IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL
Year: 1876

page_text: . LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Hollen and John Edward Hollen, both of
Renus, France, Wool Combers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Jonathan Holden and John
Edward Holden at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th
September 1876.
JONATHAN HOLDEN and JOHN EDWARD HOLDEN, both of Reims, France, Wool
Combers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIAL"
Our improvements have reference,-
Firstly. To an improved arrangement of washing baths or vats, as regards the
passage of the liquid they contain from one to the other, as well as the discharge
and the removal of the said liquid.
Secondly. To improved mechanism for the purpose of discharging the liquid from
the said baths and of thoroughly cleansing the latter at the same time.
And, Thirdly. To an improved construction of mechanism for imparting motion
to the rakes used for impelling the wool or other fibrous material to be washed
through the bath or baths.
In order that our improvements be clearly understood and easily put into
practical operation we will describe the same in detail conjointly with the eight
Figures of the four accompanying Sheets of Diawing.
First improvement, Sheet 1, Figures 1 and 2. Improved arrangement of washing
baths or vats, as regards the passage of the liquid they contain from one to the
other, as well as to the discharge and renewal of the said liquid.
Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation in section of a series of
vats forming a complete set of washing baths. This series consists in five vats,
numbered successively from 1 to 5, of which the first four are placed on the same
level and the fifth at a lower level to the extent of the entire height of the said
vats. These vats are represented as being placed in a line one following the other,
but as it frequently occurs that an available length of such an extent is not
attainable in many works, in such case they can be placed one or two at right
angles without in any way complicating the working of the system. Should the
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page_text: material to be washed be relatively clean, four such vats would suffice for the
purpose. These five vats may also be placed all on the same level, and in such a
case a pump will be necessary to empty one or the other in the 3rd, 4th, or 5th; this
arrangement is in so far advantageous that according to the nature of the wool the
cleansing operation can be performed with either 3, 4, or 5 vats. A sixth vat G is
placed over the number 1 at an appropriate level, and contains a bath of water and
soap in the usual proportions; a pipe a descends from this vat; it is provided with
a cock a¹, below which is an inverted T pipe a², the horizontal branch of which is
perforated with small holes The other vats are each provided with a funnel b, to
which is attached below a cock terminated by a pipe 61 partly immersed in the
bath. On commencing to work all the baths are prepared afresh, as usual, and the
washing operation is continued until the bath 5 requires to be renewed. For this
purpose it is emptied by means of a special valve (each vat being provided with such a
valve); this valve is then closed, and the one c' corresponding with the pipe d
connecting all the vats is opened, the valve c³ of number 4 vat is also opened, where-
upon its contents flow into No. 5 and fill the same, for all the vats are of the same
capacity. When No. 4 is emptied the valve c* is closed and the valves c, c¹, and c³,
are opened, whereby the four vats 1, 2, 3, and 4, are placed in communication The
three first cede to the fourth a part of their contents and all four assume the same.
level, which is lower than the normal level, than the cock a¹ of the vat 6 previously
charged, as above stated, is opened and the washing operation is commenced, during
which the normal level is gradually reached in the vats 1, 2, 3, and 4, remaining in
communication at the expense of the contents of No. 6. When the vat 6 is emptied
the operation is once more arrested, the communications are interrupted, No. 5 is
emptied of its contents and recharged with those of No. 4, No. 6 is also recharged,
and the operation is continued as above stated. In this manner the soap which
feeds the whole series enters in the first place No 1, where the material is nearly
entirely washed, and passes from thence successively in the other vats in the
contrary direction followed by the fibrous material. A great economy of time is
realized by this process, since only one vat requires to be cleaned at each stoppage,
the economy of soap is also considerable, since it is more judiciously utilized and all
its particles are brought into use.
It may occur that the quantity of soap in one or other vat is insufficient; in such
case the deficiency is supplied by opening the cock of the funnel b, which is filled
with a solution of soap.
The five vats 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are only emptied and cleansed simultaneously once
a day, nevertheless this operation may be repeated more frequently if required.
Second improvement, Sheet 2, Figures 3 and 4. Improved mechanism for tho
purpose of discharging the liquid from the baths and of thoroughly cleansing the
latter at the same time.
