IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND OTHER GOODS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marcel Vetillart, of Le Mans, France, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND OTHER
GOODS."
Sealed the 13th April 1854, and dated the 11th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marcel Vetillart at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
January 1854.
I, MARCEL VETILLART, of Le Mans, France, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRYING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND OTHER
GooDs" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of peculiar arrangements of drying chambers, and
apparatus for enabling the process of drying woven fabrics, yarns, and other
goods, to be carried on with more advantage than heretofore. The drying
chamber is of any suitable dimensions, and is arranged for the goods to be dried
to enter into it at the upper part and pass out at the lower part, which is not
in itself claimed as new, but the heated air which rises from or enters the
chamber at its lower part is caused to act first on those parts of the goods which
by reason of their having descended from the upper part of the chamber have
become partly dry, and then the heated and dry air passes upwards, and acts
upon the less and less dried parts of the goods, in like manner to what was
described in my former Patent. For this purpose a series of trays are used,
which by preference have closed bottoms, and they are introduced in succession
at the upper part of the drying chamber, one tray being taken out at the lower
part of the chamber to allow of the others in the chamber descending. The
trays are made with openings alternately at the back and front, by which they
will act as so many partitions within the drying chamber, and will cause the
air which rises from below to pass to and fro over the goods in the succeeding

page_text: trays. In those cases where woven fabrics can be introduced in a continuous
web, in place of using trays or moveable partitions a succession of fixed par-
titions are employed, and suitable guide rollers or apparatus so as to conduct
the woven fabrics alternately between the succeeding partitions, the openings
into the spaces between the partitions being at alternate ends of the fixed par-
titions. It should be stated that the partitions are not absolutely necessary,
particularly when yarns are passed continuously through the drying chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marcel Vetillart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th July 1854.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARCEL
VETILLART, of Le Mans, France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Marcel Vetillart, Her special licence that I, the said Marcel Vetillart,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Marcel Vetillart; my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DRYING WOVEN FABRICS, YARNS, AND OTHER GOODS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Marcel Vetillart, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Marcel Vetillart, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of peculiar arrangements of drying chambers, and
apparatus for enabling the process of drying woven fabrics, yarns, and other
goods to be carried on with more advantage than heretofore. The drying
chamber is of any suitable dimensions, and is arranged for the goods to be dried

page_text: to enter into it at the upper part and pass out at the lower part, which is not
in itself claimed as new, but the heated air which rises from or enters the
chamber at its lower part is caused to act first on those parts of the goods which
by reason of their having descended from the upper part of the chamber have
become partly dry, and then the heated and dry air passes upwards, and acts
upon the less and less dried parts of the goods, in like manner to what was
described in my former Patent. For this purpose a series of trays are used,
which by preference have closed bottoms, and they are introduced in succession
at the upper part of the drying chamber, one tray being taken out at the lower
part of the chamber to allow of the others in the chamber descending. The
trays are made with openings alternately at the back and front, by which they
will act as so many partitions within the drying chamber, and will cause the air
which rises from below to pass to and fro over the goods in the succeeding
trays. In those cases where woven fabrics can be introduced in a continuous
web, in place of using trays or moveable partitions a succession of fixed parti-
tions are employed, and suitable guide rollers or apparatus, so as to conduct the
woven fabrics alternately between the succeeding partitions, the openings into
the spaces between the partitions being at alternate ends of the fixed partitions.
It should be stated that the partitions are not absolutely necessary, particularly
when yarns are passed continuously through the drying chamber.
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention, I will now proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shews a vertical section of apparatus combined according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the lower part of the drying 1
chamber and apparatus; and Figure 3 shews part of a front section. At the
lower part of the chamber A, A, is the chamber closely shut, in which are
disposed the trays C, C, C, supported by the rail B, one above the other. The
trays are introduced by the opening F, and drawn out at .D. These openings
F, D, are closed by the doors G, E. These trays are formed with four sides of
the same height, but at one end there is an opening through the bottom of
each tray, for the passage upwards of air at æ. The bottom of each of the
trays is closed, and on this bottom the goods or articles to be dried are
disposed. I and H are the rails or platforms by which the trays are introduced
into and removed from the drying chamber A. The trays are on small
wheels T, T.
It will be understood from the Drawing that the trays so fit
into the drying chamber A, as to allow of the air passing freely only at one
end, hence the heated air as it rises in the chamber A, passes to and fro

