APPARATUS FOR STEAMING IN THE declare the nature of my invention for BLEACHING OF FIBRES, FABRICS AND YARNS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM MATHER of Salford in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby
" APPARATUS FOR STEAMING IN THE
declare the nature of my invention for
BLEACHING OF FIBRES, FABRICS AND YARNS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
a
In the bleaching of fibres, fabrics and yarns it is advantageous, as part of the
process, to soak tho material with solutions of alkalies or alkaline sulphites or
mixtures of these, and then to subject the soaked material to steaming in a chamber
in which the temperature is preferably higher than that of steam at atmospheric
pressure. My invention relates to apparatus for such steaming which I will
describe referring to the accompanying Drawings. Fig. 1 being a longitudinal
section, Fig. 2 a transverse section and Fig. 3 a plan. A is a cylindrical vessel
constructed like a boiler, with a pair of rails R fixed along its lower part, between
them a perforated steam pipe D, and at each end traps or valves E for discharge of
water of condensation, and drainings. At each end of the vessel A is fitted steam
tight a framing B with a door C arranged in the manner of a wedge sluice valve,
and above these doors may be provided ventilating hoods N to carry off vapour
when the doors are opened. A number of open framed or lattice trucks M, nearly
fitting the interior of A, are provided, having wheels to run on the rails R and on
continuations of these beyond each end of the vessel A. These trucks may be
lined with porous fabric to prevent soiling of their contents. The valve doors C
may be raised and lowered by cranes or other suitable mechanism.
According to the method shewn on the Drawings, each door is connected by a
chain passing over pullies to a weight H heavy enough to overbalance the door.
Between the weights H there is arranged a fixed tubular plunger K on which is
fitted a cylinder J, that can be turned partly round K as an axis, so as to present
either or both of two projecting ears jj under either or both of the weights H.
When it is desired to close the doors C, steam or water under pressure is admitted
to act in the cylinder J, so as to press upwards the weights H, thus lessening their
action as counterbalances to the doors C and allowing them to descend. The doors
may be held closed by turn bolts G. A pipe F extends along the upper part of the
vessel A having nozzles by which liquor can be distributed over the materials in

page_text: the trucks M. Although I have shewn the vessel A as having a simple shell like a
boiler, that shell may be doubled in whole or in part so as to form a steam or hot
air jacket, and the shell might be lined internally or covered externally with
material that imperfectly conducts heat. Some of the trucks M being charged
with the material which is to be bleached, fibre, fabric or yarn, which may have
been previously soaked in alkaline or sulphite liquors, they are run into the
vessel A and the doors C being closed, the inaterial is subjected for the required
time to the action of steam admitted by the pipe D. This steam may be above
atmospheric pressure or may be low pressure or exhaust steam superheated, and,
during the steaming, liquor may be distributed from the pipe F, so as to effect or
maintain the soaking of the material in the trucks. Where heated air is available,
it may be admitted instead of steam into the vessel A or into its jacket so that its
heat may generate vapour from the moisture in the material; and in this case a
sufficient quantity of liquor has to be supplied by the pipe F. While some of the
trucks M are within the vessel A, others outside can be filled or emptied, so that
the apparatus can be used more or less in a continuous manner without becoming
cooled.
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. For steaming in the bleaching of fibres fabrics and yarns, apparatus, sub-
stantially as herein described, consisting of a tight vessel with sluice doors at each
end, steam and liquor pipes, and rails receiving lattice trucks containing the
material operated on.
2. In combination with the sluice doors and their chains and counterweights, a
plunger and cylinder, whereby steam or hydraulic pressure is applied to raise
either or both of the counterweights for closing either or both doors, substantially
as herein described.