AN IMPROVED APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BOILING, SOAKING, BLEACHING, DYEING, WASHING AND DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE of No 11 Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BOILING, SOAKING, BLEACHING,
DYEING, WASHING AND DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS" to. be as follows:-
The improved process to which this Invention relates consists in the application
and easy manipulation of liquids for dyeing or other purposes and of gases (under
high pressure vacuum or the ordinary atmospheric pressure) for boiling soaking,
dyeing, bleaching, washing; drying or otherwise treating fibrous materials.
The improved apparatus in its simplest form consists in a well supported
boiler A, (see Fig: 1 of the accompanying sheet of drawing) secure against high
pressure or vacuum and fitted with an air tight cover. This boiler A is provided
in the interior with a shoulder r, forming a rest for a light and easily removable
vessel C.
Two openings m and q are below the shoulder and two other openings o and p
above the same; the latter openings may also be arranged in the cover of the
boiler.
The movable vessel C may be charged with the materials which are to be
operated upon, either while in its position in the boiler, or it may be taken out for
that purpose.
It is fitted with a perforated bottom and a ring h laying at any desired height on
the shoulder r. Packings of suitable material are placed between the ring hand
the shoulder r, in order to separate effectually and in an air tight manner the upper
from the lower part of the boiler and to permit communication between these parts
only through the interior of the moveable vessel C.
The separation between h and r may be placed at any desirable height of the
interior vessel C. Should the separation be as shown in fig: 1, at the upper end
of the vessel C, an opening q in the boiler must be immediately below the
shoulder r. If fitted as shown in Fig 2 at the lower end of the vessel C, an
opening X, in the boiler must be immediately over the shoulder r.
If fitted near
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page_text: the middle of the height of the vessel C two openings w and y Fig: 3 in the boiler
are necessary, one directly above and one below the shoulder r
The openings
serve for evacuating and exhausting the gases or liquids out of the concentric space
between A and C.
The boiler A may be provided, if required with an exterior shell B. By the
introduction of warm or cold agents (such as steam, water or air) into the space
between the boiler and the exterior shell, the temperature in the boiler may be
regulated as desired.
The agents which are to act upon the fibrous materials enter through the
opening m in the lower part of the boiler and go out through the opening o, into
the upper part, or vice versa, or the entrance may take place alternately from above
or below.
The agents may be made to remain in contact with the materials, to be acted
upon, during a certain period of time at any desired pressure and temperature, and
either in a motionless state or in continuous circulation.
The introduction or continuous circulation of the agents is produced by pressure
or exhaustion, by means of a simple difference of level, or a pump, or condensation.
If the process requires simultaneous or alternate action of several agents, the
number of the openings m and o in the boiler above and below the shoulder ? can
be increased accordingly; or pipes with the respective number of branch-pipes may
be adapted to these openings.
If the same proceedure is to be carried on in more than one vessel C, the required
number of the latter may be arranged in one boiler A. (see Fig: 4) or the required
number of apparatus, as shewn in Fig: 1 and previously described, may be
combined by a system of pipes, as shown in Fig: 5, and made to act conjointly like
a single boiler as shown in Fig: 1.
Several apparatus in some of which it may be desired to carry on a different
procedure, may be grouped together and provided with a system of pipes and
cocks for their simultaneous action.
The system of pipes belonging to the various apparatus, arranged either singly
or combined in groups, will not be described here in detail as the number of
variations is unlimited.
The most important arrangement of the pipes for combined apparatus, refer to
the following modes of procedure.
a) A group of single apparatus, with one or more vessels C, communicates with
a common pump, condenser etc, in such a manner, that the communication for
each apparatus can be established or cut off independently of all the others. The
treatment of the material can so go on in each single apparatus at any time
independently.
b) Should it be desirable to treat the material, with which the apparatus of a
group are charged, with several agents successively; then each of the apparatus in
the group must be made to communicate with a number of pumps etc, common to
all the apparatus, corresponding to the number of agents to be applied. The
process can thus, as in the previous case, go on in each apparatus independently
from the others.
c) In other cases a system of pipes required, suited to the effectual treatment
of the materials and by which the agents to be operated with, can be made under
any desired pressure or at any temperature, by means of the action of common
pumps etc, to pass through the boilers in any desirable succession.
The agents may in this manner-according to their state of efficiency or to the
degree of saturation required of the materials to be treated upon-be made to
circulate only once through the several apparatus, or continuously during a certain
period of times.
The circulation may also be stopped and the materials made to remain in contact
with the agents in a motionless state during a certain period of time and afterwards
the circulation may be re-established.

