IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND BLEACHING CLOTHES AND OTHER MATERIALS, TO BE CALLED 'THE STEAM WASHING LIXIVIATEUR
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hector Grand de Châteauneuf, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, and of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING
AND BLEACHING CLOTHES AND OTHER MATERIALS, TO BE CALLED 'THE STEAM
WASHING LIXIVIATEUR" "
Sealed the 22nd August 1856, and date the 14th June 1856.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Hector Grand de Château-
neuf at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 14th June 1856, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
I, HECTOR GRAND DE CHATEAUNEUF, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
and of 45, Essex Street, Strand, London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING &
BLEACHING CLOTHES AND OTHER MATERIALS. TO BE CALLED 'THE STEAM WASHING
LIXIVIATEUR," to be as follows:-
These improvements are made upon a former Patent procured by me on the
24th August 1854, and consist. in the washing and bleaching of clothes, &c.
with economy of time, work, fuel, alcali, and soap, and also for the preservation
of tissues.
In the first Patent it is said that washing clothes by steam may be effected
either in a state of suspension on rods in a frame, or in baskets suspended in tubs
[Price 8d.1

page_text: without any pressure except their own weight, which allow of doing away with
the passages being formed in the clothes according to old systems, so as to
maintain apertures for the passage of steam at a high pressure into the
clothes suspended.
I use heated steam at 3 atmospheres in seperate boilers (but common to all
the tubs) with washing vessels closed by means of lips or covers fixed with
screws, or by any other convenient means which can resist a pressure of
1 atmospheres.
I give the title of heated or dried steam to that heated at 3 atmospheres, for
indicating the quantity of water that it contains, which is infinitely less in
proportion to the quantity of caloric with which the steam is charged, since it
is acknowledged by science than 374 gallons of steam heated at 1 atmosphere
gives 100 degrees, and the same quantity heated at 3 atmospheres gives 365
degrees; it is, consequently, more than twice less water of condensation for
heating the same quantity. It is evident that the abundance of water of
condensation diminishes the detersive power of the liquid by diminishing its
degree of saturation. The closed washing apparatus resisting a pressure of 1
atmospheres forces the steain to equilibrate itself in the apparatus,and to pene-
trate at the same degree all the mass of clothes at 110 degrees. Whilst the
fastening will permit of the escape of steam at a less pressure it does not allow
the heat to be more than 100 degrees (centigrade). A proof of the novelty of
this process and of the manipulation in their combinations and perfections, is
that I obtain so perfect a washing of large quantities that I suppress the use of
soap; and this operation is so quick that I obtain, in an extremely limited
time, results without any comparison. This application for a Patent has, con-
sequently, for its object -1st, improvements on the process & apparatus
already patented. 2nd, the application ofa kind of railway with crane, serving
to move the lips of the apparatus and introduce and take away therefrom the
clothes in great quantities with economy and rapidity: 3rd, a complete series
of liquid and steam pipes, which 'direct the currents to and from and in the
several apparatus by cocks, either by the pressure of the steam or the weight
of the liquids. All those means are known, but their application to washing &
bleaching are quite new in the combinations that I shall now describe, which
serve to realize economy of every kind. 4th, the application of a wheel to the
washing of clothes, with the additions and modifications for facilitating its
action and appropriating it to the washing cold and warm, soaping, blueing the
white tissues or clothes, and washing colored and woollen tissues that cannot
be washed in the steam or other apparatus, and to the damping of new tissues,
&c. 5th, a new propagator of heat, with double circulation of heat and air,

