CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SCOURING, WASHING, CLEANSING, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
KNIGHT, of Spotland, near Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Bleacher,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Third day of March, in the eighth year of Her reign, and in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-five, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Knight,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Samuel Knight, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as
I, the said Samuel Knight, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR SCOURING, WASHING, CLEANSING, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES;'
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Samuel
Knight, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Samuel Knight, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: "
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following explanation thereof (that is to say):-
These Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Scouring, Washing,
Cleansing, and other similar Purposes, apply to that particular apparatus
usually employed in such operations, and commonly called or known as the
dash or wash wheel," consisting of a hollow cylinder or drum mounted upon
a shaft or spindle, and having compartments or divisions in which the goods
to be scoured, washed, or cleansed are placed. The wheel is then caused to
revolve slowly (water or other cleansing liquor being introduced at the same
time) and the goods are thus "dashed" or agitated backwards and forwards
in the different compartments of the wheel, and partially washed and cleansed
from their impurities. This contrivance answers very well for the purpose
when washing with water alone, or with acid or bleaching liquor, but when
employed for washing or scouring goods with soap it is defective, inasmuch
as the goods being much lighter then than when being washed with water
alone, they are apt to remain stationary against the sides of the wheel instead
of dashing" or turning over and over in the soap, &c., which is highly
essential to the proper and efficient washing and scouring of the goods; but
by the application of my Invention the goods to be scoured, washed, or
cleansed, are caused to fall or descend quickly and forcibly into the soap or
other scouring or washing matter employed, which will thus more forcibly penc-
trate the goods, and consequently improve their whiteness and softness of finish.
Such being the nature and object of my present Invention, I will proceed to
explain the manner in which the same may be carried into practical effect.
"
I employ the ordinary "dash wheel," that is to say, I have a hollow
drum or cylinder revolving upon a spindle or shaft, but instead of dividing
it, as usual, into four quarters or chambers, I divide it diametrically so as to
form two oblong chambers (parallelograms) the length of which is equal (or
nearly so) to the diameter of the "dash" cylinder or wheel. Into each of
these chambers some of the goods to be scoured, wash'd, or cleansed, are
introduced. The wheel is then made to revolve slowly, which will cause the
goods to fall quickly and forcibly into the soap, &c. twice at each revolution
of the wheel, as each end of the parallelogram or chamber comes alternately
uppermost, and the soap, &c. will thus be driven forcibly upwards through the
goods, which will by this means be more perfectly and thoroughly scoured and
cleansed, and a superior bleach and softness imparted to them. A modifica-
tion of this Invention may be made by mounting oblong boxes or chambers
(without a cylinder) upon a shaft, and causing them to revolve, as before
mentioned, which will have the same beneficial effect; or they may be made

page_text: to swing backwards and forwards, merely performing a portion of a revolution,
and approaching just sufficiently near to the perpendicular position to cause
the goods to descend quickly to the lower end of the chamber.
Having now described the nature and object of my said improvements,
together with the manner in which the same may be carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be perfectly understood that what I claim as my Invention
is, placing or working the goods to be scoured, washed, or cleansed, in an
oblong or other chamber, box, or vessel, and communicating such motion to
it as will cause the goods to descend or fall from one side or end to the other
of such chamber or vessel in the manner and for the purpose above described
and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Knight, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
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