Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Nov, 1888
I, JOHN BROWN MCKAY, of Comely Bank House, Galashiels, in the County of
Roxburgh, North Britain, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of machinery for
dyeing yarns, to diminish the labor required with such machinery, and to render the
same more conveniently controllable and capable of yielding superior and uniform
results.
In carrying out my Invention an oblong rectangular open-topped dyeing vat is
employed; and when the dyeing operation requires heat it may be applied by means
of a steam jacket or steam piping or in any other convenient way. When the yarns
are being subjected to the dyeing liquor, they are, in the form of hanks, held in a
distended condition upon vertical frames, each frame having a small reel at
its upper end and a roller at its lower end. Each reel is fast on a horizontal
shaft and the sides of the vertical frame are hung loosely on the shaft, which
rests on guide rails fixed along the tops of the sides of the vat. The series of shafts
are moved gradually from one end of the vat to the other, and whilst being so moved
are turned so as to change the positions of the hanks on the reels and rollers by means
of pinions which are fixed on the shafts and gear with a toothed rack fixed along one
side of the vat.
The shafts are moved along the vat by means of endless pitch chains at the sides,
these chains having fixed to them studs which act on the shafts. The sprocket wheels
which move the endless chains are by preference turned by means of ratchet wheels
and driving pawls worked by eccentrics on a rotating shaft driven in any convenient
way. When each shaft with its vertical frame has been moved from one end of the
vat to the other, it is lifted up out of the vat by means of two other endless pitch
chains at the sides, worked by means of continuously rotating sprocket wheels. The
transferring pitch chains, as those last mentioned may be termed, are guided round
loose sprocket wheels or pulleys so as to follow courses extending first along the sides

page_text: of the vat under the shafts, secondly upwards to a certain height, thirdly horizontally
back to the starting end of the vat, and fourthly down to the level below the shafts.
Hooks are jointed to the transferring pitch chains at suitable intervals, and the gearing
is arranged so that as each shaft in succession reaches the further end of the vat it is
caught by a pair of the hooks, raised up out of the vat with its reel, vertical frame, and
bottom roller, carried back above the vat to the starting end, and then lowered into the
vat again. The hanks may be changed each time that a shaft with its vertical frame
is raised out of the vat, or when required the same hanks may be made to travel
through the vat twice or oftener. At the upper horizontal parts of their courses the
pitch chains are supported on fixed guides.
With the apparatus that has been described all the hanks are subjected to the same
treatment, each shaft with its set of hanks passing in its turn through the same
course.
It is frequently necessary to modify the dyeing liquor by adding coloring matter
or otherwise; and in order that the liquor in the vat may be thoroughly mixed and
equalised before it can act on the yarns, provision is made for raising the whole of the
yarns out of the vat simultaneously. For this purpose lateral lifting bars fitted upon
vertical guides at the corners of the vat are arranged to rise under the shafts and lift
them up, the lifting bars being drawn up by means of ropes or chains passing round
guide pulleys to barrels on a shaft which can be turned by hand or otherwise, and
which is provided with a ratchet wheel and pawl to prevent the ropes or chains
from unwinding except when required.
Dated this Seventh day of January 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Dyeing Yarns.
I, JOHN BROWN MCKAY, of Comely Bank House, Galashiels, in the County of
Roxburgh, North Britain, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of machinery to be
used in dyeing yarns, to diminish the labor required with such machinery, and to
render the same more conveniently controllable and capable of yielding superior and
uniform results.
In carrying out my Invention an oblong rectangular open-topped dyeing vat is
employed; and when the dyeing operation requires heat it may be applied by means
of a steam jacket, or steam piping, or in any other convenient way. When the yarns
are being subjected to the dyeing liquor they are in the form of hanks, held in a
distended condition on vertical frames. The frames are moved gradually from one
end of the vat to the other, the hanks being shifted on them as they move; and on
each frame reaching the end of the vat it is lifted out by the machinery and carried
above the vat back to the entering end where it is lowered into the vat again. The
banks on each frame may be changed each time the frame is raised out of the vat
or if required each frame may carry the same yarns twice or oftener through
the vat.
