Improvements in and relating to Cloth or Fabric Drying or Finishing Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1896--Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
COMIDELE DI MOTIVATION
Improvements in and relating to Cloth or Fabric Drying or
Finishing Machines.
We, WILLIAM GEORGE HANNA, of 15 Charing Cross, and ROBERT WALKER
HANNA, of 551 Sauchiehall Street, Laundry Engineers both in the City and
County of Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention relates more particularly to that class of machine used in
laundries, print works, bleach works, dyeing and cleaning works, and has for its
object to introduce a more rapid and improved method of drying or finishing goods
in short or long lengths or in the piece continuously or otherwise.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
same into practice may be properly understood, we have hereunto appended an
explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to each other of a drying or
finishing machine as constructed in accordance with our improvements, and
Figure 3 is a detached sectional view of the steam chest."
Referring to these drawings:-
This machine consists of a cylinder drum B having on ends, suitable trunnions,
and bearings supported by a frame A and into which cylinder drum B steam can
be admitted by a pipe B' and condeused water or exhaust steam allowed to escape
through a pipe B by usual well known methods.
The steam heated cylinder or drum B is however furnished with an entirely new
arrangement and combination of fittings consisting first of a semi-circular or curved
steam heated chest C. This steam chest is supported in such a manner as to make
a corresponding semi-circle or curve, of a certain length and is carried by suitable
fixings and supports such as a framework A¹ at each end of the drum B at a
uniform distance from the periphery of the steam heated cylinder B, the object
being to increase the efficiency of such machines as circular steam heated drums or
steam heated copper cans or cylinders, or tin or steel cylinders. All such appliances
as heretofore made, dry only on one side of the goods by reason of the goods
passing round or over the heated periphery of such drying cylinders B, whereas
the combination or fixing of a semi-circular steam heated chest C as previously
described admits of the goods being passed between the periphery of steam heated
cylinder B and the inner surface of semi-circular steam heated chest C, thereby
drying both sides of the curtains or other material at once, hitherto only dried on
one side.
The object in view is to facilitate and increase the quantity of work done by
drying both sides at once, or at one operation, or at one time, as also the better
raising of the patterns on curtains or other goods having raised patterns.
As shown in Figure 3 the steam chest would preferably be fitted with Russian
iron C on the outside and have felt packed in the intermediate space C2, while it
would be bolted to framework A' through the flanges C³.

page_text: The steam chest may be adjustably shifted circumferentially and secured by
bolts at any desired position in relation to drum..
In the case of curtains an application of an ordinary spiral brush D of any
suitable material having the spirals running to right and to left from the centre of
roller is fitted in connection with the drum B. This brush D is mounted on a
frame D' which oscillates on a pin joint at D' and is driven by a band D³ and so
when the curtain is being put on to the heated drum B said curtain gets brushed
out to width desired, and all mitres or curves at borders, bottom or sides of curtain
gets brushed out.
This brush D is capable of being adjusted by its frame D' oscillating on the
joint D2 and of being lifted off the supporting bracket D on the heated drum B
and of being held up by a cord and counterweighted lever or the brush may be
allowed to continue to revolve in one direction after putting on the curtains or
other goods.
Another similar spiral brush D*'may be fitted having spirals running to right
and to left from the centre of brush roller; and said brush would be made to
revolve in an opposite direction to the first brush so as to effect the object of
automatically brushing the curtain out to width desired taking creases out and also
of brushing the curtain lengthways, and have a tendency to keep the curtains out
to original width and. length and this brush Dx would be elevated from drum B
while the operation of first putting the curtain on drum is being effected.
In order to save hand labour in taking the curtains off the steam heated drum or
cylinder B when finished, a mechanical contrivance commonly known as a doctor E
is fixed at the back of the drum B and acts so that the curtain is lifted off the
drum, automatically without hand labour and is allowed to pass down this inclined
plate technically termed a doctor and passed through feed rolls e, el on to a
travelling band E' of any suitable material. which is made the full width of the
drum B. The curtain is then taken charge of by an improved appliance known as
a folder E on which a new application of a feeding roller E2 is fixed said roller
revolving in the same direction as the travelling band E¹. A clear space is
however left between these so that short lengths of material such as curtains as
they pass from the drying or finishing cylinder B and steam heated chest C are
automatically threaded or fed through or between the travelling endless band El
and the travelling or revolving roller E. This appliance E³ has a backward and
forward or reciprocating motion imparted to it by means of a rod Fattached
eccentrically to a wheel or pulley which is driven by a band F2, and thereby
plaits or folds the curtains or other short or long lengths of cloth as they pass
automatically from the steam heated. finishing cylinder B and semi-circular
chest C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained: the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First. In cloth or fabric drying or finishing machines, the method of drying both
surfaces of the material at one operation by travelling same between two adjacent
steam heated surfaces, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown
in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In cloth or fabric drying or finishing machines the combination of a
steam heated drum and a segmental steam heated chest placed in close proximity
thereto for the purpose of drying both surfaces of a travelling fabric, substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In cloth or fabric drying or finishing machines, the application of
adjustable revolving brushes for acting on the travelling fabric substantially as and.
in the manner herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. In cloth or fabric drying or finishing machines, the construction and

page_text: arrangement of appliances for removing the finished fabric from drum and folding
same, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 30th June 1900
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.