IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESSES FOR STEEPING, BOILING, WASHING, BLEACHING, AND DYEING FIBROUS MATERIALS, OR SLIVERS, SLUBBINGS, ROVINGS, YARNS, OR WOVEN FABRICS OF THE SAME
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Whitaker, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Merchant, and William Tongue, of the same Place, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESSES FOR
STEEPING, BOILING, WASHING, BLEACHING, AND DYEING FIBROUS MATERIALS,
OR SLIVERS, SLUBBINGS, ROVINGS, YARNS, OR WOVEN FABRICS OF THE
SAME."
Sealed the 28th July 1863, and dated the 10th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Whitaker and
William Tongue at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 10th February 1863.
We, WILLIAM WHITAKER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant,
and WILLIAM TONGUE, of the same Place, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESSES
FOR STEEPING, BOILING, WASHING, BLEACHING, AND DYEING FIBROUS MATERIALS,
OR SLIVERS, SLUBBINGS, ROVINGS, YARNS, OR WOVEN FABRICS OF THE SAME," to
be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in improved apparatus for steeping, boiling, washing,
bleaching, and dyeing wool, silk, cotton, flax, rhea fibre, china grass, and other
fibrous materials, or slivers, slubbings, rovings or yarns, or woven fabrics of the
same. When operating upon fibrous materials, or slivers, slubbings, rovings, or

page_text: yarns, the materials to be operated upon are first laid in stricks or banks in trays,
having perforated gauze lattice-work, canvass bottoms, or otherwise formed so
that they will support the materials laid in them, and allow of the free cir
culation of the operating liquid through them. These trays are also furnished
with wood, metal, or other partitions, perforated or plain, such trays being
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Edward Blake, dated 6th
September 1859, No. 2036. We also find it desirable to furnish these trays
with spikes or pins, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to
one of us, the said William Tongue, dated 11th November 1861, No. 2826.
A series of such trays filled with fibrous material, or slivers, slubbings, rovings,
or yarns of the same, are then placed in a skeleton frame or cage, such as is
described in the Specification of the Patent last referred to, and after the frame
has been filled with trays, we find it desirable to secure them tightly in the
frame by screws or other means, and the frame filled with the materials to be
operated upon is then raised, carried over, and lowered into the steeping,
boiling, washing, bleaching, or dyeing apparatus, by means of a travelling
crane or other lifting apparatus, as described in the Specification of the Patent
last refered to.
The steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching, or dyeing apparatus is constructed
in the following manner:-Within a vessel or tank containing the liquid
intended to operate on the material is arranged a framework, to which
an up-and-down motion is communicated, and this framework supports a
casing within the tank, but open at the bottom, a space being left between
the casing and the vessel or tank, but the casing is so constructed that the
trays (containing the material to be operated upon with the frame in which they
are placed) fit within it, and when secured therein by screws or other means
move up and down with it, thus avoiding any friction of the trays and skeleton
frame against the sides of the tank. The steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching,
or dyeing liquid contained in the vessel or tank may be heated or maintained
at any desired temperature by any of the well-known methods; and in order to
maintain a constant circulation of the liquid amongst the materials under opera-
tion the casing above described is caused to carry valves which close the space
between it and the outer vessel or tank when it is moving in ono direction, and
leave the space open for the passage of the liquid when the casing is moving
in the other direction, the obstruction offered by the trays filled with the
materials under operation causing the liquid to run freely between the casing
and the outer vessel or tank when moving in one direction, but the closing of
the valves when moving in the other direction, causing the liquid which has

