IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING WOOLLEN OR OTHER FABRICS FROM GREASY OR FATTY MATTERS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Thomas, of the City of Bristol, Merchant,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING
WOOLLEN OR OTHER FABRICS FROM GREASY OR FATTY MATTERS.”
Sealed the 4th August 1871, and dated the 10th February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Thomas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th February 1871.
I, CHARLES THOMAS, of the City of Bristol, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 'Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING WOOLLEN OR OTHER FABRICS FROM GREASY OR FATTY
MATTERS," to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of woollen and some other fabrics a considerable
quantity of oil or grease is used in some of the processes, and before
finishing the goods ready for the market it is necessary that these greasy
By the processes
and fatty matters should be removed from the fabrics.
now used for this purpose the fatty matters are obtained in such a state

page_text: that their value is materially reduced and a considerable money loss
ensues.
The object of the present Invention is to effect the removal of the
greasy or fatty matters from the fabrics in such a manner and by such
means that these substances when obtained may be used again for a like
purpose (instead of employing fresh or new fatty matters), thereby
effecting a considerable economy in the manufacture. To this end I
dissolve out the greasy or fatty matters from the fabric by means of
sulphide of carbon which is a solvent of grease, and then I separate the
sulphide of carbon from the oil or fatty matter, which when filtered may
be used again.
If
In carrying out my Invention I employ a close vessel which may be
divided into three or any other suitable number of separate compartments.
The fabric to be operated upon is introduced into the first compartment,
which contains water, and after passing under a roller placed below the
water it ascends and passes between two squeezing rollers which squeeze
out the water from the fabric which then passes into the second com-
partment containing bisulphide of carbon through which it is carried
forward under a roller and between a pair of squeezing rollers.
desired the fabric may be subjected to a second and third bath of sulphide
of carbon contained in similar compartments, and it ultimately passes
into the last compartment, which contains water, from whence it is
ultimately drawn after the water has been expressed therefrom. The
main use of the water compartments is to form an hydraulic joint
to prevent the escape of the odour of the sulphide of carbon, which is
very offensive and deleterious to health. The compartments containing
the sulphide of carbon may if desired be connected together by means
of pipes provided with suitable cocks and when the liquid in the first
compartment is saturated with grease it may be drawn off and the
sulphide separated therefrom by evaporation, distillation, or in any
other convenient manner. The sulphide in the second compartment
may then be run into the first, and from the third into the second,
and so on, taking care to supply the last compartment with more
sulphide so as to make the operation continuous, to which end any
number of pieces of fabric may be joined together by their ends so that
they may in succession be drawn through the apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
THOMAS, of the City of Bristol, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Thomas, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Thomas, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Thomas, 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 "IMPROVED MEANS
OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANSING WOOLLEN OR OTHER FABRICS FROM GREASY OR
FATTY MATTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Thomas, 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 Thomas, 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
In the manufacture of woollen and some other fabrics, and of woollen
yarns for weaving, a considerable quantity of oil or grease is used in
some of the processes, and before finishing the goods ready for use or
for sale it is necessary that these greasy and fatty matters should be
removed from the fabrics. By the processes now used for this purpose
the fatty matters are obtained in such a state that their value is
materially reduced and a considerable money loss ensues.

page_text: но ровови
greasy or fatty matters from the fabrics in such a manner and by such
means that these substances when obtained may be used again for a like
purpose (instead of employing fresh or new fatty matters) thereby
effecting a considerable economy in the manufacture. To this end I
dissolve out the greasy or fatty matters from the fabric by means of
bisulphide of carbon which is a solvent of grease, and then I separate
the bisulphide of carbon from the oil or fatty matter, which when
washed and filtered may be used again.
In carrying out my Invention I employ an apparatus such as that
shewn in the accompanying Drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation
of the apparatus complete; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, and
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same. The apparatus consists of a
close vessel divided into any suitable and convenient number of separate
compartments. The fabric or yarn to be operated upon is introduced
or fed by means of rollers into the first compartment a, which contains
water and after passing under a roller 6 placed below the water it ascends
and passes between two squeezing rollers c, c, which squeeze out the
water from the fabric or yarn which then passes into the second com-
partment d containing bisulphide of carbon, through which it is carried
forward under a roller or rollers e, e, and between a pair of squeezing
rollers c¹,
c¹. If desired the fabric may be subjected to a second and
third bath of bisulphide of carbon contained in similar compartments
as shown at d¹, and it ultimately passes into another compartment f
which contains water from whence it is drawn after the water has been
expressed therefrom by the squeezing rollers c², c². The fabric or yarn
then passes forward into the close stcam chamber 9 where it is exposed
to the action of a bath of steam whereby the bisulphide is expelled from
the fabric. In order to prevent the escape of bisulphide vapor from the
vessel g into the atmosphere the edges of the partitions h, h, are armed
with strips of cloth, felt, or leather, which are made to press upon
the surfaces of the squeezing rollers c², c², and thus form an air-tight
joint. The liquor resulting from the condensation of the steam is drawn
off and the uncondensed steam and bisulphide vapour are conducted
through suitable pipes to a condenser, where they are condensed in the
usual manner. The bisulphide of carbon when abstracted from the
water or other matters may be used again for dissolving out the grease
from woollen fabrics or yarns. The cleansed fabric or yarn passes from