page_text: therein over the succeeding trays as indicated by the arrows. The trays are
allowed to come down by means of the apparatus arranged at the lower part
of the apparatus or chamber.. Four arms J, J. (shown in the vertical position
in Figure 1), with friction rollers i, i, support the trays. These arms when
they are moved round with their axlos K, K, allow the trays above to come
down, the lower tray descending and resting on the bar B; the friction
rollers (i),
on thic armis J, entering into the notches q, q, in the rail B. During
this motion the uprights ff, fixed on the bars M, move forward, and their
and e, e, coming in contact with the pin p, (Figure 3,) bring the small project-
ing arms 7, 9, (Figures 2 and 3,) in the position shewn in Figure 2. This
happens when these arms are facing the space between two trays. The upper
one comes then in contact with these arms, and is supported by them with the
trays above; the lower tray is then drawn out. The arms g, g, are fixed on a
small vertical shaft h, h, turning on collars b, b, and fixed on the beams o, o.
When the uprights J, J, are brought to the vertical position, their upper part
strikes against the projecting and rounded part of the arms g, g, and pushes
them to the position indicated by the dotted lines (Figure 2). In that state
the trays are no more supported by the arms g, g, but by the uprights J, J.
In Figure 1, the uprights J, J, are supposed to be vertical; in Figures 2 and 3
they are supposed to be brought down so that the rollers i, i, lie in the notches
9, 9; the motion is communicated to the axles by the lever L, placed outside
of the box. I would state that this apparatus is suitable for drying fabrics when
folded, also yarn or thread in hanks or when wound, and in fact any goods or
articles which may be placed in such like trays. The heated air is introduced
at the bottom of the chamber A, and rises as indicated by the arrows, and
passes away at top.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention, which
applies to fabrics or articles which may be passed through the heating appa-
ratus in a continuous chain or fabric; in which case the drying chamber has
fixed horizontal partitions, to cause the heated air to take a like course to
that above described, and the continuous chain or length of fabric is passed
alternately to and fro downwards, so that the cloth or yarn, or warps, or chain
of articles, may enter, and pass downwards, and pass out at the lower part of the
apparatus, and be subjected to the incoming heated air as the fabric or article
is about to leave the apparatus. Figure 4 shows a section of the apparatus
when for the purposes above mentioned; A, is the closed chamber, into the
lower part of which heated air is admitted to flow, and in rising upwards it is
controlled to move as indicated by the arrows, by the partitions C, C. The
fabric i, i, being caused to move in the opposite direction, that is, from the

page_text: upper part of the chamber downwards, the rollers D sustaining and facilitating
the movement of the fabric. If warps are dried the partitions may be
dispensed with; the current of air in this case will get through the different
layers of yarns, and dry it effectually. Figure 5 shows a side section of the
drying apparatus, and Figure 6, a part front section of part of the drying
apparatus, shewing the disposition of the partitions P, for retarding the upward
motion of the air currents. In this arrangement the partitions P have slits or
openings for the passage of the fabric as shown. The red arrows indicate the
direction of the current of hot air, the black arrows the direction in which the
fabric is moving. A, A, is the chamber through which heated air rises from
the bottom B, upwards. The cloths or fabrics are wound round wooden
rollers C, C; they pass between rollers D, D; these are made of metal, covered
with felt or any other elastic substance, so as to shut completely the opening
through which the cloths or fabrics enter. The cloths or fabrics go up in the
direction of the black arrows, pass over the guide rollers E, E, and get out of
the chamber A, between the rollers G, G, which, like the rollers D, shut the
opening. The cloths or fabrics are drawn out either by hand or machinery.
The chamber A should be as high as convenient. I prefer it to be about thirty
feet. The draft may be produced either by blowing the air through the
bottom, or by aspirating it upwards. The apparatus may be made so as to
contain a single piece of cloth or fabric, or several pieces. The Drawing shows
four pieces.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the details herein described, nor do
I claim any of the mechanical parts separately; but what I claim is,--
First, the combined apparatus, Figures 1, 2, and 3; and,
Secondly, I claim the apparatus described with reference to Figures 4, 5,
and 6.
In witness whercof, I, the said Marcel Vetillart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
4, Old Square,
Lincoln's Inn.
MARCEL VETILLART. (L.s.)