Improvements in Machinery for Scouring, Dyeing, and Drying Hanks of Yarn.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Scouring, Dyeing, and Drying
Hanks of Yarn.
I, HENRY LISTER, of Ashbrow Mills, Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In constructing a machine for scouring, dyeing, and drying hanks of yarn and
other fibre according to my invention, I employ a circular liquor vessel containing
one or more suitably sized pulleys or rims supported upon a vertical shaft; the
hanks to be operated upon being hung upon rods or rollers placed horizontally,
representing radial arms, and supported in slots or openings formed in the upper
edge of the pulleys or rims. The yarn hangs vertically in the liquor, and to keep
the hanks distended, copper or wood rollers or bars may be placed in the bottom of
the hanks, but I may prefer to use a corresponding set of pulleys and rims arranged
underneath those already mentioned, provided with a set of rods for keeping the
hanks in a distended state.
The vertical shaft carrying the circular rims may rise up from the bottom of the
vessel containing the scouring or dyeing liquor, or the shaft may be suspended from
above so that it is clear of the scouring or dyeing liquor. Provision is also made
for lifting the apparatus out of the liquor vessel and lowering it again when
changing the hanks. The vertically distended hanks are carried around by the
revolving rims or pulleys and are partly or wholly submerged in the scouring or
dyeing liquor in such a manner that every particle of fibre will be acted upon, and
if necessary the rotary motion of the circular rims may be reversed. I prefer that
the weight of the rims and hanks shall not be entirely borne by the vertical shaft,
but that the apparatus shall be borne by and supported on the top of the circular
rim of the liquor vessel, suitable small pulleys or rollers carried by the rim being
used for that purpose. It is preferable for the hanks to travel up and down
vertically in the liquor so as to change the position of each hank, and to do this. I
cause the rollers which carry the hanks to revolve whilst they are being carried
around in the liquor; and for this purpose I employ a circular stationary hollow
ridge, having serrations formed at intervals along the top thereof, so as to receive
pegs or projections formed on a disc or circular plate, carried on the end of each
roller which supports the hanks, the effect of which will to slowly rotate such
rollers, and also the hanks suspended thereon or one or more short racks may be
placed in the path by which means the hanks will travel vertically in the liquor in
addition to being carried around by the rotating rims; or other mechanical means
may be employed for imparting a rotary motion to the rollers carrying the hanks.
By constructing and arranging a machine for purposes set forth and in the
manner described, the hanks can be easily removed and introduced into the
machine, and as the hanks are suspended vertically in the liquor and carried by
horizontal rollers, the operation more closely resembles hand work the other machines
at present in use, whilst a very large quantity of yarn can be treated at the same
time.
In putting my invention into practice it may be advantageous to connect the
circular rims to a radial arm, capable of revolving upon a pillar, and in employing,
say three liquor cisterns, one employed for "croming" or preparing the hanks, one
cistern for washing off, and the third for dyeing, the hanks being carried by the
radial arm from one cistern to another.
The apparatus herein described is applicable for the drying of hanks, after they
have been washed, scoured or dyed, and in this case, I may use, one, two, or three,
sets of revolving circular rims arranged one above the other for carrying the

page_text: hanks, so as to operate upon a larger quantity, than when dyeing or scouring; the
mechanism would however, have to be enclosed in a heated chamber, and there
may be used in combination, therewith exhaust or blowing fans for causing a
circulation of air..
Dated this 25th day of October 1000
TASKER & CROSSLEY,,
Huddersfield, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Scouring, Dyeing, and Drying
Hanks of Yarn.
I, HENRY LISTER of Ashbrow Mills, Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
In constructing a machine for scouring, dyeing, and drying hanks of yarn and
other fibre according to my invention, I employ a circular chamber or liquor vessel
containing one or more suitably sized pulleys or rims supported upon a vertical
shaft; the hanks to be operated upon being hung upon rods or rollers placed
horizontally, representing radial arms, and supported in slots or openings formed in
the upper edge of the pulleys or rims. The yarn hangs vertically in the chamber
or liquor, and to keep the hanks distended, copper or wood rollers or bars may be
placed in the bottom of the hanks, but I may prefer to use another or a corre-
sponding set of pulleys and rims arranged underneath those already mentioned,
provided with a set of rods for keeping the hanks in a distended state.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is plan view of a hank drying machine constructed according to my
invention,
Fig. 2 front elevation of same, and
Fig. 3 an enlarged detail.
Բ
A represents the drying chamber, in the centre of which is mounted a vertical
shaft B made to revolve by worm and wheel C as shewn in Fig. 3, or it may be
made to revolve by other suitable arrangement of gearing. The machine consists
primarily of two pairs of circular rings or rims D, D', and E, E¹ the latter not
shew, bound together in pairs, and also to the main vertical shaft B by connecting
rods F, the ends of which are screwed or otherwise attached to a boss on the said
shaft B so that as the shaft revolves it carries around with it both pairs of
rings D D', and E, E' and also the hanks G. The upper edges of each pair of
outer rings D and E are made with a number of slots a and b in which are placed
rollers or bars H provided at each end with flanges for the purpose of keeping
them in proper position laterally. The hanks G to be dried or otherwise treated
are suspended over the rollers H, and in order to keep them distended, another
roller or bar I is placed in the bottom or opposite end of the hank, which keeps the
hanks separate from each other and prevents entanglement which might happen if
the lower end of each hank hung loosely from the upper roller H. To ensure that
the tension of the hanks does not pull the bottom rollers I out of the slots b, or to
ensure that they do not get out by other causes, I employ segments of rings J, the
undersides of which are situated about on a level with the top of the ring E as shewn
in Fig. 2. These segments J are supported by and counected to stays K, at the
upper ends of which are knobs or handles L. The vertical part of each stay is
made with two notches d which can be made to fit onto catches e attached to the
outside of the upper ring D so that when the hanks have to be removed the
operative lifts up the knobs L and places the lower notch of the stay K onto
the catch e as shewn in dotted lines of Fig. 2, whereby they are supported clear
of the notches in order to permit the operative to take out the lower rods I when

