IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING OR SCOURING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Petrie, junior, of Rochdale, in the County
•
of Lancaster, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING OR SCOURING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 17th January 1870, and dated the 21st July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Petrie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st July 1870.
I, JOHN PETRIE, junior, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WASHING OR SCOURING WOOL AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to apparatus for lifting or conveying the fibrous
material from the trough in which it has been washed or scoured, and
consists, firstly, in the employment of several series of bars or plates

page_text: armed with
prongs or spikes placed side by side and caused to rise and
fall through perforated bars or plates. Each series or a group thereof
alternately conveys the material forward and acts so as to prevent
portions of the said material from being washed backward. With this
view I propose to employ a series of bars or plates placed side by side,
and perforated with holes through which straight prongs or spikes pass
and which are carried by a second series of bars or plates placed beneath;
these prongs or spikes together with the bars or plates have a to-and-fro
motion imparted to them by cams or other ordinary means, but in such
manner as to move forward and backward alternately or in groups. To
the bars or plates are connected apparatus which at intervals thrusts
the prongs or spikes upward in order that they may carry forward the
material, after which they are allowed to sink so as to be free of the
said material during their return motion, at which time the alternate
prongs or spikes or groups thereof are protruded in order to prevent the
material from being washed back. As a modification of this plan I
propose to cause the prongs or spikes to move forward simultaneously,
and to provide for retaining the wool or other material by the use of bars
enclosed in recesses and which rise and move forward when the said
prongs or spikes are on their return motion.
In another arrangement I use several series of sliding clips placed
between projecting parts, which form cavities into which the fibrous
material falls. These clips as in the case of the prongs or spikes act
alternately or in groups to carry the material forward and to prevent
portions thereof from being washed back. I also propose to use this
arrangement of clips in combination with series of spikes or prongs above
described, or in place of the said clips I use bars or plates armed with
teeth and moving transversely.
Another part of my Invention consists in improvements upon the
construction of what are known in wool washing or scouring machines
as lifting cylinders. It has been the practice to form these cylinders of
segments of sheet brass which overlap each other, I now propose to
adapt cross bars from end to end formed with a curve corresponding to
the circumference of the intended cylinder and rebated on each side for
the reception of sheets of metal, whereby the whole periphery is caused
to be flush.
In the aforesaid lifting cylinders there are as is well known prongs
or spikes which are protruded and withdrawn. These prongs or spikes

page_text: I propose to form with ends which correspond in thickness to the outer
parts of the orifices through which they pass, when therefore they are
withdrawn the said orifices are closed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Petrie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PETRIE, junior, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Petrie, junior, Her special licence
that I, the said John Petrie, junior, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Petrie, junior, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR WASHING OR. SCOURING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the
condition amongst others that I, the said John Petrie, junior, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Petrie, junior, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 (that is to
say):-
My Invention relates to that part of machines for washing or scouring
wool and other fibrous materials which is designed for lifting the said

page_text: :
materials from the trough within which they have been operated upon,
and consists, firstly, in arrangements in which bars or plates carry prongs
or spikes projecting through other bars or plates; these bars or plates
are formed in separate portions across the width of the apparatus and
move forward and backward in alternate portions, or they are united into
one series or plate for the whole breadth, but in each case the bars or
plates and prongs or spikes move forward and backward together.
Another part of my Invention consists in improvements upon the
construction of what are commonly called lifting cylinders as applied to
machines for washing wool and other fibrous materials, and consists,
firstly, in a method of constructing the said cylinder, and secondly, in a
method of forming or constructing the prongs or spikes thereof.
In the accompanying Drawings the first part of my Invention is
shewn under one form at Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4; Fig. 1 being a longitudinal
section; Fig. 2; a cross section; Fig. 3, a plan view, and Fig. 4, a
longitudinal elevation shewing certain of the driving parts; the whole
of these Figures being detached from the ordinary working parts of the
washing apparatus.
In the actual working position the apparatus would not be horizontal
as represented in the Drawing, but would be placed at an angle within
the trough as will be well understood, but in a diagram to be hereafter
referred to its true position will be shown, the position adopted in the
Drawing being simply to avoid confusion by the foreshortening of the
parts which would otherwise occur. At 1 is a portion of the outside
frame of the machine, and at 2 a portion of the inside frame of the
washing trough, and between which and a similar frame on the other
side the lifting apparatus is situate; at 3 are cross bars attached to the
outside frame 1, and upon these bars are mounted, so as to be capable
of sliding thereon, two series of boxes 4, 4*, to which are attached
longitudinal bars 5, 5*, formed with series of perforations in lines along
their length, and through which the conveying prongs or spikes 9, pass.
Between each of the bars 5 is a T piece 6, one end of each of which is
formed with a notch, and into these notches there projects a clip 7
attached to the frame 2, and by which means the said T pieces are pre-
vented from sliding. Within the boxes 4, 4*, are situate bars 8, 8*, to 3
which are attached prongs or spikes 9,9*, extending upward and passing
into the aforesaid perforations formed in the first-mentioned bars 5, 5*.
The bars 8, 8*, abut against the outward ends of the boxes 4, 4*, and if

