US1605880A - Porated - Google Patents

Description

Nov. ,2 1926. 1,605,880

J. H. WALSH PROCESS OF ACIDULATING AND GARBONIZING FABRIC WEBS Original Filed April 7, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2,1926. 1,605,880

J. H. WALSH PROCESS OF ACIDULATING AND CARBONIZING FABRIC WEBS Original Filed April 7. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. WALSH PROCESS OF ACIDULAIING AND CARBONIZING FABRIC WEBS Original il April 7. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet s fierzior:

Jsepki'f 74 622571,

Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,880

.1. H. WALSH PROCESS OF ACIDULATINQ'AND GARBONIZING FABRIC WEBS Original Filed April 7. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

A UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

.rosnrn mwansn, or mutant, Nhw Yonx, nssrenon 'ro .ronnsamlmvrmn, moon- Ponarnn, or NEW xonx, N. Y\.,

A GORPOBATION OF NEW YORK.

rnocnss or AOIDULA'IING AND cnnnomzme. FABRIC wEBs.

"original application mada -n7, 1922,

plication Serial No. 550,537 filed April 7 1922, which has matured into Patent No. 1,530,064 dated March .17, 1925.

In the acidulating, drying andcarbonizing of fabric as heretoforepracticed, little attention has been paid to the matter of economy in the use of heat, althou h in large p 'of a ouslng contaimng 'drying and carbon cloth finishing establishments the cat wasted in such processes may be avery considerable item of loss. Moreover, as commonly practiced, great difficulty has been experienced in securing uniformity in the product, and in so controllingthe carbonization process asto avoid damage to the fabr1c,.by-

reasonuof the fact that the ener y of action of the acid (or other reagents employed varies with variations both in the temperature and humidity to which the material is subjected during carbonization. If, on the other hand, but one of such factors is avariable, it is a comparatively simple matter to determine the concentration of the acid by giving to such factor a proper and 'determinable value. For example, if the material be first acidulated and then dried to a determinate degree, and then immediately subjected to heat in a substantially air-tight enclosure, the concentration of the acid and its action upon the fibres may be controlled exactly merely by regulating the temperature and the time of exposure in such enclosure.

I have found that it is conducive to con-' servation of heat, to economy in space, to avoidance of repeatedhandlings of the material, and to the successful avoidance of escaping acid fumes to perform the drying and carbonizing processes in close proximity air on its.way to such cliamb dr." In the practical realization of the invention, and for further saving of heat, the drying chambe r SeriaLHo. 550,531. Divided and this application and March is, 1925. Serial No. 16,083.- 4

may be disposed between compartments in veils. 1

Principal objects of the present invention are accordingly to provide a process wherewhich a relatively high temperature preby fabric webs may be treated with a reagent, dried in a uniform and economical manner, and thereafter heated for the reaction, or.- carbonized, under accurately controllable conditions.

Fi re 1 is a vertical longitudinal section izing apparatus taken on a line such as 0-1) of Fig. 2; r q

. Figure 2 is a horizontal section on a line such as c-d of Fig. 1;

' Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 6 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of an acidulating and preliminary drying apparatus useful in I carglrying the present invention into effect; an a Figure 5 is a side elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 4:. r (4 Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the numerall indicates the usual tank or other suitable'receptacle in which dilute acid (or other re-. agent) may be placed. This tank is pro vided with a pair of guide rolls 2 and a fabric depressing roll 3, as well as a guide roll 4, such rolls serving to cause the web of fabric 5 to pass'dow'nwardly in the liquid contained in the tank and then upwardly therefrom. A drum p of relatively large diameter may also be provided, such drum consisting of spaced heads having radial pins or. spurs 7 for enga ement with the marginal portions of the fa ric, such heads being mounted upon a shaft 6*. A guide 'roller 8 is arranged adjacent-to such drum for causing the web 5 to engage the pins or spurs and.-

after passing around the druin throughout a substantialportion of the periphery thereof, the fabric engages aguide roll 9 spaced somewhat from the roll 8.'

Between the rolls 8 and 9 a conduit 10 is arranged through which a current of air, caused to enter the interiorof the drum un-.

warmed by a heating device 11, maybe 'de'r suitable'slight pressure, as usual. The

apparatus thus-far described, (which. may

be like that of prior knowledge) serves to moisten the web; of fabric with acid and then to remove the excess of liquid from the fabric by the expo-sure of a large area of its surface upon the periphery of the drum to the evaporative action of the air, such action being assisted by the warm air entering the interior of the drum and passing out through the interstices of the fabric. The heat employed in this preliminary drying is insulficient to dry out the moisture or to cause the evolution of acid fumes from the material.

