An Improved Process and Apparatus for Cleaning Wool and other Textile Products.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
COMPLETE DIEUIFICATION.
An Improved Process and Apparatus for Cleaning Wool and other
Textile Products.
I, OSCAR REICHENBACH, of 3 Cromwell Crescent, South Kensington, in the
County of London, Civil Engineer, 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 an improved process and apparatus for cleaning wool
and similar textile products from grease and other foreign matters by the aid of
bisulphide of carbon (hereinafter designated C, S,) and has for its object to reduce
the loss of C, S₂ by, as far as possible, preventing evaporation and transport of the
fumes thereof by air in or from the apparatus in which the wool is treated, both
during the process of subjecting the latter to the action of the solvent and after-
wards when washing it to free it of the solvent and grease and other foreign matter
released thereof.
For this purpose I immerse the wool in C, S2 and after removing a portion of
the latter by pressure, I extract the remainder thereof together with the grease
and other foreign matter freed by it, by washing the wool with cold water in a
series of hermetically closed wool-washing machines.
For the purposes of my invention I feed the wool, either by hand or automatically,
through a shaft, the lower end of which projects through the upper portion of the
machine or receptable containing the solvent to such an extent that its lower
extremity dips into the C, S2.
The upper or feed end of this shaft is provided with an air lock, whilst below
this air lock one or more valves and feeding gear is provided for regulating the
travel of the wool. With such an arrangement the upward travel of the fumes
given off from the comparatively small exposed surface of the solvent is prevented
to a great extent, and these fumes, owing to their greater density displace a great
quantity of the air contained in the wool.
I effect and air lock in the upper end of the shaft by dividing its upper portion
into two or more passages provided at their upper and lower ends with valves so
arranged that the upper valves cannot be opened without previously closing the
lower valves. The lower parts of these passages are all connected to an air pipe
leading to a condenser and scrubber or either, said passages however need only
communicate with said air pipe when the upper valves of the passages are open.
These passages are alternately charged with wool and when these are full the
lower valves are opened and the upper valves closed. The wool is so fed on to a
previously closed valve near the bottom of the shaft.
When sufficient amount of wool has accumulated this lower valve is opened and
the wool partly immersed in the C, S2. As the wool sinks in the solvent the
greater portion of the air contained in it is displaced and rising in the shaft it
partly displaces the air in the wool above the level of the C, S.
Any fumes given off by the solvent are absorbed by the wool and whilst so held,
owing to their greater density, they tend to separate themselves from any air they
may contain and force this together with the air in the wool upwards so that the
greater the height of the shaft and consequently the quantity of wool contained
therein, the purer will be the air conveyed from the upper end of the shaft to the
condenser or scrubber.
As the wool is fed into the machine or receptacle containing the C, S, it is carried
by rocking and reciprocating arms or the like, to the opposite end of said receptacle

page_text: and passing through rolls it is carried through a series of washing machines and
cleansed by the aid of water contained therein of the foreign matter and
the C, S2 contained by it.
Any such number of these washing machines as may be found expedient for
carrying on the process and effecting the recovery of the C, S, and other substances
economically may be used, and they may be separately hermetically closed or two
or more joined together and the portions containing the liquid separated by cross
partitions over which the wool is carried, preferably by similar means employed in
the machine containing the C, S2.
The connections for the passage of the wool between the machines or com-
binations of machines, are such that the space above the level of the liquid
contained in one of them communicates with the interior of the next one to it on
the wool exit side below the liquid level therein, thus preventing the travel of
C, S, fumes or atmosphere in the same direction as the travel of the wool.
Passages governed by self acting valves are provided to enable the atmosphere
to pass from one machine to the other in an opposite direction to the travel of
the wool.
Thus when from any cause the pressure of the atmosphere in any tank rises
higher than that in the adjoining tanks it will raise the water level in the adjoining
tank nearest the wool exit end, and slightly depress the level in the water seal
which seal is effected by arranging the connections between the machine as before
described. A less amount of the atmosphere from the machine on the wool feed
end will so be conveyed into it by the wool, and a larger amount will be conveyed
from it by the wool into the machine adjoining the exit end. With an increase of
pressure in the C, S, tank, the liquid in the shaft will rise to a higher level and less
air or uncondensed vapour will be carried over by the wool into the C, S2 machine.
As the cubical space above the liquids in the different machines is small, the
variations in level in any tank will also be comparatively small.
Only such air as may be carried over by the wool or may be contained in the
water is directly admitted into any of the washing machines with the exception of
the last, but when the pressure in any of the machines becomes lowered to au
undesirable extent, air or vapour is admitted through the self acting valves.
With such an arrangement the C, S, vapours present in the atmosphere in the
different machines will therefore decrease in amount as well as the C, S₂ contained
in the water from machine to machine, and the greater the number of separately
hermetically closed machines that are used the less C, S2 vapours will be given off
by the water or contained in the atmosphere of the last machine.
Vapour or air carried by the wool from the first towards the last machine will
thus, where not condensed or absorbed by the water, be carried back towards
the C, S2 tank reducing the amount of C, S, vapour carried off by the air exhaust
to the scrubber and preventing loss, or cost in recovery, and not depending on
the withdrawal of the vapour given off by the C, S, into a condenser or scrubber
but on the reduction of loss by confining the vapour to the washing machines.
Suitable connections are made to allow the water to travel through the washing
machines in the direction from the last to the first (and in this terın "washing
machine" it is not intended here to include that into which the solvent is fed) from
which it is drawn off for treatment for the recovery of C, S, and bye-products
contained in it.
The sludge from the wool is collected in receivers and is afterwards removed for
treatment for recovery of C, S2 and fatty matters and bye-products.
The C, S, when it is charged to the desired degree with fatty matters is drawn
off from the first washing machine and replaced by the same volume of
fresh C, S₂ and is separated from foreign matters by distillation or other suitable
process.
The air pipe passes from under the cover of the last machine, which cover may
be water sealed, to the scrubber.
From the last washing machine the wool is conveyed to drying machines,

