IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING COTTON ON SHUTTLE Cops; BOBBINS, OR IN HANKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Toussaint, one of the Firm of Toussaint, Levy, &
Co., of Saint Dié, in the Department of the Vosges, France, Manufacturer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING COTTON ON SHUTTLE Cops;
BOBBINS, OR IN HANKS."
Scaled the 21st July 1876, and dated the 5th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Toussaint at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1876.
CHARLES TOUISSAINT, one of the Firm of Toussaint, Levy, & Co., of Saint Dié, in
the Department of the Vosges, France, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BLEACHING COTTON ON SHUTTLE COPS, BOBBINS, OR IN HANKS."
This Invention relates to an improved process of bleaching cotton on shuttle cops,
bobbins, and in the hank.
By the method at present employed the operation necessitates a prior washing
or ungumming. The process is costly, occupies more time, occasions considerable
waste, reducing to pulp the paper tubes (when used as internal supports to the.
cops), which causes many obstacles when mounting them on the spindles for
weaving.
By the new process these drawbacks are obviated; it is simple, and the resultant
effects are much superior to those of the old method, both as far as economy is
concerned as well as in bleaching the thread, which latter becomes absolutely
irreproachable.
In my mode of bleaching cottons on cops or bobbins and in the hank or skein the
scalding or ungumming is no longer required, the object of which was to wash
the cctton in boiling water in order to eliminate foreign matters injurious to the
bleaching.
The process which I claim is as follows:-
1. The introduction into each cop of a boxwood mould exactly fitting the conical
aperture of the bobbin.
2. Placing the bobbins in bags, and packing them in the bleaching reservoir,
where the treatment is as follows:-A vacuum is made in the reservoir for the
admission of liquid chlorine, in which they remain about an hour; the vacuum is
renewed, and the valve opened for the admission of water acidulated with sulphuric
acid, which impregnates the bobbins. The acidulated water is decanted, and the
operation is repeated two or more times. In an hour's time the reservoir is emptied,
Price G71

page_text: and fresh water admitted for washing, which operation lasts 4 or 5 hours, and which
removes all the residues of chlorine and sulphuric acid.
3. Drying the bobbins, cops, or skeins by a hydro-extractor, or in arranging them
on spindles, to which a quick rotary motion is imparted.
4. Finally, drying, as usual, in a warm chamber or otherwise.
The principal of the Invention consists in the process and apparatus for bleaching
based on the treatment in vacuo (or vat, where the air is rarefied by a pneumatic
machine) of the matters to be bleached, and by the combined action of chlorine and
sulphuric acid, and in the suppression of the scalding process.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Toussaint in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th July
1876.
CHARLES TOUSSAINT, one of the Firm of Toussaint, Levy, & Co., of Saint Dié, in
"IMPROVEMENTS
the Department of the Vosges, France, Manufacturer.
BLEACHING COTTON ON SHUTTLE COPS, BOBBINS, OR IN HANKS."
IN
This Invention relates to an improved process of bleaching cotton on shuttle cops,
bobbins, or in banks, and articles manufactured of cotton, and in apparatus connected
therewith.
By the method at present employed the operation necessitates a prior washing or
ungumming, whose object is to wash the cotton in boiling water, so as to free it
from foreign matter, and eliminate the elements prejudicial to effective bleaching.
Independent of being an incomplete system it is expensive and laborious, occasioning
a deal of waste, occupying much time, reducing to pulp the paper tubes serving as
internal supports to the cops, giving rise to serious obstacles and minute labour
when mounting them on the spindles for weaving. All these drawbacks and their
attendant consequences are obviated by our simple, inexpensive, and effective
method, the most prominent feature of which is absolute suppression of the washing
in boiling water the cotton or cotton articles to be bleached. In conjunction with
this all important result is the perfect preservation of the cop and its central tube,
facilitating the mounting of the cops on the spindles; and to complete the success
the cotton is irreproachably bleached and is thoroughly uniform throughout the
mass.
The accompanying Drawing represents in two views in elevation (Figs. 1 and 2)
the arrangement of apparatus employed, which with the following description of the
mode of operation will illustrate the principle of the Invention. Supposing, for
instance, cotton threads in cops are to be bleached, into each cop a wooden
mould is inserted, boxwood by preference, completely fitting the conical space of
the cop the cops placed in bags are then put into bleaching vats a, a, with lids c, c',
where the treatment is as follows:--By means of a pneuinatic machine branched to
the copper tube d, and adjacent to the apparatus a vacuum is made in the vats to
admit a certain quantity of chlorine from the reservoir b through the leaden tube g
by raising the valves e, e¹. A tap f and valve f' leave a free passage to the chlorine
for its ascension by the tube at the upper part of the vat a, and for its action
above and below the cops; after which it is alternated by an admission of chlorine
upwards by manoeuvring the key or fly of the tap h. By this alternate effect of
the chlorine above and below, and vice versa, the cops are penetrated by it in a
short time. Closing the introduction valves of the chlorine a vacuum is re-made,
and allowing it to remain some minutes the chlorine is withdrawn, which, instead
of returning to the reservoir b can enter the other vat a¹, and can, as in the vat a,
produce its effect on the cops deposited there. The operation of admission and
emission of the liquid chlorine and its action in the vacuum may be repeated and
renewed several times, according to the nature of the cottons treated.

page_text: The removal of the chlorine completed the vacuum is re-established in the vat,
and by the branches g" and the same conduits acidulated water is admitted with a
well determined quantity of sulphuric acid water contained in the reservoir ¿¹ near
that b. In its turn this acidulated water impregnates the cops; it is decanted by
the pipe, and the operation is repeated once or twice.
Finally, it is washed in clear water by the pipe I, which operation removes all the
rest of the chlorine and sulphuric acid; then when the cops are removed they are
dried in a hot chamber, or by means of a hydro-extractor n shows the level tubes
placed on each vat.
What is claimed is, the herein-mentioned process and apparatus for bleaching
cottons of all kinds, whether in cops, bobbins, or hanks, or whether manufactured
articles, which process presents the great feature of the suppression of ungumming
or boiling in hot water, and it is based on the principle of the treatment in vacum of
the substances to be bleached by the combined action of chlorine and sulphuric
acid; in a word, we claim the ensemble of the process, the combinations described
or analogous to the apparatus, and reserve the right of modifying the forms, dimen-
sions, and materials of construction thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Toussaint, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
CHARLES TOUSSAINT. (L.S.)