Year: 1888

page_text: 1 FRANK ALLEN OWEN of Burlington, Vermont in the United States of America,
Inventor 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 improvements in the apparatus and process for removing
the natural oils or suint from wool preparatory to its application in manufactures by
means of simple solvents.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters indicate like parts.
Figure I is a perspective of the perforated cylinder, in which the wool is placed.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the removable head of the cylinder. Fig. 3 is a sectional
view of the hoop used to extend the length of the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a view of the
perforated pipe within the cylinder to maintain an open space in the longitudinal
center of the charged cylinder, whereby the solvent is introduced; also, a view of
the solid filler, designed to be placed within the pipe during the process of charging
and adjusting the cylinder. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the cleansing apparatus.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the press and cylinder, showing the operation of filling.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of one of the cylinders when in position showing the
connection between the naphta tank and the cylinder. Fig. 8 is a side elevation
showing the manner of journaling the cylinder. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the
cover of the slot within which the journal rolls lengthwise of the machine. Fig. 10
is a side elevation of the support of the pulley, whereby the cylinder is revolved.
Fig. 11 is a similar view of the opposite end of the cylinder in the same position.
Fig. 12 is a view showing the respective positions (in dotted lines) of the cylinders
in the dry air chamber.
B is a perforated metallic cylinder of suitable dimensions and designed to hold the
wool from which the suint is to be extracted. It is provided with two heads, one
of which, 62, is removable, each having a journal, which in the removable head is
hollow, 6, and in the fixed head is solid, b. The removable head b₁ rests upon a
shoulder on the inside of the exterior flange, 64, of the cylinder, and it is held in
position by slide-bolts, &, or other suitable device.
C is a circular metallic hoop designed to extend the cylinder B in the operation of
charging or filling the cylinder with the wool (See Fig. 6).
D) is a perforated pipe, one end of which is closed, and is provided with a pin, d',
designed to rest within a corresponding aperture or seat in the solid journal 6 of the
Price 8d.1

page_text: cylinder. Its perforations are purposely sufficiently small to modify the flow of the
solvent, which it is intended to receive and to distribute equally to the contents of the
cylinder. This pipe D is designed to extend longitudinally through the center of
the cylinder B and open into the central aperture of the removable head 6' when the
latter is in place.
E is a solid plug, preferably longer than the pipe D, which it is designed to fill,
both for greater convenience in handling and as a guide to the removable head bi
when placed in position as shown in Fig. 6.
F Fig. 5 is the extracting box, of any convenient size, preferably constructed of
metal, and divided into two parts, upper and lower, by the ledge or runway G, on
which the journals of the several cylinders B are designed to roll in their passage from
the entrance gate H of the box F to the discharge box F³. The box F should be of
sufficient length to hold at least four of the cylinders B at equal distances from
cach other
The ledge G is so made as to receive and support the cylinder journals, and is
provided with seats a, a, a, at equal distances from each other, to temporarily
receive and retain the several cylinders in their passage to the discharge box F³
Between these seats the ledge is sufficiently inclined to allow the cylinders to roll
automatically from seat to seat, after being raised from one inclined section to the
next by means of any suitable device.
The one illustrated consists of a pivoted lever, I, (see Fig. 8) so arranged, that by
pressing down its handle the journal is elevated onto the succeeding section of the
ledge. The cylinder journals are held in place in each seat a by the hinged cap J,
which is carried over the journals and there held firmly by a pin or bolt in thic
ear at its outer extremity.
To allow the cylinder to roll into its scut, the cap J is thrown back into the position
indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8, in order that it shall offer no obstruction to the
passage of the cylinder-journals. The lever, I', by which the cylinder is raised into
the ledge G in the discharge chamber, is of similar construction, only sufficiently
longer to elevate the cylinder to a height sufficient to allow the entire apparatus to
stand on the same level, without having the lower end of the lodge in the drying
chamber inconveniently low.
