Improved Rollers for Dyeing, Washing, Soaping, Bleaching, and otherwise Treating Fabrics.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 9th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Jan., 1888
Improved Rollers for Dyeing, Washing, Soaping, Bleaching, and
otherwise Treating Fabrics.
ALFRED BIRCH 52 St. Bees Street Moss Side Manchester Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My object is to supply for above and like purposes, Rollers which do automatically
absorb and discharge alternately a portion of their surrounding substance whether
existing in liquid gaseous or vapour form.
To effect the desired result I divide a perforated roller internally, between the shell
or surface and the axis into two or more parts, which I may again divide between the
extremes of the roller. These parts, which I shall term chambers may be constructed
in Metal or other material; if constructed in Metal or other hard substance I shall
employ hinges to create necessary flexibility. To each chamber individually or to the
whole collectively I attach weight, which, acting upon the bottom of the upper chamber
or chambers, draw them down from the shell or surface of the roller-to which they
are attached towards the axis of the roller; and vice versa in regard to the lower
chamber or chambers; in being thus subjected the chambers are compelled to alter or
modify their shape and consequently their capacity, therefore the chambers, constituting
the roller, will, at different stages of a revolution absorb and discharge alternately,
through the surface of the roller, whatsoever substance surrounds the roller, therefore
whatsoever fabric be drawn over such rollers will be subjected automatically to
alternately diverse pressure without the aid of pumps or suchlike mechanical con-
trivances, and as such, these rollers may be advantageously employed wheresoever
thorough and rapid saturation is mainly desirable, as is required in the processes of
Dyeing, Washing, Soaping Bleaching etc.
TL: CL
CALL 1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Rollers for Dyeing, Washing, Soaping, Bleaching, and
otherwise Treating Fabrics.
I ALFRED BIRCH of 52 St. Bees Street Moss Side Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVED
ROLLERS FOR DYEING WASHING SOAPING BLEACHING AND OTHERWISE TREATING FABRICS,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in rollers employed in the operations of dyeing
washing soaping bleaching and otherwise treating fabrics and the object of my
improvements is to enable the fabrics under treatment to be more thoroughly
impregnated and saturated with the fluid whether dye or bleach liquor or
vapour or other agent than is the case when rollers of the ordinary construction
are employed.
In constructing a roller according to my improvements I divide a perforated roller
or cage between the shell or surface and the axis into two or more parts or chambers
the partitions or dividing walls of which may be of any suitable material either rigid
or flexible but if made of metal or other rigid substance must be hinged together to
permit the necessary movements. These partitions are so weighted or arranged that
when the fabric is passing over the roller and the roller is rotated the chambers are
compelled to constantly alter their size and capacity and so the said chambers act as
pumps to alternately absorb and draw in or discharge through the perforations or
openings in the surface of the roller the fluid to the action of which the fabric is
subjected and thus the fabric passing over under or round the roller will be completely
impregnated or saturated with said fluid without the aid of pumps or equivalent
mechanical contrivances.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings reference being had to
the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation Fig. 2 an end elevation Fig. 3 an end elevation with
the disc or end cover removed and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section of a roller constructed
according to my improvements.
Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are similar views respectively to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 but showing
a slight modification in the construction.
The circumference of the roller illustrated by the Drawings is made up of a
number of bars a fixed in two discs or end pieces 6 which are mounted and free
to revolve upon two studs or short shafts c held stationary in two frames or
uprights d.
To certain of the bars a or to the discs bare hinged plates e and the opposite edges
of these plates e are hinged at e¹ to plates the opposite edges of which are hinged to
a common centre i.e. the shaft g. This shaft g may be weighted as in the case of the

page_text: roller illustrated by Figs. 1 to 4 so as to cause the shaft g to constantly retain a
position eccentric to the circumference of the roller as shown best in Figs. 3 and 4.
It thus follows that the plates connected to the points X X Fig. 3 on the circumference
of greatest eccentricity to the shaft g are extended to their fullest extent so that the
chamber formed by the said plates has attained its maximum capacity whilst the
plates connected to the points Y Y Fig. 3 of least eccentricity are turned on their
joints eso that the chamber h' formed by them has attained its minimum
capacity.
It will thus be readily apparent that if the roller is being rotated in the direction
indicated by the arrow Fig. 3 the chamber will be increasing its capacity as
the plates ef move on their hinges and will therefore be absorbing or drawing in
any surrounding fluid while the chamber ³ will be diminishing its capacity and
discharging its contents.
In like manner the chambers 11° also vary in capacity as the relative positions
of their partitions-the hinged plates-are changed.
When the shafts c are held stationary as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4
the changes in the capacities of the chambers are limited to an equivalent number of
revolutions performed by the roller but the shafts c may be released and the common
shaft g may as shown Figs. 5 to 7 be mounted upon two crank pins c¹ attached to the
flanges, of the shafts c so that by driving the shafts c positively by any suitable
means the movements of the hinged plates can be accelerated without increasing the
speed of the rotation of the roller or the common shaft might be connected
eccentrically to the flanges of the shafts c and the crank pins c dispensed
with.
Instead of having the circumferential surface of the roller composed of bars a
as shown the said surface might be a metal or other shell with perforations through
which the fluid would be alternately drawn in and discharged by the action of the
chambers as described.
Again instead of the hinged plates e and fany suitable arrangement of flexible or
yielding partitions may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is-
1. A roller having its circumferential surface perforated or furnished with openings
and its interior divided into chambers or compartments by means of hinged plates or
any suitable flexible or yielding partitions connected to one common shaft or equivalent
placed and maintained in a position eccentric to the circumference of the roller
whereby when either the roller or said common shaft is rotated the capacities of the
several chambers are varied and the fluid surrounding the roller is alternately drawn
into and discharged from said chambers substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein described.
2. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts embodying
my improvements in rollers employed in the operations of dyeing washing
soaping bleaching and otherwise similarly treating fabrics substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and as illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Datad this 8th day of Danmhan 1007
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.