Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Cleansing Calico Printers' Blanketing.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Cleansing Calico
Printers' Blanketing.
We JOHN HAWTHORN and JOHN PEMBERTON LIDDELL of the Firm of John
Hawthorn and Company, of Newtown, New Milis, near Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
Our said invention relates to improvements in apparatus for washing and cleansing
calico printers' blanketing. The invention refers to that class of apparatus in which
one side only of the blanketing is washed so as to save the blanketing from
unnecessary saturation and thus effect economy in drying. According to our
invention that side of the blanketing which is subjected to the washing operation
is liberally treated with water by the aid of swilling brushes or their equivalents
while at the same time by our improved arrangements, less water is used or wasted
than formerly and the supply is so arranged that the freshly introduced water meets.
the blanketing as it leaves the apparatus, while the foul water encounters the
blanketing as it enters the machine. Thus the water is used to the best advantage.
In carrying our invention into effect we arrange an inclined oblong trough or
casing to contain or support the brushes and backing rollers. In the said inclined
casing we mount two, three or any greater number of backing rollers and guiding
or diverting rollers around which the blanketing is carried as it passes through the
machine. These backing and carrying rollers lie successively at about the same
relative angle as the apparatus. Above the last backing roller we mount a drawing
cylinder around which the blanketing is led as it leaves the machine. The other
rollers are preferably not driven but this last drawing cylinder is positively driven
so as to draw the blanketing through the machine, the strain on the blanketing
keeping it close against the backing rollers and so presenting it under favourable
conditions to the revolving scrubbing and swilling brushes. From the drawing
cylinder the blanketing is led over guide rollers to the drying cylinders.
We place
a revolving swilling and scrubbing brush beneath and towards the front of the
first backing roller and we also place a swilling and scrubbing brush between the
first two or it might be between each successive backing roller, the said swilling
brush or brushes being so situated as to act simultaneously at both sides upon the
blanketing on both of the rollers. The first swilling and scrubbing brush is
similarly caused to act on both sides of the blanketing, a carrying roller being
placed in front of it to bring the blanketing against it as it enters the machine.
Thus each brush practically performs the work of two. A final cleansing and
moisture removing brush revolves in contact with the last hacking roller of the
series, this latter brush revolving at a considerably increased speed as compared
with the others. As to the distribution of the water supply we preferably arrange
a spurt pipe between the last and the second last backing roller. This water
supply is dashed on the blanketing and removes the bulk of the colour and matter
which has been loosened and already partly removed by the preceding swilling and'
scrubbing brushes. The water so dashed on the blanketing falls into the bottom.
of the casing and into a trough within which the intermediate swilling and scrubbing"
brush works. This swilling brush makes lavish use of the water in the trough,
aising it and dashing it against the two sides of the blanketing with which it is

page_text: in contact. The water overflowing from this latter trough enters a lower trough
in which the first swilling and scrubbing brush revolves, also applying the water
to two sides of the blanketing. From this last trough the water finally escapes by
an overflow outlet. The progress of the blanketing through the machine is as
follows. Entering from the printing machine it first passes around the carrying
roller placed in front of the first swilling and scrubbing brush, by which it is swilled
and scrubbed. The blanketing next ascends and passes around the upper guiding
roller and descends to the first backing roller. Here it again encounters the first
swilling and scrubbing brush. The blanketing in its further progress round the
same backing roller is next acted upon by one side of the intermediate revolving
swilling and scrubbing brush, the latter brush dipping partly into the trough above
the first trough and which receives the water falling from the spurt pipe and
running down from the upper end of the machine. The said two swilling and
scrubbing brushes operate on the blanketing not only as it ascends to the diverting
or guiding cylinders but also as it descends and passes around the succeeding.
backing roller, the brushes acting simultaneously against both backing rollers.
The swilling and scrubbing brushes are revolved at a speed sufficient to exercise
a scrubbing and swilling effect upon the blanketing but not so fast as to throw
the water out of the troughs into which they dip. The water is lifted from the
trough by the revolving brushes and applied plentifully to the blanketing, the same
water being used again and again so that we use the water thoroughly and none
is wasted.
As the water from the trough above overflows into the second trough it in turn
overflows and allows the foul water to run to waste. The next brush immediately
beneath the spurt pipe is similarly situated between the next pair of backing rollers
but does not dip into any trough. There may be one, two or any greater number of
swilling and scrubbing brushes with corresponding water troughs but we consider
two sufficient. The water from the spurt pipe keeps the troughs full and plays upon
the blanketing as it passes around the second last backing roller. This spurt pipe
thus gives a final swill with clear water to the blanketing and then follows the action
first of the brush beneath and then of the more rapidly revolving and final moisture
removing brush which wipes the surface of the blanketing free of moisture before it
passes around the drawing roller and then away from the apparatus. It will be seen
that the whole apparatus requires only one spurt pipe and by arranging the backing
rollers at successively lower angles and providing the aforesaid overflow compartments
and swilling and scrubbing brushes the water is used again and again, the fouler
water meeting the fouler portions of the blanketing as hereinbefore described. We
might however multiply both spurt pipes and cleansing brushes.
