MACHINERY TO BE MILE BLEACHING AND DYEING OF CLOTHS, YARNS AND FABRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Parsons, of Lambeth, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "MACHINERY TO BE
MILE BLEACHING AND DYEING OF CLOTHS, YARNS AND FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Parsons
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1856.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK PARSONS, of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "MACHINERY
TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE BLEACHING AND DYEING OF CLOTHS, YARNS, AND FABRICS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the employment of cylinders, with certain appli-
ances thereto, made to rotate in troughs containing the liquids for washing,
bleaching, and cleansing of rollers, for expressing the liquid of drying cylinders;
and, if necessary, of cylinders, rollers, or frames made to revolvo in dyeing
liquors when required to dye the fabrics. The cylinders are all mounted in
suitable frames, have covers fitted to them, and are driven by bevil gearing
from one general shaft, with appliances for throwing all or any of them out of
gear when required. A serpentine pipe or coil runs through all the troughs in
order to maintain the requisite degree of temperature, and I fix in each a
particularly formed thermometer. The cloth or fabric is held upon the

page_text: cylinders by pins, and is retained on the pins by small vulcanized caoutchouc,
cork, or other similar rollers, revolving against them. In the washing trough,
and, if desired, in all the troughs, I fit brushes, which are caused to revolve by
frictional contact with the cylinder, whereby the water or other liquid is
caused to act on every particle of the cloth. The first trough contains water
for washing and cleansing the fabric before passing on to the cylinder in the
next or chlorine trough; from this cylinder it passes on to a cylinder revolving
in an acidulated liquor, and from this on to a washing or cleansing cylinder.
A perforated pipe is carried across the drum or frame enclosing the washing
cylinders, and liquid being supplied to these pipes, issues in jets on the fabric
round the cylinders. After coming from the last washing cylinder, I pass
the cloth through rollers clothed with flannel, felt, or other suitable material,
and then over drying cylinders. Where cloths only require bleaching, the
operation will finish here; but if to be dyed, I pass them over a roller or
frame made to revolve in dyeing liquor. In passing the cloth from one
cylinder to another, I carry it over a friction guide roller, fitted between
every two cylinders.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Frederick Parsons in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 19th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERICK PARSONS, of Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Ller heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Frederick Parsons, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Frederick Parsons, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Charles Frederick Parsons, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the terni 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
"MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE BLEACHING AND DYEING OF CLOTHS, YARNS,
AND FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles

page_text: Frederick Parsons, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Charles Frederick Parsons, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists in the employment of cylinders, with certain ap-
pliances thereto, made to rotate in troughs (also with certain appliances thereto)
containing the liquids for washing, bleaching, and cleansing, and provided
with brushes to cleanse, wash, and rub the surface of the cloth, yarn, or fabric;"
of rollers for expressing the liquid of drying cylinders; and, if necessary, of
cylinders, rollers, or frames made to revolve in dyeing liquors when it is
required to dye the fabrics.
The cylinders are all mounted in suitable frames, have covers fitted to them,
and are driven by bevil or other gearing from one general shaft, with appliances
for throwing all or any of them out of gear when required. A serpentine
pipe, coil, or worm, heated with steam, hot air, or hot water, runs through all
the troughs, in order to maintain the requisite degree of temperature, and a
particularly formed thermometer and hydrometer are fixed in or attached to
cach trough. The cloth or fabric is held upon the cylinders by pins, or other-
wise, and is retained on the pins by small vulcanized caoutchouc, cork, or
other similar rollers, revolving against them. In the washing trough, and, if
desired, in all the troughs, brushes are fitted, which may be of any form, size,
or material, or in any number, and which or some of which may be fitted
and caused to revolve by frictional contact with the cylinder, or they may be
otherwise fitted, and fixed, or moved, so that the water or other liquid is made
to act on every part of the cloth. The first trough contains water, or alkaline,
or other liquid, graduated to a certain strength, and heated to a certain tem-
perature, for washing and cleansing the fabric, which is pressed or brushed
with the brushes, as above described, before passing on to the cylinder in the
next or chlorine trough. In the chlorine trough the liquor is graduated to a
certain strength, and heated to a certain temperature, and the cloth or fabric
revolves therein, and is pressed or brushed with brushes as before. From the
cylinder in the chlorine trough the cloth or fabric passes on to a cylinder

