IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF DRYING, AND TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Moore Riddell of 30 Finsbury Pavement in the
City of London-Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF DRYING, AND TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS AND IN THE MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Moore Riddell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1882.
WILLIAM MOORE RIDDELL of 30 Finsbury Pavement in the City of London Civil
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF DRYING AND TREATING TEXTILE
FABRICS AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR"
This invention is designed more particularly for the purpose of dealing with the
rags of textile fabrics composed of cotton and wool with the object of separating
the animal from the vegetable fibres.
In carrying out my Invention I proceed as follows:-
I construct a long box or chamber provided with an opening or entrance orifice
at one end and an exit orifice at or near the other end. This box contains a series
of pipes heated by steam or hot air and also at its extremity fartherest from the
entrance orifice a cylinder of large diameter which is also heated by Steam or hot
air the whole being contained in the said heating Chamber. This Chamber or box
is also provided with a number of rollers over which an endless Band or apron is
caused to traverse when driven by the revolving of the heating Cylinder before
mentioned, over which such endless band or apron is caused to pass, the disposition
of the carrier rollers and apron being such that when in action the endless band or
apron is carried forward towards the heating cylinder under and around which it
passes, and from whence it returns until it arrives at a carrier roller placed outside
the opening or orifice at the entrance of the heating Chamber around which it
passes and again enters the said Chamber.
When the apparatus is at work.the rags to be treated are continuously spread on
the traversing endless apron outside the entrance orifice of the heating Chamber
from this point the rags are acted upon by the graduated heat of such Chamber and

page_text: any moisture or steam thrown off is withdrawn by an exhaust fan which also
draws a current of air through the box or chamber, As the apron traverses with
its rags towards the large heating cylinder (which has a temperature much higher
than that at the entrance orifice of the said Chamber) the rags become thoroughly
dried before having traversed half their distance towards the heating Cylinder so
that during their onward traverse the higher temperature acts upon the cotton fibre
in such a manner that when they come into contact with the heated Cylinder at
the time the endless band is travelling round the same the cotton fibres become
thoroughly decomposed and separated in the form of dust from the wool fibres
which are left uninjured, the rags thus treated are discharged from the machine at
the exit orifice conveniently placed near the heating Cylinder and in a position
past which the endless band or apron traverses when returning for a fresh supply
of rags.
The length of the hot air chamber and the speed at which the band is made to
travel is regulated by the degree of moisture contained in the material to be dried
and the temperature of the hot chamber and the heat of the Cylinder are regulated
by the pressure and amount of the Steam employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Moore Riddell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th February 1883.
WILLIAM MOORE RIDDELL of 30 Finsbury Pavement in the City of London-Civil
Engineer" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF DRYING AND TREATING TEXTILE.
FABRICS AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
My improved process for treating and drying rags or textile fabrics is designed
principally for the purpose of separating the wool from the cotton in that.
description of mixed fabrics known as Unions or Shallies.
In order to effect this separation after the rags have by preference been subjected
to a Chemical treatment as is usual-the said rags are passed first between rollers or
squeezers which take out excess of moisture, or such excess of moisture may be
extracted by a centrifugal machine, or by warm or hot air which is drawn through
the rags when placed in a suitable vessel by means of an exhaust fan. At this
stage of the operation the rags so treated are apparently uninjured in both
appearance and strength and in order that their subsequent treatment which
separates the cotton from the wool may be well understood I have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of drawings on which letters of reference are marked on.
corresponding parts on both the Figs: alike.
Fig 1. represents a longitudinal elevation of the apparatus in which the'
heating Cylinders, pipes and endless webb of felt apron carrying the rags are
enclosed in an outer casing or box and,
Fig 2. represents a modification of the above.
The rags when dried and in the state as previously described are placed on an
endless woollen felt apron a (see Fig: 1.) which in its traverse passes through the
box or casing b. This box is divided vertically into several chambers or compart-
ments each one of which is heated by the Steam pipes c. The moisture arising
from the rags in each Chamber is drawn off by an exhaust fan which said fan is
also employed to draw a current of air through and over the series of steam
pipes c which becoming hot is drawn through the rags carried by the felt apron a..
The chamber where the rags first enter is heated moderately, the second to a
higher temperature, and the third and fourth to a still higher degree, and the
length of the felt apron, its speed of traverse, and the amount of heat applied are
so regulated that by the time the rags have reached the end of the fourth chamber
they are perfectly dry. The traversing felt apron a is carried through the chambers
on the rollers d. d. d.
From the end of the last Chamber the felt apron carrying the rags is passed over
and around about three fourths of the circumference of the large Cylinder e. which
is heated to the required temperature by the application internally of Steam at a
considerable pressure or by a series of Gas jets placed at convenient intervals in
the interior of the Cylinder e This Cylinder is required to be heated to a
temperature of from Two hundred to Two hundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheidt,
according to the number of thicknesses of the rags to be operated upon or the
thickness of individual rags. This Cylinder I prefer to be at least six feet wide,
and eight feet in diameter although the size of the Cylinder is not material.
The speed at which the belt travels must be so regulated that the rags are in direct
contact with the heated metal of the Cylinder at least three quarters of a minute

page_text: before they are discharged at E, into the receiving trough or tray, or on to the
second travelling felt which conveys then to the Separators or "Willys" The
travelling belt after having discharged the rags at E is carried back over the guide
rolls d¹¹ d' over the top of the Cylinder and under the Chambers as shewn in
Fig 1, to the extreme end of the machine when it obtains a fresh charge of damp
rags to undergo the same operation.
By the action of the heated Cylinder e the molicular state of the Cotton is
completely changed and by the action of the beaters in an ordinary Willying
Machine is separated in the shape of dust from the Wool fibre which remains
perfectly unchanged and capable of Carding and weaving by the ordinary and well
known Machinery.
As a modification of the before mentioned arrangement I employ in connection
with the heated revolving Cylinder which effects the molicular change in the Cotton,
a series of heating and drying Cylinders as shewn in Fig 2, by means of which
the rags are brought into direct contact with and carried round a series of three
Cylinders A, B, C, heated by Steam or Gas to the required temperature, before
arriving at the large hot Cylinder D.
Two of these Cylinders have cach a Supplementary heated Cylinder E, E, for
drying the felts or bands which become wet or damp by the moisture and steam
given off from the rags in operation.
From the Cylinder D. the finished and dry rags are thrown on the delivery
felt F, which conveys them to the Willies or other separating Machines.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I wish it to be understood in conclusion that I do not wish
to confine myself to the exact arrangement of parts herein described which are
employed for drying and preparing the rags for their final treatment but what I do
claim as new and as of my invention is the employment, arrangement, combination,
and adaptation to drying apparatus similar in character to those herein described
of a large heating Cylinder having a superior temperature so regulated that such
Cylinder will whilst the previously prepared rags are passing around the same in
manner as described cause a molecular change to be given to the cotton or vegetable
fibre of such fabric or rags thereby allowing the same to be readily separated
from the wool or animal fibre of such fabric in the manner as herein substantially
described set forth and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
In witness whereof I the said William Moore Riddell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this the thirty-first day of January One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-three.
Witness :-
THOMAS WRIGLEY
75 Chancery Lane
London.
WILLIAM MOORE RIDDELL (L.S.)