Improvements in Dyeing and Scouring Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dyeing and Scouring Machines.
I, JOSEPH PARK DELAHUNTY, of West Pittstor., in the county of Luzerne, State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Dyer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING AND SCOURING MACHINES," and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to dyeing and scouring machines; and consists of
certain improvements all of which are fully set forth in the following specification
and shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.
The invention is an improvement upon a dyeing and scouring machine heretofore
invented by me. In that machine I show a revolving cylinder or cage of open work
arranged to rotate in a partly submerged condition in the liquid in the vat or tank.
In that construction I showed straight pins set obliquely or part radial and part
oblique, and the cylinder of open work was provided with a central shaft having an
enclosing central drum of wood. The cylinder or cage rotated always in the same
direction.
In my present improvement the cylinder or cage is made specifically different from
any formier construction, being made with solid sides and heavy cross bars at the
periphery, and with perforated sheet metal, or its equivalent wire work, secured upon
the inner faces of said cross bars so that the interior of the cylinder or cage has no.
objectional offsets. In place of the straight pins of my former application I now
employ curved fingers preferably in rows and of different sizes. I also may employ
two sets of these curved fingers in each row and make them point in opposite
directions so that the machine may operate in either direction of rotation. To do
this I provide suitable automatic power apparatus for rotating the cylinder or cage in
alternately opposite directions.
In my present machine I have the following advantages.
In dyeing raw stock or materials of certain kinds it was found that while the
material being treated was required to be subjected to the liquor for a given time
owing to the steaming or boiling process, the dyeing was defective if the material
was handled constantly. In my present machine I am enabled to keep the material
moving without the excessive handling, that is to say I rotate the cylinder or cage
intermittently in opposite directions and while bringing the material alternately from
one side to the other in position to be picked up, am enabled to gain a large portion
of a revolution without actually picking up any material and exposing it to the air.
By this manner of treatment I am enabled to keep the material moving, and, in the
time required for properly steaming the liquor, I am required to expose the material
to the atmosphere only for a limited time with the same speed of rotation of the
cylinder or cage.
Another advantage of my machine lies in the employment of the curved shaped
fingers which are well adapted to pick up the material or stock and at the proper
time allow it to slip off and fall through the air into the liquor in the vat again.
These curved fingers with a given length have great capacity for lifting and
temporarily holding the stock during its passage through the air, and at the same
time they are so formed that they freely allow the material to fall off them when
turned to the proper angle. My invention is especially adapted to dyeing of raw
stock such as cotton fibre.
Referring now to the drawings:-
7
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation, on line x x of Fig. 2, of a dyeing or scouring
machine embodying my improvements.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a special form of power mechanism for rotating the
cylinder or cage, and
Fig. 4 is a plan view of same.
A is the liquor vat and may be constructed in any suitable manner and of any
suitable material. B is the revolving cage or cylinder, having the solid sides C
and the cross bars D about their peripheries and at considerable intervals apart. The
interior surfaces of these cross bars D act as supports for the copper or other metallic
circumference plates d, which have their surfaces perforated for the ready passage of
dye liquor and air. At one or more places the circumference of the cage is provided
with doors E formed of a frame of wood covered on the inside with perforated
sheet metal to correspond to the rest of the circumference of the cage or cylinder.
This cage or cylinder B is supported on an axle F journalled in bearings F on the
tank or vat A, and is driven or rotated by a worm wheel fand worm J. Encircling
the shaft F is a large metal drum having a covering of wood G and adapted to
rotate partly in and partly out of the liquid dye. This drum extends from side to
side of the cylinder or cage as shown in Fig. 2. Arranged upon the interior of the
periphery or circumference of the cylinder B in transverse rows are the curved
fingers H. starting inward at or about right angles to the circumference and gradually
curving in the direction of rotation, when in action, and also tapering toward the
ends. In practice I prefer to make these curved fingers H of different lengths,
arranged a row of long fingers and then a row of small fingers as shown in Fig. 1,
as it is found that they work, pick up the goods or stock, and handle it better.
the cylinder rotates, the goods or stock is carried through the liquid dye and then
lifted up into the air and dropped, the small fingers dropping it sooner than the long
fingers, which latter carry it up over and even beyond the drum G allowing it to fall
and re-enter the liquid. The drum G prevents the liquor getting on the axle and at
the same time prevents the goods or stock from winding thereon.
As
Ĺ is the usual steam pipe for blowing steam into the liquor in the vat or tank A,
and may have a hand valve l.
In addition to the transverse bars D, the cage or cylinder may have one or more
sets of circumferential bars D¹ shown in Fig. 2 in dotted lines to re-enforce the metal
sheathing or covering.
In place of running the cylinder always in the same direction it may be rotated
slowly in alternately opposite directions and when so used it is desirable that there
be curved fingers I pointing in a direction opposite to fingers H which fingers I are
shown in dotted lines. When the cage is running in either direction of its rotary
reciprocation the inactive curved fingers simply trail behind and do not interfere with
the stock or goods being dyed. The advantages of the alternate rotation is to keep the
material being treated under the liquor and in state of movement for a much longer
time relative to the time of exposure to the atmosphere for the reasons already set
out. This peculiar treatment is particularly advantageous with raw stock. The
material must not be allowed to remain quiet, and the action of the machine or the
material must not be diminished, or injury will be done by the steaming process. My
improved manipulation accomplishes the desired object without exposing the material
to the atmosphere beyond a predetermined limit. The fingers H and I may be
arranged in the same line and alternately as shown.
