Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Dyeing, and Treating Textile Materials and Goods.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Dyeing, and Treating
Textile Materials and Goods.
We, ELY SUTCLIFFE and GEORGE EDWARD SUTCLIFFE, of the Patent
Process Dyeing Company, Limited, of Halifax, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates principally to the treatment of cotton or wool sliver or
warps wool tops and other textile materials and consists of improvements in former
inventions for which Letters Patent numbers 10933 and 14971 of the year 1886 and
In the said former inven-
number 4509 of the year 1887 have been granted to us.
tions the materials to be treated were coiled or massed around a hollow perforated
pipe which could be revolved and dyeing liquor or the liquor employed in the
bleaching or treatment of the materials was forced through the perforated pipe and
the surrounding materials. The object of our present invention is to increase the
productive capacity of the apparatus and to bring its action more under the control
of the operator especially in the cases wherein the apparatus is used for dyeing
purposes. We arrange for a number of perforated pipes to radiate from a central
hollow shaft or barrel into which the liquor is forced or discharged under pressure.
The hollow shaft is mounted so that it can be slowly revolved whilst the liquor is
being discharged through the goods.
The packages or masses of materials may or may not be caused to revolve upon
their axes as in our said former inventions the radiating perforated pipes being
rotated upon their axes or the outer perforated pipes which carry the goods being
rotated upon the said radiating pipes. As the masses of material under treatment
are carried around the central axis of motion the angular direction of their axes is
constantly changing the axis of each mass passing through all the angular directions
between the horizontal and the vertical four times during each revolution of the
central shaft. In addition to this the masses are reversed during the revolution-
that is to say the end which is lowest at one part of the revolution is highest at
another. The effect of this rotation of the masses around a common axis is to
greatly aid in the even distribution of the dye for the reason that the direction in
which the dye tends to gravitate through a mass is constantly changing. Our
invention is of particular advantage in respect of obtaining a more even dyeing of
the ends of the masses.
We mount the hollow shaft carrying the masses of material to revolve above
a cistern into which falls the liquor which is forced through the said masses a
circulating pump withdrawing the liquor from the cistern and returning it through
a gland into the hollow shaft. As the goods are under the view of the operator
during the treatment the operation can be better controlled. A large number of
masses can be treated at once in the same machine as for example eight rows of four
perforated pipes may radiate from the central hollow shaft so that thirty two
masses of material may be dyed at once but it must be understood that the machine
may be adapted to the treatment of more or less than the number stated, as desired.
Our improved apparatus may be used in the treatment of textile materials and goods
otherwise than in dyeing operations by forcing liquors through the masses of
materials or goods as they are being carried around as aforesaid. We do not confine
ourselves to the exposure of the materials or goods during the whole or a portion of
the revolution of the main shaft as for some purposes it may be desirable te

page_text: submerge the masses during the whole of the treatment.
present invention in the treatment of woven goods.
Dated this 27th day of May 1890.
We propose to apply our
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for Washing, Dyeing, and Treating
Textile Materials and Goods.
We, ELY SUTCLIFFE and GEORGE EDWARD SUTCLIFFE, of the Patent
Process Dyeing Company, Limited, of Halifax, in the County of York, 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 and accompanying drawings
Our invention relates principally to the treatment of cotton or wool sliver or
warps wool tops raw cotton and other textile materials and consists to some extent
in improvements in former inventions for which Letters Patent numbers 10933 and
14971 of the year 1886 and number 4509 of the year 1887 have been granted to us.
In the said former inventions the materials to be treated were coiled or massed
around a hollow perforated pipe which could be revolved and dyeing liquor or the
liquor employed in the bleaching or treatment of the materials was forced through
the perforated pipe and the surrounding materials. The object of our present
invention is to increase the productive capacity of the apparatus and to bring its
action more under the control of the operator especially in the cases wherein the
apparatus is used for dyeing purposes. We arrange for a number of perforated
pipes or conduits to radiate from a central hollow shaft or barrel into which the
liquor is forced or discharged under pressure. The hollow shaft is mounted so
that it can be slowly revolved whilst the liquor is being discharged through the
goods.