page_text: The circulation can go on in the apparatus of the group alternately from left to
right or in the opposite direction, also in each single apparatus in an upward or
downward direction.
The circulation of the agents may commence or be stopped in each single
apparatus of the group as desired.
Each apparatus can, if desired, be excluded independently of the others from the
circulating current of the agents.
The following special example may serve for the better explanation of the above.
The apparatus to be used may be named I, II, and III.
Supposing the number of circulations to have been four for III, two for I and
none for II; then the next circulation takes its course through I from below in an
upward direction and thence through II from above in a downward direction;
during that time the vessel or vessels C of III in which the process is finished, may
be removed and replaced by others, charged with new fibrous material to be
operated upon.
The second circulation takes its course through I from above in a downward
direction, and thence through II from below in an upward direction. After this
circulation the process in I is finished and may be interrupted while the process
in III begins anew.
The third circulation takes its course through II from above in a downward
direct and thence through III from below in an upward direction.
The fourth circulation takes its course through II from below in an upward
direction and thence through III from above in a downward direction.
The process has now been finished in two but begins anew in I, the vessels of
which have been recharged with materials and so on thus the materials in each
apparatus are treated successively one by already used agents and one by fresh
agents which are made to circulate alternately in an upward and downward
direction.
d) A modification of the arrangement of pipes and apparatus, as described
at a) c) consists in grouping them together singly or in combination for the
purpose of simultaneous treatment, as described above.
e) The groups of apparatus may also be so arranged that one common shell B
may serve for all.
The advantage of the above described modes of treatment of materials in single
or in several combined apparatus, consists in the easy and perfect application of
the agents acting on the materials under any desirable pressure in proportionately
light vessels, which may be easily removed or left in their position in the interior
of the boiler.
A great saving of time and labor is thereby effected, as the process may
commence or be stopped at will in each single apparatus of a group.
Waste in the application of the agents will also be avoided and a better result
and more regular work insured..

page_text: I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No.11 Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR BOILING, SOAKING, BLEACHING,
DYEING, WASHING AND DRYING FIBROUS MATERIALS" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The improved process to which this Invention relates consists in the application
and easy manipulation of liquids for dyeing or other purposes and of gases (under
high pressure, vacuum or the ordinary atmospheric pressure) for boiling, soaking,
dyeing, bleaching, washing, drying or otherwise treating fibrous materials.
The improved apparatus in its simplest form consists in a well supported boiler A
(see Fig 1 of the accompanying sheet of Drawing) secure against high pressure or
vacuum and fitted with an airtight cover. This boiler A is provided in the interior
with a shoulder r, forming a rest for a light and easily removable vessel c.
Two openings m and q are below the shoulder r and two other openings o and P
above the same; the latter openings may also be arranged in the cover of the
boiler.
The movable vessel c may be charged with the materials, which are to be operated
upon, either while in its position in the boiler, or it may be taken out for that
purpose. It is fitted with a perforated bottom and a ring h laying at any desired
height on the shoulder r. Packings of suitable material are placed between the
ring hand the shoulder 7, in order to separate effectually and in an airtight
manner the upper from the lower part of the boiler and to permit communication
between these parts only through the interior of the movable vessel c.
The separation between h and r may be placed at any desirable height of the
interior vessel c.
If the separation is as shown in Fig 1, at the upper end of the vessel c, an
opening qin the boiler must be immediately below the shoulder r; if fitted, as
shown in Fig 2, at the lower end of the vessel c, an opening in the boiler must
be immediately over the shoulder r; if fitted near the middle of the height of the
vessel c, two openings w and y (Fig 3) in the boiler are necessary, one directly above
and one below the shoulder r. These openings serve for evacuating and exhausting
the gases or liquids out of the concentric space between A and c.
The boiler A may be provided, if required with an exterior shell B.
By the
introduction of warm or cold agents (such as steam, water or air) into the space
between the boiler and the exterior shell, the temperature in the boiler may be
regulated as desired.
The agents which are to act upon the fibrous materials enter through the
opening m in the lower part of the boiler and go out through the opening o in the
upper part, or vice-versa, or the entrance may take place alternately from above or
below.
The agents may be made to remain in contact with the materials, to be acted
upon, during a certain period of time at any desired pressure and temperature, and
either in a motionless state or in continuous circulation,

page_text: The introduction or continuous circulation of the agents is produced by
pressure or exhaustion, by means of a simple difference of level, or a pump, or
condensation.
If the process requires simultaneous or alternate. action of several agents, the
number of the openings m and o in the boiler above and below the shoulder r can
be increased accordingly; or pipes with the respective number of branch-pipes may
be adapted to these openings.
