IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN DYEING OR PREPARING FOR DYEING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRE WITH ANILINE BLACK, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE IN DYEING OR PREPARING FOR DYEING WITH OTHER COLORING MATTERS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Holliday at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1878.
CHARLES HOLLIDAY, of the Firm of Read, Holliday, and Sons, of Huddersfield,
in the County of York, Manufacturing Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR USE IN DYEING OR PREPARING FOR DYEING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRE
WITH ANILINE BLACK, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE IN DYEING OR
PREPARING FOR DYEING WITH OTHER COLORING MATTERS."
The improvements apply particularly in the dyeing of or preparing for dyeing
cotton with aniline black to obtain a black color, and in effecting which in order to
secure uniformity of action on the fibre by the liquid employed it is necessary
during the action of the dye or other liquid to keep up a constant relative change
between the fibre under operation and the liquid, and the object of our improve-
ments is by mechanical means to keep up for any desired time a continued circula-
tion of the liquid in use through the entire mass of fibre under operation so as to
secure uniformity of action.
Apparatus I employ for this purpose consists of a tank with a false bottom with
laths or slats on which the fibre to be treated rests, and this false bottom is
perforated with numerous small holes to admit of the passage of liquid through it;
there is also a tray supported over this tank the bottom of which is also perforated.
with numerous small holes to admit of liquid supplied to such tray being distribnted
therefrom in fine shower-like streams on to the whole surface of the fibre in the
tank below.
•
This tray is capable of being supplied by a pump or pumps in number according
to the quantity of fibre for the time under operation or other convenience. The
pump or pumps thus employed are applied to operate between the bottom of the
tank under the false bottom supporting the fibre and the tray above so as
constantly to supply such tray during the process by pumping the liquid up again
as it passes through the fibre being treated.
The height of the tray above the tank is deterinined partly by convenience
in supplying or removing the fibre to be treated, and partly by the extent to
which it may be desirable to afford facility for the action of the oxygen of the

page_text: atmosphere on the streams of dye liquor in their passage from the tray to the fibre
under operation.
This action of the oxygen may if desired be facilitated by artificial means.
The liquid to operate on the fibre is fed as prepared from an elevated reservoir
through suitable piping to the chamber formed under the support for the fibre in the
tank.
The bottom of the tank is provided with a valve or valves to free it of
liquid, and steam may be admitted thereto to rise up through the fibre when
desired.
There is also another pipe or passage to admit of the overflow of heated liquid
from the bottom of the tank to the top of the fibre under operation, and for the
supply of air if necessary to supply the pumps.
Hot or cold water or other liquid may be supplied to be circulated through the
fibre when desired, for cleansing or other purposes.
In place of the streams being caused to pass downwards through the fibre under
operation they may be forced upwards through it. For this purpose a finely
perforated cover will be placed over the fibre to be treated in the open tank, and the
liquid passing therethrough will be conducted downwards to the chamber below
the perforated bottom supporting such fibre, thence to be forced upwards through
the surface of such fibre in finely divided streams.
The improvements are also applicable to the mordanting or preparing for dyeing
and to the treating of wool and other fibre requiring such process, and also to the
dyeing of other colors.
By these means the liquid is caused to be thoroughly distributed in its passage
through the mass of fibre under operation.
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