page_text: passed between the casing and the vessel or tank to pass amongst and through
the materials under operation, thus maintaining a constant circulation of the
liquid through the whole mass of the materials under operation.
In order to facilitate the lowering of the frame and trays with their contents
in the vessel or tank, and raising the same out of the tank when the operation
is completed, we prefer to give motion to the framework and casing within
the vessel or tank from below; this may be accomplished by means of a rod
passing through a stuffing box in the bottom of the vessel or tank, but we
prefer to attach the upper part of the framework (to which the casing is fixed),
where it rises above the vessel or tank, to frames or rods moving in slides
attached to the sides of the vessel or tank, and connected together below by a
cross bar or frame, to which an up-and-down motion may be communicated
by means of a crank or other means, but we prefer to arrange two or more
vessels or tanks side by side, and give the requisite motion by means of a
rocking shaft and beams, which will communicate their motion to any
desirable number of frames moving up when the other set move down, and
the reverse:
When using the above-described apparatus for any of the above-named
purposes we find it desirable to prepare the various liquids or solutions required
in vessels placed above the level of the above-described vessel or tank, the
liquids or solutions when prepared (and heated to a proper temperature if
necessary) being allowed to fall into the vessel or tank fitted with the above
described apparatus, and should it be desirable to preserve the liquids or
solutions they are allowed to run from the vessel or tank after acting upon
the materials under operation, and are collected in vessels placed below the
level of the vessel or tank used for the various processes above named, the
liquids or solutions being afterwards raised by a pump or otherwise to the
vessels placed above the level of the steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching, or
dyeing apparatus.
We also find it desirable so to construct and arrange the skeleton frame
with its contained trays that after being immersed for any desirable length
of time in a liquid or solution contained in a vessel or tank without any
up-and-down apparatus, the skeleton frame and trays with their contents
may be raised by lifting apparatus out of such liquid or solution and lowered
into a liquid or solution contained in the tank or vessel to which the up-and-
down motion is applied, and submitted to its action for any desirable length
of time previously to again submitting the materials under operation to the
action of the same or a different liquid or solution, or to removing them from

page_text: the trays and passing them through washing or expressing rollers, or other
washing apparatus. We also find it desirable so to construct the tanks or
vessels fitted with the up-and-down motion that when several are used the
skeleton frame and trays containing the material under operation may be
raised by lifting apparatus out of one tank or vessel fitted with the up-and-
down motion, and lowered into another containing a different liquid or solution.
In some cases we find it desirable to withdraw one liquid or solution from the
tank or vessel fitted with the up-and-down motion, and introduce another
liquid or solution, water (heated or otherwise) being introduced after the
withdrawal of one liquid, and before the introduction of another, if a washing
process is desirable. And we would here remark that when the above-named
materials are arranged in trays as above described, a circulation of the liquid
or solution in which they are immersed may be effected by means of a pump.
or other apparatus, or by causing the tank or vessel to rise or fall in place of
the apparatus above described without departing from the nature of this part
of our Invention. In some cases we prefer to enclose the frame and trays
containing the materials under operation in an air-tight chamber, from which
the air may be exhausted and various liquids or solutions introduced, a
circulation of such liquids or solutions being effected by means of the inner
casing and up-and-down motion above described, or by means of a pump or
other apparatus withdrawing and re-introducing the liquid or solution. Where
the inner casing with the framework moving up and down is used in com-
bination with an air-tight chamber as above described, we prefer to give.
motion to it by means of a rod or rods passing through stuffing boxes in the
bottom of the air-tight tank or vessel, so as to offer no obstruction to the.
cover being taken off, and the skeleton frame with its trays and contained
material being removed when the operation is completed by means of
lifting apparatus arranged so as to raise the frame and trays from the
interior of the tank and vessel, and carry them away to any convenient
point.
The tanks or vessels fitted with the above-described apparatus and the inner
casing, as well as the skeleton frame, are formed of or lined with wood or metal,
and we would remark that aluminium may be used with advantage for this
purpose, or other material may be employed best calculated to resist the
action of the liquids or solutions employed, and in some cases we find it
desirable to coat the wood or metal surfaces exposed to the action of the
liquids or solutions employed with one of the preparations of silica, commonly
known as "water glass;" or the metal surfaces may be coated with enamel,. or

