Improvements in Wool-scouring and Fat Saving Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wool-scouring and Fat Saving Apparatus.
I, JABEZ RHODES, of 25 Albert Street, Sydney, in the Colony of New South
Wales, Australia, Woolbroker, 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 is specially designed for the scouring of wool and the recovery of
the fat or yoke contained in the wool and relates to that description of apparatus in
which benzene (benzole) or other fat solvent fluids similar in effect are used, for
removing the grease and dirt (but not vegetable matter such as burr) from wool and
the recovery of the benzene (benzole) or other suitable liquids used.
By referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings the invention will be more
readily understood.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the whole cleansing apparatus with the
covering removed.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the part of Fig. 1 immediately above, and
Fig. 3 is an elevation of part of Fig. I and is taken from the opposite or further
side for the purpose of illustrating the mode in which the liquid is conveyed from
one tank to the other.
The wool is fed on to a travelling apron A which conveys it to a pair of squeezing
rollers B B. During its passage to the rollers B B it passes under a number of
jets of benzene or other suitable volatile fluid. These jets are supplied from an
elevated tank C. After passing from between the rollers B B it is received on
another travelling belt or apron A' and conveyed to a second pair of rollers B¹ B'.
In the drawings there are four travelling aprons A A' A' A', shewn and four
pair of squeezing rollers B B B B³ and four elevated tanks C C C C and four
catch tanks D D1 D2 D3. The number of aprons A and the number of squeezing
rollers B and tanks C C¹ C C and D D' D D³ and the hoods or covers F, are
gauged by the description and condition of wool to be operated upon.
Immediately beneath the elevated tanks C C C C³ are placed catch tanks D D¹
D D³. These tanks are of peculiar construction being wide at the top and small
at the bottom as will be seen by referring to Fig. 1. These tanks are provided
with internal hoods or covers F upon which hoods the liquid in use drains or falls
after having passed through the wool upon the aprons A and having been squeezed
from the wool by the action of the rollers B. By means of these hoods F the liquid
is conveyed into the tanks D near the bottom and consequently the heavier matter
contained in the liquid is allowed to settle. The sediment may be drawn off by the
cocks d. After the wool leaves the last pair of squeezing rollers B³ B³ it is
conveyed by an apron A to a pair of hot rollers B₁ through which it is passed to a
drying chamber of any suitable construction. The pure or clean liquid is fed into
the elevated tank C from whence it passes to the tank D. The tank D³ is.
provided with an overflow pipe d³ through which the liquid passes to a suitable
elevator such as E2 (see Fig. 3) by which it is conveyed to the elevated tank C*
and so on, viz. :-from C to tank D' by means of elevator E' to tank C' and to
tank D' by elevator E to tank C and from tank (to tank D. The overflow pipe d
then conveys the dirty liquid to any suitable settling tanks or filters to remove the
earthy or vegetable matter and is carried thence to a still and there submitted to
heat in order to separate the fat or yoke of the wool from the spirituous liquid.
The spirit passes off in the form of vapor and is condensed and passed into/a
receiver and is ready to be used again. The fat is then drawn off and further
purified if necessary, by ordinary known means. It will be seen that the cleanest
liquid acts on the cleanest wool and as the liquid is conveyed along the series of

page_text: '
tanks, the dirty liquid will be continually acting on dirtier wool. The squeezing
rollers B B B B B are all made adjustable as regards the intimacy of contact of
their peripheries, by means. of the adjusting screws b. The whole of the apparatus
including the drier is enclosed within a suitable cover, not shewn in the drawings.
This cover may be of any suitable shape or design and may be provided with the
requisite openings for gaining access to the interior. The object of the cover is to
collect the gases given off by the volatile liquid in use in cleansing the wool and in
the drying of the same as it passes the drier which gases are condensed by being
passed through a jet or body of water or other known means of condensing, and so
prevent their waste. No driving gear is shewn but any suitable gear may be
utilized for operating the different moving parts of the apparatus.
The fat or yoke and dirt contained in the liquid after use is recovered by settling,
filtering, and distillation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In wool scouring and fat saving apparatus a series of adjustable squeezing
rollers in combination with and placed alternately with a series of travelling tables
or aprons, and with a series of elevated tanks that are provided with jets and placed
above the travelling aprons whereby the wool under treatment is alternately.
saturated and squeezed as herein set forth.
2. In wool scouring and fat saving apparatus a series of adjustable squeezing
rollers in combination with a series of travelling aprons with a series of elevated
jet tanks, placed above the aprons and with a series of catch tanks or receptacles
that are placed beneath the rollers and aprons all as and for the purposes herein set.
forth.
3. In wool scouring and fat saving apparatus providing the catch tanks with
internal hoods or covers so constructed as to convey the liquid in use towards the
lower part or bottom of said tanks for the purpose o facilitating the settlement of
the heavier matter as herein specified.
4. In wool scouring and fat saving apparatus a series of adjustable squeezing
rollers alternating with a series of travelling aprons ech apron being placed beneath
one of a series of elevated or jet tanks in combinati with a series of catch tanks
and with suitable elevators for conveying the liquit in use from the lower to the
upper tanks all as and for the purposes herein set forth.
5. In wool scouring and fat saving apparatus a series of adjustable squeezing
rollers, a series of travelling aprons, a series of elevated jet tanks, a series of catch
tanks and a series of elevators, all in combination with a suitable cover whereby the
gas arising from the liquid in use is prevented from escaping and the loss minimised
as herein specified.
6. In wool scouring and fat saving apparatus, an apparatus such as that described
in which the wool is subjected to an alternate saturating (with benzene or other
similar liquid) and squeezing action, and that is provided with a suitable cover to
prevent the escape of gas, in combination with a drying chamber of suitable con-
struction and with a still or retort for separating the liquid from the fatty matter,
and dirt contained therein all as and for the purposes herein set forth.
7. The general arrangement construction and combination of parts and means of
working the same comprised in my improved wool scouring and fat or yoke saving
apparatus as described and explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 24th don
1000
1
Witness,
JOHN P. HOWELL.
JABEZ RHODES.