IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR BLEACHING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS OR FABRICS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Bell Sharples of Walmersley. near Bury in
the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR BLEACHING COTTON OR
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS OR FABRICS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Bell Sharples at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th October 1883.
GEORGE BELL SHARPLES of Walmersley near Bury in the County of Lancaster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR
BLEACHING COTTON. OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS OR FABRICS." "
My invention relates to the construction of apparatus for carrying on the process
of bleaching by the combined action of chlorine and carbonic acid gas
My improved apparatus is constructed as follows. In a convenient situation I.
fix an open vat or cistern inside which is placed upon wooden or other supports an
open or perforated box or case to contain the cotton or other fibrous material
or fabric to be bleached. Such open box being so placed as to leave a space
underneath and on all sides between it and the interior of the vat or cistern.
Above the vat or cistern are suspended two light metal gas holders or bells, each
being open at the bottom, the upper one sliding telescopically over the lower one
which latter is made with double sides or an outer casing so as to form a receptacle
for water which serves as a gas-tight luting to the lower edge of the upper gas
holder or bell.
The top of the lower or inner gas holder is provided with a vertical pipe passing
upwards through a gas tight stuffing box, being provided at the top with an air
escape valve, and also furnished at the bottom with a gas valve serving to make a
communication between the interiors of the two gas holders or bells.
The upper or outer gas holder or bell is also provided with a supply valve
for admitting the carbonic acid gas from the generator or other source of supply.
Each of the gasholders or bells is provided with counterbalance weights and
chains passing over pulleys. A pipe is also provided for the admission of a solution
of chloride of lime either cold or hot from any convenient vessel, and if the

page_text: material is to be boiled a steam injector with a movable delivery pipe somewhat
similar to that of an ordinary kier must also be employed.
At the bottom of the cistern or vat is a pipe provided with a draw off cock.
This pipe is carried up above the bottom of the vat and is covered with a bonnet
so as to leave a certain depth of the chlorine liquor in the bottom of the vat or
cistern to form a gas-tight luting for the bottom of the lower gas holder or bell.
The method of using my improved apparatus is as follows.
The material or fabric to be bleached being placed in the open lagged or
perforated box (and having been boiled by the steam injector in the ordinary way
if necessary) a solution of chloride of lime is run into the vat or cistern until the
box containing the material or fabric is immersed. The carbonic acid gas from the
generator or other source of supply is conveyed by a flexible pipe through the
supply valve above named into the upper or outer gas holder or bell the gas valve
in the top of the inner or lower gas holder being closed.
The water in the outer casing of the lower gas holder prevents any escape
of gas.
The material or fabric having remained in the solution a sufficient length of time
the two gas holders or bells are lowered together into the vat or cistern and the air
valve of the lower gas holder being open allows the air to escape from the interior
thereof whilst the chlorine liquor rises inside this bell and takes its place. In this
position the lower gas holder or bell covers over and surrounds the open lagged box
on all sides, the upper bell being still full of carbonic acid gas.
The air escape
valve must then be closed and the gas valve in the top of, the lower gas holder or
bell must be opened by turning the vertical pipe round. The liquor draw off valve
must now be opened, allowing the chlorine liquor to flow off from the vat or cistern
and the lower gas holder. The gas from the upper gas holder will follow the liquor
and flow through the gas valve into the lower gasholder, the upper gas holder or bell
following it up until the two bells become as it were one which is full of carbonic
acid gas and entirely encloses the open lagged box containing the material or fabric
under operation the projecting part of the liquor draw off pipe preventing all the
liquor from being drawn off but leaving a sufficient depth thereof in the bottom of
the vat to prevent any escape of gas from the gas holder. When the goods have
been subjected to the action of the gas for a sufficient length of time, the draw off
valve is closed and the liquor again pumped into the vat or cistern and as it rises in
the lower gas holder it drives the gas back through the gas valve into the upper gas
holder. The gas valve is then closed and the two gas holders together are lifted
out of the vat or cistern.
The gas holders are mounted on a movable arm or crane so that they can be moved
over another vat or cistern where the operation is repeated, thus allowing one set of
gas holders to be used for two or more vats or cisterns and at the same time
enabling the material or fabric in the open lagged box to be examined between each
process until the bleaching operation is completed

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Bell Sharples in the Patent Office on the 4th April
1884.
GEORGE BELL SHARPLES of Walmersley near Bury in the County of Lancaster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION. OF APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR
BLEACHING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS OR FABRICS
"
My invention relates to the construction of apparatus for carrying on the entire
process of bleaching cotton &c by the combined action of chlorine and carbonic
acid gas in one vessel without removing the goods therefrom during the process.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a sheet of drawings illustrative thereof and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof
In the annexed drawing Figs 1. 2. and 3. represent in vertical section my
improved apparatus in three different positions as hereinafter explained. Fig. 1.
showing the apparatus open and ready to receive the goods to be bleached.
My improved apparatus is constructed as follows: In a convenient situation I
fix an open vat or cistern a, a inside which is placed upon wooden or other
supports an open or perforated box or case b, b which is preferably made with
removable perforated shelves of any suitable construction to contain the cotton or
other fibrous material or fabric to be bleached. Such open box b, b being so placed
as to leave a space underneath and on all sides between it and the interior of the
vat or cistern. Above the vat or cistern are suspended two light metal gas holders
or bells c, c and d, & each being open at the bottom the upper one c, c sliding
telescopically over the lower one d, d which latter is made with double sides or an
outer casing so as to form a receptacle for water which serves as a gas-tight luting
to the lower edge of the upper gas holder or bell c, c
The top of the lower or inner gas holder d, d is provided with a vertical
pipe e, e passing upwards through a gas-tight stuffing box f,f being provided at the
top with an air escape valve g, g and also furnished at the bottom with a gas
valve h, h serving to make a communication between the interior of the two gas
holders or bells c and d. The upper or outer gas holder or bell c, c is also provided
with a supply valve i, i for admitting the carbonic acid gas from the generator j, j
or other source of supply. Each of the gas holders or bells c and d is provided
with counterbalance weights and chains k, k passing over suitable pulleys. A pipe
is also provided for the admission of a solution of chloride of lime from any
convenient vessel, and if the material is to be boiled a steam injector 1, with a
movable delivery pipe somewhat similar to that of an ordinary kier must also be
employed.
Near the bottom of the cistern or vat a, a is provided a draw off cock m, m so
situated as to leave a certain depth of the chlorine liquor in the bottom of the vat
or cistern to form a gas-tight luting for the bottom of the lower gas-holder or
bell d, d. The bottom of the cistern or vat a, a being preferably so constructed as
to leave a minimum surface of liquor exposed to the action of the gas. The method
of using my improved apparatus is as follows.
The material or fabric to be bleached being placed in the open lagged or
perforated box b, b (and having been boiled by the steam injector 7, in the
ordinary way if necessary) a solution of chloride of lime is run into the vat or
cistern a, a until the box b, b containing the material or fabric is immersed.

