Improvements in the Method of and Means 'for Facilitating the Removal of Surplus Moisture from the Surface of Washed Fabrics such as Calico Printers' Blanketing and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1898-Accepted. 26th Mar. 1898
Improvements in the Method of and Means 'for Facilitating the
Removal of Surplus Moisture from the Surface of Washed Fabrics
such as Calico Printers' Blanketing and the like.
I, ABEL BUCKLEY WIMPENNY, of Oak Villa, Hayfield, in the County of Derby,
Calico Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to improvements in the method of and means for
facilitating the removal of surplus moisture from the surface of washed fabrics
and is particularly applicable to the treatment of calico printers' blanketing after
the same has been operated upon by the brushes of the washing apparatus."
In practice it is usual to subject the blanketing as it leaves the washer to the
action of squeezing rollers or revolving brushes to deprive the blanketing of
surplus moisture, before passing it to the drying cylinders.
According to my invention I dispense with the squeezing rollers or the like,
and bring the blanketing into light contact with the surface of a rapidly revolving
roller formed with a highly polished surface. This roller may be of any con-
venient diameter and is preferably of cast iron having a highly polished
surface.
The roller is mounted within the trough of the washing apparatus and is
carried in adjustable bearings formed in the sides of the trough. As the blanketing
leaves the backing roller of the washer it is conducted into light contact with the
surface of the polished roller. The moisture upon the blanketing adheres to the .
surface of the roller leaving the blanketing comparatively dry and ready to be
passed over the drying cylinders. A "doctor" is mounted to remove the moisture
from the periphery of the roller and return the same to the trough of the washer
so that the surface of the roller is kept free from water. Moreover in addition to
depriving the blanketing of surplus moisture the last traces or dirt and lint upon
the blanketing are removed by the polished roller.
Although I have described my improved drying roller as applicable for use with
a calico printers' blanket washer, I do not limit myself to this use alone.
For instance the roller may be used to act on the surface of any fabric which
has been washed or treated with solutions to deprive it of surplus moisture in
cases where the moisture is not absorbed by the fabric but remains on the
surface.
Although I prefer to make the improved drying roller of cast iron and with a
polished or it may be plated surface I may if considered desirable construct it
of polished wood, glass or other material capable of being formed with a polished
surface.

page_text: Improvements in the Method of and Means for Facilitating the
Removal of Surplus Moisture from the Surface of Washed Fabrics
such as Calico Printers' Blanketing and the like.
I, ABEL BUCKLEY WIMPENNY, of Oak Villa, Hayfield, in the County of Derby,
Calico Printer, 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 and accompanying drawings:
My said invention relates to improvements in the method of and means for
facilitating the removal of surplus moisture from the surface of washed fabrics
and is particularly applicable to the treatment of calico printers' blanketing after
the same has been operated upon by the brushes of the washing apparatus.
In practice it is usual to subject the blanketing as it leaves the washer to the
action of squeezing rollers or revolving brushes to deprive the blanketing of
surplus moisture, before passing it to the drying cylinders.
According to my invention I dispense with the squeezing rollers or the like,
and bring the blanketing into light contact with the surface of a rapidly revolving
roller formed with a highly polished surface. This roller may be of any con-
venient diameter and is preferably of cast iron having a highly polished
surface.
The annexed sheet of drawings, to which I will now refer, explain my invention
more clearly.
Fig. 1 of the drawings is an end elevation partly in section of a blanket
washer fitted with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a detail view.
Although I have shown in the drawings a type of blanket washing apparatus
which I consider to be particularly suitable for use with my invention, I wish
it to be distinctly understood that my improved means for facilitating the removal
of surplus moisture from the surface of washed blanketing is adapted for use with
other types of blanket washer.
In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 the blanketing a as it leaves the printing
machine is shown as being first subjected to the action of a polished roller b
constructed and arranged according to an invention for which I have obtained
Her Majestys Letters Patent No. 23642 October 24th 1896. The roller acts
so as to remove a quantity of colour and lint from the surface of the blanket-
ing as described in the Specification of the Letters Patent No. 23642 of 1896. The
blanketing a then passes into the trough of the washer A around a backing roller c
where it is subjected to the action of revolving scrubbing brushes ddd which are
supplied with water by spurt pipes e e. Upon leaving the backing roller c the
surface of the washed blanketing is covered with moisture which I remove by
means of the rapidly revolving polished roller B which forms the subject of my
present invention. The roller B is mounted in bearings formed in brackets f
which are secured by suitable bolts to the trough A of the apparatus. The roller B
and not
is driven at a high speed by a pulley or the like mounted on the axle
shown in the drawings. The blanketing a is adjusted in contact with the roller B
with the requisite light pressure by means of the adjustable carrying roller B
The moisture upon the blanketing adheres to the surface of the revolving roller
leaving the blanketing comparatively dry and ready to be passed over the drying
cylinders.
A "doctor" C is mounted in the brackets f and applied so as to remove the
moisture from the periphery of the roller and return the same to the trough of
the washer as shown in the drawings. The surface of the roller B is thus kept

page_text: free from the water and impurities removed from the blanketing. The method
of adjusting the doctor C to the periphery of the roller B is more clearly shown in
Fig. 2 of the drawings. The doctor blade C is carried between clamps hh', the
clamp h being formed on or secured to the shaft i.
The shaft i is carried by bearing blocks adapted to slide within the brackets f.
The sliding blocks j are actuated by means of screws k so that the blocks j can be
slid nearer to or further from the roller B as required. The further adjustment
of the doctor C may be effected by turning the same to some extent upon the
axis i. To effect this the shaft i is provided with collars 7 secured to the shaft by
set screws (see Fig. 2) the collars being formed with projections or fingers m.
Thumb screws n engage with the projections m and bear at their lower ends
upon extensions o of the brackets f.
By operating the thumb screws n the doctor C may be turned upon the axis ¿
nearer to or further from the periphery of the roller B as required.
It will be understood that each end of the doctor is provided with the adjusting
means described. I do not however claim the doctor C and the method of adjust-
ment of the same as being novel.
In addition to depriving the blanketing of surplus moisture the revolving
polished roller B is particularly useful for removing the last traces of dirt and
lint from the blanketing.
Although I have described my improved drying roller as applicable for use with
a calico printers' blanket washer, I do not limit myself to this use alone.
For instance the roller may be used to act on the surface of any fabric which
has been washed or treated with solutions to deprive it of surplus moisture in
cases where the moisture is not absorbed by the fabric but remains on
surface.
the
Although I prefer to make the improved drying roller of cast iron and with a
polished or it may be plated surface, I may if considered desirable construct it
of polished wood, glass or other material capable of being formed with a polished
surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1) As means for removing the surplus moisture from the surface of washed
material such as printers' blanketing and the like, the employment of a rapidly
revolving polished roller arranged and acting substantially as described and
shown.
2) As an adjunct to a blanket washer the rapidly revolving roller B formed with
a highly polished or plated surface and used in conjunction with a doctor C in
the manner for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 12th day of January 1898.