page_text: “ galvanized,” or plated with platinum, gold, silver, aluminium, or other metals
calculated to resist any corrosive action. The bottoms of the trays we form of
metal, perforated or formed into wire gauze, the perforated metal or the wire
from which the gauze is woven being plated with platinum, gold, silver,
aluminium, or other metals when it is necessary to resist any corrosive action;
or the bottom of the trays may be formed of aluminium perforated or. formed
into wire gauze, but in some cases we have found it desirable to employ
canvas to form the bottoms of the trays, and in some cases we coat the yarn
from which the canvas is woven with india-rubber, gutta percha, or other
elastic gum capable of resisting acid, the yarns being coated with these
materials previously to their being woven; or strands of india-rubber, or the
material known as "vulcanite," or "ebonite," may be woven or plaited into a
network suitable for forming the bottoms of the trays; or sheets of "ebonite"
may be perforated and used for the samo purpose. Plaited or woven cane
and perforated wood, enamelled metal or metal plates with platinum, gold,
silver, aluminium, or other metal calculated to resist any corrosive action, or
pottery ware may also be employed for the same purpose, but when used for
treating fibrous materials or slivers the holes should not exceed in. in diameter,
and when wood is employed box or other hard wood should be used. When
slubbings, rovings, or yarns are under operation the bottoms of the trays may
be formed with holes of larger dimensions, or laths, bars, or wires may be placed
at intervals across the bottoms of the trays. The pins with which the trays
are furnished may be formed of metal, but when it is desirable to resist any.
corrosive action of the liquid or solution employed we coat the pins with
"water glass" or enamel, or we plate them with platinum, gold, silver,
aluminium, or other metals which are calculated to resist any corrosive action,
and in some cases we form the pins of hard wood, bone, or ivory, the long
spines or thorns which grow on some plants, "ebonite," or aluminium.
When operating upon slivers of fibrous material we arrange the partitions of
the trays so that the sliver may be passed around them alternately, first at one
end of the tray and then at the other, so that a considerable length of "sliver
may be laid in the tray; and where operating upon slubbings, rovings, or
yarns, we reel them into banks suitable for laying in each compartment of
the trays.
When dyeing woven fabrics we pass them through a frame or frames
arranged below the surface of the various liquids or solutions used in the
different stages of the process, such frames having an up-and-down motion, so
as to cause the solution or liquid to more perfectly penetrate the fabric; and

page_text: when conducting the operation in a chamber from which the air has been
exhausted we arrange the fabric upon a roller above the surface of the liquid
or solution, and within the air-tight chamber, from which it is gradually
unwound and passes into the liquid or solution, and then on to another roller
above the surface of the liquid or solution and within the air-tight chamber,
the oscillating frames being arranged to act upon the woven fabric whilst
immersed in the solution, and when the piece has passed through the liquid or
solution in one direction the liquid or solution may, if necessary, be changed,
and the motion of the rollers reversed, so as to pass the fabric through the
liquid or solution in the opposite direction, the parts of the mechanism for
giving motion to the rollers and frames passing through stuffing boxes in the
air-tight chamber, which is furnished with strong plate glass windows, through
which the progress of the operation may be inspected.
We would here remark that through the above processes an apparatus can
be used with advantage for steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching, and dyeing
fibrous materials generally, and slivers, slubbings, rovings, yarns, and woven
fabrics of the same; and though our Invention consists in the use of such.
processes and apparatus for such general purposes, we have found the processes
and apparatus above described particularly applicable when operating upon
"china grass" or "rhea fibre" ("Boehmeria nivea "), and without confining
ourselves thereto we especialy claim the application of the above described
processes and apparatus to the steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching, and
dyeing of "china grass" or "rhea fibre," or slivers, slubbings, rovings, yarns,
or woven fabrics of the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Whitaker and William Tongue in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
WHITAKER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant, and WILLIAM
TONGUE, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Whitaker and William Tongue, Her special licence that we, the

