Method and Apparatus for Washing and Rinsing Fabrics and other Washable Objects.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1894-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by H. TREICHLER, of II, Wollishofen, Zurich,
Switzerland.]
Method and Apparatus for Washing and Rinsing Fabrics and other
Washable Objects.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to a method of washing and rinsing all kinds of fabrics and
other washable objects, and to an apparatus for carrying out such method.
The method of operating consists in applying a washing lye under considerable
pressure such as about a 16 feet water column in the form of jets impinging as
strongly as possible upon the objects to be washed, without weakening the strength
of the jets by causing them to pass through liquid surrounding the objects.
For this purpose the washing liquid is made to impinge upon the objects and is
then at once led away from them by any suitable means. This is effected by the
employment of a perforated cylindrical drum of large area, below which is arranged
a receiver into which the liquid, after having acted upon the objects in the drum,
is rapidly discharged. The jets of liquid, in impinging upon and penetrating among
the objects also effect the mechanical loosening and removal of the particles of dirt
and assist the chemical action of the liquid to such a high degree that the cleansing
is effected in an exceedingly short space of time.
An apparatus for carrying out the above described process is shewn on the
accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shews a sectional front view, Fig. 2 a cross section, Fig. 3 shews an end
view at X Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 an end view at Y.
The two hollow frames A A' are fixed to the lower cylindrical receiver B, 80 as
form one structure therewith. Both frames have a bearing L L' carrying the
lining pieces S S' in which the axes of the oscillating drum C work. The lining
pieces S S¹ can have their position regulated by means of screws, and have stuffing
boxes containing soft lagging which prevents the leakage of the lubricating oil
into the cleansing liquid.
The drum C which, as shewn in Fig. 2, contains the articles to be washed,
consists of a sheet metal cylinder in the circumference of which are formed a large
number of holes at equal distances apart in order to enable the entering lye to
flow off rapidly. The drum C is provided with a door D that can be easily opened
and closed for introducing and removing the objects as shewn at Fig. 2. The two
ends of the drum C are closed by plates E E of which E carries an axis running
in the bearing L and receiving the motion from the driving gear, while E' has a
tubular axis through which the cleansing liquid is introduced for supplying the jet
tubes F of the drum C.
For insuring the uniform supply of liquid to these jet tubes F, they are not
connected directly to the pressure supply pipe, but to a chamber formed in the
hollow end plate E¹.
The jet tubes offer so small a sectional area of discharge opening as compared
with the main supply pipe that a considerable pressure can be maintained in them,
for the before stated purpose.
To the said chamber is connected the pressure supply pump by means of suitable
pipes.
The drum C is actuated from the spur wheel St which is connected by a rod T

page_text: to the toothed rack gearing with a pinion K fixed on the axis of the plate E of
the drum C, so that the rotation of St in imparting a to and fro motion to causes
the drum C to rotate alternately in contrary directions, in a manner similar to the
to and fro motion of ordinary washing drums.
For catching the washing liquid or rinsing water passing away from the drum C
and leading it away at the sides, the drum is surrounded by a sheet metal casing M,
having an opening corresponding to the door D, and carried in bearings by the side
frames A A. This casing M can be turned round by means of a hand wheel H
and toothed wheels K' K' gearing with toothed segments fixed on the
periphery of the casing, so as to bring its opening in line with the door D for
introducing and removing the articles. During the washing operation the opening
of M is situated at top and is closed by a suitable cover.
The liquid flowing into the casing M from the drum is led off (according to
whether it is washing liquid or rinsing water) either to the right hand or to the
left hand into the receiver B which is divided into two corresponding compart-
ments B B for this purpose there are provided valves V V¹ in the side
frames A A¹, by opening one or other of which the right or the left hand
communication is established.
Each compartment of B has a valve V V that can be raised and lowered by
means of elbow levers W W, so that on opening the one or the other valve the
corresponding compartment of B is put in communication with a trough Nat
bottom leading to the force pump P. Thus the liquid discharged from Cinto the
casing M'flows thence into a compartment of B, whence it is led by the trough N' to
the pump
P which forces it back into the drum C through the jet pipes F.
When the rinsing water has been passed through a sufficient number of times, it
can be allowed to flow away, and the compartment B' can then be charged with
blueing water.
The washing lye on the other hand, when it has been circulated a sufficient
number of times, is retained in the compartment B" and after adding thereto a
quantity of fresh lye so as to bring it to the proper condition again, it is used again
for the next washing operation. When it is completely exhausted or deteriorated
it is discharged through the cock X.
The rinsing water can be heated by introducing steam directly into it; the lye
on the other hand must be heated by means of steam heated coils in order not to
dilute it by the condensation of steam.
The second compartment may of course also be heated by a steam coil.
For cleansing, the compartments B₁ B and charging them with liquid,
openings OO are provided closed by hinged covers.
The apparatus can be driven either directly or indirectly, such as by pullies and
belts as shewn at Fig. 3, the motion being transmitted from the driving shaft by
spur gearing U U¹ to the pump, and by the pinion St' to the gearing that actuates
the drum C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A method of washing and rinsing fabrics and other washable objects whereby
the washing or rinsing liquid is forced under pressure in the form of jets on to the
objects treated which are at the same time subjected to a reciprocating motion, the
liquid being at once conducted away from the said objects in order to afford in
addition to the chemical action of the liquid a mechanical action of the strongly
impinging jets, substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for carrying out the method of operating referred to in the
first claim, consisting of an oscillating perforated drum containing the objects to
be treated into which drum the liquid is forced under considerable pressure in
the form of jets by means of a pump, and from which the liquid is at once dis- 5
charged into a receiver below, in order that the impinging force of the jets may

page_text: not be weakened, the liquid removed being used over again, substantially as
described.
3. In apparatus such as is referred to in the second claim, the arrangement of a
distributing chamber between the pump and the washing drum in order to insure a
uniform distribution of the pressure liquid to the several jet pipes in the drum,.
substantially as described.
4. In apparatus such as is referred to in the second claim, constructing the
receiver below the washing drum with two compartments each of which communi-
cates through a valve with a casing surrounding the washing drum, whereby the
washing liquor or the rinsing water is made to flow rapidly from the drum into a
special compartment of the receiver to be subsequently used over again, substantially
as described.
5. In apparatus such as is referred to in the fourth claim, constructing the
casing surrounding the washing drum with an opening closed by a door, which can.
either be brought uppermost to coincide with the door of the drum for introducing
the objects to be treated, or can be brought lowermost for the removal of the
objects, the casing having a passage at each end for the discharge of the liquid,.
substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of July 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.