IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING. WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Petrie, junior, of Rochdale, in the County
of Lancaster; Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING. WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Petrie at tlie
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th March 1868. .
I, JOHN PETRIE, junior, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to that part of machines for washing
wool and other fibrous materials which is used for the purpose of raising
the said materials from the washing trough. To accomplish this I
propose to use a travelling surface which extends at its lower part into
the trough and towards which the material is conveyed by. the ordinary
rake. In addition to this rake I employ another rake or rakes which

page_text: by ordinary mechanical means are caused to move with the aforesaid
travelling surface, whereby the material is retained thereon until it is
sufficiently drained to prevent it from being washed back into the
trough by the fluid. The aforesaid travelling surface subsequently
delivers the material to squeezing rollers or other ordinary apparatus.
According to another arrangement I employ a travelling surface as
aforesaid in conjunction with a series of prongs, which when conveying
the material are thrust forward by cams or inclines. These prongs I
place below the travelling surface, through which they are thrust by
cams or inclines until the material is sufficiently drained, and they are
then by the same means withdrawn, allowing the material to be delivered
as usual.
Another part of my Invention relates to the roller which is employed
for transferring the material from lifting cylinders to the travelling
surface which delivers it. For this purpose I employ a roller furnished
with vanes instead of the usual roller with a plain cylindrical surface.
Another part of my Invention relates to the troughs of washing
machines for fibrous materials. In that part of the apparatus a trap
is sometimes placed at the end of the machine for receiving dirt.
According to my Invention I propose to place the said trap at the
lowest part of the trough or approaching thereto, and to this trap I
adapt a valve by which the said dirt may be passed off.
I also propose to add another valve at a higher level for the purpose of
allowing the washing solution to be drawn off.
Also I propose to insert water pipes at the end or ends of the trough,
and through which jets of water may be passed to cleanse the bottom
without having to remove the false bottom or perforated plate.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said John
Petrie in the Great Seal Patent O.Ece on the 18th September 30
1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PETRIE, junior, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Petrie, Her special license that
I, the John Petrie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Petric, 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 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 MACHINERY FOR
WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition, amongst
others, that I, the said John Petrie, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 on or
before the Eighteenth day of September One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Petric, 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 and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:
My Invention relates, firstly, to that part of machines for washing
wool and other fibrous materials which is used for the purpose of raising
the said materials from, the washing trough. These machines are now
well known and in use, being upon that principle for which Letters
Patent were granted to me in conjunction with Samuel Taylor.
According to my present Invention I use a travelling surface which
extends at its lower part into the trough and towards which the material
is conveyed by the ordinary rake. In addition to this rake I employ
another rake or rakes which are caused to move with the said travelling.
surface, whereby the material is retained thereon until it is sufficiently
drained to prevent it from being washed back into the trough by the
fluid. This part of my Invention is shewn at Figs. 1 and 2, the former
being a side elevation of part of a washing machine and the latter a
plan view. The washing trough is shewn at 1. provided with the usual
false bottom 2. Within this trough is a roller 3 over which and another

page_text: Froller 4 the travelling surface 5 passes. This surface may be constructed
in any manner ordinarily adopted for such apparatus, or as they are
sometimes called "brats." The roller 4 is of smaller diameter than
'that shewn at 3 for the purpose of allowing the "brat" to travel near
to the bite of the ordinary squeezing or delivering rollers 6. At 7 is
the ordinary rake for moving the material towards the end of the trough
and mounted upon the sliding rod 8 to which a vibratory motion is
imparted by the crank 9, as usual. Above the travelling surface is
another rake with two rows of prongs 10, 11, the former of which when
in the position shewn extends between the prongs of the usual rake 7.
'The prongs 10, 11, extend at intervals across the width of the travelling
surface, and are carried by a rod 12 which passes through and is capable
of sliding upward and downward in bosses 13, 14, and these bosses
carry projecting pins which pass into cranks 15, 16. Upon the upper
end of the rod 12 is a roller 17 situate over the boss 14, and at 18 is
another roller also carried by the rod 12 and resting according to the
position shewn in the Drawing upon an incline 19, the angle of which
corresponds to the angle of the travelling surface 5.
The operation is as follows:-Motion being communicated to the
crank 9 the swinging rake will by the usual means carry forward the
material towards the end of the trough, and will throw it upon the
travelling surface 5; according to the position shewn in the Drawing
it has just performed that operation, and the prongs 10, 11, having
.descended will retain the said material and prevent it being washed back
by the retiring fluid. The cranks 15, 16, now moving forward in the
direction of the arrows will by means of the pins on the bosses 13, 14,
carry forward the rod 12 and consequently the prongs 10, 11, and their
vertical position will be regulated by the roller 18 which moves along
the incline 19, and this being parallel to the travelling surface the same
relative position to the prongs will be maintained as the two travel
onward together, and thus the washed material is retained on the
"brat" until sufficiently drained to avoid the danger of its floating
back. During this operation the bosses 13, 14, slide upon the rod 12,
the upper end of which is formed square in order to prevent it from
turning, a batch of material having been thus detained by the
prongs 10, 11, until it is drained, and the cranks 15, 16, having
performed a half revolution will cease to move forward the prongs, and
the boss 14 will arrive in contact with the roller 17 from which it had

