Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Bleaching and · Treating Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1891

page_text: Cate of Application, 11th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 20.h Apr., 1892-Accepter, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATIOA.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Bleaching and ·
Treating Textile Fabrics.
1 CHARLES FREDERICK PIKE of 51 Mosley Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Calico Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
s follows:-
My said invention relates generally to the treatment and preparation of textile
abrics and is particularly applicable to the boiling and bleaching of fabrics
preparatory for example to the printing operation as is well understood.
Such treatment and preparation under the existing system consists of a series of
distinct operations such for example as liming and boiling washing and "ashing
or treating with caustic solution the said operations being carried on or effected in
separate kiers or distinct apparatuses thereby necessitating the transport of the
material from kier to kier.
According to my invention instead of bleaching and treating textile fabrics by
means of the said interrupted processes I obtain the required results by a con-
tinuous operation in which the fabric is led continuously forward and subjected
successively and without a break to the various immersions and manipulations
At the same time
which constitute for example the boiling and bleaching process.
I am enabled to treat an increased quantity of the fabric simultaneously and
thereby effect a saving in time and working expenses. The improved means
whereby I carry my invention into effect consists under a suitable form of a long
i
tank or vat divided by partitions into a series of vessels or spaces or I might have
a series of tanks placed end to end. Each of the series of compartments or vessels.
is furnished with the usual guiding rollers at the top and bottom for guiding the.
fabric up and down through the liquid in its progress through the apparatus. I
It will be understood.
also provide the requisite drawing and squeezing rollers.
that in bleaching operations the fabric is put through the various apparatus in a.
rope form which occupies no great breadth. In my improved apparatus I lead
four eight or any suitable number of such roped fabrics simultaneously through
the apparatus.
The said fabrics run continuously side by side over the guiding rollers and
through the drawing or squeezing rollers from end to end of the machine being
suitably and continuously treated in each compartment or adjoining vessel..
Suppose for example I wished to use my invention for boiling and bleaching
purposes, in such a case the fabric is subjected to say three distinct processes
namely lining and boiling, washing in hot water and finally treating with boiling
caustic solution. I would therefore divide my longitudinal tank into three com-
partments of equal or unequal length as desired. Each compartment would be
provided with a cage capable of being placed in and removed from the compartment.
These cages would by preference support and contain the guiding rollers so that
the rollers could be raised together with the cage in case of the fabric fouling or
breaking. The drawing or squeezing rollers would be placed above each division
and at the delivery end. The feed end would present four, eight or any other
suitable number of holes or "pot-eyes as they are technically known through
which the several roped fabrics are passed and thence over the various guiding
rollers as will be well understood. The first compartment would contain the
requisite solution for "liming" and boiling the goods.
::
The second compartment would contain the hot detergent or washing liquid.
The third would contain the hot caustic solution. These solutions and liquids are
hated from a steam pipe or pipes, steam coil, steam boiler or other suitable means
and by preference use the exhaust steam from the engine so being more

page_text: economical than taking live steam from the boiler. I do not confine myself to any
particular construction of apparatus so long as the contiguous and multiple boiling
and bleaching of the fabrics is effected in accordance with the principle of my
invention. The advantages of my system are that the goods are less handled, are
treated in much less time than heretofore and at greatly less expense in regard to
working materials and wages. Also the simultaneous and continuous treatment of
several pieces as described enables me to undertake a great quantity of work at
comparatively little proportionate cost.
Dated this 10th day of August 1891
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Bleaching and
Treating Textile Fabrics.
I CHARLES FREDERICK PIKE of 51 Mosley Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Calico Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings:
:-
My said invention relates generally to the treatment and preparation of textile
fabrics and is particularly applicable to the boiling and bleaching of fabrics
preparatory for example to the printing operation as is well understood.
Such treatment and preparation under the existing system consists of a series of
distinct operations such for example as liming and boiling washing and "ashing
or treating with caustic solution, the said operations being carried on or effected in
separate kiers or distinct apparatuses thereby necessitating the transport from kier
to kier.
According to my invention instead of bleaching and treating textile fabrics by
means of the said interrupted processes I obtain the required results by a continuous
operation in which the fabric is led continuously forward and subjected
successively and without a break to the various immersions, for example in the
boiling and bleaching process. At the same time I am enabled to treat an
increased quantity of fabric simultaneously and thereby effect a saving in time and
working expenses.