The opening in each section between the upper and lower divisions of the extracting
box F, along the line of the ledge G, is closed by a cover K, which is so supported
by the spring adjustable rods that it is readily raised by the elevation of the journal
into the section, and at once is made to drop into place as soon as the journal
passes from beneath it into the next seat, thereby causing the ledge opening to be
closed automatically as soon as the cylinder-journals are in their respective seats w.
Beneath the first two cylinders in the extracting box F is a metallic diaphragm I,
designed to receive and carry into a still, through a pipe, M, the solvent, together
with the suint, which has resulted from the two first saturations.
The solvent used in the succeeding saturations falls onto the bottom of the
compartment F whence it is removed by the pump N, and thence forced back into
tank 1, to be reused on the first two cylinders. After the cylinders in the extracting
box have been sufficiently treated they are elevated by the lever I' through the door 11¹
into the discharge chamber F there to remain until there is a sufficient number of
cylinder to charge the drying chamber F, which consists of a box practically air-tight
to prevent loss of the solvent by evaporation.
The solvent which remains in the contents of the cylinders, while in this box Fis
removed either by heating the box by a steam jacket or by heated air introduced
into the interior pipe D, of the cylinders through the end opening of the hollow
shaft, which is covered by the gate, P, Fig. 12, by means of a flexible steam-pipe,
which is closely attached to the end of the pipe 6, care being taken to perfectly close
the connection at P. The latter method is preferred as the solvent is thereby more
quickly expelled and a gentle current created to carry the vapor of the solvent from
the drying chamber off through the pipe Q to the condensor. Both methods, however,
may be advantageously combined, in order that the inner walls of the chamber may

page_text: be quickly brought to a temperature, which will prevent condensation of the solvent
upon its surface. The heating process should be continued until all the solvent is
completely expelled from the chamber, when the door H³ is opened and the cylinders
removed, their contents being perfectly dry and denuded of all natural oils.
The inclined ledge G in the last two compartments, F and F upon which the
cylinder journals run, is continuous and attached to the interior of the chambers,
having no openings through the sides of the chambers except those covered by the
gates PP, which are located exactly opposite the open ends of the perforated
pipos D D of the cylinders, as they lie in close contact with each other after being
rolled automatically into the drying chamber (See Fig. 5, dotted lines).
The cylinders are revolved in the extracting box F by means of pulleys R R
Fig. 10, which are adjusted to the open ends of the cylinder-journals by means of the
lever, which is controlled by a spring clutch. These pulleys are rotated by suitable
belting connected with pulleys on shafting overhead.
The method of subjecting the contents of the first two cylinders to the action of the
solvent while in the extracting box may be either by conveying it from the storage
tank 1, through suitable pipes having cut-offs a a, into the horizontal porforated
pipes A A, located above the central line of the cylinders, from whence it drips upon
the exterior of the cylinders as it slowly revolves (see Fig. 7) or it may be conveyed
by suitable pipes, p, to the open end of the hollow shaft D of each cylindor, and
thence into the perforated pipe.
In either case the solvent is allowed to flow until the contents of the cylinders are
thoroughly saturated. As soon as this is accomplished, the solvent supply is cut off
and power is applied to rotate the cylinders rapidly to expel by centrifugal force the
solvent from the contents of the cylinders.
Each section of the box is divided by the flexible aprons o o, suspended from the top
of the box and weighted at the bottom to prevent as far as possible tho solvent from
being thrown violently into the adjoining section and upon the adjacent cylinder.
The contents of the third and fourth cylinders in the extracting box are saturated
in the same manner as the first two, the solvent being drawn from tank 2, its flow
being controlled by the cut-offs a² a³. In operation the wool from which the suint is
to be removed is placed in the perforated cylinder B, which for this purpose is set
upon its closed end, and filled by hand as tightly as is possible around the perforated
pipes D with its solid plug E', which occupies its perpendicular position in the center
of the cylinder. The cylinder is then lengthened by the addition of the hoop C,
which is packed with the wool around the pipe D and the projecting end of the
plug E. The entire contents of the cylinder are then subjected to such pressure as will
cause the removable head 1, which acts as a follower, to be brought down into its
place upon the flange of the cylinder, the plug E projecting through the central
aperture in the head (See Figs. 6 & 2).
