Improvements in Apparatus for Soaking, Cleansing, and otherwise Treating Woven Fabrics.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left 28th Feb. 1896-Accented 28th Mar.
1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Soaking, Cleansing, and otherwise
Treating Woven Fabrics.
I, JAMES SALTER FARMER, of 25 Scarisbrick Avenue, Southport, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:---
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for soaking, cleansing and
otherwise treating woven fabrics particularly to loosen and remove foreign matters
employed in the processes of manufacture which must be removed from the fabrics
before the finishing processes can be completed.
For this purpose I employ a suitable tank in which is mounted a large drum or
cylinder fitted with buckets or vanes upon its periphery and preferably extending
its full width. On the axis of the said drum and between its ends and the inside
of the tauk are mounted loosely two circular plates which have two annular flanges
or rims. The two smaller rims carry a number of rods or bars which form an open
cage entirely surrounding the buckets on the drum. The two larger rims support
a travelling lattice that surrounds the cage except for a certain distance above the
centre of the drum; the lattice is driven preferably by chains which gear into
recesses formed in the side plates and so turn them positively. The chains and
lattice pass over a driven chain wheel to the side plates through the tank over a
second chain wheel preferably driven, over guide pulleys to the bottom of the
tank across the bottom and up again to the first chain wheel from which they pass
to the side plates.
The tank is kept filled with suitable liquor to the depth of the buckets or
thereabouts, a space being left between the liquor and the upper portion of the
cage; the drum with its buckets is driven at a suitable speed, and motion in the
same direction, but generally at a slower speed, is given by the driven chain to
the travelling lattice. The fabric to be soaked and cleansed is then plaited down
so as to fall upon the cage close to the travelling lattice where it enters the liquor;
the action of the liquor discharged by the buckets forces the fabric against the
lattice which carries it forward through the machine the buckets driving the liquor
constantly upon the fabric. Any suitable number of driven rollers with beaters
or projections on their periphery may be mounted in the tank to drive the liquor
against the other side of the fabric.
The speed of the travelling lattice can be varied so as to allow the fabric to take a
longer or shorter time in passing through the machine and by suitable guide rollers
the fabric when it has passed out of the machine at one side can be conducted to
the other side and again plaited on to the cage for further treatment, or to other
and continuous operations.
When treating cotton fabrics my improved apparatus is preferably employed in
combination with a range of soaking, washing and cleansing machines.
Dated this 27th day of May 1895.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Soaking, Cleansing, and otherwise
Treating Woven Fabrics.
I, JAMES SALTER FARMER, of 25 Scarisbrick Avenue, Southport, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
aud in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for soaking, cleansing and
otherwise treating woven fabrics particularly to loosen and remove foreign matters
employed in the processes of manufacture which must be removed from the fabrics
before the finishing processes can be completed.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying sheet of drawings reference being had to
the figures and letters marked thereon."
Fig. 1 represents a sectional side view and Fig. 2 part of a section on the
line A B Fig. 1. of my improved apparatus for soaking, cleansing and otherwise
treating woven fabrics.
In the drawing,-a represents a tank in the sides of which is fitted a shaft b
carrying a hollow drum or cylinder c fitted with buckets or vanes d upon its
periphery; this drum extends nearly across the full width of the tank a. On the
same axis or shaft of the drum and between its ends and the inside frame of the
tank are mounted loosely two circular plates e which have two annular flanges or
rims near their periphery and upon the periphery are formed recesses to receive
the links of a chain f. The two inside flanges carry a number of rods or bars g
preferably hollow brass rods, which form an open cage entirely surrounding the
buckets on the drum c; these rods are spaced by narrow bands of metal which
are passed under and over the rods to connect them together near the ends and
middle of their length. The two larger rims by means of the chains of support
a travelling lattice composed of rods or bars that surround the cage except for
a certain distance above the centre of the drum c the bars being also connected
together at intervals by thin bands of metal. The chains and lattice bars h
pass over a driven chain wheel i to the periphery of the circular plates e through
the tank over a second chain wheel j, preferably driven, then over guide
pulleys k, l, m, n, back to the first driven chain wheel i. The tank a is kept filled
with suitable liquor to the depth of the buckets or thereabouts, a space being left
between the liquor and the upper portion of the cage. The drum c with its buckets
is driven at any suitable speed and by any convenient driving mechanism, and
motion in the same direction, but generally at a slower speed, is given by the chain
wheels i to the chains fand travelling lattice bars h.
The fabric o to be soaked and cleansed is then plaited down upon the bars g
which form the open cage close to the travelling lattice where it enters the
liquor; the action of the liquor discharged by the buckets d forces the fabric
against the lattice bars h which carry it forward the buckets driving the liquor
constantly upon the fabric so long as it is in the tank. Any suitable number of
driven rollers p with beaters or projections may be mounted in bearings in the
sides of the tank to drive the liquor against the other side of the fabric.
The speed of the travelling lattice h can be varied so as to allow the fabric to
take a longer or shorter time in passing through the machine and by suitable guide
rollers the fabric when it has passed out of the machine at one side can be
conducted to the other side and again plaited on to the cage for further treatment
or to other and continuous operations.
When treating cotton fabrics my improved apparatus is preferably employed in
combination with a range of soaking, washing and cleansing machines.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination, a tank containing suitable liquor, a hollow drum having buckets
or vanes on its periphery, circular side plates mounted loosely upon the drum axle,
a cage surrounding the drum and supported by the side plates a combined travelling
chain and lattice which carries the fabric through the machine and drives the side
plates and cage all substantially as herein set forth.
2. The general combination and arrangement of parts embodying my improve-
ments in apparatus for soaking, cleansing and otherwise treating woven fabrics
substantially as herein described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 27th day of February 1896.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
17 St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for Applicant.