Improvements in Machinery for Carbonizing and Drying Fabrics and Fibres.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1889-Accepted; 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Carbonizing and Drying Fabrics
and Fibres.
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of Ridings Mill, Whitelee, Batley, in the County of York,
Flock Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to machinery to be employed for carbonizing or separating
and destroying cotton or other vegetable matter contained in rage or other like
material. In carrying out my invention I employ a long cylinder composed of sheet
iron, steel, or other suitable material. Fabrics or fibres to be operated upon are
placed into this cylinder, which is arranged to be lower at the delivery end than at
the feeding end. The cylinder is mounted upon rollers which are driven by suitable
gearing for the purpose of giving rotary motion to the said cylinder. The feeding.
end of the cylinder is perforated, and the fibre to be fed therein is placed upon a
lattice sheet or endless apron, and by means of a pair of feed rollers the material to
be operated upon is fed automatically into the machine. At the delivery end of the
machine I introduce gases which are admitted by means of a pipe from a retort in
close proximity to the machine. Projecting from the inside of the cylinder. are a
number of teeth or spikes, so arranged that as the cylinder revolves the spikes gather
up the fabrics and carry them around until at a given point the fabrics fall off the
spikes, consequently as the fabrics are thus agitated within the cylinder the gases freely
impinge upon every part, thereby thoroughly carbonizing or destroying the vegetable
matter, leaving the animal fibre intact. As the cylinder is placed at an inclination
the fabrics travel slowly forward through the cylinder. The apparatus is placed within
a room or surrounded by suitable brickwork or iron framework, and the temperature
is got up to any required degree by means of a fire or a suitable arrangement of
steam or hot air pipes.
Although I have described this machine as being employed for carbonizing or
separating vegetable from animal matter, the machine is equally well adapted for
drying wool, cotton, or other fibrous materials, but when so employed, the use of gas
would not be required.
An exhaust or other form of pan is used to make a circulation of air and to take.
away steam or moisture arising from the materials.
Dated this 18th day of December 1888.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
5 Improvements in Machinery for Carbonizing and Drying Fabrios
and Fibres.
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of Ridings Mill, Whitelee, Batley, in the County of York,
Flock 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
O and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to machinery to be employed for carbonizing or separating

page_text: and destroying cotton or other vegetable matter contained in rags or other like
material. In carrying out my invention I employ a long cylinder composed of sheet
iron, steel, or other suitable material. Fabrics or fibres to be operated upon are
placed into this cylinder, which is arranged to be lower at the delivery end than at
the feeding end. The cylinder is mounted upon rollers which are driven by suitable
gearing for the purpose of giving rotary motion to the said cylinder. The delivery
end of the cylinder, or the whole of said cylinder, may be perforated, and the fibre
to be fed therein is placed in a hopper, and by means of a pair of feed rollers, the
material to be operated upon is fed automatically into the machine. At the delivery
end or front of the machine I introduce gases which are admitted by means of a pipe
from a retort in close proximity to the machine. Projecting from the inside of the
cylinder are a number of teeth or spikes, so arranged that as the cylinder revolves
the spikes gather up the fabrics and carry them around until at a given point the
fabrics fall off the spikes, consequently as the fabrics are thus agitated within the
cylinder the gases freely impinge upon every part, thereby thoroughly carbonizing or
destroying the vegetable matter, leaving the animal fibre intact. As the cylinder is
placed at an inclination the fabrics travel slowly forward through the cylinder. The
apparatus is placed within a room or surrounded by suitable brickwork or iron
framework, and the temperature is got up to any required degree by means of a fire
or a suitable arrangement of steam or hot air pipes.
In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now make reference
to the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is sectional
elevation of a carbonizing machine constructed according to my invention, and Fig. 2
cross-section of same through the line A B of Fig. 1.
represents the metal
cylinder, the outer side of which is provided with rings or flanged pulleys D, resting
upon smaller antifriction pulleys E, the latter of which support the said cylinder and
allow it to revolve freely thereon without much friction. The cylinder has also placed
on to it a toothed wheel F in gear with a pinion wheel G by which the cylinder is
made to revolve. The pinion wheel G fixed upon shaft H receives its rotary motion
by means of worm wheel I and worm J fixed upon the main driving shaft K of the
machine. L'is a hopper in which are two toothed feed rollers M and N caused to
revolve by means of worms and wheels a and b driven by means of the chain O from
the pulley P'fixed upon shaft H. The rags or other fibrous material to be carbonized
is introduced into the hopper L and is drawn into the machine by the feed rollers M
and N, which are caused to revolve as indicated by arrows in such a manner as to
drag or draw the fibre into the cylinder C, and when the fibre enters the said cylinder,
the spikes Qcarry the said fibre around until they reach near the top of the cylinder,
when by their own weight they fall again to the bottom of the cylinder, and this is
continually going on so long as the cylinder revolves, consequently the fabrics are
freely and thoroughly agitated, and as the outlet end of the cylinder is placed lower
than the inlet, it follows that as the cylinder revolves the fabrics will traverse out at
the opposite end. The carbonizing gases to destroy the vegetable matter in the rags
or other fibre are generated In the retort R, such gases being conveyed by the
pipe S into the annular space T (see Fig. 2) left between the brickwork U and the
outside of the revolving cylinder C, and as the cylinder is perforated as shown by
letter c, the fumes of the gases pass through the said perforations into the revolving
cylinder and intermingle with the fabrics, which are being freely carried about and
agitated by the spikes; thus the vegetable matter will be thoroughly destroyed, but
the animal fibre will remain intact.
Instead of introducing the gases at the delivery end of the machine as shewn and
described, the said gases may be introduced by pipe Z, as shewn by dotted lines, at
the feeding end of the machine, in which case the gases will travel through the whole
length of the cylinder.
The fumes of the gases may be drawn out of the cylinder and annular space by
means of an exhaust fan V.
For effectually carbonizing fabrics and fibrous materials it is necessary that the
cylinder and chambers should be heated at suitable temperatures, and this I accomplish

page_text: by means of a fire, which may be made in the grate W, the heat therefrom passing
along the flue X, whereby the metal floor plates Y will become heated, which heat is
radiated or given off to the various parts of the brickwork and cylinder, and if
necessary the floor plates Y may be perforated; or instead of employing a furnace
for heating the parts, a number of steam or hot air pipes may be used.
Although I have shewn and described this machine as being employed for
carbonizing or separating vegetable from animal matter, the machine is equally well
adapted for drying wool, cotton, or other fibrous materials; but when so employed
the use of gas would not be 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. The employment of a revolving perforated cylinder placed at an angle
as described, in combination with a hopper and feed rollers for carbonizing fabrics
and fibrous materials.
Secondly. The use of a horizontal cylinder together with a hopper, feed rollers, and fan,
surrounded with brickwork or otherwise enclosed, in combination with carbonizing
gases, all substantially as described.
Thirdly. For drying fabrics or fibre, the combination of an inclined cylinder,
together with a hopper, feed roller, and fan, surrounded by brickwork or otherwise
enclosed, all as described and shewn herein.
Dated this 19th day of September 1889.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.