Improvements in Scouring or Cleansing and Bleaching Textile Fabrics, Warps, and Yarns formed of Cotton or other Vegetable Fibres, and in Apparatus to be used for the Purpose.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scouring or Cleansing and Bleaching Textile
Fabrics, Warps, and Yarns formed of Cotton or other
Vegetable Fibres, and in Apparatus to be used for the
Purpose.
#
We, ERNEST BENTZ, of the Technical School, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, CHARLES, EDMESTON, and ALFRED EDMESTON, of Cannon Street
Works, Salford, in the, County aforesaid, Engineers, and ERNEST GRETHER, of
5, Blackfriars Street, Salford aforesaid; Machinery Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
Textile cotton fabrics in the bulk have been scoured, cleansed or treated for the
purpose of bleaching with solutions of caustic soda, and then steamed in a closed
vessel with steam at a pressure above the atmosphere and it has also been proposed
to wash scour or treat fabrics in the continuous or rope form for the purpose of
bleaching in solutions of caustic soda, and at the same time subject them to steam
but to stoam below or not exceeding atmospheric pressure.
:
Our invention relates to and consists of a process or processes and apparatus for
treating cotton and other vegetable textile fabrics and warps or yarus, in the rope or.
open form continuously, by passing them in their lengthway through an apparatus in
which the fabrics, warps or yarns are alternately saturated in caustic alkaline solutions
and theu subjected to the action of steam above atmospheric pressure and are or may
lastly be subjected in such apparatus to the action of the steam only for a longer
period, and then finally leaves the apparatus ready for the subsequent processes of
washing, treating with bleaching powder solutions and acid and other whitening or
bleaching agents in order to complete the bleaching operation.
When required the above described round of operations are repeated.
In some cases the apparatus is arranged so as to first treat the fabrics, yarns or
warps in linie solutions and then in water for washing all under the action of high
pressure steam, the fabric being alternately saturated in the liquid and acted upon
by steam all atmospheric air being withdrawn and excluded from the apparatus
employed
The apparatus consists of a closed steam tight chamber of rectangular or otlier
suitable shape having strength sufficient to resist the internal pressure.
At one end or side of the chamber there is a partition say a few inches from the
outside end or side which partition extends from the top nearly to the bottom of the
chamber.
.
There is a similarly arranged partition at the opposite end of the chamber. The
space thus partitioned off at one end of the chambers is the entrances and that at the.
other end is the exit for the fabric (either in the rope or open form) warp or yarn to
be treated, which passes down the space formed by one partition under a roller at the
lower part of the chamber and then ascends to a roller in the upper part of the
chamber and so on down. and up. under and over suitable rollers (which rollers or
some of them are or may be driven by motive power) and finally leaves the chamber
by passing up the space formed at the exit end of the chamber.
The chamber is partly filled with the liquor or caustic alkaline solution say about
half the depth of the chamber and the upper half of it is full of high pressure steam
which forces enough of the liquor from the chamber up the spaces formed for the
entrance and exit of the cloth or threads to give à sufficient head of liquid to resist
the pressure of steam within the chamber and prevent its escape and the admission.
of atmospheric air..
We sometimes divide the chamber by partitions ascending from the bottom, but
not extending to the top of the chamber and the spaces so formed are in some cases

page_text: filled with liquid solutions of different character or if the same character of different
strength or purity.
The upper part of the vessel opposite that occupied by the steam is or may be
jacketed" to form a steam space, and the steam to be supplied to the chamber may
in this case be made to first enter the steam jacket space and pass from it. to boiling
pipes within the chamber, thus keeping the vessel as hot as possible with the pressure
of steam employed.
To expel air from the chamber there is or may be a valve which opens inwards and
closes when the full pressure comes within the chamber, or there may be a cock for
this purpose, or the safety valve which is used against excess of steam pressure may
be lifted to allow air to escape when the chamber is first charged, while the liquor is
being first boiled up.
The load on the safety valve is made to correspond with the head of liquor sealing
the chamber from the escape of steam or admission of air, and there is an overflow
pipe for excess of lye or liquor (which may be reserved for use again) and an outlet
for the escape of spent lye.
