IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING WOOL OR OTHER SIMILAR ANIMAL FIBRE AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We CHARLES HOLLIDAY, of the firm of Read Holliday & Sons, of Cambridge
Buildings Upperhead Row Huddersfield, in the County of York, Manufacturing
Chemist, and ERNEST WILLIAM HIRST, of the firm of Hirst Hanson & Sons, of
Half Moon Street Huddersfield aforesaid Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING WOOL OR OTHER SIMILAR
ANIMAL FIBRE AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, to be as follows:-
The improvements have reference to improvement in the art of dyeing wool with
or without the use of a vacuum in the dyeing chamber and in the means or
apparatus employed therein.
In dyeing wool as generally practised before our invention the dye liquid, or the
mordanting liquid, has been forced, or drawn, through the fibre so that it became
more, or less, matted, or felted, a state of things inimical to good marketable
results being obtained and also a condition of things to which wool is peculiarly
subject from the nature of the fibres and requiring special precaution for its
avoidance.
The wool may be dyed either in the loose state, in the sliver, or in the hank-
that is to say respectively before being carded, or as it comes from the carding
machinery or from the combing, or in the state of yarn in the hank, and the object
of our improvements is whilst securing penetration throughout the fibres thereof
to prevent any felting or matting and otherwise to facilitate the dyeing operation
with economy not only of time but also of dye material.
For this purpose we provide a suitable chamber for conducting the dyeing
operation which chamber may be conveniently of circular form and be hereafter
referred to as the chamber.
The cover to the chamber is removeable by lever, screw or other suitable means
and its tight fitting to the chamber be ensured by the interposition of india rubber,
or this tight fitting may be otherwise secured by well known appliances.
for
This chamber is in connection with an air pump, or other suitable means,
exhausting the atmosphere therein so as to produce a vacuum. At the lower part
is a pipe, or conduit, for the flow of dye, or mordanting liquid, between the
chamber and the reservoirs of supply of such liquid, or where first one and then
another or other liquid or liquids are employed in the chamber more than one pipe
may be employed either joining into one inlet jet or otherwise.

page_text: This liquid supply jet delivers its liquid so that it may pass by a suitable channel
to above the materials to be operated upon and so that the liquid may flow or
.percolate without deliterious disturbance throughout the fibres without any matting
or felting action being induced.
This channel can be conveniently constituted by an upright cylinder open at
both ends but not so as to give direct flow, or contact of liquid, to fibre. This can
readily be otherwise accomplished. A perforated floor or division supports the
wool in the chamber above the space for the liquid to flow into after passage
through the fibres and this floor may be supplemented by other reticulate or
perforated divisions to aid in. breaking the force of any flow of liquid entering the
fibres.
Above the fibres or on the side next the inflow of liquid is a perforated division,
or divisions, removable at will, which serve to regulate the flow of liquid into and
amongst the fibres.
A suitable draw off or exit for the liquid that has passed through the fibres is
provided.
A steam pipe with suitable coils or chamber or other means for distribution of
the heat is placed in or in connection with the chamber so as to be capable of
employment where the use of steam heat as an accessory to the process is
desirable.
Or the heat, may be obtained by means of fire heat with, or without, the
intervention of a water bath, or other means of equalising its action.
In operation with the improvements say for instance when using Black dye-
one vat or reservoir of liquid would conveniently be used for the chrome, or other
mordant, and the other the dye, to be respectively supplied to the chamber.
After the mordant has been used the material may be withdrawn from the
chamber and passed into an extractor to extract the superfluous liquid or mordant
from the fibre so as to facilitate the entry of the dye liquid or solution thereto.
subsequently.
Suitable receptacles for the wool during operation are provided when required.
Another advantage attendant on the employment of the improvements particularly
when operating with Indigo as a dyeing material is that the indigo reduced is
economised by reason of the exclusion of air and its consequent oxidizing influence
being avoided.
Dated this 6th day of February 1881

page_text: We CHARLES HOLLIDAY, of the firm of Read Holliday & Sons, of Cambridge
Buildings Upperhead Row, Huddersfield in the County of York Manufacturing
Chemist, and ERNEST WILLIAM HIRST of the firm of Hirst Hanson & Sons of
Half Moon Street Huddersfield aforesaid Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING WOOL OR OTHER SIMILAR
ANIMAL FIBRE AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
The improvements have reference to improvement in the art of dyeing wool or
other similar animal fibre with, or without, the use of a vacuum in the dyeing
chamber and in the means or apparatus employed therein.
In dyeing wool as generally practised before our invention the dye liquid, or the
mordanting liquid has been forced, or drawn through the fibre so that it became
more or less matted or felted a state of things inimical to good marketable results
being obtained and also a condition of things to which wool is peculiarly subject
from the nature of the fibres and requiring special precaution for its avoidance.
The wool may be dyed either in the loose state, in the sliver, or in the hank that
is to say respectively, before being carded, or as it comes from the carding
machinery, or from the combing machinery or in the state of yarn and the object
of our improvements is whilst securing penetration throughout the fibres thereof to
prevent any felting, or matting and otherwise to facilitate the dyeing operation
with economy not only of time but also of dye material.
For this purpose we provide a suitable chamber for conducting the dyeing
operation in, which chamber may be conveniently of circular form and be hereafter
referred to as the chamber.
The cover to the chamber is removable by lever screw or other suitable moanë
and its tight fitting to the chamber may be ensured by the interposition of india
rubber, or this tight fitting may be otherwise secured by well known appliances.
This chamber is in connection with an air pump or other suitable means for
exhausting the atmosphere therein so as to produce a vacuum more or less
complete.
'
:
At the lower part is a pipe or conduit for the flow of dye, or mordanting liquid
between the chamber and the reservoirs of supply of such liquid, or where first one
and then another or other liquid, or liquids, are employed in the chamber more
than one pipe may be employed either joining together so as to be formed into one
inlet jet or otherwise.
.
This liquid supply jet delivers its liquid so that it may pass by a suitable
channel to above the materials to be operated upon thereby allowing any air or
vapour that may be released to pass off and so that the liquid may flow or
percolate without deleterious disturbance throughout the fibres without inducing
any matting or felting action.
This channel can be conveniently constituted by an upright cylinder open at
both ends one end may be inserted into, or attached to a perforated floor or
division which supports the wool in the chamber above the space for the liquid to̟
flow into so as not to give a direct flow of liquid to fibre and this floor may be
supplemented by other reticulate or perforated divisions on which other wool may
be placed and which also aid in distributing any flow of liquid entering the fibres
Above the fibres, or on the side next the inflow of the liquid is a perforated
division or divisions, removeable at will, which serve to regulate the flow of liquiḍ
) into and amongst the fibres.

