Improvements in Dyeing Apparatus.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Dyeing Apparatus.
I WILLIAM MYCOOK of 15 St. Mathews Road, Edgeley, Stockport in the County
of Chester, foreman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the dyeing of fabrics which have to be immersed suc-
cessively in a number of dyevats and consists in improved arrangements for
immersing, withdrawing and transferring the articles to be dyed. It is more
particularly applicable to indigo dyeing of cloths printed with resist pastes so as to
produce white or coloured patterns on an indigo ground but can also be applied to
dyeing fibres yarns or woven fabrics in general. The ordinary method of indigo
dyeing printed fabrics consists in hooking the cloth in zig-zig folds to frames which
are successively immersed into about nine vats containing reduced indigo liquor
of an increasing strength. After remaining the required time in each vat, the frame
with the cloth is lifted out of it and supported above the vat for the indigo to become
oxidised and regenerated by the oxygen of the atmosphere, after which the frame
is immersed in the next vat. The lifting and other operations are performed by
hand, which limits the length of pieces to be dyed to about 60 to 70 yards, pieces
woven longer having to be split up into these lengths, as two men cannot lift a
greater weight with sufficient steadiness. The latter is important, as otherwise the
folds of cloth sway against each other and stick together, which prevents the oxidising
action of the atmosphere and also causes the pattern to mark off and produces
patchy fabrics.
This frequently occurs with the present system and the folds have to be
separated by blowing between them, which detains the men and causes other frames
to remain longer in the vats than they should be. The object of my invention is to
obviate these evils and save labour and by dyeing pieces of double the length or
more than is possible under the ordinary system to reduce the loss or waste which
necessarily occurs at both ends of each length in consequence of their previous and
subsequent treatment and to save the labour of tieing or stitching the short lengths
together. This I effect in the following manner:
ร arrange the vats by preference side by side in the usual manner at equal
distances from each other and place above each end a beam or girder which may

page_text: be trussed. The two girders are connected or stayed together so as to form a frame,
herein after called dipframe. This frame is connected to lifting apparatus so that
it can be vertically raised and lowered. This may be effected by suspending the
frame by chains passing over pulleys on hangers or brackets fixed to the ceiling or
columns of the dyehouse, the chains being attached to a winding drum or its
equivalent that can be rotated through gearing by hand or power. The chains
may also be attached to drums placed above the frame, and the drums connected
by shafts and wheels so that they can be rotated simultaneously. Instead of
chains, racks and pinions or screws connected by gearing may be used for lifting
and lowering the dipframe, or the latter may be attached to piston rods of steam
or hydraulic cylinders, or any other means ordinarily employed for raising and
lowering loaded platforms may be employed. Upon the dipframe I place a carriage
supported by wheels running on rails or their equivalent on the dipframe and
arrange the carriage so that it can be moved backwards and forwards on the
dipframe by a distance equal from centre to centre of two succeeding vats, suitable
stops being provided to limit the traverse.
The cloth to be dyed is fixed as usual in rectangular hooking frames, which can
be made of any size to take in any desired length of piece. These frames are
fitted with pivots in the middle of their ends or thereabouts upon which links are
hinged and held vertically by spring catches attached to the top and bottom of the
ends. The links are formed at their tops with hooks or their equivalents by means
of which they can be attached to the carriage upon the dipframe, and by raising
the latter all the cloth frames hooked to the carriage can be drawn simultaneously
out of the vats perfectly vertically. After the cloth has been exposed to the
atmosphere for the required time, the carriage is moved forward by the distance
between two succeeding vats, whereby each cloth frame is brought over the next
vat. It can then be turned over on the pivots carried by the suspending links and
the whole of the cloth frames immersed simultaneously by lowering the dipframe.
