A Machine for Dyeing Hats, Cans, Stockings, and other similar Articles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Dyeing Hats, Cans, Stockings, and other similar
Articles.
I, ERNST FRIEDRICH LICHTI of 27, Ernststreet, Elberfeld in the Kingdom
of Prussia, German Empire, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The following invention concerns an improvement of hat, cap and stocking etc.
dyeing by means of a machine constructed for that special purpose.
The hat, cap and stocking dyeing in comparison with the piece, hank and
jobdyeing has as yet had to work under the disadvantage that in practical handling
of the material to be dyed a great proportion of the same suffered and this
could not be remedied by an increase of workers. The goods to be dyed must
at present be submitted to various manipulations and the slightest inattention
causes no end of trouble. The whole production in hat, cap and sock dyeing has,
besides, always been limited in proportion to the other dyeing, as only a small
quantity of material could be dyed in one dye-vessel at one time. The maximum
of the quantity to be dyed was never exceeded as the expenses, that is the cost
of boilers, plant and room would have been too high, and further handling and
working in the bath would have been more difficult without removing the risk of
damage. The high percentage of damage, the number of workmen required and
the small production render the dyeing of hats, caps etc. expensive and of little
profit. Besides this, the dye-liquor in each bath could only be used once and
every renewal of the same contributed of course to increase the costs.
dyeing of light shades was scarcely practicable without their becoming tinged and
thus causing heavy loss. For that reason some well known dye processes could
hitherto not be employed or at any rate only with great difficulties.
The
All these disadvantages will be removed by my invention of the dye-machine
described at foot of this, and which I think is not known yet. This new machine
has the purpose to reduce the extent of the said disadvantages to a minimum ;
it requires only a small number of workmen, increase the production by more than
or third with a considerable saving in steam, dye-stuff etc., as well as in working
power and time. Furthermore all shades done with any dye-process can be
obtained very quickly and without difficulty.
The machine consists of two dye-vessels B' and B3, each of which can be either
used for mordanting and dyeing of goods or for dyeing and rinsing, and further
for all the different manipulations in connection with them. The annexed
drawing shows that in one of the two vessels B' and B' a cylinder A constructed
after the principle of the paddle wheels turning on its own axis, is contained fixed
with two cog-wheels on the outer-part of the vessels. The cylinder A which is to
serve for taking up the goods to be dyed is moved by a simple band laid on the
pulleys and which are fixed out of the two cog-wheels but on the axis and in
the circle of the one, and joined with the transmission T and the pulley of the
same The two cog-wheels are joined with another by a spiral e and are
moveable from any point by means of hand or by machine-power. They have
the purpose to put the cylinder A out of the dye-vessel B' into the other B' or
out of B' into B¹, by which manipulation the rotation of the cylinder will in no
way be interrupted. The screw-wheel e serves at the same time as an arrangement
for stopping in order to prevent the repelling of the cylinder A and for regulating
raising and dropping of the same at will. It contains a number of spokes
arranged like subtenses of a circle, having about a third of the radius length.

page_text: The circumference of the cylinder, made of wood or metal, is full of apertures
resembling lattice work, so that the liquor can unobstructedly pass through.
When dyeing is going on, it immerses about to the middle into the dye bath.
The dye-process coming most into use here, I try to explain in the following
manner :-
The articles to be dyed are thrown into the open lid of the circle of the
cylinder and the quantity to be dved is of course regulated according to the size
of the machine. After having filled the cylinder well to one half and having
closed the cover it is put into circulation so that by the centripetal motion, i.e. the
revolving motion, the articles are continually thrown into those compartments
between the spokes, which come into contact with the dye-liquor. The continual
rotation keeps the locked up goods in a continual motion and by so doing
produces uniformity, evenness and penetration of the dye-stuff to set in simul-
taneously into all goods. When the time is over and the desired effect is obtained,
the cylinder is taken out of the one dye-bath by means of the two cog-wheels
and put slowly into the other dye-vessel with its contents under continual rotation
round its axis in order once more to go through another necessary process. By
this mechanical motion and quick handling no time will be lost in taking out the
goods and turning the same, and thus they cannot become tender, neither will the
goods have a spotted appearance.
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 :-
:-
An apparatus or machine for dyeing of hats, caps, stockings etc. etc. which
produces evenness in dyeing through storing the goods in a cylinder called (A)
constructed after the type of paddle wheels, and which cylinder can be shifted to
and fro from the vat containing the dye-liquor either 131 into B³
{ B' into B₁} according to
or
requirement and turning round on its axis when removed from either dye-liquor
as well as when the cylinder is fixed in either dye-liquor, all substantially
as and for the purpose herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 8th day of January 1894.
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.