IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO BLEACHING KIERS, AND FOR " OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Kissack Joshua Foster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th July 1883.
"
JOHN KISSACK JOSHUA FOSTER, of Bolton in the County of Lancaster.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO BLEACHING KIERS, AND FOR
"
OTHER PURPOSES."
My improvements in the first place consist of forming or creating a vacuum in
the kier for bleaching cotton linen or other goods; or for other purposes of a like
nature, or otherwise.
To enable me to create the aforesaid vacuum, I make use of an ejector, which
is driven or put in motion by the admission of steam, compressed air, or other
equivalents. The supply pipe to the ejector is connected with the interior of the
kier; the supply end or aperture of the tube is placed immediately under the
grid or perforated false bottom which supports the cloth, or otherwise, but
extends upwards above the water level of the water which percolates through the
cloth and false bottom into the cavity beneath. In some cases I make the
perforated grid or false bottom with one or more perforated domes or projections,
cast too, or loose and portable, extending upwards into and amongst the cloth
being bleached or washed; thereby obtaining a greater suctional surface to ensure
the water or water and chemicals in solution being drawn through quickly, or by
applying stays to support the cloth and prevent the same coming in contact with
the perforated grid or false bottom. By these means I am enabled to draw off all
(or partly) the steam or vapor arising from the hot water that has fallen through
the grid or false bottom, to the bottom of the kier; thereby a vacuum is formed,
which has the effect of forcing or drawing the water or water and chemicals in
solution through the cloth with greater rapidity than hitherto, owing to the
continual suction caused by the means as above described.
I do not bind myself to this particular manner of creating a vacuum, which
may be performed with one or more pipes as desired, although I prefer to
accomplish it by such means, but I wish it to be understood that I reserve to
myself the right of causing or forming the vacuum in the aforesaid bottom
chamber of the kier for the purpose described, by other means such as, by
a pump, syphon, condensation or any other equivalents, used to form or create a
vacuum.

page_text: Neither do I bind myself to placed the ejector, or a compound ejector, which
are of special construction, in the position above described, but place it in such a
manner as is most convenient, either over the side, or down the side and through
the perforated plate into the cavity between the perforated false bottom, and the
bottom of the keir; and so draw the steam, vapor and water in an upward or
oblique direction instead of downwards as above described.
The second part of my invention relates to a method of clearing the water that
percolates through the cloth or otherwise, and falls through the perforated false
bottom, into the vacuum cavity and to the bottom of the kier.
I dispense with the usual aperatures at the base of the uptake pipe, placed in
the centre of the kier or otherwise; which is apt to allow the steam to escape
sideways through the perforated false bottom, into the cloth, causing a pulsative
action by the boiling, and the lifting of the cloth, on the sides of the kier, causing
considerable friction, as well as damaging the cloth being operated upon.
To overcome this great evil I place on the bottom side or otherwise of the kier
a suitable chamber for conducting the percolated water to the centre uptake,
which is provided with a suitable ejector worked with steam or other equivalents,
for forcing the water up the uptake pipe, thus causing a constant. and regular
stream of water to flow over and through the cloth being washed or bleached in
the kier. The bottom chamber is also provided with suitable preparations and
ejector for coupling the steam and vapor pipe from the vacuum or inner chamber
between the bottom of the kier and the perforated false bottom for supporting the
cloth.
"There are several other purposes, to which my improvements can be applied,
such as Washing and straining Wool. Wet Rags and Cotton Waste. and straining
Water or Liquid from paper-pulp, by means of the Vacuum, and the method of
producing the same, in which case the water or liquid will be strained through
with greater rapidity than hitherto."
The novelty of this invention is that considerably more cloth can be operated
upon in the time; caused by the increased speed of the water, together with the
considerably increased heat of the same, being drawn through the cloth into the
vacuum chamber under the perforated false bottom; together with the regular
and increased stream of water from the bottom of the kier up the uptake pipe,
which falls over in a constant stream on the cloth or other goods being bleached
or otherwise.
Another feature is that considerably more work will be produced with a less
waste of steam than hitherto, caused by the increased quantity of water sucked
through the cloth into the vacuum chamber underneath; thereby resulting in
economy in time and money.