IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOT PRESSING WOVEN FABRICS."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cochrane, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Pattern Designer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR HOT PRESSING WOVEN FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cochrane at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June 1878.
WILLIAM COCHRANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Pattern Designer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOT PRESSING WOVEN
FABRICS."
"
This Invention relates to improved apparatus, by means of which woven fabrics
may be hot pressed in a continuous and rapid manner.
In carrying out the Invention a series of hollow iron rollers are employed, and
are arranged in a horizontal row with their end journals in horizontal slots in two
parallel side frames.
The rollers are compressed together horizontally by hydraulic cylinders acting
against the bearings of the roller at one end of the machine, and connected by
strong tension rods to cross heads acting against the bearings of the roller at the
other end of the machine.
The rollers are driven in alternate directions by means of worm wheels on their
journals, and one or more longitudinal worm shafts driven by bevil or other gearing
from a first-motion shaft.
Some of the rollers at and near the entering end of the machine are heated by
means of steam, or a hot liquid, or by burning gas; whilst the rollers at and near
the delivery end are cooled by means of cold water.
The usual arrangement of stuffing-box pipe joints may be used for leading the
steam or hot liquid and the cold water into and out of their respective rollers.
In some cases boxes heated internally by steam or hot liquid may be placed above
and below the hot rollers to increase the heat.
Or according to another modification a box may be arranged to enclose the hot

page_text: rollers, and to contain a small depth of hot water, through which the lowermost
parts of the rollers pass; and in a similar way a cold-water box may be applied to
the cold rollers, and the cold water may have access to the interiors of the cold
rollers by holes in their ends.
Two endless cloths, each of which may be single or compound, are combined with
the rollers, and the woven fabric to be hot pressed is led in between these two
endless cloths; the course of the woven fabric with the endless cloths being
serpentine, or round the lower and upper halves of the alternate rollers in order.
The lower endless cloth is guided by suitable rollers, so as to return from the
delivering to the entering end of the machine beneath the main rollers, and in a
similar way the upper endless cloth returns above the main roller.
The endless cloth may consist of flannel, cotton, or other woven fabric, combined
or not, as may be necessary or desirable in different cases, with paper, sheet metal,
or other material; and when the arrangements herein-before described for applying
hot or cold water directly to the rollers are used, the endless cloths must consist of
or have combined with them a suitable material impervious to the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Cochrane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
December 1878.
WILLIAM COCHRANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Pattern Designer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOT PRESSING WOVEN
FABRICS."
My said Invention relates to improved apparatus, by means of which woven
fabrics may be hot pressed in a continuous and rapid manner.
In carrying out my Invention a series of hollow iron rollers are employed, and
are arranged in a horizontal row with their end journals in horizontal slots in two
parallel side frames.
The rollers are compressed together horizontally by hydraulic cylinders acting
against the bearings of the roller at one end of the machine, and connected by
strong tension rods to cross heads acting against the bearings of the roller at the
other end of the machine.
The rollers are driven in alternate directions by means of worm wheels on their
journals, and one or more longitudinal worm shafts driven by bevil or other
gearing from a first-motion shaft.
Some of the rollers at and near the entering end of the machine are heated by
means of steam, or a hot liquid, or by burning gas; whilst the rollers at and near
the delivery end are cooled by means of cold water.
The usual arrangement of stuffing-box pipe joints may be used for leading the
steam or hot liquid and the cold water into and out of their respective rollers.
In some cases boxes heated internally by steam or hot liquid may be placed
above and below the hot rollers to increase the heat.

