IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCOURING, WASHING. BLEACHING, DYEING, AND DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS. IN THE RAW AND MANUFACTURED STATE
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Nesham Kirkham, of West Brompton,
Vernon Francis Ensom, of Highgate, both in the County of Middlesex,
and Hiram Brook, of Bucklersbury, in the City of London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCOURING, WASHING.
BLEACHING, DYEING, AND DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS. IN THE RAW AND
MANUFACTURED STATE,"
Sealed the 18th September 1866, and dated the 20th March 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham,
Vernon Francis Ensom, and Hiram Brook at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 20th March 1866.
We, THOMAS NESHAM KIRKHAM, of West Brompton, VERNON FRANCIS
ENSOM, of Highgate, both in the County of Middlesex, and HIRAM BROOK, of
Bucklersbury, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCOURING, WASHING.
BLEACHING DYEING, AND DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS IN THE RAW AND MANU-
FACTURED STATE," to be as follows:-
For these purposes an apparatus is constructed having an outer and inner
vessel or chamber suitable for containing steam; the inner chamber near the
bottom is divided horizontally by a partition; this partition or plate for the lower
section of the inner chamber is perforated, and these perforations when treating
rovings, yarns, or thread wound on perforated bobbins, receive the ends of
nipples or short perforated tubes or other perforated instruments; or the holes
in the partitions receive the ends of hollow perforated pipes or rollers or

page_text: instruments, upon which woven fabrics or other goods composed of fibrous
materials are wound; but when the fibrous material is in a raw state or not
sufficiently manufactured to be wound on perforated instruments, the fibrous
materials are placed in a reticulate basket or holder, having one or more
perforated tubes or pipes in the midst of the fibrous material it contains, and
the ends of these central pipes or tubes are received into holes perforated in
the partition plate to receive them; the apparatus is also furnished with a
vertical air shaft which is fixed within the outer chamber, and its length
reaches from the bottom of the chamber to above the top of the apparatus; at
the bottom of this shaft a steam jet or jets are introduced when required for
exhausting air from the inner chamber. Steam resisting covers are placed on
the top of the outer, and the inner chamber pipes and valves are fixed for
conveying liquids or liquors or steam into the chambers, and for flowing or
passing out and for the repassing of the former into and from the cisterns to
the chambers or otherwise; also pipes for conveying condensed steam away;
also for the admission of atmospheric air to the inner chamber, and for its
escape into the air shaft; the apparatus is also furnished with filters for steam
and liquids, and with gauges and thermometers. The exterior of the outer
chamber is cased orcoated with wood or other material suitable for preventing
the radiation of heat. The outer chamber surrounds the inner chamber, and
when supplied with steam generates heat, which radiates into the inner
chamber; the steam jet acts as a blast in the air shaft; the air received into
the inner chamber passes through the material treated, and escapes by the air
shaft, carrying away with it the imbibed moisture in the material; the inner
chamber is supplied with steam for forcing the liquids or liquors introduced
through the material, and discharging them through the perforated spindles,
pipes, or tubes. All the processes of scouring, washing, bleaching, dyeing, and
drying, may be performed in continuous and consecutive order without the
necessity of removing or handling the material treated until the processes are
completed
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham, Vernon Francis Ensom, and
Hirain Brook in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th September
1866.

page_text: both in the County of Middlesex, and HIRAM BROOK, of Bucklersbury, in the
City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, and in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Neshain Kirkham, Vernon Francis Ensom, and Hirain Brook,
Her special licence that we, the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham, Vernon
Francis Ensom, and Hiram Brook, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham, Vernon Francis
Ensom, and Hiram Brook, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SCOURING, WASHING, BLEACHING, DYEING, AND
DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS IN THE RAW AND MANUFACTURED STATE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham,
Vernon Francis Ensom, and Hiram Brook, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham, Vernon
Francis Eusom, and Hiram Brook, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
that is to say:-
For these purposes an apparatus is constructed baving an outer and inner
vessel or chamber suitable for containing steam, the inner chamber near the
bottom is divided horizontally by a partition; this partition or plate for the
lower section of the inner chamber is perforated, and these perforations when
treating rovings, yarns, or thread wound on perforated bobbins receive the
ends of nipples or short perforated tubes, or other perforated instruments, or
the holes in the partitions receive the ends of hollow perforated pipes or rollers
or instruments upon which woven fabrics or other goods composed of fibrous
materials are wound, but when the fibrous material is in a raw state or not

