CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, OR APPARATUS FOR BLEACHING VARIOUS FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I LEMUEL
WELLMAN WRIGHT, of Gresford Cottage, North Wales, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-three, and in the sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Lemuel Wellman Wright, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Lemuel Wellman Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such
others as I, the said Lemuel Wellman Wright, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man; and also within all Her Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY, OR
APPARATUS FOR BLEACHING VARIOUS FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" and also an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING OR MANUFACTURING
THE SAME INTO PAPER," (partly communicated to me by a foreigner residing.
abroad); in which said Letters Patent is continued a proviso, that I, the said

page_text: Lemuel Wellman Wright, shall cause a full and particular description of the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear..
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Lemuel Wellman Wright, do hereby declare that the nature of the said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the
following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
These improvements in machinery or apparatus for bleaching various fibrous
substances consists,―
Firstly, in the novel arrangement and construction of the several parts of
the machinery or apparatus employed, and in the application of the same to
the process of bleaching straw and other fibrous substances, (such as wheat,
oat, barley, or rye straw, and jute wood, commonly called surat,) to be used
for the manufacture of various kinds of paper, millboard, cardboard, button-
board, &c.
Secondly, in the particular machinery or apparatus for washing and
cleansing all the dirty or extraneous matter from the straw or other fibrous
substances.
"
Thirdly, in the peculiar adaptation of the machinery or apparatus used or
employed for reducing the same into a state of pulp.
Fourthly, in the continuation of the washing of the fibre in the pulpy state,
and in the peculiar apparatus or machinery employed for the purpose of boiling
the same by high-pressure steam.
And, fifthly, in the machinery or apparatus for washing from the boiling
process for performing the souring chloride or other chemical processes, and
thus perfecting the operation of bleaching the pulp ready for use, as herein-
after described.
The improvements in machinery or apparatus for converting the same into
paper apply more particularly to that construction or. arrangement of paper-
making machinery for which Letters Patent were granted to me by His late
Majesty William the Fourth, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day
of November, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, the Specification
of which was duly enrolled in the Rolls Chapel Office, and to which I shall
herein-after refer as may be required...
In order that the present, improvements may be, fully described and shewn

page_text: being drawn mostly in section to shew the working of the process more clearly,
and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, as seen from above, in which I have
shewn a set of the apparatus arranged; similar letters of reference are marked
upon corresponding parts of the apparatus in both the Figures. The tub or
vessel A is for the purpose of mixing lime and water together, commonly called
solution of lime or "milk of lime.". Steam is admitted into this tub by the
pipe a for the purpose of boiling, water is admitted as required by the pipe'b,
and the top and pipe c are for the purpose of drawing off the lime liquor into
the tubs B, B. These tubs or boiling vessels may be made of wood or métal,
and are intended to contain the straw or other fibre in which it is to be boiled
with the lime liquor previously prepared. The said tubs to be covered down
with lids, and made steam-tight with safety valves, which boiling process should
continue for about twelve hours. d is the steam pipe for boiling the contents
of the vessel; e, the pipes for admitting water, which may be previously
heated in the two auxiliary vessels f and g. The pipe e* is for the 'admission
of cold water, if required; and h, h, are the pipes and valves for drawing
off the straw or fibre and liquor into the washing tubs C, C, when sufficiently
boiled. The tub C is for the purpose of washing the lime and colouring matter
from the straw or fibre, and is provided with a false bottom, covered with wire
gauze or cloth of about No. 12 mesh, (in order that the fibre may be retained
in the tub,) when the water is drawn off by the pipe i; and it is also furnished
with an agitator, kept in continued motion by means of its driving gear, drum,
and strap k, k, which will prevent the wire cloth from being choked or filled
up by the lime powder, as well as keep the whole mass in action during the
washing process. Water is admitted as required by the pipe l and drawn off
by the pipe i. After being well washed and cleansed, the straw or fibre has to
be removed from this vessel, and submitted to the grinding or pulping appa-
ratus D, D, conveniently attached. Each machine or apparatus is composed
of two large cast-iron rollers 'm, m, m m, of about five feet diameter and about
five tons weight, each roller revolving on a stationary axle n,'n, n, n, properly

