IMPROVE- MENTS IN WASHING, BLEACHING, CLEANSING, AND PREPARING TEXTILE FABRICS AND MATERIALS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Macdonald, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WASHING, BLEACHING, CLEANSING, AND PREPARING TEXTILE FABRICS
AND MATERIALS."
Sealed the 16th June 1857, and dated the 26th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Macdonald at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th December 1856.
I, DAVID MACDONALD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING, BLEACHING, CLEANSING, AND PREPARING TEXTILE FABRICS
AND MATERIALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a system or mode of washing and bleaching textile
fabrics and materials by the combined agency of steam, chemical matters, and
mechanical action.
The apparatus in which the operations are carried on consists of a stationary
semicylindrical chamber, or a chamber of a shape more or less approximating
thereto, placed with its flat or straight portion upwards, and having within
it an inverted moveable chamber or working vessel. This working vessel

page_text: resembles an inverted boat with its two ends cut square off, and it fits closely in
between the two opposite flat sides of the stationary chamber, and with its
bottom edges in close contact with the concave bottom surface of that chamber.
A horizontal spindle or shaft occupying the position of the centre, from
which the cylindrical bottom of the stationary chamber may be supposed to be
struck out, serves as the working centre of the working vessel, so that as the
working vessel is moved from side to side it follows the curve of the stationary
chamber's bottom. The required vibratory or oscillatory action is given to the
working vessel by a crank or other mover, jointed to a lever standing up from
the top of the working vessel, or from its shaft. A steam pipe opens into the
bottom of the stationary chamber beneath the working vessel, and here the
fabrics and materials to be treated are placed, so as to rest upon the concave
bottom of the stationary chamber, being covered by the working vessel. The
stationary chamber is kept supplied with soap and water, and whatever
chemical matters may be required for acting upon the goods placed in it.
When the apparatus is set to work, a powerful steam jet is allowed to play
upon the goods covered by the working chamber, and as the latter works from
side to side the mechanical action rolls over and loosens the folds of the goods,
so that the steam and chemical matters obtain free access to them. The
working vessel is perforated in its upper part to allow of a current through
from below. The internal working vessel may either be constructed as a
solid vessel; and perforated as required with holes, or it may be made as a
combination of agitating float boards or open spars. When the goods leave
this apparatus they are bleached by the aid of the usual chemical matters
used in such process, but to increase the energy of the process, a cold air pipe
is led into the bleaching chamber, and jets of cold air are allowed to rush in
and act upon the goods from below. This cold air jet application agitates the
goods, and materially assists the operation. Heated air may be used instead
of cold air if desired. In the souring process, the same application of cold
or heated air is used for agitating the goods and increasing the energy of the
treatment; after this the goods are washed out clean. Instead of using
separate chambers for all these processes, the same chamber may be used
throughout.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Macdonald in the Great Seal Patent Offico on the
26th June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
MACDONALD, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said David Macdonald, IIer special license that I, tho said David
Macdonald, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said David Macdonald, my executors, administrators, or 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN WASHING, BLEACHING, CLEANSING, AND PREPARING TEXTILE FABRICS
AND MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David
Macdonald, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 immie-
dlately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Macdonald, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a system or mode of washing and bleaching
textile fabrics and materials by the combined agency of steam, chemical
matters, and mechanical action.
The apparatus in which the operations are carried on consists of a.stationary
semicylindrical chamber, or a chamber of a shape more or less approximating
thereto, placed with its flat or straight portion upwards, and having within
it an inverted moveable chamber or working vessel. This working vessel
resembles an inverted boat with its two ends cut square off, and it fits
closely in between the two opposite flat sides of the stationary chamber,

