IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING WOOL OR OTHER ANIMAL FIBRES FROM COMBINATIONS OF WOOL AND COTTON OR MIXTURES OF OTHER ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS, AND MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter, and James Joshua
Carter, of Batley, in the County of York, Wool Extractors, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING WOOL OR OTHER ANIMAL
FIBRES FROM COMBINATIONS OF WOOL AND COTTON OR MIXTURES OF OTHER
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS, AND
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Scaled the 6th November 1860, and dated the 10th May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua
Carter, and James Joshua Carter at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 10th May 1860.
We, HENRY WILDSMITH, JOSHUA CARTER, and JAMES JOSHUA CARTER, of
Batley, in the County of York, Wool Extractors, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING WOOL OR OTHER
ANIMAL FIBRES FROM COMBINATIONS OF WOOL AND COTTON, OR MIXTURES OF OTHER
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the process of separating the wool, worsted,
mohair, alpaca, silk, or other fibres of like nature from fabrics or rags, or
waste yarns composed of any of such animal fibres in combination with cotton,
flax, hemp, or other fibres or fibrous substances of like vegetable nature, and
which is effected by submitting such mixed substances to the action of dilute
mineral acid in suitable quantities or strengths, which when dried destroys or

page_text: decomposes the vegetable fibres; such acid being afterwards neutralized by
any suitable alkali. The remaining animal fibre and residuum of vegetable
fibre and acid are then dryed and opened or separated, and the animal fibre
cleansed of the refuse by suitable means or machinery, ready to be dyed,
carded, and spun into yarn for further use or fabrication. But in practice it
is found that the wool or other animal fibre so treated or recovered does not
possess its original softness to the touch, nor the milling or fulling properties
which it is desirable that it should possess.
Our improvements are as follows:-After such mixed fibrous substances have
been sufficiently subjected to the action of the acid and dried, they are sprinkled
or saturated with water to prevent dust and further action of the acid. They are
then operated upon by a "shakewilley," which removes a great part of the
decomposed vegetable fibre; then they are placed in a perforated vessel or cistern,
suitable
into and through which we pass a copious stream of water for any
length of time, during which time we employ any agitating means; the acid
and residuum of vegetable substance are carried away through the perforations,
thus cleansing the wool or other animal fibres, or removing all deleterious
matters therefrom, and by which means we restore the original fulling pro-
perties and softness to such fibres, and save the expense of alkalis. Also by
this means or method of cleansing, such fibrous substances are rendered fit for
the dying process without being first dryed, as heretofore; for which purpose
we place them in another perforated vessel or cylinder, and by means of a
plunger, piston, or ram, to which we apply hydraulic pressure, we express the
water therefrom through the perforations. This hydraulic apparatus may also
be employed after dying or other wetting process to fibrous substances for
expressing or extracting the wet instead of hydro-extractors, and other means
now in use for such purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter, and James Joshua Carter
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
WILDSMITH, JOSHUA CARTER, and JAMES JOSHUA CARTER, of Batley, in the
County of York, Wool Extractors, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,

page_text: did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter, and James Joshua Carter, Her special
licence that we, the said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter, and James Joshua
Carter, our executors. administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter, and James Joshua Carter, our execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXTRACTING WOOL OR OTHER
ANIMAL FIBRES FROM COMBINATIONS OF WOOL AND COTTON, OR MIXTURES OF OTHER
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES OR FABRICS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter, and James Joshua Carter,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of
us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months.
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Henry Wildsmith, Joshua Carter,
and James Joshua Carter, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement (that
is to say) :-
This Invention relates to the process of separating the wool, worsted.
mohair, alpaca, silk, or other fibres of like nature from fabrics or rags, or.
waste yarns composed of any of such animal fibres in combination with cotton,
flax, hemp, or other fibres or fibrous substances of like vegetable nature, and
which is effected by submitting such mixed substances to the action of dilute
mineral acid in suitable quantities or strengths, which when dried destroys or
decomposes the vegetable fibres, such acid being afterwards neutralized by any
suitable alkali. The remaining animal fibre and residuum of vegetable fibre
and acid are then dried and opened or separated, and the animal fibre cleansed
of the refuse by suitable means or machinery, ready to be dyed, carded, and
spun into yarn for further use or fabrication.. But in practice it is found that
the wool or other animal fibre so treated or recovered does not possess its
original softness to the touch, nor the milling or fulling properties which it is
desirable that it should possess.

page_text: Our improvements are as follows:-After such mixed fibrous substances
have been sufficently subjected to the action of the acid and dried, they are
sprinkled or saturated with water to prevent dust and further action of the
acid. They are then operated upon by a "shakewilley," which removes a great
part of the decomposed vegetable fibre, then they are placed in a perforated
vessel or cistern, into and through which we pass a copious stream of water
for any suitable lentgh of time; during which time we employ any agitating
means. The acid and residuum of vegetable substances are carried away
through the perforations, thus cleansing the wool or other animal fibres, or
removing all deleterious matters therefrom, and by which means we restore
the original fulling properties and softness to such fibres, and save the expense
of alkalies. Also by this means or method of cleansing, such fibrous sub-
stances are rendered fit for the dyeing process without being first dryed, as
heretofore; and when not required to be dyed, then we place therein another
perforated vessel or cylinder, and by means of a plunger, piston, or ram, to
which we apply hydraulic pressure, we express the water therefrom through
the perforations. This bydraulic apparatus may also be employed after dyeing
or other wetting process to fibrous substances for expressing or extracting
the wet, instead of hydro-extractors, and other means now in use for such
purpose.
In further explanation of these our said improvements, it must be under-
stood that instead of employing alkalies, as heretofore, to neutralize the acid
which is employed for destroying the vegetable fibrous substances, we simply
employ water in sufficent guantity, which combines with and dilutes the acid,
and by causing a continuous stream to flow through such substances, the
acid and residuum of vegetable fibre is thereby washed out or from the wool
or other animal fibre.
In carrying this Invention into practice, after the mixed substances have
been sufficently acted upon by the acid and dryed, we sprinkle them with
water, which prevents to a considerable extent further action of the acid.
They are then operated upon by a machine called a "shakewilley," which
shakes out therefrom a great portion of the destroyed vegetable substance;
then they are thrown into a perforated cistern, into which a stream of water
flows, and by means of a pole or rake the said fibrous substances are kept in
agitation for any suitable length of time, during which the water is passing out
through the perforations, carrying away all residuum of acid and vegetable or
other soluble substance, leaving the wool or other animal substance clear or
freed from the substances that were previously mixed therewith; and if required
to be dyed, it is then in a fit state for that process; if not reguired to be

page_text: dyed, we place it in another perforated vessel or cylinder, and apply hydraulic
pressure to actuate a piston or ram, and thereby express the water out through
the perforations. This hydraulic apparatus may be employed to express water
or other liguid from any fibrous substances.
Having thus described the nature of this our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be performed, we would have it distinctly under-
stood that we do not claim the use of acid for destroying the vegetable fibrous
substances, nor do we confine ourselves to the precise details as set forth; but
we claim the means of removing the acid and residuum of vegetable substances
from animal substances substantially as herein described, and the hydraulic
apparatus as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Joshua Carter, on behalf of myself
and the said Henry Wildsmith and Joshua Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JAMES JOSHUA CARTER. (L.B.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named James Joshua Carter, in the
presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.