AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF DESTROYING VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN WOOL OR WOOLLEN FABRICS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE SALES JARMAIN of 15 Wost Hill, Huddersfield in the County of York,
Wool extractor, and, carbonizer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF DESTROYING VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
CONTAINED IN WOOL OR WOOLLEN FABRICS" to be as follows:-
In order to destroy mixed vegetable substances contained in wool or woollen
fabrics it is usual to employ sulphuric acid and to dry the materials after they
have been in the sulphuric acid bath and subsequently to again wash and dry
them.
Now, my invention has for object to simplify the process of destroying so as to
be readily removed by enabling it to be done by wetting and drying the material
once. For this purpose the material to be treated is subjected to the action of
hydrochloric acid (or spirits of salts or muriatic acid) as follows:-
In a suitable tank I provide a bath of hydrochloric acid of a suitable strength
which will depend upon the intended duration of the process and upon the amount
of vegetable matter to be destroyed and removed. The bath having been heated,
the wool or woollen fabric to be treated is immersed and allowed to remain therein
until the vegetable matter has been sufficiently acted upon by the acid. The wool
or fabric is then removed and immersed in another tank containing water or water
with alkali so as to remove wash out or neutralize the acid that remains in the
wool or fabric which may then be taken out and dried in the usual manner. The
vegetable matter it contained will then be tender or in such a condition that it
may be easily removed by passing through the different machines designed for
cleansing wool.
The length of time the wool or woollen fabric is to remain in the acid bath will
depend upon circumstances such as the strength of the acid, the temperature at
which it is kept and the amount of vegetable matter to be destroyed and removed.
The acid tank or bath must be made of material of such a nature that the acid
will not have a detrimental effect upon it. It may be of wood or stone.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I GEORGE SALES JARMAIN late of 15 West Hill but now of 53 West Parade
Huddersfield in the County of York, Wool extractor and Carbonizer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for, "AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF
DESTROYING VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN WOOL OR WOOLLEN FABRICS,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
In order to destroy vegetable substances contained in wool, woollen waste, or
woollen fabrics, it is usual to employ dilute sulphuric acid, and to dry the materials
after they have been in the sulphuric acid bath, and subsequently to again wash
and dry them. Now the object of my invention is to simplify the process of
destroying vegetable substances contained in wool, woollen waste, or woollen
fabrics by wetting or immersing and afterwards drying the material once only
instead of twice.
For this purpose the material to be treated is subjected to the action of dilute
hydrochloric acid (known commercially as spirits of salts or muriatic acid) as
follows:-
In a suitable tank I provide a bath of dilute hydrochloric acid of a suitable
strength which will depend upon the intended duration of the process and upon
the temperature.
I have found in practice that the strength of the bath may vary greatly
according as the immersion is of longer or shorter duration. In one form of
apparatus for extracting the vegetable substances from wool and different classes
of woollen waste a suitable number of tanks say two are placed at a common level
with a sufficient space between them to allow of the material under treatment
being agitated in order that it may become thoroughly and evenly impregnated
with the acid.
At a lower level and situate below the space between the before mentioned tanks
another or central tank or reservoir is provided. Each of the tanks may have
about the same capacity and be constructed of any suitable material such for
example as wood or stone. The upper tanks are each provided with a perforated
sieve or false bottom to prevent the material being carried away when the liquor
is run off.
To connect the upper tanks with the lower or contral one suitable valves, are
provided. These valves are of sufficient capacity to allow the contents of either of
the upper tanks to pass away quickly into the central tank or reservoir.
The bath containing the diluto hydrochloric acid may in one case for example
stand at 5 degrees Twaddle, and bo heated up to say 180. degrees Fahrenheit by
means of steam pipes or by other convenient means so long as the temperature be
under control.
The wool or woollen waste to be treated is then immersed in the bath, and
allowed to remain therein say about 45 minuets; in this time the vegetable matter
will have been sufficiently acted upon by the dilute acid. The woollen, waste is
then quickly removed and immersed in another tank containing water or water
with alkali, or as. I prefer, according to the apparatus before described, instead of
removing the woollen waste, to be treated, from one tank to another I run off the
dilute acid forming the bath from the upper tank containing it to the lower central
tank or reservoir. This may conveniently be done by opening a large valve
controlling the connection between the two tanks.

page_text: The wool or woollen waste remains upon the perforated sieve or false bottom,
and whilst it is there a plentiful supply of fresh water is run on to it, and the
escaping water carries with it a portion of the acidulated water which drains
through and into the lower tank or reservoir. When sufficient water has passed
through the valve to make up for the loss of acid liquor which the material under
treatment retains, the before mentioned valve is closed.
The upper tank is then filled with water containing sufficient alkali to neutralize
the acid retained in the material under treatment. The alkaline water is then run
away through another valve. The treated material is then taken out and dried in
the usual manner.
The vegetable matter contained in the woollen material will
then have become tender and be in such a condition that it may be easily removed
by passing it through the different machines designed for cleansing wool.
The dilute acid after it has run into the lower tank or reservoir may be raised
by means of a pump or other suitable device into one or other of the upper tanks i. e.
when three or more tanks are working in conjunction.
When treating woollen piece goods or fabrics instead of running the dilute acid
from one tank to another, the woollen pieces are caused to travel through the dilute
acid for the time before mentioned and afterwards removed and washed in the
ordinary machines for washing pieces.
I find the above strength, temperature, and duration for this process to be
advantageous but I wish it to be distinctly understood that the strength of the
dilute acid bath, the temperature and the duration of immersion may vary if any
one of the conditions be altered, as for example assuming the bath to stand
at 11 degrees Twaddle, the temperature being 200 degrees Fahrenheit, then the
immersion would take about 105 minutes; again if the bath stood at 8 degrees
Twaddle, and at a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the duration of immersion
would be about 26 minutes.
I find for practical purposes the first named conditions, viz, acid bath at 5 degrees
Twaddle, with a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and 45 minutes immersion
to be the most convenient and easy of application. If the temperature be allowed
to rise above 200. degrees Fahrenheit, the wool or woollen fabric commences to be
affected. The arrangement of the tanks may be modified to suit different situations
and requirements.
By employing the before mentioned process the material only requires to be dried
once, thus reducing the cost of treating the material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I do not claim generally destroying vegetable substances contained
in wool, woollen waste or woollen fabrics, by the use of hydrochloric acid, but
I declare that what I claim is
1. Effecting the destruction of vegetable substances contained in wool, woollen
waste, or woollen fabrics whilst the material is, in a wet state substantially as
herein before described.
2. The method or process substantially as herein before described of destroying
5 vegetable substances contained in wool, woollen waste, and woullen fabrics in such
a manner that the material treated requires to be dried once only as above and set
forth.
Deted this 21st day of March 1885.