Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Cleaning Blankets upon Calico-printing Machines and similar Arrangements.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Cleaning Blankets
upon Calico-printing Machines and similar Arrangements.
I, WILLIAM BRACEWELL of Brinscall near Chorley in the County of Lancaster
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is
to say:-
The object of my invention is the construction of apparatus for the washing and
cleaning of blankets upon calico-printing machines, and similar machines used by
paper-stainers being applicable to blankets made from mackintosh or leatherine――
the object being to wash and clean the blanket without detaching the same from
the machine-to effect a saving in the durability and use of the blanket, and to
accomplish better and more perfect work in the process of printing textiles or other
material when passing between the blanket and printing rollers, also dispensing with
the use of grey cloths between the blanket and fabric when printing.
To carry out my invention I cause the blanket when passing from the printing
cylinder to the drying chamber to pass over a large cylindrical shell or drum, driven
from the printing cylinder, and speeded to run at the same delivery upon its periphery
as the printing roller.
The face or colour carrying side of the blanket in passing over the cylindrical
shell is acted upon by circular brushes placed intermittingly along its periphery-
the brushes being fixed in the same plane, so as to brush the surface of the blanket
at right angles with its length when passing around the cylindrical shell or drum.
I cause one circular brush to revolve in the opposite direction to the course of the
blanket the next brush the same way as the blanket, each brush in rotation
being driven in the opposite direction around the outer periphery of the drum, as
a means of clearing away the colour from the blanket when loosened or washed
from its face.
The framing or standards for supporting the bearings of the circular brushes,
being provided with adjustable fixings, for giving the required tension to the brushes
when upon the surface of the blanket.
The brushes are cleared of colouring matter by the application of a metallic comb
placed opposite to the contact line of the brushes with the blanket.
The teeth of the comb are inserted amongst the fibres of the brush, and when
revolving deposits the colour upon the comb, which when set at an angle, falls away
clear of the brush, leaving the same clean for action upon the blanket at each
revolution.
Longitudinal pipes are placed in front of each brush, being perforated along their
entire length, from which water is forced under pressure against the surface of the
blanket, to soften the colouring matter adhering thereto, and assist the brushes in
cleaning the colour therefrom.
Over and above the cylindrical shell or drum a driving shaft is supported upon
the standards which carry the brushes, the shaft having pulleys and wheels attached
thereto, with additional pulleys or chain wheels of a large diameter, and connected
by endless belts or chain driving gear around the pulleys or wheels upon the
circular brushes, the latter pulleys or wheels being of different diameters alternately,
so that the driving gear or belt when passing under or over the same, drive the
circular brushes in different directions and at different speeds. The driving shaft

page_text: over the cylindrical shell is placed in adjustable bearings for tightening the driving
gear if desired when in motion, and the driving shaft having cone speed pulleys
attached thereto for varying the speed of the brushes in accordance with the printing
roller, by this means any desired speed can be obtained upon the circular brushes
when actuating on the face of the blanket, the speed pulleys being driven from an
independent source upon the crown shaft of the printing machine other than from
the cylinder.
A square cast iron cistern having flanges upon the upper side thereof is
provided for supporting the standards carrying the brushes the cylindrical shell
or drum working within the same, being arranged with rollers for conveying the
blanket in its regular course to the drying cylinders, the cistern being provided
with pipes for conveying away the waste water after treating the blanket.
A modified form of the apparatus being arranged for; in the cylindrical shell or
drum being heated by steam when desired to assist in desolving and clearing away
tenacious colours from the face of the blanket..
Dated this 15th day of March 1895.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Cleaning Blankets
upon Calico-printing Machines and similar Arrangements.
I, WILLIAM BRACEWELL of Brinscall near Chorley in the County of Lancaster,
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:-
The object of this invention is the construction of apparatus for the washing and
cleaning of blankets upon calico-printing machines, and all similar machines and
arrangements where blankets of various material and texture, are required to be
washed and cleaned to carry on the necessary operations in the printing manipula-
tion of textiles. The object being to wash and clean the blanket or textile without
detaching the same from the machine, and to effect a saving in the durability and
use thereof, and also to accomplish perfect work in the printing of textiles.
It consists essentially of a large cylindrical drum (heated by steam or cooled by
water) around the outer periphery of which the blanket is made to pass on its way
to the drying chamber or cylinders.
The face or colour carrying side of the blanket is subjected to the frictional action
of the circular revolving brushes when passing over the heated cylindrical drum.
The circular revolving brushes being driven at a great speed, and placed in
consecutive order along the periphery of the drum, being fixed in the same plane
so as to brush the surface of the blanket at right angles with its length.
The pivot ends of the revolving brushes are fixed within adjustable bearings;
baving screws and hand wheels attached thereto, for giving the required tension to
the brushes when acting upon the face of the blanket.
The first brush revolves the same way as the travel of the blanket, and the
remaining brushes in the opposite direction, by this contrary.and revolving action
of the brushes, the colour and dirt are dislodged and removed from the face of the
bianket.
In conjunction with each revolving brush I use the ordinary constructed spurt
pipe having perforations along its length as required, from which water is made to
fall upon the brush, thereby greatly assisting the brush to dislodge the colouring
matter from the blanket.

