provements relating to the Washing or Scouring of Wool, Cotton Waste, and other Dirty Materials or Fabrics.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements relating to the Washing or Scouring of Wool, Cotton
Waste, and other Dirty Materials or Fabrics.
I JOAQUIN PORTELLA, B.A., of Alletrop House, Sydney Road, Harringay Park,
Hornsey in the County of Middlesex, Manager of Department do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
In the washing or scouring of wool, the chief desiderata are to get rid of the
wool, fat, or grease, and the dirt, without weakening or breaking the fibre of
the wool.
Hitherto, the wool has been treated in a hot alkaline bath, which, if raised above
a certain temperature, affects the strength of the fibre, while the " poleing" or
agitation to which the wool is subjected in the bath has a tendency to break the
fibre.
*
Wool fat or grease, known as Lanolin, has in recent years been found to have
considerable commercial value, but the nature of the alkaline bath in which
the scouring takes place has rendered the recovery of the wool fat practically
impossible.
Many attempts have also been made to clean cotton waste, but hitherto, for various
reasons, with only partial success.
Now the objects of the present invention are to wash or scour wool in such a
manner that the fibre will be neither weakened nor broken; the wool fat or grease
will be recoverable with facility, and other bye-products will be obtainable; and also
to wash cotton waste in a satisfactory manner, at the same time providing for the
recovery of the oleaginous matter, which may be used for various purposes, as, for
example, in lubricating materials.
In carrying out my invention, I prepare a bath with ordinary soap, liquid
ammonia, turpentine, and hot water.
The soap I first dissolve in the water, and I then add the ammonia and turpentine
and stir the mixture. It is preferred that the temperature of the water should not
be less than about 140° Fahr., and the proportions of the various ingredients which
I have found to be effective for washing 100 lbs. of wool, are, say, soap 1 lb.,
ammonia 4oz., and turpentine 2oz.
The wool is placed in a bath, and allowed to soak for from 10 to 20 minutes, after
which it may be gently agitated to give the loosened dirt and grease an opportunity
of getting away. The wool is then removed, and allowed to drain, or it might be
passed through lightly squeesing rollers to get rid of the excess of moisture, and is
afterward rinsed in cold water, and dried, when it is ready for carding.
The bath is then run off into a suitable vessel, and allowed to stand, a gentle heat
being applied, when the lanolin will rise to the top.
When removed and clarified, this lanolin is most suitable to form the basis of
ointments for which lard is now used.
The cotton waste will be washed in practically the same manner, the waste being
subjected to pressure to get out the excess of oil before being placed in the bath.
The oil, when squeezed out of the waste, will be perfectly black, but if allowed
to stand, will clarify itself, and the supernatant clear oil may be drawn off and
used for any suitable purpose.
The residue as well as the bath, after use, may be treated in any convenient
manner to recover the oil,

page_text: The mixture mentioned above will also be extremely suitable for washing clothes
and other fabrics or materials, the mode of treatment being practically the same.
Dated this 26th day of January 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Washing or Scouring of Wool, Cotton
Waste, and other Dirty Materials or Fabrics.
I JOAQUIN PORTELLA B.A., of Alletrop House, Sydney Road, Harringay Park,
Hornsey in the County of Middlesex, Manager of Department, 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:-
In the washing or scouring of wool, the chief desiderata are to get rid of the wool
fat or grease and the dirt, without weaking or breaking the fibre of the wool, and to
produce a good color.
Hitherto the wool has been treated in a hot alkaline bath, which, if raised above a
certain temperature, affects the strength of the fibre, while the poleing or
agitation to which the wool is subjected in the bath has a tendency to break the
fibre.
*
"
Wool fat or grease, known as Lanolin, has in recent years been found to have
considerable commercial value, but the nature of the alkaline bath in which the
scouring has hitherto taken place has rendered the recovery of the wool fat prac-
tically impossible.
.
Many attempts have also been made to clean cotton waste, but hitherto, for
various reasons, with only partial success.
Now the objects of the present invention are to wash or scour wool in such a
manner that the fibre will be neither weakened nor broken; the wool, fat or grease
will be recoverable with facility; and other bye products will be obtainable, and the
wool will be of a good color; and also to wash cotton waste in a satisfactory manner,
at the same time providing for the recovery of the oleaginous matter, which may
be used for various purposes, as for example an ingredient in lubricating material.
In carrying out my invention, as applied to the washing of wool, I prepare a bath
with best primrose soap, liquid ammonia, turpentine, and hot water."
I first thoroughly dissolve the soap in the water, and I then add the ammonia and
turpentine, and stir the mixture. The temperature of the water for the bath must
not exceed 140° Fahr., and the proportions of the various ingredients which I have
found to be effective for washing, say, 100 lbs. of wool, are, soap 14 lb., ammonia
turpentine 2oz., and water 10 gallons. These proportions may however vary
according to the class of wool and the quantity to be scoured.
4. ozs..
The wool is placed in the bath, and allowed to soak for from 10 to 20 minutes,
after which it may be gently agitated to give the dirt and grease which have been
loosened by the bath an opportunity of getting away. The wool is then removed and
allowed to drain (or it might be passed through squeezing rollers to get rid of the
excess of moisture), and is afterwards rinsed in cold water and dried, when it is
ready for carding. Water may be added to the bath from time to time to replace
any that may be lost, and the temperature being kept up, the bath may be used as
long as it effects the purpose of loosening the grease and dirt, which can readily be
ascertained by an experienced wool washer. When exhausted, the bath is run off
into a suitable vessel and allowed to stand, and a gentle heat being applied, the
wool fat will rise to the top, and may be skimmed off,

