Improvements in and in Apparatus for Cleansing or Scouring Wool.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1887
Specification Accepted. 23rd Dec., 1887
Improvements in and in Apparatus for Cleansing or Scouring Wool.
I, CHARITY ROBESON of the City of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, 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 :—
My invention has for its object, to provide an improved process or method of
cleansing or scouring wool, whereby the use of alkaline or other chemical substances
or compositions, is dispensed with, and the grease, wax or sebaceous matter removed
in such manner, that it can readily be recovered, the fibre treated, being in such
condition that it may be carded and spun, without requiring to be oiled.
A further object of my invention, is to provide an apparatus, whereby my process
may be practised or carried into effect.
Heretofore wool has generally been scoured by means of water and strong alkaline
soaps, various forms of appliances being used in practising the scouring operation. It
has also been proposed to scour wool by a process involving the employment of the
vapor of naphtha.
The principal objection to the water and soap scouring process, is that the alkali
injures the fibre of the wool and leaves it in a harsh condition, which requires the
addition of oil to render the wool fit for carding and spinning. Aside from other
objections, the inflammable character of naphtha, renders its use for scouring purposes
undesirable.
By my invention, the removal of the foreign substances from the wool is effected
by the agencies of aqueous moisture, heat and pressure; and my invention,
accordingly, consists first in the process, and second in the apparatus, whereby such
agents, are made instrumental for the accomplishment of the object in view.
I have discovered that if a dirty fleece (or fleece in the condition which is usual
preliminary to the scouring operation practised after its removal from the animal) is
sufficiently moistened and then subjected to a temperature of or about 135° Fahrenheit,
the grease, wax or sebaceous humor, (sometimes called "Yolk") therein will be
softened or "started," so that by the application of pressure such foreign matter may
be readily and wholly or almost wholly expelled from the fibre.
Accordingly, in carrying. my invention into effect, I first moisten the fleece and

page_text: then, while in a moistened or damp condition, I subject it to the action of heat or a
temperature of about 135° Fahrenheit, (variable as hereinafter specified) and then
subject it to a squeezing action, whereby the suggested foreign and other matters are
removed.
The wool thus treated is subsequently rinsed in water and squeezed and dried and
then it is in condition to be carded and spun without requiring to be oiled, as has
heretofore been necessary, as, by regulating the pressure of the squeezing, sufficient
oil may be left in the wool to dispense with the usual oiling.
I will now describe an apparatus whereby my process may be practised, but wish it
to be distinctly understood that my invention is not limited to such apparatus, as my
process may be practised with appliances of a simpler and different construction.
In the accompanying drawing, wherein Figures 1, 2 and 3 are vertical longitudinal
sections of the apparatus; fig. 1 showing the scouring part; fig. 2 the rinsing part and
Fig. 3 the drying part of said apparatus, A represents a table on which the dirty or
unscoured fleeces are laid and from which they are fed to a travelling endless apron
or band B. Said apron travels in a casing or trunk (containing two blowers or
fans c c¹ one above and one below the band, the purposes of which are to direct or
throw air currents on the wool to loosen the fibre and remove dust &c. therefrom.
Said fans are protected by screens c2 c³, which cause the air currents to be diffused
and prevent loose fibre from entering the fan chambers. Crepresents a duct through
which suction may be exerted to draw off dust from the upper compartment of the
overhead fan chamber. D is a pipe from which water is discharged in streams, jets
or spray on the wool as it is carried beneath in its passage over the apron-sustaining
rollers bb and d is a tank for catching the water, from which it is led by a faucet d'
and carried off, along with the collected dirt, in the lower fan chamber through an
outlet pipe ².
The amount of moistening applied by the pipe D will depend upon the quality and
condition of the wool and must be governed by the judgment of the operator. Very
dirty wool may require to be moistened to or almost to the point of saturation, while
less dirty wools will require less water and may be moistened to the condition of
dampness or be sprinkled.
E and E are steam or hot air pipes located respectively above and below the
apron B and in a substantially closed chamber F, in which the temperature can be
raised to and maintained at the required degree, said pipes or their feeders being
supplied with suitable cocks or other appliances for regulating the temperature. Such
temperaturo should be about 135° Fahrenheit, subject to variation according to the
quality and condition of the wool under treatment. Some wools will not require a
temperature of more than 110 degrees and other may require or will safely endure a
temperature of 140° Fahr. To exact temperature for each case should be determined
according to the skill and judgment of the operator, but the temperature must or
should in all cases be sufficient to soften the sebaceous matter in the moistened wool.
The length of time during which the wool should remain in the heating chamber is
also dependent upon the character and condition of the wool and should be controlled
by the operator. I suggest a period of from five to seven minutes as sufficient
for general purposes, though this may be increased or lessened according to
circumstances.
E is a steam pipe located in the heating chamber F and having holes e through
which jets of steain or hot air are emitted, serving to aid in heating the chamber,
loosening the wool or separating the fibres and causing the moisture to penetrate the
wool on the apron, in its passage through said chamber. If steam jets be used the
moisture will be increased and the steam act on the wool. In the chamber F is a fan
or blower, which serves to agitate the air &c. therein.
The apron B, on emerging from the chamber F, passes over a tank G having a
grating top through which is ejected warm water supplied by a pipe gl, such water
Howing against said apron and the wool laid thereon tends to loosen the latter.
Above the grating g and supported thereby is an internally heated roller G', connected
with a slide G² supported on ways or guides 9' and connected by a rod or piston y²

