CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five, and in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING," being a
communication from a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled

page_text: in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully set
forth and described in and by the present Specification thereof, reference
being had to the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, marked No. 1 to
No. XII., both inclusive, that is to say :-
The nature of the said Invention consists in certain improved methods of
dyeing textile fabrics in graduated or shaded stripes or bands; and the manner
in which the same is performed is as follows:-The cloth or other fabric is
either folded into the form proper for dyeing before it is brought to the dyeing
machine, or it is folded after immersion, or while it is in the course of being
immersed in the dyeing bath, and in the former case, that is when folded,
before it is brought to the dyeing machine. This is either done by hand or by
machinery. When the operation. is, performed by hand the fabric is folded
lengthwise into as many plaits or folds as there are to be stripes or bands, that
is to say, into plaits, each of the breath of the intended stripe or band, and the
plaits or folds are fixed by means of pins. When the folding is by machinery
an apparatus is employed for the purpose, such as represented in Sheet 1 of
the Drawings hereunto annexed. The piece of cloth or other fabric to be
folded is first coiled round a vertical column A, from which it is unwound and
carried forward to a plaiting frame C, which is shewn separately on an enlarged
scale in Figure 2. D is a block of wood on which this frame is mounted.
H, H, are two fixed uprights, from which four cross bars K, K, K, K, project
at right angles, two at top and two at bottom, and which bars K pass through
and beyond two other uprights L, L, which are moveable. The cross bars K
are perforated at their outer ends with a range of holes, and made fast by pins
passed through the moveable uprights L into one or other of these holes
(as shewn in Figure 1), so that the space between II, H; and L, L, may be
narrowed or widened at pleasure. M is a series of parallel brass plates
attached to the inner faces of the uprights HI, II, and N a series of similar
plates attached to the opposite uprights L, L, but so that each plate of the
scries M shall project more or less into the space between two of the plates of
the series N. The piece of cloth is drawn through this system of plates, that is
to say, over the inner ends thereof, and is thereby folded into plaits of a width
corresponding with the extent to which the plates of the one series overlap those

page_text: of the other, and the extent of such overlapping may, as before explained, be
varied at pleasure by placing the uprights H and L farther from or nearer to
cach other. The distance (vertically) between the plates of M and N may also
be varied according to the thickness of the stuff to be plaited by means of an
adjusting screw (not seen in the Drawings). From the plaiting frame the
cloth is carried over a roller E under a considerable degree of tension, in order
that the plaits or folds may be flattened down before the cloth is delivered to
the receiving roller B. When the cloth has been thus folded (whether by the
apparatus before described or by hand) it is attached to a plunging frame, of
which a top plan, side elevation, and cross section are given in Sheet II.
Figures 1 & 2. This frame consists of a vertical axis A, from which radiate
a number of wooden spokes B, B, which are connected at their outer extre-
mitics by straight cross bars a, a. On the under faces of these spokes there
is a series of pins or tenters (gilt or otherwise coated to prevent them from
being affected by the dyeing liquors), to which the cloth is attached in
the direction of the folds, and these tenters are arranged in a spiral order
as indicated by the lines s, s, in Figuro 1, so that the cloth may be attached
to them without disturbance to the folds. The frame, after it has thus had
the cloth made fast to it, is lowered into or raised from the dyeing vat at plea-
sure by means of a rope attached to a hook in the top end of the axis. A,
and carried over a pulley fixed in the roof of the dye-house or any other
convenient situation. According to the time of immersion will of course
be the depth of the colour imparted to the cloth, and it follows, that by
lowering the cloth very gradually the undermost portions of the folds being
longest in the liquor will be of the deepest hue, and every successive portion
be fainter and fainter, while at the same time, in consequence of the times of
immersion diminishing in so minute a series, the transitions from one shade
of colour to the other will be imperceptible. When the cloth, after it has
been thus treated, is spread out it exhibits as many finely shaded bands or
stripes as there were folds. A modification of the plunging frame, by which
it is better adapted to the dyeing of shawls, scarfs, and similar articles, is
represented in plan, side elevation, and section, in Figures 4, 5, and 6,
Sheet II. In this case the frame is made square, and the goods, instead of
being secured to it by tenters, as before described, are held fast by two wooden
bars which clip them by the tops of the folds, and are tightened or loosened
by means of screws.
Another form of apparatus for immersing the goods is shewn in Sheet III.
Sheet 1 is a longitudinal elevation of it, Figure 2 is a top plan, and Figure 8
a transverse elevation. F is a frame, which carries two rollers B and B',