This operation is repeated until the cylinder is sufficiently packed, or a weighed
amount of wool is introduced into the cylinder when the head 6' through the center
of which the plug E projects, is firmly secured to the cylinder by means of the slide
bolts, or other suitable fastening device. After a sufficient number of these
cylinders have thus been packed they are carried to the extracting-box F. The long plug
may then be removed and a short one substituted. One of the cylinders is placed
in the box F through the door or opening H. Revolving upon its journals down the
inclined ledge or runway G, formed in the side of the box by elevating its upper
division, it reaches the first seat a. Each section of this ledge or slot G is protected
by spring actuated covers K (shown in Fig. 9) which are forced quickly into place as
soon as the cylinder has passed from seat to sent, thus rendering the box F
perfectly tight, except the moment required for the passage of the cylinders to their
respective seats. The pulley R is then adjusted to the open end of the cylinder
journal D (see Fig. 10) for the purpose of slowly rotating the cylinder, or the cylinder
can be turned by hand.
The valve a is then opened to allow the solvent in the tank 1 to drip lengthwise,
through the perforated pipe A, upon the exterior of the cylinder; or, if preferred, the

page_text: solvent may be conveyed to the interior of the cylinder by suitable pipes connected
with the open end of the hollow perforated shaft D, or both methods may be employed
at the same time, the objects being to thoroughly saturate the contents of the cylinder
with the solvent. As soon as this is done, the supply is cut off. The power
is then increased for the purpose of rotating the cylinder with sufficient rapidity
to expel the solvent, together with the oil it has dissolved, by centrifugal force.
The flexible apron o prevents the solvent and oil from being thrown into the adjoining
sections. The cylinder is then raised, by means of one of the levers 1, to the noxt
section of the slot G, whence it rolls into the seat r, to give place to the second
cylinder, which is then introduced into the box F, and the same process of saturation
and extraction is repeated with both cylinders, the solvent for the second cylinder
being drawn through the opened valve a¹.
The first cylinder is then rolled to the seat a and its place is occupied by the second,
to allow a third to be introduced into the seat, and the entire process is then
repeated, the first cylinder being saturated from tank 2.
With the removal of all the cylinders one seat forward and the introduction of a
fourth cylinder and the repetition of the saturation and extraction process the box Fis
filled, and the first cylinder has been subjected to four saturations and extractions, which
is sufficient to thoroughly dissolve and remove the suint. The solvent used on the
first two cylinders, together with the extracted oil, falls onto the diaphragm L, and is
carried thence, through the pipe M into a still for distillation. The solvent used to
saturate the last two cylinders is furnished from tank 2. This falls on the floor F, and
is sufficiently free from suint to be forced back by the pump N into tank 1, to be
reused for the first two saturations. As fast as the process of cleansing the wool is
completed in the cylinder on seat ³, the cylinder is elevated by the long lever I into
the discharge-box F³ through the door H, whenco it rolls down to place on the inclined
ledge Gon the interior of the box. This box is designed to be air-tight to keep the
solvent from evaporation, until a sufficient number of cleansed cylinders are placed in
the box to charge the drying chamber E. When the requisite number is obtained,
the pin which secures the door H2 of the drying-chamber is withdrawn, and the
cylinders are rolled on the ledge into the chamber, where they lie in close contact with
each other. Thus located, the open ends of the hollow shafts D are opposite the
openings through the side of the chamber, which are tightly covered by the gates PP
(shown in Figs. 11 & 12).
The process of removing the remainder of the solvent and drying the wool is
effectually accomplished by means of a steam-jacket, or by heated air introduced into
the perforated pipes D D by means of flexible pipes with suitable collar connections
to fit the ends of the perforated hollow shafts D D when the gates P P are opened.
