Improvements in Machinery for Drying Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Drying Textile Fabrics.
We, ALFRED WHOWELL of 388 Manchester Road, Great Lever near Bolton,
Manager, and ALFRED AUSTIN WHITLEY of Park View, Walmersley Road,
Bury, Engineer, both in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery for hanging and drying
textile fabrics and consists in arrangements and constructions whereby more
reliable and efficient actions are obtained, and owing to certain unique arrange-
ments and disposition of parts is applicable for drying all kinds of bleached and
other textile fabrics, and is designed to meet the difficulties which have hitherto
prevented the successful application of machinery to assist in the drying of such
fabrics. We provide a travelling carriage in the form of endless chains, and mount
the same on suitable bearings, the outer end of which is provided with a turntable or
frame to allow of the travelling carriage or endless chains being directed to the
other end of the machine. The front end of the machine is provided with the usual
or other batching arrangements and drying cylinder or cylinders, or drying tins, or
other equivalents to allow of the fabric being dried or partially dried in its passage
to the hanging portion of the machine. The fabric in leaving the drying apparatus
passes over rollers or guides, from whence it is lifted by rods operated by endless
chains and catches which carry the said rods as they are lifted with the textile
fabric and places them on the endless chains forming the travelling carriage. The
rods are lifted periodically by the endless chains and catches disposed thereon
according to the length of fabric intended to be hung therefrom. As the travelling
carriage moves on fresh layers or folds of fabric are hung, which passes on to the
other end of the carriage, round the turntable or frame, and back to the end of the
machine, where the fabric is released from the said rods and passes over other
drying cylinders or rollers to the batching roller. Stays or stretchers are provided
to ensure of the fabric being evenly presented to the drying apparatus. As the
fabric is released from the said rods the latter are carried by an endless chain and
catches to a receptacle on the machine, from whence they are automatically
removed to a receptacle ready for hanging the fabric as previously described. The
travelling carriage carries the fabric over perforated or other heated pipes, the
heat of which is directed on the fabric. The whole of the apparatus is fixed in what
is well known as a drying stove, and the various parts are driven by any well
known mechanism from any convenient motor. If desired any convenient part of
the machine can be cased in to increase the efficiency of the same.
Dated the 20th October 1890
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Drying Textile Fabrics.
We, ALFRED WHOWELL of 388 Manchester Road, Great Lever near Bolton,
Manager, and ALFRED AUSTIN WHITLEY of Park View, Walmersley Road,
Bury, Engineer, both in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of our said 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 improvements in machinery for hanging and drying
TDi Q77

page_text: textile fabrics and consists in arrangements and constructions whereby more
reliable and efficient actions are obtained, and owing to certain unique arrange-
ments and disposition of parts is applicable for drying all kinds of bleached and
other textile fabrics, and is designed to meet the difficulties which have hitherto
prevented the successful application of machinery to assist in the drying of such
fabrics. We. provide a travelling carriage in the form of endless chains, and
mount the same on suitable bearings, the outer end of which is provided with a
turntable or frame to allow of the travelling carriage or endless chains being
directed to the other end of the machine. The front end of the machine is provided
with the usual or other batching arrangements and drying cylinder or cylinders, or
drying tins, or other equivalents to allow of the fabric being dried or partially
dried in its passage to the hanging portion of the machine. The fabric in leaving
the drying apparatus passes over rollers or guides, from whence it is lifted by rods
operated by endless chains and catches which carry the said rods as they are lifted
with the textile fabric and places them on the endless chains forming the travelling
carriage. The rods are lifted periodically by the endless chains and catches
disposed thereon according to the length of fabric intended to be hung therefrom.
As the travelling carriage moves on fresh layers or folds of fabric are lung, which
passes on to the other end of the carriage, round the turntable or frame, and back
to the end of the machine, where the fabric is released from the said rods and
passes over other drying cylinders or rollers to the batching roller. Stays or
stretchers are provided to ensure of the fabric being evenly presented to the drying
apparatus. As the fabric is released from the said rods the latter are carried by
an endless chain and catches to a receptacle on the machine, from whence they are
automatically removed to a receptacle ready for hanging the fabric as previously
described. The travelling carriage carries the fabric over perforated or heated
pipes, the heat of which is directed on the fabric. The whole of the apparatus is
fixed in what is well known as a drying stove, and the various parts are driven by
any well known mechanism from any convenient motor. If desired any convenient
part of the machine can be cased in to increase the efficiency of the same.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a part longitudinal side elevation of our improved machinery for
hanging and drying textile fabrics.
Fig. 2 is a plan of same, and
Fig. 3 an end elevation through line A' B¹ in Fig. 1.
