IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOVING, DRYING, AGEING, AND STEAMING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND PAPER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Macleod, of Renton, in the County of Dumbarton,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR STOVING, DRYING, AGEING, AND STEAMING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND
PAPER."
Sealed the 11th May 1880, and dated the 13th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macleod at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1879.
JOHN MACLEOD, of Renton, in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOVING, DRYING, AGEING, AND
STEAMING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND PAPER."
This Invention has for its object the construction of improved apparatus to be
fitted in connection with stoving, drying, ageing, and steaming chambers or spaces
for the purpose of entering or "filling" woven fabrics, yarns, and paper thereinto,
and of withdrawing or "stripping" the same therefrom, such improved apparatus
being designed to save manual labor, and also to avoid the loss of heat which is
necessary when workers have to enter chambers in which heated air or steam is
employed.
In one modification of the improved apparatus designed specially for stoving or
heating goods in preparing them for being dyed Turkey-red, but which modification
is also applicable for other processes herein before indicated, a series of rods is
employed, and in the case of woven fabrics these fabrics are suspended from the
rods in long veritical loops or folds whilst in the stove. At the upper part of the
chamber there are two pairs of horizontal rails, one pair being fixed and formed
with notches in which the ends of the rods rest when not being moved forwards or
backwards. The other pair of rails are also formed with notches for the rods,
but they are movable, it being by means of them that the progressive movements
of the rods along the upper part of the stove or chamber is obtained. The movable
rails first rise; secondly, move horizontally; thirdly, return downwards; and
fourthly, return horizontally, which completes the cycle of their movements. The
The movable rails
horizontal and vertical movements may be partly combined.

page_text: when rising lift up any rods resting on the fixed rails out of the notches of the
fixed rails and the horizontal motion, which is equal to the distance between two
notches or a multiple of that distance, carries the rods along. The downward
vertical motion next deposits the rods in fresh notches of the fixed rails, and the
horizontal return motion takes the movable rails back to the starting position. The
motions of the (movable rails may be imparted thereto by rotating cranks, or
eccentrics, or cams, and either the vertical and horizontal motions may be imparted
by the same movers or by separate movers. If preferred both pairs of rails may be
movable, the cranks, eccentrics, or cams acting on one pair being diametrically
opposite to those acting on the other pair. The woven fabric is drawn between a
pair of rollers which are driven by gearing suitably connected with that giving
motion to the rails, so that the quantity to form a vertical loop or fold is run in
between each forward movement imparted by the rails to the rods. At the com-
mencement of operations none of the rods are in the chamber excepting one or two
at the entering end, and when some of the fabric has been laid over the first rod a
reciprocating board or bar descends and catches the fabric on the top of that rod,
whilst the loop is being formed between the first and second rod. At each
successive cycle of motions of the rails all the rods are moved forward a step, and
the fabric being entered continuously forms a loop between each two successive
rods, the reciprocating bar catching the fabric on each rod in succession to prevent
slipping. The rods are by preference connected together by links or bands at the
ends, so that the forward movements of the rods already on the rails draw in the
other rods in succession; the entering of the rods in this way is, however, by
preference assisted by a rotating drum driven in contact with the other parts, and
which leads the rods up to the rails.
The entering process hereinbefore described is continued until the chamber is
filled, or until the desired quantity of fabric has been entered; and when the fabric
is to be removed the operations are simply reversed. This mode of withdrawing
the goods by reversing the motion dispenses with the additional mechanism
required when the goods have to be passed in a continuous manner through the
chamber, being entered at one part and withdrawn at another part; and it answers
well when, as in the stoving of Turkey-red goods, the goods have to be subjected
to heat for a comparatively long time. In all cases, however, when it is considered
desirable, as when simply drying, or when ageing or steaming goods, the improved
apparatus may have the requisite mechanism added to it for withdrawing the
goods continuously at one end or part whilst they are being entered at another
part..
In dealing with yarns these are suspended in the hank form on rods, and the
rods, which are separate and loose in this case, are placed by workers on the rails at
the entering end of the chamber.
The improved apparatus is applicable for suspending or arranging woven fabrics,
yarns, or paper on rods in the open air, or in any more or less enclosed space.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Macleod in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th May
1880.
JOHN MACLEOD, of Renton, in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOVING, DRYING, AGEING, AND
STEAMING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND PAPER."
My said Invention has for its object the construction of improved apparatus
to be fitted in connection with stoving, drying, ageing, and steaming chambers or
spaces for the purpose of entering or "filling" woven fabrics, yarns, and paper
thereinto, and of withdrawing or "stripping" the same therefrom, such improved
apparatus being designed to save manual labor, and also to avoid the loss of heat
which is necessary when workers have to enter chambers in which heated air or
steam is employed.
In one modification of my improved apparatus designed specially for stoving or
heating goods in preparing them for being dyed Turkey-red, but which modifi-
cation is also applicable for the other processes herein before indicated, a series of rods
is employed, and in the case of woven fabrics these fabrics are suspended from the
rods in long vertical loops or folds whilst in the stove. At the upper part of the
chamber there are two pairs of horizontal rails, one pair being fixed and formed
with notches in which the ends of the rods rest when not being moved forwards or
backwards. The other pair of rails are also formed with notches, for the rods, but
they are movable, it being by means of them that the progressive movements of
the rods along the upper part of the stove or chamber are obtained. The movable
rails first rise; secondly, move horizontally; thirdly, return downwards; and
fourthly, return horizontally, which completes the cycle of their movements. The
horizontal and vertical movements may be partly combined. The movable rails
when rising lift up any rods resting on the fixed rails out of the notches of the
fixed rails, and the horizontal motion, which is equal to the distance between two
notches or a multiple of that distance, carries the rods along. The downward
vertical motion next deposits the rods in fresh notches of the fixed rails, and the
horizontal return motion takes the movable rails back to the starting position.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append two Sheets of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing examples of my improved apparatus.
In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings are transverse and
longitudinal vertical sections showing one modification of my improved apparatus.
In this apparatus there are two stationary horizontal rails 5, one at each side of
the space 6 in which the woven fabric is to be suspended, and fixed at the upper
part of such space, being carried by brackets or being otherwise attached to the
walls or partitions 7, 8, enclosing the space 6 and forming a chamber for stoving,
drying, ageing, or steaming the fabrics. Guard boards or guide flanges 9 are fixed
at the outsides of the stationary rails 5 to prevent lateral displacement of the
rods 10 on which the loops of woven fabric are hung, and which rods rest with
their ends in notches formed in the upper edges of the stationary rails 5 when not
being moved forwards or backwards. On the inner side of and close to each
stationary rail 5 there is a movable rail 11 which is also made with notches on
its upper edge. Each movable rail 11 rests on a series of rollers 12 having flanges
on one side, between which and each stationary rail 5 each movable rail 11 is
guided. The rollers 12 are carried by bellcrank levers 13, the arms of which are
at right angles, those carrying the rollers being horizontal in their middle positions.
The vertical arms of the bellcrank levers 13 along each side are connected by a

page_text: horizontal rod 14, and each of these rods is connected to a bellcrank lever 15 which
is acted on by an antifriction pulley on an eccentric 16 on a transverse horizontal
shaft driven at a suitable speed by gearing which is not shown. Each eccentric 16
also acts against the sides of a rectangular frame 17, fixed one to each movable
rail 11, imparting a horizontal, movement thereto, whilst a vertical movement is
imparted thereto by the bellcrank levers 15, rods 14, and bellcrank levers 13. In
the modification now being described, the rods 10 are connected together by links
or bands at their ends, and the forward movements of such rods as are already on
the rails 5, 11, draw in the other rods in succession; the entering of the rods 10
in this way is however, by preference, assisted by a rotating drum 18 driven in
concert with the other parts, and which leads the rods up to the rails.
"
The woven fabric 19 is drawn in by means of pairs of rollers 20, 21, driven by
gearing suitably connected with that giving motion to the rails 11, so that the
quantity to form a vertical loop or fold is run in between each forward movement
imparted by the rails 11 to the rods 10. At the commencement of the "filling'
operation none of the rods 10 are in the chamber 6 excepting one or two at the
entering end, and when some of the fabric has been laid over the first rod a
reciprocating holder 22 descends and catches the fabric on the top of that rod
whilst the loop is being formed between the first and second rod. A plate or
board 23 is attached to the holder 22, and descending below the rods and between
the one on which the fabric has just been placed and the next one insures the
proper starting of the next loop or fold of fabric. The holder 22 is at each side
connected to and worked by a lever 24, which is connected to a second lever 25
connected by an adjustable link 26 to the movable rail 11, the required motion of
the holder 22 being thus derived from that of the movable rails 11. At each
successive cycle of motions of the movable rails 11 all the rods 10 are lifted out of
the notches of the stationary rails 5, moved forward a step, and again deposited in
the notches of the stationary rails, and the fabric 19 being entered continuously
forms a loop between each two successive rods; the reciprocating holder 22 catching
the fabric on each rod in succession to prevent slipping.
The entering or "filling" process, hereinbefore described, is continued until the
chamber 6 is filled or until the desired quantity of fabric has been entered, and
when the fabric is to be removed the operations are simply reversed. This mode of
withdrawing the goods by reversing the motion dispenses with the additional
mechanism required when the goods have to be passed in a continuous manner
through the chamber, being entered at one part and withdrawn at another part,
and it answers well when, as in stoving Turkey-red goods, the goods have to be
subjected to heat for a comparatively long time. In all cases, however, when it is
considered desirable, as when simply drying, or when ageing or steaming goods, the
improved apparatus may have the requisite mechanisın added to it for withdrawing
the goods continuously at one end or part whilst they are being entered at another
part.
Figures 3 and 4 on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings are transverse and
longitudinal vertical sections showing a modification of my improved apparatus as
arranged for moving a woven fabric continuously through a drying, ageing, or
steaming chamber 6. The stationary and movable rails 5, 11, are arranged and
the latter worked as in the modification hereinbefore described. The rods 10 are
not connected together but are fed in separately, being laid on an inclined plate or
board 27, at the lower end of which there is an opening admitting a single rod
at a time. A pusher 28 jointed to a lever or pair of levers 29, which is worked by
a rod 30 from an eccentric or cam on a suitably rotating shaft, moves each rod in
succession inwards to the notched parts of the rails 5, 11, the bars of the pusher
preventing the next rod from dropping through until the pusher is withdrawn
beyond the opening in the inclined board 27.
In any modification the motions of the movable rails (11) may be imparted
thereto by rotating cranks, or eccentrics, or cams, and the vertical and horizontal
motions may be imparted by the same movers or by separate movers. If preferred,

page_text: both pairs of rails may be movable, the cranks, eccentrics, or cams acting on one
pair being diametrically opposite to those acting on the other pair.
In dealing with yarns these are suspended in the hank form on rods, and the
rods, which are separate and loose in this case, are placed by workers on the rails at
the entering end of the chamber.
My improved apparatus is applicable for suspending or arranging woven fabrics,
yarns, or paper on rods in the open air or in any more or less enclosed space.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
1. The arranging or combining together of the parts of apparatus for stoving,
drying, ageing, and steaming woven fabrics, yarns, and paper, substantially in the
improved manner hereinbefore described, and more particularly-
2. The employment of rails (11) having vertical and horizontal movements for
raising, forwarding, and depositing a series of rods on which are suspended woven
fabrics, yarns, or paper when being subjected to stoving, drying, ageing, or steaming
processes, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macleod, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
JOHN MACLEOD. (L.S.)