page_text: removing the hanks and refilling, and this operation can be done when the machine
is in motion as the hank carrying rollers can be lifted out of the grooves a and b and
reinstated one by one at the will of the operative. The hot air for drying the
hanks is blown in through the drying chamber by pipe M at the bottom thereof
and through pipes N above said chamber (see Fig. 4), which hot air freely impinges
against and passes between the strands of yarn forming the hank, as they are being
carried around by the rotating discs or rims D and E, the upper one of which is
suspended by guy rods O to the main shaft, as shewn in detail Fig. 3. Instead of
the outer ring D being borne by the guy rods O, such outer ring may be provided
with small pulleys and rest upon the top of the drying chamber A or on a flange
projecting therefrom.
In order that the hanks may travel vertically or up and down in the drying
chamber during the time they are being carried or whirled around by the rings D
and E, I cause each upper roller H to rotate slowly, either continuously or inter-
mittently, and for this purpose I fix a pinion wheel P on the outer end of each
roller H, such pinions taking into gear with teeth on the toothed segments Q,
whereby the said hanks are partially rotated in one direction, but they will be
made to rotate in the opposite direction when the pinions P take into gear with the
teeth on the underside of other segments R, thus the said hanks are made to travel
up and down in the drying chamber, and by the arrangement of racks as shewn the
travelling motion they receive is reversed.
To ensure that the hanks do not slide off the rods H or get onto the flanges c
fixed thereon, I employ two guards g made of wire or other suitable material.
Although I have described my improved machine as being used for drying hanks
of yarn, I wish it to be understood that the machine may be used for either
scouring or dyeing of hanks, in which case the hot air inlet pipes M and N are
dispensed with. The chamber A is charged with either scouring or dyeing liquor,
and the hanks carried or whirled around therein as already explained, and the
operation of scouring and dyeing in this manner will more closely resemble hand
dyeing than in any other machine with which I am acquainted, whilst a very large
quantity of yarn can be treated at the same time.
Instead of employing the lower rim E I may distend the hanks by means of
hollow rollers or bars H¹ as shewn in Fig. 3.
In Fig. 4 I shew the construction of vessel I prefer for drying purposes, one
portion of the front being cut away at f and a sliding door employed to close the
same when the machine is at work. This door is provided with grooved pulleys i,
and they run upon the supporting rail j on the said door being moved backward or
forward.
In putting my invention into practice, it may be advantageous to connect the
circular rings D to a radial arm $ (see detail Fig. 5) capable of revolving upon a
pillar T, and to employ, say three liquor cisterns U, V, W, one cistern being
used for " croming or preparing the hanks, one cistern for washing off, and
the third cistern for dyeing, the hanks being carried bodily by the radial arms S
from one cistern to the other as required.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. In machines for scouring, dyeing, and drying hanks of yarn, the employ-
ment of rings made to revolve upon or with a vertical shaft, and carrying rollers or
bars for supporting hanks in an open and distended state, in manner substantially as
shewn and described.
Secondly. In machines for scouring, dyeing, and drying hanks of yarn, the
employment of upper ring D in combination with lower ring E, mounted upon a
vertical shaft and made to revolve therewith, and carrying a double set of rollers
or bars for supporting hanks in an open and distended state whilst being operated
upon, all as described.

page_text: Thirdly. In machines for scouring, dyeing, and drying hanks of yarn, having one
or more rings rotating upon or with a central shaft, together with rollers for
supporting the hanks in a distended state, the combination therewith of pinions
and segments or other suitable gear for imparting a traversing motion to the hanks
whilst being carried around in the vessel or chamber A all, as described.
Dated this 24th day of July 1891.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield and Halifax, Agents.