An Improved Process for Cleaning, Restoring, and Bleaching Damaged Cotton or other Products from Cotton Seed, Sponges, and all Textile Materials.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1891-Accepted. 5th Apr. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Cleaning, Restoring, and Bleaching
Damaged Cotton or other Products from Cotton Seed,
Sponges, and all Textile Materials.
We, WILLIAM HENRY HUGHES, of 96 Wood Street, in the City of Liverpool,
General Broker, and ALLAN ROWBOTHAM of Rock Ferry, in the County of
Chester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention consists of a hydro, chemical process for cleaning, restoring, and
bleaching damaged cotton, or other products from cotton seed, sponges, and all
textile materials.
In carrying our invention into effect we place the material to be treated in
suitable wooden troughs or vessels fitted with steam pipes, and we first sprinkle the
surface of such material with methylated spirit. The steam from the pipes is then
applied until the material is opened out; a solution of permanganate of potash,
preferably in about the proportion of 1 ounces to a gallon of water, is then applied,
followed by another injection of steam.
We next apply to the materials treated as above described, dilute sulphurous
acid of sufficient strength and quantity to remove the stains and color developed
by the former part of the process, after which the material is soaked in cold water,
assed through a hydro extractor, and finally placed in a chamber heated preferably
o about 2000 Fahrenheit in order to dry the same.
Dated this 5th day of March 1901
W. H. HUGHES,
By L. W., per F. B.
A. ROWBOTHAM,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process for Cleaning, Restoring, and Bleaching
Damaged Cotton or other Products from Cotton Seed,
Sponges, and all Textile Materials.
We, WILLIAM HENRY HUGHES, of 96 Wood Street, in the City of Liverpool,
General Broker, and ALLAN ROWBOTHAM of Rock Ferry, in the County of
Chester, 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. :-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive method or
process for deodorising, cleaning, restoring and bleaching country (ie. damaged in
harvesting) or sea damaged cotton, or other products from cotton such for example
as calicos, linens, jute and textile materials of various kinds and applicable also for
treating other substances of a similar kind such as live sponges.
In carrying our invention into effect we place the material to be treated in a
suitable trough or vessel fitted with a steam pipe and sprinkle the surface of the
material with methylated spirit. Steam is then caused to flow through the pipe
and into and amongst the material, until the flake (when treating bump cotton) is
opened out. A solution of permanganate of potash preferably in about the
[Price 8d.1

page_text: proportion of 1½ ounces of permanganate of potash to a gallon of water, is then
introduced into the trough or vessel and the steam again turned on to heat up the
solution to say about 160 degrees Fahrenheit or the solution may be heated before
being placed in the trough or vessel.
We next subject the material treated as above described to the action of dilute
sulphurous acid of sufficient strength and quantity to remove the stains and color
developed by the former part of the process. After which the material is or may
be washed, soaked or rinsed in cold water, passed through. a hydro-extractor,
and finally dried by placing it in a chamber heated preferably to about 200 degrees
Fahrenheit.
In order that the manner of carrying out our invention may be fully understood
we will proceed to describe the same by the aid of the accompanying drawings
which shew a suitable arrangement of apparatus for treating material such for
example as damaged cotton, bump or live sponges.
Fig. 1 is a plan or top view shewing in outline the arrangement of apparatus.
Fig. 2 shews the apparatus partly in elevation and partly in vertical section.
Fig. 3. is a side elevation shewing a pivotted vessel partly turned over to
facilitate the removal of the material therefrom.
Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation shewing the vessel in an upright position with its
cover secured in place.
In the treatment for example of bump cotton it is first necessary to open out the
flake without damaging the staple. This may be done by sprinkling it with
methylated spirit and then subjecting it to the action of live steam whilst in a tank
as hereinbefore mentioned, we find however in practice that the opening out can be
done more quickly and effectually by dispensing with the methylated spirit and
treating the material in a closed vessel or vessels in which a partial vacuum is
formed to the action of a solution of permanganate of potash which is admitted to
and discharged from the vessel or vessels one or more times as may be found
-necessary; and that in some cases as when the material is pressed very hard
together, steam may advantageously be first admitted to the closed vessel in which
the material is placed and then a vacuum formed therein.
This material is first placed in a closed vessel or tank A. hereinafter called a kier
preferably supported on two trunnions B. B' so that it can be quickly turned
nearly upside down as shewn in Fig. 3 to facilitate the removal of the treated
material therefrom. This kier is provided with a removable cover C which, after
the introduction of the material, is secured to the top of the kier so as to form a
steam tight joint.
Steam is then admitted at a low pressure to the kier through the steam pipe D
until the cotton is saturated, whereupon the steam is discharged through the
valve E. Another valve F on the vacuum pipe F' connected with the vacuum
pump G, is then opened and a vacuum created in the kier resulting in the expansion
and opening out of the hard or matted cotton.
To one of the kier trunnions say B is connected one end of a suction pipe H the
other end of which extends to near the bottom of an underground wooden storage
tank I capable of holding about the same quantity of liquid as the kier. In this
tank is placed a solution of permanganate of potash in about the proportion of one
pound of permanganate of potash to about 400 lbs. weight of water. This solution
is heated by a perforated steam pipe J to a temperature of about 160° Fahrenheit
and after a vacuum has been produced in the kier and the material therein has
been expanded or opened out as hereinbefore described a valve H¹ on the suction
pipe is opened and the solution allowed to flow from the tank I into the kier A
until the same is full, when the vacuum pipe F¹ is then automatically closed by an
ordinary float valve (not shewn), and the cotton allowed to become thoroughly
saturated with the solution. After a short time the solution is discharged from
the kier through the outlet valve K and allowed to run back into the tank 1 so
that it can be used over again. The time required for the material under treatment

