A NEW SYSTEM OF BLEACHING, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harold Potter, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Bleacher, for the Invention of "A NEW SYSTEM OF
BLEACHING,
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harold Potter at the
: Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1874.
1
I, HAROLD POTTER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
SYSTEM OF BLEACHING, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,' to be as
follows:-
"
My Invention consists in placing the yarn or fabric on perforated
horizontal partitions in a closed vessel capable of resisting a pressure of
two hundred pounds per square inch, or more or less. The lower end of
this vessel is connected by a pipe to a boiler, and the upper part of this
boiler is connected by another pipe to the upper part of the same.

page_text: When the water or bleaching liquor in the boiler is heated it is forced
up the pipe into the upper part of the closed vessel, and after percolating
through the yarn or fabric which is spread and divided on the partitions it
flows back to the boiler, and this circulation is kept up until the yarn or
fabric is sufficiently operated upon, after which it is taken to the
chemical or scouring or other process for completing the bleaching. By
means of this Invention the bleaching is effected in less than a fourth
of the time usually required and the yarn or fabric is as strong and as
well bleached as by the usual lengthy process.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Harold Potter in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HAROLD
POTTER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Bleacher, send
.greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Harold Potter, Her special
licence that I, the said Harold Potter, my exccutors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Harold Potter,
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 thercin expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"A NEW SYSTEM OF BLEACHING, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Harold Potter, 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 the
date of the said Letters. Patent.
*
"

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Harold Potter, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :—
My Invention consists in placing the yarn or fabric on perforated
horizontal partitions in a closed vessel capable of resisting a pressure of
two hundred pounds per square inch, or more or less. The lower end of
this vessel is connected by a pipe to a boiler, and the upper part of this
boiler is connected by another pipe to the upper part of the same.
When the water or bleaching liquor in the boiler is heated it is forced
up the pipe into the upper part of the closed vessel, and after percolating
through the yarn or fabric, which is spread and divided on the partitions,
it flows back to the boiler, and this circulation is kept up until the yarn
or fabric is sufficiently operated upon, after which it is taken to the
chemical or souring or other process for completing the bleaching. By
means of this Invention the bleaching is effected in less than a fourth
of the time usually required, and the yarn or fabric is as strong and as
well bleached as by the usual lengthy process.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying
Drawing, which represents a sectional elevation of an apparatus con-
structed according to my improvements. a is a vessel which is closed by
the cover b, and which is made strong enough to resist a pressure of
about two hundred pounds on the square inch; near the lower end of
the vessel a is the perforated false bottom c, on which the fabrics or
fibres to be bleached are spread; d is the perforated plate which is
placed over the fabrics or fibres to hold them down.
When the vessel a is of large dimensions there may be two or more
perforated false bottoms placed at different altitudes in the vessel a, with
layers of fabrics or fibres upon them. The pipe e is connected to the
lower end of the vessel a, and is in communication with the side of the
boiler g, and the pipe f, which is connected to the upper part of the
vessel a is in communication with the upper part of the boiler.
When the vessel a has been charged with the fabrics or fibres the lime
water is turned on until the vessel a and the boiler g are filled or nearly
filled, and as soon as the water begins to boil the hot water ascending
the pipe flows into the upper part of the vessel a and percolates

page_text: through the fabrics or fibres, while the cooler water descends through
the pipe e and flows back to the boiler. This establishes a circulation
which is kept up until the pressure in the boiler and in the vessel a has
risen to about two hundred pounds per square inch; the operation may
be continued at this pressure for about five or six hours, or more or less,
according the nature and quality of the fabrics or fibres to be operated
upon; the pressure is then gradually allowed to decrease until it is
sufficiently reduced to allow the cover b to be taken off, and when the
cover is removed the lime water is run off, and after the fabrics or
fibres have been washed they are bowked again in a solution of soda ash.
The fabrics or fibres can now be taken out of the vessel and then taken
to the chemical or souring or other subsequent processes for finishing the
bleaching. By means of this Invention fabrics or fibres are bleached in
considerably less time than heretofore, the strength is increased, and a
great saving is effected in the bleaching materials.
My Invention is particularly beneficial in bleaching linen fabrics, as
the great beat employed has the desired effect in removing or dissolving
the impurities adhering to the fibres, but it may be applied to other
fabrics or fibres.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described a
convenient manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood
that I do not intend to limit myself to the details given, as the same
may be varied, and I claim subjecting fabrics or fibres to the action of
liquid under a pressure of two hundred pounds per square inch, or more
or less, in a closed vessel furnished with a perforated false bottom or
bottoms and a perforated plate in the manner and for the purposes
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harold Potter, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-four.