A is a travelling carriage in the form of endless chains supported on the
bearings B; C is a turntable or frame; D is the batching roller from which the
fabric is supplied to the machine; E is the batching roller receiving the fabric
after it has passed through the machine, and F are drying cylinders or tins to dry
or partially dry the fabric in its passage to the hanging portion of the machine.
The batch roller D containing the fabric to be dried is mounted, in the usual
bearings. The fabric is represented by the line H, and travels in the direction
indicated by the arrows. After a damp or wet batch of fabric has been placed in
the position shown at D it is passed over and under the drying tins or cylinders F
as shown. The drying tins or cylinders F are mounted in the bearings G attached
to the standards I, and are provided with the spur wheels J to rotate the same
motion being obtained from the spur pinion K on the shaft L driven by the
pulley M and strap N from the pulley O on the shaft P, or in any other convenient
manner. The standards I are hollow to allow of being supplied with steam, from
which the tins or cylinders F are charged in the usual manner. The fabric on
leaving the upper drying cylinder or tin F passes over the driven rollers Q, R.
and S, and is caught or lifted by the rods T sliding up the standards U by the
action of the catches W and endless chains V. As each rod T catches or lifts the
fabric it is carried by the endless chain V and placed on the travelling carriage A
The endless chains V are mounted on the chain pulleys X; the latter being driver

page_text: as shown, or in any other convenient manner. The catches W are secured to the
endless chains V in any suitable position to lift the fabric periodically according to
the length of fabric intended to be hung therefrom. The endless chains forming
the travelling carriage A are operated by the chain pulleys Y, the latter being
driven or rotated as shown, or in any other convenient manner. When the rods T
containing the folds of fabric H are placed on the travelling carriage A by the
endless chains V and catches W they are traversed to the other end of the machine
during which operation fresh rods are supplied and other folds of fabric are hung.
When the rods T are delivered to the endless chains % of the turntable or frame C
they are traversed round the same to the travelling carriage A on the opposite side
as indicated by the arrow. The endless chains Z of the turntable or frame C are
carried round the chain pulleys C¹ on the supports D¹. The pulleys for operating
the chains A and Z of the travelling carriage and the turntable or frame C are
rotated by the shaft, W₁. The latter is operated by the pulley Y from the
pulley Z by the rope 02. After the rods T and their contents have passed from
the turntable or frame C to the travelling carriage A on the return side of the
machine they are traversed to the opposite end, from whence the fabric passes
under and over the stays or stretchers E' to the roller F', which guides it round
the steam heated drying tins or cylinders G¹ to the batching roller E; the latter
being rotated by the supporting rollers H' driven by the spur wheels I¹ and
pulley ; the pulley J¹ being driven by the belt K' from the pulley L' on the
shaft P, or in any other convenient manner. When the fabric H passes to the
stays or stretchers E' the rods T in their respective order are arrested by
the catches M on the endless chains N' on the standards or supports O'. The
endless chains N¹ and catches M¹ are driven by the pulleys P', by which action
the rods T are deposited into the shoot Q', down which they fall into the
receptacle R'. The rods T are automatically removed or slid in their respective
order from the receptacle R¹ to the receptacle S¹ by the endless chain T¹ and
catch U mounted on the pulleys V', driven by any suitable gearing. After the
rods T have been placed into the receptacle S they are removed from the bottom
end of same in their respective order at the appointed time according to the
length of fold required by the catches W on the endless chains V, by which
the operation is repeated as before described. On the floor underneath the hanging
folds of fabric H are deposited perforated or other heated pipes; the heat from
which is directed on the fabric H. These pipes-although not shown-can be of
any convenient form or size that are usually employed in stoves for drying textile
fabrics in bleachworks and other places. If desired that part of the machine
wherein the fabric hangs in folds from the rods T can be cased or enclosed with
wood or other materials to increase the efficiency of the same. The movable or
rotating parts of this machine can be driven in the manner shown in the annexed
drawings or in any other convenient manner as desired.
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. The general arrangements, constructions, and combinations of parts composing
the improved machinery for hanging and drying textile fabrics, as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated in the annexed drawings.
2. In machinery for the indicated purposes automatically hanging textile fabrics
in folds by means of rods carried on traversing endless chains and catches,
substantially as described.
3. In machinery for the indicated purposes the use of the turntable or frame and
its traversing endless chains for the purpose of carrying the textile fabric under
operation from one side of the machine to the other, substantially as described.
4. In machine for the purposes specified the use of the traversing endless chains,
catches, and their supports for delivering the carrying rods T from the carriage A
to the shoot Q' and receptacle R¹, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. In machinery for the purposes specified automatically removing or sliding the
rods T from the receptacle R to the receptacle S₁ by means of a traversing endless
chain and catch or catches, substantially as described.
Dated the 9th July 1891.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.