 and the pump set in
inotion which immediately forms a vacuum in the flue, causing the temperature
therein to rise withdrawing the moisture from the fibres which are now rendered
impervious to and ready to absorb any gases or vapours which may be admitted
to them.
After having therefore prepared the fibres and got them into a proper condition
for the carbonizing gases, I now admit them by opening the valve 34 which is
midway between the pipe 35, one end of such pipe being in connection with the
gas purifying chamber, whilst the other end is in connection with and open to the
flue 2, where the gases enter the chamber and through the perforations in
the cage 4, which gases are readily absorbed by the fibres which have been
previously prepared, the said gases entering and penetrating to the very core thereof
by which means the vegetable part of the fibre is absolutely and thoroughly
destroyed, nothing but fine dust or ashes remaining whilst the animal fibre remains
intact.
When the destruction of the vegetable fibre is complete, the valve 34 for
admitting the carbonizing gas is closed, and the exhaust fan set in motion again,
drawing through the heated chamber and the fibre another current of air, and as
the cage continues to revolve, and agitate the fibre, the acid which may be adhering
to the animal fibre is removed in the form of fine dust, thereby leaving the said
fibre practically free from acid.
In cases where the acid has not been perfectly removed from the animal fibre,
it is subjected to another process for the more effectually neutralizing the said acid,
and for this purpose I employ a large pipe or cylinder 36 having another pipe or
cylinder 37 of smaller diameter placed therein (see section Fig. 3) the space between
the two pipes being charged with steam at high pressure, being conveyed thereto
by pipe 38 whereby the smaller pipe 37 becomes hot and forms a heating chamber
into which is placed liquid ammonia or other compound containing the same
èlements.
The ammonia is fed into the cup 39 and on opening the tap 40 passes along the
pipes 41 until the cylinder 37 is sufficiently full when the tap 40 is closed. After
the ammonia in the hot cylinder is sufficiently heated, the tap 42 is opened admitting
steam into the pipe 41 at a high pressure which intermingles with the ammonia in
the cylinder and forces same in combination with steam through the pipe 43 into
the flue 2 where it is freely discharged amongst the fibre, absolutely neutralizing
any of the acid remaining in the animal fibre.
Instead of the carbonizing gases being refined or dried by allowing them to pass
through a second chamber containing liquid sulphuric acid and pumice stone,
the second chamber may contain sulphate of calcium for effecting the same
purpose.
When operating upon woven piece goods the same gases and the same form of
apparatus is employed as that already described, except that within the chamber or

page_text: cage are arranged a series of rollers 44 (see Fig. 4) which is section, and Fig. 5 end
view showing driving arrangement.
The woven pieces pass over the said rollers, the vegetable matter contained
therein such as "burrs," seeds, and other vegetable "bits" being destroyed by the
gases as the piece travels around the rollers.
One
Previous to the piece entering the machine it is wound upon a beam 46 and
placed within the flue of the boiler in such manner as to run loosely therein.
end of the piece is then connected to the roller 47 which is caused to rotate so as
to unwind the piece off the beam 46 and be wound on beam 47, the said beam
receiving a positive rotary motion by spur wheel 49 from the pinion wheel 50.
keyed on the rotary shaft 7.
"
If by once travelling through the machine the "burrs and vegetable matter are
not destroyed, the rotary motions of the winding rollers are reversed which is easily
effected by taking the key out of the wheel 49 and placing it into wheel 51 which
now becomes the winding-on roller-these operations of inaking first one roller,
and then the other to be the winding-on roller may be adopted as often as required,
until the "burrs" are effectually destroyed.
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;
Firstly. When carbonizing fibrous materials, the employment of a flue or
chamber surrounded by steam, or water, by which it is heated, in manner substan-
tially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. When carbonizing fibrous materials, the employment of a rotary cage
working within the heated flue of a steam boiler in manner substantially as herein
shewn and described.
Thirdly. In a machine employed for carbonizing fibrous materials of the
employment of an exhaust fan in manner and for purposes substantially as herein
shewn and described.
Fourthly. In a carbonizing machine, the combination of an air pump with a
rotary cage working within the heated flue of a steam boiler in manner and for
purposes set forth.
Fifthly. In a carbonizing machine, the means and method herein shewn and
described for refining or drying the carbonizing gases which is effected by a refining
chamber provided with purifying materials.