An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Oxidizing Indigo Liquor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th July 1893—Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Oxidizing Indigo Liquor.
I, HERBERT SAMUEL ELWORTHY, of 31 Gurney Road, Stratford, in the County
of Essex, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for oxidizing
indigo liquor, by raising the liquid by centrifugal force and distributing it in a
finely divided state through the air and back to the tank or cistern from which it
was taken.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of the invention, Figure 1 being a
side view, partly in section of the improved apparatus, and Figure 2 an end view of
the same.
a is a cylindrical vessel or drum.
ba vertical shaft or spindle to which the drum a is attached.
c, c, collars.
dan upper curved pipe, into which the indigo liquor enters through the mouth e,
and is delivered into the drum σ at f
g is a lower curved pipe, into which the indigo liquor enters through the mouth h
and is delivered into the drum a at i.
j collar formed or fixed upon the shaft b.
kball bearing upon which the collar rests and runs.
bushes for same bearing.
m supporting bracket for lower end of shaft b.
n ball bearing for end of shaft.
o attachment of bracket to carriage.
p conical envelope.
rails upon which the machine travels.
r travelling carriage, turning on hinge at s.
t wheels of carriage.
u back-rest on carriage.
v foot-board for coolies.
w toothed driving wheel with axle turning in bearings in frame of carriage.
toothed pinion driven by wheel w.
y bevelled toothed wheel."
bevelled toothed pinion driven by wheel y.
A handles.
L shews the level of the top of vat.
The apparatus is worked in the following manner :-
g
Power being applied to the toothed driving wheel w through its axle and
handles A and communicated in turn by means of the spur and bevelled gearing to
the vertical shaft the latter is caused to revolve with great velocity, carrying
round with it the perforated drum a with the curved tubes d and attached.
Whilst the drum is thus revolving in the direction of the curve of the spiral tubes,
i.e., from to e aud i to the indigo liquor in which the machine is immersed in the
beating vat, as far as the water line XY is rapidly drawn up the tubes by means of
centrifugal force, and thence expelled through the perforations in the periphery of
the drum in the form of fine rain or spray, falling back again into the vat, and this
action is continued until the indigo liquor is sufficiently oxidized.
To reduce friction the curved tubes are shewn enclosed in the conical envelope
or casing.

page_text: To facilitate locomotion of the machine about the vat or its transfer from one
vat to another the hinged carriage r, may be made to travel upon an arrangement
of rails as shewn.
Where a stationary machine is suitable the rails and travelling carriage may be
dispensed with, the apparatus being fixed to a frame as shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 2.
Where desirable to work the machine by power, the handles A are removed and
replaced by a belt or rope pulley on the axle of main driving wheel as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 2, or the pulley may be attached directly to the head of the
vertical shaft, thus dispensing with the whole of the gearing.
The machine may be driven by hand, or by cattle, steam, or other power, and if
desirable a small engine may be attached direct to the vertical shaft.
The drum of the machine may be made adjustable in a vertical direction to suit
variations in the depths of vats. Strainers may be placed at the mouths of the
curved pipes to prevent entry of foreign matter.
If preferred, a fly wheel may be attached to the axle of the main driving wheel.
Instead of the revolving drum above described, an arrangement of one or more
tubes curved spirally round the vertical shaft, and having their upper ends curved
radially outwards, may be used for raising the indigo liquor and expelling it
outwards in the form of rain or spray by centrifugal force, through rose or other
jets attached to the exit mouths of the pipes.
Or a perforated chamber, or jet or series of jets revolving or stationary attached
to the mouth of the delivery pipe of any ordinary force pump, may he used for
forming the rain or spray.
The size and proportions of the parts of the apparatus may be varied more or
less as may be found desirable, and the apparatus itself may be varied more or less.
For instance a smaller machine may be used, driven by hand and supported upon
two wheels running upon rails by which it is transported to the place desired, the
machine turning up out of the tank for the purpose when required.
Instead of two pipes, one or more may be used.
Dated this 19th day of October 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Oxidizing Indigo Liquor.
I, HERBERT SAMUEL ELWORTHY, of 31 Gurney Road, Stratford, in the County
of Essex, Analytical Chemist 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, that is to say :-
My invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, oxidizing
indigo liquor, by raising the liquid by centrifugal force and distributing it in a
finely divided state through the air and back to the tank or cistern from which it
was taken.
In the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification and which is in illustration
of the invention, Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section of the improved
apparatus, and Figure 2 an end view of the same.
a is a cylindrical vessel or drum.
a vertical shaft or spindle to which the drum a is attached.
ce collars.
dan upper curved pipe, into which the indigo liquor enters through the mouth e, à
and is delivered into the drum a at f
is a lower curved pipe, into which the indigo liquor enters through the mouth /
and is delivered into the drum a at i.