page_text: mounted on vertical shafts. D and D', each roller is encircled by a broad
plate C. The shafts D and D' carry at top two pulleys, which are connected
by a cross belt, so that on the winch K being applied to turn round the top
of D' the two shafts may revolve together. The cloth is first coiled in its
folded state round the roller B and the end of it passed across and fixed to the
other roller B', in order that as the cloth is unwound from the one roller
it may be taken up by the other. The encircling plates C, C, serve to
support the cloth in each of these positions. The entire apparatus with the
cloth so fixed to it is dropped into the dyeing vat to the height of the
-line N, N, and a rotary motion being given to the rollers B', B, by means of
the handle K, the cloth is kept revolving in the liquor, passing alternately
from the one roller to the other till it has been dyed sufficiently. H, I,
are handles for lowering and raising the apparatus. When the dyeing matters
employed are of a costly description, or when it is desirable that the goods
should be but slightly dipped, the apparatus last described is modified so that
it may not only be worked with a much less quantity of liquor, but dyo two
pieces of cloth at one and the same time. Figure 1, Sheet IV., is a longi-
tudinal- section, and Figure 2 a transverse section of this modification,
Figure 1. being on the lines A, B, C, D, of Figure 2, and Figure 2 on the
line E, F, of Figure 1: The dyeing vat X, X, is made with eight slanting
sides, and the rollers on which the cloth to be dyed is wound, with their
respective appendages, are also placed-in à like slanting position. B, B', are
two principal rollers as before, with their revolving shafts, D, D', and en-
circling plates C. The pulleys round which the belt which connects the roller
shafts D, D', is passed, are fixed immediately above the tops of the rollers
B, B', instead of at the tops of the shafts, as in the previous case. R, S, and
R, S', are smaller rollers placed inside of the others, two on each side, which
are called the dyers, because they may be said to force the cloth, in the manner
to be presently explained, to imbibe the dyeing liquor. One piece of cloth
being wound upon the roller B in the folded state, as before, passes thenco
round the small roller R, which is of a conical form, then round the cylin-
drical roller S, which is half immersed in the dyeing liquor, and back again
over the roller R, whence it is recoiled on the roller B. Another piece makes
a like circuit round the rollers B³, R', and S, and motion is simultaneously
imparted to both sets of rollers through the medium of the common handle
K and the connecting band and pulleys. T is a pipe, through which steam
may be supplied to warm the dyeing liquor when required; U is a tap to
-drain off the liquor into the tub V.
When the cloth to be dyed is of more than ordinary thickness, another

page_text: modification, such as is represented in Sheet V., is employed. Figure 1
is a longitudinal elevation of this modification with the boiler or warm
bath part in section. Figure 2 a top plan, and Figure 3 a section of
the boiler part. In this case there is interposed between the two rollers
B, B', on which the cloth is wound, an apparatus Y, precisely similar to that
employed in Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet I., for plaiting or folding, only that it
is fixed in a vertically inclined position instead of horizontally.. A view of
this apparatus as here fixed is given separately in Figure D. E is a screw,
by which the apparatus may be lowered in the dyeing vat K to any depth
found most suitable; which depth must depend on the number and width of
the folds of the cloth. On passing from the one roller (B) to the other
(B) the cloth passes through the apparatus Y, (that is to say,) over the ends
of the sets of parallel blades M and N, whereby its folds are opened, and
an equal absorption of the coloring liquor greatly facilitated. The screw E,
besides serving to lower and raise the apparatus Y, serves also to bring the
sets of plates M and N either closer together or to put them more apart, as
before explained in the description of the Drawings Sheet I. It remains
now to describe the mode of operation followed when the folding takes place,
as the cloth is in the course of being dipped in the dyeing vat. A folding
apparatus, similar to that first before described, is fixed in a horizontal position
within the dyeing vat, as represented in Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet VI.; but
in this case the sets of blades M and N are made much longer (to the extent
even of two yards in length), in order that the cloth may remain so much
longer in the liquor. The piece of cloth having been wound in an unfolded
state upon the roller K, is carried thence through the folding apparatus imme-
diately over the under set of plates N, as indicated by the red line in
Figure 1, Sheet VII., and thence to the roller K, to which it is made fast.
The upper set of plates M is then lowered, so as to press the plates N down
into the intervals between the plates M, as shewn in Figure 2, Sheet VII.
C, C', are small rollers furnished with pins or tenters, which are placed inter-
mediately between the larger rollers K and K', and the dyeing vat, and serve
to lay hold of and guide the cloth as it passes to and fro. It will be obvious
that as the cloth is drawn through the folding apparatus and dyeing vat, it
must at once be plaited into folds of a width corresponding with the extent to
which the one set of plates M overlaps the other N, but be dyed only in
those parts of the folds which are immersed in the liquor. To prevent
the lists of the cloth from shrinking towards the inside, a string piece E,
composed of cardboard, is sewn to and all along the lists. To avoid the
necessity of steadying the lists, a waving or indented metal plate N may

