Improvements in Apparatus for Mercerising Cotton or other Piece Goods.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Mercerising Cotton or other Piece
Goods.
I, GEORGE GRANDAGE, of Thorn Bank, Bradford, in the County of York, Dyer,
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 has for its object an apparatus for mercerising cotton cloth
whereby the mercerisation and also the entire neutralisation is effected more
completely and expeditiously than by any existing process known to me, and with
comparatively little shrinkage. In all the apparatus for this purpose known
to me at the present time, either the cloth is allowed to shrink very greatly
during the operation or tentering frames are used, which constantly require
repairing. Further in these processes the cloth is generally exposed for a much
longer time than necessary to the caustic liquor in order to insure the cloth
being entirely impregnated.
Now my invention is designed to overcome the numerous mechanical difficulties
above indicated. It embraces an arrangement for treating the cloth at width
during mercerisation by which the cloth after passing through the caustic soda
or other mercerising agent on the stretch is prevented from shrinking. Also
the process is made continuous so that the cloth may be mercerised and neutralised
by one direct passage first through the caustic or other agent, and then through
the acid and water, though in some cases I may (1) causticise by passing through
the trough the cloth on the stretch and immediately batching up on a roller or
(2) passing the material through a padding machine, closely contiguous to the
squeezing rolls above the caustic trough. The material in such instance can
pass through two troughs or the same trough in opposite directions and be
squeezed after its passage through each trough so as to exactly equalise the
causticising at both ends. Where the cloth goes through at one operation I
obtain this object by employing either rollers studded with pins or by using
expansion rollers both in the caustic trough and also in some or all of those
troughs following the caustic trough as well as where necessary in the spaces
between the troughs. These pin or expansion rollers maintain the width of the
goods, which hitherto has been achieved by the aid of tentering pins or clips in
chain form.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a general elevation of my apparatus,
Figure 2 is a plan of same,
Figures 3 and 4 enlarged views of pin roller and expansion roller respectively.
In the apparatus I arrange two double squeezers A, A, and two open washing
machines B and C in series, though may increase the number of squeezers if
desirable.
These squeezers are regularly supplied with caustic and have an overflow
whereby the partially exhausted caustic solution is removed.
In each of the troughs a are one or more pin-rollers under which the cloth c

page_text: passes, and if found desirable one or more may be placed between one squeezer
and the next or between the last squeezer and the open washing machine.
The pin roller is shown in detail in Figure 3 the spikes or pins being in
ordinary use about 3/16ths of an inch in length, but this may be varied to
suit the material; they are of brass, phosphor bronze or other reasonably non-
corrosive material.
Figure 4 shows enlarged detailed view of an expansion roller; upon the surface
of the roller right and left handed grooves are cut running in opposite directions
from the centre to each end. The cloth passing over these rollers tends to follow
the threads so formed and is thus held from shrinking. In every instance the
pin rollers and expansion rollers are interchangeable but generally I find it more
advantageous to use pin rollers in the caustic and acid troughs and expansion
rollers outside the liquor.
From the liquor in the first trough a the cloth passes over two stretching
rollers d d (either pin rollers or expansion rollers) to the main squeezing rolls e
immediately above the caustic trough between which the material is squeezed
thereby forcing the mercerizing liquor to more thoroughly permeate it and at
the same time throwing back any superfluous liquor.
The two small expansion rollers d d I mount in a common bearing in such
manner that the outside one d may as occasion requires be swung up or down
in the arc of a circle by which means I am able to regulate the tension to a fine
degree.
The cloth is then passed through the second similar squeezer A¹, whence it
is passed to an open washing machine B having a series of rollers f on top
and a second series of rollers f' at the bottom of the trough immersed in the
acid or other neutralising agent.
This open washing machine has preferably one or more transverse partitions g
so as to separate the liquor in the various compartments, strong acid solution
being placed in the first compartment B¹ followed by weaker solution or water
in the second B2.
Between the acid bath B and the water in washing machine C, I place squeezing
rolls hh, which assist the operation of neutralization and throw back superfluous
liquor..
The first few rollers in the acid trough are either expansion rollers or armed
with pins as before described in order to hold the cloth to its normal width, but
at the point where the material is sufficiently neutralized not to shrink further
these special rollers may be discontinued and succeeding ones be plain. From
the first open washing machine C the cloth may pass to a second and if necessary
to a third filled with water and fitted like the acid trough with upper and lower
sets of small rollers. At the exit end of each washing machine are arranged
squeezing rolls m m similar to h h and from the last squeezing rolls the cloth
is delivered to a table or batching device D from which it is taken for succeeding
operations in drying, dyeing or the like.
The pressure between the various squeezing rolls referred to above may be
regulated in any suitable manner, but one found very convenient is that shewn
in which the upper roll m is carried in a sliding bearing n to each end of which
is hung the arm n' carrying at its extremity a rod n² to which weights thus varying
the pressure of roll m upon m³, may be attached.
All the large rollers such as h h', m m¹ are by preference covered, the top ones
with rubber and the bottom ones with copper. The small ones such as f fi are
more durable made with brass shells, but they may be made from wood with
brass bearings if desired.
The machine is driven by any suitable gearing such as that shown, and the
speed can be varied to suit the goods either by means of a cone or friction driving
arrangement or by any other ordinary method, but care must be taken that the
cloth is taken through all the squeezing rollers at an equal rate.
For certain classes of goods I find it necessary to treat with the mercerising

page_text: agent on an ordinary paddling machine or a crab and then pass through my
apparatus in order to cleanse thoroughly.
Also in some cases it may be advisable to place a pair of the large squeezing
rolls above the partition g in the washing machine B, in which case the lower
roller can be driven from the shaft S in order to relieve the material of extra
strain.
By thus using this apparatus the finished goods are firmer and better surfaced
than those treated by the old methods.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. The improved mercerizing machine for the treatment of cotton cloth or
other material consisting of one or more mercerising troughs fitted with rollers
holding the cloth so as to prevent the material from shrinking, squeezing rollers
squeezed after its exit from the troughs,
above, between which the material
and neutralizing troughs in which are double sets of rollers for supporting the
material substantially as described.
2. In a mercerizing machine, the use in place of ordinary guide rollers of
rollers studded with pins of brass, phosphor-bronze or other non-corrodible
material whereby the material under treatment is held to its original width and
shrinkage prevented.
3. In a mercerizing machine the use of expansion rollers having right and
left handed grooves or ridges formed upon their surface from the centre to either
end by means of which shrinkage is prevented through the cloth tending to
follow the course of the grooves and expand to each side.
T1900
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.