page_text: those boxes therefore be caused to side the said bars wil be carried with
them.
The driving shaft of the apparatus and to which rotatory motion may
be communicated in any convenient manner is shewn at 10. Upon this
shaft are two eccentrics 11, 12, situate on opposite sides of the centre.
The eccentric 11 is provided with a rod 13, connected at its other end
to a bar 14 which is attached to the boxes 4, and the second eccentric 12
has an arm 15 which is connected to a bar 16 attached to the bars 5*.
When, therefore, these eccentrics are caused to revolve one of them is'
moving the boxes 4 forward and with them the bars 5, while the other
is moving the alternate boxes 4* and bars 5* backward, and as the ends
of the other bars 8 abut against the ends of the said boxes they also
together with the prongs or spikes 9, 9*, perform the same motions.
Upon the shaft 10 is fixed an arm 17 provided at its outward end with
a roller which work against a curved slot or groove 18 formed in an
arm 19, which is supported by and rocks upon levers 20 mounted in
shafts 21 which are carried by the frame of the machine. Upon the
shafts of the levers 20 are arms 22, which at their upper ends, according
to the position shewn, are situate above staplès 23 fixed to the under sides
of the bars 5*. Upon the shafts 21 are also two other series of arms 24,
which at certain periods hereafter to be described are in connection with
another set of staples 25, and by these means, as will hereafter be seen,
the alternate series of prongs or spikes are alternately drawn below the
surface of their upper bars.
The operation is as follows:-According to the positions of the parts.
shewn in the Drawing the revolution of the eccentric 12 has through
its arm 15 drawn forward the rod 16, to which the series of bars 5* is.
attached, and these bars have carried with them their series of prongs 9**
at this time projected above them, but as the boxes 4* are fast with
the said bars 5* those boxes are also carried forward and act by their
ends against the lower bars 8 which abut against them. The alternate
series of prongs or spikes 9 have been drawn back by the eccentric 11
by means of the rod 13 acting upon the rod 14 which is fast with the
boxes 4, and the said boxes 4 at the other end have pushed forward
the lower bars 8, the prongs or spikes 9 which they carry being at this
time withdrawn from a projecting position above the bars 5. The wool
or other fibrous material to be washed or scoured is delivered on to the
surfaces of the bars 5, 5*, by reciprocating or rotatory rakes or by other
:

page_text: 1
ordinary means, and the revolution of the shaft 10 will now give motion
to the arm 17, so as to cause its roller to act against the surface of the
curved slot 18. The first effect of this will be to cause the said roller
by acting against the recess 26 to shift the arm 19 quickly to the right
hand of Fig. 4, by which means the levers 20 and consequently their
shafts 21, will be turned upon their centres, carrying with them the
arms 22, and these by acting obliquely upon the staples 23 will draw
downward the bars 8*, and with them the prongs or spikes 9* until their
ends are below the surfaces of the bars 5*, simultaneously with which
the eccentric 12 will, through its rod 15, carry the said bars 5* and
spikes 9* back towards the left hand of Fig. 1 the lower bars 8* being
pushed back by the boxes 4*. During these operations, and the arm 19.
having been thrust forward, the rotation of the lever 17 will carry
its roller along a dead run of the groove 18, whereby the rows 9 of
spikes or prongs will be kept elevated, into which position they have
been brought by the levers 24 acting against their under sides when the
other levers 22 turned over in order to depress the series 9*, and as they
are carried forward by the eccentric 11 they convey forward in their
turn the wool or other such material. The above described motions
will have brought the staples 25 into position beneath the arms 24, and
by this time the roller on the lever 17 will have arrived in the recess 26*
and then by acting against the side thereof will quickly move the
arm 19 to the left of Fig. 4, by which means the shafts 21, being turned
upon their centres, will cause the levers 24 to act against the staples 25
so as to withdraw the prongs or spikes 9 to their lowest position while
at the same time the levers 24 will elevate the bars 8* and with them
their spikes or prongs 9*. By these means it will be seen that alternate
rows of prongs or spikes are alternately carried forward and backward,
being elevated during their former movement and withdrawn during
their latter movement. The wool or other material delivered to the
apparatus is therefore gradually conveyed to the other end thereof to
be received by the usual squeezing rollers or other ordinary apparatus.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, shew in similar views to those above described a
modification of this part of my Invention, the main difference being
that in this instance the whole of the prongs or spikes move forward
and backward together, but, as in the former instance, the bar or plate
through which they protrude and by which they are carried move with.
them. At 2 is the side of the trough upon which is a flange 30 and

page_text: upon this is placed a plate 31 provided with perforations for the prongs
or spikes 9 to pass through. Within the frame 2 is a bar 32 in which
is mounted another bar 33, the arrangement being of course the same
on the other side of the apparatus; and to these bars 33 are connected a
series of rods 34 upon which are strung the spikes or prongs 9, they
being kept in their places by passing through the perforations in the
plate 31. The bars 32 are carried by pins 35 which project from rocking
levers 20 attached to shafts 21 which are carried by the stationary
frame. The upper ends of other levers 20* on the shafts 21 are jointed
to an arm 19 provided with a curved slot 18, as in Fig. 4, it being also
in like manner provided with recesses 26, 26*. Within the said curved
slot is a roller carried by a lever 17 fast upon the driving shaft 10, as
also described in reference to Fig. 4. Upon the shaft 10 is an ex-
centric 35 the rod 36 of which is connected to a bar 37 which is attached
to the under side of the plate 31, and by these means therefore the said
plate may be caused to move forward and backward.
"
The operation is as follows:-According to the positions of the parts
shewn in the Drawings the plate 31 together with the bars 33 and the
spikes or prongs 9 have been carried by the excentric 35 to the right
hand of Fig. 8, conveying with them the wool or other such material
which has been deposited upon them. A further rotation of the
shaft 10 will now cause the roller on the lever 17 to act against the
recess 26* of the curved slot 18, and the arm 19 being thus caused.
to move forward will turn the levers 20* and shafts 21 upon their centre,
by which means the bars 33 will be depressed and carry with them the.
prongs or spikes 9 level with the plate 31. The further revolution of
the excentric 35 will now carry the plate 31 backward and with it the
prongs or spikes 9, the bars 33 on which they are mounted sliding
within the other bars 32. After this the roller on the lever 17 will have
arrived into the notch 26 and a continued revolution of the shaft 10
will cause that roller quickly to act against the said notch so as to move
backward the arm 19, which movement will turn the levers 20* in the
opposite direction to that above mentioned and the prongs or spikes 9
will again be raised into the position shewn in the Drawing, after which
they will be carried forward with the plate 31 by the excentric 35, and
thus they are alternately thrust out and carried forward and withdrawn
and carried backward, by which means successive quantities of wool
or other material are conveyed from the mashing trough.

