Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 24th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Nov., 1887
I, WALTER COOK, of 9 Hanover Square, Bradford, in the county of York, Wool
Salesman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates chiefly to further improvements in the wool-washing
machinery for which Letters Patent were granted to me No. 4028, dated the 30th
March 1885.
In practice I have found that in carrying out my said former invention when
applied to the ordinary form of washing bowl now in use, that the wool on emerging
from between the drums and rollers in its progress through the bowl, followed round
with the said rollers and get jamned between these rollers and the false bottom or
gratings, or, in the case of very short wool, considerable quantities would find its way
down to the lower part of the bowl underneath the false bottom or gratings where it
actually accumulated.
In order to obviate this defect, I now introduce just at these points, a blast of air or
steam, or in preference, a combination of the two, so as to blow a thin continuous
stream of either or both of these, along the whole width of the bowl, up through the
slit or narrow space which occurs between each of the rollers and the false bottom or
gratings, thus lifting the wool just as it is emerging from the nip or squeeze of the
drums and the rollers and preventing it from getting jamned or working its way
underneath the gratings as before.
This improvement also has the following advantages; it shakes and opens the wool
whilst in the suds and helps to free it from any loose dirt or sand that it may contain, .
and the air also helps to lighten and buoy up the wool so that it floats more freely
with the current that in my machine is flowing forward in the bowl.
My present improvements further relate to a new form of false bottom or grating
for wool washing machinery. In carrying out this part of my invention I use

page_text: corrugated brass or other metal, the corrugations being small and deep and forming
what be termed channels, the bottoms of which are perforated at regular intervals
with small holes to allow sand and dirt to fall through. These corrugations or channels
may be arranged so as to extend across the bowl from side to side, but I prefer to
arrange them in the direction of its length. By this arrangement the sand or dirt
falling out of the wool which is being washed, may, by falling to the bottom of these
channels or corrugations be out of the reach of wool that is moving along at or near
the gratings or false bottom.
Dated the 26th day of January 1887
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Scouring Wool and other Fibres.
I, WALTER COOK, of 9, Hanover Square, Bradford, in the county of York, Wool
Salesman, 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:
The present invention relates chiefly to improvements in the wool washing machinery
for which Letters Patent were granted to me, No. 4028, dated the 30th March 1885.
In practice I have found that in carrying out my former invention, when applied
to the ordinary form of washing bowl now in use, the wool on emerging from between
the drums and rollers in its progress through the bowl, followed round with the said
rollers and got jammed between these and the false bottom or gratings; or, in the
case of very short wool, considerable quantities would find their way down to the
lower part of the bowl underneath the false bottom or gratings where they actually
accumulated.
In order to obviate this defect I now introduce just at these points a blast of air or
steam or in preference a combination of the two, so as to blow a thin continuous
stream of either or both of these, along the whole width of the bowl, up through the
slit or narrow space which occurs between each of the rollers and the false bottom or
gratings, thus lifting the wool just as it is emerging from the nip of squeeze of the
drums and the rollers and preventing it from getting jammed or working its way
underneath the gratings as before.
My present improvements further relate to a new form of false bottom or grating
for wool washing machinery. In carrying out this part of my invention I use
corrugated brass or other metal, the corrugations being small and deep and forming,
what may be termed, channels, the bottoms of which are perforated at regular intervals
with small holes to allow sand and dirt to fall through. These corrugations or
channels may he arranged so as to extend across the bowl from side to side or
otherwise.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 represents a plan, and,
Figure 2 a longitudinal section of a machine for washing or scouring wool and
other fibres constructed according to my present improvements.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of part of the machine drawn to a larger scale.
Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
A represents an ordinary washing bowl or trough.
A' is the endless belt by which the wool is introduced into the machine. B, B, B
are the perforated drums and C, C, C the rollers between which the wool is caused to
pass in its progress through the bowl A; D and E are the rinsing rollers, F is the

page_text: endless belt by which the wool is conducted out of the washing water and G, H are
the wringing rollers which then squeeze the water out of the wool, all the said parts
being constructed and operating similarly to those described in the specification of
my said former Letters Patent.
a, a, a are the pipes through which, according to my present improvements, I
introduce a blast consisting of a thin continuous stream of air or steam, or both com-
bined, along the whole width of the bowl up through the slit or narrow space b
between each of the rollers C and the false bottom. The pipe a is perforated as
shewn in figure 3 throughout its length, so as to blow the air and steam evenly all
along the face of the roller C; the blast pipes a, a, a are supplied from any suitable
source by a pipe e figure 1.
By this blast the wool is lifted just as it is emerging from the nip or squeeze of the
drums B and rollers C, and is thereby prevented from becoming jammed or working
its way underneath the gratings as hitherto.
This improvement has also the following advantages; it shakes and opens the wool
whilst in the suds and helps to free it from any loose dirt or sand that it may contain
and the air also helps to lighten and buoy up the wool so that it floats more freely
with the current that in my machine is flowing forward in the bowl.
dis my improved false bottom or grating for wool washing machinery consisting
of corrugated brass or other suitable metal so as to provide a number of small and
deep channels; e, e, e are the perforations which I make at regular intervals in the
bottoms of the said channels to allow sand and dirt to fall through into the bottom of
the bowl A. The blast pipes a, a, a are covered by angle iron f,f,fas shewn to
which one of the ends of the lengths of false bottom are attached.
By this arrangement the sand and dirt falling out of the wool which is being washed
may by falling to the bottom of the channels or corrugations d be out of the reach of
wool that is moving along at or near the gratings or false bottom.
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. In wool washing machines of the class hereinbefore referred to, the use of a blast
of air, or steam, or of a combination of air and steam, arranged as described and for
the purposes specified.
2. In machines for washing or scouring wool, the use of a corrugated false bottom or
grating as described, and for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved machine for washing or scouring wool and other fibres hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Did the 24th love of October 1987
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.