The fresh liquor or lye is or may be supplied from a cistern at a sufficient elevation
to cause the liquor to enter the chamber by gravity or the liquor may be forced in by
a pump or a steam injector which latter will thus heat the liquor and supply steam
at the same time.
The liquor is made to pass from the exit end to the entrance end of the chamber
and if there are compartiments then it may pass from one compartment to the other
from the exit to the entrance end of the chamber.
The supply of liquor or lye can be regulated as desired.
There are suitable man holes and gauges to show the level of the liquid in the
chamber, and blow off cocks and pipes for clearing the chamber of sediments.
Dated this First day of April 1889.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Scouring or Cleansing and Bleaching Textile.
Fabrics, Warps, and Yarns formed of Cotton
or other
Vegetable Fibres, and in Apparatus to be used for the
Purpose.
We, ERNEST BENTZ, of the Technical School, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, CHARLES EDMESTOx and ALFRED EDMESTON, of Cannon Street
Works, Salford, in the County aforesaid, Engineers, and ERNEST GRETHER, of
5. Blackfriars Street, Salford aforesaid, Machinery 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:-
Textile cotton fabrics in the bulk have been scoured, cleansed or treated for
the purpose of bleaching, with solutions of caustic soda, and then steamed in a
closed vessel with steam at a pressure above the atmosphere, and it has also been
proposed to wash, scour or treat fabrics in the continuous or rope form for the
purpose of bleaching, in solutions of caustic soda, and at the same time subject them
to steam but to steam below, or not exceeding atmospheric pressure, the atmospheric
air being only partially or only imperfectly excluded while being subjected to the
steam which could escape from the apparatus employed.
Our invention relates to and consists of a process or processes and apparatus for
treating cotton and other vegetable textile fabrics and warps or yarns, in the rope
or open form continuously by passing them lengthwise through an apparatus in which
the fabrics, warps or yarns are alternately saturated in caustic alkaline solutions (or
other suitable solutions) and then subjected to the action of steam at or near, but above
'atmospheric pressure by preference, and are or may be lastly subjected in such
apparatus to the action of steam only for a longer period, and finally leave the
apparatus which has an inner chamber or chambers from which atmospheric air is

page_text: first expelled by steam, and is prevented from entering again during the process by
arranging the inlets and outlets of the chamber so as to be kept sealed against the
admission of air and the escape of steam by the liquor therein, the fabrics and
fibrous yarns,
threads or warps so treated being then ready for the subsequent processes
of washing, treating with bleaching powder solutions and acid or other whitening or
bleaching agents in order to complete the bleaching operation. When required the
above described round of operations is repeated.
In some cases the apparatus is or may be arranged so as to first treat the fabrics,
yarns or warps in one solution, and then in other solutions or in water for washing,
all under the action of steam, that is, steam above atmospheric pressure by preference,
the fabric, warp or yarn being alternately saturated in the liquid and acted upon by
the steam, all atmospheric air being withdrawn and excluded from the apparatus.
employed while the steam is retained therein as before stated.
The bleaching solutions which we prefer to use are solution of caustic soda, but a
solution of resin in caustic soda or carbonate of soda or a solution of resin in carbonate
of soda or caustic potash or carbonate of potash or a solution of resin in carbonate or of
caustic potash or a mixture of any two or more of the said solutions or of lime, may
be employed with the said apparatus.
The apparatus consists of a closed steam tight chamber of rectangular or other
suitable shape and of cast iron, or other suitable metal having strength sufficient to
resist any required internal or external pressure.
At one end or side of the chamber there is a partition, say a few inches from the
outside end or side which partition extends from the top nearly to the bottom of the
chamber.