The improved means whereby I carry my invention into effect consists, under a
suitable form, of a long tank or vat divided by partitions into a series of vessels or
spaces or I might have a series of tanks placed end to end. Each of the series of
compartments or vessels is furnished with guiding rollers at the top and bottom for
guiding the fabric up and down through the liquid in its progress through the
apparatus. I also provide the requisite drawing and squeezing rollers.
It will be understood that in bleaching operations the fabric is put through the
various apparatus in a rope form which occupies no great breadth.
In my improved apparatus I lead four, eight or any suitable number of such
roped fabrics simultaneously through the apparatus.
The said fabrics run continuously side by side over the guiding rollers and
through the drawing or squeezing rollers from end to end of the machine, being
suitably and continuously treated in each compartment or adjoining vessel.
Suppose for example I wished to use my invention for boiling and bleaching
purposes, in such a case the fabric is subjected to say three distinct processes,
namely liming and boiling; washing in hot water; and finally treating with
boiling caustic solution. I would therefore divide my longitudinal tank into three
compartiments of equal or unequal length as desired.
Each compartment would be provided with a cage capable of being placed in
an removed from the compartment.
These cages would by preference support and contain the lower-guiding rollers

page_text: so that the rollers could be raised together with the cage in case of the fabric
fouling or breaking. The drawing or squeezing rollers would be placed above
cach division and at the delivery end.
<
The feed end would present four, eight or any other suitable number of holes or
pot-eyes" as they are technically known, through which the several roped fabrics
are passed, and thence over the various guiding rollers and drawing and squeezing
rollers as will be well understood. The first compartment would contain the
requisite solution for "liming" and boiling the goods.
The second compartment would contain the hot detergent or washing liquid.
The third would contain the hot caustic solution. These solutions and liquids are
heated from a steam pipe or steam pipes, steam coil, steam boiler or other suitable
means and by preference I use the exhaust steam from the engine as being more
economical than taking live steam from the boiler.
In order to convey to the reader a clearer idea of the nature of my invention and
of the apparatus by which I carry it into effect I will now direct attention to the
annexed sheet of drawings which illustrate a vat with three compartments for
treating fabrics in the manner which I have last described.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the vat.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the washing compartment showing a particular arrangement
of foot partitions which I will afterwards describe.
Fig. 3 is a modified arrangement of the same partitions while
Fig. 4 illustrates the method in which I prefer to seat my cages when such foot
partitions are used.
The vat consists as shown of a longitudinal receptacle of any suitable length,
depth and breadth in accordance with the duties for which it is intended. This
vat is divided into three compartments A, B, and C by means of partitions a a'.
Each compartment contains the liquid suitable for the required treatment. For
example the first compartment A contains the requisite solution for liming and
boiling the goods. The second B contains hot water. The third C contains the
hot caustic solution. These solutions and liquids are heated in any suitable manner
for example by steam piping or coils or by steam boiling hoods so as to be kept
at the requisite temperature. At that end of the vat marked X at which end the
goods are fed into the vat, I arrange any suitable number of holes or "pot-eyes" b
through which the roped fabrics are passed into the vat. In the drawing the roped
fabric is represented by the thick line e. Where it is desirable to impart some drag
or retardation to the roped fabrics, they may be looped round drag pins or over
stenting bars placed in front of the "pot-eyes," or any other suitable retarding
means may be used. There may be any desired number of "pot-eyes" say from
four up to ten or more in the breadth of the vat.
Each rope
of fabric is passed
through a "pot-eye" and is led up and down in the compartment A over the guide
rollers dd. The upper guide rollers d are carried in bearings on the sides of the
vat. The lower guide rollers d' are carried in bearings on the lower part of a cage
or frame e which can be lifted out of or lowered into the compartment as desired.