page_text: with the addition of a gas-meter for the introduction of oxygen gas in the
circulation of air when the washing and bleaching of thread and unwashed
tissues renders it necessary. 6th, rooms heated by the air of the heat pro-
pagator, as in those already in use, with new dispositions of supports sliding
on a kind of railway for entering and leaving the chambers with their charge.
Those chambers are so disposed that the liquid dropped from the clothes may
leave the apparatus without any loss of caloric: this is quite new. 7th, a new
general condenser, where any steam leaying either the engine, the tubs or the
drying chambers goes to be condensed in an useful manner in making warm
water for washing clothes, and conserving half its temperature to the air which
is seperated from the steam by the condensation, and comes back in the
propagator of heat by the effect of the difference in densities, for taking part of
the heat that it has lost by drying the clothes and heating the liquids. This
retaking of warm air may be done with other condensers of another com-
bination, but I wish to secure the form of the above condenser, retaining the
utilization of hot air that I cause to come back to the hearth by circulation.
9th, a series of filters where the liquids are decolored, clarified, & revived.
10th, the whole of the details of all those machines or apparatus, new,
improved, or applied in a new manner to the washing and bleaching, combined
together so as to give the necessary results of economy and preservation in the
washing & bleaching. I retain particularly their partial application to other
like purposes to which they could be suitable, leaving to the public what
belongs to them.
The work for the washing of clothes, &c. is divided into four distinct opera-
tions, which are, preliminary washing, washing in lie, definitive washing or
rinsing, aud drying. The first operation is to wet or soak dirty linen, &c. in
lic, which is usually done by hand, piece by piece, by friction, beating, and
twisting. This operation has for its object to dilute in the water the soluble
dirty matters. I make this operation by masses of about 300 lbs. in the
washing wheel A, Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4, Sheet 1, of the accompanying Drawings,
which represent the different views of this machine.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a side view. B is the axis of the wheel in Figs. 1 & 2;
C, bolts, which fix together the rim, with the circular channel Fmade in wood;
D, cast-iron rim, provided with teeth; this rim is fixed to the axis by the four
arms E, and is fixed to the circular channel with bolts. This wheel receives
its motion by the pinion G, which pinion is moved by a band on the main shaft.
The rim has a set of holes I, which serve for the exhaustion of the liquid;
another set of holes H is for the introduction of the liquid in the channel.
The lower part of the wheel revolves in a box full of liquid at the height of

page_text: the exhausting cock M. The water enters the box from the general water
pipe through the cock and pipe L, and is changed through the cock M. The
box is emptied through the cock N. The water is heated by steam by the
pipe Q that is in junction at O with the general steam pipe.
Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the wheel A; Fig. 3 is a development
of the inner circumference of the channel; Fig. 4, a vertical section of the
side, shewing the interior of the wheel. Cand B', in the 3 Figures, are over-
falls opposed one to the other, which overthrow the clothes as would a plough-
share, one on the right & the other on the left. The wheel in revolving in the
box J, fed with water, raises in its channel, by means of the projections U
placed between each couple of overfalls, the clothes E until it looses its equi-
librium and overturns itself, falling into the drain B', slides in D, and is over-
thrown again in C¹. These overturns of the clothes causes the first operation
of preliminary washing. So as to augment the amount of friction, I place
sometimes with and in the clothes some hundred wooden balls loaded with
lead, of about 2 or 3 inches in diameter.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, representing the rinsing wheel after the washing in lie. A is
the body of the wheel; B, the axis; C, arms, fixed to the rim D, which is
provided with teeth, and which keep in position the several parts of the
wheel; O, holes in the rim for the exhaustion of the liquid from the interior
of the wheel; P, pinion, gearing into and giving rotary motion to the wheel;
this pinion receives its motion by a band from the main shaft; Q, box, in which
revolves the wheel; T, exhausting cock, through which the water passes during
the rinsing. The liquid is fed by the cock Y, Fig. 7, through the injection
pipe Z, which enters the axis of the wheel through a stuffing box A¹, Fig. 7.
R, pipe from the general series of liquids coming in the box Q through the
cock S, Fig. 5; X, exhausting cock for the wash; U, general steam pipe, to
which is connected the pipe V serving to heat the liquid in the box when
necessary. Fig. 6 is a front view of the wheel. X, X, iron circles, tying in
several parts of the channel. This wheel is divided in four compartments, as
represented in Fig. 8. b,b,are separations of the said compartments; and a, a,
the clothes to be washed; y are the doors shewn in front, through which the
clothes enters and leaves the compartments; these doors are fastened by double
rack and pinions, as shewn at y, Fig. 6. The washing or rinsing is performed
in this wheel by the rotary motion; the consequent fall of the clothes turn and
overturn them in the four compartments in, which water is injected through
the centre, and which runs away through the holes O made on the circum-
ference. The novelty of this machine consists in its large size; its doors placed
iu frout instead of the apertures placed until now on the sides; its teethed rim

