IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE TREATMENT OF WOOL AND MIXED FABRICS, THE SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR BLEACHING WOOL, AND COTTON, JUTE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRE; AND ALSO FOR DISINFECTING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Woodcock of Huddersfield in the County of York,
Dyer, and Henry Webster of Dewsbury in the County of York, Machine
Maker for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
IN THE TREATMENT OF WOOL AND MIXED FABRICS, THE SAID APPARATUS
BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR BLEACHING WOOL, AND COTTON, JUTE, AND
OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRE; AND ALSO FOR DISINFECTING FIBROUS MATERIALS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joshua Woodcock and
Henry Webster at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
29th October 1883.
JOSHUA WOODCOCK of Huddersfield in the county of York, Dyer, & HENRY
WEBSTER of Dewsbury in the county of York, Machine Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE TREATMENT OF WOOL AND MIXED FABRICS,
THE SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR BLEACHING WOOL AND
COTTON, JUTE AND OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRE; AND ALSO FOR DISINFECTING
FIBROUS MATERIALS
"
The object of the first part of our Invention is to carbonize or destroy the
vegetable from the animal matter contained in wool, rags or mixed fabrics
whereby the wool or animal fibre remains, whilst the cotton or vegetable fibre is
destroyed.
The form of machine or apparatus we employ for assisting us in our object
consists in the use of two or more travelling aprons one placed underneath the
other and running in opposite directions in such manner that when the fibre has
reached the end of one apron it will drop off the end thereof onto the one under-
neath it, and so on until it reaches the end of the bottom or last apron, when it is
lifted back again to the upper apron by means of a revolving spiked roller, or by
another travelling apron running at about right angles with the aprons already
mentioned, whereby, the wool or rags are constantly in motion.
Instead of using travelling aprons two or more rows of rollers may be employed.

page_text: The machine as above described is enclosed in an air tight chamber, the inner
surfaces being covered with lead or other suitable metal, or by glazed, enamelled or
other form of bricks so as to prevent the destructive effects of the acids.
The chamber is heated by a suitable arrangement of pipes or flues and kept at a
suitable temperature, and when necessary a quantity of hydrochloric acid gas is
introduced into the said chamber for the purpose of destroying the vegetable
matter;
the acid gas being produced in a retort, connected with the machine.
After the acid gases have acted upon the materials and destroyed the vegetable
matter, it is sometimes necessary to neutralize the acids remaining in the material,
and this we accomplish by shutting off the acid vapour and opening suitable
outlets, the rotary motion of the spiked roller materially assisting to clear the
chamber of the vapours.
When this is done the chamber is again sealed up, and a
quantity of ammoniacal gas is introduced therein which will immediately neutralize
the least portion of acid remaining in the fabrics.
The same form of machine may be employed for bleaching wool and cotton
jute or other fibrous materials but the gases introduced into the chamber when
bleaching wool would consist of sulphurous acid gas, and when bleaching cotton,
jute or other vegetable fibre, would consist of the employment of chlorine in a
gaseous state,
When the machine is employed for disinfecting wool, or other fibre we introduce
into the chamber a suitable quantity of chlorine, or other suitable gas for
disinfecting

