Improvements in Process of and Machines for Singeing Cloth.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Process of and Machines for Singeing Cloth.
We, JOHN RICH REYNOLDS, Machinist, and WILLIAM EDWARD WHITTLE,
Bleacher and Dyer, both of No. 632 Eddy Street, in the City of Providence, in
the County of Providence, State of Rhode Island, United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-.
.
This invention has reference to improvements in the process and machines for
singeing cloth.
The object of the invention is to provide a process for singeing cloth. so that the
fibrous particles adhering to the warp and filling may be removed from the surface
of the cloth as well as between the threads thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a process for singeing cloth whereby
the cloth may be subjected to a flame which will wholly or partially penetrate the
cloth.
Another object of the invention is to so construct a singeing machine that cloth
passing therethrough may be subjected to the action of a Hame under
pressure.
Another object of the invention is to so construct a singeing machine that the
location of the burners or atomizers with reference to the cloth may be regulated.
Still another object is to so construct a singeing machine that fluid fuel may be
mixed with air, steam, or gas, under pressure and impelled by such pressure, when
ignited against the cloth to be singed.
The invention consists in the process whereby cloth is subjected to the action of
a flame under pressure.
The invention also consists in the process whereby cloth moving in a vertical
direction is subjected to the action of flames under pressure exerted in opposite
directions.
The invention also consists in the combination with a suitable frame, baving side
brackets, of a series of atomizers adjustably mounted on the brackets.
The invention still further consists in the combination with a frame work of
oppositely-extending supports, carriages movable on said supports, means for
moving the carriages and atomizers mounted on said carriages, and means for
conveying fluid fuel and a pressure-exerting medium to said atomizers.
The invention also consists in the heat deflectors or shields for protecting the
operators.
The invention likewise consists in such other peculiar features of construction
and novel combination of parts as may hereinafter be more fully described and
pointed out in the claims.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the improved singeing machine whereby
the improved process for singeing cloth may be carried out, portions of the frame
being broken away, showing the cloth passing through the machine.
Figure 2 represents an end view of the same.
Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.
In the drawings the frame of the machine consists of two side frames each
comprising the vertical standards 5 and 6 connected by the upper and lower
members 7 and 8 and the extension formed by the upper bar 9 and the inclined
bar 10 joined together by suitable fittings, these bars, members and standards being
generally tubular to lessen the weight of the same and to increase their strength;

page_text: two of such side frames are connected together by the cross-guides 11, 12, 13, 14
and 15, by means of which the movement of the cloth is directed, as well as by
other suitable cross-members to secure the side frames rigidly together.
Secured to the standards 5 at different heights are the bracket-arms 16-16
and 17-17 each of which is furnished at one side of its smooth upper surface with
a toothed-rack 18 or 19,-on each of these brackets is mounted a block 20 or 21,
cach pair of blocks being connected by the tubes or pipes 22 or 23, these in turn
being connected by a flexible-tube 24 or 25 with a supply-pipe 26, provided with
the valves 27, which extends to a generator and through which steam, air, or gas
may be conveyed to the tubes 22 or 23 of the carriage. Journalled in bearings in
the blocks 20 and 21 is a shaft 28 having at one end a crank-handle 29 and
provided with gears 30 which engage with the toothed-racks 18 and 19 whereby
the rotation of the shafts 28 causes the engagement of the gears with the rack to
move the carriage thus, formed towards or away from the standards 5-5, while
the tubes 22 and 23 are always parallel to the plane between these standards.
Pivoted to the blocks 20 and 21 are the side-arms 31 and 32 in which are secured
the deflector-plates 33 and 34 which extend across the machine and are separated
sufficiently at the points opposite the atomizers to allow the flames to pass between
the plates of each pair, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings.
Depending from each of the cross tubes 22 and 23 is a series of short pipes 35
and 36 each pipe being provided with a valve to regulate the flow of fluid fuel to
the series of atomizers 37 and 38 located immediately below these valves, each
atomizer being connected with one of the valves, these atomizers are of any well-
known construction in which a liquid or fluid fuel entering from one direction may
be ejected from the nozzle by a vacuum created therein by a flow of air, gas, or
steam, entering the nozzle of the atomizer through its own supply-pipe.
