IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOL
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Frederic Harrison, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Commission Wool Comber, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frederic Harrison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th April 1880.
JOHN FREDERIC HARRISON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Commission
Wool Comber. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOL."
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for extracting from the wool
potash in solution to be afterwards treated to obtain potash.
For this purpose I employ metal cisterns or buckets, to which a rotary motion
is given to change the position of the cisterns or buckets, and in each cistern are
fitted movable wool receivers forming separate wool chambers which prevent the
mass of wool in a wet state being tightly compressed by weight and allow an easy
flow of water through the wool.
The cisterns are made with close bottoms, and each cistern is fitted with a
perforated metal plate by preference of brass, a space being left between the
bottom of the cistern and underside of the metal plate forming a receiving chamber
for the potash liquor or solution coming from the wool; over the metal plate are
fitted three wool receivers, and each receiver is made with a metal wire net bottom
and rim, by preference of copper, and a space is left between the inside of the
cistern or bucket and the outside of the receiver's rim to allow the escape of the
potash solution into the bottom chamber. I employ by preference three wool
receivers forming three wool chambers which are independent from each other,
and still the water employed to extract the potash contained in the greasy wool
passes through all the wool in the cistern, and is discharged into the other
cisterns by taps fitted on the side of the cistern and communicating with the
bottom chamber; a lid formed with an outside frame and with metal wire net is
fitted on the top of the cistern or bucket and kept in position by a catch.
I employ by preference four cisterns or buckets, two placed in a centre line and
two on the sides; the cisterns are made with strong studs which are placed in
bearings formed on circular frames; the bearings, have movable caps which are
secured in position by cotters passing through bolts.

page_text: The circular frames are fitted and secured on a strong shaft which is actuated
by a fast pulley and belt, a loose pulley is also employed to throw off the belt
when required and to stop the revolving of the cisterns or buckets, and a break is
fitted to the apparatus to stop the cisterns or buckets at any required point; the
break is made with a steel band and made to press on a circular rim or drum
cast on the side of one of the circular frames; the band is actuated by a lever and
handle working on a stud which is secured in a bracket fitted on the frame-work
of the apparatus, and instead of a steel band a shoe lined with wood may bo
employed; a catch may be fitted to the apparatus to stop any of the cisterns or
buckets when arrived at the top centre line; stays are also fitted between the
circular frames to steady the same, and the cisterns or buckets are fitted with
small wheels to remove the same when the cleansing operation is finished, and to
the bottom chambers-are-fitted-taps-to run any of the liquors from one cistern to
the other so as to thoroughly extract the potash from the wool.
-
A tank is fitted in some suitable position above the apparatus which is filled
with pure clear water, cold or luke warm; the water flows through. a tap when
open upon the wool in the top cistern or bucket, passing through the wool,
extracting the potash and forming potash in solution, and which passes from the
bottom chamber through taps into the two side cisterns or buckets, passing through
the wool contained therein and into the bottom chambers, and from there through
taps into the bottom cistern or bucket; the machine is then set in motion and the
cisterns or buckets turned round, the liquors running from one cistern to the other
extracting the potash, and after a few turns the belt is thrown onto the loose
pulley, the break applied, and the apparatus is stopped at any required point.
The potash in solution is run into a pit or tank and removed from there to be
operated on for extracting the potash in the usual way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Frederic Harrison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1880.
JOHN FREDERIC HARRISON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Commission
Wool Comber. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOL."
The said Invention relates to improved apparatus for extracting from wool
potash in solution to be afterwards treated to obtain potash. For this purpose I
employ metal cisterns to which a rotary motion is given to change the position of
the cisterns; in each cistern are fitted loose lifting in and out wool receivers
forming separate wool chambers which prevent the mass of wool in a wet state
being felted during the process, and which allows an easy flow of water through
the wool, by which means tho wool is not disturbed or felted or the fibres otherwise
injured previous to the process of washing.