page_text: with a crank or eccentric G³, whereby said roller is caused to reciprocate or travel
back and forth over the wool on apron B, serving to straighten the fibre and to
prevent matting or felting of the latter. A rubber or flexible hose G₁ connected with
a suitable source of supply and having a discharge cock G, which travels with the
roller G', discharges stream of hot water on said roller which flows down over the
latter, keeping its surface cleaned and serving to moisten the wool and retain
the heat in the latter. The apron B passes over the roller b¹ and thence descends or
forms an incline to another roller , above which is located a toothed cylinder or
picker roll H, the purpose of which is to loosen the fibre and aid its presentation
or delivery to the squeeze rolls II'. These rollers are hung so that they may be
weighted to regulate their pressure and both are wound or enveloped with a covering of
worsted yarn, such covering being indicated by the heavy black circles of said rolls.
Above the upper roller is a cock i for discharging warm water on the upper roll and
washing down the moisture, grease &c. expressed from or squeezed out of the wool by
the rollers II', such water &c. passing down through a hopper or conduit K to an
apparatus indicated at kk, whereby water is separated from the oil &c. the latter
being recovered and used for industrial or medicinal purposes. Said hopper is kept
heated by a pipe or other appliance, imparting heat to the wool above, so as to
prevent chilling or hardening of the wax &c., after leaving the heated chamber F and
on its way to the squeezing rolls.
The wool on leaving the squeeze rolls is subtantially or almost wholly freed from
grease, wax or the sebaceous matter and now only requires to be rinsed in water and
dried, to make it ready for carding or combing and spinning.
Any suitable form of rinsing and drying apparatus may be employed and I will
now describe a construction I deem best adapted for the purpose.
L represents a chute or conduit leading downwardly from the squeeze rolls to a
tank L, a cock 1, which discharges lukewarm or tepid water, being arranged at the
head of said conduit or chute to facilitate the downward movement of the wool therein.
Within the tank L' is an endless apron or conveyor M carrying a series or number of
baskets or open receptacles m m which receive the wool as it is discharged from the
conduit L, the object of separate receptacles being to keep the wool apart and to
permit free access of the running water to every part thereof. N and N¹ are pipes
having small openings through which water (which may be cold) escapes into the
tank L. One of these pipes is located above the apron and discharges downwardly;
the other is between the folds or plies of the conveyor M and discharges upwardly.
N N are wheels in the tank L' for producing agitation of the water therein and lis
a cock for drawing off the dirty water from said tank. The. water in the tank L¹
should be maintained at such a level that the baskets on the under side of conveyor M
will be submerged therein.
The baskets m as they turn over at the upper or discharge end of the conveyor,
dump their contents into the bite of two squeeze rolls 001, wound with worsted yarn,
by which the water is squeezed out, the fibre passing downwardly through a chute o
to the drying compartment P. Said compartment has a conveyor Q, substantially
similar to conveyor M, and two air ducts R R with fans or blowers r which blow
the air in small currents or distributively through the wool on said conveyor. These
air ducts should have appliances, not necessary to be detailed, for regulating, con-
trolling and directing the currents of air discharged through the formainated
walls of the air ducts or distributors R R'. S is a conduit or trunk through
which the dried wool is discharged, being drawn off by the air of a suction fan or
wheel T.
What I claim as my invention is as follows :-
1st. The herein described method for scouring wool, the same consisting in first
moistening the wool with water, secondly subjecting the moistened wool to sufficient
heat to soften or start the grease and wax or sebaceous humors, and thirdly applying
pressure to remove the moisture and humors, substantially as set forth.
3
AL

page_text: humors from wool, the same consisting in first moistening the wool with water, then
subjecting the moistened wool to a temperature between 100° Fahr. and 150° Fahr.,
until such grease and wax or sebaceous humors become softened and then expelling
the latter by pressure, substantially in the manner herein set forth.
3rd. The method herein described for scouring wool, the same consisting in the
following steps: first moistening the wool by spraying water upon it, secondly
subjecting it to sufficient heat to soften or start the grease and wax or sebaceous
humors, thirdly applying pressure to remove the moisture and humors and fourthly,
then rinsing the fibre, substantially as herein set forth.
4th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool, the combination of a heating chamber, a
conveyor, a water pipe and a steam or hot air pipe, whereby wool carried through
said chamber is first moistened by water and then heated and subjected to the action
of steam or hot air, substantially as shown and described.
5th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool, the combination with a conveyor of an air
chamber having means, as a fan or blowers, for blowing air, a heating chamber, a
water discharge and squeeze rolls for expelling the humors, substantially as shown
and described.
6th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool the combination with a conveyor B and a
tank G having a top g a reciprocating roller supported by said tank and moving over
said conveyor, substantially as shown and described.
7th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool, the combination of squeeze rolls, a
chute or conduit leading therefrom and a water discharge for facilitating the
movement of the wool through said chute or conduit, substantially as shown and
described.
8th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool, the combination with a conveyor or travelling
band, of squeeze rolls and a hopper or receptacle for receiving the water &c. expelled
by the squeeze-rolls, said hopper having means for keeping it heated, substantially
.as set forth.
9th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool, the combination with a traveller or
conveyor B of a heated roller G₁ reciprocating or travelling over the conveyor for
straightening the fibre and maintaining heat in the wool, substantially as shown and
described.
10th. In an apparatus for cleaning wool, the combination with a reciprocating
roller G of a flexible connection G and a discharge for throwing hot water on said
roll, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of September 1887.