IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND BLEACHING WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Parsons, of 18, Pratt Street, Old Lambeth,
Manufacturing Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING
AND BLEACHING WOVEN FABRICS."
Sealed the 16th December 1856, and dated the 19th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Parsons at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th June 1856.
I, WILLIAM PARSONS, of 18, Pratt Street, Old Lambeth, Manufacturing
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WASHING AND BLEACHING WOVEN FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in improvements in washing and bleaching woven
fabrics. The washing is effected by means of a machine consisting of a four-sided
wooden frame which revolves on a horizontal axis in a cistern containing
boiling water. At one of the angles of the wooden frame a bobbin or reel is
mounted, on which the piece of fabric to be washed is wound. In the centre
of the wooden frame another. bobbin or reel is mounted, which, at the com-
mencement of the operation is empty. The cloth from the full reel passes
round three sides of the revolving reel over brushes or a surface of vulcanized
india-rubber fixed to each side of the frame to the central reel, which receives
a slow motion on its axis by suitable gearing, and just before the cloth is
wound on the central reel it is acted on by a revolving brush or surface of

page_text: vulcanized india-rubber. When the central reel is full of cloth, it is removed
from the washing machine to an apparatus in which the cloth is subjected to
the action of the various liquors used in bleaching. This apparatus consists
of a cistern, in the two ends of which are a series of slits as long as the cloth
is wide, and these slits have valves to prevent the liquor contained in the
cistern from escaping. The cistern contains a series of fixed partitions parallel
to the ends, and having similar slits in them; in between each pair of fixed
partitions there is a moveable wooden frame, also baving slits similar to those
in the ends of the cistern, and these moveable frames are worked up and down
by cranks or otherwise. The reels from the washing machines are mounted
in a suitable frame, and the cloth from several of them is passed into the
cistern through each slit in one of the ends of the cistern, and then through
the corresponding slits in each of the fixed partitions and moveable frames
contained in the cistern; and, lastly, out of the cistern through one of the
slits in the other end. Thus it will be seen that the cloth is rubbed between
each of the fixed partitions and moveable frames, and these are, by preference,
covered with india-rubber.
The bleaching is effected by using in this apparatus, first, the ordinary
alkaline and chlorine solutions, then lime water, and afterwards the weak acid
which is usually used immediately after the chlorine solution.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Parsons in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PARSONS, of 18, Pratt Street, Old Lanibeth, Manufacturing Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Пer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Parsons, Her special licence, that I, the said William Parsons, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Parsons, my 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WASHING AND
BLEACHING WOVEN FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Parsons, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said. Invention, 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 tho
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Parsons, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the samo is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in improvements in washing and bleaching woven
fabrics. The washing is effected by means of a machine consisting of a four-
sided wooden frame which revolves on a horizontal axis in a cistern containing
boiling water. At one of the angles of the wooden frame a bobbin or reel is
mounted, on which the piece of fabric to be washed is wound. In the centre
of the wooden frame another bobbin or reel is mounted, which at the coni-
mencement of the operation is empty. The cloth from the full reel passes
round three sides of the revolving reel over brushes or a surface of vulcanized
india-rubber fixed to each side of the frame to the central reel, which receives
a slow motion on its axis by suitable gearing, and just before the cloth is
wound on the central reel it is acted on by a revolving brush or surface of
vulcanized india rubber. When the central reel is full of cloth, it is removed
from this washing machine to an apparatus in which the cloth is subjected to
the action of the various liquors used in bleaching. This apparatus consists
of a cistern, in the two ends of which are a series of slits as long as the cloth
is wide, and these slits have valves to prevent the liquor contained in the
cistern from escaping. The cistern contains a series of fixed partitions parallet
to the ends, and having similar slits in them; in between each pair of fixed
partitions there is a moveable wooden frame, also having slits similar to those
in the ends of the cistern, and these moveable frames are worked up and down
by cranks or otherwise. The reels from the washing machines are mounted in
a suitable frame, and the cloth from several of them is passed into the cistern
through each slit in one of the ends of the cistern, and then through the
corresponding slits in each of the fixed partitions and moveable franes con-
tained in the cistern; and, lastly, out of the cistern through one of the slits
in the other end. Thus it will be seen that the cloth is rubbed between each