It is evident that in this way a much more uniform and regular dyeing is obtained
than in the manner ordinarily used. After the cloth frames have been immersed,
they are unhooked from the carriage and the latter is run back ready for the next
lift of the cloth frames. In order to facilitate this operation, I by preference
provide the carriage with selfacting catches which when the dipframe is lowered
seize the links on which the cloth frames are suspended and can easily be discon-
nected. This may be arranged as follows: Above each of the suspending links I
hinge upon the carriage a pair of catches drawn together by a spring. The top of
the suspending links 1 form wedge shaped with projections or noses at each side,
so that when the catches are lowered upon them, the wedge presses them apart till
they pass over the noses or projections, when the spring pulls them together against
the links, and projections or their equivalent on the catches pass under the noses on
the links, so that by raising the dipframe all the cloth frames are lifted. The
suspending links of the cloth frame are fitted with projections by which when
lowered they rest upon the edges of the vats so that their tops stand all in the same
level and the catches seize them simultaneously. I connect the catches by links,
levers, rods or shafts or their equivalent so that by moving a hand lever all the
catches on both sides of the vats can be pushed apart simultaneously and the
suspending links released. The dipframe can then be raised and the carriage run
back. In order that the cloth frames may be immersed in the last or any of the
vats for a shorter or longer time than in the others, as is sometimes required for
the purpose of obtaining the desired shade of colour, I arrange the apparatus operating
the catches so that any of the catches can be disconnected from it, and the cloth
frame in any vat seized and lifted independently of the others. Instead of the
arrangement of catches described, equivalent arrangements may be used. Instead of
arranging the vats side by side, they may also be arranged in a circle either with
their shorter or longer dimension placed radially. In that case I arrange a trussed
frame with respectively polygonally or radially arranged beams placed above the
centre lines of the vats and attach selfacting catches to the beams above each end

page_text: of the clothframes in the vats. The trussed frame or dipframe is suspended or
supported in the centre so that it can be turned and is provided with lifting
arrangements so that it can be raised and lowered. By lowering the dipframe the
catches seize the suspending links of the cloth frame in a similar manner herein
before described for the arrangement of the vats in a line, and by raising the
dipframe they are withdrawn simultaneously from the vats. By turning the dipframe
by the distance from centre to centre of two succeeding vats, each cloth frame is
brought over the succeeding vat and by lowering the dipframe all are immersed
simultaneously. Apparatus for disengaging the catches simultaneously may be
applied, or the catches on each beam may be actuated separately. No carriage is
is required in this case. The vats may also be arranged in two circles of
different radius so that the vats in the outer circle fit into the angular
spaces between the vats in the inner circle. In this case carriages are mounted upon
the radial beams of the dipframe to which carriage the hooking catches are connected,
and by means of these carriages the cloth frames moved alternately inwards and
outwards as they pass from one vat to another. The arrangement of dipframes and
selfacting catches with or without carriages as described may also be used for circular
vats and star-shaped hooking frames to which the cloth is hooked spirally and which
are customary in some districts.
The apparatus may be used for dycing yarns slivers or raw fibres, frames, cages,
or boxes suitable for the material being substituted for the cloth hooking frames.
Dated this ath dan of Mr 1000
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Dyeing Apparatus.
1 WILLIAM MYCOCK of 15 St. Mathew's Road, Edgeley, Stockport in the county of
Chester, foreman 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 relates to the dyeing of fabrics which have to be immersed successively
in a number of dye-vats and consists in improved arrangements for immersing, with-
drawing and transferring the articles to be dyed. It is more particularly applicable to
indigo-dyeing of cloths printed with resist pastes so as to produce white or coloured
patterns on an indigo ground, but can also be applied to dyeing fibres, yarns, or
woven fabrics in general.
The ordinary method of indigo-dyeing printed fabrics consists in hooking the cloth
in zig-zag folds to frames which are successively immersed into about nine vats con-
taining reduced indigo liquor of increasing strength. After remaining the required
time in each vat, the frame with the cloth is lifted out of it and supported above the
vat for the indigo to become oxidised and regenerated by the oxygen of the atmosphere,
after which the frame is immersed in the next vat. The lifting and other operations are
performed by hand, which limits the length of pieces to be dyed to about 60 to 70 yards,
pieces woven longer having to be split up into these lengths, as two men cannot lift a
greater weight with sufficient steadiness. The latter is important, as otherwise the
folds of cloth sway against each other and stick together, which prevents the oxidising
action of the atmosphere, and also causes the pattern to mark off, and produces patchy
fabrics. This frequently occurs with the present system and the folds have to be
separated by blowing between them, which detains the men and causes other frames to
remain longer in the vais than they should be. The object of my objection is to obviate
these evils and save labour and by dyeing pieces of double the length or more, than is
possible under the ordinary system to reduce the loss or waste, which necessarily occurs
at both ends of each length in consequence of their previous and subsequent treatment
and to save the labour of tieing or stitching the short lengths together. This I effect
in the following manner: I arrange the vats, by preference side by side, in the usual
manner at equal distances from each other and place above each end a beam or girder
which may be trussed. The two girders are connected or stayed together so as to
form a frame, hereinafter called dip-frame. This frame is connected to lifting apparatus
so that it can be vertically raised or lowered. This may be effected by suspending the
frame by chains passing over pulleys on hangers or brackets fixed to the ceiling or
columns of the dye house, the chains being attached to a winding drum or its equiva-
lent that can be rotated through gearing by hand or power. The chains may be also
attached to drums placed above the frame, and the drums connected by shafts and
wheels so that they can be rotated simultaneously. Instead of chains, racks and pinions
or screws connected by gearing may be used for lifting and lowering the dip-frame, or
the latter may be attached to piston rods of steam or hydraulic cylinders, or any other

page_text: means ordinarily employed for raising and lowering loaded platforms may be employed.
