Improvements in Certain Machines for Washing, Soaping, Bleaching, Dyeing, and similarly Treating Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug.; 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th May, 1893-Accepted, 24th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Certain Machines for Washing, Soaping, Bleaching,
Dyeing, and similarly Treating Textile Fabrics.
I, JOSEPH SCHMIDLIN, of Bradley Fold, near Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Calico Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in machines for washing, soaping, bleaching,
dyeing and similarly treating textile fabrics, in the open state and particularly to
the machine known as Hawthorne's Patent Open Washing and Soaping Machine.
The chief features of this machine consist of a tank containing the soap or other
liquor and a revolving wheel fitted in the tank and carrying through the liquor the
cloth to be washed soaped or otherwise treated.
I find in practice that the mere carrying round of the fabric by the revolving
wheel does not cause sufficient agitation to thoroughly cleanse the fabric or cause
complete saturation and penetration of the dye or bleach liquor as the case
may be.
My improvements consist essentially in imparting a rocking, that is to say, an
axially reciprocating movement to the wheel, whereby the fabric is thrown or moved
first in one direction and then in the other, and consequently the washing soaping
dyeing bleaching or other analogous operation is more efficiently performed.
Dated this 9th day of August 1892.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Certain Machines for Washing, Soaping, Bleaching,
Dyeing, and similarly Treating Textile Fabrics.
I, JOSEPH SCHMIDLIN, of Bradley Fold, near Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Calico Printer, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in machines for washing, soaping, bleaching,
dyeing and similarly treating textile fabrics, in the open state and particularly to
the machine known as Hawthorn's Patent Open Washing and Soaping Machine.
I find in practice that the mere carrying round of the fabric by the revolving
wheel does not cause sufficient agitation to thoroughly cleanse the fabric or cause
complete saturation and penetration of the die or bleach liquor as the case
may be.
My improvements consist essentially in imparting a rocking, that is to say, an
axially reciprocating movement to the wheel or frame, whereby the fabric is thrown
or moved first in one direction and then in the other, and consequently the washing,
soaping, dyeing, bleaching or other analogous operation is more efficiently
performed.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying two sheets of drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of part of a machine constructed
according to my improvements.

page_text: igs. 2, 3 and 4 are side elevation, plan, and cross section respectively of one of
the perforated plates.
Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of a shrouded chain wheel and the inner portion of the
chain resting thereon as hereinafter specified, and
Fig. 6 is an elevation of a suitable arrangement of mechanism for producing the
rocking and rotation of the wheel.
In the drawing Figure 1,-a, b, c, designate three cisterns or tanks. The middle
tank to which my improvements relate is of cylindrical form with an inner
concentric case d which leaves a limited but sufficient space for the cloth, for the
liquor in which it is to be immersed and for the wheel or frame by which the cloth
is carried. This wheel or frame is composed of an endless chain e made up of a
series of plates shown in detail, Figs. 2, 3 and 4. These plates may be solid but
are preferably perforated and shaped as shown and connected together and if
necessary to separate chains in any convenient and suitable manner so as to form a
chain. This chain of plates is carried and guided by chain wheels f and by
the indented flanges of two shrouded chain wheels g supported in any suitable way
one near each side or end of the cylindrical tank.
Each chain wheel 9 also carries a second series of plates el which are similar to
the plates e already described and illustrated by Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and these plates e¹
form a second chain or cage. The plates e or el on the chain or chain wheel as
the case may be are preferably set a slight distance apart so as to allow the water
or liquor to pass freely through when in motion.
The drawing shows the chain wheels g and cage formed by the plates e' supported
on a series of rollers or pulleys i and a rocking or backward and forward movement
is imparted to said wheels and cage by any convenient and suitable driving
mechanism and preferably in such a manner that the forward motion gradually
gains upon the backward so as to cause a gradual but steady advance of the frame
in one direction in addition to the aforesaid rocking motion.
In the arrangement of mechanism illustrated by Fig. 6 for imparting this
combined motion to the wheel, p is a shaft driven in any convenient manner on
which is secured a disc or wheel p' provided with an eccentric stud q; to this stud
is secured one end of an arm s shaped at its free end s¹ to engage in either direction
with pins e secured to the face of the sprocket wheel e.
Fulcrumed at t¹ on the
machine frame is an elbow levert to the horizontal arm of which is pivoted a rod
which is also pivoted at s to the arms which rests upon the vertical arm of the
elbow lever t.
?
The drawing represents the arms at the end of its outstroke, as the disc p¹ rotates
in the direction of the arrow the end s' of the arm will bear against the pin 4 on the
sprocket wheel e and withdraw the latter two teeth in the backward direction, that
is, the pin I will move back to the position now occupied by the pin 3; when the
wheelp with the eccentric stud q has moved rather more than a quarter of a revolution
the ends of the arms will be lifted over the pin 4 and then drop between the pins 4
and 5. As the wheel p continues to rotate, the arms with its end s¹ resting behind
the pin 4, moves the sprocket wheel e in the direction of the arrow the distance of
three pins. In this manner the sprocket wheel is drawn back the distance of two
of its teeth e and advanced the distance of three teeth at each rotation of the
wheel P and therefore the sprocket wheel is continually reciprocating and yet
advancing slowly in one direction and carrying the cloth through the tank b.
The fabric is passed into and through the machine and is allowed to gather and
accumulate in the space between the two series of plates e and e' which space
contains soap and water or other liquor confined between the outer and inner
casings b and d. The fabric passes over a revolving reel 1 which as it rotates
imparts a vibratory motion to the cloth causing it to fall in small folds between the
plates e e¹ and as it falls the cloth is well wetted by liquor discharged from spurt
pipes m which prevents the folds from sticking together. The undulations formed
by the spaces between the projecting portions of the plates e e¹ combined with the
rocking motion of the parts causes the fabric to constantly change its position and

page_text: the consequent beating action and agitation of the liquor causes the fabric to
be most effectually soaped washed or otherwise saturated and impregnated with the
liquor.
The fabric is gradually carried from the admission j to the exit k by the gaining
motion above described.
To ensure a circulation of liquor in a direction from the outgoing towards the
incoming end of the fabric, the liquor is supplied to the confined space between
the outer and inner casings b upon the exit side k and discharged through
the overflow pipe n.
If required steam may be admitted inside the casing d and a coil pipe arranged
inside so as to heat the liquor.
The arrangement shown and described is the one I prefer and which I consider
most suitable for carrying out the object of my invention; but I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to such arrangement as a wheel with
divisions or compartments or any suitable frame for carrying the fabric under
treatment might be employed without departing from the nature of my invention
the essential feature of which consists in imparting a rocking or axially reciprocating
movement to such wheel frame or equivalent part.
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. Imparting a rocking or axially reciprocating movement to a wheel or frame
carrying a fabric immersed in the washing, soaping, dyeing, bleaching or other
liquor substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The arrangement use and application of plates such as e whether connected
together to form a chain or fixed or supported upon a wheel or frame substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
3. The combination with the endless chain e or its equivalent, of the inner chain
or cage e mounted upon a series of rollers or pulleys i substantially as herein set
forth.
4. The combination and general arrangement of parts embodying my improve-
ments substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 9th day of May 1893.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for Applicant.