page_text: which adheres to, augments the force of, and gives motion to the case in which
is contained the compartments and its box before mentioned for heating the
liquids by steam. So combined, its application is new and appropriated to the
rinsing of clothes, &c., the warm.or cold soaping of coloured or woollen tissues
to unglossed new stuffs, blueing linen, and to cleanse tissues and threads of
every kind.
The washing in lie is the most important operation; it gives the economy
of soap, diminishes the work, and renders it more perfect. For operating.in
the most favourable conditions it is necessary to class the clothes by at least 4
category's, according to the nature of dirty matters with which it is charged,
so as to regulate the alkaline strength of the liquid by reason of the quantity
of dirty matters to dissolve in each tub or category. The first category may be
composed of the clothes the least dirty, to which a liquid of 1 degree alkali-
meter will be sufficient; to the second category, a liquid of 14 degree will be
given; to the third, 3 degrees; and to the fourth, 4 degrees.
The clothes, on leaving the wheel when the preliminary washing is done, is
drained in the baskets C, Sheet 2, the number of which is large enough for
the service of transports, for the washing in lie, and the draining. The clothes
are carried in the baskets on the car, Fig. 18, which are taken between the
tubs by the crane, Fig. 17. This crane is composed of a car A, turning on 4
cast-iron wheels F, bearing a pulley E, which passes the cord G to the drum
at C, motion being given to it by the wheels B & D; this car, with crane, is
placed upon rails B, B, of the railway A, Fig. 16, supported by cast-iron
columns C; it is raised by the said crane to the height of the upper aperture
of the tubs, and then is allowed to descend, and arranged in four stories of
baskets superposed and distanced one from the other by the height of their
feet, which allow the free circulation of the steain on all the faces of the
basket, and their perfect saturation with alkaline water. The liquid is pre-
pared in the tub A at the force of 4 degrees, and is injected in the clothes
already imbibed with natural water, which makes the liquid 2 degrees. When
the lip or cover has been replaced on the tub A, Fig. 10, by means of the
crane, and fastened by means of the bolts B, B1, I cause the liquid contained
in the vessel A, Fig. 22, to run through the cock C into one of the general
set of pipes, Fig. 14, placed alongside the tubs; the said liquid descends into
the general pipe C through the pipe M into the lip or cover B, which is fur-
nished in its lower part with a perforated plate, which distributes the liquid on
the clothes in an equal manner. The pipe M is in communication with the
cock M by means of a caoutchouc pipe, so as the lip may be rapidly removed
and replaced. This cover or lip is furnished with a-steam box O, having two

page_text: valves, one of which whistles when the pressure becomes to 14 atmospheres,
and which indicates the clothes to be heated to 110 degrees centigrade; Iopen
then the cock, which leaves a passage for the steam; the pipe Q of this cock
has a tube of caoutchour, which communicates with a pipe R that goes to the
condenser. During the washing in lie, this steam is so employed to heat the
water necessary for rinsing. It is necessary to let the alkaline water flow until
the hydrometer K, K, indicates that the liquid has reached to the top of the
upper part of the last basket; this liquid is heated at 22 degrees only, so as
not to harden the albumen substances that may be contained in the clothes.
The heating is done through the steam pipe I, in connexion with the general
set of steam pipes, Fig. 15; this heating must be progressive until it reaches
80 degrees; at this temperature 1 open the exhausting cock S, which connects
the tubs with the boiler E; this boiler is heated by steam through the pipe G
and cock H, which is in connection with the pipe, Fig. 151; this boiler is
provided with a safety valve O, hydrometer K, and thermometer J.
During the time the alkaline water descends in the lower apparatus, the
heating by heated steam is continued for half an hour; I open then the cock
F1 of the pipe E', as well as the cock M before mentioned, and the alkaline
water flows again into B; after having made it in the boiler to a degree of
force sufficient for replacing all the mass in its normal state of saturation
diminished by the waters of the condenser, I cause this alkaline water to pass
immediately through the clothes and descend again into E, by opening the
exhausting cock, which had been shut at the moment of the pressure of
the liquid, which takes place by the steam pipe I. I heat again the tub, and
after a short time the washing in lie is completed. But I have yet to free the
clothes from the alkaline water and salts which are in them, so as not to lose
the alkali & salts. The means employed are simple: the pressure of the steam
on the alkaline water in the boiler E through the cock I, causes it to ascend
through the pipes E, C, either in the tub A, Fig. 22, or in the filters F, Fig. 19.
This being done, I close the cock F, and open the cock B', connected to the
general pipe for warm water, Fig. 14, and gives issue to the water in the tub
through. the cock M. This natural water becomes charged with the salt con-
tained in the clothes by filtering, and falls again into the boiler, and by pressure,
is sent into A", Fig. 22", which is destined to receive it so saturated for a new
operation, in which I have only to add soda enough to put it again to the
required degree. When the operation of the retaking of salts is terminated, I
remove the clothes by the crane from the tubs, and put them to the definitive
washing or rinsing, and afterwards to the draining and drying.
The refining of the liquids is done by filters, Figs. 19. & 20. The first

