IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING VAN MOHAIR, PERSIAN WOOLS, AND OTHER INFECTIOUS FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Walworth at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 15th July 1880.
JAMES WALWORTH, of Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer and Machine.
Maker. IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING VAN MOHAIR, PERSIAN WOOLS, AND
OTHER INFECTIOUS FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH,
"
1
My said Invention relates to removing noxious and infectious smells and insectiles
from van mohair, Persian wools, and other infectious fibrous substances, leaving the
fibres pure.
For this purpose I fix brackets near the top and midway of a wall or framework;
in the top brackets are secured long rods, which pass through bosses made in the
midway brackets and extend to the floor, to which they are secured; on the rods
slide guides, which are secured to a long wooden box having the front open, and
having grooves cut in the side boards to enable the box to slide on a fixed front
board which is fixed on bearers secured to a frame; the box has a lifting motion
and slides on the fixed board, which is fixed at a regulated height to allow the
passage and working of endless bands having spikes, teeth, or steel pins, which
travel through the opening above the fixed board and enter, the fibres bringing
forward the same. On the sides of the wooden box are secured long racks, which
are guided by friction rollers fitted in a bearer which is secured to the top frame;
the racks are actuated by pinions, and are worked by a worm wheel actuated by a
worm fitted on to a driving shaft, having a fast and loose pulley; the racks, when
actuated lift up the box, the travel of the racks being regulated to the travel of the
top endless bands through the fibres; balance weights attached to chains working
over pulleys are employed to balance the box and bring it down when empty with
ease; the box can be stopped at any part of the upward travel by moving a long
lever, which forces the teeth of the pinions out of the racks. The apparatus is, by
preference, fitted near a wall, so that the fibrous materials to be operated on should
be stowed in an adjoining room. A doorway is made in the wall and a platform
fixed to the apparatus, which platform is level with the top of the box when down;
the bags of van mohair or other fibrous substances are brought from the room on
to the platform, and one side and end of the bag or covering are ripped open and
the contents thrown into the box, and other bags are treated in a similar manner
until the box is full, the operator undergoing no risk, as a current of air is drawn

page_text: through the door at the same time. To the framework of the apparatus and in
front of the box are fitted brackets in which works a shaft and on which are fitted
a series of pulleys, and arms are also cast or fitted to the brackets, which extend
to near the back end of the box: The arms are made with bearers in which works
another shaft having also a series of pulleys fitted thereon; the pulleys are equal
in number to and opposite the pullies on the first shaft. Over the pulleys work
the endless bands having spikes, teeth, or pins; the endless bands are so arranged
that they can be lifted up when filling the box with the fibrous materials, and the
endless bands are actuated by wheel gear worked by a handle, a platform being
fitted to the apparatus for that purpose; the wheel gear may be actuated by
pullies and belting. Under this platform is fitted in suitable bearings a drum
having blades which in revolving open out the fibres, which are caught by a shoot
and thrown on to travelling endless bands (or a travelling endless band perforated
with a number of small holes may be employed). The bands (or band) work over
an air tight chamber, in which is fitted a powerful suction fan which draws a
current of air through the opened fibres, and draws into the chamber-apy-noxious
or infectious smells and insectiles, which pass through the fan and are discharged
through pipes into the main sewer, or into a furnace and may be destroyed by fire,
or into any suitable receiver in which water is kept, or into running water. The
endless bands travel over pullies, and a small space is left between the bands for
the suction. Any heavy particles not taken in by the fan fall on an endless band
working in the bottom of the chamber and are discharged into a hopper and then
into water, and jets of steam may be employed with the water carrying away the
refuse matter.
When the fibrous matters are placed in the box and the box is full the top
revolving bands having teeth, pins, or spikes are lowered and the same actuated,
which causes the spikes, teeth, or pins to bring a certain amount of fibres to be
opened by the opener, as hereinbefore described, and when thrown on-to-the
travelling endless bands are agitated by the travelling motion, giving a freo suction
of air through the materials. The box works up slowly, and is so regulated that
when tho draw of the spikes has brought forward the required feed the fibrous
materials are again in contact with the spikes or teeth for bringing forward the
fibres to be opened and delivered onto the suction. The working gear is so
arranged that when the box has reached its full lift the belt is thrown off and the
apparatus stopped.
When the fibrous materials have been freed from impurities and ready for the
sorters I may empty for further precautions a sorting board fitted with gratings,
and each grating for each sorter is made with a fixed grating and a movable one,
enabling the operator to give more or less opening to the gratings. The sorting
board is fitted onto an air tight hoppered chamber, in which is fitted a powerful
suction fan which draws the air through the fibres and gratings, drawing into the
chamber any noxious gas, sinell, or particles of dust that may remain in the fibres,
such dust or smell passing on through the fan and discharged, as hereinbefore
described. I also tit in the chamber an endless band to receive any heavy particles
not discharged through the fan, and the heavy particles are discharged into a
suitable receiver having water.