page_text: A steam pipe with a suitable coil or chamber or other means for distribution of
the heat is placed in or in connection with the chamber so as to be capable of
employment where the use of steam heat as an accessory to the process is desirable.
Or the heat may be obtained by means of fire heat with or without the
intervention of a water bath or other means of equalizing its action.
The drawing annexed shews in section a form of apparatus which is adapted for
use in carrying out our invention and with or without the employment of vacuum
in operating on the fibres.
In this drawing A indicates the inflow or inlet opening to the pipes A¹ A' for
the liquid which is to be used to treat the fibre with B is the upper part of the
vessel towards which the liquid flows by the central channel G. C indicates the
steam coil for heating as an accessory to the process when desired, and this coil is
supplied by the pipe H from a suitable supply. J is a steam trap or condensed
water intercepter F indicates the packed joint of the cover of the vessel and the
vessel B which cover may be raised and removed by means of a chain K and
pulley L in connection with suitable lifting and traversing means,
The pipe E is in connection with a suitable air pump or exhausting means in
order to produce a more or less partial vacuum in the Chamber or vessel at B.
1. 2. 3. are the reticulate or openwork covers which support confine and protect
the fibres between them.
When operating without vacuum the lid and exhaust air pipe E are not necessary
and the dyeing operation can be carried on by placing the wool prepared as usual
for dyeing on the perforated plates N° 1 and N° 2 and the dye liquid or mordants
prepared as well understood by a dyer according to the colour to be produced being
admitted by the jet A or otherwise till the chamber is full to about plate N° 3 and
on the steam being turned into the coil marked O the dye liquid will circulate by
passing up the channel to over N° 3 perforated division and descend through the
perforations and the wool to. the chamber D to again pass up the channel until the
desired effect is produced.
When operating with a vacuum the lid is lowered and fixed to the chamber
when the wool and perforated divisions are in their places and the dye liquors
admitted when the vacuum is 10 to 12 lbs to the inch.
Blacks Blues Browns and other colours can be dyed in the apparatus and as an
example to show how the dyeing operation can be carried out we give hereunder a
series of operations that may be used in dyeing Black.
Wool ready for dyeing having been placed in division N° 1 to about the height
indicated-division Nº 2 is put in place and wool placed in it also to about the
height indicated now division N° 3 is put on and the lid lowered and screwed up.
The air pump is next worked until a vacuum of about 10 to 12 lbs is indicated.
Chrome liquor containing about 5% of chrome to the weight of wool and heated
to boiling point is now admitted through pipe or jet A until the chamber is full to
the top of the channel.
.
The whole is allowed to stand (say) about 10 minutes.
The vacuum is then released and the Chrome liquor drawn off to be strengthened
for further use.
Water is admitted by jet A to the top of the channel.
This water now containing a little chrome is run off by jet 'A for further use.
Then a Vacuum indicating about 10 or 12 lbs is formed again in the chamber.
We next admit strong hot Logwood liquor containing about as much extract as
can be extracted from a like weight of Logwood to the weight of the wool under
operation in the chamber until the chamber is full to or about or somewhat above
the division Nº 3.
We then heat the chamber by means of the steam coil for say about 10 minutes.
Then we run off the liquor which may be strengthened for further use and
admit the water that has already as described been used to wash off the chrome
having added thereto a little more strong, Chrome liquor,
AM

page_text: Then having run off this liquor and raised the lid we take out the wool which
may be further washed dried and used.
During the boiling with Logwood the vacuum may be allowed to go down
without deleterious effect on the wool.
Other colours can be dyed and other mordants extracts or dyes can be used as
desired but the examples given above will afford a dyer conversant with the
properties of the materials with which he wishes to work sufficient insight into the
method of working the improvements as to enable him to obtain satisfactory
results.
It is evident that much of the arrangements described may be varied without
changing the beneficial effect of this invention for instance more than one jet or
channel can be used the position of the entrance of the liquids and the channel can
be changed the wool can be entered and withdrawn by means of doors without
disturbing the cover.
Suitable receptacles for the wool during operation can be provided when required
and the divisions can be made to completely envelope the wool and they can be
made of metal wood or textile fibre according to the nature and properties of the
bodies or solutions used in dyeing.
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:
The method of and combination or arrangement of apparatus for dyeing wool
and other similar animal fibre whereby the air or vapour released or generated
during the operation is enabled to pass off without passing through the fibres in
order to prevent deleterious effects upon the fibres from ebullition or disturbance
thereof and to obtain better distribution of liquid passing therethrough substantially
as set forth.
DAL: ELL
100A