page_text: secured in the framework and bearing, or rolling by friction of contact upon
the bottom circular iron plate, bed, or trough 0, 0, 0, 0, which is caused to
revolve by means of the bevilled teeth cast or fixed in segments upon the
under sides, being driven by the pinion and shaft p, p, and supplied with water
as required by the pipe q, q.
The boiled straw or fibre from the tub C in now
to be thrown into this trough or bed and under the rollers, to which it is con-
ducted by guides s*, s*, s*, s*, and is allowed to remain under the grinding
action of the rollers about fifteen minutes, more or less, as the nature of the
material may require, until the pulping process will be completed, when the
pulp may be taken out from under the rollers and placed into the tub E, which
is of the same construction, and used for a repetition of the same purpose as
the tub C, with this exception only, that the wire cloth constituting the false
bottom of this tub must be of a finer texture, that is, about No. 30 mesh.
The pipe and tap r from this tub is intended for drawing off the waste water
with the coloring matter that passes from the pulp during the process of wash-
ing, the pipe S at the same time admitting pure water. After this second
washing, the pulp is to be passed through the pipes and cocks t, t, into the close
iron kiers F, F, wherein it is to be boiled again in lime water, commonly
called "milk of lime," as before, for about six hours. These kiers have steam-
tight covers, safety valves, and man-holes. u is the pipe admitting steam for
boiling; and V, a water pipe for drawing water into the kiers. When the pulp
has thus been boiled for six hours, the steam must be shut off from the pulpu,
and introduced above the liquor by the steam pipes w, w, which will bring the
pressure of the steam upon the top of the pulp, and when the tap x is opened
in the bottom pipe y, the pulp and liquor will be forced up the pipe and dis-
charged into the tubs G, G, where it is to be washed again, and in the same
way as before described, excepting in this case the bottom of the tub is covered
with fine pierced or perforated sheet lead of about four pounds weight to the
square foot. The pulp now being in the tub G, G, must in this stage be well
washed and agitated with water, constantly running in at the pipe 1, and
drawn off as required at the pipe 2. When sufficiently agitated in this vessel,
the pulp must be submitted to the action, for about two hours (still kept in
motion), of a solution of sulphuric, muriatic, or other acids of the ordinary
strength used for bleaching purposes, washed as before until the acid is all
removed from the pulp, when it is to be returned through the pipe 3 into the
close keirs F, when it must be boiled again in a solution of alkali of 2° No. 1
hydrometer, which should be continued for about four hours, or until the
strength of the alkali is spent, when the pulp and alkaline liquor is forced
back into the tub G again and washed, as before described. The wasbing