page_text: revolving in a trough containing an acidulated liquor, which is likewise
graduated in strength, and heated to a certain temperature, and is therein
pressed or brushed with brushes as before. From this acidulated liquor the
cloth or fabric passes on to another cylinder, revolving in a trough of hot
water or steam and cold water, and is pressed or brushed again with brushes
as before, in order to wash out and cleanse the cloth or fabric from all chemicals.
The cold water in this trough plays on the cloth or fabric through a rose or
jet, and is discharged from the trough through a tap or valve at the bottom.
A perforated pipe, divided into sections, is carried across the drum or frame
enclosing the troughs (or there may be several such pipes), or the pipe or pipes
may be otherwise affixed, and the several liquids, used as above mentioned,
being supplied to these pipes or sections, issue in jets on the cloth or fabric
round the respective cylinders. After coming from the last washing cylinder,
I pass the cloth through rollers, clothed with flannel, felt, or other suitable
material, to express the water, and then over drying cylinders. When the
cloth or fabric only requires bleaching, the operation will finish here; but when
it is to be dyed I pass it over a roller or frame, made to revolve in dyeing
liquor, graduated and heated to the requisite strength and temperature, and
press or brush it with brushes, as before described, to promote saturation.
In passing the cloth from one cylinder to another, I carry it over a friction
guide roller, fitted between every two cylinders. To each of the troughs
(except the trough containing the hot water or steam and water for washing
out the chemicals) I affix a hydrometer, whereby I regulate the several
degrees of strength of the liquors above mentioned in the several troughs.
To each of the troughs I also affix a thermometer, the bulb thereof being
immersed in the liquor, whereby I regulate the degrees of heat of the liquors
in the several troughs. To each of the alkaline, chlorine, and acidulated
liquor troughs I attach and affix double-actioned and also self-acting feeding
valves, whereby I maintain a sufficient and equable supply of the liquors.
Throughout the said troughs runs a serpentine pipe, coil, or worm, heated
as before mentioned, whereby I maintain the required degree of temperature
in the troughs. The cylinders which I employ for the purposes of my Inven-
tion may be vertical, horizontal, or inclined, but I generally prefer to adopt
horizontal cylinders.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the number or
order of troughs and cylinders herein-before mentioned, as when necessary
for certain operations I vary the number of troughs and cylinders and their
order or arrangement, or I employ a series, so that the operations may be
repeated as often as necessary, or carried on in several troughs anʼ1 cylinders.

page_text: The Drawings annexed represent the manner in which I carry my Inven-
tion into effect.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 a section, Figure 3 a plan, with
the cylinder covers and one of the cylinders removed, to shew the interior of
one of the troughs; Figure 4 is a back, and Figure 5 an end view; Figure 6
is a part of one of the cylinders and cloth-holding apparatus, drawn to a larger
scale so as to be more distinct. A, A', A, A, are cylinders or drums, fixed on
shafts A, A, A, A, which revolve when required in bearings B, B, B, B,
secured to the side or frame of the trough B'. On one end of the cylinder
shafts mitre or bevil wheels D, B, B, D, are mounted or fitted. These
wheels are free to revolve on their respective shafts without turning the
cylinders, except when the clutches C, C, C, C, are thrown into action with
similar clutches on the back of the wheels B, B, B', B. C, C, C, C', are
forked levers for throwing the clutches into and out of gear; they are centred
in the brackets D, D', D, D, secured to the side or frame of the trough B'.
The wheels and cylinders are driven by similar bevel or mitre wheels D³, D',
D, D, keyed or otherwise fixed on the main driving shaft E, which lies along
and runs the whole length of the machine, and revolves in bearings E', E', E',
E', E', E', on the brackets E, E, E, E, E, E, firmly secured to the side or
frame of the trough B. On the shaft E are two riggers E, E, one of
which is fast and the other loose, and which may receive motion from a steam
engine or other prime mover by the strap E. The trough B' is divided by
partitions F, F, F, into four separate compartments F, F, F, F, one for
cach cylinder, and in which they revolve among the different liquors made use
of. These liquors are heated to the necessary degree by means of steam pipes
G, G1, G2, G, one in each compartment, and of serpentine form. These pipes
are connected together by means of the bends G, C, G, on the outside of the
trough B. The steam enters at II, and the steam and water or condensed
steam escape at II' after the steam has traversed the whole series. The
different degrees of heat are indicated by the thermometers G, G, the tubes of
which are bent at right angles, so as to allow one arm to be inserted through
the side of the trough, and lie parallel to the bottom of the compartments in
the liquors, while the other arm rises vertically or perpendicularly and parallel
to the side of the trough. This vertical arm is fixed to a graduated stock or
scale as in common thermometers, but has attached to it a sliding index
pointer, which can be slid up or down, so as to mark the degree at which it is
After being set, if the mercury rise or fall the difference will be readily
Horizontal brushes H, II, H, I, I, II, I, II, are affixed to the
inside of the ends of the troughs, and to each partition the bristles or their
set.
seen.