Dated the 27th day of November 1895.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing and Cleansing Calico
Printers' Blanketing.
We JOHN HAWTHORN and JOHN PEMBERTON LIDDELL of the Firm of John
Hawthorn and Company, of Newtown, New Mills, near Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Engineers, 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 and accompanying drawings:-
-
Our said invention relates to improvements in apparatus for washing and cleansing
calico printers' blanketing.

page_text: The invention refers to that class of apparatus in which one side only of the
blanketing is washed so as to save the blanketing from unnecessary saturation and
thus effect economy in drying.
According to our invention that side of the blanketing which is subjected to the
washing operation, is liberally treated with water by the aid of swilling brushes or
their equivalents, while at the same time by our improved arrangements, less water
is used or wasted than formerly and the supply is so arranged that the freshly
introduced water meets the blanketing as it leaves the apparatus, while the foul
water encounters the blanketing as it enters the machine. Thus the water is used
to the best advantage.
Our invention will be more easily understood by a reference to the annexed two
sheets of drawings which illustrate our invention.
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of our improved apparatus fashioned with
an inclined trough or trough bottom.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with a horizontal trough.
In carrying our invention into effect in the manner shown by Fig. 1, we provide
an inclined oblong trough or casing a to contain or support the brushes b, 61, 62 and
backing rollers c, c¹, c².
In the said inclined casing we mount two, three or any greater number of the
backing rollers c, e, e 2 and also guiding or diverting rollers d around which the
blanketing e is carried as it passes through the machine.
These backing and carrying rollers c, c¹, c 2 lie successively at about the same
relative angle as the floor of the apparatus. Above the last backing roller c 2 we
mount a drawing cylinder around which the blanketing is led as it leaves the
machine. The other backing and guiding rollers are not driven but this last drawing
cylinder fis positively driven so as to draw the blanketing e through the machine,
the strain on the blanketing keeping it close against the backing rollers c, c1, c2 and
so presenting it under favourable conditions to the revolving scrubbing and swilling
brushes b, b1, b2.
с
From the drawing cylinder the blanketing is led over guide rollers 9 g to the
ordinary drying cylinders which do not appear in the drawing. We place the first
revolving swilling and scrubbing brush 6 beneath the first backing roller c and we
also place the swilling and scrubbing brushes b', 62 between the other two backing
rollers c', c 2 the said swilling brushes being so situated as to act simultaneously at
both sides upon the blanketing as it is stretched around the rollers. Thus each
brush after the first, practically performs the work of two. A final cleansing and
moisture removing brush h, revolves in contact with the blanketing as it passes
around the last backing roller c 2 of the series, this latter brush h revolving at a
considerably increased speed as compared with the other brushes.
As to the distribution of the water supply we preferably arrange spurt pipes i à¹
between the first and second, and second and third backing rollers. The water from
the first spurt pipe iis dashed on the blanketing e as it passes around the first
roller c and removes the bulk of the colour and matter which has been loosened
and already partly removed by the swilling and scrubbing brushes 6 b¹. The water
so dashed on the blanketing falls into the bottom of the casing and is collected in
a trough within which the intermediate swilling and scrubbing brush 6' works.
This swilling brush 61 makes lavish use of the water in the trough k¹ raising it and
dashing it against the blanketing e with which it is in contact. The water over-
flowing from this latter trough k¹ enters a lower trough k in which the first
swilling and scrubbing brush 6 revolves, also applying the water to the blanketing.
From this last trough the water finally overflows and escapes by an outlet 1. In
addition to the two swilling troughs k and k¹ we might have a third trough k 2
beneath the brush 62 as indicated in dotted lines in the drawing but in practice
we prefer to dispense with this additional trough. The said troughs, compartments
or pools k, k are conveniently formed by partitions o extending across the casing
and secured by angle irons o' but they may be formed in any other suitable
manner.

page_text: The progress of the blanketing through the machine is as follows. Entering from
the printing machine in the direction of the arrow it passes around the first backing
roller c. Here it encounters the first swilling and scrubbing brush b which dips
into the trough k and which removes the great bulk of the dirt and colour from
the surface of the blanketing. In practice we find that this brush removes and
projects the bulk of the dirt on the blanket against the lower end of the casing, thus
avoiding excessive fouling of the water in the trough k.
The blanketing in its further progress round the same backing roller c is next acted
upon by the one side of the intermediate revolving swilling and scrubbing brush b',
the latter brush dipping into the trough k above the first trough and which receives
the water falling from the spurt pipe ? and also the water running from the upper end
of the machine. The said swilling and scrubbing brush 6' operates on the blanketing
not only as it ascends to the diverting or guiding cylinder d but also as it
descends and passes around the succeeding backing roller c¹, the brush acting
simultaneously against both backing rollers.
