Fibrous Substances.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1888
Specification Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1888
•
Fibrous Substances.
I, FREDERICK RHODES, of Westfield, Gomersal, near Leeds, in the County of
York, 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:-
My invention consists in certain improvements in apparatus employed in drying
wool "tops" after the dyeing process, and the same apparatus is also applicable to the
process of drying after the wool or other fibrous substances have been moistened in
any other operation.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a drying apparatus or chamber
constructed according to my invention, and
Figure 2 a sectional elevation of a drying apparatus fixed in an ordinary drying
room.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in both the figures.
This improved system of drying is chiefly applicable to wool "tops" or other forms
of fibrous material which have undergone the dyeing process in cylindrical cans having
perforated bottoms, and which "tops" or other materials have had their super-
abundant moisture removed by the operation of a centrifugal "whizzer " or hydro-
extractor.
The dyeing cans a containing the still moist wool are placed in apertures in the
plate 6 in which they fit in conical seats as nearly air-tight as possible, the joint being
made by means of an elastic packing ring. The fan or blower c being set in motion
exhausts the air from the chamber or box d in the first instance, and subsequently, a
partial vacuum being formed, the air either cold or heated from the chamber e is
drawn to the fan c through the mass of moist material contained in the dyeing
cans. The air after passing through the material in the dyeing cans is charged
with moisture and after passing through the fan is ejected through the flue or
pipe f

page_text: It will be obvious that this arrangement may be modified without departing from
the principle herein described by causing the air to be blown through the cans of damp
material instead of being exhausted and thereby drawn through, or the current of air
produced by a chimney shaft may be employed instead of the exhaust fan to draw
the heated air of a drying chamber through the material to be dried, or the cans of
damp material may be fitted into apertures in the wall of the drying chamber and the
heated air of the chamber drawn through the material by means of an exhaust fan
fixed and operating outside the chamber.
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 employment for drying wool "tops" and other fibrous substances, of
cylindrical or other suitably formed cans with perforated or reticulated bottoms
containing the material to be dried, substantially as described and represented.
2
(2.) The employment for drying wool " tops and other fibrous substances, of
cans with perforated or gauze bottoms, such cans fitting approximately air-tight into
apertures formed in a plate made to support them, substantially as described and
represented.
(3.) The employment for drying wool "tops" and other fibrous substances, of the
cans with perforated or reticulated bottoms combined with the plate having apertures
to receive them, and an air fan or blower (or a chimney shaft) for the purpose of
drawing (or blowing) a current of heated or cold air through the material to be dried,
all the various parts being constructed and operating substantially in the manner
described and represented."
(4.) The general arrangement of apparatus for drying wool" tops" and other forms
of fibrous material consisting of the drying or heated-air chamber, the cans for
containing the material to be dried, the plate for supporting the cans, the fan (or
chimney shaft) for producing the current of air, and the pipe or flue into which the
moistened air passes, all operating substantially in the manner described and as
represented in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 18th day of October 1888