In order that the nature and extent of our invention may be well understood we
will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the said drawings
Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation of a machine specially adapted to be used in
the dyeing of cotton or other textile material in the condition of sliver.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same machine.
Fig. 3 illustrates a modification whereby the machine is adapted for the treatment
of raw cotton or other raw or loose textile materials.
In Figs. 1 and 2 a a are masses of sliver and is the hollow shaft. The masses a
are preferably formed in each case by coiling the sliver upon a perforated_tube
which is placed in an upright position in the centre of the coiler can in accordance
with the directions contained in the Specification of our former invention in respect
of which Letters Patent number 4971 of the year 1886 have been granted to us as
aforesaid.
When so formed each mass of sliver contains a perforated tube a¹ which extends
from end to end of the mass the sliver being kept on the tube by means of metal
end plates. The hollow shaft is formed with gudgeons 663 which are adapted to
revolve in bearings carried by standards c c'. Upon the gudgeon is fixed a worm
wheel d and with this gears a worm e which is fixed upon a cross shaft f which is
mounted to revolve in bearings carried by the standard c¹. Upon the shaft fis
fixed a second worm wheel g and with this gears a worm h which is fixed upon the
driving shaft i which receives a revolving motion by means of a belt pulley ;. By
means of this gearing a slow revolving motion can be imparted to the shaft b. The
gudgeon is hollow and works in a gland k¹ which is formed at the upper part of

page_text: the standard c and communicates with a pipe-k which is the discharge pipe of a
centrifugal pump 7. The suction pipe l' of the pump communicates with a well m¹
which is formed in a trough or cistern m which is fixed below the shaft b. The
shaft of the pump is driven by means of a belt which acts upon the belt pulleys 1.
Upon the shaft bare secured two wheel-shaped frames which carry eight cross
bars n or discs or close end plates might take the places of these frames. The
shaft is formed with eight rows of hollow paps in which are fixed hollow cones or
discharge plugs. Each of the cross bars n is provided with four solid or close
cone plugs o which are fitted to slide to and fro in a bored recess formed in the cross
bar. Each of these cones o can be slid in and out by turning a screw p. The
cones and o are adapted to enter the ends of the perforated tubes in the masses
of sliver. When a coil or mass of sliver is placed in position with one end of its
inner tube placed upon a cone the corresponding cone o is forced up by turning its
screw so that the cone is forced into the end of the tube the tube being at the same
time forced upon the cone + so as to make sufficient liquor tight connections.
will be seen that thirty two masses of sliver can thus be mounted around the
central shaft b. As each row of four masses is secured the shaft is rotated to the
extent of about one eighth of a revolution and another set of four masses is applied
and so on until the thirty two masses are in position. The trough m is charged
with dye liquor or with water or lye or with the liquor which is to be used in the
treatment of the sliver.
It
For convenience of description we will suppose the machine to be used in dyeing
the sliver. To facilitate the penetration of the dye it is preferable that the masses
of sliver should be damped or soaked in water until thoroughly wet through before
being mounted in the machine. If this has not been done before the treatment in
the machine illustrated we supply the trough with water in the first instance and
heat the water by injecting steam into it and we operate the machine in the manner
hereinafter set forth with reference to the use of dye. The trough having been
charged with dye liquor we set the driving shaft i and the pump in motion. Liquor
will then be withdrawn from the trough and be forced into the hollow shaft whence
it passes through the hollow cones 6 into the perforated tubes in the masses of
sliver and permeates the said masses escaping in streams issuing in all directions
from the same.
