Improvements in the Bleaching or Cleansing of Vegetable Yarns and Fabrics.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Bleaching or Cleansing of Vegetable Yarns
and Fabrics.
We, JOHN RILEY, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, Manager, and THE
THORNLIEBANK COMPANY LIMITED, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to the bleaching or cleansing of vegetable yarns
and fabrics, and have for object to effect such bleaching or cleansing by the
simultaneous action of steam and an alkaline or other suitable cleansing agent.
To accomplish this, and to effect our improvements, we cause the fabric or
yarn to be operated upon, to be carried in loops or festoons, upon a number of
transverse rods, bars or clips, and the whole are caused to pass through a
chamber somewhat similar in general construction to what is used for steaming
fabrics.
In
This chamber may be of rectangular or other suitable formation, and is provided
with pipes and valves, or other means whereby it may be supplied with steam.
the upper part of the chamber, we place a spray pipe, or it may be form such
chamber with a perforated false-roof, through which spray pipe or false-roof
alkaline or other cleansing liquid,-such as caustic soda, soda ash, soap or lime
liquor-is introduced, (by preference under pressure), in such manner that the
fabric or yarn, as it passes through the chamber, will be sprayed or showered on by
such liquid, and, at the same time, subjected to the action of the steam.
The bottom of the chamber is, by preference, so formed that the alkaline or
other liquid, as it falls, either directly from the spray, or indirectly from the
saturated fabric or yarn-will collect or accumulate to one or more convenient parts
thereof, and a pump or other injecting apparatus is employed in such manner that
the liquid may be withdrawn from the chamber, and again introduced above through
the spray or perforated false-roof, thus forming a continuous circulation of such
liquid as the fabric or yarn progresses through the chamber.
Variations in detail may be made, such as in the form of the chamber, and the
material of which it is composed, and in the method of carrying the fabric or yarn
there-through, without departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
Dated this 16th day of June 1893.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Bleaching or Cleansing of Vegetable Yarns
and Fabrics.
We, JOHN RILEY, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, Manager, and THE
THORNLIEBANK COMPANY, LIMITED, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, 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 :-
The improvements relate to the bleaching or cleansing of vegetable yarns
and fabrics, and have for object to effect such bleaching or cleansing by the
simultaneous action of steam-and an alkaline or other suitable cleansing agent..

page_text: To accomplish this, and to effect our improvements, we cause the fabric_or
yarn to be operated upon, to be carried in loops or festoons, upon a number
of transverse rods or bars, and the whole are caused to pass through a chamber
somewhat similar in general construction to what is used for steaming fabrics, and
generally known as "continuous steaming machines."
This chamber may be of rectangular or other suitable formation, and is provided
ith pipes and valves, or other means whereby it may be supplied with steam. In
the upper part of the chamber we place a spray pipe or pipes, or it may be form
such chamber with a perforated false-roof, through which spray pipe or pipes, or
false-roof, alkaline or other cleansing liquid, such as caustic soda, soda ash, soap
or lime liquor, is introduced (by preference under pressure), in such manner that
the fabric or yarn, as it passes through the chamber, will be sprayed or showered
on by such liquid, and, at the same time, subjected to the action of the steam.
The bottom of the chamber is, by preference, so formed that the alkaline or other
liquid, as it falls, either directly from the spray, or indirectly from the saturated
fabric or yarn-will collect or accumulate to one or more convenient parts thereof,
and a pump or other injecting apparatus is employed in such manner that the liquid
may be withdrawn from the chamber, and again introduced above through the spray
or perforated false-roof, thus forming a continuous circulation of such liquid as the
fabric or yarn progresses through the chamber.
But that the improvements may be better understood, we will, with the aid
of the accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed
by us.
1.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, shows a side elevation, with the side cover taken off';
Fig. 2, shows an end elevation, with the end cover taken off ; and
Fig. 3, shows a plan view, with the top cover taken off, of apparatus arranged
in accordance with our invention.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a, a, is the chamber or casing which may be provided with an inlet for steam
at any suitable point or points. b, b, is the spray chamber formed with
perforations. c, c, is the collecting tank for accumulating the liquor after it has
been sprayed on to the cloth, and which is from time to time supplied with
fresh liquor; while d, d, shows a range of steam pipes for keeping the liquor
in a heated condition, which may take supply at any convenient point. e, e, are
pipes forming a circulatory system, with a pump e¹ in circuit, eo as to allow
the liquor to be used over and over again, as the fabric or yarn progresses
through the chamber. f, f, are endless chains or bands carried at each end on
toothed or other wheels, or pullies a, g, and borne on rails or carriers from end
to end, in connection with which the rods f¹, f', are operated by the ratchet
wheel h, for festooning the cloth j,j, and carrying the same from end to end of
the chamber, as is well understood. The lengths of the festoous are regulated
by means of the clip or clips 1, 1.
The operation, in the case of fabrics, is as follows:-
The fabric is drawn from a source of supply, by means of nip rollers k, k,
and delivered through an opening in the chamber to. the festooning apparatus
within; whence it is drawn out by suitable apparatus from another opening, by
preference at the opposite end, as shown. The arrows indicate the direction in
which the cloth is travelling.
During the passage of the festooned fabric, the alkaline liquor is sprayed from
the perforated chamber, and, at the same time, steam is injected into such chamber,
by which means better results are obtained than by the arrangements hitherto
employed.
We are aware that .fabrics and yarns have been submitted to a process of
steaming, and spraying with alkaline liquor, prior to this our said improvements,
and we make no claim to such process or processes per se; but by the combination

page_text: of apparatus forming our improvements, we are enabled to obtain a continuous
application of such processes, and at the same time a highly effectual one, in
consequence of the fabric or yarns being subjected to the liquor and steam in a
festooned or loose condition. -
In the case of yarns it may, in some cases, be necessary to vary the mode of
placing the hanks or loops upon the travelling rods; and in the case of hanks
it may be requisite to supplement a preliminary operation of a manual character.
Variations in detail may be made, such as in the form of the chamber, and the
material of which it is composed; and in the particular manner of looping or
festooning, or carrying the fabric or yarn through the chamber in a loose condition;
and in the form of the spraying apparatus, which may be a spray pipe or pipes, or
the chamber itself may be formed with a false perforated roof, without departing
from the peculiar character of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination in a steaming chamber for fabrics or yarns, of an apparatus
for spraying such fabrics or yarns with alkaline or other liquors, with a festooning
or looping apparatus which carries the fabric or yarns through the chamber, all in
manner substantially as herein shown and described.
2. The combined apparatus consisting of a steaming chamber, with a spraying
chamber or pipe, a collecting tank connected therewith by circulatory pipes having
a pump in circuit, and a festooning device, for the purpose and in manner
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 15th day of March 1894.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.