page_text: being completed, the pulp is to be agitated in a solution of chloride of lime
or bleaching liquor (of the ordinary bleaching strength) for about two hours,
and then the solution is to be brought to the boiling point by the admission of
steam into the tub; after the chloride or bleaching liquor is entirely spent, the
pulp and liquor is to be let down through the pipe and valve 4 into the tub H,
when washing must again be performed therein, and when the chloride or
bleaching liquor is all washed out, it must be submitted to the process called
souring, consisting of an immersion in a solution of acid and water, where,
after being agitated for about four hours, the whole is to be let off through
the pipes and valves 5, 5, into the tubs I, I, below, where it may remain until
the next batch is ready for "souring." The "souring" liquor is to be pumped
up the pipe 6 into a tub above to be ready for use again as required; the
pipe 7 is for a supply of fresh water when wanted, and the pipes 8 and 9 are
for drawing off the " souring" liquor when spent and of no further use.
After the working of the whole of this improved bleaching machinery or
apparatus as above described, the straw, pulp, or other fibrous material will be
perfectly bleached, and fit for the subsequent manufacture of white paper.
But I would remark, in conclusion of this first part of my Specification,
that when the pulp is not intended to be used for white paper, the preparing
process may be discontinued after the boiling of the pulp in the close
kiers F, F, prior to its being carried into the tubs G, G; and also, that
after the pulping and bleaching processes have been completed as above
described, the pulp may be submitted to the ordinary rag engine for an hour
or so, for the purpose of washing, blucing, and clearing the stuff prior to its
introduction to the paper machine.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an improved paper-making
machine with sizing and cutting apparatus attached; and Fig. 2 is an elevation
of the delivering end of the paper machine. In Sheet 3, Fig. 1 is a plan or
top view of the paper machine with sizing and cutting apparatus complete,
and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the same. The pulp being placed in
the vat A, flows through a sluice along the trough B into the dressing, clearing,
or sifting apparatus C, which is worked as usual. The pulp leaves this vessel
by a trough, and is raised by means of an ordinary bucket wheel or elevator
in the box D, and forced along the trough E into the vat F, in which the
moulding cylinder G revolves. In this improved construction of paper-making
machine, the moulding cylinder G, for making the continuous length of paper,
and the adaptation thereof, and the mode of regulating the quantity or
thickness of the paper to be produced, together with other general arrange-
ments of the machinery, are exactly similar to that described in the Specification

page_text: of my former Patent of One thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, which
it is necessary here to repeat in order that the application of the present
improvements may be properly understood; that is, several wheels or drums
are firstly made fast upon the axle or shaft of this cylinder G, which are placed
at from three to four inches apart for the purpose of giving stability to the
ribs which are to form the cylinder, the two outer or end rings being made
with, strong flanches. When these wheels have been fixed on the shaft,
longitudinal wires or round bars of metal about one quarter of an inch in
diameter are attached to the outer parts of the rims of the wheels, parallel to
each other, and in the direction of the axle, at about a quarter of an inch
apart. The rods bear in notches in the peripheries of the wheels, their ends
being passed through holes in the end flange rings, and they are drawn tight
by screw nuts or rivetted at the outside of the flange rings. These ribs having
been secured to the flange rings, and thereby made to form a cylindrical cage,
a continuous wire, about the sixteenth of an inch in diameter, is then tightly
wound round the periphery of the cylinder. in the direction of a spiral' or
screw, in order to. hold the longitudinal bars firmly in their places in the
notches of the peripheries of the wheels. Over this spiral wire round
the cylinder is to be a covering of woven wire or wire cloth, having about
eighteen meshes in the inch, which wire cloth is to be fastened in the
usual way' of securing wire cloths upon paper-making cylinders, and over
this wire cloth a covering is to be put of fine vellum wire cloth, adapted
to the kind of paper intended to be made; one end of this cylinder is
to be closed water-tight, the other end being open for the free passage of
the water between the arms. A cylinder constructed as described is repre-
sented in the Drawing in connection with a machine for making a con-
tinuous sheet of paper, with the drying, sizing, and cutting apparatus. The
moulding cylinder G is mounted in the vat F, F, the end of its axle turning in
bearings fixed on the edges of the vat. Paper pulp prepared in the usual way
is to be supplied to the vat and kept at one uniform height by an overflow
trough during the operation of making paper by the ordinary means, the
moulding cylinder being immersed to the depth of about half or more of its
diameter in the pulp. The open end of the cylinder is made to work water-
tight against the side of the vat. The reason of packing one end of the
cylinder and closing the other end is, that no water shall pass from the vat into s
the cylinder except through the wire cloth round its periphery. Near the
lower part, an aperture is made through the vat to the discharging trough
E', E', which aperture communicates with the interior of the cylinder G for
the purpose of drawing the water therefrom. This aperture has a sluice

