Improvements in Means for Applying Liquid to Rovings in Spinning Flax and other Vegetable Fibres.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 11th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct.. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Applying Liquid to Rovings in Spinning
Flax and other Vegetable Fibres.
I, JAMES PIM STRANGMAN of Sarno in the Province of Salerno in the Kingdom
of Italy, but at present residing at 4 St. Stephen's Square, Westbourne Park, in the
County of London, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
In the spinning of flax and other vegetable fibres by the process known generally
as wet spinning, the rovings pass to the spinning spindles, on their way being caused
to traverse through a trough of water which has been cold, warm or hot according
to circumstances and which water in the trough it has sometimes been proposed to
impregnate with other matters, such as an alkali, the object being thereby to aid
the softening of the fibres more effectually.
•
In practice it is found that this method of applying water is not always effectual
and sufficient, and even when for plain water is substituted an alkaline solution the
liquid is not applied uniformly either as regards quantity or the strength of the
solution applied.
The object of the present invention is to apply alkaline or other solution to
the fibres being spun either about the point where the twist commences in spinning
or as near thereto as may be convenient and either before or after passing the
drawing or retaining and pressing rollers on the way to the thread plate and flyers.
This alkaline liquid or other solution as applied by me is designed to be applied
additionally of the liquid applied in the ordinary water or liquid trough already in
use, and I prefer to apply the additional alkaline liquid or solution by means of a
roller or rollers suitably formed or clothed and arranged to take up or receive the
alkaline or other solution from a reservoir or source of supply thereof, or the
alkaline or other solution may be evenly distributed on to the fibres by other
equivalent means of distribution at the desired point or points, the object being to
secure sufficient and uniform distribution of such alkaline or other solution
throughout the rovings, and to facilitate even spinnings.
One method of applying the additional alkaline liquid or other solution is to
provide a trough or reservoir near the thread plate into which dips a portion of a
roller so that its whole surface is kept supplied with solution, and this roller
rotating in a direction say, against the clock, delivers solution downwards and well
into the fibres of the rove but this may be considerably varied, or other means of
supply adopted according to the circumstances of the case.
Dated the 11th day of December 1891.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Applying Liquid to Rovings in Spinning
Flax and other Vegetable Fibres.
I JAMES PIM STRANGMAN of Sarno, in the Province of Salerno, in the Kingdom
of Italy, but at present residing at 4 St. Stephen's Square, Westbourne Park, in the
County of London, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to he performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the spinning of flax and other..vegetable fibres generally treated by the

page_text: ..
.
process known as wet spinning the rovings pass to the spinning spindles, on their
way being caused to traverse through a trough of water which has been cold,
warm or hot according to circumstances and which water in the trough it has
sometimes been proposed to impregnate with other matters such as an alkali, the
object being thereby to aid the softening of the fibres more effectually.
In practice it is found that this method of applying water is not always effectual
and sufficient and even when for plain water is substituted an alkaline solution the
liquid is not applied uniformly either as regards quantity or the strength of the
solution applied.
:
The object of the present invention is to apply alkaline or other solution, heated
or otherwise, according to the quality of the goods, to the rove being spun either
about the point where the twist commences in spinning or as near thereto as may
be convenient and either before or after passing the drawing or retaining and
pressing rollers on the way to the thread plate and flyer. This alkaline liquid
or other solution as applied by me is designed to be applied additionally of the
liquid employed in the ordinary water or liquid trough already in use, and I prefer
to apply the additional alkaline liquid or solution by means of a roller or rollers
suitably formed or clothed aud arranged to take up or receive the alkaline or other
solution from a reservoir or source of supply thereof, or the alkaline or other
solution may be evenly distributed on to the fibres by other equivalent means of
distribution at the desired point or points the object being to secure sufficient and
uniform distribution of such alkaline or other solution throughout the rovings and
to facilitate even spinnings.
One method of applying the additional alkaline liquid or other solution is to
provide a trough or reservoir near the thread plate into which dips a portion of a
roller so that its whole surface is kept supplied with solution and this roller rotating
in a direction say against the clock delivers solution downwards and well into the
fibres of the rove but this may be considerably varied or other means of supply
adopted according to the circumstances of the case.
The placing of alkaline solution in the ordinary water trough of the spinning
frame has been attended as is well known with great advantage, but the effect is
not perfection. I have found moreover that by giving a small additional supply of
alkaline solution to the rove at the point near where it enters the nip of the
pressing.rollers or alternatively the drawing rollers the liquid so supplied is caused
by the pressure of those rollers to enter into such intimate relation with the fibres
that the beneficial results are greatly enhanced and the proper drawing of the
fibres is much facilitated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews a diagram indicative of parts of a wet spinning frame sufficient to
illustrate my improvement so far as it relates to the application of the liquid at or
near the thread plate.
a is a roller, which is here shown covered as with material which may be porous
and absorbent or otherwise, rotating in a trough 6 and in contact with the thread <,
Al is a nine to suunly liquid to trough 1 dis the anding of the ent
Fig. 1 shews a diagram indicative of parts of a wet spinning frame sufficient to
illustrate my improvement so far as it relates to the application of the liquid at or
near the thread plate.
1
a is a roller, which is here shown covered as with material which may be porous
and absorbent or otherwise, rotating in a trough 6 and in contact with the thread c,
1 is a pipe to supply liquid to trough
ordinary trough e wet spinning
frame and this is filled either with alkaline solution or plain water, e. e' are the
retaining rollers and f. fare the drawing rollers, g is the thread plate and h the
spindle and flyer.
Fig. 2 indicates like parts of a wet spinning frame as shewn with the water or
liquid trough d and supplemental supply of liquid at i or i.
The alkaline liquid supply arrangement is here shewn in full lines as being
supplied from the conduit to the retaining roller e¹ and to the rove whilst the
dotted lines shew the conduit as delivering the liquid to the drawing roller fand
the rove being drawn. In either arrangement the supply from i or it is designed to
be delivered to the rove just about the nip of one or other of the rollers and forced
intimately into and amongst the fibres of the rove being spun.

page_text: The alkaline solution should be such as possesses a slight latent acidity (such as.
say a one per cent. solution of chloride of magnesia & caustic soda acidulated with
a very slight percentage of salycilic or sulphuric acid or a solution of equivalent
strength of crystalised phosphate of soda which itself possesses a slight latent
acidity when employed as stated) to attain the best results, but various alkaline
solutions will give good results. I have found chloride of magnesia to be excellent
in solution for use in imparting the additional liquid to the rove, and I have also
found in practice that a small quantity of glycerine will in the cases of certain
fibres increase the efficiency of various alkaline solutions, borax also gives good
results. The water employ both for the ordinary troughs and for the extra.
supply of liquid referred to I prefer to soften before use by means of the well known
"Clarke's process."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein before described method of applying alkaline liquid to the rove in
the process of spinning flax or other vegetable fibre at the retaining or pressing
rollers, or at or near the drawing rollers; or at or near the thread plate.
2. In the spinning of flax or other vegetable fibre the application of alkaline
or such like solution to the rove either at the retaining and pressing rollers or at
the thread plate locality additionally of the supply of liquid applied by means of
the ordinary liquid or water trough, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of August 1892.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.