IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT, CLEANSING, STARCHING, AND FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Reid at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th April
. 1855.
I, WILLIAM REID, of Holehouse, Neilston, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT, CLEANSING, STARCHING, AND FINISHING OF
TEXTILE FABRICS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates in the first instance to the washing of textile fabrics,
and especially manufactured shirts, in such manner as to effect considerable
economy in the process. The goods are deposited in "dash wheels" of the
usual kind, or in apparatus calculated to produce a similar cleansing result;
but instead of leaving the supply and discharge apertures open as at present,
these apertures are fitted with doors or covers, small perforations being made
in such doors or in such other part of the containing chamber as may be
advisable for the entry of atmospheric air. The washing liquid is well heated
by steam pipes or other heater prior to being passed into the dash wheels, so
that considerable saving is effected in the soap or cleansing ingredients. The
effect of this modified form of washer is, that the soap or cleansing ingredient
is saved from waste by escaping from the chamber, whilst the atmospheric air
has free access to the goods. In applying starch to woven goods according to
the existing process, the articles are primarily subjected to the action of hot
water, and are then wrung out and placed in the starching chamber. The

page_text: quantity of water remaining in the wrung goods causes an unavoidable waste
of the starching material, and the goods being cooled to a low temperature they
have the effect of considerably reducing the temperature of the starch in the
starching chamber, which chamber is not fitted with any means or contrivance
for preserving its heat. Now, in the present improved process the starch
chamber is fitted with a steam or other heating apparatus, so that the proper
temperature of the starch is well kept up, altho' the goods placed in it are in a
cool state. Hence, the wetted goods may be more effectively dried prior to
starching without loss from the effect of cold, and the water being thus more
completely removed from them, the process is conducted with superior economy
and effect. When the goods leave the starching chamber they are passed
through or between rollers for the removal of the superfluous starch, which is
thus re-transferred to the starching chamber for use. When the articles under
treatment have been dried after the starching process, they are passed between
damping rollers preparatory to being ironed out and finished. These damping
rollers are hollow perforated chambers, covered with flannel or other permeable
material, and steam or hot water is introduced into the interior of the rollers.
Thus, as the goods pass through or between the rollers, they become well and
uniformly damped or moistened by the escaping steam or water, and the finish
of the goods is thereby greatly improved. Instead of thus damping the articles,
steam or water may be applied externally instead of from the interior of the
roller, or the articles may be deposited in a steam-heated chamber, being first
wrapped in a blanket or permeable cover.