AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND BLEACHING WOOL, COTTON. LINEN, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, EITHER IN A MANUFACTURED OR UNMANUFACTURED STATE
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARTIAL
AUGUSTIN JOSEPH DE HERRYPON, of Paris, in the Kingdom of France, but
now residing in Leicester Street, in the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Mining Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the second year of Her
reign, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Martial Augustin Josephide Heirypon, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority,that I,the said Martial Augustin Joseph de Herrypon,
iny executors, administrators, and assigns; and such others as I, the said
Martial Augustin Joseph de Herrypon, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE OR APPARATUS
FOR WASHING AND BLEACHING WOOL, COTTON. LINEN, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS, EITHER IN A MANUFACTURED OR UNMANUFACTURED STATE," being n
communication from a Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
'Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Martial Augustin Joseph
de Herrypon, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly

page_text: to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Martial Augustin Joseph de Herrypon, do hereby declare that the nature of
the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are particularly described and ascertained in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention of an Improved Machine or Apparatus for Washing and
Bleaching Wool, Cotton, Silk, Linen, and other Fibrous Materials, either in a
Manufactured or Unmanufactured State,consistsina novel orimprovedrotatory
washing machine or apparatus of peculiar construction, and is applicable to all
the purposes for which the ordinary washing drum or wheel is now used in cotton
or calico, linen, and woollen manufactories; as also for the washing, bleaching,
cleansing, and drying of all kinds of garments, clothes, or other manufactured
articles, as as well as yarns or fibrous substances, or textile materials in the
raw or manufactured state. The said improved washing, bleaching, and drying
machine or apparatus consists of a rotatory skeleton drum or wheel, mounted
on an axle or shaft, and is divided by radial arms into several compartments,
each of which contains one or more flexible chambers, bags, or purses, into
which the goods or materials to be washed, cleansed, bleached, or dried are to
be placed. These bags or chambers are composed of flexible materials, as net
work, or open woven fabric, strengthened by straps or braces of twisted or
woven material, and are constructed so as to be easily opened and closed, in
orderto introduce or remove the goods or materials, and also for the purpose of
allowing of their being stretched ontor expanded and collapsed, or compressed
together by thesimple action ofthe machine when in motion, and the operationof
washing and cleansing is going on; the said expanding and collapsing of the
flexible chambers being caused or effected by the gravitation of certain flaps
and folding arms, or such other contrivance of sufficient gravitating force as
will cause the said bags to open or expand as they ascend on the one side of
the drum or wheel, and be compressed or collapsed as they descend on the
other during the revolution of the apparatus. The machine is mounted on an
axle or shaft turning in proper bearings on framework, and is enclosed by a
steam-tight casing formed of any suitable material divided into two portions,

page_text: the upper part or moveable cover contains steam or air, and the lower or
stationary part acts as a bath containing the liquids used for the washing,
cleansing, and rinsing of the goods or materials under operation. The several
compartments or chambers as they revolve pass through the fluids contained
in the lower half of the casing, entering the same in the collapsed or com-
pressed state, and as they move upwards, opening and allowing the liquids free
access to the goods, which become partly drained as they ascend and pass over
the centre of the wheel, and are compressed or squeezed by the falling over
of the flaps of the chambers as they descend. This apparatus is constructed
in such manner that when the operations of washing, bleaching, or rinsing are
completed, the liquids used for this purpose can be readily let off from the bath
without opening the case, and the several flaps or folding parts capable of
being held or secured in such positions that the several flexible chambers or
compartments shall be kept stretched out or extended in order that the goods
or materials may be subjected to the action of steam or hot or cold air, as.
desired, for the purpose of drying the same or further carrying on the process
of bleaching or cleansing.
And I will now refer to the several Figures of the accompanying Drawings
the better to illustrate this Invention, that is to say:-
Fig. 1 is an exterior or side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical
section of the same, taken longitudinally, the side casing being removed
to expose the interior, the various parts being shewn in the positions
they are in while the washing process is going on. Fig. 3 is another
vertical section, taken transversely; and Fig. 4 is a similar section to
Fig. 2, shewing the positions of the different parts when the drying of the
goods is effected. a, a, is a strong framework constructed of wood or iron,
and supporting the axle or shaft b of the washing wheel, and also the upper
and lower parts c and d of the outer casing or cover, which casing is repre-
sented in the drawing as composed of copper and iron, but it may be made of
any other suitable material. The shaft or axle b turns in bearings on the
framework,and upon it are mounted the radial arms e,e,attached at their inner
ends to the shaft b, by means of the bosses f, f, and at their reverse ends to
the rings or hoops g,g. These radial arms divide the wheel into the several com-
partments in which the sets of flexible bags or chambers h, h, are to be placed;
a perspective representation of one of these sets is shewn detached from the
machine in Fig. 5, and in a similar representation of the skeleton parts thereof
in Fig. 6. The flexible chambers or bags are placed between and attached to
the two open flaps or frames i and k, one of which is shewn detached in
plan view at Fig. 7, and in section at Fig. 8. These flaps or frames con-

