THE

London

JOURNAL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES..

No. LXVII.

Recent Patents.

To SAMUEL WELMAN WRIGHT, late of Wellclose-square; in the County of Middlesex, but now of Princes-street, Lambeth, in the County of Surry, engineer, for his Invention of certain Improvements on the Machinery or Apparatus for Washing, Cleansing, or Bleaching of Linens, Cottons, and other Fabrics, Goods, or Fibrous Substances.

[Sealed, 20th April, 1825.]

THESE improvements consist in the construction of a system of vessels, and their connecting pipes, by the employment of which the patentee states himself to be enabled to carry on a process of washing and bleaching, and to clean all impurities from linen, cottons, and other fibrous substances, without submitting those articles to rubbing. The mode by which this object is proposed to be effected, is by first packing the articles, whether of wearing apparel or other goods, which are to be washed,

in a close vessel, and then forcing through them (by means of steam pressure) an alkaline solution, as soap and water, or a solution of pearl ash, soda, &c. which in its progress will effectually remove all impurities or colouring matters, from the linens, cottons, or other goods so operated upon. After this it is necessary to pass hot water through the said articles, for the purpose of cleansing away all the alkaline matter; and ultimately to force steam of a high pressure through them, for the purpose of removing the water, and drying the cotton, linen, &c. when the process may be considered to be complete; and the articles being withdrawn from the vessel in which they had been packed, will be found to be perfectly clean, and nearly dry.

In bleaching, a similar process is to be adopted; but in addition to this, and the employment of the usual chemicals, a current of cold air is to be introduced, which greatly assists in giving whiteness to the fabric,

This process in washing and bleaching is to be carried on by a series of vessels, placed in convenient situations, their particular arrangement being subject to circumstances, and which vessels are to be connected together by pipes, with suitable cocks to pass the liquor, steam and air, from one vessel to another, or stop its progress. The patentee does not, therefore, intend to confine himself to any particular arrangement of the vessels, and has only exhibited in his drawing (see Plate XI. fig. 1), such a disposition of them as he considers to be eligible for the purposes of the said process, and which will assist in illustrating the principles that he proposes to act upon.

A, is a vessel made of copper, and formed as the frustrum of a cone, in the lower part of which is a perforated false bottom or grating, and below this the real bottom, from whence a pipe descends. In this vessel, the cotton,

linen, or other articles, about to be operated upon, are to be closely packed, having been previously soaked in water, and rubbed over with soap, they are then to be covered by the cap, which is screwed down and rendered steam tight at the joint. This vessel may be enclosed by a jacket, to prevent the radiation of heat, but this is not absolutely necessary. B, is a vessel containing the soap and water, or other alkaline solution, and C, is a pipe, leading from a steam boiler, placed at any convenient distance. The steam having been raised in the boiler to what is called high pressure, (about 50lbs. upon the inch), it must be gradually admitted into the apparatus, by partially opening the stop cock, a, when it will pass into the vessel, A, where the fabrics are deposited, and after having acted upon the goods for about half an hour, the cock may be completely opened, and the full force of the steam be allowed to exert itself in the vessel, and also to pass up the pipe, D, into the vessel, B, which contains the alkaline solution; the cocks, b, c, d and e, being now opened.

The pressure of the steam on the surface of the liquor in the vessel, B, will now cause it to descend through the pipe, E, into the vessel, A; and here the steam continuing to press, will force the liquor through the articles under operation, soaking every part and carrying dirt and other impurities to the bottom of the vessel, when the liquor will pass away by the pipe, F, into a receiving vessel, G, below.

The cocks, b, c, d and e, are now to be closed, and the cocks, ƒ and g, opened, when the pressure of the steam passed through the pipe, H, exerting itself upon the surface of the alkaline liquor, in the vessel, G, will force the liquor up the pipe, I, I, and return it into the vessel, B, where it will be ready to repeat the operation in passing

through the vessel, A, as above described. The number of times that may be necessary to force this alkaline solution through the goods, must depend entirely upon circumstances, such as the state of their foulness, and can only be known by experience; for ordinary washing, however, of body linen, twenty times would perhaps be found sufficient.

Considering now that all the dirt and other impurities have been removed from the cloths or other articles operated upon, the next process is that of rincing, which is performed by closing the cocks, b, c, d, e, f, and g, and opening the cocks, h, i, and k, when the steam from the pipe, C, will pass up the pipe, K, into the vessel, L, which contains clean hot water. The pressure of the steam upon the surface of the water in the vessel, L, will now cause the water to descend through the pipe M, into the vessel, A, where the pressure still acting will force the water through the goods in the vessel, and cleanse away all the alkaline and other impure matter, which with the water will proceed by the pipe, N, into the vessel, O.

In order to return the water from hence into the vessel, L, for a repetition of the process, the cocks, h, i, and k, must be closed and the cocks, and m, opened, when the steam passing from the pipe, C, through the pipe, P, into the vessel, O, will there exert its pressure upon the surface of the water, and force it up the pipe, Q, into the vessel, L, where it will be ready to be employed as before described. The number of times that may be requisite to pass the water through the vessel, A, must be variable, dependant upon circumstances, and can only be found by experience.

The last part of the process is the drying, which is effected by closing all the cocks except a, d, and e, when

steam at a reduced pressure is to be allowed to blow through the pipe, C, into the vessel, A, where passing through the articles, all the water will be driven off, and the steam escaping through the pipes, F and R, the goods will be left nearly in a dry state; but care must be taken that the steam be not allowed to act longer than is necessary to drive off the water, and not at a greater pressure than 20lbs. on the inch.

When the bleaching of piece goods is the object, such goods are to be folded carefully, and packed closely side by side in the vessel, A, and for this purpose, perhaps, a vessel, having rectangular sides, may be found more convenient than a circular one, but its width must diminish downwards; and in addittion to the process of washing and steaming, as above described, it is proposed to introduce currents of cold air through the pipe, S, by means of a blowing machine.

The patentee recommends, that immediately after every operation of passing the chemical solution or the water through the goods, has been performed, that steam be thrown in for the purpose of drying the goods, and then a blast of cold air, in order to cool them, which will greatly assist in whitening the fabric.

It is to be particularly observed that the internal parts of all the vessels must be made of copper.

The patentee says in conclusion, "I wish it to be understood that I do not claim or confine myself to the precise disposition or form of the several vessels employed, as exhibited; but I do claim the particular construction of the washing or bleaching vessel, A, diminishing in its diameter or breadth downwards, whether that vessel be made with straight or curved sides; I also claim the mode of washing and bleaching of cotton, linen, and other fibrous articles, packed in the said vessel in a com