IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BUCKING, WASHING, AND BLEACHING LINEN AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1881

page_text: A com-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd February 1881.
munication from abroad by Antoine Michel, of Paris, France.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BUCKING,
WASHING, AND BLEACHING LINEN AND OTHER MATERIALS." [A communication
from abroad by Antoine Michel, of Paris, France.].
This Invention relates to apparatus for bucking, washing, and bleaching linen,
paper, and other materials.
The apparatus consists essentially of one or several revolving drums constructed
of wood or metal, and adapted to be driven together or separately. Each drum or
cylinder is divided into three or more compartments, in order that the linen or
other material may be sorted, and lyes-of different degrees of concentration applied
to each kind of material. The lyes introduced into the compartments may be
heated by steam or otherwise, but I prefer to employ for this purpose the circulating
heating apparatus, hereafter described.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate an example of the Invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus combined with a boiler and filter for
filtering the lye, the latter being shown in section; Figure 2 is a section of the
drum on line 1-2, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section of same on line 3-4, Figure 2;
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional and face views of the means of attaching the heads
to the circumference of the outer case enclosing the drum; Figure 6 is a cross
section of the drum, showing details not seen in Figures 1 and 5; Figure 7 is a
section of a snifting valve; Figures 8 and 9 show the valve for the escape of air
in the open and closed positions respectively.
The drums of which the apparatus is composed may be separate or enclosed in
the same casing. In Figures 1, 2, and 3 are shown a pair of drums contained
within fixed casings, whereby escape of the water or lye at the joints of the pipes
is prevented. a are two druins fixed end to end on the same shaft b, and each
divided by radial partitions c into three compartments, each provided with an
opening d. The partitions of the one drum are alternate with those of the other-
in order to balance the apparatus and steady its motion. The shaft b is carried in
pulley block bearings fon the frames e, and has at one end a band pulley q, and
at the other a flywheel h, and crank handle ȧ. The drums are enclosed in a fixed
casing j, furnished with hand holes and covers for the introduction, and others
for the removal, of the linen. The lye or water may be heated by steam or by the
circulating apparatus shown in Figure 1 of the Drawings. This apparatus forms a

page_text: thermosyphon, but any other form of boiler may be used, including a steam boiler.
The heated liquid is conveyed to the drum by the pipe m, and is distributed
thereto by branches n and o, controlled by cocks p and q, so that it may be
supplied to either drum at will. The liquid enters the compartments of the drum
by the openings d; the liquid thus introduced causes the apparatus to rotate by its
gravity, after which it escapes at the lower part of the apparatus by the piper,
which conducts it away to the filter, in which it is filtered after each operation to
avoid deposit in the heater and effect a more rapid and perfect washing or
bleaching. The filter consists of a tank s of sheet iron or other suitable material
divided into three compartments by perforated plates t, of which the lowest is
provided with handles u, whereby they may be readily removed from the tank.
The upper compartment vis of about one quarter the capacity of the heater; the
intermediate one a contains the filtering medium which can be readily removed
and renewed; it may also be placed at the bottom of the apparatus and be
removable for cleaning. The bottom compartment y is of the same capacity as the
heater and receives the filtered liquid which is returned to the heater by pipe z to
be again heated and circulated through the pipe m to the drum. The means for
uniting the heads of the casing to its sides, is shown in Figures 4 and 5; ¿ is the
head consisting of two layers of staves at right angles to one another and held
together by a boop 2; 3, are screw bolts fixed to the sides 4 of the case, and passing
through forked plates f bolted to the head i, which is tightened up in place by
nuts 6 on the bolts.
a is the
A modified form of the apparatus is shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9.
outer casing, and the drums, divided into compartments by partitions c, as
before.
In this case each compartment is furnished on the inside circumference with
dashers or blades & of metal or other suitable material for carrying up the linen
in their revolution and letting it fall again to the bottom. These dashers d may
be hollow and perforated at one side in order to raise the liquid and allow it to
fall in a shower on the linen. e is the drum shaft, which in this case is hollow and
provided with three pipes f, having cocks g for enabling lyes of different degrees
of concentration, and steam at different pressures to be introduced into the
compartments. The entry of air to the compartments being essential to the efficient
operation of the apparatus, I employ the valves seen in Figures 7, 8, and 9. To
permit the entry of air when a partial vacuum is formed in the compartments by
condensation, a snifting valve h, Figure 7, is placed near one side of each
compartment, but as this valve does not operate when the pressure in the
compartments is greater than that of the atmosphere, the valve i, Figures 8 and 9,
is placed at the opposite side of the compartment. This valve is on a screw stem /,
and when by the rotation of the apparatus it arrives at the upper part and
occupies the position shown in Figure 8, it opens by its own weight and allows the
air to enter, but when it arrives at the lower part of the apparatus and occupies
the position shown in Figure 9, it closes by its own weight and prevents the
escape of the liquid. By tightening up the nut on its screwed stem, it may be
kept closed if desired. These valves may also be employed to effect or aid the
emptying of the compartments by means of suitable devices applied to cause them
to open when they are at the lower side of the apparatus.
It should be understood that I do not limit myself to the details of construction
above described, and that the form and dimensions of the parts may be variously
modified according to circumstances.