IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Worrall, of Ordsall, Salford, in the County of
Lancaster, Dyer, and John Kershaw, of Wadsworth, Halifax, in the County
of York, Manager, for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Worrall and John
Kershaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July
1881.
JAMES WORRALL, of Ordsall, Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Dyer, and
JOHN KERSHAW, of Wadsworth, Halifax, in the County of York, Manager.
IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE SCOURING, DYEING, AND WASHING
OF PILE FABRICS."
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery by the use of which the
Scouring, dyeing, or the washing of pile fabrics may be effected in an efficient and
expeditious manner.
Hitherto in machines of this class the fabric has been drawn through tanks
containing the scouring or other liquor, but it has been found that a more efficient
action may be obtained by supplying the liquor as a downpour in place of
immersing the fabric, and by using the rotary beaters or winces to throw the
liquor up on to the cloth as it passes under their action.
The machinery admits of various modifications as respects the disposition and
number of the winces or rotary beaters and the parts in connection therewith, but
in all cases the same principle of action in whole or in part will obtain.
In constructing a machine suitable for operating upon light pile fabrics, the
following arrangement may be adopted :-At the base of the machine is a tank or
"beck "which carries the framework in which a series of, say, four rotary beaters
is mounted.
These beaters are set one above the other, and below each is placed a shallow
segment shaped vessel formed of sheet brass, into which the beater dips.

page_text: As a continuation of this vessel two inclined side plates are set, which rise to
about the height of the rotary beater; a space is however left between the sides
of the segment shaped vessel and the lower edges of the plates to allow of the
free
passage in a vertical direction of the cloth to be operated upon.
In the space between the several beaters guide rollers are situated, which as the
cloth is led past them will hold it up to the action of the beaters.
Above the topmost beater is a guide roller placed centrally, which is larger in
diameter than the other guide rollers, and morcover receives rotary motion like
the beaters from gearing, for the purpose of giving a traverse motion to the
cloth.
The tank is provided with guide bars and rollers, and over and under these the
cloth is led to saturate it before it comes under the action of the beaters. The
cloth is then led up past the shallow segment shaped vessels in succossion until it
arrives at the top driven roller, whence it descends and passes by the opposite
sides of the segmental shaped vessels until it re-enters the tank; it is then led
under a guide roller as before and over the end of the tank.
The cloth in its upward and downward course forms with the inclined end
plates trough shaped receptacles for the scouring liquor. The uppermost of these
troughs receive their liquor from supply pipes.
This liquor flows in part into the uppermost segment shaped vessel, which is
further supplied with liquor from a special pipe.
The liquor from these troughs and the segment shaped vessels falls into the
troughs and gel immediately below, and so on through the series, and thus a
constant su of liquor is maintained in all the troughs and vessels, the tank
acting as a fiver for the downpour,
As the liquor is thus descending over both faces of the fabric, the beaters or
winces by their rapid rotation will dash the liquor out of the shallow vessels outo
the travelling cloth, at the same time they will force the liquor which lies between
the end plates and the travelling cloth to percolate through the cloth; and thus
drive out by an efficient mechanical action the size and other ingredients used in
the manufacture of the cloth.
A centrifugal or other pump is provided for raising the liquor from the tank,
and causing it to be delivered again and again to the cloth until it. has become
spent.
As a modification of this arrangement three sets of winces or rotary beaters
with their appurtenances may be arranged-one-behind-the-other-and-the-cloth-
may be led through each series in succession, as already explained, additional
guide rollers being provided to lead the cloth from series to series.
The tank will in this case be divided up in such manner as to allow the overflow
from the first division or supply end of the tank to fill the second division, and
the second division the third, for the purpose of graduating the liquor, and
presenting to the fabric cleaner liquor as the scouring proceeds.
By the use of this arrangement a more thorough and searching action will be
secured, such as is requisite for scouring thick or heavy goods.
A further modification consists in arranging a series of rotary beaters in a
horizontal line, immediately above a long trough divided transversely for graduating
the liquor. Above each beater is mounted a driven ribbed roller for imparting a
travelling motion to the cloth; in other respects the arrangement is the same as
that above described, with the exception that the shallow vessels are supplied with
liquor from the tank, and for this purpose they are perforated and are immersed in
the liquor in the tank.
The troughs will depend for their supply of liquor upon the action of the beaters,
supplemented by the liquor carried up by the travelling cloth.
The cloth it will be understood in this example dips into the tank after being
acted upon by the first beater; it then rises to the next beater, and passing under
its action again descends to the trough, whence it rises as before, and so on until it
has undergone the action of all the beaters. It is then raised by a driven ribbed