page_text: syphon is composed of 2 reservoirs A, A, the dirty water flows in the first
through the cock F on a kind of gridiron (represented in Fig. 21) and covered
with wire gauze. There are six of these frames A of the gridiron in the
first couple of reservoirs, making a syphon. The first serves to compress a
bed of sponge on the frame F, which rests itself on a bed of sand supported
by another frame G,which has a free space between the bottom and the frame
of the first recipient. When the alkaline waters are filtered through sponge
imbibed with animal charcoal, and a bed of sand, they pass from the bottom
of this first recipient to the second by the apertures made from C to C¹,
and ascend through a bed of finer sponge, so as to be filtered again, and
in the ascension through another bed of finer sand I, and ascends in the
recipient A.', and flows through the pipe B, either directly through the pipe D
in the tub, or in the second, couple of refiners through the double cock D.
Fig. 20, A" is another syphon similar to the preceding one, for the purpose
of completing,if necessary, the refinement of the waters and to vivify them.
For obtaining this result, I have placed underneath the frame B another bed
of sponge imbibed with hydrate of lime. The water comes into C, filtering
through the sponge, passing the common seperator through the apertures
D & D¹, & ascends through a bed of sand and sponge in G. In this circula-
tion the waters are refined and pass in a caustic state. Mixed with new liquid
of salt of soda, they pass to the state of potash, and disencumber the new
waters of the excess of carbonic acid with which they are charged; results
doubly advantageous for a good lie.
The drying apparatus is represented by four Figures: Fig. 22", Sheet 3,
propagator of heat; Fig. 23, pipe, for the circulation of hot air; Fig. 28,
drying chamber with hot air; and Fig. 33, general condenser of steam.
The economyof the propagator of heat is based on three principal conditions.
The first consists in multiplying as much as possible the surface to heat. This
condition is perfectly effected in making the flame circulate in 27 cast-iron
columns in a tubular grate and between plates,and a cupola developing more
than 25 square yards of heating surface. The second is to oblige the circula-
tion of the heat leaving the circular grate to turn in the first range
of columns
for ascending the second range, and from thence to the cast-iron cupola, and
to the chimney. By these means the caloric radiancy does not go from the
grate to the chimney, wasting always in favour of the ambient air. The third
consists in inaking the air pass through pipes to the circular grate in an incan-
descent state. The propagator of heat is represented at Fig. 22ª, Sheet 3,
with the tubular grate or centre at A. The circulation of heat is indicated by
red arrows, and that of air by blue arrows.

