A PROCESS OF SUPPLING DYED SILK FABRICS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Périnaud, Chemist, and Justin Marchal, Dyer, both
of Paris, (France,) for the Invention of "A PROCESS OF SUPPLING DYED
SILK FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Périnaud and Justin
Marchal at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1870.
JEAN PERINAUD, Chemist, and JUSTIN MARCHAL, Dyer, both of Paris, (France.)
"A PROCESS OF SUPPLING DYED SILK FABRICS."
Formerly in weaving silk both the warp and the weft yarns were rendered
supple by treatment for the removal of the guminy and resinous matters, but this
treatment had the effect of diminishing to a great extent the weight and volume of
the yarns, the loss amounting to nearly 40 per cent. in Chinese silks and 25 per
cent. in European silks. Afterwards, in order to reduce this loss the treatment was
confined to the warp yarns, which alone were visible on the face of the fabric, but,
the weft yarns being thus left in their crude condition, when the fabric was ex-
posed to moisture or dyed, and especially when it was dyed a second time, it became
greatly deteriorated in quality owing to the gumming together of the yarns and the
consequent stiffening of the fabric rendering it comparatively inflexible and brittle.
The object of our Invention is to remove the matters which gum together or
agglomerate the fibres after dyeing and to separate those fibres so as to render the
fabric soft, supple, and glossy, without loss of weight or body. Our process for this
purpose is a mechanical one, and consists in subjecting the dyed fabric to the action
of a card brush which removes all the gummy and resinous matters that envelop
and agglomerate the elementary fibres of the yarns. We mount in bearings a card
brush cylinder and cause it to revolve continuously or reciprocally over a table on
which lies the fabric to be treated, the brush being brought into close contact with
the fabric by adjusing screws. The fabric is unrolled from one drum on to another
when it is in continuous lengths. When it is in separate pieces it may be brushed
by hand. The brush may be of bristle or of fine wires of tempered steel, very
short, so as to act as a very fine card, and instead of being on a rotating cylinder
[Price fid

page_text: it may be on a flat or rounded base or frame to which a reciprocenting motion
is imparted.
It is essential that whatever treatment the fabric may be subjected to after the
suppling process should be of a dry kind, and therefore we prefer to effect the
suppling as the last operation. It is to be understood that the process de-
scribed is applicable to all kinds of silk fabrics, including satins, taffetas, velvets,
poplins, ribbands and other woven products, either in the piece or when cut for
making up, on to separate pieces of dresses after dyeing or re-dyeing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joan Périnaud and Justin Marchal in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th January 1877.
JEAN PERINAUD, Chemist, and JUSTIN MARCHAL, Dyer, both of Paris, France.
A PROCESS OF SUPPLING DYED SILK FABRICS,"
Formerly in the weaving of silk it has been customary to treat both the warp
and weft yarns separately for the purpose of removing therefrom the gummy
and resinous matters to render them supple, but this treatment had the effect of
considerably diminishing the weight and volume of the yarn, the loss amounting to
nearly 40 per cent. in Chinese silks, and 25 per cent. in European silks. Afterwards
in order to reduce this loss the treatment was confined to the warp yarns, which
alone are visible on the face of the fabric, but the weft yarns being thus left in their
crude condition, when the fabric was exposed to moisture or dyed it became greatly
deteriorated in quality owing to the gumming together of the yarns and consequent
stiffening of the fabric rendering it comparatively inflexible, harsh, and brittle.
The same inconvenience, but in a greater degree, results when the silk fabrics are
dyed a second time, for giving to it a different color, or after being used the action of
the mordants and dye baths having a very disastrous effect on the weft threads,
which become stiffer, harsher, and more brittle.
It will be understood that fabrics of which the threads are thus defaced or clogged
are considerably altered in texture; it is also known that the fibres of silk, as all
other animal fibres, are formed of a multitude of small filaceous hooks which engage
with each other or are hooked together and present an ensemble perfectly uniform
when woven.
When the silks are treated or scoured these small hooks, which are
the chief clement of homogenity of the fabric, will project outwards in such wise
that in the treated warp and weft threads no appreciable change will be produced
by fiction, dipping in liquid, or by being exposed to dampness. On the other hand
in fabric formed of treated warp threads and of crude weft, the warp threads being
alone furnished with the small projecting filaceous hooks, are not capable of engaging
with the weft threads which are not so furnished. Thus soaking, bathing, dressing,
and dampness increases the defects and further isolates the weft threads from the
warp threads, and increases the facility of the threads to glide upon each other,
which accounts for such fabrics fraying so easily and cracking at a pleat or fold,
such cracking as is well known being totally irreparable and causing in consequence
the casting aside of silk dresses and garments and other articles made of silk
which would otherwise be valuable and be more generally used.
The object of this Invention is therefore to effect the removal or destruction of
the gummy and resinous matters which spoil or stick the fibres together after
dyeing, and to separate the fibres without loss of weight or volume while imparting
the desired qualities of suppleness, softness, brightness, and finish.
Our improved process is essentially a mechanical one, and consists in submitting
the dyed or redyed fabric to the action of a card brush, the effect of which is to
beat or brush out all the elementary gummy and resinous inatters contained in the
fibres. This carding, or brushing rubbing, is preferably effected by means of the

