New or Improved Apparatus for Disinfecting Olothes, Rags, and other Fabrics or Fibres.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL DEVITTUATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Disinfecting Olothes, Rags, and
other Fabrics or Fibres.
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of the Ridings Mill, Whitelee, Batley, in the County of
York, Flock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In constructing a machine for the above named purpose, I employ a metal shell
of suitable size and shape surrounded by brick or stone work, a space being left
between the two for the insertion of iron, slag wool, or other non-conductor of heat,
so as to prevent the radiation of heat.
Within the shell is a zigzag steam pipe and there is also one or more perforated
pipes through which to inject water or steam. The fabrics or fibres to be treated
are placed in a carriage or bogie composed of galvanized iron wire or other
suitable material, such said carriage being run upon rails placed within the metal
casing.
After the carriages coutaining the fabrics or fibres are placed within the casing,
the door is closed and steam let into the zigzag piping until the temperature
reaches 250 degrees Farenheit and after the clothes remain therein a suitable
period of time, they will be sufficiently disinfected as to be removed therefrom.
Whilst the disinfecting is proceeding jets or streams of water or steam is from
time to time introduced within the shell. Suitable valves are employed for the
inlet and outlet of air. The door or doors of the casing are made of double sheets
the space between them being filled with iron, slag wool, or other material. The
machine is made steam tight so as to withstand steam pressure within, and it will be
found suitable for disinfecting raw material such as wool, rags, flocks, or other
suitable material, but when treating these materials I should prefer to employ a
number of perforated pipes of suitable lengths and open at the ends, such pipes
being placed amongst the materials, so that when steam is turned on it would
more freely penetrate in the bulk of the said fibrous materials. A steam trap
is employed in connection with the apparatus for taking away the condensed
water.
Dated this 18th day of March 1892.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Disinfecting Clothes, Rags, and
other Fabrios or Fibres.
I, JOHN ILLINGWORTH, of Ridings Mill, Whitelee, Batley, in the County of
York, Flock Manufacturer, 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 a new or improved apparatus for disinfecting clothing,
rags, and other fabrics, fibres or articles consisting of a metal shell of suitable size
and shape surrounded by brick or stone work. Å space or cavity is left between
the brickwork and metal shell into which is tightly packed iron, slag wool,
silicate of cotton or other non-conducting media for preventing radiation of heat.
Within the shell is a zigzag steam pipe and there are also two or more per-
forated pipes through which to inject steam. The fabrics or fibres to be treated

page_text: are placed in a carriage or 'bogie" composed of galvanized iron wire or other
suitable material, such said carriage being run upon rails into the metal casing and
the door or doors thereto closed so as to make the chamber formed by the metal
casing steam tight. Steam is then admitted to the zigzag piping or coil of pipes
and the temperature within the chamber raised to 250° F., jets of steam being also
introduced through the perforated pipes from time to time to aid the penetration
of heat to the fabrics, fibres, or other articles which, after being subjected to a high
temperature for a sufficient length of time to thoroughly disinfect them, are then
removed from the chamber. Provision is made for admitting a current of air
through the chamber to carry away steam and hot air. The door or doors of the
casing are made of double sheets with a space between them into which steam is
admitted or said space may be filled in with non-conducting media for preventing
radiation of heat.
Such being the nature and object of my invention I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully, and for this purpose have annexed drawings illustrative thereof,
wherein
Fig. 1 is sectional plan of my improved apparatus for disinfecting fabrics or
fibres as constructed for purposes requiring that the materials, after disinfection
shall not be delivered into the same room or part of the building from whence they
where taken or where infected materials are or have been stored ready for treat-
ment, or into contact with the attendant whose duty it is to place infected materials
into the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is front elevation of same partly in section.
Fig. 3 is front elevation and Fig. 4 longitudinal sectional elevation of a similar
machine more particularly intended for treating rags, or materials for purposes of
manufacture where the aforesaid conditions as to isolation of delivery of disinfected
materials do not apply.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A denotes a metal shell or casing of suitable size
and shape to form a disinfecting chamber B, said casing being surrounded by
brick or stone work C, or, instead of brickwork, the outer casing may be con-
structed of wood, iron or other suitable material, and if required, the apparatus
may be made portable. A space or cavity D is left all round between the shell
and the brickwork into which is tightly packed slag wool, silicate of cotton, or
other non-conducting media for preventing radiation of heat from the chamber.
At each end of the metal casing are openings E, E', for the introduction to and
delivery of the materials from the disinfecting chamber, these opening's being
surrounded by metal frames F, F, to which are hung doors G, G', formed of
double plates with steam spaces a, a', between them, or such spaces' may be
filled in with 'any 'suitable-non-conductor of heat, in which latter case, steam pipes
are arranged on the inner sides of the doors so as to open and close therewith
and are supplied with steam so that heat may be radiated from the doors at
each end.
The doors, when closed, are secured' to the door frames so as to make a steam
tight joint by nuts 6 screwed onto bolts b' hinged to raid door frames as shewn.
Within the chamber B is a zigzag steam pipe or continuous coil H extending
over the top, bottom and sides of the chamber to which steam is admitted through
a supply pipe C at the top of the chamber. A pipe d at the bottom of the coil
communicates with an ordinary, steam trap'e so that the condensed water may pass
out of the coil and be discharged without allowing the steam to escape. Two or
more perforated steam pipes closed at the ends are also placed in the bottom or
at the top or sides of the chamber B and supplied with steam from the "pipe f¹ so
that jets of steam may be forced into the chamber to aid the penetration of heat to
the fabrics or fibres placed therein.
The steam spaces a, a', in the door's G, G¹, are supplied with steam through
pipes g which are secured to the supply pipe by any suitable form of coupling or
joint so as to allow for the opening and closing of the doors; and a small".tap his
employed to allow for the 'discharge of condensed water front the said steam spaces.