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equivalents being set so as to bear against opposite points of each cylinder.
Circular brushes or rollers I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, filled with bristles or their
equivalents are likewise placed in a position to bear against the cylinders.
These are at or near the bottoms of each compartment; they are centred and
revolve in the ends of short levers J, J, J, J, J, J, J, J. The other ends
of these levers are firmly secured to rods or rocking shafts K, K, K, K, K,
K, K; K; the ends of which are in bearings in the sides of the trough; the
ends of each of these rocking shafts project through the side of the trough, and
have hand levers K, K, K, K', K', K, K', K', firmly fixed on them; these
levers are for forcing the roller brushes into closer contact with the cylinders.
In the Drawings I have only shewn two roller brushes to each cylinder and coin-
partment, but more may be employed if desired. Each cylinder is encased by
the semicircular covers K, K, K, K; these covers have two lids each a, a,
aa; a, a, a, a, hinged to them, capable of being opened, as shewn by the
lotted lines b; b.. The upper parts of the casings of the first and last cylinders
are connected to a water reservoir K by the pipes b, b, which may be united
to one main pipe ; these pipes are furnished with cocks, 1, 6, to regulate
and stop the supply when necessary. Where these pipes are attached to the
casing, a piece of bent metal or other material is fixed to the inside thereof..
and is perforated, so as to throw the water in a shower over the cylinders.
L, L, L, are other reservoirs containing the various liquors used in bleaching
(these are seen in Figures 4 and 5); they are connected to the casings of their
respective cylinders by pipes L³, L, L, cach having two cocks M, M, attached
to them. Each pair of cocks is connected by the rods Me, Me, Me, jointed on
the levers c, c, by pins c', el; these levers are firmly secured to the plugs or keys
of the cocks. The passages in the plugs are set at right angles to each other,
so that when the handles d, d, d, are turned into such positions that the cocks
fare shut, the rods Me, Me, Me, open the cocks to which they are connected.
The passages in the cocks and plugs are made of such a size as to have
sufficient lap to prevent the connected cocks being open at the sanie time;
each pair of cocks is placed a sufficient distance apart on the pipes to allow
Space for liquor in the pipes between them; the quantity contained in such
space is all that can be supplied at each movement of each pair of cocks; but
if a constant stream be desired, the connecting rods Me may be thrown out of
gear, and each pair of cocks may be opened at the same time, until the
necessary quantity be run off from the reservoirs. Air vents or pipes é, c, ê,
are inscited in the pipes between the cocks for the eduction and induction of
air, while the pipes between the cocks are filling and emptying. Instead of
cocks, valves may be used. To the bettoms of the compartments, pipes fif, f,f

page_text: are fitted, and are furnished with cocks f', f, f, f, for running off the
different liquors when necessary. These pipes are connected to a main
pipe f, which conveys the liquors to any place desired. To hold on the cloth
to each cylinder I have inserted small pins g, g, in their peripheries.
In the Drawings I have only shewn two rows in each, but the cylinders may
be made of such a width as to render more necessary, according to the number
of pieces of cloth desired to be acted on at one time. These pins enter tho
selvages of the webs or pieces of cloth, and keep the cloth sufliciently stretched
while being acted upon by the liquors and cleansing apparatus. In fixing a
piece of cloth ou either cylinder, I make use of a particular kind of catch,
shewn in Figure 6. N is a portion of one of the cylinders. A groove is cut
along the surface of each cylinder parallel to its axis. In these grooves rods
or laths N are fitted, but of such a size as to allow a thickness of cloth h to be
taken in between the laths and cylinder grooves. Each end of these laths or
rods is fixed to arms N³, which are hinged, jointed, or pivoted to each end of
the cylinder. On the ends of the arms, which are fixed to the laths or rods,
teeth or pauls O are formed. These pauls are laid hold of by a spring catch
O', when the laths or rods and cloth are pressed into the grooves, and are thus
beld fast. O are springs, fastened at one end in the insides of the casings and
to the sides of them. Rollers P, P, P, P, are centred in the other euds of
these springs, and the springs press the rollers into close contact with the
cylinders. Grooves are turned in these rollers at the proper points to allow
the pins in the cylinders to pass through. These grooves are shown in dotted
lines i. Water gauges Q, Q. are attached to the sides of the troughs, having
communication with the various liquors contained in them for the purpose of
shewing their various heights or quantities. Bent tubes Q', Q', Q', are attached
to the under sides of each liquor compartment; these tubes are provided with
straight glass tubes Q, Q, Q, standing upright, or fixed perpendicularly, or
nearly so, in them. The glass tubes are open at their upper ends, the lower
ends being in communication with the different liquors which rise in them.
The upper ends are left open for the purpose of inserting a hydrometer for
ascertaining the strength of the different liquors, a bydrometer being placed in
each.
In bleaching cloths the mode of operation is thus:-Cloth having been wound
round the roller R, it is placed in the forked ends of the brackets or standards
, in which it is free to revolve. The casing lid which is nearest to the
roller R is then opened, and the end of the web or piece is laid over the groove
in the surface of the cylinder A, and fixed in that position by the lath or
rod N and catches, previously described when referring to Figure 6. The