page_text: apparatus herein-after described and represented in the annexed Drawings, in
which―
Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section; Fig. 2 a front view of the apparatus; and
Fig. 3 a diagram of arrangement for adjusting the height of the treating brush
from the fabric treated.
A is a table, B bearings, C bracing rods. Each of the said bearings have bracket
pieces D to receive the rolls E, E', from the first of which rolls the fabric is fed,
and on the latter of which the treated fabric is rolled.
At the centre part of the table is fixed a semicircular block or piece F of wood which
serves to support the fabric during the brushing. Above this backing block F is
mounted the rotary brush G. As shown in the Drawing the core of the rotary
brush is hexagonal and has flat sides, and upon this core is mounted the brushes g,
which together form with their bristles a single circular brush G. This brush may,
however, be of any other required form.
The trunions or axle ends of the brush are supported in two blocks i, working
in a slide or groove provided in the bearing H fixed on the table A, and by these
means and the adjusting scrows I the degree of closeness of the brush to the
fabric is regulated, or the adjusting arrangement shown in the diagram, Fig. 3,
may be employed. This arrangement consists of wheel 1 mounted on a shaft 2,
on the ends of which are fixed two pinions or bevil wheels gearing with the
bevil wheels 4 of the screw shafts 5, and by turning the wheel 1 the axle ends i of
the brush G will be raised or lowered.
The rotary motion of the brush G is communicated by means of a series of
gearing arranged as follows:-The wheel J is keyed to its shaft and has of a
piece therewith or secured thereto the toothed wheel Z. This last gears with another
toothed wheel n secured to or of a piece with the toothed wheel m, and this last
drives the wheel & keyed to the shaft of the brush. The shaft of the two wheels m
and n is mounted in the sliding block 2, which slides in the guide q according to
the adjustment of the brush G so as to cause the wheels to gear, the adjustment
being effected by means of the wheel and screw T. The arrangement of bars
between the seinicircular block F and the roll of fabric E is composed of a series
of rollers k, k, sustained by their extremities in a groove formed in the supports
L, L, the pressure of these rollers being regulated by a bar of wood M on which
the operative in charge of the apparatus will press as required. The rolls E, E',
turn in the bracket pieces D, which latter are furnished with hinged cap picces S
held by a stop t. It suffices to raise the stop piece and cap piece to remove the
roll, which movements are rapidly effected.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The fabric a rolled on the roll E is
passed therefrom to the bars h, k, from which it is directed over the block F, to which
the brush is applied from above to supple the fibres of the fabric and to remove
the gummy or resinous matters which are broken, beaten, and wisked out. The
brush G may for this purpose receive an alternate inovement. On leaving the
brush the fabric is rolled on the roll E¹ which is rotated by gearing u, v, direct
from the brush.
If detached pieces of fabric, as for instance, of a dress, are to be treated, the
roll E is replaced by a box or receptacle arranged at the rear of the machine and
said detached pieces of fabric are passed under the brush in substantially the same
manner as above described for the piece and they fall into the box.
Instead of the semicircular block or piece F a circular block free to turn may
be employed, or two brushes may be used arranged one above the other.
The apparatus may with equal advantage be applied to the treatment of silk tissues
such as satins and analagous materials by rotary action, by land, or by reciprocating
motion mechanically applied, and after the weaving of silk the machine may be
employed to give the necessary finish and softness.
The object of the continuous travel of the fabric is to obviate the rumpling
thereof, if by accident this should happen the material may be rolled without
losing any of its suppleness, but the treatment must be a dry one.

page_text: When the fabric is in pieces, as for example, the parts which form the body or
trimming of a dress, it is always preferable to subject same to the treatment of
scouring, brushing, or carding by hand to prevent their being altered in form, but
they may nevertheless be treated mechanically.
By this process fabrics may be suppled. equally well before being cut out or
afterwards, but it is indispensible that any treatment to which the fabric may be
subsequently submitted.shall be of a dry kind, but it is preferable for obtaining a
good result that the fabric be completely ready for usc.
We would reinark in conclusion that this process is applicable to all kinds of
silk fabrics whither dyed or redyed such as poult de soic, grosgrain, gros de Tours,
satin, taffetas, velvets, poplin, ribbons, and the like.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, we claim
the improved process of suppling dyed silk fabrics, substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Jean Perinaud and Justin Marchal, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
ALBERT CAHEN,
Civil Engineer,
of Boulevard Saint Denis, 1,
at Paris.
J. PERINAUD. (L.S.)
J. MARCHAL. (L.S.)