In the same
manner the blanketing in its continued progress through the
apparatus is next subjected to the action of the brush 2 which operates on the
blanketing against both the rollers c' and c 2. The spurt pipe also douches
the blanketing above the brush b 2. The blanketing at this point being almost completely
cleansed, the douche from the spurt pipe i¹ gives a final swill to the surface of the
blanketing.
Lastly the blanketing as it proceeds round the roller c 2 is subjected to the rapidly
revolving moisture removing brush h which removes all surplus moisture from the
face of the blanketing and renders it much more easily and quickly dried by the
drying cylinders.
21
The swilling and scrubbing brushes 6, 61, 62 are revolved at a speed sufficient to
exercise a scrubbing and swilling effect upon the blanketing but not so fast as to
throw the water out of the troughs into which they dip. The water is lifted from the
trough by the revolving brushes and applied plentifully to the blanketing, the same
water being used again and again so that we use the water thoroughly and none is
wasted. As the water from the trough above overflows into the trough beneath, it in
turn overflows and allows the foul water to run to waste. There may be one, two or
any greater number of swilling and scrubbing brushes with corresponding water
troughs, but we consider two sufficient. The water from the spurt pipes keeps the
troughs full and plays upon the blanketing as it passes around the backing rollers.
The spurt pipe gives a final swill with clear water to the blanketing and then follows
the action of the brush & 2 beneath and lastly that of the more rapidly revolving and
final moisture removing brush which wipes the surface of the blanketing free of
moisture before it passes around the drawing roller and then away from the apparatus.
We might employ only one spurt pipe viz. the spurt pipe i¹ in which case the whole
apparatus would be served from this single supply, and by arranging the backing
rollers as described at successively lower angles and providing the aforesaid overflow
compartments and swilling scrubbing brushes, the water is used again and again, the
fouler water meeting the fouler portions of the blanketing as bereinbefore described.
We might however as aforesaid multiply both spurt pipes and cleansing brushes.
In Fig. 2 the trough a instead of being arranged at an incline as in Fig. 1 is set
horizontally. In other respects the apparatus is almost identical with that shown in
Fig. 1. The water from the spurt pipe which is in this instance the sole water
supply plays upon the blanketing e as it passes round the backing roller c¹ and falls
into the trough k 2. The swilling and scrubbing brush 62 dips into the water in the
trough k 2 and swills and scrubs the blanketing. From the trough k 2 the water over-
flows over the partition o into the trough into which the swilling and scrubbing
brush & dips. This brush swills and scrubs the blanketing e against both the backing
rollers c' and c.
From the trough k¹ the water flows over the next partition o into the trough k in which
the brush b revolves, swilling and scrubbing the blanketing as it passes. around the
first backing roller c. The water then overflows into the end of the casing and is

page_text: led away through the outlet 1. As shown in the drawing the partitions o are
made successively lower towards the end at which the blanketing enters so as
to let the water overflow from trough to trough. To compensate for the successive
lowering of the water levels in the compartments or pools k2, k¹ and we
successively increase the diameter of the swilling and scrubbing brushes 62, 6¹ and b.
We might also to preserve the same surface speed in all, drive the said swilling and
scrubbing brushes at different speeds corresponding to their diameters.
In other respects the construction and operation of the apparatus are precisely
as indicated in Fig. 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. The general arrangement construction and combination of apparatus for washing
and cleansing calico printers' blanketing substantially as described and as illustrated.
2. A calico printers' blanket washing apparatus in which the floor of the trough
or casing containing the mechanism is arranged at an angle and is formed with
successive dip compartments or pools so that the water or cleansing fluid overflows
from one compartment or pool to another thus automatically keeping the compartments
full, in combination with swilling or scrubbing brushes dipping into the said com-
partments or pools and acting on the blanketing as hereinbefore set forth.
3. The improved apparatus for washing calico printers' blanketing, consisting of
the inclined casing a, furnished with overflow compartments or pools, swilling and
scrubbing brushes dipping into the said compartments, backing and guiding rollers
to carry the blanketing, spurt pipes to supply water or other cleansing fluid, and
a moisture removing brush, all arranged, combined and acting substantially as
hereinbefore set forth and as illustrated.
4. In apparatus for washing calico printers' blanketing, arranging the casing or
trough of the machine in an inclined position so that the water or cleansing liquid
descends in the apparatus by gravity and in an opposite direction to the traverse of
the blanketing, the clean water meeting the cleansed blanketing as it is about to leave
the machine, and the foul water meeting the dirty blanketing as it enters the machine,
all substantially as described and as carried into effect by the illustrated mechanism.
5. In apparatus for washing calico printers' blanketing arranging successive
overflow compartments or pools in a horizontally arranged main trough or casing the
said compartments or pools having successively lower partitions so that the liquid from
one compartment overflows into the next and so on from compartment to compartment
till the outlet is reached, in combination with revolving swilling and scrubbing
brushes of different diameters dipping into the successive compartments and acting
upon the blanketing as it passes through the apparatus substantially as described and
illustrated.