And in
With the improved machinery all the hanks are subjected to the same treatment
each frame with its set of hanks passing in its turn through the same course.
the case of some dyes, and when the hanks have to pass repeatedly through the vat, it
is advantageous for them to be exposed to the air at intervals, as happens when they
are being moved along above the vat from the exit end back to the entering end.
It is frequently necessary to modify the dyeing liquor by adding coloring matter
or otherwise; and in order that the liquor in the vat may be thoroughly mixed and
equalised before it can act on the yarns, provision is made for raising the whole of
the yarns out of the vat simultaneously.
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
hereinafter referred to and representing a dyeing machine as constructed with my
improvements.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the drawings is a side elevation partly in section, and
figure, 2, on sheet, 2, is a transverse vertical section. Figure, 3, on sheet, 2, is an
end elevation of one of the frames. In these drawings the same reference numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
My improved machinery is represented as fitted to an oblong rectangular open-
topped dyeing vat, 4, which is shewn as being provided with a perforated pipe, 5, for
the injection of steam for heating the dyeing liquor. The hanks, 6, of yarn are
carried in a distended condition by frames, each consisting of end frame pieces, 7,
having a small reel, 8, at their upper ends and a small roller, 9, at their lower ends.

page_text: The spindles or journals of the reel, 8, and roller, 9, pass through bearing holes in the
end frame pieces, 7, each of which is made in two parts adjustable on each other for
placing the reel, 8, and roller, 9, more or less apart, and provided with pinching
screws, 10, for fixing them when the hanks are distended. Each reel, 8, is fast on a
horizontal shaft, 11, which rests on guide rails, 12, fixed along the tops of the sides of
the vat, 4. The series of shafts, 11, are moved gradually from one end of the vat, 4,
(the left hand end as shown in figure, 1,) to the other; and whilst being so moved are
turned so as to change the positions of the hanks, 6, on the reels, 8, and rollers, 9, by
means of pinions, 13, which are fixed on the shafts, 11, and gear with a toothed rack, 14,
fixed along one side of the vat.
The reel shafts, 11, are moved along the vat, 4, by means of endless pitch chains, 15,
at the sides, these chains having fixed to some of their links, studs, 16, which act on
the reel shafts. The endless chains, 15, pass round sprocket wheels, 17, 18, those, 18,
at the left-hand end being loose on fixed stud spindles, 19, and having fast to them
ratchet wheels, 20, acted on by reciprocating pawls and levers, 21, moved by cams, 22,
on a rotating shaft, 23. If preferred a continuous motion may be given to the
endless chains, 15, by pinion or worm gearing, instead of the intermittent motion
imparted by means of ratchet wheels. Along the upper parts of their courses the
endless chains, 15, are supported by guide bars, 36, fixed to brackets, 35.
When each reel shaft, 11, with its frame and hanks, 6, has been moved from one
end of the vat, 4, to the other it is lifted up out of the vat by means of two other
endless pitch chains, 24, at the sides and which are outside of the chains, 15, herein-
before referred to. The transferring pitch chains, 24, pass round sprocket wheels, 25,
26, 27, 28, the lower ones, 25, at the left-hand end of the vat, being loose on the stud
spindles, 19, and each having fast to it a pinion, 29, in gear with a spurwheel, 30, on
the rotating shaft, 23, hereinbefore referred to. The transferring pitch chains, 24, are
guided by the several sprocket wheels, 25, 26, 27, 28, so as to follow courses extending
first along the sides of the vat, 4, under the reel shafts, 11, secondly upwards at the
right-hand end of the vat, thirdly horizontally back to the starting end of the vat,
and fourthly, down to the level below the reel shafts, 11. Hooks, 31, (one of which.
is shown detached in face view in figure, 1) are jointed to the transferring pitch
chains, 24, at suitable intervals, and the gearing is arranged so that as each reel
shaft, 11, in succession reaches the further, or right-hand end of the vat, 4, it is
caught by a pair of the hooks, 31, raised up out of the vat, with its reel, S, vertical
frame, 7, and bottom roller, 9, carried back above the vat to the starting or left-
and end, and then lowered into the vat again. At the upper horizontal parts and
at the vertical parts of their courses the transferring pitch chains, 24, are guided by
grooved rails, 32, which are fixed to pillars, 33, at the corners of the vat.