page_text: which when the washing capacity of the machine is too small to remove the whole
of the C, S2, are connected by au air pipe to the scrubber.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings of which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan of the system of apparatus I propose
using for the purposes of my invention,
Fig. 3 a side elevation of the shaft and a washing machine,
Fig. 3 a portion of same shewing raised cross partition,
Fig. 4 sectional plan on line - Fig. 3,
Fig. 5, end elevation of part of shaft and washing machine, and
Fig. 6 elevation of modified form of shaft.
The shaft a is divided at its upper end into two or more passages b b provided at
their upper and lower ends with valves c, d so arranged that the upper valves.
cannot be opened without previously closing the lower ones, and at the same time
opening the three way air valves e. The wool is charged into one of the passages h
the valves are then worked in the reverse order and the other passage b filled, the
wool, when the lower valves are opened being precipitated on to a closed valve f
(Fig. 1) in the shaft below the passages b b.
When a sufficient quantity of wool has collected in the shaft the valve fis-
opened and the wool allowed to descend gradually into the C, S, contained in the
machine A, through which and the washing machines B, C, D, E, it is then caused to.
travel.
:-
This travel of the wool I effect by the aid of the following mechanism
On a shaft g one end of which projects through one side of the machine and'
carries the driving pulley are mounted the gear wheels i.
These gear wheels i actuate the wheels k and these by means of a crank pin,.
the connecting rods l. The connecting rods impart an oscillating motion in the
first and last part of their stroke and a back and forward movement in their
intermediate parts to the side rods m. These side rods are connected by means of
links to the roller axles n which are first rotated, then moved back, and again
rotated and then moved forward, carrying with them the rollers and roller frames j..
The arms o keyed on the shafts n will thus at first be lifted clear of the liquid,.
moved back horizontally then into the liquid and moved forward.
During the arching of the arms, the frame carrying the rollers may if found
necessary be automatically locked in its position and released when the back or
forward motion is to commence by any suitable mechanism the links during these
portions of the stroke being prevented from moving vertically. The wool is
carried over any cross partitions p (Figs. 1 and 34) by arms o and o' Fig. 34 geared
somewhat differently for this purpose or by a band and up the false inclined.
bottom p on to the endless band q.
This band q runs on a roller on the shaft g and on a second roller driven by the
band g and mounted to revolve in the liquid and lifts the wool out of the liquid and
carrying it between the roller on the shaft g and an idle roller mounted above it in.
sliding bearings discharges it into the shoot r leading into the next machine and
having its lower end sealed by the liquid in said next machine.
Fig. 6 shews a shaft similarly constructed to shaft shewn in Fig. 5 but having
valves c arranged to open inwards and valve d and intermediate valves d¹ of
different construction.
The C, S, when it becomes saturated in machine A to the desired extent is
permitted to escape for treatment by the valves fresh C, S, being in the same way
admitted by the valve t.
The water from the machine B is removed for treatment when it becomes
saturated by the valve u.
The sludge from the machine A passing to the sludge tank v and from the
following machines to other sludge tanks w (or it may be allowed to pass from
machines A and B to the respective stills).

page_text: The communication between these tanks and machines being cut off at will. The
air valve y leading from the atmosphere in machine E to the air main z is kept open
when the machines are at work. The valves z¹ lead to the lower portions of the
machines A, B, C, D and are simply for the purpose of exhausting any vapour
which may be left in if the machines have been emptied for opening out.
cocks may be surrounded by a water jacket. The valve regulates the admission
of fresh water to machine E. The passages y' convey the water from the
machines E, D, D, C, C, B.
These
self acting valves and passages regulating and equalizing the pressures of
the atmospheres in the different machines when pressure in any tauk falls below
pressure in the adjoining tanks w¹ water tank at top shaft a light cover to be
fixed when machines are not at work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In connection with wool washing or degreasing machine and processes the use
of an apparatus through which the material to be treated is fed into the vessel
containing the solvent in such a manner as to utilize the relative density of the
escaping vapours of C, S, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The use of an air lock at the feed end of wool washing or degreasing machines
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The use of a hollow shaft or the like for charging wool into a vessel con-
taining C, S, in such a manner that the wool will impede the escape of fumes
of C, S, substantially as described.
4. The construction of an apparatus for scouring or degreasing wool consisting
of a series of washing machines hermetically closed so as to independently confine
their atmospheres but in such a manner that any supply of air required other than
that introduced by the wool will first enter a vessel distant from the vessel con-
taining the C, S, and will flow through suitable valves or channels towards
the C, S,, thus reducing the amount of C, S, which will escape or to be drawn off
from above the surface of the water at the or near the outlet end of the machines
when the wool is extracted.
Dated this 17th day of Februo 1901
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.