page_text: slidden during the above-described operation, and the rod 12 with its
prongs 10, 11, will therefore be lifted and moved back by the return
motion of the cranks 15, 16, into the position shewn, and so on for every
batch of material delivered by the swinging rake 7.
Having thus described those parts of the machine relating to my
Invention and the operation thereof, it will be evident to all mechanics
that the mode of driving the same may be varied to a great extent...
I will now however point out a method I adopt for communicating
motion to the cranks. At 20 is the shaft employed for giving motion
to the swinging rake, and upon this is a bevil pinion 21 taking into
another 22 upon a short shaft 23 which carries at its other end a
pinion 24 in gear with another upon an upright shaft 25 which drives
the two cranks 15, 16. The travelling surface 5 and squeezing rollers 6
may be driven by any convenient ordinary means..
Figs. 3 and 4 shew a modification of this part of my Invention. At 1
is the washing trough, at 7 a portion of the ordinary swinging rake, and
at 5 the travelling surface; at 26, 27, are two rollers armed with teeth
for taking into the links of any ordinary endless chain, represented by the
dotted line 28. Upon this chain are bars hinged at 29 and carrying
short levers provided with projecting pins 30 which bear as they travel
onward upon an incline 31, the face of which is parallel to the travelling
surface 5; attached to the said bars are prongs 32 projecting downward
nearly to the face of the travelling surface 5 and answering to those
shewn at 10, 11, in the formerly described arrangement. As the
chain 28 travels onward one of these rows of prongs (as at 32*) retains
the material upon the travelling surface until it is sufficiently drained,
the pin 30 sliding up the incline 31 and preventing the bar from turning
upon its hinged centre until lifted upwards by the chain, and thus each
bar with its rakes comes successively into operation. Fig. 4 shews one
side of the apparatus only, the rake bars being broken off, but they of
course extend across the machine, carry prongs at intervals forming a
series in width, and are attached on the other side to a chain similarly
mounted to that denoted by 28. The driving as before may be
accomplished by any ordinary means, but according to the Drawing 33
is supposed to be the driving shaft actuated from any convenient part of
the machine and imparting motion by the train shewn by the pitch lines
to the chain and travelling surface pullies; and I will here remark that

page_text: although it is not absolutely necessary I so arrange the gearing of this
and the previously described arrangement that the surface speeds of
the travelling surface or "brat" and the detaining rakes is the same.
The shafts which carry the chain pullies 26, 27, do not extend across
the machine for the corresponding pullies on the other side thereof,, or
they would be an obstruction to the rakes 32 as they travel forward,
the said pullies being mounted on short separate shafts 34, 34*, and
the driving toothed gear is therefore repeated on the other side of the
machine.
Another part of my Invention, according to my Provisional Speci-
fication, consisted in the employment of a travelling surface, as above
described in conjunction with a series of prongs which were thrust
through the same for detaining the material until it was drained
and were then withdrawn, but since the filing of the same I have
discovered that the apparatus was not new and therefore make no claim
thereto.
Another part of my Invention relates to the roller which is employed
for transferring the material from lifting cylinders to the delivering
surface; this is shewn at Figs. 5, 6, in which 35 is a lifting cylinder
supposed to be on the principle of that for which I, in conjunction with
Samuel Taylor, obtained Letters Patent as aforesaid, and at 35* is the
travelling delivery surface. Between these two parts is placed a
roller 36 which is not wholly cylindrical, but formed with vanes, and
rotatory motion being communicated thereto the material is stripped
from the cylinder and cast upon the delivery surface.
Another part of my Invention relates to the troughs of washing
machines for fibrous materials. In that part of the apparatus a trap
is sometimes placed at the end of the machine for receiving dirt.
.
According to my Invention I place the trap at the centre and the
'lowest part of the trough or approaching thereto, and to which trap I
adapt a valve by which the dirt may be passed off.
- I also add another valve at a higher level for the purpose of allowing
the washing solution to be drawn off.
Also in reference to the washing troughs I insert water pipes at the
end or ends of the trough, and through which jets of water may be
passed to cleanse the bottom. These improvements are shewn combined

page_text: at Figs. 7 and 8, but may be used separately if desired. At 1 is the
washing trough, and. at 2 the usual false bottom or perforated plate;
at 41 is a well or trap situate at the centre and lowest part of the trough
or approaching thereto so that the bottom of the trough may be washed
from both sides thereof, and provided with an opening 42 closed by a
valve 43. To this valve is connected a lever 44 turning upon a
centre 45, and jointed at its other end to a rod 46 which at its upper
end is screwed and situate in a nut 47. Within the well or trap 41 is
a tube 48 open at bottom to an outlet, but rising upward to about the
level of the said trap or well, and provided with a valve 49 which is
capable of being raised by a screwed rod 50 connected to a lever 51;
when it is desired to empty the washing trough the valve 49 only is at
first raised, and the washing solution is allowed to flow through the
tube 48 and aperture in the trap or well into any convenient receptacle.
This will leave a portion of the fluid and dirt in the well or trap and
which may then be discharged through the valve 43. At each or at one
end of the trough and below the false bottom or perforated plate 2 I
introduce a pipe, as at 50, 50*, supplied with water at sufficient pressure
to cause a jet or jets to issue when the taps 51, 51*, are opened, and
when this is done the said jets act upon the bottom of the trough
so as to cleanse it without removing the false bottom or perforated
plate 2, the cleansing water being allowed to pass out through the
valve 43.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I
desire it to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above
in part recited Letters Patent,-
Firstly. And in reference to machines for washing wool and other
fibrous materials, the use of a travelling surface for lifting the material
from the fluid in combination with a detaining rake or rakes moving
therewith but independently thereof.
Secondly. The employment of a roller armed with vanes for the
purpose above set forth.
Thirdly. Forming the washing trough with a trap or well provided
with a valve or valves in the centre or lowest part thereof, or
substantially so, for the purpose of cleansing the trough from both ends
thereof.

page_text: Fourthly. The use of a pipe or pipes situate beneath the false
bottom or perforated plate for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Petrie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JOHN PETRIE, JR. (L.S.)