Improvements in Scouring and Washing Machines for Woollen and other Fabrics,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scouring and Washing Machines for Woollen and
other Fabrics,
We, JOHN HIRST MITCHELL and ISAAC MITCHELL, of the Firm of John Mitchell
and Sons, of Brockholes, near Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers
and Machine Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention in scouring and washing machines for fabrics consists princi-
pally in mounting the top nipping or squeezing roller in a certain position
relatively to the bottom roller.
This
Heretofore in scouring and washing machines, wherein only two rollers are
employed, the top roller has been placed on the top or crown of the bottom roller,
the line of centres of both rollers being in the same perpendicular plane.
arrangement necessitates the employment of rollers of large diameters which
as they become worn and are turned down cause the pressure exerted on the
bottom roller to be reduced and the speed decreased, whereby the efficiency of
the machine gradually deteriorates until the worn rollers are removed and new
ones substituted.
The object of our invention is to provide a more durable and effective scourer
and washer off which will retain its efficiency until the top roller is reduced to a
minimum diameter, and to considerably reduce the cost of the machine and
renewals.
For the purpose of our invention, we mount the top roller in vertical slotted
bearings in the framework of the machine a little to one side of the bottom
roller, so that it shall be at an angle thereto of about 30 degrees. This deviation
we may vary if found necessary. The bottom roller is preferably composed of
rustless iron and is of smaller diameter than the top roller, being approximately
half the size thereof. The slotted bearings in which the top roller is journalled
allow said roller, as it wears or is turned down, to adjust itself vertically to the
bottom roller, thereby gradually lowering the point of contact between them.
By the arrangement of the squeezing or nipping rollers as above described, a
solid wooden roller of say 24 inches diameter will exert a pressure on the bottom
roller, and therefore on the fabric in process of washing or scouring, about
equal to that of a roller of 31 or 32 inches diameter, which is the present size:
and as the said top roller wears and is turned down this pressure is maintained
by reason of the lowering of the point of contact of the two rollers, and the
pressure being borne direct against the far sides of the slotted bearings.
employing a bottom roller of small diameter we obtain a sharper angle or nip
which gives much better results.
The usual back and draw rollers are employed in the machine.
In
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Huddersfield,
Agents for Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Scouring and Washing Machines for Woollen and
other Fabrics.
We, JOHN HIRST MITCHELL and ISAAC MITCHELL, of the Firm of John Mitchell
and Sons, of Brockholes, near Huddersfield, in the County of York, Engineers
and Machine Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention in scouring and washing machines for fabrics consists princi-
pally in mounting or arranging the top nipping or squeezing roller in a certain
position relatively to the bottom roller.
Heretofore, in scouring and washing machines wherein only two rollers are
employed, the top roller has been placed on the top or crown of the bottom roller,
the line of centres of both rollers being in the same vertical plane.
This arrangement necessitates the employment of rollers of large diameters,
which as they become worn and are turned down, cause the pressure exerted on
the bottom roller to be reduced, and the speed decreased whereby the efficiency
of the machine gradually diminishes until the worn rollers are removed and new
ones substituted therefor.
The object of our invention is to provide a more durable and effective scourer
and washer off which will retain its efficiency until the top roller is reduced to a
minimum diameter, and to considerably reduce the cost of the machine and
renewals.
For the purpose of our invention we mount the top roller in vertical slotted
bearings in the framework of the machine a little to one side of the bottom
roller so that it shall be at an angle thereto of approximately thirty degrees.
This deviation we may vary if found necessary. The bottom roller is prefer-
ably composed of rustless iron and is of smaller diameter than the top roller
being about half the size thereof. The slotted bearings in which the top roller
is supported allow said roller, as it wears or is turned down, to adjust itself
vertically to the bottom roller thereby gradually lowering the point of contact
between them.
