IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WOOLEN AND SILK FABRICS AND OTHER GOODS COMPOSED OF ANIMAL PRODUCTS WITH A VIEW TO THE REMOVAL OF ANY VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED THEREIN, ALSO IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF WOOLEN AND SILK
FABRICS AND OTHER GOODS COMPOSED OF ANIMAL PRODUCTS WITH A VIEW
TO THE REMOVAL OF ANY VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED THEREIN, ALSO
IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR." A communication
from abroad by Daniel Michel, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Woolen
Waste Manufacturer.
Sealed the 15th December 1876, and dated the 17th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1876.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF WOOLEN AND SILK FABRICS AND OTHER GOODS COMPOSED OF
ANIMAL PRODUCTS WITH A VIEW TO THE REMOVAL OF ANY VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
CONTAINED THEREIN, ALSO IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
A communication from abroad by Daniel Michel, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Woolen Waste Manufacturer.
This Invention has for its object the destruction by a dry process of any vege-
table matter contained in woolen and silk fabrics or in other goods (such as woolen
and silk waste) composed of animal products, and consists in submitting such
fabrics or goods to the combined action of heat and of hydrochloric acid gas in a
closed chamber through which the goods are caused to travel continuously at any
desired speed, according to the time during which they are required to be under
the influence of the said gas. This closed chamber is heated by flues disposed in
the bottom thereof, which flues serve to beat directly the pots containing hydro-
chloric or muriatic acid. In the upper part of the said chamber there are provided
at or near the two opposite sides or ends thereof two vertical rows of rollers over
which the fabric (which may be contained on a drum outside) is caused to travel
to and fro within the chamber, and to issue finally by a small aperture near the
top. Outside this aperture the fabric passes between a pair of revolving covered
rollers, which by their action thereon remove the carbonized vegetable inatter as
fast as the fabric issues from the chamber, the said fabric being finally deposited in
[Price Gd.]

page_text: a folded condition by the aid of an ordinary mechanical folder.
In cases where
the fabric to be thus treated is in a wet or moist condition it is to be first dried by
being caused to pass through a drying chamber, the speed of the carrying rollers
in the said chamber being made to correspond to the speed of the rollers in the
first-mentioned chamber in order that the operation may be carried on con-
tinuously.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th January 1877.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TIE
TREATMENT OF WOOLEN AND SILK FABRICS AND OTHER GOODS COMPOSED OF
ANIMAL PRODUCTS WITH A VIEW TO THE REMOVAL OF ANY VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
CONTAINED THEREIN, ALSO IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
A communication from abroad by Daniel Michel, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Woolen Waste Manufacturer.
The said Invention has for its object the destruction and removal by a dry
process of any vegetable substance that may be mixed with or contained in woven
fabrics or piece goods of wool, silk, or other analogous products by the application
thereto of the combined action of heat and of the gas evolved from hydrochloric
acid in a state of ebullition in a closed oven or chamber so constructed and
arranged that the fabrics before mentioned may circulate continuously therein in
presence of the said gas and during a sufficient length of time to effect a com-
plete destruction of the "knots" or other vegetable particles contained in such
fabrics.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, which represents a longitudinal vertical section of a
combined apparatus for carrying out the said Invention.
A is a carbonising oven or chamber closed as tightly as is practicable, and filled
with the vapours of hydrochloric acid. This chamber is heated by a [heating
apparatus, the flues of which extend over the bottom of the said chamber, and act
directly upon pots or vessels F containing hydrochloric acid, which is maintained
at the boiling point and dispersed in the form of vapour or gas throughout the
whole of the interior of the said chamber. In the upper part of this chamber there
are provided two series of parallel rollers R, which receive a regular rotary motion
in any well-known manner. Their speed of rotation may be varied at will in order
that the cloths or fabrics under treatment may occupy a longer or shorter time in
traversing the chamber.
.
The fabric to be operated upon is unwound from the beam or roller B and
passed zig-zag fashion or to and fro over the several rollers R in the chamber A.
On starting the rollers the fabric will be caused to circulate through the said
chamber in a continuous manner by travelling horizontally from one series
of rollers to the other, and descending successively from tier to tier of such
rollers. During its traverse the fabric becomes impregnated with hydrochloric acid
gas which by its burning property assisted by the licat developed by the heating
apparatus destroys any vegetable matters or “knots" which may be mixed with
the said fabric.
The speed of the fabric is regulated according to the nature of the vegetable
substances so that they shall remain inside the said chamber during a period of
time sufficient for their complete destruction. By this time the fabric issues at D,
passing between the card covered rollers E and a pair of guide or delivery rollers,
which by their action cause the charred vegetable substances to fall in the form of

page_text: dust, whilst the fabric finally passes to an ordinary folder P which disposes it at C
in regular folds. This mode of treatment is applicable also to fabrics or piece
goods composed of silk or of any other animal material having vegetable substances
mixed therewith. In cases where the fabric to be operated upon is in a wet
state it is first caused to traverse a heated chamber wherein it is dried before
entering the carbonising chamber A, care being taken that the rollers in both the
chambers be caused to revolve at an uniform surface speed in order to obtain a
continuous action.
I am aware that it has been proposed to emply hydrochloric acid gas in a
heated chamber for the destruction of vegetable substances contained in woolen
rags or loose waste placed upon trays in such chamber, but such process or arrange-
ment is not continuous, and is not so suitable for the treatment of fabrics or piece
goods.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the mode of and combined apparatus for treating in a
continuous manuer fabrics or piece goods composed of animal products, such as
wool or silk, for the purpose of destroying and removing any vegetable substances
or "knots" that may be contained in or adhering thereto, as herein-before described
and illustrated by the Drawing hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER. (L.S.)