page_text: The above description shows how the wool or other material is passed
onward, but as a precautionary measure I adopt apparatus to prevent
it from being washed back when the spikes or prongs are withdrawn.
On the upper surface of the plate 31 is a series of strips of metal 38
formed with ratchet teeth as seen at Fig. 5, and these strips of metal
are held at one end by a clip 39 projecting into notches formed in them,
and at their other ends they project into dovetailed or T grooves 40
formed in the plate 31, and by which means they are prevented from
rising: When, therefore, the spikes or prongs 9 recede into the plate 31
as above described, the strips do not slide back therewith but remain
stationary, and their teeth serve to check a tendency of the material
to being washed back.
If desired, any suitable mechanism may be adopted for causing the
strips 38 to recede into the plate 31, when the spikes or prongs move
forward to again rise when the spikes or prongs move backward, but to
remain stationary as regards the sliding movement of the said plate 31.
This arrangement described in reference to Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, is that
which I prefer as being, according to my experience, the most suitable
for various descriptions or qualities of fibrous material.
In the foregoing I have described the construction and operation of
the several parts constituting my Invention, and their application to a
machine for washing wool and other fibrous materials will be understood
by all competent persons. I will now, however, refer to the diagrams
Figs. 9, 10, which illustrate the said application. At 2 is the frame
before mentioned, and at 41 are the bars or plate above referred to, the
prongs or spikes which are alternately protruded and withdrawn being
at 9. At 42 are rollers on to which the washed material is passed to
be conveyed to the usual squeezing rollers 43. The driving shaft 10
of the formerly described Figures is shewn at 10, and at 21 are the
rocking shafts denoted by the same reference in the said previously
mentioned Figures. At 7 is the clamp which holds the bars 6 or 38
above alluded to. The wool or other fibrous materials is operated upon
in the trough by rakes or other apparatus as usual and is by the last of
those instruments thrown upon the bars or plate above described, and
is by them or the prongs or spikes carried forward and delivered to the
rollers 42 or equivalent apparatus. At 44 is a guide or shute for con-
ducting the material to the said rollers. This guide in Fig. 1 is
represented as a fixed plate, but in Fig. 5 it is hinged to the plate 31,

page_text: and as the said plate moves forward turns upon its centre and maintains
its position as a guide.
The next part of my Invention which refers, as before stated, to what
are commonly called lifting cylinders is shown at Figs. 11 and 12. In
the former of these, a represents the cylinder end, and, according to
usual practice, the periphery is formed by segments of sheet metal which
overlap each other.
According to my Invention I use cross bars 6 extending from end to
end of the cylinder, their outward surfaces being curved to correspond
with the circumference of the intended cylinder. These bars are rebated
as at c, and into the recesses thus formed are placed the ends of seg-
mental sheets of metal d, which are then secured to the said bars. By
these means the whole periphery of the cylinder is caused to be flush.
In Fig. 11 the segmental parts are carried over intermediate cross bars 6*
but instead of this arrangement the said segments may be separate
between a pair of bars as seen at Fig. 12.
Another improvement relates to the prongs or spikes of lifting
cylinders. According to the usual method they are constructed with
pointed ends tapering inward to a larger diameter, as at Fig. 13, and it
therefore follows that when they are drawn inward the thinner end
leaves a cavity in the orifice through which they are thrust, and through
this portions of fibrous material are liable to pass.
According to my Invention I form the said prongs or spikes parallel
or substantially so, when therefore they are withdrawn they close or
ucarly close the orifices.
Fig. 14 represents a prong or spike so formed, slightly rounded at its
end by preference, and it is also shewn in conjunction with the cylinder
at Figs. 11 and 12. These prongs or spikes may pass through openings
which are slightly tapered, as at Fig. 11, to suit their curved form or
the said openings themselves may be curved, as shewn at Fig. 12.
. Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, and for the purposes above set forth.
Firstly. The use of prongs or spikes moving forward and backward
with the bar or bars or plate or plates through which they are protruded
and withdrawn.

page_text: Secondly. As applied to lifting cylinders constructing the periphery
thereof by segments which abut flush against each other, also forming
the spikes or prongs substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Petrie, junior, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.
JOHN PETRIE, J. (L.S.)