An Improved Machine for Mercerising, Sizing, or Dyeing Yarns and for like uses.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Mercerising, Sizing, or Dyeing Yarns
and for like uses.
We, JOSEPH SPENCER LORD and GEORGE SPENCER LORD, both of Victoria
Engineering Works, Whitefield, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of machine for mercerising,
sizing, or dyeing hanks of yarn and for like uses.
By this invention a machine is constructed on which yarns are placed on a
series of horizontal rollers radiating from a central vertical shaft, the machine
intermittently moves round, each set of radial arms with the rollers thereon
coming successively and remaining for a short period opposite an attendant at
each one ninth or thereabouts of the revolution of the machine; the attendant
who always remains in one position, removes from a set of rollers during the
period of intermittent stoppage the yarns that have been treated in the manner
hereinafter described during the time the said rollers have been travelling
around the machine, and places other material on the rollers, which then pass
forward, the next set of rollers coming opposite the attendant, and successively
in like manner.
For the purpose of this invention we erect a vertical shaft whose lower end
rests on a footstep, and the upper end is supported in a bracket suitably stayed.
by arms extending to pillars placed around the machine or in other preferred
manner. We affix to said vertical shaft, about midway between the bottom and
top of the shaft an angular block from which any preferred number say eight or
nine radial arms project in a horizontal direction. Above the aforesaid block we
fit a second block; the said block has a corresponding number of radial armis
extending therefrom and is adjustable in height so as to suit the lengths of yarn
or material that is intended to be treated.
We place a bevel wheel immediately under the lower of the hereinbefore
mentioned blocks, said bevel wheel being fitted on a sleeve on the vertical
central shaft but not keyed to the shaft. We place at each end of the upper
radial arms a triangular bracket between which two rollers are fitted capable of
being revolved, and either or both of the said rollers may be eccentric.
We place a roller of larger diameter with a bevel wheel attached to its inner
end on each of the lower radial arms. A trough is placed under each set of
radial rollers to receive the superfluous liquor from the yarn. On the sleeve
to which the bevel wheel hereinbefore named is fitted a worm wheel is secured
that is actuated by a worm fitted on a cross shaft on which the driving pulley
is placed. At the outer end of said cross shaft a cone is fixed which is con-
nected by a strap to a cone fixed on a transverse shaft having a worm thereon
that gears into a worm wheel which runs loosely on the lower portion of the
vertical central shaft. A stud is fixed on the disc of the last named worm wheel,
the said stud engaging at intervals with a spring whose free end drops inta

page_text: notches formed on a collar fixed on the lower portion of the vertical shaft, the
opposite end of the spring being attached to the framework of the machine. A
tank for containing the liquor is placed in a convenient position above the
machine from which the liquor is conveyed by a pipe and sprayed on to the yarn;
the liquor that runs off or is pressed out of the yarn is collected in troughs
placed under the radial rollers and may be returned to the tank by means of a
suitable pump.
In applying our invention, the attendant who always remains at the front of
the machine turns down the angular brackets that are on the nearest upper
radial bar so that the two rollers which are supported by said brackets are
for the time suspended loosely under the radial bar; the yarn or material to be
treated is then placed over the radial bar and over the bottom roller, and the
aforesaid brackets are turned up so that the rollers may come over the upper
radial bar thereby placing the yarn in tension on the rollers; as the stud on the
disc of the bottom worm wheel travels round it comes into contact with and
lifts the free end of the spring out of the notch in the collar on the lower part
of the vertical shaft, and the friction of the several parts of the machine causes
the vertical centre shaft when released from the aforesaid spring to be moved
round with the blocks and radial bars say one ninth of a revolution until the
free end of the aforesaid spring falls into the next notch, when the succeeding
set of radial rollers will have travelled round and stop opposite the attendant;
the bevel wheels on the inner ends of the rollers on the lower radial arms cause
both the upper and the lower rollers to revolve at intervals while the central
vertical shaft remains stationary. The yarn or material is subjected to treat-
ment by the liquor being sprayed on to the yarn either at the first stoppage
only after being placed on the rollers, or at two or more stoppages, and at a
succeeding stoppage the superfluous liquor is squeezed from the yarn by an india
rubber roller placed beneath and in contact with one of the lower rollers; the
varn may then be treated with an acid and subsequently washed with water
which is squeezed from the yarn at the last stoppage previous to arriving opposite
the attendant who then removes the yarn from the rollers and places fresh
material thereon in the way herein before described.
