IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING YARNS OR THREADS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Blackwood and William Blackwood, of Craigton,
in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain, Bleachers, for the Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING YARNS OR THREADS."
Sealed the 12th April 1861, and dated the 13th October 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Blackwood and
William Blackwood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 13th October 1860.
We, JOHN BLACKWOOD and WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, of Craigton, in the County
of Dumbarton, North Britain, Bleachers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING YARNS OR
THREADS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to apparatus for washing yarns or threads in the
hank form, and has for object the obtaining of a more efficient and uniform
washing action. In apparatus embodying the improvements a series of square
or polygonal barrels or holders are mounted on horizontal spindles, which turn
in bearings upon a frame or carriage to which a reciprocating motion is given
by a crank or other convenient mechanism, whilst, provision is made for the
comparatively slow continuous or intermittent rotation of the hank holder. The
hanks of yarn or thread are placed on these holders and hang down into the
washing water or liquid; the reciprocating motion of the frame or carriage
causing them to be thoroughly washed, whilst the slow rotation of the holders

page_text: gradually brings every part of the bank under treatment. A convenient mode
of driving the holders is by means of bevil wheels on their spindles in gear
with bevil wheels upon a shaft mounted longitudinally upon the carriage. On
this longitudinal shaft there is a wheel in gear with a travelling wheel on a
shaft driven by the stationary gearing, which also imparts the reciprocating
motion to the carriage. By means of this apparatus the blueing or washing
in bluish water, which completes the washing process, may be satisfactorily
accomplished.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Blackwood and William Blackwood in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BLACKWOOD and WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, of Craigton, in the County of Dum-
barton, North Britain, Bleachers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Blackwood and William Blackwood, Her special licence that we, the said
John Blackwood and William Blackwood, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Blackwood and William Blackwood,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS POR WASHING
YARNS OR THREADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
John. Blackwood and William Blackwood, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Blackwood and William
Blackwood, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-

page_text: tained in and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
Our said Invention relates to apparatus for washing yarns or threads in the
hank form, and has for object the obtaining of a more efficient and uniform
washing action.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood. and
carried into effect, we have hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory Draw-
ings representing a washing machine, as constructed with our improvements,
which we will particularly describe.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine partly in section, and Figure 2
is a plan.
In this modification there are two wash boxes, A, A¹, one on each side of
the machine, and these being filled to a suitable height with the washing
liquid, the banks B, B', to be washed hang down into them from square (or
polygonal) barrels or holders C, C', mounted upon horizontal spindles D, which
turn in bearings upon a sliding frame or carriage E. This frame E is mounted
upon rollers carried by standards F, situated between the wash boxes A, A¹,
and it has a horizontal reciprocating motion imparted to it by means of a con-
necting rod G and rotating crank pin H, the latter carried by a spur wheel I,
turning on a stud pin fixed in one of a pair of stationary standards J situated
near one end of the.machine. The spur wheel I is in gear with a spur wheel
K fast on the first motion shaft L, which carries the usual fast and loose
pulleys M, being supported in bearings upon the standards J. Whilst the
reciprocating motion of the frame E causes the hanks to be moved to and fro
in the washing liquid, the barrels C, C¹, are made to turn so as to be con-
stantly changing the positions of the banks for the purpose of subjecting each
part to a uniform washing action. This rotation of the barrels C, C', is derived
from the first-motion shaft L by means of a bevil wheel N fast thereon, and in
gear with a bevil wheel O fast on a horizontal shaft P, one bearing of which
is upon a bracket Q bolted to the standards J. The other end of the shaft P
passes through the elongated boss of a pinion R, turning in a bearing upon
the frame E, the shaft P driving the pinion R by means of a feather, which
allows the pinion to move longitudinally with the frame E. The pinion R is
in gear with a pinion S upon a horizontal shaft T' carried in bearings upon the
frame E; and this shaft T has fast on it a series of bevil wheels U in gear
with bevil wheels V, VI, fast on the barrel spindles D. If preferred, the
gearing by which the barrels are turned may be contrived to give a varied or
intermittent rotatory motion, but the simple arrangement described is found in

page_text: practice to satisfactorily answer the end in view. On account of the uniform
washing action of the improved apparatus, it may be advantageously used
for the "blueing" or washing in bluish water, which completes the washing
process.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we have to state that
we do not restrict ourselves. to: the precise details herein described or deli-
neated, but that what we consider to be novel and original, and. claim as the
Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is the constructing of apparatus for washing yarns or threads so as to impart
to them a reciprocatory combined with a rotatory motion, substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Blackwood on behalf of myself,
and of the said John Blackwood, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM BLACK WOOD. (L.S.)
EDMUND HUNT, Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.