By the arrangement of the squeezing or nipping rollers as above described, a
solid wooden roller of, say, twenty four inches diameter, will exert a pressure
on the bottom roller and, therefore, on the fabric in process of washing or scour-
ing, about equal to that of a roller from thirty one to thirty four inches diameter
which is the present size; and as the said top roller wears and is turned down
this pressure is maintained by reason of the lowering of the point of contact
between the two rollers and the pressure being borne direct against the far sides
of the vertical slots. In employing a bottom roller of small diameter we also
obtain a sharper angle or nip which gives much better results.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is side elevation of a scouring and
washing machine embodying our improvements; and Fig. 2 is sectional elevation
thereof.
Referring to the drawings letter A represents the bottom driven roller and B
the solid wood top roller constituting the pair of nipping or squeezing rollers
for pressing or squeezing the fabric (as it travels through the machine
Accord-

page_text: ing to our invention the top roller B instead of being placed on the top or
crown of the bottom roller A as hitherto, is arranged a little to one side of the
centre of roller A, say at an approximate angle of thirty degrees to the vertical,
or with the vertical lines of centres of the said rollers set about ten to twelve
inches apart, the nip of the rollers or point of contact being thus transferred
from the dead centre or crown of roller A to a point at one side thereof. The
roller B is journalled at each end in sliding blocks D fitting within vertical
slots E formed in the framework Fat the predetermined distance from the
vertical line of centre of roller A, the said slots, as the diameter of roller B
diminishes by wear or by being turned down from time to time, allowing the
said roller to adjust itself vertically to the bottom roller. The bottom roller A
is preferably made of rustless iron, and is mounted in bearings at each side of
the machine and driven positively in the usual way, the top roller B being driven
by frictional contact therewith.
The arranging of the top squeezing or nipping roller B in the position
described and shewn with relation to the bottom roller A, has the effect of adding
to the weight or pressure of said top roller from one quarter to one third its
actual weight and, therefore, a solid wooden, or beech roller of, say, twenty
four inches diameter will exert a pressure on the bottom roller, and consequently,
on the fabric in process of washing or scouring, approximately equal to that of
a roller of from thirty one to thirty four inches diameter (which is the present
size) mounted in the ordinary position on the crown of the bottom roller; while,
by reason of the point of contact between the two rollers gradually lowering
as the top roller wears down, or is turned down from time to time as indicated
in dotted line in Fig. 2, and the pressure between them being borne direct
against the far sides E of the vertical slots E, the weight or pressure on the
cloth and the efficiency of the machine are maintained undiminished throughout
until the top roller has been reduced to about one third of its original diameter.
In thus being enabled to employ top wood rollers of smaller diameter than
heretofore, the first cost is reduced and the best portion only of the solid piece
of wood out of which the rollers are turned is used; fewer renewals and repairs
are necessary and the life of the rollers is increased.
We preferably make the bottom roller A about half the diameter of the top
roller B whereby a sharper angle or nip is obtained between the rollers which
gives much better results.
The distance apart of the vertical lines of centres of rollers A and B may be
varied if necessary or if rollers of different diameters are employed, but we
have found the approximate distances above stated to answer very well for the
sizes of rollers given.
The usual back and draw rollers are employed in the machine as ordinarily.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In machines for scouring and washing woollen and other fabrics, the arrange-
ment of the top nipping or squeezing roller in a position to one side of the
vertical line of centre of the bottom roller or with its vertical centre line fixed
or set at a suitable distance from the vertical centre line of the bottom roller,
said top roller being supported at each end in blocks adapted to slide vertically
in slots formed in the framework to allow of the roller adjusting itself to the
bottom roller, substantially as herein shewn and described and for purposes
specified.
2. In machines for scouring and washing woollen and other fabrics, the com-
bination of a top nipping or squeezing roller such as B arranged with its centre
at an angle to the bottom roller A or with the vertical lines of centres of the
said two rollers set at a suitable distance apart, said roller B being adapted to

page_text: adjust itself vertically to the bottom roller, and a rustless iron roller such as A
of smaller diameter, substantially as herein set forth and for purposes specified.
Dated this 7th day of June 1899
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Huddersfield,
Agents for Applicants.