Improvements in and connected with the Cleansing and Bleaching of Wool, Hair, Silk, Cotton, Flax, and other Vegetable or Animal Fibres or Fabrics, the Recovery of Bye-products such as Oil and Fat contained in such Fibres or Fabrics, and the Recovery of the Whole or Part of the Ingredients used in the Process.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Cleansing and Bleaching
of Wool, Hair, Silk, Cotton, Flax, and other Vegetable or Animal
Fibres or Fabrics, the Recovery of Bye-products such as Oil and
Fat contained in such Fibres or Fabrics, and the Recovery of the
Whole or Part of the Ingredients used in the Process.
We, CARL ADOLPH SAHLSTRÖM, of 14, Griffin Street, York Road, Lambeth,
in the County of London, Engineer, and ELLIS PARR, of Brazil House, Isleworth,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the cleansing and bleaching of wool, hair, silk, cotton,
flax and other vegetable and animal fibres and fabrics, to the recovery of bye-
products such as oil, fat and the like contained in such fibres or fabrics, to the
recovery of the whole or part of the ingredients used in the process and to apparatus
therefor.
According to our invention we utilize vacuum, pressure and air or steam
currents, either alternately or separately or in such succession or combination as
we may find convenient in presence of suitable solutions or gases.
As an example of the application of our invention and as being descriptive of an
appliance which we find suitable we give the following: We construct a vessel of
metal or any other suitable material fitted with an air-tight cover and so arranged
that easy access to the interior can be obtained. In the top of this vessel or at
any other suitable place, a pipe is fixed which is connected with a vacuum apparatus.
Another similar connection is also made with a pressure pump. In the bottom of
the vessel is a stop cock, above which a false perforated bottom is placed, the
material or fibre to be washed, cleansed or bleached is placed upon the perforated
false bottom and another movable perforated disc is placed above the material.
When the material or fibre to be treated has been placed in the said vessel a
solution (either cold or warm) of soap or any other suitable ingredients is introduced
in sufficient quantity to cover the material. The lid is then fastened down and the
vacuum applied. This is continued as long as needed and can, if so desired, be
alternated with a pressure; or a current of air or steam may be allowed to pass
through the vessel, thereby giving a mechanical movement to the liquid and material
and thus accelerating the operation.
In order to recover the bye-products such as oil and fat contained in the fibres
or fabrics and the ingredients used in the process we proceed as follows, that is
to say.
If a current of air has not been passed through the apparatus during the washing
process, we force air through the washing solution in order to oxidise the soap
which can then be easily separated by filtration or by centrifugal force.
For example after the washing is completed the liquid is run off into a receiver
in which it is allowed to stand for a short time in order to obtain a settlement.
The liquid is then passed through a machine, similar in construction to a cream
separator and the fat (principally lanoline) is quickly separated. The residue,
which contains alkali and saponified matter is allowed to pass through another
separator which to a considerable extent divides the alkali from the saponified
matter.
The various products, such as wool-fat, soap and alkali can be purified by any of
the well known processes.
3000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Cleansing and Bleaching
of Wool, Hair, Silk, Cotton, Flax, and other Vegetable or Animal
Fibres or Fabrics, the Recovery of Bye-products such as Oil and
Fat contained in such Fibres or Fabrics, and the Recovery of the
Whole or Part of the Ingredients used in the Process.
We, CARL ADOLPH SAHLSTRÖM, of 14, Griffin Street, York Road, Lambeth,
in the County of London, Engineer, and ELLIS PARR, of Brazil House, Isleworth,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to the cleansing and bleaching of wool, hair, silk, cotton,
flax and other vegetable and animal fibres and fabrics, to the recovery of the bye-
products or residues such as oil, fat and the like, and of the whole or part of the
ingredients used in the process, and to apparatus therefor.
According to our invention in order to cleanse and bleach such fibres and fabrics
we utilize vacuum, pressure and atmospheric, oxygenated or ozonised air or steam
currents, either alternately or separately or in such succession or combination as
we may find convenient in presence of suitable solutions or gases.