The liquor may if preferred be applied to the yarn by the lower rollers being
partly submerged in the before mentioned trough in place of the liquor being
sprayed on to the material.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1899.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicants,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Mercerising, Sizing, or Dyeing Yarns
and for like uses.
We, JOSEPH SPENCER LORD and GEORGE SPENCER LORD, both of Victoria
Engineering Works, Whitefield, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineers, 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 an improved construction of machine for mercerising,
sizing, or dyeing hanks of yarn and for like uses.
The objects of our invention are to economize time and labour by enabling

page_text: hanks of yarn and the like to be readily placed and retained in tension during
treatment and to be easily removed from the machine when the operation is
completed. We attain these objects by the means hereinafter described and as
shown on the accompanying drawings.
According to this invention a machine is constructed with two sets of horizontal
rollers superposed and radiating from a central vertical shaft. Hanks of yarn
that are to be treated are placed on said superposed rollers which are caused to
revolve and also to move round intermittently, each set coming successively and
remaining for a short period, or as long as may be necessary, opposite an
attendant who always remains in one position.
During the period of intermittent stoppage the attendant removes the yarns
that have been treated in the manner hereinafter described while the rollers have
been travelling around the machine and places other material on the rollers
which then pass forward, the next set of rollers coming opposite the attendant
and successively in like manner.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine to which we have herein before referred,
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on line A-A. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view
on line B-B. Fig. 4 is an end view of bottom roller in Fig. 1 showing rotating
device. Fig. 5 is an end view of top and bottom rollers showing the position
of said rollers when placing the yarn thereon. Fig. 6 shows the same rollers in
the position for keeping the yarn stretched during treatment. Fig. 7 is a plan
of bevel gearing that may be employed in place of the device shown in Fig. 4.
In these views similar letters refer to similar parts.
For the purpose of this invention we erect a vertical shaft b whose lower end
rests on a footstep c and the upper end is supported in a bracket d suitably
stayed by arms extending and secured to pillars as e placed around the machine
or other preferred supports. We affix to said vertical shaft about midway
between the bottom and the top of the shaft a block as f from which any pre-
ferred number of radial arms project in a horizontal direction; we fit on the
same vertical shaft at a convenient distance above the block f a second block j
that is adjustable in height by a portion of the shaft & having a screw thread formed
thereon and a nut j¹ placed above and below the block j; radial arms & corre-
sponding in number and position to the arms g project from the block j. We
place at each end of each of the upper radial arms a bracket preferably
triangular, between which rollers are fitted that are capable of being revolved
and either or both of said rollers may be eccentric. We place a roller m of
larger diameter on each of the radial arms g, and retain both the upper rollers
and the lower rollers m parallel by a vertical rod & when the yarn during treat-
ment is stretched between said rollers..
We fit on the inner end of each of said rollers a ratchet wheel n; a tongue
is fitted on each of the radial arms g and a pawl is pivotted to said tongue.
We place a disc r on the shaft b but not keyed thereto and at a little distance
below the block f; said disc is provided with a suitable number of studs 1
projecting from the periphery so as to engage with the tongue p; the boss of
the aforesaid disc is extended on the underside to form a sleeve 2 on which either
a worm wheel or a bevel wheel as shown in Fig. is secured, that is actuated
by a worm or pinion fitted on a cross shaft (not shewn) which carries a driving
pulley; at the outer end of said cross shaft a cone pulley is fixed which is con-
nected by a strap to a cone pulley as fixed on a transverse shaft having a
worm thereon that gears into a worm wheels which runs loosely on the
vertical shaft b. A stud s¹ is fixed on the upper side of the worm wheel s which
engages with the spring u as the wheels revolves and releases the free end of
said spring from the notches formed on a collar w fixed on the lower portion
of the vertical shaft & the opposite end of the spring being attached to the frame-
work of the machine. A tank as z for containing the liquor is placed in a
convenient position above the machine from which the liquor is conveyed by

page_text: a pipe and sprayed on the yarn; the liquor that runs off or is pressed out of the
yarn is collected in troughs u placed under the aforesaid radial rollers and may
be returned to the tank by means of a suitable pump.
