AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AND MEANS OF DYEING WOOL IN THE SLIVER, FROM WHICH MIXTURE-YARNS' MAY BE DRAWN
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Ingham at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th February
1863.
I, EDWABD INGHAM, of Halifax and Bradford, in the County of York,
Dyer and Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR AND MEANS OF DYEING WOOL IN THE SLIVER, FROM
WHICH MIXTURE-YARNS' MAY BE DRAWN," to be as follows:-
. Heretofore what are termed “mixture-yarns," have been produced by
drawing from two slivers, the one plain or undyed, and the other of any
desirable colour.
My improvement consists in dyeing slivers in such a manner that "mixture-
yarns" may be drawn from a single sliver, which I effect in the following
manner I provide a block of wood or other material of a suitable thickness
and shape (square or rectangular being the form which I prefer). In this
block, and near the corners thereof, are fixed four rods of iron or other
metal of suitable diameter and length; these rods are screwed at their ends
(furthest from the block above described) any desired distance, for the purpose
of receiving a winged nut; across this block and at suitable distances apart I
place a number of rails or bars of wood for the purpose hereafter described.
I next provide a number of frames of wood of corresponding size to the block
above described; these frames consist of a number of bars or rails of any
required width, laid parallel to each other, connected together, and kept at
suitable distances apart by transverse rails. Upon each of these frames
(across the bars) is wound a quantity of wool in the sliver, the frames (and

page_text: wool) are then laid upon the block, with their bars or rails parallel, and
having placed as described a suitable number of the frames one upon the
other, I lay on the wool of the uppermost one a number of bars or rails (as
described with the first block) parallel and corresponding with the bars or
rails in the said frames; the whole being covered by a second block (similar
to the one first described) having four holes therein, through which the
screwed ends of the rods pass. The winged nuts are now screwed tightly on
the ends of the rods drawing the two blocks towards each other, thus tightly
pressing or squeezing the frames, bars, or rails and the wool (in sliver)
thereon. The apparatus is then removed to the dye vat, where the whole
undergoes the process of dyeing. It will be evident that the dye will freely
circulate between the bars or rails of the frames on which the wool in sliver
is wound, but that the wool at that part where the bars or rails meet will not
be coloured by reason of its being nipped or squeezed tightly between the bars
or rails of the said frames. The wool in sliver having alternate portions,
coloured and plain, will upon being "drawn" produce what are termed "mix-
ture-yarns." The degree of colour or depth of shade being determined by the
width of the bars or rails and spaces in the frame on which the sliver of wool
is wound.
Although I have described the blocks and frames as made of wood, the
same may be made of iron, copper, or other suitable material. The frames
are placed on a spindle and caused to revolve whilst the sliver is wound on
previously to undergoing the operation of dyeing, and by the same means the
slivers are wound off afterwards.