IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF KIERS USED FOR BLEACHING COTTON, LINEN, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bracewell, of Brinscall, near Chorley, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF KIERS USED FOR BLEACHING COTTON, LINEN, OR OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS."
Sealed the 27th August 1878, and dated the 2nd March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bracewell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd March 1878.
WILLIAM BRACEWELL, of Brinscall, near Chorley, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KIERS USED FOR BLEACHING COTTON,
LINEN, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS."
The object of this Invention is to construct a self-acting kier, which can be used
with either high or low pressure steam.
The kier consists of a wrought-iron vessel enclosed at both top and bottom, and
being made by preference slightly conical in form, diminishing in diameter towards
the top. In the centre of this is fixed a vertical fuse pipe, and connected with the
latter (and forming part thereof) near its lower end inside the kier is a liquor well,
so arranged with steam passages and perforations that the liquor in the bottom of
the kier may be drawn by the action of the steam into the said well, and forced up
by the pressure of the steam to the top of the fuse pipe.
Above the top of the fuse pipe is attached a fixed bonnet or liquor spreader, and
working freely on the steam pipe above the top of the fuse pipe and between it
and the bonnet is a loose plate, which is perforated so as not to close the top of
the fuse pipe, but is free to rise and fall as the pressure in the pipe increases or
diminishes, so as to cause an audible sound and indicate when the kier is
working.
The fuse pipe, liquor well, and bonnet are so proportioned and arranged as
to allow of a small central steam pipe passing vertically through the interior of the
same, having its termination inside the midfeather plate of the liquor well at the

page_text: bottom of the kier. At the top of the steam pipe is a flange resting and bolted
upon a blocking, to which also the steam pipe is connected; and to this blocking is
attached the combination of pipes and valves necessary for the working of the kier,
namely, main steam pipe and valve working steam valve, which acts also as a
blow-through valve, liquor pipe and tap, blow-off pipe, and tap-safety valve. The
let-off pipe and cock are attached to a similar blocking at the bottom of the kier.
The action of the kier is as follows:--After the vessel has been filled with cloth
or other matter to be bleached, the steam valve is opened, together with the blow-
off cock and let-off cock. After all air has escaped the blow-off cock is to be closed,
and the steam coming upon the cloth forces its way through the same, carrying
with it all water that may have become formed by condensation of the steam upon
the cold cloth, and carries the same out through the let-off cock, and thus the cloth
is brought up to a given heat and the condensation of the boiling bleaching liquor
when admitted to the kier is thereby lessened. The let-off cock is then closed and
the pressure of the steam at the top of the kier is allowed to escape either by re-
opening the liquor tap, whereby the steam being admitted to the liquor raises it to
the boiling point before entering the kier.
After all the top pressure of steam has escaped the liquor runs in through the
liquor valve, care being taken that there is sufficient liquor to totally immerse the
cloth, thereby lessening the possibility of "tendering" the cloth. The liquor valve
is then closed and the working steam valve is opened, when the kier will at once
commence working, as will be heard from outside the vessel by the sound caused
by the rising and falling of the perforated plate at the top of the fuse pipe actuated
by the steam, which making its way down the small central steam pipe into the
liquor well, and there meeting with the liquor forces it up the fuse pipe (the column
of liquor in the said pipe being of less weight than the body of liquor in the body
of the kier) and the varying pressure thereof causes the small perforated plate at
the top to rise and fall as the circulation of the liquor goes on.
The blow-off cock should be kept open whilst working, so that there is always
slightly less pressure at the top of the kier than beneath,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Bracewell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
August 1878.
.
WILLIAM BRACEWELL, of Brinscall, near Chorley, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KIERS FOR BLEACHING COTTON, LINEN,
OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS."