page_text: will depend on the amount of damage and strength of material, usually from 20 to
30 minutes being sufficient. The kier A may be filled and emptied in the manner
described one or more times whilst the cotton remains therein. The cover C is
then removed and the kier turned partly over as shewn in Fig. 3 to facilitate the
removal of the material into say for example a centrifugal machine L. Fig. 1 by
which the excessive moisture is removed.
The material is then removed from the centrifugal machine L and placed in a
basket or tray M (indicated by dotted lines Fig. 2) so supported that it can be
quickly placed in a wooden tank or vessel M¹ containing a 5% solution of
sulphurous acid in water which on coming in contact with the dirty brown cotton
immediately changes it to a bluish white color. The tank or vessel M is provided
with a closely fitting lid M² to prevent as much as possible the escape of the
sulphurous acid gas which is freely given off from the solution.
The treated material is then removed from the tank M and placed in another
centrifugal machine N Fig. 1 by which the excess of moisture is removed; after
which it is placed in a suitable drying machine P heated to about 200° Fahrenheit
in which the drying of the material is completed. The treated material is then
ready for further use.
The chemicals used in this process are harmless to the material treated, and may
be used over and over again so long as the strength is maintained. The process is
simple and comparatively inexpensive as the cotton, with most classes thereof is
ready after being treated as described to be worked up without washing.
The kier A is provided with a loose removable perforated wooden top A'
and bottom A and when made of iron is lined with copper so that the cotton
under treatment cannot come in contact with the iron and become discolored or
damaged.
By a slight modification of the plant, live sponges as taken from the sea may be
treated in one vacuum tank or kier by providing two suction pipes and valves H¹, H*
shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 and two tanks 1. M', one suction pipe taking
into the tank I containing the solution of permanganate of potash and the other
into the tank M' containing the solution of sulphurous acid, so that first one solution
is admitted or drawn up by the aid of the vacuum into the kier and afterwards
discharged, and then the other without removing the sponges, these operations
being repeated until the sponges have been thoroughly deodorised cleaned and
bleached ready for drying.
gas,
Hitherto cotton and like materials have been chemically treated for the purpose
mentioned with chlorine
but we
find that by using permanganate of potash and
bringing it into contact with the impurities in the cotton as above described
sufficient oxygen is liberated to effect a complete oxidation thus changing the color
of the solution from a deep purple to that of a dirty brown or chocolate. The
strength of the solution may vary to as much as from 25% to 75% weaker
according to the amount of damage the cotton has sustained, the strength of solution
When a
previously given being suitable for sea or other badly damaged cotton.
high class cotton has been damaged and some of the staple destroyed, it is
advantageous to pick out the rotten staple as it weakens the solutions more rapidly
than cotton the staple of which is not entirely destroyed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1. The herein described process of treating damaged cotton and other materials
of the kind herein referred to by subjecting such material 1st to the action of steam
for the purpose of opening it, and then to the action of a solution of an oxidizing
agent such as permanganate of potash, and afterwards to the action of a solution of
sulphurous acid gas in water substantially in the manner and for the purpose set
forth.

page_text: 2. In the process referred to in the proceeding claim treating the cotton or other
material with methylated spirit previous to subjecting it to the action of steam, for
the purpose specified.
3. In the process referred to in Claim 1, causing a partial vacuum in the vessel
containing the cotton or other material after the same has been subjected to the
action of steam or to the action of the solution of permanganate of potash sub-
stantially as herein described for the purpose specified.
Dated this 4th day December 1891.
W. H. HUGHES,
By L. W., per F. B.
A. ROWBOTHAM,
By L. W., per F. B.