page_text: and with its bottom edges in close contact with the concave bottom surface
of that chamber. A horizontal spindle or shaft occupying the position of
the centre, from which the cylindrical bottom of the stationary chamber
may be supposed to be struck out, serves as the working centre of the
working vessel, so that as the working vessel is moved from side to side
it follows the curve of the stationary chamber's bottom. The required vibratory
or oscillatory action is given to the working vessel by a crank or other mover,
jointed to a lever standing up from the top of the working vessel, or from its
shaft. A steam pipe opens into the bottom of the stationary chamber beneath
the working vessel, and here the fabrics and materials to be treated are placed,
so as to rest upon the concave bottom of the stationary chamber, being covered
by the working vessel. The stationary chamber is kept supplied with soap and
water, and whatever chemical matters may be required, for acting upon the
goods placed in it. When the apparatus is set to work, a powerful steam jet
is allowed to play upon the goods covered by the working chamber, and as the
latter works from side to side the mechanical action rolls over and loosens the
folds of the goods, so that the steam and chemical matters obtain free access
to them. The working vessel is perforated in its upper part to allow of a
current through from below. The internal working vessel may either be con-
structed as a solid vessel, and perforated as required with holes, or it may be
made as a combination of agitating float boards or open spars. When the goods
leave this apparatus they are bleached the aid of the usual chemical matters.
used in such process; but to increase the energy of the process, a cold-air pipe
is led into the bleaching chamber, and jets of cold air are allowed to rush in
and act upon the goods from below. This cold air jet application agitates the
goods, and materially assists the operation. Heated air may be used instead
of cold air if desired. In the "souring" process the same application of cold
or heated air is used for agitating the goods and increasing the energy of the
treatment; after this the goods are washed out clean. Instead of using
separate chambers for all these processes, the same chamber may be used
throughout.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the illustrative Figures on the Sheet of Drawings
which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing one modification
under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice.
Figure 1 of my Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of an apparatus for
washing, bleaching, cleansing, or preparing textile fabrics or materials arranged
according to ne modification of my Invention. Figure 2 is a plan of the
apparatus, corresponding to Figure 1. The washing or bleaching chamber is

page_text: supported by a rectangular open-sided frame A, the top of which is made with a
flange, to which the chamber is bolted. The washing chamber or vessel B is of
a semicylindrical form in the modification shown in my Sheet of Drawings, and
is made with a flange, corresponding to that upon the framing A, to which it is
secured by bolts and nuts. Within the chamber A is fitted a moveable vessel
or agitator C, to which a swinging or vibratory motion is communicated. The
chamber C is of an elliptical or boat-shaped form, and is suspended with its
open part downwards, the curve of its vibration being made to correspond
to the internal configuration of the stationary chamber A. The moveable
chamber C is attached by means of eyes D to a horizontal shaft E, which
passes through the chamber B from side to side, and is supported in bearings
fitted to the framing A. The eyes D are made with curved arms, which extend
over the exterior of the chamber C, and to these arms the chamber or working
vessel is attached. The eyes D are also made with vertical arms, to which is
fastened the partition F; this partition divides the chamber C into two sepa-
rate working vessels. The woodwork forming the chamber C is perforated
to allow the washing or bleaching fluids free access to and fro. A vertical
lever G is fitted to one end of the horizontal shaft E; a reciprocatory motion
is given to the lever by means of the connecting lever H, which is attached to
the pin of the crank shaft I. A pin J projects laterally from the face of the
lever G, and a notch or recess is made in the connecting lever H which fits
the pins J. The end of the connecting lever is formed into a handle, so that
the working chamber C can be instantly thrown out of gear by simply lifting
the handle of the connecting lever H. To prevent the washing or bleaching
liquids from being thrown out beyond the apparatus, the washing chamber B
is enclosed by a pair of lids K. Suitable slots are made in the lids, so as to
pass over the staples L, which stand up from the flange of the washing chamber
B. The lids are fastened down by passing a rod or bolt through the eyes of
the staples which project above the lids. The washing fluids or chemical
matters are put into the apparatus at the upper part, and when done with are
drawn off by the pipe M. By means of a suitable cock or valve, the pipe M
may also be used for conveying a jet of steam beneath the working vessel or
chamber C; the steam serves to assist and expedite the action of the soap and
other chemical matters used in the operations of cleansing and bleaching. The
goods or textile materials to be washed or bleached are put into the chambers
of the working vessel C. This is effected by lifting the handle of the connecting
lever H, so as to release the lever G; the workman then depresses the lever G
with his hand until it is in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position, in which
it may be retained by a bolt or catch. The depressing of the lever G either