page_text: said William Whitaker and William Tongue, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Whitaker and William
Tongue, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, aud
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND
PROCESSES FOR STEEPING, BOILING, WASHING, BLEACHING, AND DYEING FIBROUS
MATERIALS, OR SLIVERS, SLUBBINGS, ROVINGS, YARNS, OR WOVEN FABRICS OF THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Whitaker
and William Tongue, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us, or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Tongue, on behalf of myself
and the said William Whitaker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:-
Our Invention consists in improved apparatus for steeping, boiling, washing,
bleaching, and dyeing wool, silk, cotton, flax, rhea fibre, china grass, and other
fibrous materials, or slivers, slubbings, rovings, yarns, or woven fabrics of the
same. When operating upon fibrous materials, or slivers, slubbings, rovings,
or yarns, the materials to be operated upon are first laid in stricks or banks in
trays having perforated gauze, lattice work, or canvas bottoms, or otherwise
formed so that they will support the materials laid in them, and allow of the
free circulation of the operating liquid through them. These trays are also
furnished with wood, metal, or other partitions, perforated or plain, such trays
being described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Edward Blake, <lated
6th September 1859, No. 2036. We also find it desirable to furnish these
trays with spikes or pins, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted
to one of us, the said William Tongue, dated 11th November 1861, No. 2826.
A series of such trays, filled with fibrous material, or slivers, slubbings, rovings,
or yarns of the same, are then placed in a skeleton frame or cage, such as is
described in the Specification of the Patent last referred to, and after the

page_text: frame has been filled with trays we find it desirable to secure them tightly in
the frame by screws or other means, and the frame filled with the materials
to be operated upon is then raised, carried over, and lowered into the steeping,
boiling, washing, bleaching, or dyeing apparatus by means of a travelling crane
or other lifting apparatus, as described in the Specification of the Patent
last referred to.
The steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching, or dyeing apparatus is constructed
in the following manner :-Within a vessel or tank containing the liquid
intended to operate on the material is arranged a framework, to which an
up-and-down motion is communicated, and this framework supports a casing
within the tank, but open at the bottom, a space being left between the casing
and the vessel or tank, but the casing is so constructed that the trays (con-
taining the material to be operated upon with the frame in which they are
placed) fit within it, and when secured therein by screws or other means move
up and down with it, thus avoiding any friction of the trays and skeleton
frame against the sides of the tank. The steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching,
or dyeing liquid contained in the vessel or tank may be heated or maintained
at any desired temperature by any of the well-known methods; and in order
to maintain a constant circulation of the liquid amongst the materials under
operation, the casing above described is caused to carry valves which close
the space between it and the outer vessel or tank when it is moving in one
direction, and leave the space open for the passage of the liquid when the
casing is moving in the other direction, the obstruction offered by the trays
filled with the materials under operation causing the liquid to run freely
between the casing and the outer vessel or tank when moving in one direction,
but the closing of the valves when moving in the other direction causing the
liquid which has passed between the casing and the vessel or tank to pass
amongst and through the materials under operation, thus maintaining a
constant circulation of the liquid through the whole mass of the materials
under operation.
In order to facilitate the lowering of the frame and trays with their
contents in the vessel or tank, and raising the same out of the tank when the
operation is completed, we prefer to give motion to the framework and
casing within the vessel or tank from below; this may be accomplished by
means of a rod passing through a stuffing box in the bottom of the vessel or
tank, but we prefer to attach the upper part of the framework (to which the
casing is fixed), where it rises above the vessel or tank, to frames or rods
moving. in slides attached to the sides of the vessel or tank, and connected