page_text: roller and presented to a folding apparatus which will lap it in folds upon a
receiving table.
As the cloth gives off lint freely during the scouring operation, it will be found
desirable to provide the tank with a skimmer; for this purpose an endless band of
canvas of the width of the tank is inserted within the tank, and so arranged as to
collect and carry up the lint that may be drifted onto its surface.
This endless band rises above the tank, and receives a continuous rotary motion.
Above it and in contact therewith is mounted a rotary brush, which being driven
in the same direction as the band will clear it of the lint which it has collected
from the tank.
It will be understood that the above described apparatus is not only applicable to
scouring, but also to the bleaching, dyeing, and washing of cut pile fabrics, whether
velvets, velveteens, or cords.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Worrall and John Kershaw in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd January 1882.
JAMES WORRALL, of Ordsall, Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Dyer, and
JOHN KERSHAW, of Wadsworth, Halifax, in the County of York, Manager.
." IMPROVED APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE SCOURING, DYEING, AND WASHING
OF PILE FABRICS."
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery, by the use of which the
scouring, dyeing, or the washing of pile. fabrics may be effected without creasing,
and in an efficient and expeditious manner.
Hitherto in machines of this class the fabric has been drawn through tanks
containing the scouring or other liquor, but it has been found that a more efficient.
action may be obtained by supplying the liquor as a downpour in place of
immersing the fabric, and by using the rotary beaters or winces to throw the
liquor up in limited quantities onto the cloth as it passes under their action.
The machinery admits of various modifications as respects the disposition and
number of the winces or rotary beaters, and the parts in connection therewith, but
in all cases the same principle of action in whole or in part will obtain.
In constructing a machine suitable for operating upon light pile fabrics, we
adopt the arrangement shewn in Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, where
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 an elevation of the left hand end of the
machine. A, A, is a beck" or tank at the base of the machine for receiving the
scouring or other liquor, and upon the tank is mounted the frame work B, B. This
frame work carries bearings for a series of four rotary beaters or winces C, C.
"
These beaters are set one above the other, and below each is placed a shallow
segment shaped vessel or trough D formed of sheet brass, into which the beater
dips.
As a continuation of this vessel two inclined side plates E, E, are set, which rise
to about the height of the rotary beater. These plates depend from horizontal
rock bars E which rest in bearings provided for them in the edges of the framing B
These rock bars are fitted with weighted levers which serve to press the pendent
plates E inwards or towards the troughs D, but allow them to yield to any counter
pressure.
The lower edges of the plates are turned outwards to present a smooth surface
to the travelling cloth under treatment.
This mode of mounting the plates E provides a free passage in a vertical direction
for the cloth between the plates and the troughs. F, F, F, are guide rollers having
their bearings in the framing B, and serving as the cloth is led past them to hold
it up to the action of the beaters C, C.
Above the topmost beater is a ribbed guide roller G, placed centrally and receiving
rotary motion like the beaters from a driving belt, for the purpose of giving a
travelling motion to the cloth.
The tank A is provided with guide bars H, which lead the cloth from the table I
down into the tank, whence it is guided upwards by a roller K to the beaters C,
and on its return to the tank it is passed under guide rollers K', and thence upwards
to a driven roller G', which receives motion through a band from a pulley on the
axle of the roller G, and delivers the cloth to the folder L.
C¹, C, is a train of gearing for driving the beaters C in the direction of the
travel of the cloth, but at a surface speed some three times greater than that of the
cloth.
Mounted in the tank A is a drum M, which is intended to collect the particles of

page_text: lint or fluff given off by the fabric during the scouring operation; this drum is
provided with a periphery of pierced sheet brass, or it may be of woven wire, and it
is made of such a length that its open ends are practically closed by the sides of the
tank. In line with this drum the tank is fitted with a suction pipe leading to a
pump N, which takes the liquor from the tank and forces it up a pipe N' to a
trough situated at the top of the machine.
In the bottom of this trough are long slits for discharging the liquor onto the
ribbed roller G, whence it flows into the troughs formed by the uppermost plates E.
The pipe N is fitted with two branch pipes N³ for leading the liquor under the
cloth, and discharging it onto the uppermost wince or beater C.
P, P, are pierced pipes for discharging steam into the liquor contained in the
tank A for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of the liquor.
It will now be understood that the cloth to be operated upon is led over and
under the guide bars H and under the roller K to saturate it before it comes under
the action of the beaters. The cloth is then led up past the shallow segment shaped
troughs D, in succession until it arrives at the top driven roller G, whence it:
descends and passes by the opposite sides of the segmental shaped troughs until it
re-enters the tank, where meeting with the rollers K¹ it is guided, as before.
explained, to the roller G¹, and thence to the folder L.
The cloth in its upward and downward course is always kept at tension, and has
no tendency therefore to crease, and it forms with the inclined plates E trough
shaped receptacles for the scouring liquor, which troughs receive in succession from
the trough their supply of scouring liquor.
The liquor from the uppermost troughs falls into the troughs immediately below
them, and so on through the series, and thus a constant supply of liquor is
maintained in all the troughs, the tank A acting as a receiver for the
downpour.
As the liquor is thus descending over both faces of the fabric the beaters or
winces by their rapid rotation will dash the liquor received from the pipes N² out
of the troughs D on to the travelling cloth, at the same time they will force the.
liquor which lies between the plates E and the travelling cloth to peroclate through
the cloth, and thus drive out by an efficient mechanical action the size and other
ingredients used in the manufacture of the cloth.
The pump N it will be understood will, by continuing to raise the liquor from
the tank, cause it to be delivered again and again to the cloth until it has become
spent, and in doing this, as it draws the liquor from the interior of the drum M,
which receives a slow rotary motion, any lint or fluff contained in the liquor will
be drawn to the periphery of the drum, from whence it will be removed by a rotary
brush Qprovided for the purpose.
As a modification of this arrangement of apparatus for scouring, dyeing, and
washing fabrics, three sets of winces or rotary beaters with their appurtenances
may be arranged one behind the other to act upon the cloth as it passes upwards
and downwards from and to the tank.
By the use of this arrangement a more thorough and searching action will be
secured, such as is requisite for scouring thick or heavy pile goods.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings Fig. 3 is a side elevation of this arrangement of
apparatus; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the delivery end of the same; and Fig. 5,
Sheet III., is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus.
In these Figures the same letters of reference are used as in Sheet I. for like
parts, and the foregoing description will therefore apply in great part to this
arrangement.
.
The middle set of troughs D it will be seen are not furnished with pendent
extension plates E, as in the first arrangement, and the troughs D of the side sets
have only pendent plates E adapted to their outward edges.
The guide rollers F are also arranged in a corresponding manner, the middle set
of beaters serving to ensure proper contact of the travelling cloth with the other
sets of beaters on their inner sides.

