Improvements in and relating to Cloth Washing and Fulling Machinery.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1894.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cloth Washing and Fulling
Machinery.
I, DAVID MCLARDIE, of Meikleriggs, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Cloth Finisher,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
I
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction or
arrangement and combination of the parts of a machine or mechanism for per-
forming the combined operations or functions of washing and of fulling cloth piece
goods, such as tweeds, worsted, or union fabrics, shawls, blankets and the like, and
thus save the labour and expense of performing these purposes in separate machines
as has been the practice heretofore.
According to one arrangement the improved combination mechanism would be
enclosed within a vertical cast iron or metal close frame or case having an internal
lining of wood staves tongued and grooved or otherwise jointed together. This
frame would extend from near the upper part of the mechanism to some distance
below the ground level on which the machine is placed, and have soap and water or
other cleansing material placed at the bottom part. A pair of rollers preferably of
wood, would be mounted by their end journals in bearings at the sides and upper
part of the machine, and be made in surface contact by spur gearing mounted at
one of their ends outside the framing, and the upper roller would be made adjust-
able in its end bearings and be operated by spring lever or equivalent mechanism to
bear with any desired pressure on the cloth passing between it and the surface of
the lower roller. A guide would be fitted in front of these rollers for directing the
cloth through between them, and would preferably consist of a metal ring fitted
with blocks of wood and having one, two, or more slots or holes corresponding to
the number of "fulling" beaters to be used in the machine. One, two, or more
angled blocks of beech or other wood would be fitted over brackets projecting from
the sides of the machine behind the rollers, and each endless web of cloth would
pass over these in its circuit while being washed and fulled. One, two, or more
vertical acting beaters or plungers would be fitted to work over these angled blocks,
preferably two placed parallel to each other over the separate lower parallel blocks
in the line of the feeding in guide blocks, and would preferably each consist of a
block of beech or other wood corrugated or fluted on its under surface to press on
the cloth over the lower stationary block which would also be corrugated at this
part. This vertical acting block would work between upright guides above the
lower fixed block and be screwed or attached to the lower end of a vertical
reciprocating metal crosshead working between guide brackets secured to the sides
of frame of machine. This crosshead would have a transverse rod jointed at its
centre and projecting out on each side of it, and the two ends of this rod would be
fitted with adjustable screw couplings, and have the ends of an upwardly projecting
bow spring jointed at the extreme ends of this adjustable screw coupled rod, so that
this can be adjusted to any desired tension. The centre upper part of this bow
spring would pass through the eye of an adjustable link secured by a screwed stem
and jam nuts to the lower open linked end of a short connecting rod having its top
bushed end mounted on one of the cranks of a crank shaft, so that this spring can
be adjusted to any desired tension or pressure. The crank shaft would be mounted
in bush bearings at the top of the sides of the machine framework and have fixed
and loose pulleys mounted on its one end so as to be driven by a band from a pulley
on any adjacent prime moving shaft of the works. The other end of the crank
shaft would have adjustable cone pulleys mounted on it to drive by a band one of the

page_text: roller spindles, preferably the lower one, which would have corresponding reverse
cone pulleys mounted on its one end, and thus be capable of running at any desired
varying speed to suit the kind of cloth or fabric being treated.
With this arrangement of machine the endless webs or pieces of cloth to be
washed and fulled, in their circuit pass round guide rollers in the lower part of the
machine where they mix with the soapy or washing matter placed therein, and then
pass up over guide rollers and through the front directing open guides, and thence
drawn through between the main two pressing rollers where the fabric is thoroughly
squeezed and the liquid matter pressed out. After passing through between these
pressing rollers the webs of fabric pass over the angled lower wooden blocks, and
the lower end of angled hinged shutters or boards fitted with adjustable handles,
bear on the fabric at the back end of the lower fixed blocks to press and guide each
web in its travel down into the lower curved part of the machine. The vertical
reciprocating beaters, operated from the overhead crank shaft will intermittently
rise and fall and act on the fabric with their corrugated surfaces to press same on
the corrugated surfaces of the lower fixed blocks, and thus give the fulling action
to the cloth at these parts.
Instead of only one set of beaters acting on the cloth, two or more may be
similarly mounted to act on the cloth successively after each other while it is
passing over the lower angled fixed block. And instead of using bow springs in
connection with these beaters india rubber volute, helical, or other adjustable
springs may be similarly used.
Dated the 4th April 1893
-
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cloth Washing and Fulling
Machinery.
I, DAVID MCLARDIE, of Meikleriggs, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Cloth Finisher,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction or
arrangement and combination of the parts of a machine or mechanism for performing
the combined operations or functions of washing and of fulling cloth piece goods,
such as tweeds, worsted, or union fabrics, shawls, blankets, and the like, and thus
save the labour and expense of performing these purposes in separate machines as
has been the practice heretofore.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 represent
'sectional elevations at right angles to each other of combined cloth washing and
fulling machine as constructed in accordance with one arrangement of my
improvements.