page_text: m, supporting bracket for the lower end of shaft b.
n, ball bearing for end of shaft.
o, attachment of bracket to carriage.
p, conical envelope.
7, rails upon which the machine travels.
travelling carriage, turning on hinge at s.
t, wheels of carriage.
u, back rest on carriage.
v, foot board for coolies.
w, toothed driving wheel with axle turning in bearings in the frame of the
carriage.
a, toothed pinion driven by the wheel w.
y, bevelled toothed wheel."
, bevelled toothed pinion driven by the wheel
A, handles.
L shows the level of the top of the vat.
!!-
The apparatus is worked in the following manner:
I
Power being applied to the toothed driving wheel w through its axle and
handle A, and communicated in turn by means of the spur and bevelled gearing to
the vertical shaft b, the latter is caused to revolve with great velocity, carrying
round with it the perforated drum A. with the curved tubes d and attached.
Whilst the drum is thus revolving in the direction of the curve of the spiral tubes.
.e. from toe and i to the indigo liquor in which the machine is immersed in the
beating vat, as far as the water line y, is rapidly drawn up the tubes by means
of centrifugal force, and thence expelled through the perforations in the periphery
of the drum, in the form of fine rain or spray, falling back again into the rat, and
this action is continued until the indigo liquor is sufficiently oxidized.
To reduce friction the curved tubes are shewn enclosed in the conical envelope
or casing f
To facilitate locomotion of the machine about the vat, or its transfer from one vat.
to another, the hinged carriage may be made to travel upon an arrangement of
rails as shewn, the apparatus being fixed to a frame as shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 2.
Where a stationary machine is suitable, the rails and travelling carriage may be
dispensed with.
Where desirable to work the machine by power, the handles A are removed and
replaced by a belt or rope pulley B on the axle of the main driving wheel, as shewn
in dotted lines in Figure 2, or the pulley may be attached directly to the head of
the vertical shaft, thus dispensing with the whole of the gearing.
The machine may be driven by hand, or by cattle, steam, or other power, and if
desirable a small engine may be attached direct to the vertical shaft.
The drum of the machine may be made adjustable in a vertical direction to suit
variations in the depths of vats. Strainers may be placed at the mouths of the
curved pipes to prevent entry of foreign matter.
If preferred, a fly wheel may be attached to the axle of the main driving wheel.
Instead of the revolving drum above described, an arrangement of one or more
tubes curved spirally round the vertical shaft, and having their upper ends curved
radially outwards, may be used for raising the indigo liquor and expelling it
outwards in the form of rain or spray by centrifugal force, through rose or other
jets attached to the exit mouths of pipes.
The size and proportions of the parts of the apparatus may be varied more or
less as may be found desirable, and the apparatus itself may be varied more or less.
For instance a smaller machine may be used, driven by hand and supported upon
two wheels running upon rails by which it is transported to the place desired the

page_text: machine turning up out of the tank for the purpose of being so moved when
required.
Instead of two pipes, one or more may be used.
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 :-
1. The method of employing centrifugal force for oxidizing indigo liquor, substan-
tially as described.
2. The formation of a rain or spray substantially in the manner above described
for the oxidization of indigo liquor.
3. The combination of the vertical revolving shaft b, perforated cylinder a, and
pipes and, arranged and operating substantially as described.
4. In combination with the vertical revolving shaft, perforated cylinder a, and
pipes d and y, the frame and driving gear by which the shaft is set in revolution,
substantially as described and illustrated.
and
5. In combination with the vertical shaft perforated cylinder a and pipes d
95 the hinges upon the carriage r substantially as described and illustrated.
6. In combination with the perforated cylinder 6 and pipes d and g, the conical
envelope p, substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
Dated this 19th day of July 1893.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.