The vats employed for washing the fibrous material are generally provided with
a false bottom placed a few inches above the real bottom, and composed of sheets of
iron or copper perforated with numerous small holes for the purpose of filtering
the water discharged from the vats and of retaining the fibres floating therein; when
all the liquid is discharged the false bottoms have to be raised out of the vats in
order to give access to the real bottom and to sweep out with a broom or otherwise
the sand or the mud that has settled thereon, after which the false bottoms have to
be replaced, and then the vat can be recharged with liquid.
These operations, which have to be constantly repeated, have given rise to making
such false bottoms of several pieces, in order to facilitate the manipulation, and it
has also been necessary for the same reason that such parts be adjusted with
considerable play, which play is still further augmented by the constant raising and
replacing of such plates, and finally allows of the passage of the fibres, which
constitutes so much waste of material. The loss of time occasioned by this process
and the supplementary labour of the workman, are also serious drawbacks,
particularly in the case of an automatic washing machine, the vat of which instead
of being free, as in the hand washing machine, is obstructed by the mechanical

page_text: parts which produce the washing, such as forks, chargers, etc., which form so many
obstacles to the raising and replacing of the plates.
We have represented in the two Figures of Sheet 2 the arrangement which we
have imagined to overcome all these difficulties, Figure 3 being a longitudinal
elevation of a vat, provided with a special mechanism for this purpose, in section
through A, A, Figure 4, and Figure 4 an end elevation of the same in section
through B, B, Figure 3; in those views we have shown an entire vat provided
internally with an angle iron e placed about four inches from the bottom, and which
serves to support the false bottoms, consisting in four cast iron or wooden frames f,
on which are rivetted galvanized sheets of perforated iron g. Underneath this vat
is provided with a large discharge pipe h with a valve i for the outflow of the fatty
water; this pipe is preferably placed under the central part of the vat, and as it is
necessary to verify the state of the valve after each discharge, in order to make
sure that its seat is free from foreign substances, which latter would prevent its
closing hermetically, we bring the same to the outer side of the vat, see Figure 4;
a cover i¹, beld down by a screw 22, and which may be raised and replaced very
rapidly, admits of easy access to the valve without displacing the false bottoms.
When the valve has to be opened, in order to discharge the contents of the vat, the
lever is turned one half turn, by which the cam raises the valve vertically; a
similar half turn in one direction or the other causes the valve to fall on its scat,
and thus intercept afresh the passage of the liquid. In the space comprised between
the false bottom and the real bottom we arrange a series of india-rubber rakes /
notched at their under edge, and held each at their upper edge between a piece of
angle iron and an iron plate; we unite all these rakes to a horizontal rod ¹ which
passes outside through a stuffing box ² fixed to the vat, and from thence through
an independant support ; a lever k serves to impart a to-and-fro motion to this
'mechanism.
Each time that the valve i is raised to discharge the contents of the vat, and
whilst the latter is running, the attendant by means of the lever k' moves the rakes
to and fro a few times, and thereby agitates the water, mixing therewith such solid
materials which lay precipitated on the bottom of the vat, and which are thus also
drawn off, so that when the vat is emptied it is absolutely and perfectly clean The
valve i has then to be inspected after raising the cover, and after making sure
that it is in good working order it has to be lowered on its seat, as above described,
and the cover ¹ replaced; then the vat can be again recharged without its having
been necessary to touch the false bottoms In this manner a considerable economy
of time is effected, as the baths are discharged and renewed in a continuous manner,
whilst according to the process actually in use the false bottoms have to be raised
and replaced each time, which requires from 30 to 35 minutes for each bath, and
this loss of time occurs 8 to 10 times a day.
The faculty of being able to adjust the false bottoms much more accurately is also
a great advantage, and as according to our new system they do not require to be
manipulated no additional play can arise, and the passage of the fibres is thereby
rendered impossible.
In case that the make of the vats does not admit of our mechanism being placed
longitudinally, as above described, the rakes may be placed transversely in the
direction of the length of the vat, and their rods passed outside one of its sides.
Third improvement, Sheets 3 and 4, Figures 5 to 8. Improved construction
mechanism for imparting motion to the rakes used for impelling the wool or other
fibrous material to be washed through the bath or baths.
Most of the washing machines in actual use are provided with moveable rakes,
which impel the fibrous material from one extremity of the bath to the other, after
which they are charged in any appropriate manner on an endless apron, which
introduces them between two cylinders for the purpose of expressing the liquid
matter therefrom; with the view of improving this system of rakes, the action of
which is to a considerable extent similar to that of hand driven rakes, and which
is more effective for short stapled and relatively heavy fibres that are liable to fall to