Upon the dip-frame I place a carriage supported by wheels running on rails or their
equivalent on the dip-frame and arrange the carriage so that it can be moved backwards
and forwards on the dip-frame by a distance equal from centre to centre of two
succeeding vats, suitable stops being provided to limit the traverse. Obviously the
lifting appliances by which the dip-frame is raised and lowered may also be mounted
upon the carriage, the latter being in that case arranged to move on stationary
girders.
On the 2 sheets of drawings appended hereunto fig. 1 sheet 1 shows an outline
elevation of the general arrangement of my improved apparatus.
Fig. 2 a top view.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 a front view, side view, and plan of the lifting and trans-
porting mechanism for one cloth frame and the driving gear of the apparatus.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8-details of the self-acting gripping arrangements hereinafter
referred to.
Above the vats or cisterns a a figs. 1 and 2 two beams are arranged, which
may be supported from the ceiling by rods or ou pillars from the floor and suit-
ably trussed if required. To the side of the beans brails b¹ (fig. 3) are fixed
upon which a long carriage extending beyond the vats a is mounted. This
carriage is preferably composed of a number of separate carriages cc, there being
of such carriages one more than the number of vats and an additional small
carriage d outside the driving apparatus. One of the carriages c is shown on an
enlarged scale in figs. 3, 4 and 5.
It consists of two side frames c¹ c¹ fitted with pivots or their equivalents for
the wheels c2c2cc to turn on, or the wheels may be fixed to axles and the side
frames arranged with bearings for the same. The side frames support and
are connected by a cross rail or girder and the cross rails of the several carriages
are connected to one another by tie-rods or their equivalent so as to form one
long carriage moving together. Upon each cross rail ³ 1 mount brackets e e in
which a shaft e carrying a chain barrel e² and a worm wheel e³ can rotate. The
chains fixed to the barrels e pass between guide pulleys ff to keep them
central and support cross bearers which are suitably connected by longitudinal
ties gg and may be further stayed and in combination form the dip-frame.
Vertical rods or pillars g² g² are fixed to the cross bearers g and pass through
guide bushes attached to the cross rails of the carriages and are connected at
the top by a tie bar g³. By means of these the dip-frame is guided in its ascent
and descent and compelled to move along with the carriage.
Above the worm wheel a shaft is supported in brackets mounted upon
the carriage c and held by collars or equivalent means at its ends so as to travel
with the combined carriage. This shaft carries worms h² h² and slides in a long
bush carried in pedestals mounted upon cross girders fixed upon the
stationary beams bb. The shaft his grooved and the bush i has keys or their
equivalents fixed to it sliding in the groove, so that the shaft is rotated with
the bush. The latter carries the pulleys k¹ loose upon it which are rotated
from a rotating shaft by straps in opposite direction and held in their places by
set hoops or their equivalent. They are formed or fitted with clutches on the
inside and between them the double clutch box 2 slides on a key fixed to the
bush and can be thrown into gear with either pulley kor k¹ by means of the
lever and the shaft h by this means driven in one or the other direction. All
the chain barrels are thereby turned in one or the other direction and the cross
bearers g and the dip-frame raised or lowered. The lever ³ is fixed upon a shaft k
(figs. 4 and 5) which carries a lever from which a rod is suspended passing
through a slot in the end of one of the longitudinal ties g' of the dip-frame.
Two adjustable set hoops are fixed upon the rod ko against which the tie comes
when approaching its highest and lowest positions and by moving the rod pulls
the clutch out of gear with the pulley or with which it happens to be
engaged and thereby arrests the further movement of the dip-frame. "The shaft ki

page_text: has further a handle fixed upon it, by means of which the clutch can be thrown
into gear with the opposite pulley, and the motion of the dip-frame reversed.
To the cross beams other brackets are fixed in which the long bush l¹ can rotate.
