Improvements relating to the Bleaching, Dyeing, and similar Treatment of Cloth and other Fabrics and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1888
RESERVE
Improvements relating to
the Bleaching, Dyeing, and similar
Treatment of Cloth and other Fabrics and to Apparatus
therefor.
1, GEORGES ALEXander SchlebER, of Greiz, Germany, Dyer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to the methods heretofore employed of washing, bleaching, dyeing or
similarly treating cloth and other fabrics the latter are conveyed freely through a
bath, either folded or spread out over shafts or rods. During this operation the
fabrics diminish considerably in length and width, become woolly, are easily broken
and crease or roll up, so that accordingly an unequal impregnation with the liquids
which are to act upon the fabric occurs.
According to the present invention I obviate the above mentioned defects during
the treatment of the fabrics in the bath designed for fixing, washing bleaching or
dyeing the same by stretching them in the direction of their lengths and widths
whereby the said fabrics receive a considerably greater length and width than
heretofore, and the impregnation becomes perfectly uniform throughout.
In the apparatus for carrying my said invention into practice I arrange two endless
chains provided with needles, pincers or tongs which seize the fabric at its edges
during its passage through the bath, and being arranged at definite distances from
each other always keep the fabric stretched.
For guiding the chains I preferably employ pulleys each provided on its periphery
with a groove for the reception of the chain, and adjustably supported in the bath
but nothing would be changed in the nature of the invention, if in lieu of the said
pulleys guile pieces adjustable in the direction of the width of the fabric are used
which guide the fabric through the bath either in a straight or zig-zag line or in
any other manner. At the admission and discharge ends are, moreover, arranged
adjustable guides for the chains which enable a gradual increase or decrease of
the tension

page_text: In one form of my said invention I arrange within the bath two frames which can
be adjusted towards or away from each other by means of spindles having right and
left hand screw threads and extending transversely through the receptacle, or in any
other suitable manner. These frames are, moreover, suitably supported by means of
rollers that travel upon rails which on the left hand are secured to the side walls of
the receptacle or bath and on the right hand to the arms in which the screw threaded
spindles are supported and which extend from the outer frame of the machine. Each
frame carries within the receptacle or bath a group of similarly arranged pulleys which
serve for guiding the chains which are provided with needles, pincers or similar parts
adapted to hold the edge of the fabric. These chains are moreover guided at their
admission and discharge ends by guide bars which are each connected by joints with
one of the two frames but on the other hand with bearings which embrace the naves
of the chain-guide rollers that are adjustably fixed-upon the shaft.. These bearings
allow the rollers to rotate, but take part in an axial displacement of the rollers, for
which purpose they engage for example by a pin with a groove in the naves of the
rollers. The chains are guided outside the receptacle. or bath in a suitable manner
and are actuated for example by wheels fixed on a shaft which is driven by means of
another toothed wheel on the driving shaft with the driving pulley.
The fabric to be treated passes at one end into the machine, and is seized at its two
edges by the chains and guided by them through the bath, to be eventually cooled by
a spray tube and then to be laid together by a folding device.
In the adjustment of the frames by the screw threaded spindle by means of a system
of wheels shafts and pinions the guide bars follow the motion of the frames, so that
the fabric as the chains pass the said bars is gradually stretched and is guided in the
stretched state through the bath, while the chains pass over the pulleys therein.
Dated this 12th day of December 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Bleaching, Dyeing, and similar
Treatment of Cloth and other Fabrics and to Apparatus
therefor.
I. GEORGES ALEXANDER SCHLEBER, of Greiz, /. Germany, Dyer 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:
According to the methods heretofore employed of washing, bleaching, dyeing or
similarly treating cloth and other fabrics, the latter are conveyed freely through n
bath, either folded or spread out over shafts or rods. During this operation the
fabrics diminish considerably in length and width, become wooly, are easily broken
and crease or roll up, so that accordingly an unequal impregnation with the liquids
which are to act upon the fabric occurs.
According to the present invention, I obviate the above mentioned defects during
the treatment of the fabrics in the baths designed for fixing, washing, bleaching or
dyeing the same by stretching them in the direction of their length and width,
whereby the said fabrics receive a considerably greater length and width than heretofore,
and the impregnation becomes perfectly uniform throughout.
In the apparatus for carrying my said invention into practice I arrange two endless
chains provided with needles, pincers or tongs which seize the fabric at its edges
during its passage through the bath, and being arranged at definite distances from
each other, always keep the fabric stretched.
For guiding the chains I preferably employ pulleys each provided on its periphery
with a groove for the reception of the chain, and adjustably supported in the bath,
but nothing would be changed in the nature of the invention, if in lieu of the said
pulleys guide pieces adjustable in the direction of the width of the fabric are used
which guide the fabric through the bath either in a straight, or zig-zag line, or in any
other manner. At the admission and discharge ends are, moreover, arranged
adjustable guides for the chain which enable a gradual increase or decrease of
the tension.
A suitable machine for carrying my said invention into practice is represented by
way of example in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same and
Figure 3 a plan.
Within the bath A I arrange two frames R which can be adjusted towards or away
from each other by means of spindles D having right and left hand screwthreads and
extending transversely through the receptacle, or in any other suitable manner. These
frames R are moreover suitably supported by means of rollers that travel upon
rails SS2 which as represented in Figure 1 on the left hand for S¹, are secured to the
side walls of the receptacle or bath A, or as represented on the right hand for S², to
the arms S, in which the screw-threaded spindles D are supported and which extend

page_text: from the outer frame u of the machine, Figure 2. Each frame R carries within the
receptacle or bath A a group of similarly arranged pulleys C which serve for guiding
the chains B which are provided with needles, pincers or similar devices adapted to
hold the edge of the fabric. These chains B are moreover guided at their admission
and discharge ends by guide bars E, F which are each connected at G and H by
joints with one of the two frames R, but on the other hand with bearings a and b
which embrace the naves of the chain-guide rollers L and M. that are adjustably fixed
upon the shafts L' and M. These bearings a and b allow the rollers L and M to
rotate, but take part in an axial displacement of the rollers; for which purpose they
engage for example by a pin with a groove in the naves of the rollers. The chains B
are guided outside the receptacle or bath A in a suitable manner and are actuated for
example by the wheel P fixed on a shaft P¹ which is driven by means of another
toothed wheel Q on the driving shaft with the driving pulley T.
The fabric to be treated passes at d into the machine, and is seized at its two edges
by the chains and guided by them through the bath, to be eventually cooled by a
spray from a tube J and then to be laid together by a folding device t.
In the adjustment of the frames R by the screws D by means of wheels 1, shafts m,
pinions n, shafts p pinions 9 and shaft v, the guide bars E and F at G and H follow
the motion of the frames R, so that the fabric, as the chains B pass the said bars E
is gradually stretched and is guided in the stretched state through the bath while the
chains B pass over the pulleys C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
First. The process of uniformly fixing, washing, bleaching or dyeing fabrics of any
kind by guiding the said fabric, while stretched lengthwise and crosswise, by means
of endless chains through a bath.
Second. For carrying out the process above described a machine comprising two
frames R arranged in the receptacle or bath and capable of being adjusted parallel to
each other, and having pulleys C, the guide bars E and F connected by joints with
these frames, and two endless chains B which are guided by the pulleys C and the
guide bars E, F, and seize the fabric at its edges.
Dated this 11th day of September 1888.