Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Finishing Worsted, Woollen, and other Woven Fabrics.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Finishing Worsted,
Woollen, and other Woven Fabrics.
We, JOHN KIRK, of the firm of Samuel Kirk and Sons, of Leeds, in the County
of York, Stovers and Dyers, and BENJAMIN LEE, of 173, Hyde Park Road, Leeds,
in the said County, Foreman Presser, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Our present invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
finishing worsted, woollen and other woven fabrics by imparting a smoothness and
compactness to such fabrics in a more economical, expeditions and superior manner
than heretofore usual.
Our improved machinery or apparatus comprises a double rimmed cylinder having
an annular space between the said two rims, one or both of the trunnions or axles
upon which this cylinder rotates is or are pierced for the admission of steam into the
central compartment or into both compartments when desired, suitable means of
communication between the said compartments being provided for this purpose,
siphons are also provided for the escape of water resulting from the condensation
of steam in the said cylinder.
In
The cylinder is caused to rotate in either direction by a suitable arrangement of
driving gear and is mounted in. bearings in suitable housings or framework.
some cases the periphery of the outer rim is pierced diametrically by a series of
small holes through which and the fabric under treatment steam can pass when
such fabric requires to be both steamed and pressed at the same time, or steam may
be cut off from the said annular space between the two rims when pressing only is
required for finishing such fabrics.
Fabric may be coiled several thicknesses around the aforesaid cylinder and
subjected to the action of the machine for an indefinite period. A series of smaller
cylinders or rollers are located at intervals around the first named cylinder and
being mounted in movable bearings in the aforesaid framework are caused to
approach the first named cylinder by hydraulic or other pressure (hydraulic
preferred) so as to, press the fabric as it rotates with the cylinder.
Surrounding (or nearly so) the fabric upon the aforesaid cylinder and intervening
between it and the abovenamed pressing rollers is an endless sheet of metal or other
suitable material, this sheet after passing, around the fabric coiled on the steam
cylinder returns around two of the pressing rollers located at the point where the
fabric is introduced into the machine and then passes over or outside of the remainder
of the pressing rollers and over another roller having a movement to or from the
machine in order to maintain the said sheet in a tensile condition as the fabric under
treatment yields, the movement of the last named or tightening roller is effected by
any suitable means.
For some kinds of fabrics the endless sheet may be dispensed with.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Finishing Worsted,
Woollen, and other Woven Fabrics.
We, JOHN KIRK, of the firm of Messrs. Samuel Kirk and Sons, of Leeds, in the
County of York, Stovers and Dyers, and BENJAMIN LEE, of 173, Hyde Park
Road, Leeds, in the said County, Foreman Presser, 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.:--
Our present invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
finishing worsted, woollen and other woven fabrics by imparting a smoothness and
compactness to such fabrics in a more economical, expeditious and superior manner
than heretofore usual.
Our improved machinery or apparatus comprises a double rimmed cylinder
having an annular jacket or space between the two rims. One or both of the
trunnions or axles upon which this compound cylinder rotates is or are pierced for
the admission of steam into the central compartment or into both compartments
when desired, suitable means of communication between the said compartments
being then provided for this purpose. Syphons are also provided for the escape
or removal of water resulting from the condensation of the steam in the said
cylinder.
The cylinder is caused to rotate in either direction by a suitable arrangement of
driving gear and is mounted in suitable housings or framework. In some cases the
outer rim of the said cylinder is pierced diametrically by a series of small holes
through which and the fabric under treatment steam can pass when the said fabric
requires to be both steamed and pressed at the same time. Steam may be cut off
from the annular space between the two rims when pressing only is required for
finishing the fabric. In treating some kinds of fabrics that require a high degree
of heat we intercept the steam in its passage to the central compartment of the
cylinder by plugging or providing a stop valve at the inner ends of the axial orifices
of the trunnions and providing an induction for the steam direct to and an exhaust
from the said annular space.
The fabric to be finished may be wound several times around the aforesaid
cylinder so that there will be several thicknesses thereon and subjected to a pressing
and steaming action of the machine for any desired period...
A series of smaller cylinders or rollers hereinafter called pressing rollers are
located at intervals around the above named or main cylinder. They are mounted
in movable bearings in the aforesaid framework and are caused to approach the
main cylinder by hydraulic or other pressure (hydraulic preferred) the arrangement
being such that the several pressing rollers can be pressed towards the main cylinder
so as to act simultaneously upon the fabric wound thereon.
Surrounding (or nearly so) the fabric upon the main cylinder and between it and
the pressing rollers is an endless sheet or band of any suitable material, as for
example thin metal, woven wire, metallic links connected together by joint pins
rods or rivets to form an endless sheet; the length of the circumferential contact
thereof upon the material under treatment whether passing through the machine
continuously in a single thickness or as wound upon the main cylinder in several
thicknesses, forms an enormously large pressing surface in, comparison with the
usual flat pressing operations at present in use.
In the event of any liability of the fabric under treatment becoming marked by
either of the beforementioned kinds of endless sheets an elastic and protective sheet
of suitable material such as Mackintosh cloth or an equivalent thereto which may
also be endless, is placed between the fabric and the endless metallic sheet above
referred to.
The aforesaid endless metallic sheet and the elastic and protective sheet after
passing around the fabric wound upon the main cylinder, return around two of the

page_text: pressing rollers located near the place where the fabric is introduced into the machine
and then passes over or outside of the remainder of the pressing rollers and over a
tightening roller that can move between wide limits to and from the main cylinder
in order to maintain the said endless sheet or sheets in a tensile condition as the
fabric yields under pressure. The movement of the tightening roller can be effected
by any suitable means.