page_text: cylinder is then made to revolve in the direction of the arrows, by hand, or by
throwing the clutch C into action, and thus draws the cloth off the roller R on
to A; and the roller P, by bearing against the periphery of the cylinder (by the
action of the springs O), presses the cloth on to the pins 9, 9, which hold it
fast. Motion is thus given to the cylinder A, which is kept revolving in its
trough, supplied with an alkaline liquor of proper strength. While the
cylinder A revolves, the roller brushes I, I, are kept in contact with it by
means of the lever K, and are driven by friction (or they may be driven by
gearing). The fixed horizontal brushes II, 11, are so placed as to be in
proper contact with the cylinder A, or they may be forced against it by springs,
or they may be set in the proper position by set screws, neither of which is
shewn in the Drawings. The fixed brushes and roller brushes are fixed
similarly to each other. The action of the brushes and alkaline liquor on the
cloth cleanses it from all greasy impurities; when sufliciently cleansed, the
clutch is thrown out of action and the cylinder stops. The lid of the cylinder
casing nearest to the next cylinder is then opened, and the nearest lid of the
next cylinder casing likewise. The end of the cleansed cloth is laid bold of
and transferred to the cylinder A' and fixed on to it in a similar manner to the
first. This cylinder A¹ is made to rotate until the cloth is completely fixed
round it. The cylinder is kept revolving in its trough (which is supplied with
chlorine or bleaching liquor) until the action of the liquor and friction of the
brushes have sufliciently bleached it. The cloth is then transferred to the
cylinder A, where it is treated in like manner, but its trough is supplied with
acid liquor, so as to cleanse it thoroughly from the chlorine; it is then trans-
ferred to cylinder A³, where it is similarly treated in clean water, with which
its trough is supplied; this rinces and cleans it of the acid and other impuri-
ties, and the cloth is then in a fit state for the drying process, which is thus
performed The lid of the casing nearest the drying apparatus is then opened,
and the end of the cloth laid hold of and passed along the travelling cloth S,
and between the squeezing rollers S', S2, by which the greatest part of the
moisture is pressed out. These rollers may be covered with felt or other
material, and are geared together by the pinions S3, S; they receive their
motion from a bevel or mitre wheel T on the main driving shaft E, which gears
into a corresponding wheel T', fixed on the shaft of the lower roller S²; theso
rollers may be put in and out of action at pleasure by the clutches T, Ts, and
forked lever T. After the cloth has passed through the squeezing rollers S¹, S,
it is then carried over and under the steam drying cylinder U, then over and
under the cylinder U¹, and over a similar cylinder U, when it is finally wound
on to the roller V, which may be removed at pleasure. The steam drying

page_text: cylinders U, U, U, revolve in bearings in the frame W, and are supplied with
steam by means of the pipes W¹ through their axles or shafts, which are made
hollow for the purpose. The steam cylinders and warping roller V receive
motion from a pulley X on the end of the lower squeezing roller by means of a
series of bands and pulleys Y, Y; or they may be driven by any suitable toothed
gearing. When the cloth or fabric only requires bleaching the operation will
finish here; but when it is to be dyed, instead of passing it along the travelling
cloth and through the squeezing rollers and drying apparatus, I pass it over a
roller or frame made to revolve in a vat of dyeing liquor (graduated to the
proper strength and temperature), where it is acted on by brushes (as described
in the bleaching process) until it is thoroughly saturated; I then pass it along
the travelling cloth and between the squeezing rollers, and then over and under
the steam drying cylinders, where it is thoroughly dried, in the same manner as
was formerly described when being dried after the bleaching process.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First, the general arrangement and action of cylinders with their appliances,
which cylinders are made to rotate in troughs containing the liquids for
bleaching and dyeing cloths, yarns, and fabrics, of rollers for expressing the
liquid therefrom, and of drying cylinders, all as herein-before described,
Second, the employment of brushes for the purpose and in manner herein-
before described.
And, third, the heating of the troughs in bleaching and dyeing machinery of
the kind herein-before described by means of serpentine pipes, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Parsons, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, Ono thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.