Improvements in Apparatus for Dyeing, Bleaching, and similarly Treating Textile Fabrics, Feathers, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
Improvements in Apparatus for Dyeing, Bleaching, and similarly
Treating Textile Fabrics, Feathers, and the like.
I, ADOLF URBAN, of Sagan, Silesia, in the German Empire, Coppersmith, do here-
by declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement ;-
This invention relates to apparatus for dyeing, bleaching and similarly treating
Rextile fabrics, feathers and the like. In the improved apparatus the circulation
of the liquid is effected by introducing compressed air, steam, or a mixture of both
into the compartment or tank containing the liquid, which is thus forced upwards
through a vertical pipe or the like on to the top of the goods or materials to be
treated. The liquid then flows downwards through the material and returns to
the tank. The flow of the liquid is not continuous but is intermittent.
In dyeing, bleaching and similar apparatus at present commonly in use the
desired circulation is obtained by increasing the temperature or by the employment
of mechanical forcing devices such as a pump, but according to this invention the
liquid employed may be perfectly cold and circulation may be obtained without
the employment of any device such as a pump.
The accompanying drawings to which reference is hereinafter made illustrate
two forms of the improved apparatus. In each figure the apparatus is shown in
vertical section. The two forms shown differ slightly in some of the details, but
the principal parts are the same in both and are indicated by similar letters of
reference.
The tank or receptacle within which the material to be treated and the liquid
are contained is indicated by the letter a. b and c are perforated top and bottom
plates forming a space or chamber between them within which the material to be
treated is placed. Below the plate b is the space or tank for the liquid. Within
the tank a is placed a central vertical pipe which is open at its top, and com-
municates at its lower end with the tank containing the liquid. Arranged within
the pipe is a sliding cylinder or valve provided with openings or recesses f and
capable of being moved up and down by the screw and the hand wheel h so as
to regulate the quantity and speed of the liquid passing.
i is the pipe by means of which air or steam under pressure is admitted to the
liquid tank. It is perforated, within the tank, as shown.
The top plate e may be held down in any suitable manner or it may be of such
a weight that it highly compresses the dry material and thus prevents the passage
of the air or steam under pressure through the material. The pressure of the
air or the like will thus force the liquid up through the pipe d from the top of
which it escapes and is spread by the curved or domed plate k over the material

page_text: to be treated. After the liquid has been forced upwards a low pressure obtains
below the plate 6 and the passage of the liquid through the material and its return
to the tank is facilitated. When the liquid once more covers the inlet to the
central tube the compressed air or the like once more expels the liquid and the
operation is repeated.
If desired a water seal may be arranged within the liquid tank, the construction
of such a seal being shown in Figure 2.
The employment of this seal not only prevents vapours from the liquid acting
upon the material under treatment but also ensures the correct and proper working
of the apparatus independently of the density of the material.
Below the plate b is arranged a horizontal partition or wall m which is formed
or provided at its circumference with a trough n. This trough is furnished with
a number of outlets o which may be closed from the top of the apparatus by means
of the sliding doors or valves 1. The perforated plate 6 has a downwardly pro-
jecting flange which extends into the trough n. If the doors be closed the
liquid will pass through the water seal in the direction of the arrows indicated
on the right hand side of Figure 2. If the doors be open the liquid will pass in
the direction indicated by the arrows on the left hand side of Figure 2.
By maintaining the doors in their closed positions a resistance is set up against
the pressure in the liquid tank so that vapours are prevented from escaping to and
acting upon the material and the desired circulation of the liquid is
even when very loose materials are being treated.
obtained
By opening the sliding doors the seal is rendered inoperative and this condition
is preferred when dense material such as cotton is being treated, but for wool and
similar substances it is preferred to have the seal in action.
A complete mixture of colouring matter or the like with liquid may be obtained
by the use of the compressed air or the like employed to lift the liquid. A device
for obtaining this result is illustrated in Figure 1. The pipe i by means of which
the air or the like is introduced into the apparatus is provided with a branch at
any suitable point between the compressor or generator and the apparatus. The
colouring matter is contained within a receptacle s arranged upon this branch
and passes into the pipe when the valve t is opened. The compressed air or the
like forces the colouring matter in a great number of fine jets into the liquid in
the tank so that a complete admixture is obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Apparatus for dyeing, bleaching and similarly treating textile fabrics and
the like, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for dyeing, bleaching and similarly treating textile fabrics and
the like, means or devices for forcing the liquid up to the top of the material
to be treated and for returning it to its receptacle or tank, constructed and
arranged substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for dyeing, bleaching and similarly treating textile fabrics
and the like, the combination and arrangement with the liquid containing tank
of a water seal, constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In apparatus for dyeing, bleaching and similarly treating textile fabrics and
the like, the combination with a water seal of suitable valves or the like by means
of which the seal can be thrown in or out of action substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
5. In apparatus for dyeing, bleaching and similarly treating textile fabrics and

page_text: the like, the combination with the compressed air or steam inlet pipe of a branch
pipe provided with a receptacle for the dyeing or equivalent matter, constructed
and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figure 1
of the accompanying drawings.