In the annexed drawings
Fig. 1, is an elevation as seen from the driving side of a machine constructed
according to our invention, the driving gear being shewn in dotted lines only. The
driving gear may be on either side to suit its disposition in the works.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail figures hereinafter referred to. Similar letters refer
to similar parts wherever they occur.
a, is the base or foundation plate upon which the superstructure is erected.
:-
b, b, are the housings or side frames that carry the main cylinder, pressure rollers
and to which are attached other parts of the machine. e is the main cylinder with
the annular space d, between its outer periphery and the inner ring of metal.
c1, e, el are the axles or trunnions upon which the cylinder rotates and which are
pierced axially as previously stated. Steam is admitted through one of them (el
shewn in section in Fig. 5) by the pipe and the stop valve f3 to the central
compartment c 2 from which it can be conveyed to the said annular space d, by pipes
such as with taps, the axle.e and pipe f1, form the outlet for water resulting from
condensation of the steam in the cylinder. The said axle or trunnion e may either
be provided with a stop valve similar to f 3. or its piercing need not pass through it.
The pipe 1 may be bent downward so as to form the longer leg of a syphon, the
shorter leg of which terminates within the cylinder near the bottom portion thereof.
By this arrangement condensation can be readily removed from the cylinder when
necessary. 2 is an inlet for cold water when it is required to cool the cylinder.
h, are pipes with taps for admitting steam from the pipe f, direct to the annular
space d, that is when the axial orifices are closed at their inner ends as previously
referred to. 1, h 1, are pipes and taps similar to h, h, and each constituting the
shorter leg of the syphon referred to for conveying water from the annular space d,
or from the part c 2 of the cylinder c to the outlet pipe 1. i is the endless metallic
sheet of thin metal or woven wire or a built up chain as shewn to an enlarged scale
in, Figs. 3 and 4. j, k, l, m, n, are the pressing rollers, each carried in movable
bearings o and pressed towards the main cylinder e by the rams p, of a hydraulic
cylinder p 2. p 1 are pipes for supplying water under pressure from any convenient
source simultaneously to all the hydraulic-cylinders p 2, for actuating the rams p',
for the purpose mentioned. j and are the rollers between which the fabric enters
the machine to be coiled round the main cylinder c, where it is embraced by the
portion of the said endless sheet i, which passes, nearly round the cylinder c.and the
fabric, the remaining portion passing around the pressure rollers j, k, and then
outside of the rollers l, m, n, and the tightening roller g. The roller q, is carried by
bearings in frames arranged to work horizontally in guides s and is drawn back-
ward for tightening the endless sheet i by the action of the weights t or by equiva-
lent means.
u is the driving pulley and the driving pinion, both fixed on the
shaft w, carried in the bearings. yy, are loose or carrying pulleys for cross and
open straps for driving the machine in either direction.
2, is a spur wheel on the
axis of the main cylinder c and driven by the pinion . 21, is the fabric entering
the machine, and 2 shews it leaving the machine and being either wound upon the
roller z 3, or passing over it and over 4, for being cuttled.
";
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. In machinery or apparatus for finishing worsted, woollen and other woven
fabrics, a hollow metallic rotary cylinder having inner and outer walls or peripheries

page_text: .
arranged to form an intermediate space and provided with axes or trunnions
perforated axially, a pipe f'arranged to convey steam to the interior of the cylinder
through one of the said axes or trunnions; one or more pipes such as g, with taps
for placing the central part of the said cylinder in communication with the annular
spaced, a pipe-f2, for admitting cold water to the cylinder through pipe, when
required, and a pipe 1, extending through the other axle or trunnion, and adapted
to be placed in communication with the interior of the cylinder near the inner. wall
thereof or with the annular space and through which water resulting from con-
densation or otherwise can be drawn off whether the outer wall of the cylinder be
perforated or not, substantially as described and shown.
2. In machinery or apparatus for finishing worsted, woollen and other woven
fabrics the combination with a hollow metallic rotary cylinder and the pipes f, fl,
and 2 referred to in the preceding claim, of pipes h, with taps by which the steam
inlet pipe, can be connected direct to the annular space d, when necessary,, sub-
stantially as described and shown for the purpose specified.
3. In machinery or apparatus for finishing worsted, woollen and other woven
fabrics the combination with a main rotary cylinder, rollers located in suitable
positions around and capable of movement to and from the main cylinder c and
means such as rams operated by fluid pressure for simultaneously moving the several
pressing rollers towards the main cylinder so as to press or finish the fabric under
treatment substantially as described and shewn.
4. In machinery or apparatus for finishing worsted, woollen and other woven
fabrics, the use in conjunction with a main rotating cylinder and pressing rollers
capable of being moved towards its periphery, of an endless band of non-extensile
material arranged to pass partly around the cylinder between it and the pressing
rollers and thence around the pressing rollers and a tightening roller and means for
operating said tightening roller substantially as described and shewn with or
without an elastic protective sheet or band interposed between the said endless band
and the fabric wound on the main cylinder:
5. The improved machinery or apparatus for finishing worsted, woollen and other
woven fabrics, constructed arranged and operating substantially as described and
illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Witness.:
THOS E CRAVEN, Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
24, Victoria Chambers, Leeds.
JOHN KIRK.
BENJAMIN LEE