page_text: arrange two or more vessels or tanks side by side, give the requisite
motion by means of a rocking shaft and beams, which will communicate their
motion to any desirable number of frames moving up when the other set move
down, and the reverse.
In order that this part of our Invention may be most fully understood
and readily carried into practice, we will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section, and Figure 2 a plan, partly in section, of
a series of four tanks arranged and constructed according to this part of
our Invention, with apparatus applied thereto for giving an up-and-down
movement to a frame and an inner casing which support the skeleton frame
containing trays filled with fibrous materials.
a, a, are a series of tanks made up of stout pieces of wood or other suitable
materials, the whole being supported upon suitable foundations or supports,
and having sufficient space left underneath to allow free movement to, and to
afford access to the apparatus, which imparts up-and-down movement to the
inner frame and trays; b, b, is a metal frame which supports and carries the
inner casing c, c, of each tank, a space being left between the outer surface
of the casing c, and the inner surface of the tank a. The lower end of this
space is open to the tank, the upper end of the space being closed (in the
arrangement shewn) by valvular flaps c' which open when the casing c and the
frame of trays filled with fibre descends in the tank, thus forcing the liquor up
between the casing and the sides of the tank through the valves c', c', and
over into the upper part of the tank, again the valves c', c', closing when the
frame b, and inner casing c, rise, the liquor being then caused to pass through
the fibre contained in the trays. The skeleton frames d (shown separately by
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6,) each of which support and carry a series of the trays
or frames e, e, (as shown in Figure 1) filled with fibrous material, and after
being lowered into the frame b, and casing c, within each tank a, are secured
therein by the moveable bars f,f, the ends of which are pressed upwards
against projections f, f', on the frame b. The bars f, f, carry screws f³,ƒ³,
which screw down upon the sides of the skeleton frame d, and secure it firmly
within the casing c. The upper ends of the upright bars b', ', of the frames
b, b, are connected to the arms g¹, 9¹, of the vertical sliding bars 9, 9, which

page_text: slide up and down in the guides g, g³, fixed to the sides of the tanks a, a.
The lower ends of the sliding bars g, g, are connected by horizontal cross
bars g, g, the centres of which bars are connected by links 9, 9', to the ends
of the rocking lever g³, fixed on the axis g. A lever arm is fixed on the
outer end of this axis to which a to-and-fro movement is communicated by
means of a connecting rod actuated by a steam engine or other motive power.
By this means an up-and-down movement is imparted to the frames of trays
filled with fibrous material contained in the tanks a, a..
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 show separate views of one of the skeleton frames d,
the nature of which is written thereon; the cross-bars d', d', are furnished
with screws d³, d², which screw down upon frames d³, d³, placed on the top of
the series of trays carried by the frames d, d, so as to hold them securely
therein. We would here remark that by extending the casing c upwards (so
that it is always some distance above the level of the liquid in each tank a, a,
when the casing c has descended to its lowest position) the valves c', c', may
be dispensed with, the upper part of the casing c being thus made the means
of preventing the return of the liquor again down the spaces at the sides of
the tank.
When using the above-described apparatus for any of the above-named
purposes, we find it desirable to prepare the various liquids or solutions
required in vessels placed above the level of the above-described vessel or
tank, the liquids or solutions when prepared (and heated to a proper tem-
perature if necessary) being allowed to fall into the vessel or tank fitted
with the above-described apparatus, and should it be desirable to preserve
the liquids or solutions, they are allowed to run from the vessel or tank
after acting upon the materials under operation, and are collected in
vessels placed below the level of the vessel or tank used for the various
processes above named, the liquids or solutions being afterwards raised by a
pump or otherwise to the vessels placed above the level of the steeping, boiling,
washing, bleaching, or dyeing apparatus. We also find it desirable so to
construct and arrange the skeleton frame with its contained trays that after
being immersed for any desirable length of time in a liquid or solution
contained in a vessel or tank without any up-and-down apparatus, the skeleton
frame and trays, with their contents, may be raised by lifting apparatus out of
such liquid or solution, and lowered into a liquid or solution contained in the
tank or vessel to which the up-and-down motion is applied, and submitted to
its action for any desirable length of time previously to again submitting the
materials under operation to the action of the same or a different liquid or