page_text: The combustion leaving the grate ascends in the fire box B, closed by a
cupola, through the columns C-to the second range of columus D, seperated
from the columns C by the said cupola. From the second range of columns
the flames overthrow and distribute themselves in the first range of columus C
and descend again through those columns in the fire box J, for ascending
again in the columns D to L in the smoke chamber, closed by a cast-iron
cover E, and goes from E to E, and to the chimney F. L is a moving pipe
adapted to the chimney pipe in the centre of the smoke chamber; it has for
its object to force the current of the smoke to converge to the centre of the
chamber, and make the draught the same in all the columns. M. is the point
of departure for the air to ascend to be heated; it ascends at M, along the first
range of columns, and is stopped by the cars of the cupola, which are fixed at
a in the frame Z, Z, which envelopes the propagator of heat, and closes the
chamber S, S, destined te receive the hot air on its leaving the propagator of
heat. A second circular cupola ascending in O serves to support the columns
passing before the range of columns C, C, forcing the air to descend along this
column, passing down where it finds an issue at the lower part of the cupola
a, a, for ascending from Q. Q, to R, R, following R, R, until in the air
Chamber Z, Z,and ascending at T in the series of pipes of circulation, Fig. 23.
This combination is doubly favourable to the heating of the air, since the
heat circulates from thewarmer to the colder pipes, and the contrary in respect
of the air,for it reaches the warm chamber S, S, without any mixture of cold
air; it then ascends from T to U, and from U to V, in the large pipes of
heated air which pass along the drying chambers, where is placed a slide Z for
admitting air or otherwise. Lis the door of the channel for cleaning the
columns & fire chambers; G is the door for the fuel; H, the door of the ash-
box; and Y, the door of the smoke chamber, as well as for the purpose of
cleansing the propagator. Fig. 26 shews those several doors, as well as the
frame of the propagator.
Fig. 25 is a section, taken at the bottom of the heating columns. Z repre-
sents the thickness and the form of the frame, and Frepresents the chimney.
Figs. 28, 29 & 30 represents the drying chambers, their bearings & frames.
The drying chambers, Fig. 28, are in a line and contiguous one with the other;
each one has a passage for air at X, and an oblond square hole in which the
air circulates; and, on the two sides at Cof this hole, small lateral apertures
are made for giving passage to the hot air, which distributes itself in the
chamber so as to operate the drying of the clothes. Two cars or waggons
A, A., serve to introduce & to take away, the clothes in the chambers. During
the time the clothes are drying inside the apparatus, other clothes are being

page_text: prepared on cords, placed as shewn in Fig. 30. These waggons are placed on
akind of railway, constructed on the two sides of the chambers, and are closed
with sliding or moving doors L, L, fastened in any convenient manner. The
bucking disengaged from the clothes by the hot air ascends to the upper part
of the chamber, and takes the direction of the blue arrows, passing through
the channel H in the general pipe of the liquids at I, and enters the pipe B of
the general condenser, Fig. 33, to the bottom of the upper zinc well F,against
which it is partially condensed, and for continuing this condensation against
the six ranges of zinc pipes, which takes cold water through the perforations,
and going into and crossing this reservoir in all its length, descending in the
condenser at D¹, for the purpose of giving them a frigorific power which
operates the condensation of the steam, and of liquids coming there from all
the establishment. This frigorific power is augmented by the introduction of
exterior air by means of small pipes E in the large tubes, & which leave them
at D. The condensing and condensed waters come in a hot state in L, L,
and flows through the pipe M, from whence they are sent where required.
Fig. 32 is a transverse section of the set of condenser pipes. The air sepe-
rated from the water by the condension is yet charged with caloric, and
since I can condense it at a very high temperature, it descends through the
pipe C in the direction of the arrows, and enters into the propagator of
heat at M, so as to be heated again, and ascend in the warm chambers by an
incessant circulation.
Fig. 31 represents the manometric regulator. It is composed of a hydraulic
box A, in which passes cold water through the cock B, that goes to an upper
well. This box contains a circular part F, projecting inside and closed at the
interior by a flat bottom. On this bottom, on which is made a half circular
groove, is adapted a pulley D, on which the same is praticated, so as to allow
more or less water to pass, according to its aperture. It is mounted on an
axle G by the screw J, which serves to adjust it against the bottom, and turn
on its axis. A counter weight H is attached at E in the groove of this pulley
by a cord G. This weight H floats in a curved tube I, filled with mercury,
and is closed inside of the condenser at o. The part E is charged at F with a
load, which lowers part of the pulley to the side opposite the weight H, and
opens more or less the aperture for the flow of water, which is caused by the
expansion of the mercury, according to the heat in the condenser, and conse-
quently regulates the degree of condensation.
For extracting from the clothes by pressure the greatest quantity of liquid
which they contain, it is sufficient to place the clothes in the tubs at Figs. 10,
11, & 13, without the baskets. When the clothes are flat in the tub, the

page_text: cylindrical piston 12 & 12b, Sheet 2, is placed above them, and I make a
vacuum in the boiler E, so as to extract the air from the tubs, and the piston
pressing on the clothes, by the atmospheric pressure, causes the liquid to flow
in the boiler E through the cock S. To destroy the vacuum I open the cock
Land the extraction of the clothes is made by means of the crane, as afore-
said; to carry them to the warm chamber. The circumference of this piston A
is composed of staves B, and of three plates c, c, c, serving to tie the staves..
In witness whereof, I, the said Hector Grand de Châteauneuf, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
GRAND DE CHATEAUNEUF. (L.S.)