page_text: to the right or left hand side causes the working vessel to turn upon its axis;
the convex part rises out of the chamber B, and the partition F is brought
upon a level or nearly so with the upper part of the chamber B. When one
of the chambers of the working vessel C is elevated, as described, the readiest
access is afforded for placing the goods or materials to be operated upon within
it, and by this means both the chambers of the working vessel may be charged
with the utmost facility and despatch. When the goods or materials have
been placed in the working vessel, the lever G is connected to the prime mover
by the notch or clutch in the connecting lever H; rotatory motion is com-
municated to the crank shaft I, which imparts a reciprocatory motion to the
lever G, by reason of the difference of length in the lever G and crank I,
the reciprocatory motion of the lever G obviously communicates a corre-
sponding pendulous or swinging movement from side to side of the working
vessel C. This to-and-fro movement of the working vessel causes the fabrics
or materials to be forcibly shaken or agitated, and their folds or convolution
are loosened, and the whole of the surfaces are exposed to the cleansing
action of the fluid and chemical matters. During this agitation of the goods
the operation is greatly facilitated by the admission of a jet of steam through
the pipe M; the steam is allowed to play upon the goods, the fibres of which
it tends to open, at tho same time serving to maintain or elevate the tempe-
rature of the washing fluid. The pendulous or swinging motion imparted to
the working vessel or agitator in my improved apparatus is calculated to
accomplish the cleansing operation in a quicker and more effective manner
than a rotatory motion, in consequence of the fabrics being opened better by
the to-and-fro motion, and the surfaces thereby more exposed to the action of
the heat and fluid.
In some instances the cleansing operation may be facilitated by confining
the steam within the washing chamber, so that the goods may be subjected to
a pressure of some pounds per square inch beyond the atmospheric pressure.
The only modification required in the apparatus for this purpose is the intro-
duction of a ring or layer of plaited rope or gasket, or a ring of vulcanised
india-rubber, between the flanges of the framing A and the washing vessel B.
The lids may be fastened down by bolts and nuts, or by cotters and eyes, or
other suitable fastening.
Another modification of my improvements in apparatus for cleansing and
bleaching consists in making the working vessel or agitator of a combination
of float boards, in lieu of the perforated casing, herein-before described. In
this arrangement, the elliptical or boat-like form of the vessel C may be
.adhered to, or another shape may be given to the chamber. The pendulous

page_text: motion imparted to a vessel constructed in this manner will powerfully agitato
the fluid in the washing chamber, and thereby cause it to operate upon the
goods with proportionate rapidity.
The next part of my improvements consists in applying a jet or jets of cold
air to textilo fabrics or materials during the operation of bleaching. After
the goods or materials have been subjected to the operation of washing in the
apparatus herein-before described, they are bleaced by means of the chemical
agents usually employed in this process. The action of these chemical agents
is, however, greatly increased by causing a jet or current of cold air to impinge
upon the goods or materials in the bleaching chamber. The stream of cold
air may be led into the chamber by means of a pipe or other suitable duct,
through which it may be driven by means of a fan or blowing engine. In
some instances a stream of heated air may be found more effective than the
cold air. The jet or stream of air may be heated by carrying the air pipe or
duct through a furnace, or heating it by means of a steam chamber. Tho
application of a stream or streams of cold or heated air is also used during the
process or operation of "souring," with the like object of increasing the activity
of the treatment.
The operations of cleansing and bleaching fabrics and textile materials is
completed by washing them in pure water.
The different processes employed in the cleansing, bleaching, and preparation
of fabrics and fibrous materials may be successively performed with economy
and despatch in the apparatus herein-before described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to
the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of apparatus or machinery
for washing, bleaching, cleansing, and preparing textile fabrics and materials,
as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of washing, bleaching, cleansing, and preparing
textile fabrics and materials by means of apparatus or machinery, to parts of
which a vibratory or swinging action or motion is imparted, as herein-before
described.
Third, the application and use of a current or currents of cold ar licated air

page_text: to fabrics or materials undergoing the operations of bleaching or souring, for
the purpose of increasing the energy and activity, of the chemical agents
employed in such processes, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Macdonald, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
DAVID MACDONALD. (L.S.)