As an example of the application of our invention and as being descriptive of an
appliance which we find suitable we give the following, reference being had to the
accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the said appliance:
Figures 2 and 3 are plans respectively of the cover of the vessel and the tripod
stand for the same hereinafter described; and
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation drawn to an enlarged scale illustrating the joint
of the said cover.
.
Figure 5 is an elevation of part of the same.
We construct a vessel a, Figure 1, of metal or any other suitable material fitted
with a cover b, the joint of which with the vessel a is rendered air-tight by means
of packing c and screw-pins d hinged at e to the vessel a and provided with winged
nuts fadapted to exert a downward pressure upon the cover. This system of joint
also allows of easy access to the interior of the vessel a being obtained. The vessel
is suported upon a tripod stand a¹, Figures 1 and 3. In the top of the cover b of
this vessel (or at any other suitable place) a pipe g is fixed which is connected with
a vacuum apparatus. Another similar pipe connection is also made with a
pressure pump and a third pipe i fitted near the top of the vessel serves for the
removal of fat. In the bottom of the vessel is a pipe having two branches j and k
fitted with suitable stop cocks, the branch serving for the introduction of steam or
air into the vessel a and the branch k for drawing off liquid from the said vessel.
A short distance above the pipe j, k a false perforated bottom is placed, the
material or fibre to be washed or cleansed is placed upon the perforated false
bottom (or in a basket or cage) and another movable perforated disc, not shewn
in the drawing, is placed above the material. When the material or fibre to be
treated has been placed in the vessel a a solution (either cold or warm) of soap,
soda, borax or any other suitable ingredients is introduced in sufficient quantity to
cover the material. The cover b is then fastened down and the vacuum applied
through the medium of the pipe g. This is continued as long as needed, say from
five to thirty minutes, according to the quantity of dirt, fat, or the like to be
removed, and can if so desired be alternated with a pressure produced by the
pressure pump and communicated through the pipe h; or a current of atmospheric,
oxygenated or ozonised air or steam introduced through the branch pipe j may be
allowed to pass through the vessel a, thereby giving a mechanical movement to the
liquid and material and thus accelerating the operation.

page_text: In order to recover from the solution the bye-products such as oil and fat and
the ingredients used in the process we proceed as follows; that is to say. If a
current of air has not been passed through the apparatus, during the washing.
process, we force air by the brancl: pipe; though the washing solution in order to
oxidise the soap which can then be easily separated by filtration or by centrifugal
force.
For example, after the washing is completed the liquid is run off through the
branch pipe k into a receiver or tank in which it is allowed to stand for a short
time in order to obtain a settlement. The liquid is then passed through a machine,
similar in construction to a cream separator and the fat (which is principally what
is known as lanoline) is quickly separated. The residue which contains alkali and
saponified matter is allowed to pass through another separator which to a considerable
extent divides the alkali from the saponified matter.
The various products, such as wool-fat, soap and alkali can be purified by any of
the well known processes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:―
1. Cleansing wool, hair, silk, cotton, flax, and other animal or vegetable fibres or
fabrics by the utilization of vacuum, pressure and atmospheric, oxygenated or
ozonised air or steam currents, either alternately or separately, or in such succession
or combination as may be convenient, in presence of suitable solutions or gases,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The recovery of bye-products such as oil and fat and of the whole or part of
the ingredients used in the process of cleansing wool, hair, silk, cotton, flax, and
other animal or vegetable fibres or fabrics, by forcing atmospheric, oxygenated or
ozonised air through the washing solution in order to oxidise the soap, then allowing
the liquid to settle and afterwards passing it through a suitable apparatus in order
to separate the saponified matter from the fat and alkali, substantially as herein-
before described.
3. The use in the described process of cleansing wool, hair, silk, cotton, flax and
other animal or vegetable fibres or fabrics of apparatus constructed substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 30th day of March 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.