Secured to the lower portions of the atomizers are short pipes each provided
with a governing valve 39 or 40 and connecting with a cross supply-pipe 41 or 42
to which fluid fuel is conveyed through the pipes 43 or 44 which connect with any
suitable generator.
The cloth a a may enter the machine from either end and passing under the
cross-guides 12, 14 and 15 and over those marked 11 and 13 is directed between
the two series of atomizers, the supplies of pressure and fuel to which have been
turned on and the fuel ignited, so that as the cloth passes between the flames issuing
from the atomizers it is acted on by such flames and the fibrous particles, raised
from the threads by the weaving and other processes through which the cloth has
passed, are removed by burning them away, the carriages on which the atomizers
are mounted being adjusted with reference to the quality of the cloth or to the
desired impact of the flame thereon.
In some cases it is necessary to singe but one side of the cloth and for this
purpose but one series of atomizers need be used. Again where it is desired to
merely singe the surface of the cloth the atomizers are adjusted away from the
cloth and the pressure is reduced if necessary.
It is obvious that, where fibrous material is lodged between the threads of the
cloth, the passing of the cloth over heated plates does not serve to burn away the
fibrous material so lodged and it is often necessary to pass the cloth a second time
over the heated plates, greatly increasing the cost of manufacture, while with our
improved process and machine the pressure and location of the atomizers can be so
regulated that the flame will pass entirely through the cloth without injury thereto,
the cloth being acted upon by two oppositely-driven flames which serve as cushions
and remain at a predetermined temperature which cannot be increased by the
overheating of the parts of the machine with which the cloth comes in contact as
was the case when the cloth has been passed beneath a roller located above gas-
jets whereby the roller became unduly heated so that the singeing was not uniform
from start to finish, and, the movement of the cloth over the roller being regulated
for the action of the gas and not for the overheating of the roller, serious damage
was occasioned.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
laim is:
Claim 1. The process herein described for singeing cloth, consisting in subjecting
cloth to the action of a flame under pressure.
2. The process herein described for singeing cloth, consisting in passing the
cloth to be singed before a flame derived from fluid fuel intermixed with a pressure-
exerting medium, the cloth being suspended so that the portion being acted upon
is out of contact with the machine.
3. The process herein described for singeing cloth, consisting in passing the
cloth to be singed vertically between two oppositely-driven flames.
4. In a singeing machine, a series of atomizers together with supply-pipes for
conveying fluid fuel and a pressure-exerting medium thereto, in combination with
means for directing the movement of the cloth before the atomizers.
5. In a singeing machine, the combination with side frames and horizontal
brackets secured therein, of a carriage adjustably mounted on the brackets, a series
of atomizers mounted on the carriage, and supply-pipes connecting with said
atomizers.
6. In a singeing machine, the combination with side frames and brackets secured
therein, of a carriage mounted on the brackets, burners, for fluid fuel, carried by
the carriage, means for creating a pressure at the points of ignition, and a shield
or deflector secured to said carriage and having an opening opposite the burners, as
described.
7. In a singeing machine, the combination with a frame, of two oppositely-
directed series of atomizer-burners, and means for conveying fluid fuel thereto and
for governing the flow of the same.
8. In a singeing machine, the combination with side frames having standards,
and oppositely-extending brackets, having toothed racks, secured to the standards,
of blocks mounted on said brackets and connected together, shafts, journalled in
the blocks, having gears which intermesh with the toothed racks and crank handles,
and a series of burners carried between each pair of blocks.
9. The combination with the standards 5-5, and the brackets 16 and 17 secured
thereto and having the toothed racks 18 and 19, of the blocks 20-20 mounted on
the brackets 16-16 and connected by the pipe 22, the flexible tube 24 connected
with said pipe, the series of atomizers 37 depending from the pipe 22 connected
therewith and provided with governing valves, the supply pipes 41 and 43 also
connected with the atomizers, the blocks 21-21 mounted on the brackets 17-17
and connected by the pipe 23, the flexible tube 25 extending therefrom, the series
of atomizers 38 connected with the pipe 23 and provided with valves, the supply
pipes 42 and 44 also connected with the atomizer 38, the shafts 28-28, journalled
in said blocks 20-20 and 21-21, having the gears 30-30 engaging the racks 18
and 19, and the handles 29 on said shafts, as and for the purpose described.
.
MA T 1804
WILLIAM EDWARD WHITTLE.
JOHN RICH REYNOLDS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.