Improvements in the Process of and Apparatus for Soaping, Rinsing, and Wringing Textile Materials, Fabrics, and Garments.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 28th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 13th Sept., 1887
Improvements in the Process of and Apparatus for Soaping, Rinsing,
and Wringing Textile Materials, Fabrics, and Garments.
I JAMES HESELWOOD of Infirmary Street Leeds in the County of York Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
'
This invention relates to certain new and improved apparatus and arrangements for
soaping rinsing, and wringing textile materials fabrics garments and the like and
has for its object to economize time and labour and the consumption of Soap and
water.
The apparatus constructed according to these Improvements consists of a horizontal
or slightly inclined series of pairs of intergeared rollers. One of each pair of rollers
is above the other; all the bottom rollers are provided with flanges between which the
upper rollers rotate and these rollers are covered with a moderately thick coating of
soft vulcanized india-rubber or similar suitable yielding material. Of the upper
rollers that at one end or those at each end are corrugated or plain rollers the others
have fluted or corrugated surfaces. The spaces between the pairs of rollers are
occupied by short lengths of troughing so that the fabrics or materials pass through
the first pair of rollers along the first length of troughing, through the second pair
and thence along the troughing to the third pair and so on to the end. Jets are
arranged so as to inject clean or soapy water as may be required upon the fabrics or
materials as they leave each pair of rollers except or including the last pair. The
pairs of rollers having the smooth surfaces are the feeding and wringing rollers and
when employed for wringing only they are used separately.
In conjunction with the apparatus troughs are employed in which the fabrics or
materials to be operated on are packed and from which they are fed into the apparatus
or into which they may be received therefrom.
The rollers are made comparatively short and the fabrics or materials are passed
through the apparatus several times folded or in several layers of thicknesses.

page_text: The fabrics or materials are passed through the apparatus when it is employed for
laundry purposes both before and after the ordinary washing in the washing machine;
at the first passage they are injected with the soapy water which has been used in a
previous operation in the washing machine: at the second passage they are treated
with clean water for rinsing out the soap left from the washing machine. The soapy
water from the first passage having then been used three times, i.e. for rinsing washing
and soaping, is allowed to run to waste; the water used on the second passage of the
clothes through the apparatus for rinsing being comparatively clean is subsequently
used for washing and soaping. By passing the clothes through the apparatus in a
considerable thickness the buttons thereon are better preserved and a more uniform
treatment is secured for the clothes.
Dl L
1006
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
70, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: and Wringing Textile Materials, Fabrics, and Garments.
I, JAMES HESELWOOD, of Infirmary Street, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer
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 :-
This Invention relates to certain new and improved apparatus for and process of
soaping rinsing and wringing textile materials fabrics garments and the like and
has for its objects to economize time and labour and the consumption of soap and
water.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood and carried into
practical effect I will proceed to describe the same having reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus. In each of
the figures similar letters are employed to denote similar parts.
The apparatus constructed according to these improvements consists of a series of
pairs of intergeared rollers A A, each pair having one roller above the other. All the
bottom rollers have flanges B B between which the upper rollers rotate; these lower
rollers are covered with a moderately thick coating of vulcanized indiarubber or similar
suitable yielding material. The upper rollers are provided with fluted or corrugated
surfaces except that at one end or those at each end which may be plain or corrugated.
The intervals or spaces between and beyond the pairs of rollers are occupied with
channels or troughs CC so that the fabrics or garments pass through the first pair of
rollers, along the first length of troughing, between the second pair of rollers and
thence along the troughing to the third pair and so on to the end. To facilitate the
passage of the fabrics or garments carrier rollers D D may be employed. These have
their upper surfaces slightly projecting through openings formed in the channels or
troughs and by their rotary motion tend to carry the materials forward. The carrier
rollers may be driven by chains and chain wheels E E as shown in fig. 2, the driving
chain wheel F being upon the axis of one of the rollers. Jets G G are arranged so
as to inject clean or soapy water as may be required upon the fabrics or garments as
they leave each pair of rollers, except or including the last pair. The jets and the
water pipe to which they are connected are shown in fig. 1 but are omitted in fig. 2
for greater clearness. Any desired number of pairs of rollers may be employed in
one apparatus, but it will generally be found more convenient to have a set of about
five pairs only and then, if more are required two or even more of the machines may
be placed end to end. The rollers may all have equal lengths and diameters, but I
prefer to make each succeeding pair of rollers a little longer than the preceding.
When upper rollers are employed having smooth surfaces they are used respectively
for feeding and wringing and when employed for wringing only, they are used
separately.

page_text: Before being passed into the apparatus the fabrics or garments are packed into a
trough open at one or each end and having a cross section similar to the cross section
of the first channel or trough C in the apparatus. The fabrics are packed or overlaid
in several layers or thicknesses and are fed or supplied from the trough to, and pass
through the apparatus in this manifold condition.
The fabrics or garments are passed through the apparatus both before and after the
ordinary process of washing which may be conducted in any suitable manner; at the
first passage the fabrics or garments are injected with soapy water which has previously
been used for washing; at the second passage they are treated with clean water for
rinsing out the soap left therein after washing; this water is afterwards used for
washing. The soapy water used in the first passage of the materials having then
been used three times videlicet for rinsing, for washing and for soaping, is allowed to
run to waste.
Owing to the fabrics or garments being passed through the apparatus in several
folds or layers any buttons or hooks thereon are better preserved and a more
uniform treatment is secured for the materials operated on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) The process of rinsing soaping and wringing textile fabrics and garments,
which consists in rinsing the goods after washing with clean water, employing the
rinsing water for washing, using the washing water or suds for soaping and conducting
the soaping rinsing and wringing operations in an apparatus of the type hereinbefore
described.
(2) In apparatus for soaping and rinsing textile fabrics and garments; a series of
two or more pairs of rollers the upper roller of each pair having a fluted or corrugated
surface; substantially as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
(3) In apparatus for soaping and rinsing textile fabrics and garments; a series of
two or more pairs of rollers in combination with intermediate channels or troughs,
injection jets, means for adjusting the rollers, and gearing for effecting a simultaneous
motion of the rollers; substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by
the accompanying sheet of drawings.
(4) In apparatus for wringing textile fabrics and garments; a lower flanged roller
covered with a yielding material and a plain upper roller; substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 22nd day of July A D 1887
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.