For the purpose of simultaneously raising all the frames with the hanks, 6, on them
out of the vat, two horizontal lifting bars, 34, are provided one at each side of the vat.
These lifting bars, 34, are ordinarily just outside of the rails, 12, along which the reel
shafts, 11, are guided when moving from one end of the vat to the other; and they
rest on the brackets, 35. The ends of the lifting bars, 34, are made with feathers to
work in guide grooves in the corner pillars, 3; and ropes, 37, (or it might be chains)
which are fixed to the ends of the lifting bars, 34, are passed up to and round
pulleys, 38, at the tops of the corner pillars, 33, and thence proceed, (those at the
right-hand end of the vat going round lower guide pulleys, 39) to barrels, 40, on a
shaft, 41, at the left-hand end of the vat. When required the shaft, 41, is driven from
a first-motion shaft, 42, having on it pulleys, 43, for a driving belt, and also carrying
a spurwheel, 44, which can be moved along it by means of a hand lever, 45, either so
as to gear with the spurwheel, 30, on the shaft, 23, hereinbefore referred to as for
working the endless chains, 15, and 24, or so as to gear with a spurwheel, 47, on the
shaft, 41, of the lifting barrels, 40. A ratchet wheel, 48, is fixed on the shaft, 41, and
a handlever pawl, 49, is provided to engage with it for the purpose of retaining the
lifting bars, 34, when raised. A pinion may be provided to gear with the spur-
wheel, 47, and be arranged to be worked by means of a winch handle, if it should be
preferred to raise the lifting bars, 34, by hand.

page_text: Instead of fitting a reel, 8, with flat or hollowed sides at the top of each frame, a
small plain roller may be used, and to insure the moving round of the yarn, 6, by the
turning of the roller, and also to keep the yarn from shifting there may be an upper
roller as indicated by a dotted circle, 50, in figure, 3. This upper roller must be held
in extensions of the end frame pieces, 7, by catches which can be shifted to allow of its
easy removal when putting on or taking off hanks. Such upper roller (50) may be
used in combination with the sided reel, 8, if desired. In order to prevent the several
hanks, 6, on a frame, from interfering with each other, I fit between the end frame
pieces, 7, near the reel, 8, a bar, 51, provided with prongs, 52, which pass between the
hanks. The bar, 51, can be turned to make the prongs, 52, lie nearly touching the
reel, 8, or stand more or less outwards. A similar bar, 53, is fitted near the bottom
roller, 9, and is provided with prongs, 54, near the ends the purpose of which is to
prevent the hanks, 6, from working off the ends of the bottom roller, 9. Or the same
effect may be attained by making the bottom roller, 9, with end flanges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1―The combination of parts forming my improved machinery to be used in dyeing
yarns substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2-The combination of frames such as are herein before described for carrying and
distending hanks of yarn with means for moving them along a dyeing vat and at the
same time turning the reels or rollers of the frames, and with endless chains for
lifting each frame in succession out of the vat at one end, conveying it above the
vat to the other end, and lowering it into the vat again, the several parts being
arranged and operating in the manner and for the purposes substantially as heroin-
before described.
3-The combination of the lifting bars and the means for actuating them for
lifting the whole of the frames simultaneously out of the vat, with the other parts
of the machinery, substantially in the manner hereinbefore described.
Toted thie Fifth day of October 1888.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.