similar Fibrous Material.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 16th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th July, 1888
similar Fibrous Material.
We CHARLES THEODORE CLEGG of King Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Architect, HAROLD AYLMER CLEGG of Montford Heaton Norris in the
County of Lancaster Engineer and FRANK LEE of Didsbury in the County of
Lancaster aforesaid Commission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
«
This invention is chiefly designed for dyeing wool when wound or rolled into the
form known as balls "but will also be found applicable for dyeing wool, silk or
cotton or other fibrous material when in any state either raw or partly manufactured
such as in yarn or piece goods.
Of
In the apparatus at present in use for the dyeing of wool it is customary either to
allow the dye liquor to soak into the mass while the latter is being agitated in a vat
or to force it through the material under pressure while the material is at rest.
these two the former is a slow and tedious and the latter a more or less costly or
expensive method.
This invention consists essentially in a machine for dyeing fibrous or textile material
in which the material to be dyed is carried or forced to and fro through the dye liquor
in such a way that the liquor is forced or caused to pass through the material as it
moves along the machine being actuated by or in combination with a steam cylinder
and piston or by other motive power or mechanism for conveying it.
In carrying out the invention we construct a chamber preferably cylindrical to
receive the dye liquor. This chamber may be placed vertically or horizontally but
we prefer the latter and open at the top. Inside the dye chamber is placed a movable
cage or carrier fitted to receive the material to be dyed or to receive buckets into
which the material has been packed. This carrier may be in the form of a hollow
piston and moves to and fro in the dye chamber. It is packed closely to the sides of
the chamber to prevent, while the carrier is in motion, the flow or passage of the
liquor other than through it internally. The material to be dyed is packed tightly
into the carrier and as it moves to and fro the liquor is forced through the material at

page_text: each stroke. A number of such chambers may be arranged in series so that a constant
flow of liquor may be maintained from one to the other. Each is fitted with steam-
pipe for admitting steam to heat or boil the dye liquor or they may be jacketted, or
steam may be otherwise applied for the purpose. The material may be packed direct
into the piston carrier or may be packed in buckets with perforated ends which can be
quickly placed in place or removed.
The motive power to such a machine may be applied in a variety of ways and
different means may be employed to move the piston carrier to and fro. A revolving
screw may be passed through it or it may be connected to a crank rod or reciprocating
beam but we prefer to connect it direct to the rod of a piston working in a steam
cylinder similar to what are used in steam hammers. When steam is admitted the
piston travels slowly and by means of suitable valve gear or connecting levers the
valves are moved and the admission of steam reversed at each stroke.
The dye chamber may be built up on suitable walls or pillars with a flooring around
it and the steam cylinder placed below. It is evident that the cylinder may be other-
wise placed but we prefer to place it beneath so that the dye chamber may be open at
the top.
ד
1 1
2
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Dyeing Wool, Cotton, Silk, or other
similar Fibrous Material.
We, CHARLES THEODORE CLEGG, of King Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Architect, HAROLD AYLMER CLEGG, of Montford, Heaton Norris, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, and FRANK LEE, of Didsbury, in the County of
Lancaster, aforesaid, Commission Agent, 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 chiefly designed for dyeing wool when wound or rolled into balls
or bundles in the form known as "tops." It is also, however, applicable for dyeing
wool silk or other fibrous or textile material when in any state either raw or partially
manufactured such as yarn or piece goods; and for treating such materials with other
liquids for scouring, bleaching, washing, or other purposes for which they are at
present treated in the course of manufacture or preparation therefor.
In apparatus at present in use for the dyeing of wool it is customary either to allow
the dye liquor to soak into the mass while the latter is being agitated in a vat or to
force it through the material under pressure while the material is at rest. Of these
two the former is a slow and tedious and the latter a more or less costly or expensive
method.
This invention consists essentially of a machine, in which fibrous or textile
materials are treated or saturated by dye or other liquors, wherein the material is
carried or caused to pass to and fro through the liquor in such a way that the liquor
is forced or caused to pass through the material as it is displaced by the movement of
the carrier the reciprocating movement being transmitted thereto by an eccentric or
crank device, by the reciprocating rod of a piston and steam cylinder or by other
suitable mechanism.
In the annexed drawings the apparatus is shown as designed for the dyeing of wool
tops.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation.
Fig. 2, sectional clevation.
Fig. 3, plan with lid removed.
Fig. 4, sectional elevation of the bucket which holds the wool tops.
The apparatus is constructed with a tank or chamber A to receive the liquor,
preferably cylindrical in shape as shown though that is not essential as it may be
octagonal or rectangular if desired, and may be made of cast iron, copper, wood, or
other material suitable to withstand any chemical action of the liquor which it is
intended for. Internally the chamber is fitted to receive a movable cage or carrier B
which is made to fit closely to the sides of the chamber. In the machine shown the
carrier B is in the form of a double piston packed tightly at 6 to prevent the passage
of the liquor between it and the sides of the chamber A. The pistor. B forms a
carrier for the material. It may be formed in several ways either to carry the material