page_text: shutter cock or valves, to limit the flow of the water from within, and thereby
to. regulate the hydraulic pressure on the outer or moulding surface of the
cylinder, and thus determine the thickness of the paper by regulating the
deposit of pulp thereon. The moulding. cylinder is intended to revolve in
the direction of the arrow; it is moved by the friction of the travelling endless
web of felt H, H, passed round the couching roller I, between the pressing
roller K and the drying cylinder L. This drying cylinder or the pressing
roller may be put in motion by wheel geer or straps applied to the end of its
axle. After the formation of paper by the deposit of pulp upon the cylinder
G, the water is passed from the interior of the cylinder by means of the trough
E' to the pulp dresser or strainer C and the elevator. The paper is now taken
up by the felt by the action of the couching roller detaching the paper from
the moulding cylinder, and conducted between the pressing cylinder K and
drying cylinder L. The drying cylinder L is an improvement upon my former
plan, and consists in the introduction of a large metallic cylinder L (say, of cast
iron, and made hollow, for the purpose of being heated by steam or otherwise),
and the paper is passed nearly all round this cylinder between the pressing
rollers K', K', and steam-heated smoothing rollers M, M, (all, being driven by
friction of contact with 'the drying cylinder, which imparts a peculiar and
highly finished surface to the paper. The fibre is in consequence compressed
or consolidated, adapting it for writing with ease and dispatch, and when used
for printing purposes it yields. a clear impression with less power. As the
paper is dried and finished, it is conducted from the drying cylinder by the
small roller N, just in front of the doctor or clearer O, (which is for the purpose
of preserving the surface of the drying cylinder free from any small particles of
fibre which may adhere thereto,) and passes on to the sizing machine annexed.
It will be observed. that the endless felt H, H, runs in a box of water P for
the purpose of being washed (without stopping the machine), which is also
provided with a revolving beater Q, acting against the back of the felt as it
travels through the water. A stretching apparatus R, R, is also provided for
the felt, whereby it is tightened or slackened by the elevation or depression of
the roll R' in its groove, and acted upon by the chain S, fixed at each end
of the roll, passing over a pulley above and communicating with a catch or
ratchet wheel below. The paper now passes into the sizing machine over the
conducting roller T. U is a brass roller, placed in a horizontal position in the
side frames, and pressed by means of set screws against a wooden-roller V,
each roller being furnished with a doctor or clearer. The size is raised by
means of a pump from the cistern W, and discharged into the space or trough
formed by the contact. of the two rollers, and by means of gates or boards

page_text: fitting tightly against the end of the rollers, the size is kept to the height of
the top of the roll U, the cavity containing the body of size through which
the paper (shewn by the blue line) passes being thus formed between the rolls
and the end gates or boards. The paper after the sizing process passes over
the conducting roller W' to the cutting machine, constructed for the purpose
of simply dividing the hitherto continuous length of paper into sheets by means
of a revolving cutter; it consists simply of a cutting blade X, being placed
along the periphery of a roller Y, and as it revolves, by acting against the fixed
or ledger blade Z, fixed above in a transverse position over which the paper
passes, cut or divide the paper into sheets as required, which fall upon the
continuous felt below, and are thus delivered to the table attached. The
length of the sheet is regulated by a pair of conical pullies A*, one of which
communicates with or drives the revolving cutter.
Fig. 3, Sheet 2, shews a mode of couching or detaching the paper from the
moulding cylinder G by the substitution of a continuous or endless web of wire
instead of felting, and by which the paper is conducted by the drying cylinder.
To use this wire the felt is only continued through the pressing rollers and
drying cylinder. G is the moulding cylinder; I, the couching roller; J, J,
the wire; J , a pressing roller, kept against the cylinder L by a lever an
weight; K, another pressing roller; L, part of the drying cylinder; and
H, H, the felt.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lemuel Wellman Wright, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty three