Improvements in and relating to Machines for Scouring and Washing Wool and other Fibrous Materials.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Scouring and Washing
Wool and other Fibrous Materials.
I FREDERICK WILLIAM PETRIE of River Street Machine Works Rochdale
in the County of Lancaster Machinist 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 :-
My invention relates to machines for scouring and washing wool and other
fibrous materials.
This invention comprehends new or improved means for the attainment of two
objects or purposes.
The first object or purpose of my invention is to provide a means for effecting
or accomplishing the conveyance at certain velocities irrespective of the stream
and the delivery of the material in and from the wash bowl thro' which at the same
time a current or stream of scouring liquor is passing which means I employ in
connection with such class of machines-and to which my invention is more
particularly applicable-known as "double decker". machines that is, machines.in
which the wash bowl is situate or arranged above the tank containing the scour
or liquor and through which wash bowl and tank respectively the scour is caused
to circulate or is lifted from the lower tank to the wash bowl and forced thro' the
latter by means of suitable lifting and forcing apparatus which machines are well
known.
I claim for my arrangement effectual cleansing as the material is completely
submerged throughout its passage thro' the bowl at the same time the material is
subjected to the influence of a flowing current of liquor whilst the motion of the
said material is suitably retarded more or less by the predetermined motion of the
chain harrows so that its (the material) motion shall pass or be at a lesser rate of
velocity than the stream in which it is immersed these two elements are the salient,
features of this particular part of my construction for accomplishing the purpose
before indicated.
The second object or purpose is the employment of an expeditious and con-
venient means for effecting the increase or variation more or less of the liquor.
level within the wash bowl during the scouring process which acts as an auxiliary
means in delivering the material and is common knowledge,' such: variation of the
level being requisite to suit the exigencies of the various kinds of material to be
dealt with, that is, to increase or decrease the volume of liquor conveniently to.
the velocity of flow so as to accomplish or attain the results most beneficial to
ensure an effective delivery accordingly as materials of a light or heavy nature
are to be treated.
In accordance with my construction and as fully illustrated in the figures of the
drawings hereunto annexed which figures I will hereinafter explain, I carry out
my invention for the purposes herein set forth as hereinafter set out in detail.
Figure 1. is an elevation shewing a wool scouring and washing machine the wash
bowl being in section also shewing the application of my invention thereto.
Figure 2. is an end elevation of Figure 1.
Figure 3. is a sectional view illustrating the detail of that part of my invention
relating to the liquid level regulating apparatus which figure is drawn to a large
scale for the purpose of clearly illustrating the details of such part.
Figure 4. is a plan in section of Figure 3. thro' A. A.
:

page_text: Figure 5. is a sectional view shewing the overflow pipe lifted from its seat.
Figure 6. is a modification of the liquid level regulating apparatus.
Figure 7 is a plan in section of Fig. 6. thro' B. B.
I employ an endless band, chain, or carrier a, preferably a chain mounted on
chain wheels b. ' carried by suitable brackets c. c¹ which chains are provided with
prongs or teeth d. and to which chain wheels b. motion is imparted thro' the agency
of the driving pulley e.
I attach the liquid level regulating apparatus at the side of the machine as.
shewn in Figures 1. and 2. a communication being effected between the apparatus
and the hopper shaped mud recess or receptacle f. of the wash bowl at 9. which is
arranged or adapted to receive any deposits which may pass thro' the perforated
plate which apparatus also communicates with the liquor cistern or tank h. at i.
If desired I may employ one or more apparatus as above indicated in connection
with the machine. The liquor travelling thro' the bowl forced by the action of
the rotary pump m. at m' passes over the ridge then down the delivery plate and
with the liquor expressed from the material by the squeeze rollers j. j into the
mud well k. in the usual manner the heavy matters falling to the bottom thereof
the liquor being free or allowed to pass therefrom thro' the overflow orifice k into
the tank . to be withdrawn at m² elevated and forced into and thro' the wash
bowl . by the action of the pump m. thence delivering the liquor therein at the
part m' thus completing the ordinary cycle of operations thro' the machine.
The liquid level regulating apparatus consists of a tubular piece or cylinder ".
provided iiterally with a concentrically situated tube or cylinder o. which I term
the "overflow pipe" at its lower part resting upon a seating p. its upper part
being provided with a connection p³, hollow screw threaded piece p² and
handle p³.
Within the said tube o. I provide or insert a tubular section or close fitting
slide piece of provided with connection o² screw threaded rod o³ and handle o* which
screw o when rotated by the handle of works within the hollow screw p².
The function of the telescopically arranged piece in the overflow pipe is to allow
or admit of the variation of the length thereof accordingly as the handle of is
actuated so as to cause the piece o' to rise or fall.
The liquor from the wash bowl passes into the liquid level regulating apparatus
thro' the orifice at g into and around the annular cavity or space formed between
the overflow pipe o.-which is of suitable length i.e. the upper part of the pipe o. being
slightly or suitably above the level of the bottom of the bowl-and the outer
cylinder n. thus the levels in the apparatus and the bowl are equal at any given
period.
In the event of a desire to increase or to decrease the level or volume of liquor
in the bowl, that is, at intermediate points between the overflow at and the
bottom of the bowl or to slightly raise the level above the point l'-upon suitably
actuating the screw o³ by means of the handle thus at will raising or lowering the
telescopic piece o' the point of overflow is consequently raised in the one instance
and lowered in the other, in the former case an increased volume of liquor or level
may be obtained within the bowl, and in the latter a decreased volume or level as
may be desired, the liquor overflowing passing down o. as indicated by arrows
thro' orifice i. into the liquor tank h.
When it is desired to discharge the liquor from the bowl the overflow pipe o is
bodily or wholly lifted from its seat p, a communication is thus opened between
the orifices 9 and i and the annular space around the overflow pipe o. the liquor
from the bowl is thus allowed to pass, as shewn by the arrows in Fig. 5, through
the orifice i. then into the liquor cistern h. and out through the discharge orifice h
to the drain.
I am well aware that there is no novelty in the use or application of an endless
chain or chains provided with harrow teeth or prongs for the purpose of continuous
feeding and delivering for the purposes herein described as the same is common
knowledge such having been used in connection with single bowl machines, that

page_text: is, in machines containing still liquid, i.e., not circulating thro' the bowl or
travelling from end to end thereof. But what I do consider to be new and claim
as novel with regard to this part of my invention is the combining of an old and
well-known endless band chain or chains provided with teeth or prongs in
connection with a bowl thro' which a flowing stream of liquor is caused to pass as
in the "double decker" system and an arrangement for controlling or varying.
the liquid level according to this invention whereby the motion of the material which
is wholly submerged and impeded in its progress by imparting a convenient motion
to the harrows such motion being at a lesser rate of velocity than the flow of the
stream whilst the said material is subjected to the current of flowing liquor in one
continuous direction and by which means the fibres may be maintained in one or
the same direction, elongated or stretched during the scouring process from its
reception at the feeding end to its delivery at the delivering end of the machine.
thus milling and felting may be obviated, also any excess of liquor which may be
injected into the bowl may be allowed to pass down the overflow pipe and not
allowed to pass the material too rapidly through the bowl as would be the case if
this liquid level regulating apparatus were applied to a machine in which the
chain harrows were not employed that is, in the event of applying this apparatus
to existing machines in which other harrows are used. Again in the event of an
insufficient supply of liquor to the bowl the said liquor will not be allowed to
escape therefrom as would be and is the case when the regulating orifice is situate
between the bottom of the bowl as in machines at present constructed, but unler
such conditions according to my arrangement the bowl will always retain the
liquor injected therein so as to maintain a depth equivalent to the depth between the
overflow or ridge and the bottom of and at the delivery end of the bowl or
the depth determined by the adjustable overflow as the case may be. The
function of the apparatus upon the happening of these occurences—that is,
excessive or insufficient supply of liquor, both of which may and do happen due
to irregular working of the pump discharging more or less liquor into the bowl-
is particularly essential and important.
In Figure 6 I have shewn a modification of Figure 3, in which I employ a
slide piece or plater fitted in recessed guides or slides s. s see Figs. 6 and 7. the
plate r. is adapted or arranged to be raised or lowered by means of a screw-
threaded rod t. and handle u. turned in a suitable direction by which means the
upper part or point of overflow may consequently be varied as in the case of
the sliding piece illustrated in Fig. 3, the liquor level in the bowl communicating
with the apparatus through orifice g may obviously be varied more
accordingly as the plate r. is raised or lowered and thus allowed to escape
therefrom and pass through orifice i. when the point is raised above the
point ³.
or less
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,-
CLAIMS.
1. In combination the endless band chain or chains a. provided with prongs or
harrow teeth d. the bowl l. through which a stream of liquid is caused to be
passed and the liquid level regulating apparatus having its lowest point of
overflow relatively to the wash bowl situate at a convenient part above the level
of the bottom of the said bowl substantially as and for the purposes herein fully
set forth and illustrated in the drawings hereunto.
2. In combination the bowl 1. through which a flowing current or a stream of
liquor or liquid is passed and the liquid level regulating apparatus having an
adjustable overflow orifice capable of variation relatively to the bowl at
intermediate points between the bottom of the bowl and the ridge or overflow lat
the delivery end by means as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6 substantially as set
forth.

page_text: · 3. The liquid level regulating apparatus .communicating with a wash bowl
having an adjustable or variable overflow orifice so arranged relatively to the bowl as
to be capable of variation at intermediate points between the bottom of the bowl
and the overflow or ridge thereof, the lowest point or position of the overflow
orifice being above the level of the bottom of the bowl for the purposes herein
fully set forth.
Dated this 25th day of Janua~ 1905