page_text: sufficiently manufactured to be wound on perforated instruments, the fibrous
materials are placed in a reticulate basket or holder, having one or more
perforated tubes or pipes in the midst of the fibrous material it contains, and
the ends of these central pipes or tubes are received into holes perforated in
the partition plate to receive them; the apparatus is also farnished with a
vertical air shaft which is fixed within the outer chamber, and its length
reaches from the bottom of the chamber to above the top of the apparatus; at
the bottom of this shaft a steam jet or jets are introduced when required for
exhausting air from the inner chamber; steam resisting covers are placed on
the top of the outer and the inner chamber, pipes and valves are fixed for
conveying liquids or liquors or steam into the chambers and for flowing or
passing out, and for the repassing of the former into and from the cisterns to
the chambers or otherwise; also pipes for conveying condensed steam away;
also for the admission of atmospheric air to the inner chamber, and for its
escape into the air shaft; the apparatus is also furnished with filters for
stean and liquids and with gauges and thermometers. The exterior of
the outer chamber is cased or coated with wood or other material suitable
for preventing the radiation of heat. The outer chamber surrounds the
inner chamber, and when supplied with steam generates heat, which radiates
into the inner chamber, the steam jet acts as a blast in the air shaft;
the air received into the inner chamber passes through the material
treated and escapes by the air shaft carrying away with it the imbibed mois-
Lure in the material the inner chamber is supplied with steam for forcing
the liquids or liquors introduced through the material and discharging them
through the perforated spindles, pipes, or tubes. All the processes of scouring
washing, bleaching, dyeing, and drying may be performed in continuous and
consecutive order without the necessity of removing or handling the material
treated until the processes are completed.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention we will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, partly in section; Figure 2,
a front elevation; Figure 3, plan; Figure 4, plan shewing the cylinders in
section. The same letters apply to the same parts in all the Figures.
A is the bottom cylinder; B, the upper outer cylinder; C, the inner
cylinder; D, the cover to the same; E, the bottom to the same, having a pipe
formed thereon; F, a partition plate, perforated with holes to receive hollow
nipples, tubes, spindles, or rollers for the passing of liquids, steam, or air

page_text: through them; F, bobbins or hollow perforated spindles which are screwed
upon hollow screw nipples that are fixed in the holes of the partition plate,
or they may be fixed by other convenient means; G, a gland or stuffing box
in the bottom of the upper outer cylinder B through which the outlet pipe
from the inner cylinder C passes; H, an external casing, lagged or covered
with wood; I, an annular hot air chamber formed thereby; J, a coil or steam
pipe connected to bottom of outer cylinder B; K, K', cisterns for solutious; L,
asteam filter; L,a stop valve in the steam pipe connected with the boiler; M,
the blast pipe; N, pipe from boiler for supplying the blast pipe with steam; a¹,
stop valve therein; O, pipe connecting blast pipe to inner cylinder Û at the
top to pipe E at the bottom, and the steam pipe Q, having also at the bottom
a junction to the solution cistern K on the one hand, and another to a dis-
charge drain on the other; b, c, d, e, stop valves therein; /, stop valve, also
attached to the pipe O, to which is joined a pipe for the supply of water; l',
pipe from solution cistern K for supplying inner cylinder C at either top or
bottom; g, h, stop valves therein; Q, pipe from steam filter L for supplying
inner cylinder C, also either at top or bottom; i,/, siop valves therein; Q',
month of pipe O placed within and at the top end of cylinder C; R. pipe
for supplying steam to the outer cylinder B; /, stop valve therein; S, pipe
from top of perforated plate; F, in the inner cylinder; C, carried down through
the outlet pipe, and branching thence right and left on the one hand to the
higher level solution cistern K, and on the other to the outside of the apparatus;
l', solution valve; l, valve forcleansing; T, pipe connecting the solution cisterns
K, K'; m', stop valve therein; n', valve for supplying the inner cylinder C
with hot air from the chamber I, or cold air from the atmosphere without; o³,
another valve for supplying the inner cylinder with water or other fluids; U,
gauge for shewing the height of water or other fluid in the inner cylinder C ;
V, thermometer; W, screw plug with stuffing box handle, and spindle for
taking out trail cop; X, manhole and cover into bottom cylinder p¹, opening
from bottom cylinder A into the hot air chamber; Y, cold air stop-cock to
.bottom cylinder A.
Having described the various parts of theapparatus, the application of them
for effecting the scouring, washing, bleaching, dyeing, and drying of fibrous
materials, either in the raw or manufactured or partly manufactured state, is
accomplished as follows:-
In treating yarns the yarn is wound upon perforated hollow spindles or
bobbins, and these spindles are screwed upon the hollow nipples, which arc
fixed in the holes of the partition plate Fin cylinder C. This vessel is now
closed by cover D), which is fastened down with screws and nuts, the liquids

