AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR OILING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS OR TEXTILE MATERIALS AND FOR SCOURING THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th March 1880. A communication from
abroad by Jules Maury, junior, of Paris, France.
66
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR OILING WOOL
AND OTHER FIBROUS OR TEXTILE MATERIALS AND FOR SCOURING THE SAME."
[A communication from abroad by Jules Maury, junior, of Paris, France.]
This Invention has for its object a process of oiling wool by means of heavy
mineral oils, more particularly with naphtha oil (oleonaphte); also a process for
Scouring or removing the excess of oil from fibres or tissues thus oiled.
The results obtained by this process of oiling are as satisfactory as those
obtained by the use of the best pure olive oil, and it is very economical; heavy
mineral oils do not soil or oxidize the carding combs, and therefore the durability
of the latter is increased. These oils give excellent results in the spinning, as they
effectually prevent the protrusion of the filaments of the staple when passing
through the winding, carding, and spinning frames or machines. Naphtha oil
(oleonaphthe) will not freeze in a temperature above 24° centigrade, and therefore
possesses the advantage over olive oils of not requiring to be heated in winter, and
therefore it will have its natural qualities less impaired or changed than the said
oils.
Moreover fibres or textile fabrics greased or oiled with pure olive oil or vegetable
oil have to be scoured to remove the surplus oil almost immediately in consequence
of the drying properties of these oils, whilst the naphtha oil (oleonaphte) and other
heavy oils do not dry, and thus allow a longer lapse of time before scouring.
I will now describe the process of oiling and scouring according to this Invention
as applied to the treatment of wool, although the other heavy mineral oils may
be used.
The wool is in the first place passed through an opening machine to separate it,
thereby facilitating the action of the heavy oil thereon. After the wool has been
opened or devilled, it is placed in regular layers to receive the action of the naphtha
oil, which is then poured over it by means of an oiling can or oiling pump.
The pure naphtha oil or other heavy mineral oils would not produce satisfactory
results by reason of the absorbing nature of wool, the oiling of which would be
irregular. One feature of my Invention consists in the addition of water to the
naphtha oil before using the same; I thus obtain results equal or superior to those

page_text: obtained by the use of vegetable oils. The proportions of the mixture vary
according to circumstances, the following are the proportions I prefer :-
For new long staple wools, naphtha oils (oleonaphte) 12 kilogrammes, water 10
kilogrammes per 100 kilogrammes of wool; and for shoddy or wools of a drier nature,
naphtha oil (oleonaphthe) 14 kilogrammes, water 10 kilos. per 100 kilos. of wool.
The mixing of the naphtha oil with water is performed in the following manner,
that is to say :-
The desired quantities of naphtha oil and of water are poured into a convenient
receptacle, and the mixture is whisked, or whipped, or caused to circulate by means
of a beater similar to those used for whisking eggs. For large quantities I
use a beater operated by gear wheels or an "American whisk mounted in a
suitable frame.
The operation of beating or whisking is continued till the liquid attains an
orange yellow color and shows neither globules nor unmixed portions. This result
is obtained in from 3 to 4 minutes.
The mixture is then immediately transferred to the oiling can and sprinkled
over the wool before it can resolve itself into its separate ingredients, the wool is
then turned over by fork to equalize the action of the liquid.
This operation being finished the wool is again passed through the opener,
which by its action permits the obtaining of a very regular oiling. The fibres thus
prepared are ready for spinning.
I will now describe the process of scouring materials oiled with naphtha
oil or similar heavy oils, which process forms one of the features of the present
Invention.
The manner of proceeding according to this part of the said Invention differs
slightly according to whether it is applied to yarns or fabrics.
In the scouring carded spun wool or yarn a single bath is used composed as
follows, viz.-4 to 5 kilos. white soap of the best quality are dissolved in the
quantity of water required for scouring 100 kilogrammes; when the soap is
dissolved 15 to 18 kilos. of bay salt or chloride of sodium is added to the
bath, the temperature of which is raised to 85° or 90° centigrade. The wool
is then immersed in the bath; the naphtha oil or heavy oil at first produces a milky
white colour, which changes into a dirty grey when all greasy matter has been
abstracted from the wool, the wool is then rinsed in clean cold water.
When textile fabrics are to be scoured two baths instead of one are used; the
first bath contains only from 15 to 18 kilogrammes of bay salt for every 100
kilogrammes of wool, and its temperature is raised to 90° or 95° centigrade, and the
second bath is composed in the same manner as that for yarn or spun wool above
described.
Wool thus treated is thoroughly scoured, the chloride of sodium possessing the
property of not rendering the wool harsh; it remains very soft to the touch, expands,
the colors remain unchanged, and wool that is not dyed becomes whiter.
As above specified white soap is preferably used in composing the bath, as this
kind of soap contains a considerable excess of alkali which neutralizes the fatty
matter and produces thorough scouring.
Moreover in the operation of scouring, hard water or water containing lime in
suspension must be avoided, as it would partially neutralize the effect of the
soap.
This Invention may be applied for oiling and scouring all kinds of spun fibres
and textile fabrics.