Referring to these drawings:-According to this arrangement the improved
combination mechanism would be enclosed within a vertical cast iron or metal close
frame or case having an internal lining of wood staves A', tongued and grooved or
otherwise jointed together. This frame A would extend from near the upper part
of the mechanism to some distance below the ground level 2 on which the machine
is placed, and have soap and water or other cleansing material placed at the bottom
part Z. A pair of rollers B, B', preferably of wood, would be mounted by their
end journals b, b', in bearings at the sides and upper part of the machine, and be
rotated in surface contact by spur gearing 63, 6, mounted at one of their ends

page_text: :
outside the framing A, and the upper roller B would be made adjustable in its end
bearings and be operated by ordinary pressure spring, lever, or equivalent
mechanism to bear with any desired pressure on the cloth T passing between it and
the surface of the lower roller B¹. A guide would be fitted in front of these
rollers B; B, for.directing the cloth T-through between them, and would preferably
consist of a metal ring C:fitted with blocks of wood C', and having one, two or more
Blots or holes C³ corresponding to the number of "fulling" beaters to be used in
the machine. One, two, or more angled blocks D of beech or other wood would be
fitted over brackets D projecting from the sides of the machine behind the
rollers B, B, and each endless web of cloth T would pass over these in its circuit
while.being washed and "fulled." One, two, or more vertical acting beaters. or
plungers E, would be fitted to work over these angled blocks D, preferably two
placed parallel to each other over the separate lower parallel blocks in the line of
the feeding in guide blocks C, and would preferably each consist of a block E of
beech or other wood corrugated or fluted on its under surface E' to press on the
cloth T over the lower stationary block D which would also be corrugated at this
part D. This vertical acting block E would work between upright guides E' above
the lower fixed block D and be screwed or attached to the lower end of a vertical
reciprocating metal crosshead F working between guide brackets F secured to the
sides of frame A of machine. This. crosshead F would have a transverse rod f
jointed at its centre f¹ and projecting out on each side of it, and the two ends of
this rod would be fitted with adjustable screw couplings f, f, and have the ends of
an upwardly projecting bow spring e jointed at e' at the extreme ends of this
adjustable screw coupled rod f, so that this can be adjusted to any desired tension.
The centre upper part of this bow spring e would pass through the eye of an
adjustable link g secured by a screwed stem and jam nuts at g', to the lower open
linked end of a short connecting rod g' having its top bushed end g³ mounted on
the crank G¹ of a crank shaft G, so that this spring can be adjusted to any desired
tension or pressure. The crank shaft G would be mounted in bush bearings G³ at
the top of the sides of the machine framework A and have fixed and loose
pulleys G³, G, mounted on its one end so as to be driven by a band from a pulley
on any adjacent prime moving shaft of the works. The other end of the crank
shaft G would have an adjustable cone pulley G, mounted on it to drive by band
one of the roller spindles, preferably the lower one b¹, which would have a
corresponding reverse cone pulley 6 mounted on its one end, and thus be capable
of running at any desired varying speed to suit the kind of cloth or fabric being
treated.
With this arrangement of machine the endless webs or pieces of cloth T to be
washed and fulled, in their circuit pass round guide rollers T' in the lower part of
the machine where they mix with the soapy or washing liquid placed therein, and
then pass up over guide rollers T* and through the front directing open guides C,
and thence drawn through between the two main pressing rollers B, B', where the
fabric is thoroughly squeezed and the liquid matter pressed out. After passing
through between these pressing rollers B, B, the webs of fabric T pass over the
angled lower wooden blocks D, D', and the lower end of angled hinged shutters or
boards Ds fitted with adjustable handles D' bear on the fabric at the back end of
the lower fixed blocks D to press and guide each web T in its travel down into the
lower curved part of the machine. The vertical reciprocating beaters E, operated
from the overhead crank shaft G, G' will intermittently rise and fall and act on the
fabric T with their corrugated surfaces El to press same on the corrugated
surfaces D' of the lower fixed blocks D and thus give the fulling action to the
cloth T at these parts.
Instead of only one set of beaters E acting on the cloth, two or more may be
similarly mounted to act on the cloth T successively after each other while it is
passing over the lower angled fixed block D. And instead of using bow springs e,
in connection with these beaters india rubber, volute, helical or other adjustable
springs may be similarly used,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invẹn-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
.
First. A machine in which the combined functions are performed of fulling and
washing cloth, constructed substantially as described in reference: to and by way of
application shown in the accompanying drawings.
!.
Second. In a machine for fulling and washing cloth, the arrangement and
combination of driving guide and pressure rolls or their equivalents, reciprocating
or oscillating beaters, and endless travelling web or webs of cloth passing over guide
rollers and bearing or beating surfaces and through the washing liquid, substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. The construction or general arrangement and combination of the parts and
operating mechanism of a combined fulling and washing machine, substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
L AT1004
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents,
1