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joshua Woodcock and Henry Webster in the Patent Office on the
29th April 1884.
JOSHUA WOODCOCK of Huddersfield in the County of York, Dyer, and HENRY
WEBSTER of Dewsbury in the County of York Machine Maker "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE TREATMENT OF WOOL AND MIXED FABRICS,
THE SAID APPARATUS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE FOR BLEACHING WOOL AND COTTON,
JUTE AND OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRE; AND ALSO FOR DISINFECTING FIBROUS
MATERIALS"
The object of our Invention is to carbonize or destroy the vegetable from the
animal matter contained in wool, rags, and woven fabrics, whereby the wool or
animal fibre remains, whilst the cotton or vegetable fibre is destroyed.
The form of machine or apparatus we employ for assisting us in our object
consists in the use of two or more travelling aprons, one placed underneath the
other, and running in opposite directions in such manner, that when the fibre has
reached the end of one apron, it will drop off the end thereof onto the one
underneath it, and so on until it reaches the end of the bottom or last apron, when
it is lifted back again to the upper apron by means of a revolving spiked roller, or
by another travelling apron, running at about right angles with the aprons already
mentioned, whereby the wool or rags are constantly in motion.
Instead of using travelling aprons, two or more rows of rollers may be employed.
The machine as above described is enclosed in a chamber, the inner surfaces being
covered with gas tar, lead or other suitable metal, or by glazed, enamelled or other
form of bricks, so as to prevent the destructive effects of the acids.
In order that this Invention may be more fully understood, we herein give
reference to the accompanying sheets of Drawings, wherein Fig 1 is front elevation,
and Fig 2 front end elevation of the form of machine we prefer to employ for
carbonizing wool, Fig 3 is longitudinal section and Fig 4 end view of back of
machine. The machine consists of a sheet metal casing A, having a perforated
floor B, the said casing or chamber being heated to any suitable temperature by
steam pipes C. Within the chamber is a rotary disc or spiked wheel D, and also a
number of lattice sheets E, E E E³ running over rollers F; doors G and H are
provided so as to introduce and remove the fibre from the machine.
It will be observed that when the fibre is placed into the machine at the door G,
the lattice sheet E³ carries it to the spiked wheel D which throws the fibre onto
the upper lattice sheet E, which will carry it forward to the end thereof, the said
fibre dropping off onto the sheet E' below it which is extended for that purpose.
The fibre is then carried forward dropping onto lattice sheet E then in due time
onto sheet Es which carries the fibre to the bottom of the spiked roller, which
receives it and again lifts or throws it onto the upper lattice sheet and so on as
many times as is desirable, the fibre thereby receiving a continuous forward
motion, and kept in a constant state of agitation. Whilst the fibre is being thus
agitated and passing through the machine, hydrochloric acid gas or other suitable
gases employed to destroy the vegetable matter are introduced, the said gases
being made in the retort I, passing therefrom by pipe J into the machine.
After the acid gases have acted upon the fibre sufficiently long as to destroy the
vegetable matter, the acid admission pipe J is shut off, and the door K opened (see
Figs 2 and 3) when the chamber is soon cleared of the acid vapours by the
centrifugal action of the spiked roller.
When it is necessary, as is sometimes the case, to neutralize the acids remaining
in the woollen fibre, we clear the chamber of destructive acids as just described,

page_text: .
and after shutting the door K and sealing up all outlets, we introduce into the
chamber a quantity of ammoniacal gas which will immediately neutralize the least
portion of acid remaining in the fibre.
The spiked roller is fastened on the main driving shaft L by which it is driven,
the lattice rollers F being driven by wheels M and worms N as will be easily
understood by any mechanic on reference to the Drawings. P is a roller employed
to assist the fibre in passing from the bottom lattice sheet to the spiked roller, and
R is a grate through which dust and destroyed vegetable matter may escape. S are
guides employed to guide the lattice sheet E up the inclined plane.
Instead of employing the spiked roller D for lifting the fibre from the bottom to
the top lattice sheet, we may use a spiked travelling apron T as shewn in Fig 5
(Sheet 2.) and instead of employing travelling lattice sheets E for conveying the
fibro through the machine, we may use a series of rollers U as shewn in Fig 6
(sheet 2) the said rollers being driven by worm wheels so as to give a forward
movement to the fibre, as will be readily understood.
The same form of machine may be employed for bleaching wool and cotton, jute
or other fibrous materials but the gases introduced into the chamber when bleaching
wool would consist of sulphurous acid gas, and when bleaching cotton, jute or other
vegetable fibre, would consist of the employment of chlorine in a gaseous state.
When the machine is employed for disinfecting wool, or other fibre we introduce:
into the chamber a suitable quantity of chlorine or other suitablo gas for
disinfecting.
Having thus described the nature and object of this our said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same may be performed or carried into practical
effect, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
details herein shewn and described, as the same may be varied without essentially
departing from our Invention; but what we believe to be new and therefore claim
as our Invention is
Firstly. The employment of a machine where the fibre or fibrous materials under-
going carbonization, neutralization, bleaching or disinfecting is carried backward
and forward by lattice sheets or rollers, and dropped from sheet to sheet to the
bottom sheet and then thrown from the bottom to the top lattice sheet or row of
rollers and thus exposing every portion of the material to the action of the gases,
in manner substantially as shewn and described.
Secondly. The employment of a machine such as is herein shewn and described
in combination with a retort or other chemical apparatus necessary for making any
of the gases required for purposes set forth.
In witness whereof 1 the said Joshua Woodcock for and on behalf of myself and
the said Henry Webster have hereunto set my hand and seal this Twenty sixth
day of April 1884.
TAGĦTT A
WAADAAND