page_text: The carbonic acid gas from the generator j, j or other source of supply is conveyed
by a flexible pipe through the supply valve i, i above named into the upper or
outer gas holder or bell
c, c the gas valve h, h in the top of the inner or lower gas
holder d, & being closed by turning round the pipe e, e by the handle e¹ or otherwise.
The water in the outer casing of the lower gas holder d, d prevents any escape of
gas. The material or fabric having remained in the solution a sufficient length of
time the two gas holders or bells c, c and d, d are lowered together into the vat
or cistern a, a as shown at Fig. 2 and the air valve g, g of the lower gas holder d, d
being open, allows the air to escape from the interior thereof whilst the said
bell d, d descends into the chlorine liquor. In this position the lower gas holder
or bell d, d covers over and surrounds the open lagged box b, 6 on all sides, the
upper bell c, c being still full of carbonic acid gas. The air escape valve g, g must
then be closed and the gas valve h, h in the top of the lower gas holder or bell d, d
must be opened by turning the vertical pipe e, e round or otherwise.
The liquor
draw off valve m, m must now be opened, allowing the chlorine liquor to flow off
from the vat or cistern a, a and the lower gas holder d, d. The gas from the upper
gas holder e, e will follow the liquor and flow through the gas valve h, h into the
lower gas holder, the upper gas holder or bell c, c following it up until the two
bells c and d become as it were one (see Fig. 3) which is full of carbonic acid gas
and entirely encloses the open lagged box b, b containing the material or fabric
under operation, the situation of the draw off valve m, m preventing all the liquor
from being drawn off but leaving a sufficient depth thereof in the bottom of the
vat a, a to prevent any escape of gas from the gas holder c, c. When the goods
have been subjected to the action of the gas for a sufficient length of time, the
draw off valve m, m is closed and the liquor again pumped into the vat or
cistern a, a and as it rises in the lower gas holder d, d it drives the gas back
through the gas valve h, h into the upper gas holder c, c.
After this process has
been repeated a few times the gas valve h, h is then closed and the two gas
holders c and d together are lifted out of the vat or cistern in order to examine
the goods as shown at Fig. 1. The gas holders may be mounted on a movable arm
or crane in any suitable manner so that they can be moved over another vat or
cistern where the operation is repeated, thus allowing one set of gas holders to be
used for two or more vats or cisterns and at the same time enabling the material
or fabric in the open lagged box to be examined at pleasure without loss of gas
until the bleaching operation is completed. Fig. 4 shows a modification of this
apparatus wherein the lower bell d, d is dispensed with and the supply of gas is
obtained from a flexible or other suitable gas holder n, n. The same letters of
reference are placed upon the corresponding parts of the apparatus so that no
further description of the same is required.
The method of working the apparatus is as follows.
The material or fabric having remained in the solution as before a sufficient
length of time, the cover or bell c, c is lowered into the cistern a, a covering the
box b, b containing the material or fabric to be bleached, the air valve g, g being
closed and the gas valve i, i open. The draw off cock m, m is then opened and as
the liquor descends in the cistern a, a the gas takes its place from the holder n, n
through the flexible pipe o, o and valve i, i. The tap m, m is so placed that it
leaves a luting for the bell or cover c, c when filled with gas as shown. The
material or fabric having remained exposed to the carbonic acid gas a sufficient
length of time the tap m m is closed and the chloride of lime solution is again
pumped into the cistern a, a through one of the valves p, p and as it rises it drives
the gas in the bell or cover c, c back through the valve i, i (which is still open)
into the holder n, 'n through the flexible pipe o, o. When the liquor is a sufficient
height to again immerse the box b, b the valve i, i may be closed and the bell or
cover c, c lifted (as shown in dotted lines) to examine the material or fabric, or the
above process may be repeated until the bleaching of the material or fabric is
completed. The valve q, q is used to drain the cistern a, a when washing the
material or fabric without removal, the bell or cover c, c being lifted by the aid of

page_text: the balance weight as shown by the dotted lines, the flexible pipe o, o being still
attached to the valve i, i.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I claim The construction of apparatus for bleaching cotton or
other fibrous materials or fabrics by the combined action of chlorine and carbonic
acid or other gas in one vessel and without removing the goods therefrom during
the process of bleaching substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
the drawings annexed,
In witness whereof I the said George Bell Sharples have hereunto set my hand
and seal this first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four,
GEO: BELL SHARPLES (L.S.)