I do not confine myself to any particular shape or arrangement of the fingers when
pointing in opposite directions. Referring now to tlie mechanism shown in Figs. 3
and 4 for accomplishing the alternate rotary motion, it will be seen that said
mechanism may be connected direct to the side of the machine or arranged overhead
and connected by a belt. is the power shaft and has the worm J which gears with
the wheel on the cylinder F, and also the driving pulley K and two idler pullies K
one on each side of the driving pulley. The shaft k is also furnished with a pinion M
which meshes with a large spur wheel M¹ on a screw shaft m having a travelling
nüt and arm N. O is a shifter rod having the belt shifters P P. adapted to shift
oppositely running belts from pullies K on to K alternately, or both off K. O
the sliding shifter rod O are two stops p p, against which the travelling nut N strikes

page_text: to shift the rod and belts. Qis a pivoted and weighted lever having its bottoin
end q adapted to act upon either of the stops p p and through the action of the
weight, which is thrown upon either side of the fulcrum point, cause the rod to be
quickly shifted in either direction alternately. The operation will now be understood.
One belt being on one loose pulley K' and the other on the driving pulley K, the
shaft k, worm J and pinion M are rotated in one direction. This rotates the screw
shaft m by spur wheel M moving the nut N until it str.kes a stop p and com-
mences to shift the rod O. When it has shifted the rod so as to throw off both
belts from pulley K, the weighted lever is so moved that its weight passes to the
other side of the fulcrum and the lower end 9 strikes the stop p, being acted on by
the nut N, and quickly shifts the other belt on to the pulley K and the motion is
reversed. Any other reversing mechanism may be employed, that shown being only
one way of accomplishing the desired result. I do not confine myself to the circum-
ference being circular as the cylinder may be polygonal in shape as indicated in
dotted lines Fig. 1. I prefer however to make it substantially circular. The
oppositely pointed curved fingers may be formed into one base in place of being
arranged side by side (see at X Fig. 1). The best curve for these fingers is a
parabolic curve, though I do not limit myself to any particular curvature.
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
1st. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or
vat, and having its internal periphery provided with curved inwardly projecting
fingers.
2nd. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat
having its internal periphery provided with curved inwardly projecting fingers,
arranged in rows transversely across the cylinder and in which some of the curved
fingers are longer than others.
3rd. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder having a circumference of open work and partly
submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat and having its internal periphery
provided with curved inwardly projecting fingers arranged in rows transversely across
the cylinder.
4th. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat and
having its internal periphery provided with curved inwardly projecting fingers, and
further provided with a large central drum.
5th. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat and
having its internal periphery provided with curved fingers pointing in opposite
directions and extending inward.
6th. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat and
having its internal periphery provided with a series of rows of curved fingers
projecting inward and in which a portion of the fingers of each row point in one
direction and the remainder in the opposite direction.
7th. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat and
having its internal periphery provided with a series of rows of curved fingers
projecting inward and in which a portion of the fingers of each row point in one
direction and the remainder in the opposite direction, and power mechanism for
rotating said cylinder alternately in opposite directions.
8th. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a dye or liquor tank or
vat, with a rotating cylinder partly submerged in the liquid in said tank or vat and

page_text: having a large central drum, and its internal periphery provided with curved fingers
pointing in opposite directions and extending inwardly, and power mechanism for
rotating said cylinder alternately in opposite directions."
9th. A dye vat in combination with a rotating cylinder having its periphery formed
of open work and having inwardly extending projections, and power mechanism for
automatically rotating said cylinder alternately in opposite directions.
10th. In a dyeing machine the vat or tank in combination with a cylinder formed
of two solid sides with heavy cross bars D, upon the inner faces whereof is a covering
of perforated sheet metal d, the said cylinder having inwardly projecting fingers, and
a central supporting shaft F.
11th. In a dyeing machine the vat or tank in combination with a cylinder formed
of two solid sides with heavy cross bar D, upon the inner faces whereof is a covering
of perforated sheet metal d, the said cylinder having inwardly projecting fingers, a
central supporting shaft F, and a large enclosing central drum G.
12th. In a dyeing machine the combination of a dye vat or tank with a rotating
cylinder of open work for the passage of the liquid dye having internal projections
extending inwardly from its circumference, a central shaft, a large metallic drum
encircling said shaft and a wooden covering to said drum.
13th. In a dyeing or scouring machine the combination of a tank or vat to hold
the dye or other liquor, a rotating cage or cylinder of large diameter partly submerged
in the liquor in the vat, and having its surface furnished with open work to permit of
the passage of the liquor and air, and also having at its internal circumferential
surface fingers or projections pointing internally in opposite directions.
Dated this 16th day of December A D 1889
JOSEPH PARK DELAHUNTY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.