page_text: The brushes are cleared of colouring matter; and any excess of water' that may
adhere thereto, by the application of a metallic comb placed opposite to the contact
line of the brushes with the blanket, the teeth of the comb are inserted amongst
the fibres of the revolving wet brush thereby depositing the superfluous colour
and water upon the comb, which being set at an angle causes the dirt to fall away
clear of the brush and by this means the brush is left clean for action upon the
blanket at each revolution..
The action of the heated cylinder tends to keep the water from absorbing within
the fibres of the blanket and also assists to liquefy and soften the colours when
treated with water.
Over and above the cylindrical shell or drum a driving shaft is fixed having
adjustable bearings for tightening the driving gear when in motion; the driving
shaft having cone-speed pulleys attached thereto for varying the speed of the
brushes in accordance with the speed of the printing roller. By this means any
desired speed can be obtained upon the revolving brushes when actuating on the
face of the blanket; the cone-speed pulleys being driven from the crown shaft of
the printing machine. I do not confine myself to any particular number of brushes,
to act upon the face of the blanket.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the annexed drawings of
an apparatus for carrying my invention into practical effect.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal plan of revolving brush.
Fig. 3 is a plan of metallic comb and its attachments.
Fig. 4. is an enlarged section of revolving brush with metallic comb and spurt
pipe.
"
The apparatus consists of a square cistern "a" combined with end plates "g," the
standard"" being prepared for carrying the cylindrical drum "c
and revolving
brushes "d" together with metallic combs "f" and spurt pipes “s."
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Fig. 1. the blanket "m" when passing from the printing machine to
the drying chamber, is made to pass around the outer periphery of cylindrical
drum C
the colour carrying side of the blanket being outwards, so that the
frictional action of the revolving brushes d¹ d² d³ & d' are brought to act upon it.
The spurt pipes "s" discharge water upon the revolving brush, to assist in
softening the superfluous colour and the metallic combs "f" afterwards clear the
revolving brushes d' d' d³ & d' of both colour and water.
The two binding rollers " 7° " and ""being placed upon the standard "b" to
give the necessary binding action to the cylinder "c." The steam packing.
stands "o" being placed upon the standard "6" so that when desired steam can be
admitted for heating the cylinder when treating certain tenacious colours.
If desired cold water can be substituted in place of steam for the purpose of
cooling the cylinder when treating different colours.
The discharge trays "t" being placed under the revolving brushes d' and d* to
carry away the surplus colour and water therefrom.
Referring to Fig. 2. the illustrated brushes are constructed either from bristles
or fibres, the same being built up in sections and formed with a right and left
handed helix diverging from the centre, as a means of discharging the dirt to the
outer edges of the blanket "m."
e
"for
Referring to Fig. 3 the metallic combs "f" are supported upon brackets "
securing to standards "b," the tube ""being split for supporting and attaching
the comb, being braced together by bolts, provision being made upon the brackets
so that the tube "a" can be moved and thereby sett the metallic comb at any
required angle.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of revolving brush "d" showing its
action upon the blanket m "when passing over the cylindrical drum, the metallic
comb "" and the spurt pipe "s acting as previously described.
"

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for washing and cleaning the surface of blankets and other
textiles consisting of circular revolving brushes constructed with a right and left
handed helix and made to revolve at variable speeds against the face of the blanket
when passing over an heated or cooled cylinder as described.
2. The peculiar construction and arrangement of a metallic comb so placed in
connection with a revolving brush, as a means to clear away surplus water and dirt
adhering to the brush, arranged and operating substantially as described.
3. The application of a cylindrical drum heated by steam or cooled by water, in
connection with the washing and cleaning of blankets and other textiles substan-
tially as described in Fig. 1.
4. The apparatus for washing and cleaning textiles consisting of cistern a,
standards b, revolving brushes & d³ d³ & d₁, metallic combs f, spurt pipes s
cylindrical drum c substantially as described in Fig. 1. 2. 3 & 4.
Dated this 26th day of June 1895.
WILLIAM BRACEWELL.