page_text: packed inside it or to receive small buckets, boxes, cages, or trays into or upon which
the material is packed, the latter is the way we prefer for dyeing wool, and is that
shown in the drawings. The bottom plate Cand top plate D of the carrier B are
made of metal preferably cast in the shape shown and fitted to the central shaft or
piston rod E. They are made separately for convenience and are secured together by
the rods or distance pieces e. The plates C and D are fitted with holes d to receive
the buckets or boxes B₁ fig. 4 into which the wool "tops" are packed. The buckets B¹
are formed with perforated ends to allow free passage of the liquor through them, the
top being removable to allow of the insertion of the material. These buckets are
packed with the material and then placed in the piston carrier B and a catch ' placed
on top to secure them in position. The buckets B' are made with plain metallic sides
and fit closely into the hole d in the respective plates C, D, so that as the piston
carrier B moves to and fro in the chamber A the liquor as it is displaced is forced
directly through the material in the buckets.
The apparatus although primarily designed for the dyeing of wool may also be used
for the dyeing of other materials, or for treating other fibrous or textile materials for
bleaching, scouring, washing, or other purposes, and would answer amongst other
things for the treatment of Rhea, China Grass, and similar fibres with chemical
liquors for removal of the gum and resin from the stalks preparatory to being
manufactured.
In the dyeing of wool tops" the material should be tightly packed into the
buckets B. For the treating of other materials the material may be packed directly
into the piston carrier or the carrier may be otherwise formed with vertical or hori-
zontal compartments wherein are placed cages or trays into or upon which the material
may be placed. The top and bottom plates C and D of the carrier would then be
made perforated.
The carrier B has a reciprocating movement in the chamber A, a suitable arrange-
ment of mechanism for giving movement to it is shown in the drawings. To the
lower end of the piston rod E is attached a cross head F sliding in guides G. The
cross head is formed with a slide block H working in it. The slide block receives a
crank pin on the face of a disc I which revolves with the shaft. The rotary move-
ment of the shaft thus gives to the rod E and carrier B a reciprocating motion. The
guide rod J passes downward into the guide bracket K to give steadiness to the move-
ment of the cross head.
Other arrangements of mechanism for communicating the required movement to
the carrier B will readily suggest themselves to the mind of the engineer such as an
ordinary eccentric, or a revolving screw, or it may be connected to a reciprocating
beam or direct to the rod of a piston working in a steam cylinder similar to what are
used in steam hammers. On the admission of steam the piston would travel slowly
and by means of suitable valve gear or connecting levers the valves would be moved
and the admission of steam reversed at each stroke.
To heat the liquor in the chamber A steam may be admitted to the interior, or the
tank may be provided with a steam jacket or a coil of pipes through which steam will
be passed.
The apparatus may be constructed precisely as shown with the chamber or tank A
placed vertically on the bed or base plate M, and secured to the brickwork pillars or
supports N with the actuating mechanism placed below it. And this construction we
prefer as it allows of the tank A being opened at top. It is enclosed by a plate or
cover O held in position by the screws o. Instead of this arrangement, however, it is
evident that the actuating mechanism may be placed above the tank A and actuate the
carrier B from above. Or the apparatus may be arranged so that the carrier may
work horizontally.
To raise the lid a small crab or winch may be placed in any convenient-
position or affixed to the side of the chamber A and provided with a chain passing
down over
a pulley. A similar arrangement may be employed for lifting the
buckets B in and out.
In operation the apparatus is simple. A single chamber may be used or two or

page_text: more may be constructed side by side and if desired the liquor may be run from one
to the other or the material when treated in one may be removed to the next. If the
chambers A are all of one size the carrier B may be lifted out of one and with the
material it contains removed to the next. The material, or the buckets, cages, or trays
containing the material to be treated in the apparatus are packed into the carrier B
and the tank A filled with the liquor. The materials are so packed that the liquor
must pass through them and not at the sides. The actuating mechanism is set in
motion and the piston carrier B caused to move slowly to and fro through the liquor
in the tank A. The piston B is packed at against the sides of the tank and as it
travels it displaces the liquor and forces it direct through the material. The operation
is quickly completed as the liquor soon penetrates and reaches each part of the material.
The material or the buckets or cages containing it are then removed from the piston
carrier and a fresh charge packed in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it to be understood that
we do not claim broadly the dyeing or treating of fibrous materials by forcing a
liquor through them or by immersing or agitating them in the liquor but that what we
claim is
1. An apparatus for treating fibrous materials with liquor in which the material is
carried backwards and forwards in a tank or chamber by a carrier so placed or packed
therein that the liquor is forced completely through the material as it is displaced at
each stroke of the apparatus substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for treating fibrous materials with liquor having a carrier to
receive the material enclosed in a tank or chamber containing the liquor and packed
therein so that by the movement to and fro of the carrier the liquor as it is
displaced is forced or caused to pass through the material substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for treating wool, silk, cotton, or other material with liquor having
a chamber or tank to receive the liquor, a reciprocating piston or carrier packed
therein to receive the material and an eccentric device, revolving screw, steam cylinder
and piston or other mechanism to move the carrier to and fro in the tank substantially
as described and shown.
Dated this 14th day of June 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Patent Agents.