This bush carries also a pair of loose pulleys driven by straps in opposite directions
and provided with clutches with which the double clutch / sliding upon a key fixed to the
bush can be engaged by means of the lever m. The bush forms for part of its length a
nut for the long screw n which is fixed to the cross rail c³ of the last carriage c so that it
cannot rotate. When the bush is rotated in one or the other direction by means of
the pulley 2 or 3, the screw n draws or pushes the combined carriage in one or the
other direction. A rod m³ carrying adjustable set hoops is fixed to the carriage and
passes through an eye of the lever m² which is fixed upon the shaft m¹ on which the
lever m for moving the clutch is fixed. As the carriage approaches the end of its
required traverse, one of the set hoops moves the lever m² and draws the clutch /* out
of gear with the pulley it was engaged with and stops the further traverse of the
carriage. A handle m³ on the shaft m¹ serves to throw the clutch into gear with the
opposite pulley when required. The ends of the shaft h, screw n, and rod m³, are
supported in the bracket d', and the cross rail d² of the outer carriage d, which is
connected by tie-bolts to the last carriage c so as to move along with the combined
carriage.
The cloth to be dyed is fixed as usual in rectangular hooking frames oo which can
be made of any size to take in the required length of piece and are constructed
in the ordinary manner except that they are by preference made with iron ends
to cause them to sink in the liquid and have cross rails o¹ o' in their ends with
pivots o² ² placed about the centre of the frames upon which links o³ ³ are
hinged and held vertically by spring catches of o* attached to the top and bottom
rails of the frames. The links are formed at the top with hooks or their equivalents
by means of which they can be attached to the carriage upon the dip-frame, and
by raising the latter all the cloth frames hooked to the carriage can be drawn
simultaneously out of the vats perfectly vertically. After the cloth has been
exposed to the atmosphere for the required time the carriage is moved forward
by the distance between two succeeding vats, whereby each cloth frame is brought over
the next vat. It can then be turned over on the pivots carried by the suspending
links and the whole of the cloth frames immersed simultaneously by lowering the
dip-frame. It is evident that in this way a much more uniform and regular
dyeing is obtained than in the manner ordinarily used. After the cloth-frames
have been immersed they are unhooked from the carriage and the latter is run
back ready for the next lift of the cloth frames. In order to facilitate this
operation I by preference provide the dip-frame with self-acting catches, which,
when the dip-frame is lowered seize the links on which the cloth frames
are suspended and can easily be disconnected. This may be arranged as follows:
Above each of the suspending links o I hinge upon the cross bearers g a pair
of catches p. p formed as open frames and drawn together by a spring pl
figs. 6, 7 and 8. The tops of the suspending links of I form wedge-shaped as
shewn, with projections or noses of 0 at each side, so that when the catches are
lowered upon them, the wedge presses them apart till they pass over the noses
or projections, when the spring p' pulls them together against the links o³ and
the cross bars p² or their equivalents on the catches pass under the noses on the
links, so that by raising the dip frame all the cloth frames are lifted. The
suspending links of the cloth frames are fitted with angle brackets of o with
which they rest upon the edges of the vats or cisterns when lowered, the bracket
being so fixed that the tops of the links stand all in the same level and the
catches seize them simultaneously. 1 connect the catches by links levers, rods, or
shafts, or their equivalent, so that all the catches on both sides of the vats can
be pushed apart simultaneously and the suspending links released, the dip frame
raised and the carriage run back. In order that the cloth frames may be
immersed in any of the vats for a shorter or longer time than in the others, as
is sometimes required for the purpose of obtaining the desired shade of colour, I

page_text: arrange the apparatus operating the catches so that any of the catches can also
be moved separately and the cloth frame in any vat seized and lifted independently
of the others. This may be done in the manner shewn on figs. 6, 7 and 8.
Underneath each cross bearer of the dip-frame I place a bar q sliding in
holders and turned up at each end to form a handle. Each bar is formed
with two wedges qq3 bearing simultaneously against the catches p at each end,
so that by pulling the bar q the catches are pushed apart until they come upon
the flat part of the wedges and are held in this position. In this way each pair
of catches can be opened separately. Underneath the bars 7 I arrange on each
side of the dip-frame a long sliding bar 12 supported in suitable fixings and
pulled in one direction by a spring against suitable stops 26. These bars
are formed with an incline 78 near each cross bearer. Two pins are fixed
on each of the bars q as shewn. By pulling the bar in the direction of the
arrow the inclines 8 move the pins and bars to the right and open all the
catches, and on releasing the bar the spring pulls it back into its original
position, so that any of the bars 4 can be pushed back by hand and the
corresponding catches closed. By the movement of the bars q to the right the
pins are brought against the bar 1, with inclines, and by pulling the latter
in the direction of the arrow all the bars are returned into the position shewn
on the drawings and the catches allowed to close.