The
There is a similarly arranged partition at the opposite end of the chamber.
space thus partitioned off at one end of the chamber is the entrance and that at the
other end is the exit for the fabric (either in the rope or open form) warp or yarn to
be treated, which passes down the space formed by one partition under a roller or
rollers at the lower part of the chamber and then ascends to a roller in about the
middle of the depth of the chamber, above the liquid therein, and so on down and up:
down into the liquor and up into the steam above the liquor in the chamber, under
and over suitable rollers (which rollers or some of them are or may be driven by
motive power) and afterwards is or may be passed backwards and forwards horizontally
in the steam space above the liquid in the chamber, over suitable rollers arranged
within the upper part of the chamber, and finally the fabric or thread leaves the
chamber by passing up the space partitioned off at the exit end of the chamber.
The chamber is partly filled with suitable liquor, by preference caustic alkaline
solution, say about one fourth the entire internal depth of the chamber and the upper
part of it is full of steam, high pressure steam by preference, which forces enough of
the liquid from the chamber up the spaces partitioned off for the entrance and exit of
cloth or threads to give sufficient head of liquid therein to resist the pressure of steam.
within the chamber and prevent its escape, and the admission of atmospheric air; and
should the pressure within the chamber at any time sink to a limited extent below
the atmospheric pressure, the liquid in the chamber which will then be above the
level of that in the partitioned off spaces will form a seal to exclude the air from the
chamber.
We sometimes divide the chamber by partitions ascending from the bottom, but not
extending to the top of the chamber, and the compartments so formed are in some
cases filled with liquid solutions of different character or of the same character but of
different strength or purity.
The upper part of the chamber opposite that occupied by the steam therein is or may
be jacketed" to form a steam space, and the steam to be supplied to the chamber
may in this case, if desired, be made to first enter the steam jacket and pass from it to
the pipes for boiling the liquor within the chamber and also into the steam part of the
inner chamber, thus keeping the chamber supplied with steam as hot as possible with
the pressure of steam employed. To expel air from the chamber there is or may be a
valve which opens inwards and closes when the full pressure comes within the chamber,

page_text: or there may be one or more cocks for this purpose, or the safety valve which is used
against excess of steam pressure may be lifted or allowed to lift so that the air may
escape when the chamber is first charged and while the liquor is being boiled up before
commencing to operate upon the fabrics or threads.
The load on the safety valve is made to correspond with the head of liquor sealing
the chamber from the escape of steam and the admission of air and there is an overflow
pipe for excess of lye or liquor (which may be reserved for use again) and also au
outlet for the escape of spent lye.
The fresh liquor or lye is or may be supplied from a cistern at a sufficient elevation
to cause the liquor to enter the chamber by gravity or the liquor may be forced in by
a pump or a steam injector which latter will heat the liquor and supply steam at the
same time.
The liquor is or may be made to pass from the exit end to the entrance end of the
chamber and if there are compartments therein then it may pass by overflow or
otherwise, from one compartment to the other from the exit (at which the cloth or
thread leaves) to the entrance end (where the fabric or thread enters) of the
chamber.
When the liquors to be used are of different character in the separate compartments.
of the apparatus not in direct connection with the main inlet and outlet of the apparatus.
each compartment has a separate supply and overflow pipe, the outlet of the latter
heing placed at a sufficient height above the level of the liquor in the compartment.
within the chamber to counter-balance the internal pressure therein.
The supply of liquor or lye can be regulated as desired.
There are suitable man holes and glass tube gauges or pet cocks to show the level of
the liquid in the chamber or in the separate compartments within the chamber when
used, and there are suitable blow off cocks and pipes for clearing the chamber or its
compartments, of sediments.
There is also an endless rope or chain, the latter by preference, arranged to enter
the chamber at one end and pass under and over or round all the rollers or over
pulleys on the rollers over which the fabric or thread has to pass and then go from the
exit end over the exterior of the chamber back to its entrance end, this endless rope'
or chain being used for threading or leading the fabrics or thread to be treated through
the apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus partly in section and Fig. 2 is a cross
sectional elevation looking towards that end of the chamber at which the fabric or
thread enters it.
The chamber. represented, is formed of cast iron with strengthening ribs and
flanges by which the plates are bolted together.
It may be constructed of wrought iron or other boiler plate suitably strengthened
and is of rectangular form by preference, but may be of any other suitable
shape.