In applying our invention the attendant who always remains at the front of
the machine adjusts the distance between the rollers and m by means of the
nuts and to suit the length of the hanks of yarn intended to be treated
and turns down the brackets that are on the nearest upper radial arm, so that
the roller or rollers which are supported by said brackets are for the time sus-
pended loosely under the radial arm, the yarn or material to be treated is then
placed over the radial bar and over the bottom roller and the brackets / turned
up so that the rollers may come over the radial arm k thereby placing the yarn
or material in tension on the rollers. As the stud s¹ on the worm wheel s
travels round it comes into contact with and presses the free end of the spring u³
out of one of the notches in the collar and the friction of the several parts
of the machine causes the vertical centre shaft when released from the aforesaid
spring to be moved round with the blocks and radial bars herein before described
one eighth of a revolution if eight radial arms are employed or in the same pro-
portion with a greater or less number of radial arms."
When the free end of the spring a falls into the next notch the succeeding
set of radial rollers will have travelled round and stop opposite the attendant.
The disc is constantly moved round by the bevel gearing that is connected
with the driving pulley, but the rollers on the lower radial arms revolve only
when a stud engages with the tongue p and actuates the ratchet wheel n.
The radial rollers do not revolve during the period that the vertical shaft is
revolving, the vertical shaft and the radial rollers revolving alternately. The
yarn or material is subjected to treatment by the liquor being sprayed on to
the yarn either at the first stoppage after being placed on the rollers or at two or
more stoppages, and at a succeeding stoppage before again arriving in front of
the attendant the superfluous liquor is squeezed from the yarn by an india
rubber roller placed so that the lower rollers may come into contact therewith;
the yarn may then be treated with an acid and subsequently washed with water
which is squeezed from the yarn at the last stoppage previous to arriving opposite
the attendant who then removes the yarn from the rollers by turning down the
brackets and places fresh material thereon in the manner hereinbefore de-
scribed.
The liquor may if preferred be applied to the yarn by the lower rollers being
partly submerged in the troughs in place of being sprayed on to the material.
When the machine is employed for sizing, a wire or a bristle brush is placed
over and parallel with the upper rollers. In place of the disc r tongue, and
ratchet wheel n we may employ bevel gearing as shown in Fig. 7, for actuating
the radial rollers. The bevel wheel is placed on the vertical shaft in the
same manner as the disc r and a bevel pinion is fitted on the inner end of
each of the bottom rollers m.
If it is preferred to cause the rollers to stop opposite the attendant by hand and
not automatically in the manner hereinbefore described we dispense with the
worm wheel
the spring u, the grooves r and the gearing connected therewith
and employ the device shown in Fig. 8, is a hand lever which is pressed
inwards by a spring and has a hole in which the outer end of a radial arm
enters and remains until it is disengaged by the attendant pulling the lever
outwards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A machine for mercerising, sizing, or dyeing yarns and for like uses that
is constructed with a central vertical shaft as 6 and two sets of horizontal arms
ask and g superposed radiating therefrom, the upper arms being adjustable in

page_text: height so that the vertical distance between the aims may be extended or
diminished, both sets of arms being retained in parallel positions by an adjust-
able vertical rod as r and having rollers fitted thereon which are actuated either
by a ratchet wheel n and disc as r with studs projecting therefrom or bevel
gearing as and 2 in the manner substantially as herein before described.
2. In a machine for mercerising sizing or dyeing yarns and for like uses
that is constructed with a central vertical shaft as 6 having two sets of radial
arms ask and g superposed radiating therefrom, said shaft resting on a footstep
and suitably supported at its upper end, the combination therewith of an adjust-
able block as carrying the upper set of arms, swivel brackets as on said
upper arms for supporting a roller or rollers either aboye or below the radial
arm a roller on each of the lower radial arms and connected on the inner end to
a ratchet wheel that is operated by a disc as with studs projecting therefrom
placed on the vertical shafts or by bevel gearing fitted in like position, mechanism
for causing each set of arms and rollers to come successively opposite the
attendant, and suitable tanks and troughs for supplying and receiving the
liquor all substantially as herein before described and shown on the drawings.
3. In a machine for mercerising, sizing, or dyeing hanks of yarn and for like
uses the combination therewith of swivel brackets as carried on a fixed arm
and supporting a roller or rollers which when turned up over the fixed arms as
in Fig. 6 keep the yarn or material stretched during treatment, but which when
turned down as in Fig. 5 releases the tension so as to enable said yarn or material
to be easily removed and replaced by a fresh supply substantially as described
and shown.
4. A machine such as herein before described in which the vertical shaft that
supports the radial arms revolves intermittently and alternately with the rollers
on said radial arms.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicants, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.