page_text: The infected fabrics or materials to be treated are brought into the chamber or
room J and are placed into a bogie or carriage K composed of galvanized iron wire
or other suitable material, which said carriage is then run on rails K¹ into the
disinfecting chamber B and the door G closed and secured by the nuts b; the
door G always remaining closed except when removing the disinfected fabrics
from the chamber into the second room L which is isolated from the room .J
or part of the building to which the infected materials are brought for treatment.
The door G having been closed and the chamber B thus made steam tight steam
is admitted to the continuous coil H and to the jacketted doors or steam pipes on
the inner sides thereof, and as soon as the articles in the carriage K have become
heated, steam is admitted to the pipes fand jets of steam forced into the chamber,
whereby the temperature at the centre of, say-a bedding or other bulky article is
raised to about 250° F. in a very short time. After subjecting the fabrics or other
materials or fibres to the high temperature in the chamber B sufficiently long to
kill all germs of disease or infection, the door G¹ is opened and the carriage K run
out into the room L and emptied of its contents. Before opening the door G¹, the
valve M is opened so that a current or currents of air may be permitted to pass
through the chamber B to clear it of steam and hot air, and the door G being kept
closed whilst materials are being removed from the carriage K there is no
communication whatever with the room or part of the building devoted to the
reception of infected clothing and the like, and therefore no liability of re-
infection.
The machine shewn at Figs. 3 and 4 is similar in all respects to that shewn
at Figs. 1 and 2 with the exception that there is only one opening to the dis-
infecting chamber B, the door G thereto being jacketted or provided with steam
pipes as previously described.
The steam enters the continuous pipe or coil H at C and the condensed water
discharges through pipe d to the steam trap. The air is admitted at m and m² and
passes through the disinfecting chamber and escapes at n (see Fig. 3).
The apparatus shewn in the several figures is made to withstand steam pressure.
When disinfecting wool, rags, flocks or similar material in large quantities I
may place a number of perforated pipes with open ends into the chamber so as
to break up the bulk of the material and allow of the heat penetrating to all
parts of it.
Instead of the casing A being made of metal I may construct it of glazed
bricks.
Steam may be supplied to the coil or coils of pipes within the chamber from
any boiler near at hand, or a small boiler may be combined with the apparatus
herein described for such purpose, it being preferably placed under the floor of the
disinfecting chamber.
The chief and most important advantage of the construction of a disinfecting
apparatus having its interior lined with steam pipes as set forth over the present
form of apparatus constructed on the principle of a steam box or chest, is, that the
pipes being of small diameter, steam at a very high pressure can be admitted
thereto with safety, whilst said pipes present a large heating surface, are better
radiators of heat, and enable me to obtain a much higher temperature in the
interior of the apparatus such as is necessary for the proper disinfection of fibres,
fabrics or articles.
By this means also, the steam admitted to the chamber through the perforated
pipes is lighter and dryer and does not damp or moisten the fabrics or articles as is
the case where steam at low pressure is blown into the chamber.
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 :-
Firstly. The disinfection of clothes, rags, and other fabrics, fibres or articles in a

page_text: steam tight chamber heated by steam circulated through a continuous zigzag pipe
or coil and by jets of steam, in the manner substantially as herein set forth.
Secondly. In apparatus for disinfecting fabrics, fibres or other articles, the
combination with a shell or casing A provided with a door or doors and lined with
steam pipe or pipes and outer brickwork or other material C, of an intermediate
packing of slag wool, silicate of cotton, or other non-conductor of heat, substan-
tially as shewn and for purposes described.
Thirdly. The general construction, arrangement and combination of the apparatus
shewn and described for disinfecting fabrics, fibres or other articles either with or
without separate and isolated feeding and delivery rooms or chambers.
Dated this 16th day of December 1892
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.