IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING WATER OR OTHER LIQUOR FROM CLOTH AND OTHER WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Birch, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING
WATER OR OTHER LIQUOR FROM CLOTH AND OTHER WOVEN FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Birch at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1880.
WILLIAM BIRCH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING WATER OR OTHER LIQUOR FROM CLOTH AND
OTHER WOVEN FABRICS."
The object of my Invention is the construction of machinery for extracting water
or other liquids continuously from calico and other woven fabrics, wholly or partly
by means of wringing action, and also by centrifugal force, or by both combined,
for the use of calico printers, bleachers, dyers, and others.
My improved apparatus consists of a hollow, or partly hollow, spindle, shaft, or
axle carried in suitable bearings, and having mounted upon it a disk or disks,
wheels, arms, or other contrivances, carrying one or more eyelets with or without
nipping rollers or other suitable means for the passing of cloth.
The cloth in rope
form passes into one of the hollow ends of the spindle aforesaid, and out of a
suitable aperture through one or more eyelets or other passages carried by the disk,
disks, arms, wheels, or other supports, thence through another suitable aperture
into the hollow spindle again, and out of it at the delivery end; or the cloth, after
passing the eyclets or other passages, may pass directly through a stationary eye
or other contrivance, provided there is no bearing. at this end of the spindle.
spindle being driven at a suitable speed will twist the cloth or other fabric, and
may thus wring out some or all of the water or other liquid, and may then be
subjected to the action of the centrifugal force if a machine is used which carries
the cloth round at a sufficient distance from the centre, or at a sufficient velocity.
The cloth is drawn through the machine by a wince or draw rollers, and tension
bars, drag rollers, or other means of producing the desired tension are provided at
the feed side of the machine. A suitable cover is fitted for the interception of the
extracted water or other liquid.
The
Instead of passing the cloth simply through one or more eyelets provided in
disks, or the like, it may be passed over and under or through a series of rollers,
bobbins, or eyelets placed all round the periphery of a wheel, disk, cage, or other
support mounted upon and revolving with the hollow spindle. Or a simple cage of
wire or other perforated work may be mounted upon the hollow spindle, into
which cage the cloth may be fed at one end through the hollow spindle, and drawn
but at the other.
'
The machine may be constructed to work either horizontally or vertically.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Birch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th August
1880.
WILLIAM BIRCH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
If IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING WATER OR OTHER LIQUOR FROM CLOTH AND
OTHER WOVEN FABRICS."
The object of my Invention is the construction of machinery for extracting water
or other liquids continuously from calico and other woven fabrics, wholly or partly
by means of wringing action, and also by centrifugal force, or by both combined,
for the use of calico printers, bleachers, dyers, and others.
My improved apparatus consists of a hollow, or partly hollow, spindle, shaft, or
axle carried in suitable bearings, and having mounted upon it a disk or disks,
wheels, arms, or other contrivances carrying one or more cyclets, with or without
nipping rollers or other suitable means for the passing of cloth. The cloth, in rope
form, passes into one of the hollow ends of the spindle aforesaid, and out of a
suitable aperture, through one or more cyelets or other passages, carried by the
disk, disks, arms, wheels, or other supports, thence through another suitable aperture
into the hollow spindle again, and out of it at the delivery end; or the cloth, after
passing the eyelets or other passages may pass directly through a stationary eye or
other contrivance, provided there is no bearing at this end of the spindle.. The
spindle being driven at a suitable speed will twist the cloth or other fabric, and
may thus wring out some or all of the water or other liquid, and may also at the
same time be subjected to the action of the centrifugal force if a machine is used
which carries the cloth round at a sufficient distance from the centre, or at a sufficient
velocity. The cloth is drawn through the machine by a wince or draw rollers,
and tension bars, drag rollers, or other means of producing the desired tension are
provided at the feed side of the machine. A suitable cover is fitted for the inter-
ception of the extracted water or other liquid.
Instead of passing the cloth simply through one or more cyclets provided in
disks, or the like, it may be passed over and under or through a series of rollers,
bobbins, or eyelets placed all round the periphery of a wheel, disk, cage, or other
support, mounted upon and revolving with the hollow spindle. Or a simple cage
of wire or other perforated work may be mounted upon the hollow spindle, into
which cage the cloth may be fed at one end through the hollow spindle, and drawn
out at the other.
The machine may be constructed to work either horizontally or vertically.
In order to explain my Invention still further I have represented a machine
and a few modifications of the same by the accompanying Drawing, which I will
now proceed to describe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1, 2, & 3 represents an extractor in sectional elevation, and view, and plan
respectively; B is the bedplate; S, S', the standards or brackets carrying the
hollow shaft H, upon which latter are mounted two disks D, D'; P is the driving
pulley; F is the cloth or other woven fabric, out of which the water or other
liquid is to be extracted, and which is drawn through the machine by the draw
rollers R, R', passing through the drag rollers r, r On leaving the latter the
fabric passes into the hollow shaft H, and out of the aperture a through the
eyes y, y', in the disks D, D', then in the hollow shaft again by the aperture a¹,
and out at the delivery end. The two disks D, D', are fixed upon the shaft H by
getscrews C in order that their relative nosition may be varied on that the length

page_text: the fabric if desired. The twist put into the fabric by the revolutions of the shaft H
being right and left handed neutralizes itself before the fabric passes out of the
machine. A cover is not shown. It will be seen that to run well the machine
requires to be properly balanced, and it will also be understood that the disks D, D¹,
may be substituted by arms or other contrivances.
Figs. 4 & 5 show a disk D³ with a nipping roller arrangement, 72, 73, being the
nipping rollers.
Figs. 6 & 7 shew a modification of the machine described, the fabric F passing
over a grooved disk D³, the axis of which is at a right angle to the axis of the
hollow shaft, guide rollers,, being employed to lay the fabric upon the disk D³.
The framework in this illustration is omitted, and it will be seen that instead of
one disk two or more might be used, and that the course of the fabric may be
varied.
Figs. 8&9 represent a machine consisting of an open cylinder D' having a
number of guide rollers or bobbins G placed round its periphery over and under,
of which the fabric F after leaving the hollow shaft over the rollers runs in
spiral coils, and over the roller into the hollow shaft H again. In working this
machine care must be taken that the feed corresponds to the speed of the machine
so that excessive twist is not put into the cloth whereby it is injured.
Having now particularly described my Invention, and ascertained in what
manner the same may be carried into practice, I declare that I do not limit myself
to the precise details, proportions, and shapes shown or described for the purpose
of explanation, but claim as my Invention substantially,―
The use of a hollow or partly hollow shaft or spindle in the construction of
extractors for continuously extracting liquids from fabrics, substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Birch, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand sight hundred and sighte
Witness,
A. HILDEBRANDT,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
WILLIAM BIRCH. (L.S.)