Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Dyeing or otherwise Treating Textile Fibres.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 18th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 18th Nov., 1887
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Dyeing or
otherwise Treating Textile Fibres.
I, JOSEPH WALKER, of the Firm of Walter Walker & Son, of Kiln Mill, Watergate.
Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Dyers and Spinners, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
The object of my invention is the employment of certain means for dyeing or
otherwise treating wool and other fibre in the loose or partly manufactured state, so
as to prepare it for subsequent operations previous to being made into a yarn or thread,
by which means colored yarns or threads are produced on the spinning frame or mule
effecting a great saving thereby.
In order to carry out my invention I employ a suitably sized vessel the top of
which is open but the bottom closed except an orifice in communication with a pipe
for purposes bereinafter explained.
Near the bottom of this vessel, is placed a perforated plate or false bottom.
This vessel is placed into a bath and the fibre to be dyed or treated is
placed into the inner vessel and resting upon the false or perforated bottom,
after which another perforated plate is placed upon the fibre and preferably
screwed down so as to compress the fibre between the two perforated plates: A
continuous stream of liquor or other matter is now forced up the pipe through the
bottom of the vessel, through the fibre and out at the top of the upper perforated plate
so as to penetrate through every portion of the fibre which is dyed or treated thereby :
or instead of forcing the liquor through the perforated plates and through the fibre,
the liquor may be drawn by suction, or these operations of forcing and drawing the
liquor may be alternately performed.
In order to ensure an average equal shade of color being given to the fibre under
operation, the perforations in bottom and top plates are of equal size and area, and in

page_text: order to prevent the liquor from ascending vertically and out again at the top without
an average equal distribution among the fibre I may have the perforations in or near
the centre of top or bottom plates, or both, of smaller area than the perforations at or
near the outer edge for the purpose of retarding the exit of the liquor at the centre,
allowing or causing the liquor to expand outwards so as to equalize the dyeing of the 5
fibre.
Wool and other fibres dyed in the manner set forth do not become entangled or
felted, but leave the vessel in a free and loose condition.

page_text: otherwise Treating Textile Fibres.
I, JOSEPH WALKER, of the firm of Walter Walker & Son of Kiln Mill, Watergate,
Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Dyers and Spinners, 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 :-
The object of my invention is the employment of certain means for dyeing, or
otherwise treating wool and other fibre, in the loose or partly manufactured state, so
as to prepare it for subsequent operations, previous to being made into a yarn or
thread, by which means coloured yarns or threads are produced on the spinning frame
or mule, effecting a great saving thereby.
In order to carry out my invention I employ a suitably sized vessel, the top of
which is open, but the bottom closed, except an orifice in communication with a pipe
for purposes hereinafter explained. Near the bottom of this vessel is placed a
perforated plate or false bottom. This vessel is placed into a bath, and the fibre to be
dyed or treated is placed into the inner vessel and resting upon the false or perforated
bottom, after which another perforated plate is placed upon the fibre and preferably
screwed down so as to compress the fibre between the two perforated plates. A
continuous stream of liquor or other matter is now forced up the pipe through the
bottom of the vessel, through the fibre and out at the top of the upper perforated plate
so as to penetrate through every portion of the fibre which is dyed or treated
thereby.
Such being the nature and object of my invention, I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully, and for that purpose make reference to the accompanying sheets
of drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is sectional elevation of apparatus constructed according
to my invention, and Fig. 2 is plan thereof. A shews an ordinary bath or dyeing
vessel in which I place an open-ended vessel B, made of copper or other suitable
material, such vessel having an opening at the bottom thereof, and connected by
suitable joints or stuffing boxes a to an inlet pipe and centrifugal or other suitable
form of pump C, which is in communication by pipe D with the outer vessel A.
Within and near the bottom of the vessel B is a perforated plate E for the fibre or
other material to rest upon, whilst another perforated plate F is employed, which is
placed upon the fibre and screwed down to any suitable degree of pressure by screws G
and handwheels H, working through nuts or brackets 1, by which means the fibre is
compressed between the two perforated plates. The dye or other liquor is introduced
into the outer vessel A and made to boil therein by steam issueing from the perforated
pipe J placed near the bottom of the said vessel. When the fibre is required to be
operated upon by the liquor, the centrifugal or other pump C is set in motion, so as
to draw the liquor through the perforated grate b, and up into the bottom of the
vessel B, through the bottom perforated plate E, through the fibre, and through the

page_text: upper perforated plate F, and finally over the top of the vessel B, from whence it
runs back again into the dye vessel A. By this means it will be seen that a
continuous stream of dye or other liquor can be forced through the fibre so long as
the centrifugal or other pump is in motion; and it will also be seen that the dye or
other liquor can be used over and over again without any waste.
Instead of the points of the screws G coming in contact with the perforated plate F,
a plate or a set of bars may be fixed at the bottom of the screws as shewn K in
Fig. 3 and plan view Fig. 4 for the purpose of equalizing the pressure of the plate
upon the fibro.
In order to ensure an average and equal shade of colour or other treatment
being given to the fibre under operation, the perforations in the bottom and top
plates E and F are of equal size and area and in order also to prevent the liquor
from ascending vertically and out again at the top without an average and equal
distribution amongst the fibres, I may have the perforations in or near the centre of
the top or bottom plates, or both, of smaller area than the perforations at or near the
outer edge of the said plates for the purpose of retarding the exit of the liquor at
the centre, thereby allowing or causing the liquor to expand outwards so as to equalize
the dyeing or otherwise treating of the fibre.
Instead of forcing the liquor through the perforated plates and through the fibre
as above explained, the liquor may be drawn by suction, or these operations of forcing
and drawing the liquor through the fibre may be alternately performed. When dyeing
slubbings, rovings, or other partly manufactured fibres, such as the coiled sliver
received from carding engines, I place such coiled sliver in a suitably shaped vessel L,
as shown in Fig. 5, and the liquor forced or drawn through as already explained. By
this means the sliver can be taken back again without its position being disturbed, or
without becombing entangled or felted, whereby the sliver or slubbing can be taken
in a dyed state back again to receive the usual and ordinary subsequent operations,
which will be found of considerable advantage over other methods at present in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
Firstly. In a machine for dyeing or treating fibres, the combination of vessels A
and B together with pump C, whereby a continuous stream of liquor runs from one
vessel to the other vessel, in manner substantially as described and shewn in the
Drawings.
Secondly. In a machine for dyeing or treating fibres, the combination of vessels A
and B, the latter being provided with one or more perforated plates E and F for the
purpose of compressing the fibre in manner substantially as described and shewn in
the Drawings.
Thirdly. The employment of apparatus comprising an outer and inner vessel A
and B, connected together by pipes, and a pump, for forcing liquor through fibre
compressed between two perforated plates, all substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 17th day of October 1887.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.