The top of the chamber is made double to form a steam space or jacket a¹.
The chamber rests upon beams b, or other suitable supports.
At each end of the chamber there is a partition 2, which extends from the upper
part of the interior of the chamber nearly to its bottom as showu best on the left
side of fig. 1.
At each side along the bottom of the chamber in its lengthway there is a pipe c.
which has perforations all along its sides except for a length near each end (see
left side of fig. 1.)
:
These pipes c, are connected up with a cross pipe c', which communicates with a
vertical pipe, which may have a stop and regulating cock in it, the upper
end of the vertical pipe e², forms a junction with the pipe e, supplying steam from
the boiler but between the steam supply pipe ct, and the pipe c. there is or may be
a reducing valve in order that steam coming from the boiler at too high a
pressure may be reduced in pressure before passing to the pipe c²..
65
There is also a pipe . from the junction of the pipe e, bringing the steam
supply which communicates with a casting attached to the steam jacket a¹, for

page_text: conveying steam thereto, this casting having a seating in it for a cone safety
valve which is kept closed by a lever and weight, but will lift when the steam
in the jacket and chamber, with which it communicates, exceeds the pressure fixed
upon.
The fabric, warp or thread to be treated (represented by the line ) enters the
apparatus on the left, first passes over a roller d, in bearings upon the sides of
the chamber then descends the space partitioned off and goes under two rollers d'
and, near the bottom of the chamber, then to a roller at ³, above and down
from it to a roller 4, near the bottom of the chamber and so on up and down,
between rollers corresponding to ³, and d, and when it arrives near the other
end of the chamber the fabric or thread passes to a roller , a little higher than´
the upper rollers d³, above referred to, then passes to and fro horizontally round rollers
in the upper part of the chamber, and then finally passes down to two rollers
corresponding to the rollers ª, and ¹, near the bottom of the chamber and up'
the space partitioned off over a roller, upon the upper exterior part of the
chamber corresponding to the roller , then under a roller e, and between it and
another roller, above, which is pressed by levers e², and weights against the
lower roller, and then ascends to a delivery roller ³, from which it descends to
the floor.
All the rollers above referred to both inside and outside the chamber are in
suitable bearings carried on the sides of the chamber.
Three of the rollers marked, within the chamber are or may be of larger.
diameter than the others and are driven to help to draw the fabric or yarn over
the rollers and through the chamber.
The axis of each of these rollers *, at one end passes through a stuffing box
(shown best in fig. 2) to the exterior of the chamber, and have each a suitable pulley'
or wheel f, upon them by which they may be rotated.
We prefer to drive them by a jointed endless chain f, which gears with the
teeth upon the pulleys f, this endless chain working upon a toothed pulley f', upon
the end of a shaft 3, in suitable bearings passing across the machine.
f, is a pulley on a stud adjustable in a slot in al bracket to tighten the
chain f.
Upon one end of this shaft 3, are the fast and loose pulleys, for the driving
belt, is the belt guide, and f, is the belt guide lever, on a fulcrum f, in a bracket
upon the side of the chamber.
At the other end of the cross shaft 3, there is a spur wheel fs, which gears with,
one upon the lower squeezing roller c. and upon the axis of this roller there is a spur
wheel, that gears with one upon the upper roller c¹; c², is a trough to catch the
liquid pressed out by the squeezing rollers e, and el.
The delivery roller 3, is driven from the cross shaft 3. by an endless belt working
upon a pulley, on the shaft f", and one on the shaft for the delivery roller .
There is an endless rope or a chain g, by preference, that passes on one side of the.
machine over a pulley g', working on a stud in a bracket secured to the exterior of
the chamber. then this chain g. follows the course of the cloth or thread in groove
pulleys on the ends of the rollers ¹, d², ¿³, d', d², d, and dª, and comes out of the
chamber, at the other end, over a pulley, corresponding to that (¹) at the other
end of the machine and then passes back to the other pulley g', to complete the circuit,
but between the two exterior pulleys g¹, and g. the chain g, passes over a pulley g
adjustable in a bracket on the exterior of the chamber a, which pulley g', is used to
take up any slack there may be in the chain.