page_text: The sets of beaters are placed sufficiently near together to allow of the central
line of beaters interlocking with those on either side thereof, but to prevent their
grinding together like cogwheels, and thereby injuring the fabric which is passed
between them, we gear the three sets of beaters together, as clearly shewn in the
Drawing, taking the driving motion from the axle of the beater C* of the central
set, which for this purpose is fitted with a fast and loose belt pulley.
The grooved rollers G receive their motion from a second train of gearing, also
clearly shewn in the Drawings, and requiring therefore no detailed explanation.
A further modification of our improved apparatus consists in arranging a series
of rotary beaters in a horizontal line in shallow segment shaped troughs situate
in a long tank or "beck," which is divided transversely for graduating the
liquor.
This arrangement is illustrated in Sheet IV. of the Drawings, where Fig. G is a
side elevation, Fig. 7 a plan view, and Fig. 8 an end elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 9 is a partial longitudinal sectional clevation of the apparatus taking at the
feeding in end of the same.
In these Figures A is the tank divided by transverse partitions A', which permit
of the flow of the liquor from the supply to the discharge end of the tank, the flow
being in the opposite direction to the travel of the cloth.
C, C, are the beaters or winces, gearing into one another as explained with
reference to the last described arrangement.
These beaters are connected together by gear wheels, and motion is communicated
to the series from the axle C* of the cental beater, which axle is driven by a band
and pulley.
At the opposite ends of this series of beaters are pendent plates E, which form
troughs or pockets for retaining the liquor in contact with the cloth while under
the action of the end beaters.
Above every other beater is mounted a driven ribbed roller G for imparting a
travelling motion to the cloth. These rollers receive motion from an endless
chain C, which passes around chain wheels keyed to the axles of their respective
rollers.
G³ is a spur wheel on the axle of one of the end rollers, and onto this wheel
gears a pinion carried by a driving pulley G on a stud axle, which pulley receives
motion from the prime mover. Thus a comparatively slow rate of travel is given
to the cloth while the winces or beaters receive a rapid rotary motion. The troughs D
are supplied with liquor from the tank, for which purpose-they-are-perforated-and-
immersed in the liquor in the tank.
The travelling cloth will depend for its supply of liquor upon the action of the
beaters, supplemented by the liquor which it carries up from the tank.
The cloth it will be understood in this example dips into the tank after being
acted upon by the first beater, it then rises between the second and the third
beaters, and passing under their action again descends to the tank, whence it rises
between the fourth and fifth beats, and so on until it has been passed under the
action of all the beaters. It is then raised by the driven ribbed roller G¹ and
presented to the folding apparatus L, which will lap it in folds upon a receiving
table.
It will be understood that the arrangements of apparatus above described are not
only applicable to scouring, but also to the bleaching, dyeing, and washing of cut
pile fabrics, whether velvets, velveteens, or cords, and they may also be
advantageously employed in the treatment of woollen piece goods.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention for "Improved Apparatus
Applicable to the Scouring, Dyeing, and Washing of Pile Fabrics," and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent we claim,―
First. The use of rotating winces or beaters mounted in shallow troughs supplied
with liquor from a downpour or from an underlying tank, for the purpose of

page_text: discharging a limited amount of such liquor onto piece goods travelling over or
past such rotating winces or beaters, as and for the purpose described.
Secondly. In combination with one or more series of rotary winces or beaters
mounted in shallow troughs, whether arranged vertically or horizontally, the
yielding plates E for retaining the liquor in contact with the travelling cloth or
piece goods, as and for the purpose above described.
Thirdly. The use in apparatus for scouring, dyeing, or washing pile fabrics, in
which rotary winces or beaters are employed, a rotary or travelling porous surface,
through which the liquor is capable of being drawn for the purpose of collecting on
its surface the lint or fluff detached from the cloth under treatment.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Worrall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES WORRALL. (L.S.)