Improvements in Means for Purifying Feathers and Down,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Purifying Feathers and Down,
I, CHARLES MONTAGUE Fox, of The Folly, Marden, Kent, Feather Purifier and
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in means for cleansing and purifying
feathers and down and any material of a like nature, the object of this invention
being to increase the efficiency of the apparatus or machinery used for this
purpose. In carrying out the process of cleansing and purification, I have
hitherto employed a cylindrical chamber in which a number of beaters revolve
for the purpose of thoroughly scouring the feathers or like material to be sub-
jected to the cleansing process, after having subjected the said feathers and the
like to a quantity of steam admitted by means of a steam inlet pipe controlled
by a steam cock or valve.
In this process I have experienced several. objections to the method thus
employed. First of all in the admission of the steam, which requires very careful
regulation and adjustment with regard to the quantity admitted, and which by
an error of judgment may be either insufficient for the purpose, or contrariwise
may be too much.
A great difficulty is also experienced in keeping the foreign
material dry after it has been separated and delivered into the dust receptacle,
as this material so soon decomposes if saturated and becomes a nuisance, and
there being no means for detecting any error in the amount of steam admitted
this liability frequently occurs.
Furthermore in the apparatus I have employed for this purpose,, I. exhaust
the air in the cylindrical chamber, by means of a centrifugal fan communicating
with a pipe leading to a chamber underneath the main cylindrical chamber
aforesaid, and communicating with it by means of perforations in the bottom
portion of the said main cylindrical chamber. The effect of this arrangement
is that the feathers or the like, after being treated by the steam, become some-
what softened, and having imparted to them rapid motion by the revolving
beaters, the particles of foreign matter adhering to their surfaces are thereby
loosened and separated and in process of time these foreign particles are drawn
down through the perforations and exhausted completely from the cylindrical
chamber, and are carried away therefrom by means of the exhaust fan, and
deposited or delivered in another convenient chamber or receiver. I have how-
ever experienced considerable difficulty in this arrangement from the perforations
becoming choked up by the abstracted particles of foreign matter or substances,
and also at the same time a difficulty has been experienced in regulating the
admission of fresh air into the aforesaid main cylindrical chamber so as to pro-
vide an efficient current of air through the chamber and out through the exhaust
pipe.
In order to overcome these difficulties and objections I have devised the im-
provements as herein set forth. I provide at each end of the main cylindrical

page_text: chamber and at the upper portion of the same, perforated plates in the place of
the perforated portions formerly located at the bottom of the said main cylindrical
chamber as hereinbefore described. (If preferred these plates can be placed at
the upper portion of the sides of the chamber). I also provide an outer end
casing covering the whole of the end portion of the main cylindrical chamber
aforesaid thus forming two end chambers communicating with the interior of
the main cylindrical chamber by means of the perforations at the upper portions
as hereinbefore mentioned.
These said outer or end chambers communicate with the exhaust fan by means
of branch pipes from the upper portion of the said outer or end chambers.
This arrangement entirely obviates the difficulty experienced in the old plan
hitherto adopted, as the ends of the revolving beaters sweep over the perfora-
tions, and entirely and effectually prevent any choking or filling up of the per-
forations. In addition to this the heavier particles of the foreign matter fall
down to the bottom of the end or outer chambers aforesaid and may be after-
wards collected, whilst the lighter particles are drawn upwards and through
the exhaust fan and delivered elsewhere.
I provide a second outlet pipe of a convenient size and diameter adjacent to
the outlet leading to the centrifugal exhaust fan, and this said outlet pipe is
provided with a sliding door or valve arranged in such a way that when the one
pipe is closed the other is open and vice versa. This second outlet pipe may be
Ted away to outside the building or to any other convenient position, the object
of the pipe being to provide an outlet for the steam after it has done its work in
the treatment of the newly admitted charge of feathers or the like.
When a
sufficient amount of steam has been admitted to fill the chamber, all the open-
ings to the main cylindrical chamber being closed except that of the outlet steam
pipe aforesaid, the surplus is detected by its escape at the outer end of the second
or steam outlet pipe aforesaid, and the steam admission cock is closed, the steam
continuing to escape till all the steam is used up, when the double sliding valve
door is pulled over, closing the steam outlet and at the same time opening the
exhaust delivery branch and the process of drying the feathers and of the
exhaustion of the air and foreign particles of matter commences.
I provide at the bottom of the cylinder hereinbefore mentioned and preferably
at the ends one or more sliding doors for the admission of fresh or pure air into
the main cylindrical chamber and which can be regulated with the greatest
nicety for the purpose of improving the circulation of the air and of more
efficiently drying and purifying the feathers.
In order that this invention may be readily understood reference is made to
the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the
apparatus as herein before described, Fig. 2, is a cross section, and Fig. 3, is
an end elevation of the same. In these. several views A is the main cylindrical
chamber, B is the revolving shaft carrying the beaters C by means of the arms
or radius bars D. EE are the perforated plates, FF the outer or end
chambers communicating with the exhaust branches G G leading away to the
exhaust fan H. J is the steam pipe for collecting the exhaust steam after it
has done its work in the cylindrical chamber A which said steam passes out at
the end to the open air or other convenient receptacle. L is the inlet steam
pipe controlled by the steam cock M for admitting the steam into the main
cylindrical chamber A. the larger steam pipe L' and cock M¹ being for admission
of steam into the heating chamber A¹ for drying the feathers or the like in the
main chamber A. N is the sliding door or vaive for controlling the opening
to the exhaust pipe G and of the steam outlet pipe J the said sliding door or
valve being worked by the handle and lever O so that when pulled over to close
the exhaust pipe G the steam branch opening at J is opened and when the
lever is reversed in position, the exhaust branch G is opened and the steami
pipe Jis closed. Pis the sliding door situate at the ends of the main
cylindrical chamber and near the bottom of the chamber for the purpose of

page_text: regulating the admission of fresh and pure air into the interior of the main
cylindrical chamber A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In an apparatus for cleansing and purifying feathers down and the like,
the provision of perforated plates in the upper part of the cleansing chamber
either at the ends of said chamber or the sides thereof, substantially as and for
the purpose herein set forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. In an apparatus for cleansing and purifying feathers down and the like,
the provision of bottom sliding doors for the admission of fresh or pure air into
the cleansing chamber substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In an apparatus for cleansing and purifying feathers down and the like,
the provision of a steam inlet and outlet pipe controller by inlet cock and outlet
door or valve, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In an apparatus for cleansing and purifying feathers down and the like,
the combination of perforated plates at the upper part of the sides or end of the
cleansing chamber, bottom sliding doors for the admission of fresh or pure air
into the cleansing chamber and steam inlet and outlet pipes controlled by suit-
able cocks and valves, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth
and described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. The application of this invention to any apparatus used for cleansing and
purifying feathers, down and the like substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of May 1899
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent, Vulcan House, 56, Ludgate Hill, London, E.C.