There is naturally a tendency for the liquor to flow downward so
that if the masses were stationary the lower inasses would be more acted upon by
the dye than the upper and the lower ends of some masses and the under sides of
others would be more acted upon than the other parts so that there would be an
irregularity in the result. This is prevented by the rotation of the shaft b and of
the masses around the common centre-that is to say the axis of such shaft-
whereby the relative positions of the masses are being constantly changed each mass
being turned completely over during each revolution of the shaft with its carried
masses of sliver the axis of each mass passing through all the angular directions
between the horizontal and the vertical four times during each revolution of the
central shaft. It will thus be seen that the directions in which the liquor will tend
to flow will be constantly changing so that great regularity in the effect will be
produced. This movement of the masses also enables us to use a lower fluid
pressure. If the masses were stationary it would be necessary to force the liquor
through at high pressure in order to compel it to flow upward but the result would
not be satisfactory as the high pressure would cause the liquor to force its way out
in large streams through parts offering the least resistance and the sliver would be
damaged and regularity of effect would not be obtained. In our machine we do not
require a high pressure of liquor and a centrifugal circulating pump answers the
requirements. It will be seen that in the case of each mass the two sides which are
upon a horizontal line are not reversed and it may be supposed that there will be
less liquor flowing through the sides. Complete regularity of effect might be
obtained by causing each mass to revolve upon its axis as it was being carried around
the common centre but this would greatly complicate the machine and we have not

page_text: found it necessary for the reason that if the desired regularity is not obtained it is
only necessary to stop the machine at intervals and to turn each mass about a
quarter round.
If preferred however the central shaft might be provided with
radiating perforated arms or pipes which would be fitted to be revolved continuously
or intermittently upon their axis by means of bevel or other gearing or such arms
might be fixed and the perforated tubes carrying sliver be revolved upon the said
arms. There may be less or more than four masses in each row and less or more
than eight rows arranged around the common centre. Any suitable gearing may
take the place of the worm gearing for actuating the shaft b. In Fig. 3 the frame 63
is made in the form of a wheel which is divided by radial partitions into com-
partments which are provided with perforated doors 6°. The sides (³ of the wheel
and the partitions & may or may not be perforated. The perforated pipes are in
this case attached by one end to the central hollow shaft b and may be round or flat
in cross section or be of a suitable section. The compartments are to be filled with
raw cotton or material to be treated the doors being then closed and secured. The
operation of the machine would then be the same as that of the machine first
described with the exception that in place of stopping the machine at intervals to
turn the masses round it might be advisable to stop at intervals to re-arrange the
material within the compartments. Perforated pipes fixed by one end to the central
hollow shaft might be applied in the case of the machine illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2
the perforated tubes within the coiled masses of sliver slipping on to such perforated
pipes and receiving the liquor therefrom. An important advantage arising out of
the working of our machine is that we can work with a small quantity of dyeing
liquor as the materials have not to be immersed so that there is a great saving in
dyeing materials especially in the cases wherein the dye bath is liable to rapid
deterioration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The combination of parts constituting the machine for dyeing washing or
treating sliver or textile materials substantially as set forth and indicated with
reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the attached drawings.
2. The machine for use in the dyeing or treatment of cotton or textile materials
constructed and adapted to act substantially as set forth and indicated with reference
to the attached drawings.
3. The machine for dyeing or treating with liquors textile materials consisting of
the hollow central shaft provided with delivery orifices and mounted to revolve in
bearings the frame for carrying a number of masses of coiled sliver with means for
connecting the said delivery orifices with the interiors of the masses of sliver in
combination with means for revolving the said central shaft frame and masses of
sliver and for pumping liquor into the central shaft substantially as set forth and
indicated.
4. In a machine for dyeing or treating with liquors textile materials: a revoluble
wheel or frame having a hollow shaft or axle into which the liquor can be forced by
means of a pump such shaft being provided with discharge orifices through which
the liquor is forced into radiating perforated pipes around which the textile materials
are massed in combination with gearing or parts for revolving the said wheel or
frame during the treatment substantially as set forth.
5. In a machine for dyeing or treating with liquors coiled sliver the revoluble
frame ³n with its central hollow shaft the hollow discharge plugs & the hollow
neck working in a gland in the fixed framing in combination with a circulating
pump and with gearing for revolving the said revoluble frame substantially as set
forth and indicated.
6. In a machine used in dyeing coiled sliver the revoluble frame ³n with its
hollow shaft the hollow discharge plugs & the adjustable plugs o the screws p

page_text: in combination with the perforated pipes a' and with a circulating pump and gearing
for revolving the said frame substantially as set forth and indicated.
7. In a machine for dyeing and treating with liquors textile materials the
wheel 68 68 66 with its hollow shaft b and the radiating perforated pipes in com-
bination with a circulating pump delivering liquor into the interior of the shaft b
and with gearing for rotating the said wheel substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Dated this 26th day of February 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.