The cisterns are made with closed sides and bottoms, and a space is left between
the bottom wire net of the bottom wool receiver and the bottom of the cistern
which forms a receiving chamber for the potash liquor or solution coming from the
wool; in each cistern are fitted three loose wool receivers, but more may be
employed if required, and the receivers are made of wire net, a small space is also
left between the sides of the receivers and the inside plates of the cisterns to allow
the escape of the potash solution into the bottom chamber. I employ by preference
in each cistern three wool wire net receivers forming three separate receivers
independent of each other, but still the water employed to extract the potash
contained in the wool passes through all the wool in the cistern and is discharged
into the other side cistern by taps fitted on the sides of the cistern and communi-
cating with the bottom chamber of the cistern; a lid formed of a frame and with
wire net is fitted on the top of each cistern and is kept in position by catches.
I employ by preference four cisterns, two placed in a centre line of circular
frames and two on the sides; the cisterns are made with trunnions which are
secured by brackets to the cisterns, and the trunnions are placed in bearings
formed on or secured to circular frames; these bearings have moveable caps which
are secured in position by cotters passed through bolts. The circular frames are
fitted and secured on a strong shaft, and the frames with the cisterns may receive
the revolving movement either by means of a fast pulley or wheel gear, or may be
actuated by the weight of the two cisterns having wool and water acting against
the two other cisterns with wool, the potash solution being discharged therefrom,
that is to say, actuated by gravity.
A break is fitted to the apparatus to stop the cisterns at any required point;
this break is made by preference with a steel band and made to press on a circular
rim cast on one of the sides of a circular frame, or on a pulley or drum fitted on
the driving shaft; the band is actuated by a lever and handle working on a stud
which is secured in a bracket fitted to the framework of the apparatus, and instead
of a steel band I may employ a shoe lined with wood; a catch may be fitted to
the apparatus to stop any of the cisterns when they arrive at the top dead point;
stays are also fitted between the circular frames to. steady the same, and the
cisterns may be made cither square, oblong, or round, and may be fitted with
small wheels to remove the cisterns and wool when the extracting operation is
finished if required. I may employ cisterns without small wheels, in which case I
employ a carrier mounted, on wheels; in the bearings of the carrier are placed the
trunnions of the cistern, or the receivers are removed and conveyed to the washing
machines and the wool in the receivers turned over into the washing bowls, by all
of which processes the fibres have not been disturbed by hand; to the bottom
part of each cistern and between the chamber are fitted taps to which are secured

page_text: india-rubber piping to run off the liquor from one cistern to the other so as to
thoroughly extract the potash from the wool.
A tank is fitted in some suitable position above the apparatus which is filled
with pure or lukewarm water; the water flows through a tap when opened upon
the wool in the top cistern and passes through the wool contained in each separate
wire net receiver, extracting the potash and forming potash in solution which
passes from the bottom chamber through a tap on and in the top of one of the
side cisterns passing through the wool contained therein, and after a time is
discharged through a tap into the top of the bottom cistern; the liquor or solution
after a time is discharged in the pit through one of the taps or through both;
the apparatus is then set in motion, the bottom cistern being brought to the
centre of the apparatus and. the cistern or the receivers removed to receive a fresh
supply of wool; the apparatus is then set in motion and the cistern with the fresh
supply of wool brought to the top dead point to receive a supply of water or water
and solution of potash. The potash in solution may be run from the pit into tanks
to be from there reinoved to be operated on for extracting potash.
But in order to enable my improvements to be better understood I will proceed
to more particularly describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing,
in which Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of the improved apparatus, and
Figure 2, side view of the same.
Similar letters of reference are used to represent similar parts.