This latter method has the advantage of greatly hastening the drying process, as a
gentle current is thereby created, which rapidly carries off the vapor through the
pipe to the condenser.
A combination of both methods is preferred, as it raises the temperature in the
chamber more quickly to a point where there will be no condensation, the air current
rapidly expelling all the solvent and forcing it to the condenser.
On the completion of this operation the cylinder are rolled out through the door H³,
their contents perfectly dry and all the suint removed. As the dry wool is
taken from the cylinder, the dirt and other similar impurities which may remain are
easily shaken out and saved for further treatment.
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) In a wool cleansing apparatus, a series of perforated metallic cylinders, B, to contain
the wool to be cleansed, each having at one extremity a fixed head and a solid journal, 63,
and at the other a removable head, 6, provided with suitable devices to secure it to
the cylinder, and having a central aperture for the insertion of the hollow shaft D, sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: 2) In a wool cleaning apparatus, the perforated hollow pipe D, one end of which is
closed, and provided with a projecting pin, d, to hold it in position in the solid journal
of the cylinder B, the other end of which opens into the hollow journal of the remov-
able head of the cylinder, for the purpose of receiving and distributing the solvent
through the contents of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.
3) In a wool cleaning apparatus, in combination with the perforated hollow pipe D,
the long plug E, which is designed to be placed in the pipe and extend beyond it for the
purpose of preventing the entrance of wool and dirt into the pipe, and to act as a
guide to the head in the operation of pressing, substantially as described.
4) In a wool cleaning apparatus, the cylinder B, in combination with the circular
metallic extension hoop C, the hollow shaft D, and plug E, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5) In a wool cleaning apparatus, the adjustable pulley R, operated by the spring
clutch, in combination with the journal on the fixed head of the cylinder for the
purpose of rotating the cylinder B, substantially as set forth.
6) In a wool cleaning apparatus, the extracting-box F, provided with a door H, an
inclined sectional ledge or slot G, protected by spring actuated covers K, journal seats
for the several cylinders B, a diaphragm L, to catch and carry off the solvent from the
first series of perforated pipes A; and the flexible aprons o, to separate the cylinders on
their respective seats, substantially as and for the purpose described.
7) In a wool cleansing apparatus, the slot G provided with vertically sliding
covers K, having spring adjustable rods 1, for the purpose of keeping the slot G closed,
except during the passage of the cylinder from one journal seat to another, substantially
as described.
8) In a wool cleansing apparatus, the tanks 1 and 2, connected by suitable supply
pipes controlled by valves, with performed drip-pipes A, in combination with the
extracting-box F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9) In a wool cleansing apparatus the tight discharge box F3, having the end
opening H, and the inclined ledge G¹ to contain the several cylinders B until they
are ready to charge the drying-chamber F, substantially as set forth.
10) In a wool cleansing apparatus, the drying chambor F having the end
openings H and H³, and an inclined ledge, which is provided with suitable openings
for the ends of the shafts D, and the cylinders B, which are protected by gates P,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
11) In a wool cleaning apparatus, the drying chamber F, constructed as described
to contain the treated cylinders, while any solvent still adhering is removed by means
of heat applied, either by a steam jacket or a warm air-current, or both together,
through the pipe Q, to the condenser, substantially as set forth.
12) In a wool cleansing apparatus, the combination of suitable chambers; F, F³,
&F, for extracting the suint, holding the cylinders and drying the wool, in combi-
nation with the cylinders B, tanks 1 & 2, provided with their several pipes for con-
veying the solvent to the cylinders, the adjustable pulleys R, and force pump N, all
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as set forth.
13) In a wool cleaning apparatus, the combination of a receiving box F, with one
or more perforated cylinders, B, which are provided with stationary and removable
heads, and with solid and hollow bearings, the pipe p, which connects with the hollow
bearings, and a tank for holding a solvent, substantially as shown.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.