IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING AND AGEING APPARATUS FOR WOVEN FABRICS AND YARNS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Smith at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December 1877.
JAMES SMITH, Engineer to Messieurs Walter, Crum, and Company, of Thorn-
liebank, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING
AND AGEING APPARATUS FOR WOVEN FABRICS AND YARNS."
This Invention has for its object to secure continuity and uniformity of action,
and generally improved results in drying woven fabrics and yarns by means of
improved apparatus, which occupies a comparatively small space, and is easily and
conveniently worked.
The improved apparatus may be advantageously used for drying goods that have
been either washed, or dyed, or starched, or printed, or steamed, and it may also be
used in a modified manner for "ageing" goods.
In carrying out the Invention a box or chamber is constructed of a rectangular
form, and of such a size that each part of the fabric in passing from the inlet to the
outlet will occupy the time necessary for completing the drying process.
Apparatus, by preference such as is herein-after described, is provided for
admitting or delivering heated air into the lower part of the box, and this heated
air rising in a uniform current up through the box escapes through a hooded outlet
at the top, such outlet being by preference arranged at the side or sides, and so as
to avoid the risk of moisture dropping on the goods; whilst in the box the fabric
is suspended in long vertical loops or loose folds on rods, the ends of which rest ou
two parallel endless chains placed horizontally at the top of the box. The chains
have a slow progressive motion, and carry the rods with the folds of fabric hanging
from them slowly from the entering to the delivering end of the box. The fabric
is guided and fed by rollers or reels from whatever apparatus it has just previously
been subjected to, so as to enter the box continuously, and as the quantity to form
each vertical loop or fold is supplied, a fresh rod is moved forward, so that the fabric
may turn over it and commence the next loop or fold. The rods are supplied to
the chains in the box by a pair of inclined endless chains at the entering end; these
inclined chains having hooks which pick up the rods in succession from a reversely
inclined board or pair of guides on which they are placed by hand. At the outlet
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page_text: end of the box the fabric is drawn out continuously at the same rate as that at
which it was entered, and the rods are led off the chains by inclined guides. When
the goods have been printed or are otherwise in a condition rendering it desirable
to avoid the possibility of the folds touching each other, the several rates of the
progressive chains of the rod entering chains, and of the fabric feeding rollers or
reels, are adjusted so as to keep the rods twelve inches or other sufficient distance
apart; but in other cases the several rates may be adjusted so that the rods will be
'much closer together.
The apparatus preferred for heating the air consists of a rectangular iron chest placed
at the bottom of the drying box or chamber, and fitted with a number of vertical
tubes up through which the air passes from below, whilst steam is admitted to the
interior of the chest so as to surround the tubes. The air may be passed through
the apparatus by means of a fan or other blowing or exhausting apparatus, or by
draught.
When the apparatus is made or used for ageing purposes the air requires to be
only moderately heated, whilst provision has to be made for mixing a little steam
with it.