page_text: sist of a framework and open bars, as shewn in the Figures, for the purpose of
allowing a free passage for the liquid into and out of the flexible bags or
chambers. The flaps i are securely attached to the radial arms e, e, and the
flaps to framework of metal (one of which is shewn detached in plan view,
at Fig. 9). These metal frames are connected by means of hinge joints to the
levers m, m, which are jointed to other levers n,, attached by similar hinge
joints to the other sides of the radial arms e, e. These pairs of levers m, m,
serve to guide the movements of the flaps k, k, and keep the flexible bags or
chambers in their proper positions during the movements of the machine. 0,0,
are rods extending across the flexible chambers, their ends being connected to
cords, which are attached to the bosses ff. These rods and cords keep the
bags from protruding against the interior of the casing. The upper partc of the
casing is connected to the lever by a hinge joint at q, the junctions between
them being formed steam-tight by means of a tongue and grove joint, or other
packing; the two parts are secured together by screws or other fastenings,
while the process of washing, bleaching, or drying is going on. r is a tube
leading from reservoirs and entering into the interior of the casing. This tube
is furnished with a stopcock and connected with the branch pipes s and t, one
of which may be used for the supply of hot water or bleaching liquids, and the
other for clear or rinsing water. u is a pipe leading from a steam boiler.
This pipe is passed through the casing and laid in several coils on the bottom
of the bath, and conducted out on the other side, steam is passed through this
pipe for the purpose of heating or boiling the washing or bleaching liquids
used in the bath. v is a steam guage for indicating the pressure of steam
within; and wis a safety valve to allow escape on excess of
pressure.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-In order to place a charge.
of goods or materials into the apparatus, the top part c of the cover is
first to be raised by any suitable tackle, and the goods or cloths placed
in the several flexible bags or compartments h, the mouths of which are
to be closed by lacing together or by tyeing, or otherwise fastening in any
convenient manner; when the intended quantity has been introduced, the
cover is to be let down, and the junction with the lower half secured
steam-tight. The washing liquids (as soap and water, or water and alka
lies) are then to be let into the interior through the pipe r, up to the
required height in the bath, steam being admitted through the pipe u in order
to heat the same or keep it at the boiling point. The wheel or drum may then
be put into rotatory motion (say in the direction of the arrow) by a band passed
from a steam engine or other first mover, to the rigger a on the shaft b, and
as the wheel revolves, the goods will pass through the liquid, and the flapsk,k,

page_text: will, as they ascend on the one side, open or distend the flexible bags, and as
they pass over on the other side fall upon them, and by their weight compress
or squeeze the clothes or goods, which, being loose in the flexible compartments
when they are distended, will tumble or change their positions as the wheel
goes round. This operation continuing a sufficient length of time, the washing
liquids may be withdrawn from the interior by the discharge pipe y,and clear
water admitted by the pipe r to rinse the goods, the wheel being kept in
motion, as before; and when the cleansing of the goods is completed, they are
to be dried. This is done by letting out the rinsing water and distending all
the sets of flexiblé chambers, and keeping them in such position a sufficient
time, steam or hot or cold air being introduced by the pipe z into the interior
of the casing, its exit being on the other side, the wheel being made to revolve
as before. The sets of flexible bags or chambers may be kept distended by
any suitable catches, fastenings, or other mechanical contrivance. The one
shewn as applied to the machine is better exhibited in the detached Figures 10,
11, 12, and 13, which are enlarged portions of these parts as they appear in
different positions. This fastening consists of hooked pieces 1, 1, mounted on
small shafts 2, 2, turning in bearings attached to the arins e, e. The ends of
these shafts project beyond the side of the wheel and carry the cross levers 4,4.
Upon the inside of the frame lare placed the pins 5, 5, which, whenever the
flaps are next to the arms e ou the ascending side of the wheel, come within
the range of the hook-piece 1; and therefore to fasten the flaps to the
arms e, it will only be necessary to turn the shafts 2 round a portion of
a revolution, and cause the hooks 1 to take hold of the pins 5; this will
make the fastening complete, and secure the flaps k from falling over on
the other side; and whenever it is required to release them, the hooks have
only to be turned backwards, and the flaps will be at liberty. This turning
of the shafts 2 is easily effected by protruding into the interior one or
the other of the pins or studs 6 or 7 (see Figures 1 and 11) screwed
to the sides of the outer casing (see Figures 1 and 11), and whenever
either of the pins are projected inwards a sufficient distance, they come within
the range of the levers 4, which are passing round with the wheel, and the
pins 6 or 7 will act as stationary tappets, whereby the levers 4 will be turned
one way or the other, according to whichever pin is protruded, and thereby
hook or unhook the fastening. Figures 14 and 15 are views of portions
of the wheel, shewing two other arrangements of the flexible bags or
chambers, and the manner of connecting them, frames of open bars being
placed between the bage. These arrangements being clearly shewn in the
Drawings, it will not be necessary further to describe them.

page_text: Having now described this improved machine or apparatus, I will in con-
clusion remark, that what I'claim under the above-named Letters Patent is,
the general arrangement and construction of the machine or apparatus herein-
before set forth and described, not intending to confine myself to the minute
details of the various parts composing the same, as these may be varied at
pleasure to suit different circumstances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martial Augustin Joseph de Herrypon,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.
MARTIA
AUGUSTIN
L.S.) JOSEPH
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of November,
in the third year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Martial
Augustin Joseph de Herrypon came before our said Lady the Queen in Her
Chancery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every
thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the
Instrument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
made in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the
Third.
Sad November One thousand eight hundred