The object of this Invention is to construct a self-acting kier, which can be used
with either high or low pressure steam.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
The kier (see partial section of same, Fig. 1) consists of a wrought-iron
vessel a, a, enclosed at both top and bottom, and being made by preference slightly
conical in form, diminishing in diameter towards the top. In the centre of this is
fixed a vertical fuse pipe b, b, and connected with the latter (and forming part
thereof) near its lower end inside the kier is a liquor well c, c, so arranged with
steam passages and perforations (see enlarged sectional view, Fig. 2) that the liquor
in the bottom of the kier may be drawn by the action of the steam into the said
well, and forced up by the pressure of the steam (admitted through the central
steam pipe d, d,) to the top of the fuse pipe b, b.
;
Above the top of the fuse pipe is attached a fixed bonnet or liquor spreader e, e,
and working freely on the steam pipe d, d, above the top of the fuse pipe b, b
and between it and the bonnet e, e, is a loose plate f, f, which is perforated so as
not to close the top of the fuse pipe b, b, but is free to rise and fall as the pressure
in the pipe increases or diminishes, so as to cause an audible sound and indicate
when the kier is working.
The fuse pipe b, b, liquor well c, c, and bonnet e, e, are so proportioned and
arranged as to allow of a small central steam pipe d, d, passing vertically through
the interior of the same, having its termination inside the midfeather plate of the
liquor well c, c, at the bottom of the kier a, a. At the top of the said steam pipe
is a flange h, h, resting and bolted upon a blocking i, i, to which is also the steam
pipe k, k, is connected, and to this blocking i, i, is attached the combination of pipos
and valves necessary for the working of the kier, namely, main steam pipes k, h,
working steam valve l, l, which acts also as a heating or blow-through valve, liquor
pipe and tap m, m, blow-off pipe and tap n, n, and safety valve o, o. The let-off
pipe and cock p, p, are attached to a similar blocking q, q, at the bottom of the
kier.
The action of the kier is as follows:-After the vessel a, a, has been filled with
cloth or other matter to be bleached, the steam valve is opened, together with the
blow-off cock n and let-off cock p. After all air has escaped the blow-off cock n
is to be closed, and the steam coming upon and under the cloth forces its way
through the same, carrying with it all water that may have become formed by
condensation of the steam upon the cold cloth and carries the same out through the
let-off cock p, and thus the cloth is brought up to a given heat, and the condensa-
tion of the boiling bleaching liquor when admitted to the kier is thereby lessened.
The let-off cock p is then closed, and the pressure of the steam at the top of the
kier is allowed to escape either by reopening the blow-off cock n or otherwise by
opening the liquor tap m, whereby the steam being admitted to the liquor raises
it to the boiling point before entering the kier.
After all the top pressure of steam has escaped the liquor runs in through tho
Liquor valve m, care being taken that there is sufficient liquor to totally immerse

page_text: the cloth, thereby lessening the possibility of "tendering" the cloth. The liquor
valve m is then closed and the working steam valve is opened, when the kier
will at once commence working, as will be heard from outside the vessel by the
sound caused by the rising and falling of the perforated plate f, f, at the top of the
fuse pipe b, b, actuated by the steam, which making its way down the small central
steam pipe d, d, into the liquor well c, c, and there meeting with the liquor forces
it up the fuse pipe b, b, (the column of liquor in the said pipe being of less weight
than the body of the liquor in the bottom of the kier) and the varying pressure
thereof causes the small perforated plate f, f, at the top to rise and fall as the
circulation of the liquor goes on.
The blow-off cock n should be kept open whilst working, so that there is always
slightly less pressure at the top of the kier than beneath.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,―
First. The general arrangement, construction, and working of the kier, as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed, not binding myself to
any given dimensions.
Secondly. I claim specially the combination of fuse pipe, liquor well, internal
steam pipe and bonnet, as described and illustrated.
And, Thirdly.
claim the application above the fuse pipe of a perforated plate,
or its equivalent, working loosely on the central steam pipe, and indicating by the
sound caused by its rising and falling when the kier is working properly.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bracewell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.