An Improved Means or Method of Drying Coiled Slivers of Fibre.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 15th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Oct., 1887
An Improved Means or Method of Drying Coiled Slivers of Fibre.
We, ELY SUTCLIFFE, and GEORGE EDWARD SUTCLIFFE, of Mirfield, Yorkshire,
Cotton Spinners, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "AN IMPROVED
MEANS OR METHOD OF DRYING SLIVERS OF FIBRE to be as follows:
"
This invention has reference to prior applications for Patents made by us for dyeing
coiled slivers of cotton or other fibre. The inventions referred to consisted in placing
into the coiler of a carding or other like machine, a perforated tube around which
the sliver was coiled, such coiled sliver being afterwards placed into a cage and the
ends covered by flanges.
The coiled sliver was then placed into a rotary cage within a cylinder, where the
sliver was dyed by forcing or drawing dye liquor through the cage and through the
fibre.
Our present invention relates to the employment of means for drying such dyed
slivers, and our improvements consist in placing the mouth of the perforated central
tube (around which the sliver is coiled) into communication with a Root's or other
form of blower, and in blowing or drawing air through the dyed sliver; by which
means we can thoroughly dry every fibre of the sliver.
In order that the air may all pass through the perforations and through the fibre,
one end of the perforated central tube is closed by being placed into a footstep or
other means.

page_text: We ELY SUTCLIFFE and GEORGE EDWARD SUTCLIFFE of Mirfield, Yorkshire,
Cotton Spinners 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 and accompanying drawings :-
Our Invention relates to the drying of textile fibres whilst they are in the state of
sliver and in a coiled condition. Former inventions for which we have made applica-
tions for Letters Patent on the twentyseventh day of August (No. 10933) and
eighteenth day of November in the year 1886 (No. 14971) and on the twentysixth day
of March in this current year of 1887 (No. 4509) had for their object the washing
bleaching or dyeing of sliver in the interval between its delivery from the carding
engine and its treatment by the drawing frame or other machine ordinarily following
the carding engine according to the nature of the fibre. Our Inventions being
particularly applicable in the dyeing of cotton sliver we will for convenience of
description refer principally to the treatment of such material. In the carrying into
effect of our said former inventions we received the sliver directly from the carding
engine upon a perforated tube around which the sliver was coiled so as to form a
package which was subsequently treated by passing the dye liquors through the mass
of sliver during the revolution of the same. This treatment left the sliver highly
charged with moisture and the drying of the sliver whilst in the coiled condition by
ordinary outward exposure to the air was an excessively slow process. The object of
our present invention is to complete the entire process by effecting the rapid drying
of the sliver without uncoiling the same in order that the sliver may remain in a
condition suitable to the subsequent treatment by the drawing frames. To this end we
effect the drying by forcing air into the perforated tube which is in the midst of the
package of sliver.
In order that the means whereby we carry our invention into effect may be well
understood we will describe our invention more fully with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
In the said drawings Fig. 1 represents an elevation partly in section of the drying
apparatus and also shows a package of sliver as when undergoing the drying treat-
ment. In the said Fig. A represents the said package which we will suppose has been
produced by coiling around a perforated tube a flanges bb having been applied at the
two ends of the package in accordance with our former inventions.
The
In Fig. 1 cc are two air pipes which are connected together by means of an air
conduit & which conveys air from a Root's blower or from a suitable blowing apparatus.
The air may be at a normal temperature or be warmed as preferred.
pipe c is provided with a fixed nozzle e which is coned so as to enter one end of
the perforated tube which is within the package. The other pipe c¹ is also provided
with an air nozzle but in this case the nozzle is made adjustable in directions toward
and from the other nozzle in order that the package of sliver may be readily placed in

page_text: and removed from the position represented in Fig. 1. In Figs. 1 and 2 two methods
of adjustment are shown. In Fig. 1 the nozzle f is fitted to slide in a bored pap g
upon the pipe and is provided with a screw which works in a nut in a second pap h.
By turning this screw the nozzle can be slid toward the package and be caused to
enter to some extent into the end of the perforated tube a and be pressed into the
same so as to make a sufficiently air tight connection. If preferred both nozzles might
be adjustable. In Fig. 2 the air inlet nozzle f¹ is fixed to the air pipe C and a conical
plug at the other end of the apparatus is fitted to slide so that it can be pushed
forward to enter and close the end of the tube a and be then fixed by means of a screw k.
When the package is thus mounted in position the air blast enters thetube a at one
end or at both ends as the case may be and passes through the perforations in the
said tube into the body of sliver through which it passes in all directions from the
tube to the outside of the package where it escapes carrying with it an amount of
moisture taken up from the sliver. Although only one package appears in Fig. 1 and
only one tube a in Fig. 2 it will be readily understood that by making the air pipes c. c¹
in Fig. 1 or the air pipe C in Fig. 2 suitably long they may each be provided with
more than one delivery nozzle so that two, three or more packages of sliver may be
undergoing the drying treatment at the same time, the air pipes c. c¹ or C being made
suitably large in cross section or being supplied with air at two or more points in their
length. We do not confine ourselves to the horizontal position of the package of sliver
as it might be dried in a vertical position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
(1) The apparatus for drying sliver coiled upon a perforated tube consisting of an
air blast pipe or conduit provided with an air nozzle adapted to enter and close one
end of the said perforated tube and of an adjustable stopper to close the other end of
the tube the package of sliver being sustained by the said nozzle and stopper whilst
the air is blown through the package to dry the sliver substantially as set forth.
(2) In apparatus for drying sliver coiled upon a perforated tnbe the two air
pipes provided with air nozzles which discharge air under pressure into the two ends of
the said perforated tube one nozzle or both nozzles being adjustable, combined with
means for blowing air into the said pipes substantially as set forth.
(3) In apparatus for drying sliver coiled upon a perforated tube an air pipe or
conduit provided with an air delivery nozzle or with two or more such nozzles adapted
to fit into one end of the said perforated tube and to discharge a blast of air into the
centre of the package of sliver so as to dry the same to the desired extent substantially
as set forth.
Dated this Sixth day of Santamba 1907
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester,
Agents.