page_text: to be used are placed in cisterns Kor K',a vacuum is then created in cylinder
C, either by condensation or by blast. This is effected as follows:-If by
condensation stop valves L' and are opened, and a jet of steam passed into
cylinder C, which expels the air at 1, or the steam jet may be admitted into
the cylinder C, and the air driven off through the blast pipe M; valves L
and are then closed, also stop-cock if the cistern K is used; solution
valve is opened, and the contents of the cistern K immediately rush into
the cylinder C, passing up pipe S; or the contents of the cistern may be passed
into cylinder Cat Q through pipe P by opening stop valve g'; if the vacuum
is effected by the blast stop valves a' and 'are opened, when the blast with-
draws the air from cylinder C at Q', thereby producing vacuum; ifthesolution
is required to be passed through the yarn into the cylinder the stop valve
is opened and the liquid passes through the lower part of pipes P and O
to chamber E, and thence through the centre of the perforated spindles and
yarn into vessel C; the solution is then to be passed from vessel C through
the perforated spindles and yarn, back to cistern K; this is effected by opening
stop valves I and , and introducing filtered steam at Q', thereby forcing the
solution through the yarn, and by pipes O and P' returning it to cistern K; if
cistern K' is used the operation is conducted precisely the same, and it is only
necessary to open and close the pipes connecting cylinder C with the cistern
K, viz., the stop valve e in pipe O instead of ' in the pipe P; the various
liquids are thus passed through the yarn, either in one direction, or passed and
repassed at the will of the operator until the object intended is thoroughly
effected; when the solutions have been passed through the yarns entirely in
one direction, viz., from the outer circumference of the spindle, water may be
finally employed and passed up the centre of the spindle to expel any impurities
or organic matter resting on the external surface of the yarn, and such water
need not be retained in the cylinder to be passed back to the cistern, for by
opening valve it will flow away by pipe S.
Thelastapplication is drying, and this is effected in the following mauner:-
The stop valve in the pipe R is opened, admitting steam into the outer
cylinder B, filling the annular space betwixt it and cylinder C, and also
the coil J in the lower cylinder A (from which a pipe is continued to a self-
acting syphon for carrying off the condensed water), for the purpose of
obtaining radiated heat in the lower chambers A, G, and E, also in theannular
chamber I, and within cylinder C; steam valve a' is then opened, admitting
steam into the blast pipe M, stop valve e² in the pipe O is then opened; air is
now admitted by opening stop-cock Y, the vacuum created by the blast pipe
M causes the air introduced at Y to pass in a rapid current through spaces A,

page_text: J, and entering cylinder C at valven', from thence it passes through the yarn
and spindles into chambers E and pipe O, and is finally discharged up
the blast pipe M, in its passage it is acted upon by the radiated heat in
It
chambers A, I, C, and passes through the yarn in a heated and dry state.
may be stated that where steam is not injurious to the fibre or its color,
filtered steam may be applied by opening pipes L' and ', and admitting it at
Q' into cylinder C, from whence it passes through the yarn and spindles to
chamber E and by pipe O up the blast pipe M; this has the effect of des-
sicating or rapidly expressing and expelling the imbibed sensible moisture in
the yarn; when this is effected the steam supply is shut off and the operation
of drying with hot air passed in a rapid current through the yarnas described
is continued until the yarn is thoroughly dry. ·
Having described the process as applied to yarn it may now be stated that
the apparatus for treating piece goods or yarn wound upon perforated tubes
or rollers varies only in the following particulars :-First, the depth of the
cylinders B and C, must be sufficient to receive the goods according to and
regulated by their width, and instead of the rollers being screwed on to nipples
on the partition plate F, we prefer to fix the hollow axes of the rollers at one
end into the holes in the perforated plate F prepared to receive them, and the
other end of the roller is inserted in the outside cover, and secured by means
of bolts and lock nuts, the rollers also are fitted with a telescopic slide gland,
and india-rubber washer by which the perforated surface can be lengthened
or shortened as required for the width of the goods to be treated, in all other
respects the apparatus and the node of treatment is precisely the same as in
treating yarn already described.
In the treatment of raw fibre or fibrous materials not adapted or sufficiently
manufactured to be wound upon perforated instruments, the only variations in
the construction as compared with the yarn apparatus are that we prefer the
cylinders B and C to be made in the form of the inverted frustrum of a cone,
at the bottom of which is the perforated partition plate F, the fibrous materials
to be treated are placed in a reticulate basket or holder, within cylinder C
one or more perforated tubes or hollow spindles are screwed upon hollow
nipples fixed in the holes of the partition plate F, and are made of sufficient
length to penetrate into the midst of the material within the reticulate holder;
in all other respects the apparatus, connections, and process are precisely the
same as when treating yarn.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be performed, we wish it to be distinctly understood that
weclaim the novelapplication, employment, and use ofa machineorapparatus

page_text: so constructed that it includes and combines the application of the perforated
hollow spindles, tubes, rollers, or other instruments with vacuum obtained by
steam jet with steam pressure and with simple gravitation for accomplishing
the effectual scouring, washing, bleaching, dyeing, and drying fibrous materials,
either in the raw or manufactured state.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Nesham Kirkham, Vernon
Francis Ensom, and Hiram Brook, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
T. N. KIRKHAM.
(L.S)
VERNON F. ENSOM. (L.S.)
HIRAM BROOK.
(L.S.)
T. N. KIRKHAM. (L.S)
VERNON F. ENSOM. (L.S.)
HIRAM BROOK. (L.s.)