page_text: of the fixed partitions and moveable frames, and these are, by preference,
covered with india-rubber.
.
.
The bleaching is effected by using in this apparatus, first, the ordinary
alkaline and chlorine solutions, then lime water, and afterwards the weak acid
which is usually used immediately after the chlorine solution.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a plan, and Figure 2 a transverse section of apparatus con-
structed according to my Invention for washing woven fabrics. a, a, is a four-
sided wooden frame, revolving on hollow axes at each end, which are supported
and turn in suitable bearings formed in the sides of the cistern or vessel b, b,
containing water; c is a bobbin or reel on which the piece of fabric to be
washed is wound. The bobbin c is mounted and turns in suitable bearings on
the frame a, a, so as to be readily removed when empty, and replaced by
another. d is another bobbin or reel, the axes of which are supported and turn
in the inner ends of the hollow axes of the frame a, a. The axis d' of the
reel d is formed with a square at the end, which enters a corresponding square
formed in the end of the axis e, by which means the two axes are connected.
The axis e is capable of being slided to and fro in the hollow axis of the
frame a to connect or disconnect the axis d'ande by the forked lever e¹, as
shewn. is a toothed wheel fixed on the axis e, which receives motion from
a toothed pinion f fixed on the axis g, by which a slow motion may be given
to the axis c, and from it to the central reel or bobbin d. Motion is com-
municated to the frame a by a band passing over the pulley a¹ fixed on the
axis a of the frame a, as shown. The piece of fabric to be washed passes
from the reel cover the rollers 1, 2, 3, 4, (supported in bearings on the frame
a, a,) to the bobbin or reel d, and motion being communicated to the frame a, a,
and to the axis e, the fabric will be unwound from the bobbin or recl c, and
wound upon the reel or bobbin d, and in its passage it will be acted upon by
the revolving brushes h, h, or other rubbing surfaces, which are mounted and
turn in bearings on the frame a, a, and the brushes h, h, receive motion by
means of small friction rollers ', ', on their outer ends being acted upon as
they revolve by the circumference of the rings i, i, fixed on the inner ends of
the cistern b. 2 is another revolving brush or rubbing surface, placed so as to
act on the opposite side of the fabric to the brushes h, h. The pieces of fabric,
after being washed and wound upon the bobbins or reels d, are removed from
the frames a, a, and placed in fixed frames, as shewn at Figure S, for the cloth

page_text: to be conducted through the breaching apparatus constructed according to my
Invention, which I will now proceed to describe.
Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section, Figure 5 a transverse section, Figure 6
a plan, and Figure 7 a plan in section, of apparatus suitably arranged for
carrying out my Invention.. a, a, are two of a series of cisterns, each similarly
constructed and arranged, so that a description of one will apply to the-whole
series. In the ends of the cisterns a, a, slits a', a', are formed, as long as the
cloth is wide. The slits a', a', have vulcanized india-rubber valves applied to
them, to prevent the bleaching liquor in the cistern escaping; b, b, are a series
of frames or partitions having slits to correspond with the valvular slits a' in
the cistern. The frames b, b, are retained in position by the cross rails b¹, b',
fixed to the uprights b, b; as shewn. c, c, are other frames or partitions inter-
mediate of the frames b, b, having slits formed in them like the frames b, and
they are capable of being moved up and down between the frames b, b, by
connecting rods and excentrics c', c', actuated by the excentric drum c², which
is supported and turns in bearings fixed to the rails 63 which connect the
uprights b', '; and it will be seen; on examining the Drawings, that, the
frames b, b, c, c, together with the uprights b', ', and parts connected there-
with, are capable of being raised and lowered in the cistern, as hereafter
described, so as to facilitate the passing of the fabrics through the slits in the
series of partitions and frames b, c. The frames b, c, are raised and lowered
in the following manner :-d, d, are screws supported and turning in bearings
on the fixed framing a, a;. the lower ends of the screws d, d; pass through
female screws formed in the brackets &', ', fixed to the rails ³, 1. Motion is
communicated to the screws d, d, to raise and lower the frames by the bevil
toothed wheels d', ', fixed on the upper ends of the screws, taking into the
bevil toothed wheels d', d, fixed on the axis d³, which receives motion by an
endless band around the pullies d', d', the pulley d³ turning on a stud fixed to
the side of the cistern a, and being actuated by the workman when required.
The excentric drum receives motion by the toothed wheel taking into the
toothed pinion c fixed on the axis c, which is supported and turns in bearings
on the fixed: framing, as shown, the axis c being driven by a band from a
steam engine or other motive power. A number of the pieces of fabric to be
bleached are passed through the valvular slits a' in the cistern through the
slits in the partitions and frames b, c, and are drawn out through the slits on
the opposite side of the cistern by the rollers e, c, which receive motion by the
worm wheel e' fixed on the axis of the bottom roller e, taking into a worm f¹
fixed on the axis f, and the worm is capable of being thrown out of gear
with the wheel e by raising the lever ffixed to the excentric collar in the bear-

page_text: ing f, through which the axis f passes. The pieces of fabric are conducted
from the rollers e, e, into a trough or vessel g, and from thence through another
cisterna, and series of frames b, c. After passing through the second cistern a
I prefer to pass the pieces of fabric through a closed vessel A, into which steam
or other fluid at a high temperature is admitted, the pieces of fabric being
separated from each other and passed through valvular slits in the vessel
similar to those in the cisterns a.
Figure 8 shows the arrangement of a series of cisterns and apparatus I
prefer to employ in carrying out my Invention. From the steam chamber the
pieces of fabric are conducted through two other cisterns a, a, and apparatus
b, c, and the bleaching solutions are finally discharged by the fabrics passing
through the closed vessel B containing water, there being a constant supply
under pressure
and a discharge passage. B', B', are a series of pistons connected
together, which are moved up and down in the vessel B to force the water
through the fabrics in their passage through the discharging vessel B.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to
the mechanical parts separately, but what I claim is, the combination herein
described for washing fabrics; and I also claim the combination of apparatus
herein described for bleaching fabrics.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Parsons, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
24, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM PARSONS. (L.s.)