If the same process is to be carried on in more than one vessel c, the required
number of the latter may be arranged in one boiler A (see Fig 4) or the required
number of apparatus, as shown in Fig and previously described, may be combined
by a system of pipes, as shown in Fig 5, and made to act conjointly like a single
boiler, as shown in Fig 1.
Several apparatus in some of which it may be desired to carry on a different
process, may be grouped together and provided with a system of pipes and cocks
for their simultaneous action.
The system of pipes belonging to the various apparatus, arranged either singly
or combined in groups, will not be described here in detail as the number of
variations is unlimited.
The most important arrangements of the pipes for combined apparatus, refer to:
the following modes of procedure.
a-A group of single apparatus, with one or more vessels c communicates with a
common pump, condenser, etc, in such a manner, that the communication for each
apparatus can be established or cut off independently of all the others. The
treatment of the material can so go on in each single apparatus at any time
independently..
b Should it be desirable to treat the materials, with which the apparatus of a
group are charged with several agents successively; then each of the apparatus in
the group must be made to communicate with a number of pumps etc, common
to all the apparatus, corresponding to the number of agents to be applied. The
process can thus, as in the previous case, go on in each apparatus independently.
from the others.
-In other cases a system of pipes is required, suited to the effectual treatment
of the materials and by which the agents, to be operated with, can be made under
any desired pressure or at any temperature by means of the action of common
pumps etc, to pass through the boilers in any desirable succession.
The agents may in this manner, according to their state of efficiency, or to the
degree of saturation required of the materials to be treated upon-be made to
circulate only once through the several apparatus or continuously during a certain
period of time.
The circulation may also be stopped and the materials made to remain in contact
with the agents in a motionless state during a certain period of time and afterwards
the circulation may be reestablished.
The circulation can go on in the apparatus of the group alternately from left to
right or in the opposite, direction, also in each single apparatus in an upward or
downward direction.
i
The circulation of the agents may commence or be stopped in each single
apparatus of the group as described.
Each apparatus can, if desired,. be. excluded independently of the others from
the circulating current of the agents.
The following special example may serve for the better explanation of the above.
The apparatus to be used may be named I, II and III.
Supposing the number of circulations to have been four for III, two for I and
none for II; then the next circulation takes its course through I from below in an
upward direction and thence through II from above in a downward direction;
during that time the vessel or vessels c of III in which the process is finished, may
be removed and replaced by others, charged with new fibrous material to be
operated upon.

page_text: The second circulation takes its course through I from above in a downward
direction, and thence through II from below in an upward direction.
After this circulation the process in I is finished and may be interrupted, while
the process in III begins anew.
The third circulation takes its course through II from above in a downward
direction and thence through III from below in an upward direction.
The fourth circulation takes its course through II from below in an upward
direction and thence through III from above in a downward direction.
The process has now been finished in II, but begins anew in I, the vessels of
which have been charged with materials and so on; thus the materials in each
apparatus are treated successively once by already used agents and once by fresh
agents which are made to circulate alternately in an upward and downward
direction.
d-A modification of the arrangement of pipes and apparatus, as described
at a c-consists in grouping them together singly or in combination for the
purpose of simultaneous treatment, as described above.
e-The groups of apparatus may also be so arranged that one common shell B
may serve for all.
"
The advantage of the above described modes of treatment of materials in single
or in several combined apparatus consists in the easy and perfect application of the
agents, acting on the materials under any desirable pressure in proportionately
light vessels, which may be easily removed or left in their position in the interior
of the boiler.
A great saving of time and labour is thereby effected, as the process may
commence or be stopped at will in each single apparatus of a group.
Waste in the application of the agents will also be avoided and a better result
and more regular work insured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1° The manner of proceding for the purpose of soaking, boiling, bleaching,
dyeing, washing and drying as also the exposure in a general way of fibrous
materials to the action of gases and liquids or of a vacuum or pressure.
A. To place into the interior of a vessel, secure against high pressure or vacuum
and fitted with a cover and the necessary pipes and cocks, one or more proportion-
ately light and easily removable vessels with perforated bottoms, which are charged
with the materials to be acted upon; to arrange the space between the inner and
outer vessel by partitions in such a manner, that the agents which are introduced
or made to circulate in the boiler may be forced to pass through the materials, to
be acted upon, and that thereby-however high the pressure during the operation
might be the strain on the skin of the inner vessel never exceeds that which is
necessary for the penetration of the material.
B-The mode of procedure as described when single or combined apparatus—as
shewn in Figures 1 and 3 and described at a-e--are used.
2. The application of single or combined apparatus as shewn in Figures 1 and 3
when the mode of procedure as described at a-e-is used.
Dathi Thintoth
Jaf 100K