page_text: Or according to another modification a box may be arranged to enclose the hot
rollers and to contain a small depth of hot water, through which the lowermost
parts of the rollers pass; and in a similar way a cold-water box may be applied to
the cold, and the cold water may have access to the interiors of the cold rollers
by holes in their ends.
Two endless cloths, each of which may be single or compound, are combined with
the rollers, and the woven fabric to be hot pressed is led in between these two
endless cloths; the course of the woven fabric with the endless cloths being
serpentine, or round the lower and upper halves of the alternate rollers in order.
The lower endless cloth is guided by suitable rollers, so as to return from the
delivering to the entering end of the machine beneath the main rollers, and in a
similar way the upper endless cloth returns above the main rollers.
The endless cloth may consist of flannel, cotton, or other woven fabric, combined
or not, as may be necessary or desirable in different cases, with paper, sheet metal,
or other material; and when the arrangements herein-before described for applying
hot or cold water directly to the rollers are used, the endless cloths must consist
of or have combined with them a suitable material impervious to the water.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the same,
may be properly understood I hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory
Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing a modification of my
improved hot-pressing apparatus. In these Drawings the same reference numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, is a plan of the machine ;
and Figure 2, on Sheet 2, is a longitudinal vertical section.
The framing of the machine consists of two parallel compound side frames
supported on cast-iron stools 1 at the ends; and each side frame consists of a pair
of cast-iron girders 2, 3, placed one above the other, so as to leave a longitudinal
Blot or space between them; there being combined with the girders 2, 3, upper and
lower tension rods 4, 5, of wrought iron or steel, and vertical cross heads 6, 7, also
of wrought iron or steel, at the ends. The tension rods 4, 5, pass through the ends.
of the girders 2, 3, and through the cross heads 6, 7, and nuts screwed on their.
projecting ends bind the whole together.
Between the side frames there is a row of hollow transverse horizontal rollers 8,
9, 10, 11, 12, the end journals of which project into and are guided by the slots in
the side frames. Bearing blocks 13, 14, are fitted to the journals of the end rollers
8, 12, and whilst at one end these bearing blocks 13 have their outer vertical faces
bearing against blocks 15 (which are between the ends of the girders 2, 3,), and
through them against the cross heads 6 at that end; the bearing blocks 14 at the
other end are pressed by the rams 16 of hydraulic cylinders 17 fixed to the other
cross heads 7.
The rollers 8 to 12 are made to rotate in alternate directions by means of worm
wheels 18 fixed on their journals; these worm wheels 18 being at opposite ends of.
the rollers alternately, and being in gear with worms 19 on two horizontal shafts 20,
placed one at each side of the machine. Bevil wheels 21 on the shafts 20 are in
gear with bevil wheels 22 on a transverse horizontal shaft 23, which is carried in
pedestal bearings 24 at one end of the machine, and is driven in any convenient
way.
The entering end of the machine is towards the right hand in the Figures, and
of the rollers four, 9, near that end, are arranged for being heated internally by steam
or hot water; being fitted with stuffing boxes 25 at their journal ends, and with
pipes 26, which are jointed to accomodate any slight movements of the rollers.
In order to apply additional heat two flat steam chests 27, 28, are fitted one
above and the other below the steam-heated rollers 9, being held by brackets
attached to the side frames.
The two endless cloths 29, 30, proceed together under a guide roller 31 at the
entering end, and horizontally over the lower steam chest 28 to the furthest steam-
heated roller 9, returning thence alternately over and under the rollers 9 to the

page_text: entering end. The cloths then proceed horizontally under the upper steam chest 27
to the middle roller 10, and then continue passing alternately under and over the
cooling rollers 11, and finally under the end roller 12. The cloths then separate,
the upper one, 29, passing above the machine over guide rollers 32 to the entering
end, and the under cloth 30 returning under guide rollers 33 at the ends, and
beneath the machine, also to the entering end.
One, 32, 33, of each set of guide rollers is carried in bearings which are adjustable
by screws, by means of which the endless cloths can be kept distended with
sufficient tightness.
The cooling rollers 11 are partly immersed in a trough or shallow tank 34 con-
taining cold water, which is continually renewed, and which has access to the
interiors of the rollers 11 by holes at their ends.
The endless cloths 29, 30, are made of or have combined with them any suitable
material that is impervious to moisture; and to prevent the water in the trough
from getting between them at their edges, endless cords or bands 35 are passed
round guide rollers 36 under the trough, round the middle roller 10; and round the
cooling rollers 11. These cords or bands 35 are kept tight by a suitable adjust-
ment of one of the guide rollers, and they nip the endless cloths 29, 30, near their
edges (and beyond the edges of the fabric that is between them undergoing the
hot-pressing operation) at the part of their course where they dip into the
trough 34.
The fabric to be hot pressed is led in between the endless cloths 29, 30, at the:
entering end of the machine, and proceeds through the machine between, the cloths,
being finally delivered from between them at the other end of the machine. The:
fabric is thus simultaneously subjected to heat and pressure, and the effect is
rendered permanent by the fabric being cooled whilst still under pressure, the
entire operation being effected in a continuous and rapid manner.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the saine, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated; but that what I believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The combination of a series of rollers in a row for hot pressing woven fabrics,
such rollers being pressed together by hydraulic rams, and being subjected some of
them to steam or other heating agent, and some of them to cold water or other
cooling agent, whilst two endless cloths are arranged in connection with them to
convey the fabric through the machine, all substantially as herein-before described.
2. The combination of the chests (27, 28) for stean or other heating agent with
the heated rollers (9), substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. The cooling apparatus, consisting of the tank or trough (34) arranged so that
the fabric held between the endless cloths (29, 30) is submerged in the water, so
as to be effectually and rapidly cooled, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cochrane, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
nicht hundred and seventy-eight
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
WILLIAM COCHRANE. (L.S.)