AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING WOOL AND OTHER FILAMENTOUS MATERIALS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Oharles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR DYEING WOOL AND OTHER FILAMENTOUS MATERIALS."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Leon Allart, of Roubaix, Nord, France,
Manufacturer.
Scaled the 30th January 1872, and dated the 17th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th October 1871.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the naturo of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF
AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING WOOL AND OTHER FILAMENTOUS MATERIALS,” to be
as follows:
This Invention has reference to an improved process of dyeing wool
and other filamentous materials when in the form of slivers or threads,

page_text: whereby regular alternating bands of different colours are produced
thereon, which in the ulterior operations of spinning and weaving
become throughly disseminated throughout the fabric, producing a
clouded appearance of great uniformity.
The process is carried out by means of apparatus of very simple
construction, which permits of the operation of dyeing being carried
on in an ordinary bath without in any way increasing the labour beyond
that required for dyeing in uniform colours.
According to one modification the apparatus consists of two flat open
frames having transverse bars at distances apart in the form of gratings,
the bars and spaces of the one frame being made to correspond exactly
with those of the other frame. These frames are placed one on cach
side of a sheet metal plate having precisely similar bars and spaces,
round which plate the wool or other material to be dyed is in the first
instanco wound in a direction transversely to the said bars. The frames 1
having been placed over the plate, so that the bars and spaces of each
frame exactly overlie those of the plate, they are tightened down by
bolts and nuts so as to nip the wool firmly between the bars.
According to another modification of the apparatus, the one before
described open frame is made of cylindrical shape with a central shaft,
and with the bars arranged longitudinally and parallel with the shaft.
The wool or other material is wound upon this cylindrical frame trans-
versely to the axis thereof, and other detached bars are then secured by
screws or other fastenings on top of the wool or other material in
positions exactly corresponding with the bars of the frame, so that
the wool is nipped firmly at intervals round the cylindrical frame
between one of the bars of the frame and one of the outer bars,
leaving uncovered portions of the wool between each two pairs of
bars.
The combined apparatus (whether of the first or of the second
described arrangement), together with the wool, is then steeped in
an ordinary bath for dyeing of any desired colour, whereupon those
parts of the wool situated in the spaces between the bars will take up
the dye, while those parts which are covered by the bars will remain
intact, and will consequently retain their original colour, and by this
means bands of colour will be produced upon the wool or other fibre
as before stated. The parts of the wool or other fibre covered by the

page_text: bars may either be of the natural colour of the fibre, or if desired the
wool or other fibre may in the first instance be dyed of a uniform light
tint before being subjected to the above process, so that the parts
covered by the bars may be of such light tint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 12th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Denton Abel, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors, dminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Denton
Abel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING WOOL AND OTHER
FILAMENTOUS MATERIALS," a communication to him from abroad by Leon
Allart, of Roubaix, Nord, France, Manufacturer, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, do hereby

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :—
This Invention has reference to an improved "process of dyeing wool
and other filamentous materials when in the form of sliyers or threads,
whereby regular alternating bands of different colours are produced
theroon, which in the ulterior operations of spinning and weaving
become thoroughly disseminated throughout the fabric, producing a
clouded appearance of great uniformity.
The process is carried out by means of apparatus of very simple
construction, which permits of the operation of dyeing being carried
on in an ordinary bath without in any way increasing the labour beyond
that required for dyeing in uniform colours.
According to one modification the apparatus consists of two flat open
frames having transverse bars at distances apart in the form of gratings,
the bars and spaces of the one frame being made to correspond exactly
with those of the other frame. Theso frames are placed one on cachi
side of a sheet metal plate having precisely similar bars and spaces,
round which plate the wool or other material to be dyed is in the first
instance wound in a direction transversely to the said bars. The frames
having been placed over the plate so that the bars and spaces of cach
frame exactly overlie those of the plate, they are tightened down by
bolts and nuts so as to nip the wool firmly between the bars.
According to another modification of the apparatus, the one before-
described open frame is made of cylindrical shape with a central shaft,
and with the bars arranged longitudinally and parallel with the shaft.
The wool or other material is wound upon this cylindrical frame trans-
versely to the axis thereof, and other detached bars are then secured by
screws or other fastenings on top of the wool or other material in
positions exactly corresponding with the bars of the frame, so that
the wool is nipped firmly at intervals round the cylindrical frame
between one of the bars of the frame and one of the outer bars,
leaving uncovered portions of the wool between each two pairs of
bars.
The combined apparatus (whether of the first or of the second

page_text: an ordinary bath for dycing of any desired colour, whereupon those
parts of the wool situated in the spaces between the bars will take up
the dye, while those parts which are covered by the bars will remain
intact, and will consequently retain their original colour, and by this
means bands of colour will be produced upon the wool or other fibre,
as before stated. The parts of the wool or other fibre covered by the
bars may either be of the natural colour of the fibro, or if desired the
wool or other fibre may in the first instance by dyed of a uniform light
tint before being subjected to the above process, so that the parts
covered by the bars may be of such light tint.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a portion of the wool or other material dyed in
bands of different colours by the process and apparatus which form the
subject matter of this Invention.
:
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 apply to apparatus constructed and employed
according to the first of the two modifications referred to above. Fig. 2
represents a section of the metal plate with transverse bars on which is
wound the material to be dyed. Fig. 3 represents a section and Fig. 4
a plan of one of the wooden frames having transverse bars corresponding
to those in the metal plate. Fig. 5 represents a plan and Fig. 6 an end
view of the two wooden frames with the metal plate and material to be
dyed clamped between them by means of bolts passed through holes in
the frames and tightened by nuts..
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 apply to apparatus constructed and employed accord-
ing to the second modification referred to above. Fig. 7 represents a
transverse section, Fig. 8 an end view, and Fig. 9 a side view of the
cylindrical frame with fixed bars a, a, parallel to the axis of the frame
with open spaces between them. Over these bars the material to bo
dyed is spread, the axis of the cylindrical frame being for this purpose
laid in bearings, and the frame caused to revolve until its periphery is
covered with the material to be operated on, wound upon it as on a
reel. The outer bars b, b, aro then secured one over each of the fixed
bars a, a, by screws c, c, by which means portions of the material to be
operated on are clamped between the bars a and b, leaving portions
exposed in the spaces between the bars.
.The apparatus with the material on it, whether it be the arrangement

page_text: of flat frames first described, or whether it be the cylindrical frame last
described, is immersed in the dye bath, the cylindrical frame being by
preference mounted in bearings in the bath so that it can be turned
round therein. Instead of bolts and nuts or hand screws for clamping
together the frames and bars, bolts with cottors, or wedges, or other 5
known means of clamping may be employed.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what
manner it is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I claim,―
First. The process of dyeing wool and other filamentous materials 1
in bands of alternating colour by clamping the portions not intended
to be dyed between the bars of a frame, and immersing the frame and
material in a dye bath, substantially as hercin described.
Secondly. The use for this purpose of a flat clamping frame, sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of 1
the annexed Drawing.
Thirdly. The use for the same purpose of a cylindrical clamping frame,
substantially as herein described in reference to Figures 7, 8, and 9 of
the annexed Drawing.
°
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto 2
set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of
the annexed Drawing.
Thirdly. The use for the same purpose of a cylindrical clamping frame,
substantially as herein described in reference to Figures 7, 8, and 9 of
the annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto 20
set my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.