Improvements in Cleaning or Removing Grease from Cotton Waste or other Fibrous or Textile Material, and in Apparatus therefor, and for Recovering the Solvents.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cleaning or Removing Grease from Cotton Waste
or other Fibrous or Textile Material, and in Apparatus therefor,
and for Recovering the Solvents.
I, JOHN WILLIAM MITCHELL, of Holme Mill, Rawtenstall, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Waste Bleacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the bleaching or cleaning of cotton waste that has
already been used for the cleaning of machinery or the like and which is more or
less saturated with oil which it is necessary to remove by volatile solvents such as
benzene.
It consists essentially of a continuous process whereby the waste or other
material is treated with benzene or other suitable solvent and then subjected to
boiling by the admission of steam and any suitable scouring liquid into the same
vessel and without removing the material therefrom and in the combination with
the oscillating or revolving kier or vessel in which the material is treated
(provided with inlet and outlet pipes) of a still and condenser into which the
solvent and dissolved grease are run and the solvent subsequently distilled out to
be returned to the vessel again for future. use.
The vessel or kier into which the material is placed is mounted upon trunnions
upon which it is caused to rotate by suitable gearing. Through each trunnion is passed
a pipe or tube through one of which the solvent steam or other liquid can be
introduced and through the other the solution of grease or other liquid can be
withdrawn. Connected with one or both of these pipes is a still heated with a
steam coil or otherwise and condenser. The still and condenser are so placed that
a continuous circulation of the solvent can be carried on through the kier and
back through the still and condenser and a store tank from which it is pumped
again into the kier.
In operation the waste or other material is placed in the vessel or kier which is
rotated and the solvent such as benzene or the like forced in through the inlet
pipe and the solution allowed to escape through the outlet pipe to the still. This
is continued until the solvent runs off nearly clear and as much as possible is
exhausted or drawn off from the material. Steam and any suitable scouring or
bleaching liquor is then admitted and the process continued until the operation is
complete. The material is then removed in a cleaned or bleached state. Whilst
the scouring or bleaching is being completed in the kier the solution or mixture of
solvent and grease is treated in the still the vapour therefrom being carried through
a condenser to a store tank in which the benzene is received and from which it is
pumped again to the kier for further use.
Dated this 29th day of November 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Cleaning or Removing Grease from Cotton Waste
or other Fibrous or Textile Material, and in Apparatus therefor,
and for Recovering the Solvents.
I, JOHN WILLIAM MITCHELL, of Holine Mill, Rawtenstall, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Waste Bleacher, 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 :-
This invention relates to the bleaching or scouring of cotton waste that has
already been used for the cleaning of machinery or the like and which is more or
less saturated with oil which it is necessary to remove by volatile solvents such as
benzene.
It consists essentially of a continuous process whereby the waste or other
material is treated with benzene or other suitable solvent and then subjected to
boiling by the admission of steam and any suitable scouring liquid into the same
vessel and without removing the material therefrom and in the combination with
the oscillating or revolving kier or vessel in which the material is treated (provided
with inlet and outlet pipes) of a still and condenser into which the solvent and
dissolved grease are run and the solvent subsequently distilled out to be returned
to the vessel again for future use.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1. Front elevation partly in section.
Fig. 2. Side elevation partly in section.
Fig. 3. Plan.
The vessel or kier A into which the material is placed is mounted upon
trunnions B upon which it is caused to rotate by suitable gearing. The gearing
which I prefer to adopt comprises the spur wheel C on one trunnion and the
pinion driven from the pulleys D by the bevel wheels d worm e and worm wheel E.
Through each trunnion B is passed a pipe or tube F at one side and G at the
other side these tubes terminate inside with pipes ƒ and g respectively which
extend one to the bottom and the other to the top of the kier. To the tube F are
connected three branch pipes H KL of which the pipe H is connected with the
steam supply, the pipe K with a tank or reservoir containing any suitable scouring
liquor and the pipe L with the still M. To the tube G at the other trunnion is
connected the branch pipe N which is connected with the condenser O. Each of
these pipes is fitted with suitable stop cocks one to each or a three or four way
valve if found more convenient.
The still M is connected with the condenser P and the condensers are respectively
connected with the tanks R and S by the pipes o and p.
The still M is beated by a steam coil or by other suitable means.
The still M and condenser P are so arranged that a continuous circulation of
the benzene or other solvent can be carried on through the kier A being pumped
in through the tube G and back through the still M and condenser P to the store
tank R from which it is again pumped into the kier.
In operation the greasy waste or other material to be treated is placed in the
kier A which is then set in motion and caused to slowly rotate. The benzene or
other solvent is then pumped into the kier through the pipe G until it is about
full when it begins to flow through the pipe L to the still M. This is continued
until the solvent runs off nearly clear and as much as possible is exhausted or
drawn off from the material. The solvent and the oil extracted from the waste
are heated in the still M where the solvent is vapourised and is passed to the

page_text: condenser P and thence through the pipe p to the tank R. Steam is then
admitted from the steam pipe H which vapourises the solvent remaining in the
material in the kier which passes back through the condenser O to the storage
tank S. A suitable lye or scouring liquor is then pumped into the kier through
the pipe K and the material boiled until the operation is completed. The liquor
is then drawn off through the cock T after which the material is removed in a
cleaned state. Whilst the scouring or bleaching is being completed in the kier
the treating of the solution or mixture of solvent and grease is continued in the
still the vapour therefrom being carried through the condenser P to the store
tank R in which the benzene is received and from which it is pumped again to the
kier A for further use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved continuous process of scouring or bleaching cotton waste or
other material substantially as described.
2. The improved arrangement of apparatus for cleaning or removing grease
from cotton waste or other material and recovering the solvent without removing
the material from the kier until the operation is completed substantially as described
and shown.
3. In apparatus for cleaning or removing grease from cotton waste and
recovering the solvent used in a continuous process the combination with the
revolving kier A of the still M and the condenser P the storage tank R the steam
pipe H and the liquor pipe K connected to one trunnion and the condenser O and
the storage tank S connected to the other trunnion substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated.
Dated this 27th August 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.