IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WASTE WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL FIBRES FOR FELTING AND DYEING
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph Ashton and Ralph Ashton Kinder, both of
Manchester, in the County of. Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREPARING WASTE WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL FIBRES FOR FELTING AND
DYEING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Ashton and Ralph
Ashton Kinder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th July
1880.
RALPH ASHTON and RALPH ASHTON KINDER, both of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WASTE WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL
FIBRES FOR FELTING AND DYEING."
Hitherto sundry kinds of animal wool waste have not been available for felting
purposes, owing to the chemical treatment to which they have been subjected, and
this treatment also prevented their taking dye effectually; other descriptions, owing
to the pressure of grease and other deleterious substances, have likewise (unless
subjected to the expensive and lengthy process of washing and afterwards drying)
been found equally unsuitable for felting and dyeing purposes.
The object of this Invention is to prepare these wools by submitting them to
the combined action of steam and aminonia, so that they will felt and dye
satisfactorily, and by a method which is at once inexpensive and speedy.
For this purpose the material to be acted upon is placed in a steam tight
chamber, and is so disposed in thin layers on trays made of netting, racks, or
grates, that steam or vapour can readily get to all sides of the layers, or the
material can be placed in the chamber in bulk, but it is preferable to put it in
thin layers as described in order that it may be more effectually acted upon.
A chamber that is partially open may be used, but here again preference is given
to a closed one.
A vessel containing concentrated or dilute solution of ammonia is placed in the
chamber, preferably on the floor, or the floor of the chamber may be so arranged
that it will act as a reservoir to hold the solution and so dispense with the vessel.
A steam pump in connection with a steam boiler is introduced into the chamber
and the end of the pipe placed in the ammonia solution. Steam is passed through
this pipe into the solution which thus becomes heated, and the ammonia is thrown
off in combination with the steam.

page_text: To work the process the vessel or reservoir in the chamber must be charged with
sufficient ammonia solution, and the chamber must be charged with the material
to be acted upon as previously described.
The chamber must then be closed and
the steam turned on. By this means the material becomes in all its parts subjected
to the combined action of the steam and ammonia, which neutralize the deleterious
substances, and effect such a change in the nature of the wool that it at once
becomes valuable for felting or dyeing purposes.
When the required change has been sufficiently effected the steam is turned off
and the wool is removed from the chamber, and may at once be carded or dyed
without the delay and expense of any drying operation.
Other methods may however be used for introducing steam and ammonia into
the chamber, and it is not absolutely necessary to put the steam pipe into the
ammonia solution.
The steam may be introduced separately and the ammonia driven off the solution
by the heat of the chamber; or the steam and ammonia may be passed into the
chamber by separate pipes; or they may be mixed outside the chamber and passed
into it through one pipe; or the steam, or the ammonia, or both, may be generated
in the chamber, but the method first described is the one preferred.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Ralph Ashton and Ralph Ashton Kinder in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th January 1881.
RALPH ASHTON and RALPH ASHTON KINDER, both of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WASTE WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL
FIBRES FOR FELTING AND DYEING."
Hitherto sundry kinds of wool waste and animal fibro have not been available
for felting purposes owing to the chemical treatment to which they have been
subjected, and this treatment also prevented their taking dye effectually; other
descriptions, owing to the presence of grease and other deleterious substances, have
likewise (unless subjected to the expensive and lengthy process of washing and
afterwards drying) been found equally unsuitable for felting and dyeing purposes.
The object of this Invention is to prepare these wools and animal fibres by
submitting them to the combined action of steam and ammonia, so that they will
felt and dye satisfactorily, and by a method which is at once inexpensive and
speedy.
For this purpose the material to be acted upon is placed in a steam tight
chamber, and is so disposed in thin layers on trays made of netting, racks, or
grates, that steam or vapour can readily get to all sides of the layers, or the
material can be placed in the chamber in bulk, but it is preferable to put it in thin
layers as described, in order that it may be more effectually acted upon.
chamber that is partially open may be used, but here again preference is given to
a closed one.
A
A vessel containing concentrated or dilute solution of ammonia is placed in the
chamber, preferably on the floor, or the floor of the chamber may be so arranged
that it will act as a reservoir to hold the solution, and so dispense with the vossel.
A steam pipe in connection with a steam boiler is introduced into the chamber,
and the end of the pipe placed in the ammonia solution. Steam is passed through
this pipe into the solution which thus becomes heated, and the ammonia is thrown
off in combination with the steam.
To work the process the vessel or reservoir in the chamber must be charged
with sufficient ammonia solution, and the chamber must be charged with the
inaterial to be acted upon as previously described. The chamber must then be
closed and the steam. turned on. By this means the material becomes in all its
parts subjected to the combined action of the steam and ammonia, which neutralize
the deleterious substances, and effect such a change in the nature of the wool or
other animal fibre that it at once becomes valuable for felting or dyeing purposes.
When the required change has been sufficiently effected the steam is turned off
and the wool or other fibre is removed from the chamber, and may at once be
carded or dyed without the delay and expense of any drying operation.
Other methods may however be used for introducing steam and ammonia into
the chamber, and it is not absolutely necessary to put the steam pipe into the
ammonia solution. The steam may be introduced separately and the ammonia
driven off the solution by the heat of the chamber; or the steain and ammonia may
be passed into the chamber by separate pipes, or they may be mixed outside the
chamber and passed into it through one pipe; or the steam, or the ammonia, or both,
may be generated in the chamber, but the method first described is the one
preferred.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention, the

page_text: preparation of waste wool and other animal fibres for felting and dyeing by submitting
them to the combined action of steam and ammonia, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore more particularly set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Ashton (on behalf of myself and the
said Ralph Ashton Kinder), have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Sixth day of January, in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.