IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING WOOL FROM COTTON AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN MIXED FABRICS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Knowles, James Knowles, and Joshua
Barraclough, all of Birstal, near Leeds, in the County of York, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING
WOOL FROM COTTON AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN MIXED
FABRICS."
Sealed the 22nd June 1866, and dated the 30th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Knowles, James
Knowles, and Joshua Barraclough at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 30th December 1865.
We, ARTHUR KNOWLES, JAMES KNOWLES, and JOSHUA BARRACLOUGH, all
of Birstal, near Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature
of, the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR
EXTRACTING WOOL FROM COTTON AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN
MIXED FABRICS," to be. as follows:―
The object of our Invention is to destroy the cotton contained in mixed
fabrics more expeditiously than is now done, and for this purpose after the
usual process of steeping the materials in acid we place the same within a
cylinder made either of iron or copper wire, and placed over a fire. This
cylinder slowly revolves on its axis (being actuated by suitable gearing), and
is fitted upon the inner circumference with eight rows (more or less) of iron
spikes, to prevent the materials or rags from rolling and getting entangled
together. The ends of the cylinder are made either of wood or of iron plates,
and to each end a shaft is attached, on which the cylinder revolves. During

page_text: its revolutions the cotton is quickly destroyed by the action of the heat.
When the cotton is sufficiently destroyed, the wool resulting from the operation
is cleansed from the refuse cotton and acid by a machine known as "Knowles's
washing machine," patented 9th June 1862, No. 1878. In order, however,
to prevent the wool from injury, steam or (if preferred) water is injected by
means of perforated pipes into the cylinder in such quantities as may be
desired. By this method the cotton is both more quickly and thoroughly
destroyed than hitherto, and the strength of the wool is not impaired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arthur Knowles, James Knowles, and Joshua Barraclough,
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ARTHUR
KNOWLES, JAMES KNOWLES, and JOSHUA BARRACLOUGH, all of Birstal, near
Leeds, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Arthur Knowles, James Knowles, and Joshua Barraclough, Her special
licence that we, the said Arthur Knowles, James Knowles, and Joshua
Barraclough, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Arthur Knowles, James Knowles, and Joshua Barraclough, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING WOOL FROM COTTON AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
CONTAINED IN MIXED FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Arthur Knowles, James Knowles, and Joshua Barraclough, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joshua Barraclough, on behalf of
myself and the said Arthur Knowles and James Knowles, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of our Invention is to destroy the cotton contained in mixed
fabrics more expeditiously than is now done, and for this purpose after the
usual process of steeping the material in acid we place the same within a
cylinder made either of iron or copper wire, and placed over a fire. This
cylinder slowly revolves on its axis (being actuated by suitable gearing) and
is fitted upon the inner circumference with eight rows (more or less) of iron
spikes to prevent the material or rags from rolling and getting entangled
together. The ends of the cylinder are made either of wood or of iron plates,
and to each end a shaft is attached, on which the cylinder revolves. During
its revolutions the cotton is quickly destroyed by the action of the heat. In
order, however, to prevent the wool from injury water or steam (if preferred)
is injected by means of a perforated pipe or pipes into the cylinder in such
quantities as may be desired. When the cotton is sufficiently destroyed, the
wool resulting from the operation is cleansed from the refuse cotton and acid.
By this method the cotton is both more quickly and thoroughly destroyed
than hitherto, and the strength of the wool not impaired.
In order, however, that our Invention may be more thoroughly understood
reference is made to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and the letters
and figures marked thereon, similar letters representing similar parts, that is
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our apparatus; Figure 2, a vertical section;
Figure 3, a plan; and Figures 4 and 5, enlarged transverse section and plan
of the heating, trough.
Letters A represent the standards used for supporting the cylinder, such
standards being either a part of or bolted to the foundation plate A¹.
Letters B represent the rotating cylinder having ends made of wood or iron
(into which the wire covering C is secured) and resting upon axes 6 in
standards A, one of the axes having a pulley B¹ for the purpose of driving
(where belting is used). On reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that a
portion of the wire covering (say th part) extending from c to c¹ is made
to open on hinges. for the purpose of charging and discharging the cylinder
with the material to be operated upon. Referring to Figure 2, the iron

page_text: spikes d (omitted in Figures 1 and 3 to prevent confusion) are shown; these
Letters D represent the heating
This trough is furnished with a
prevent the entangling of the materials.
trough, in which the fire rests on bars d.
moveable flap d", which when in position, as shown in Figure 2, partially
prevents the escape of heat. The axles e, having wheels e', support the trough
and by means of the handles f the same is placed in position or withdrawn
from under the cylinder when the same is not in motion, the projections on
the foundation plate guiding the wheels. Letters g show the perforated pipe
resting on supports g', secured to the standards A, and furnished with water
or steam (as desired) by communicating pipe g". The materials to be operated
upon (saturated as before explained) being supplied to the cylinder, the latter
is caused to rotate, and the fire (the draft of which may be urged by a blast
pipe from an ordinary fan) placed underneath, steam or water being simul-
taneously admitted to the cylinder, if desired, by means of the perforated pipe
before named. By the action of the heat the cotton is destroyed, and tho
wool remains. The wool is then removed, washed, and dried by the customary
methods, and is again fit for manufacturing purposes.
Having now fully disclosed the nature of our Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, we would have it understood that what we claim
as of our Invention is, the means or apparatus shown and described for the
purpose of extracting wool from cotton and other vegetable substances con-
tained in mixed fabrics.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joshua Barraclough, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JOSHUA DARRACLOUGH. (L.S.)