A, frames to which are fitted plummer blocks B in which works the driving
shaft C on which are secured two circular frames D which are kept secured in
position by stays E; the circular frames are fitted with bearings F in which are
placed the trunnions G of the square, oblong, or round cisterns H; the cisterns are
secured in position in the bearings by caps I, having slot holes through which
pass studs J secured in the tops of the bearings; when the trunnions G are placed
in the bearings cotters K are passed through the studs J securing the caps I to
the bearings. The cisterns H are constructed by preference of sheet iron, and
inside each of the cisterns are placed three wire net receivers L, M, N, (but more
may be employed if required); the receivers form three separate wool receivers
and are independent of each other; wool is first placed in the first receiver N and
lowered in the cistern; other wool is placed in the receiver M and placed on the
top of the receiver N, and wool is also placed in the receiver L and placed on the
top of the receiver M; a lid O made of wire net and fixed in an open frame is
then closed over the cistern and secured thereto by catches, the lid prevents the
escape of wool when the water is introduced into the cistern. The water employed
to extract the potash contained in the wool passes through all the wool in the
cistern, and the employment of separate and independent receivers divides the
mass of wool, thereby allowing an easy flow of water through the wool.
Between the bottom of each cistern and the bottom of the receiver N is left a
space forming a chamber P which receives the potash solution coming from the
wool, and which solution passes through the bottom wire net of the cistern N and
through the sides of the three receivers, spaces Q being left between the sides and
the inside of the cistern, taps R are also fitted to the cistern or cisterns leading to
the chamber P for the discharge of the potash solution coming from the wool.
The cisterns may be fitted with small wheels S to wheel away the cisterns and
remove the wool after having been operated on; the apparatus is actuated either
by a fast pulley T or may be actuated by wheel gear or by gravity; a loose
pulley U is employed when driving by belting. On the side of one of the circular
frames D is cast or fitted a circular rim V on which is passed a break W, made by
preference of steel; the break is actuated by a bell cranked lever having a long
arm X and a short arm Y; the lever works on a stud Z fitted in lugs A¹ cast on a
support B' secured on a frame C¹; the apparatus works over a pit Ď¹ into which
falls the potash solution passing from the cisterns and through the taps.
The cisterns having been filled with receivers containing wool, a tap connected
to a tank fitted in a convenient position above the apparatus is opened, and puro

page_text: or lukewarm water allowed to flow on and into the cistern at the top centre until
filled; after a time the tap R¹ is opened and the solution flows on and into a
cistern on the side of the apparatus; the solution is kept in the cistern the
necessary time to further extract potash from the side cistern, the tap R' having
been closed when the water had filled the top cistern; a tap R³ is then opened and
the potash solution of the side cistern allowed to flow on and in the bottom cistern,
and when the solution has passed through the side cistern into the bottom cistern
the tap R is closed; tho solution is allowed to remain in the bottom cistern a
certain and necessary time, then the taps R³ and R are opened, but the tap R³
may be opened and the tap R closed; the potash solution runs into a pit D', and
from there may be run into a tank or tanks to be removed and operated upon to
obtain potash; the potash solution after passing through the wool contained in the
three cisterns and running into the pit D¹, may be pumped up into a cistern or
tank fitted above the apparatus and again passed through the three cisterns filled
with wool, and so on, until a solution of sufficient strength has been obtained.
The bottom cistern which after running off the potash solution contains only
wet wool, is then lifted up by the apparatus being put in action and the cistern
stopped when arrived at the side centre; the receivers with the wet wool are then
removed and taken to the washing machines and a fresh supply of wool placed in
the receivers, or the cistern can be removed to the washing machines.
Having thus described my improvements and the best means I am acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, as they may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do
claim is,―
Firstly. The general arrangement, construction, and employment of the improved
apparatus for extracting from the wool potash in solution to be afterwards treated
to obtain potash, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented by the
accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The construction and employment of cisterns in which are fitted loose
lifting in and out wool receivers forming separate wool chambers, and which allow
the potash to be extracted from the wool by means of water, at the same time
preventing the wool so operated upon being disturbed, that is to say, from the time
the wool has been placed in a receiver operated upon and thrown into the washing
bowl, the fibres have not been felted, matted, or otherwise injured, substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and represented by the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Frederic Harrison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.
JOHN FREDERIC HARRISON. (LS.)