page_text: solution, or to removing them from the trays and passing them through
washing or expressing rollers, or other washing apparatus. It will be readily
understood from the previous description that as the tanks, which are arranged
with apparatus to impart an up-and-down movement to the frames of trays, are
placed contiguous to or side by side with other tanks which have no apparatus
of this character applied thereto, so that the skeleton frames d, containing the
frames e, e, filled with fibrous materials, may be readily transferred from one
tank to another by means of a travelling crane moving on tramways supported
above the series of tanks. We also find it desirable so to construct the tanks
or vessels fitted with the up-and-down motion, that when several are used the
skeleton frame and trays containing the material under operation may be
raised by lifting apparatus out of one tank or vessel fitted with the up-and-down
motion, and lowered into another containing a different liquid or solution. In
some cases we find it desirable to withdraw one liquid or solution from the
tank or vessel fitted with the up-and-down motion, and introduce another
liquid or solution, water (heated. or otherwise) being introduced after the
withdrawal of one liquid and before the introduction of another if a washing
process is desirable. And we would here remark that when the above-named
materials are arranged in trays, as above described, a circulation of the liquid
or solution in which they are immersed may be effected by means of a pump
or other apparatus, or by causing the tank or vessel to rise or fall in place of
the apparatus above described without departing from the nature of this part
of our Invention.
.
.
In some cases we prefer to enclose the frame and trays containing the
materials under operation in an air-tight chamber, from which the air may be
exhausted, and various liquids or solutions introduced, a circulation of such
liquids or solutions being effected by means of the inner casing and up-and-
down motion above described, or by means of a pump or other apparatus
withdrawing and re-introducing the. liquid or solution. When the inner
casing, with the framework moving up and down, is used in combination with
an air-tight chamber, as above described, we prefer to give motion to it by
means of a rod or rods passing through stuffing-boxes in the bottom of the
air-tight tank or vessel, so as to offer no obstruction to the cover being taken
off, and the skeleton frame, with its trays and contained material being removed
when the operation is completed by means of lifting apparatus arranged so as
to raise the frame and trays from the interior of the tank and vessel, and carry
them away to any convenient point.
We have not thought it necessary to illustrate by Drawings any of the last

page_text: described arrangements of apparatus, as any intelligent mechanic, aided by
the previous description, will readily arrange apparatus suitable for working
according to this part of our Invention.
The tanks or vessels fitted with the above-described apparatus and the inner
casing as well as the skeleton frame, are formed of or lined with wood or
metal, and we would remark that aluminium may be used with advantage for
this purpose, or other material may be employed best calculated to resist the
action of the liquids or solutions employed, and in some cases we find it
desirable to coat the wood or metal surfaces exposed to the action of the liquids
or solutions employed with one of the preparations of silica, commonly known
as "water glass," or the metal surfaces may be coated with enamel, or
"galvanized," or plated with platinum, gold, silver, aluminium, or other metals
calculated to resist any corrosive action of the solutions employed. The
bottoms of the trays we form of metal perforated or formed into wire gauze,
the perforated metal or the wire from which the gauze is woven being plated
with platinum, gold, silver, aluminium, or other metals when it is necessary to
resist any corrosive action of the solutions employed, or the bottoms of the
trays may be formed of aluminium perforated or formed into wire gauze; but
in some cases we have found it desirable to employ canvass to form the bottoms
of the trays, and in some cases we coat the yarn from which the canvass is
woven with india-rubber, gutta percha, or other elastic gum capable of
resisting acid, the yarns being coated with these materials previously to their
being woven; or strands of india-rubber, or the material known as "vulcanite
or "ebonite," may be woven or plaited into a network suitable for forming the
bottoms of the trays, or sheets of "ebonite" may be perforated and used for the
same purpose.
Plaited or woven cane and perforated wood, enamelled metal,
or metal plates with platinum, gold, silver, aluminium, or other metal calculated
to resist any corrosive action of the solutions employed; or pottery ware may
also be employed for the same purpose, but when used for treating fibrous
materials or slivers the holes should not exceed in. in diameter, and when wood
is employed box or other hard wood should be used. When slubbings, rovings,
or yarns are under operation, the bottoms of the trays may be formed with
holes of larger dimensions, or laths, bars, or wires may be placed at intervals
across the bottom of the trays. The pins, with which the trays are furnished
may be formed of metal, but when it is desirable to resist any corrosive action of
the liquid or solution employed, we coat the pins with "water glass" or enamel,
or we plate them with platinum, gold, silver, aluminium, or other metals
which are calculated to resist any corrosive action of the solutions employed,