page_text: When removed and clarified, this lanolin is very suitable to form the basis of
ointments for which lard is. now used.
Experience has proved that the cotton waste requires slightly different treatment.
The waste will be first subjected to considerable pressure to get out the excess of oil
before it is placed in the bath.
In preparing the ingredients for washing the cotton waste. I take the soap and
boil it so that it becomes completely dissolved in water with sufficient soda or potash
to soften the water. When the soap is completely dissolved, I add the ammonia
and turpentine.
The proportions which I find most suitable for cleaning a ton of waste with
Thames water, will be soap 120 lbs., soda or potash 2 cwt., ammonia 20 lbs., and
turpentine 20 lbs.
The cotton waste is first passed into a bath, which I term the soaking bath,
composed of rds of the soap and soda, and the whole of the ammonia and tur-
pentine, and water in the proportion of one gallon to one ounce of soap.
The temperature of this bath should not be less than 140° Fahr., and the
waste should remain therein for about 10 minutes and be subjected to slight
agitation.
The waste is then passed through squeezing rollers, and is allowed to fall into a
second bath, which I term the washing bath. The remaining rd of the soap and
soda is used in this bath with any suitable quantity of water. The waste is subjected
io agitation in the bath for a few minutes (three or so), and is afterwards passed
through squeezing rollers to a rinsing bath. When the washing bath ceases to father,
it must be drawn off, and a fresh bath prepared.
The rinsing bath is plain cold water, in which the waste is agitated for about
three minutes, to get rid of all soap and grit that may adhere thereto, and the waste
is then passed again through squeezing rollers to a drying machine, and finally in a
carding engine, to be opened out, and from which it is delivered into sacks, or
wound onto spindles for the market.
The oil, when squeezed out of the waste, will be perfectly black, but if allowed to
stand will clarify itself, and the supernatant clear oil may be drawn off and used for
any suitable purpose.
The residue, as well as that from the bath after use, may be treated in any con-
venient manner, to recover the oil.
The mixture mentioned above will also be extremely suitable for washing clothes
and other fabrics or materials, these articles being allowed to soak for a short time,
and then rinsed out in cold water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In the washing or scouring of wool, cotton waste, and other dirty materials or
fabrics, the use of a compound or mixture composed, as herein described, of soap,
ammonia, and turpentine, with or without the addition of common soda or potash,
in or about the proportions given.
2. In the washing or scouring of wool, soaking the wool for from 10 to 20 minutes,.
subject to slight agitation in a bath composed of soap, ammonia, and turpentine,
with hot water, in or about the proportions given and maintained at a suitable
temperature not exceeding 140° Fahr., as set forth.
3. The process herein described for cleaning cotton waste, and consisting in
moving the cotton waste from which the excess of oil has been removed, slowly
through a first bath composed of soap, common soda, or potash, ammonia, and
turpentine, with water in or about the proportions given, and maintained at a
temperature exceeding 140° Fahr.; trenting in a second bath composed of soap,
common soda, or potash, and water in or about the proportions given, and maintained
at a temperature of not less than 100° Fahr.; afterwards rinsing in cold water (the

page_text: moisture taken up in each bath being removed by pressure), and finally drying and
carding the cotton waste, as set forth.
4. Obtaining wool fat or grease by soaking and slightly agitating wool for from
10 to 20 minutes in a bath composed of soap, ammonia, and turpentine, with water,
in or about the proportions given, and maintained at a suitable temperature not
exceeding 14° Fahr.; allowing the bath to stand until cool, and then causing the
wool fat or grease contained in the bath to rise to the surface by gentle heat, so
that it may be removed therefrom for subsequent treatment as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of October 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.