page_text: the steam chamber g to another water compartment in which it undergoes
a final washing and then passes out of the apparatus between the last
pair of squeezing rollers. The main use of the water compartments is
to form an hydraulic joint to prevent the escape of the bisulphide of
carbon, which is very volatile and is offensive and deleterious to health.
In order to carry the fabric or yarn through the apparatus and render
the cleansing operation continuous a slow rotary motion is communicated
to the squeezing rollers by means of suitable gearing as shewn in
Figures 1 and 3. On one end of the longitudinal driving shaft is
mounted the pulley which is actuated by a band or strap from any
suitable prime mover. Worms k, k, k, are keyed on the shafting and
gear into and drive the worm wheels 1, 1, 1, on one end of the axles of
the upper squeezing rollers c, c¹, and c² from end to end of the machine.
On the opposite ends of these axles are keyed toothed wheels m which
gear into and drive wheels n of the same diameter and number of teeth
on the axles of the lower squeezing rollers. The axles of the squeezing
rollers pass through stuffing boxes so that the gearing is keyed thercon
outside the respective chambers. As the worms & the worm wheels 1, 1,
and the toothed wheels m and n throughout are respectively of the
same size and work at the same speed, the fabric or yarn will be drawn
through the apparatus at an uniform speed. The carrying rollers b, e, e¹,
and e turn freely in their bearings as the fabric or yarn passes along
through the apparatus. The compartment d' is supplied with the
bisulphide of carbon through the pipe o. (Fig. 1) and the two com-
partments d and d' may if desired be connected together by means of
pipes provided with suitable cocks and when the liquid in the first
compartment d is saturated with grease it may be drawn off through
the pipe p and the bisulphide separated therefrom by evaporation,
distillation, or in any other convenient manner. The bisulphide in the
second compartment & may then be run into the first, and if there are
more compartments it may be run from the third into the second and
so on, taking care to supply the last compartment with more bisulphide
so as to make the operation continuous, to which end any number of
pieces of fabric may be joined together by their ends so that they may
in succession be drawn through the apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another form of apparatus in which yarn
in the form of cops or bobbins may be operated upon in order to remove
the grease. In this instance the process will not be continuous as the

page_text: q
apparatus consists of one or more close vessels which must be packed
with the articles to be operated upon, and when these latter have been
cleansed of the grease they contain and have been properly washed or
steamed the vessels may be opened and the contents removed, and the
vessels recharged with fresh goods. This apparatus consists of a cast-
iron vessel q provided with trunnions which are mounted in bearings
on the top of the standards ",", fixed to the foundation plate. The
vessel is provided with a perforated false bottom q¹ on which the cops
or other articles or goods are placed and also with a perforated false
top q² which rests on brackets or ledges attached to the sides of the
vessel. A cast-iron cover 8 closes the top or upper end of the vessel
and is held in place by the bridge piece and screw, which when screwed
down forms an air-tight joint between the covers and the flange of
the vessel. The bisulphide of carbon is let into the lower part of the
vessel 1 below the false bottom 7' through the inlet pipe u which is
temporarily connected with the bent or elbow pipe u¹ of the vessel by
an union joint v. The bisulphide will rise up in the vessel q and pass
through the goods contained therein. By so doing it will dissolve the
grease that adheres to the fibres and will carry it off through the exit
pipe w above this latter being connected by an union joint o¹ to the short
branch pipe w¹ of the vessel q. The exit pipe w will conduct the liquid
to a still in which the bisulphide would be distilled off from the grease
or oil and condensed in the usual way. When the grease has been
dissolved out of the goods the bisulphide liquid remaining in the vessel
must be drawn off into a reservoir beneath and be preserved for further
The goods may then be washed by cutting off the supply of bi-
sulphide and turning on a supply of steam through the pipe " and
causing it to pass away through the exit pipe w above, or the steam may
be passed through the goods in the contrary direction. By this means
any bisulphide vapour or odour remaining in the goods will be carried off
and may be conducted to the worm of a condenser. The steaming
operation should be continued until all traces of the bisulphide have
been removed which can be readily ascertained by drawing off samples
of the condensed steam or vapour. When the goods have been sufficiently
washed and cleansed the vessel 9 may be disconnected with the pipes u
and w.
The cover may then be removed and the contents discharged by
turning the vessel bottom side up on its trunnions by means of the
worm which takes into a worm wheel y on one of the trunnions.
The vessel may then be charged again with a fresh supply of goods and
use.

page_text: when the tubular connections are renewed the bisulphide of carbon may
be passed through these fresh goods. If desired two, three, or more
of these close vessels q may be connected together and worked in
combination.
Having now described my Invention and the manner of carrying the
same into effect I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid the mode herein set forth and the apparatus above
shewn and described or any mere modification thereof for removing
greasy or fatty matters from woollen or other goods or fabrics by means
of bisulphide of carbon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Thomas, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the First day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
CHARLES THOMAS. (L.S.)