When the end of a piece of cloth feloth or warps to be treated are generally secured
together end to end) is to be passed through the machine one end of a short rope or
tave is attached to the end of the piece and the other end is secured to the chain .
which draws the cloth in, and threads it under and over the rollers, and brings it
out at the other end of the machine, the cloth, thus passes in and through the
| machine continuously either in the " rope or stretched to the full width of the cloth.

page_text: The chamber is filled with liquid or lye to say about one fourth its interior depth,
and the pressure of steam in it will force the liquid up the spaces partitioned off until
the level of the column of liquid therein above that within the chamber counter-
balances the pressure fixed upon, which may be of any required amount even above the
depth of the chamber by extending the partitioned spaces upwards at each end to
the extent required to give the pressure desired.
At 7, there is an overflow pipe or outlet for any fluid which is formed above the
level fixed upon.
At 7, there is an outlet and pipe provided with a cock i. for
drawing off liquid and sediment from the chamber a.
is an ordinary glass tube guage to show the level of the liquid in the chamber a
and is another glass tube guage for showing the level of the liquid, in the
partitioned off spaces.
זיי
k, is another safety valve, and there are four man holes each closed by a steam tight
door (same as 7) for giving access to the chamber a.
For treating fabrics in the "rope" form, or treating threads in the warp form the
rollers within the chamber may be modified, that is, the fabric or warp is or may be
made to pass from the roller, under a roller of larger diameter then up to another
roller (of larger diameter than those shown) near the upper part of the interior
of the chamber, then round this upper roller and down to the lower roller again
and then up and round the upper roller again and so on several times passing
helically round the two rollers and thus at each lap passing from one end nearer
to the other end of the, rollers and may then pass out of the machine, or over and
under a series of such rollers in like manner in succession.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same, is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In scouring, cleansing and bleaching fabrics or threads passing lengthwise con-
tinuously, the alternate saturating and steaming of the fabric or threads in a chamber
closed against the admission of atmospheric air and the escape of steam by the liquid
employed in such chamber substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In scouring cleansing and bleaching fabrics or threads passing lengthwise con-
tinuously, the alternate saturating and steaming of the fabric or threads and' finally
steaming, them for a time without saturating, in a chamber closed against the admission
of atmospheric air and the escape of steam by the liquid employed in such chamber
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In scouring, cleansing and bleaching fabrics or threads passing lengthwise
continuously, the alternate saturating and steaming with steam above atmospherie
pressure of the fabric or threads in a chamber closed against the admission of atmo-
spheric air and the escape of steam by the liquid employed in such chamber
substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In scouring, cleansing and bleaching fabrics or threads passing lengthwise
continuously, the alternate saturating and steaming and finally steaming for a time
without saturation with steam above atmospheric pressure of the fabric or threads in
a chamber closed against the admission of atmospheric air and the escape of steam
by the liquid employed in the said chamber substantially as herein before described.
5. In scouring, cleansing and bleaching fabrics or threads passing lengthwise
continuously, the alternate saturating in a solution of caustic soda; or of resin in
caustic soda or of carbonate of soda; or a solution of resin and carbonate of soda:
or caustic potash or carbonate of potash; or a solution of resin in carbonate or
caustic potash or a mixture of any two or more of the said solutions or of lime, and
alternate steaming, and finally steaming for a time without saturation or not so
steaming of the fabric or threads, by steam at, below, or above atmospheric pressure
in a chamber closed against the admission of atmospheric air and the escape of steam
by the liquid or solutions employed in such chamber substantially as hereinbefore
described.

page_text: 6. The combination and arrangement of apparatus as and for the purposes herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
7. The combination of mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings when divided into compartments or divisions to contain
liquids or solutions of different quality, strength or purity substantially as hereinbeforo
described.
8. In chambers closed against the admission of air, and the escape of steam by the
liquid employed therein, and used for scouring cleansing and bleaching fabrics and
threads, the combination therewith of an endless chain (g) substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
maid this Twenty-seventh day of December 1889.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.