The slings by which the cages are raised and lowered are indicated by the dotted
lines. The cages stand on the bottom of the compartments. It will be seen. that
the roped fabrics c in traversing up and down over the guide rollers d d' are
immersed again and again in the lime solution and in passing up and down the
liquid streaming from them runs over and through them first in one direction, as
they are going up and then in the other direction as they are going down. This
tends to make the liquid thoroughly permeate and treat the fabrics. When the
fabrics pass over the last guide roller d in the compartment A they then pass
between the squeezing rollers gg which are mounted just above the partition
Here they are squeezed almost dry and then descend over the next guiding roller /
into the hot water in the compartment in which they are led up and down over
the rollers until they are thoroughly washed and cleansed from all traces of
the lime water.
a.

page_text: From the compartment B they pass through the next pair of squeezing
rollers from whence they descend into the compartment. C. containing the hot
caustic solution.
Here the roped fabrics are led up and down over the guide rollers kk until
thoroughly treated with the caustic solution after which the fabrics pass between
the final pair of squeezing rollers / from which they are drawn by the winch me
which deposits the fabric on a truck or in a receptacle for drying or further
treatment.
It will be observed that the lower squeezing roller of each pair has a scoop a
beneath it which prevents the liquid of one compartment from being carried into
the next, the drip from the rollers being diverted by the said scoop back to the
_compartment from whence it came.
To keep the fabrics straight as they enter between the squeezing rollers 1 erect
guiding fingers O carried in ranks on a bar in front of each pair of squeezing
rollers.
The squeezing rollers are suitably weighted and are driven at the proper speed.
In the case of certain
The top guiding rollers might or might not be driven.
fabrics it would be necessary to drive them. In such a case I would place a
longitudinal side shaft in line with the top rollers and drive the rollers therefrom
by bevel or mitre gearing, providing clutches so that I could throw any of the
rollers out of gear when desired. This might be convenient for example if I wished
to use two of the compartments only instead of all three.
As it is important that the hot water in the middle compartment B should
always be tolerably pure, it might be desirable to make provision for a constant
renewal of the water. For example as shown in Fig. 2 I might run partitions p
between the bottom guide rollers each partition rising a little above the water
level so as to divide the water space into so many divisions.
The first division would pick up the most of the liming liquid from the fabrics
therefore I would advise the setting up of a tolerably quick current of fresh water
through this division: the next division would receive much less liming liquid so
that the flow of fresh water through this division need not be so great. The next
still less, until the last water division might have a very slight replacing water
current. The water would be simply run slowly in at one end of the division and
out at the other.
A modification of this plan is shown in Fig. 3 where the partitions p are not
run fully across but stop short on alternate sides. In this case the replacing
current of water is run in at the end furthest from the liming compartment and
out at the last division as clearly shown in the fig. The fabric as it advances thus
meets fresher and purer water until in the last division the fabric is immersed in
freshly admitted water.
When these partitions are used the cage sits on the tops of the partitions the
lower guide rollers, being carried in brackets which extend downward from the
foot of the cage. Other means might be employed to continuously renew the water
in the washing compartment.
Although my apparatus is intended primarily to be preparatory in its effects, the
entire bleaching operation might be carried out by putting a similar apparatus in
line with the example illustrated and carrying on the treatment until the goods are
fully bleached.
I do not confine myself to any particular construction of apparatus so long as the
continuous and multiple boiling and bleaching of the fabrics is effected in accordance
with the principle of my invention.
The advantages of my system are that the goods are less handled, are treated, in
much less time than heretofore and at greatly less expense in regard to working
materials and wages. Also the simultaneous and continuous treatment of several
pieces as described enables me to undertake a great quantity of work at.com-
paratively little proportionate cost.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1) The continuous and multiple process of boiling bleaching and treating
textile fabrics the said process consisting in passing a number of roped fabrics
continuously, simultaneously and side by side through a series of compartments
fitted with guiding rollers and containing different liquids and solutions for treating
the fabrics substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
2) The improved apparatus for boiling, bleaching and continuously and simul-
taneously treating a number of roped textile fabrics, said apparatus consisting of a
vat or receptacle divided by partitions into several compartments, each compartment
containing a liquid cr solution suitable for treating the fabrics and fitted with any
suitable number of guiding rollers for causing the fabrics to travel up and down,
the fabrics passing between squeezing rollers on their way from one compartment
to another and finally making their exit from the apparatus in a more or less finished
condition substantially as described and shown.
1
1002 اسیدی
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.