When the bar is released the spring returns it into the position shown.
In this way any one of the bars 7 can be moved by hand to the right and the
corresponding catch opened. By these means any cloth frame can be seized by
the catches and released separately, or all of them can be seized or released
simultaneously. It is obvious that the mechanical details of this dyeing apparatus
can be arranged in many different ways and 1 do not confine myself to those
shewn on the drawings and hereinbefore described. For instance, the cross
bearers of the dip-frame may be attached to the rods of pistons, moving in
cylinders fixed upon the carriage and operated by fluids under pressure, and the
carriage moved backward and forward by being attached to a piston moved by
fluid pressure in a horizontal cylinder, telescope pipes being used for conveying
the pressure fluid to the vertical cylinders on the carriage.
Instead of placing the lifting mechanism upon the carriage, the beams or
frames upon which the carriage runs may be raised and lowered by mechanical
means as already described, the catches for seizing the cloth frames being in that
case attached to the travelling carriage.
Instead of arranging the vats side by side, they may also be arranged in a
circle either with their shorter or longer dimension placed radially.
In that case I arrange a trussed frame with respectively polygonally or radially
arranged beams placed above the centre-lines of the vats and attach self-acting
catches to the beams above each end of the cloth-frames in the vats. The trussed
frame or dip-frame is suspended or supported in the centre so that it can be
raised and lowered. By lowering the dip-frame the catches seize the suspending
links of the cloth-frames in a similar manner as hereinbefore described for the
arrangement of the vats in a line and by raising the dip-frame they are with-
drawn simultaneously from the vats. By turning the dip-frame by the distance
from centre to centre of two succeeding vats, each cloth-frame is brought over
the succeeding vat and by lowering the dip-frame all are immersed simultaneously.
Apparatus for disengaging the catches simultaneously may be applied, or the
catches on each beam may be actuated separately. No carriage is required in
The vats may also be arranged in two circles of different radius so
that the vats in the outer circle fit into the angular spaces between the vats in
the inner circle. In this case carriages are mounted upon the radial beams of
the dip-frame to which carriages, the hooking catches are connected, and by
means of these carriages the cloth-frames moved alternately inwards and outwards
as they pass from one vat to another.
this case.
The arrangement of dip-frames and self-acting catches with or without carriages

page_text: as described, may also be used for circular vats and star-shaped hooking frames
to which the cloth is hooked spirally, and which are customary in some districts.
The apparatus may be used for dyeing yarns, slivers, or raw fibres, frames,
cages, or boxes being substituted for the cloth-hooking frames.
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 :
Firstly, the arrangement of a carriage moveable on girders extending over a row
of dyeing or dipping vats and fitted with lifting appliances operated simultaneously
for raising and lowering a dip-frame to which all or any of the cloth-frames can be
attached, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Secondly, the arrangement of a frame raised and lowered by mechanical means on
which a carriage can be moved to which all or any of the cloth-frames can be attached,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Thirdly, the arrangement of a carriage moveable on beams or girders extending
over a row of dyeing or dipping vats or cisterns; said carriage being composed of
separate carriages connected to one another and carrying chain barrels operated by
worm-wheels and worms on a shaft rotated at will in either one or the other direction,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
Fourthly the arrangement of a screw and nut rotated at will in alternate directions
for moving the carriage specified in the third claim substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings.
Fifthly, the arrangement of catches so that they self-actingly seize the cloth frames
when the dip-frame is lowered and can be disengaged from the cloth frames
simultaneously or separately, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.
Sixthly, the arrangement or use of suspending links moveable upon pivots fixed
to the ends of the cloth-frames at or about their middle combined with spring
catches for holding them vertical, and with or without brackets or projections for
supporting said links and cloth-frames upon the edges of the dyeing or dipping
vats or cisterns, substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
Seventhly, the arrangement of dyeing or dipping vats in a circle combined
with a dip-frame that can be lowered and raised by mechanical means and
rotated, and to which the cloth-frames can be attached substantially as herein before
described.
Eighthly, the arrangement of dyeing or dipping vats in two circles of different
radius combined with a dip-frame that can be lowered and raised by mechanical
means, on which carriages to which the cloth-frames can be attached can be moved to
and from the centre, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 6th day of December 1888.
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.