page_text: and in some cases we form the pins of hard wood, bone, or ivory, the long
spines or thorns which grow on some plants, or "ebonite," or aluminium.
When operating upon slivers of fibrous material we arrange the partitions of
the tray so that the sliver may be passed around them alternately, first at one
end of the tray and then at the other, so that a considerable length of "sliver "
may be laid in the tray, and when operating upon slubbings, rovings, or yarns,
we reel them into hanks suitable for laying in each compartment of the trays.
When dyeing woven fabrics we pass them through a frame or frames arranged
below the surface of the various liquids or solutions used in the different stages
of the process, such frames having an up-and-down motion, so as to cause the.
solution or liquid to more perfectly penetrate the fabric; and when conducting
the operation in a chamber from which the air has been exhausted, we arrange
the fabric upon a roller above the surface of the liquid or solution, and within
the air-tight chamber, from which roller it is gradually unwound, and passes
into the liquid or solution, and then on to another roller above the surface of
the liquid or solution and within the air-tight chamber, the oscillating frame
being arranged to act upon the woven fabric whilst immersed in the solution,
and when the piece has passed through the liquid or solution in one direction
the liquid or solution may, if necessary, be changed, and the motion of the
rollers reversed, so as to pass the fabric through the liquid or solution in the
opposite direction, the parts of the mechanism for giving motion to the rollers
and frames passing through stuffing boxes in the air-tight chamber, which is
furnished with strong plate glass windows, through which the progress of the
operation may be inspected.
Figures 7 and 8 shew longitudinal and transverse sections of a tank
arranged with simple apparatus suitable for carrying out this part of our
Invention. a, a, are two perforated surfaces of wood or other suitable material
attached to the frame a', a', which is moved up aud down in guides by means
of a crank and connecting rod actuated by the axis b. The fabric to be dyed
is conducted from a roller or otherwise outside the tank down between the
perforated surfaces a, a, below the liquor in the tank, and up at the other end
on to a receiving roller.
Figure 9 shows a longitudinal section of a tank with a series of frames a, a,
mounted therein. The frames a, a, are formed with openings below the liquor
in the tank, through which the fabric to be dyed is passed, and the frames are
moved up and down alternately, whilst the fabric is moved progressively
through the liquor.
We would here remark that though the above processes and apparatus can

page_text: be used with advantage for steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching, and dyeing
fibrous materials generally, and slivers, slubbins, rovings, yarns, and woven
fabrics of the same, and though our Invention consists in the use of such
processes and apparatus for such general purposes, we have found the pro-
cesses and apparatus above described particularly applicable when operating
upon "china grass" or "rhea fibre," ("Boehmeria nivea,") and without
confining ourselves thereto, we especially claim the application of the above-
described processes and apparatus to the steeping, boiling, washing, bleaching,
and dyeing of "china grass" or "rhea fibre," or slivers, slubbings, rovings,
yarns, or woven fabrics of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tongue, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE, Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
WILLIAM TONGUE. (L.S.)