page_text: be substituted for the lower set of parallel blades M, as shown in the
Drawings Sheet VIII., the grooves in that plate having openings at
bottom to allow of the free access of the liquor to the cloth. Or two
such indented metal plates may be employed, the projecting parts of the one
taking into the recesses of the other, as shewn in the Drawings Sheet IX.
In these Drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan of the folding apparatus
and dyeing vat, according to this last arrangement; Figure 2, a section on the
line A, B, of Figure 1; Figure 3, a section on the line C, D, of Figure 1;
and Figure 4 a side elevation of the folding plates. When it is desired to
keep portions of the cloth between the shaded bands white or undyed, au
apparatus is made use of of the description represented in Sheets X. and XI.
The piece of cloth having been previously folded, is coiled in that state round
a drum, from which it is unwound and passed to the dyeing vat; but instead
of being coiled by itself, as in all the machines before described, a thick sheet
of some other stuff, such as felted waterproof cloth, is coiled along with it, so
that between every two folds of the cloth to be dyed there is a layer of the
other or protecting cloth. The cloth to be dyed is delivered from a drum B
on to the roller A (see side elevation Figure.X.), and the protecting cloth
from another drum C, and these two drums are loaded with counterweights to
prevent them from turning too readily. A rotary motion being given to the
roller A, the two cloths are wound equally together upon it. The roller is
then transferred to and laid in a horizontal position across the top of the
dyeing vat, so that the roll of cloth may dip more or less into the liquor, as
shewn in the Drawings, Figures T, X, and X, Sheet XI. It is then made
to revolve by the shaft B' till the outer portions of the roll are sufficiently
dyed (excepting the intermediate parts only, which are shielded by the
interposed protecting cloth), after which the two picces are separately
uncoiled, as shewn in Figure Z of Sheet XI. The protecting cloth is carried
away over a roller C, and the dyed piece over a guide roller D, whence it falls
into a receiving box E. Should it be desired to dye the cloth in two colors
crosswise, the roller A and revolving shaft B' are (before uncoiling the
cloth) transferred to another dye vat containing the second color, in which
they are placed, and made to revolvo vertically, as shewn in Figure Y,
Sheet XI.
Another arrangement of machinery for dyeing cloth in cross stripes or
bands is shewn in Figures 1 and 2, Sheet XII., the former being a longi-
tudinal elevation of it, and the latter an end elevation. A represents the
pieco of cloth which is to be shaded crosswise; B, B, bands of some thick
stuff which are interpused between the folds of A; C, C, rods by which the

page_text: folds are preserved; II, H, sets of bars or boards which run longitudinally
from one end of the machine to the other, over and under the fabrics A
and B; E, E, bars which run transversely to H, H', and also over and under
the fabrics A and B, and immediately next to them; D, D, are vertical pieces
which keep the bars E, E, at a distance apart, corresponding to the breadth
desired to be given to the colored bands or stripes; F, a clamp by which the
bars II, II', may be screwed together. The mode of proceeding is as
follows:-One fold of the cloth is first laid down upon the top of the under
set of cross bars E, and then the bands B, B, placed over those parts which
cover the bars E. The cloth is then brought back round a rod C, and a
second fold super-imposed over the first, but with the bands B left between,
and so the processes carried on till the entire piece has been folded. The
upper set of cross bars E', E', are then placed upon the top of the folded
cloth in the same order as the under bars E, E, and the whole pressed
firmly together by bringing the longitudinal bars H, I, to bear against the
cross bars E and E', through the agency of the clamp F. And finally,
beavy beams K, K, are laid across the bars H³, and screwed down by
screws M, M, M. The parts which carry the cloth are thus kept in a state
of high compression, immersed in the dyeing liquor to the height of the
line N, N, and when the cloth is taken out, all the parts which are pro-
tected by the bands (B) are found white, with but a slight tinge of color at
the edges. From what has been stated, it will be readily understood that by
the machine just described, as well as by that represented in Sheets X.
and XI., chequed stuffs with squares of any desired dimensions may be
produced.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,-
Firstly, the improved methods, respectively before described, of dyeing
textile fabrics in bands or stripes more or less graduated or shaded, and either
crossed or not crossed.
And secondly, each of the machines represented in the Drawings hereunto
annexed and before described, in so far as the same are applicable to the
description of dyeing aforesaid.
And such the said Invention being, to the best of my knowledge.and
belief, entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion
of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to be
my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said
Specification doth comply in all respects fully, and without reserve or disguise,