IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, DYEING, SIZING, AND CLEANING WOVEN FABRICS AND YARNS
Year: 1855

page_text: . LETTERS PATENT to John Cottrill, of Great Lever, near Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Bleacher, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, DYEING, SIZING, AND
CLEANING WOVEN FABRICS AND YARNS."
Sealed the 15th April 1856, and dated the 2nd November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John. Cottrill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
November 1855.
I, JOHN COTTRILL, of Great Lever, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, DYEING, SIZING, AND
CLEANING WOVEN FABRICS AND YARNS" to be as follows:-
I pass the material to be operated upon in a continuous line through a
cistern with two or more compartments, and over rollers placed at given
distances, immersed in water or other suitable liquid flowing through the
cistern. I also use a number of triangular agitators placed at intermediate
distances between the rollers, and acting on the cloth or other fabric by
revolving at any required speed, the material being worked forward by the
revolving motion of a pair of squeezer rollers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cottrill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COTTRILL, of Great Lever, near Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Bleacher,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Cottrill, Her special licence that I, the said John Cottrill, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Cottrill, 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
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR WASHING, SCOURING, DYEING, SIZING, AND CLEANING WOVEN FABRICS
AND YARNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Cottrill, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cottrill, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
I pass and repass the material to be operated upon in a continuous line
through a cistern, either in band or open pieces, with, two or more compart-
ments, and over rollers placed at convenient distances, immersed in water or
other suitable liquid flowing through the cistern. 1 also use any required
number of agitators placed at intermediate distances between the rollers, and
acting on the cloth or material by revolving at any required speed, the
material being worked forward by the revolving motion of a pair of squeezer
rollers. The first compartment of the cistern in which the cloth enters is made
lower than that which follows it, for the purpose of preventing the greater part
of the dirt which is liberated at the first agitation or washing from mixing

page_text: with the water or other liquid in the second compartment. This arrangement
is found to be of such advantage that in general the cloth or material is
sufficiently cleansed with one course through the machine, although it may be
returned from the squeezer rollers, and be repassed and agitated as often as
may be found necessary, by simply employing a machine of sufficient width,
and by placing guides so as to prevent one part of the cloth or material in its
passage from touching or interfering with another. When one operation is
found to be sufficient, the guides may be employed for directing the course of
two or more pieces of cloth or material.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, with the figures and letters of reference
thereon, in which Fig. I is a longitudinal elevation of a machine or apparatus
to which my improvements are attached; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of
the same; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof.
The cloth or material to be operated upon is represented at a, and in Figs.
1 and 2 is seen entering the first compartment 6 of the cistern; the second
compartment being shewn at c; the former as aforesaid being lower than the
latter. The water or other liquid in the second compartment is maintained at
its proper level by means of the division plate d, above which is an opening or
space e, through which the surplus liquid falls into the first compartment, from
whence it is allowed to escape; the clean or fresh liquid is supplied at the
other or finishing end of the cistern. The cloth or material, after entering the
roller e', then under the agitator f, and
first compartment, passes under the
over the roller g, after which it enters the second compartment of the cistern,
passing over the roller h, under the agitator i, over the roller k, under the
agitator l, over the roller m, under the agitator n, and under the roller o, to one
of the guides or openings p, and from thence between the squeezer rollers q.
As before stated, the cleansing effect of this course is generally sufficient,
but if not, the cloth or material is returned to the second compartment c of
the cistern, passed over the roller r, and again submitted to the action of the
agitators, the machine being constructed of such width as to allow the addi-
tional course, and the guides & being employed to keep the courses apart
and prevent entanglement. The motion of the agitators is opposed to or
against the direction of the cloth or material, thereby giving an efficient rubbing
effect. The several motions of the rollers and agitators are obtained by the
toothed wheels t, acted upon by any motive power in the ordinary manner;
the required pressure is given to the squeezer rollers by means of the lever u
and weight v. Although the agitators are shewn triangular, they may be of any
shape to suit the kind of work operated upon...

page_text: Having now fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein sct
forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle
of the same. But I claim as my Invention, the arrangement and construction
of the agitators acting upon the material to be cleansed, the method of con-
ducting the material through the machine, and the double cistern, as herein
described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cottrill, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John Cottrill, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN COTTRILL. (L.S.)