From the guide roll 9 the material passes in contact with rolls12 and 13 and through a slot 14 in the end wall 15 of a housing, such housing comprising the opposite end wall 16, side walls 17 and 18, and the top or roof 19. The walls and roof of this housin are preferably formed as indicated in Section in Fig. 1, consisting of studs or rafters 20 which support an outer sheathing 21 of any desired material, and an inner sheathing 22 of an acid resistant and preferably heat insulating sheet material such, for example, as the asbestos and cement aggregate known as asbestos wood. If de- .sired, and in order further to prevent the rapid escape of heat through the walls of such housing, the spaces between the inner .and outer sheathings may be filled with a heat insulatingsubstance such for example, as asbestos wool, corrugated asbestos board, etc., as indicated diagrammatically at 22 in Fig. 1. r .1. v v

The space within the housing is divided by means of a Vertical partition into a dry ing chamber 23 and a carbonizing chamber 23 The partition 23 is preferably of acid resistant material, and is provided with an opening 24 at its lower portion for the passage of the web of fabric from'the drying chamber in the carbonizing chamber. The

end wall 16 of the housing is furnished with a slot 25 for the egress of the fabric, suitable guide rolls such as 25' being arranged upon the outer surface of such wall,-

and serving to guide the treated fabric to a winding drum 25".

Spaced from the wall 17 of the housing is a partition 26 which serves to define a plenum chamber 43 at one side of the drying chamber, such plenum chamber if'desired being furnished with heating coils 27. At the opposite side of the drying chamber, a second partition 27 is arranged, being spaced from the wall 18 to provide a chamber for the reception of a heatinterchange economizer device of suitable construction. As shown, the economizer comprises transverse end walls 28 .and 29 respectively, provided with series of openings in which are fitted the end portions of open-ended tubes 30 which may be molded of asbestos wood, or made oi or lined with; an acid resistant educt flue 33 is provided between the partition 29 and the wall 15, leading into the lower end of a pipe 34 having a damper 34*, this pipe 34 leading to any desired point for the discharge of the acid fumes from the chamber. An inlet opening 35 is provided: in the top member 19, such opening providing for the admission of air into the space between the tubes 30, and being located adjacent to one end of the economizer structure. Air from such inlet opening passes about the tubes 30, being directed in a tortuous course by means of the baffle plates 31, and is thence discharged through a pipe 36 which serves to conduct such air to a casing 37. The casing 37 is provided with regulable heating coils 38 whereby the air 7 may be further raised in temperature, and

Within the drying chamber two vertical 7 1y disposed series of guide rolls 44 and 45 are arranged, said guide rolls being so disposed as to cause the fabric 5 passing thereovcr to extend in a series of vertically spaced horizontal runs. Between adjacent runs of the fabric,'series of discharge nozzle tubes 46 are provided, such nozzle tubes prefer ably being of taperin form, and of acid resistant material sue as asbestos wood. Each of these tubes is provided with a discharge slot 47 extending transversely of the width of the fabric, such slots, if desired, being. of gradually decreasing width from the larger end of the tube toward the opposite end to provide for laterally uniform delivery. The larger ends of the 'nozzle tubes, which are open, are fixed in suitable openings in the partition 26, while the smaller ends of such tubes, which are closed, are secured in the partition 27; The arrangement oftubes is such as to provide for a substantially uniform discharge of air from theplenuin chamber 43 into the spaces between the runs of material and in a direcchains: such as-45 extending over sprocket wheels such as 44" and 45.arran ed within the plenum chamber 43 and fixe upon the ends of the shafts upon which the respec 'tive rollers are mounted. The driving connectiOns'45Fare ber' 43.

in the fume-free air of cham- A sprocket 45 may be secured to one of such shafts and such sprocket may receive motion by means of a chain45 from a shaft 45projecting through the outer wall of the housing. v I

'fWithin the carbonizing chamber 23*, vertical series of guide rollers 48 and 49 are provided,'such guide rollers serving to support the fabric ina series of horizontal runs extending'upwardly from the lower part of thechamber to the plane of the opening 25.

' Between certain of such runs,- horizontal- 1y; arranged steam coils -50 are provided-to radiate heat direct-1y againstthe surface of the fabric to raise the fabric to the carbonizing temperature. A secondary heating coil 51 may also be provided in the chamber 23 to ad]ust the general temperature in this chamber, such coil being provided with a controlling valve 52 upon the outside of the casing ifdesired. Two or more of the rollers 48 may be'provided with sprocket wheels such as 48 and 49 over one of which is trained a chain 52 which extends over a sprocket '53 upon-the shaft of one of the rolls 45; a A chain also extends upwardly'from sprocket 49 and over sprocket 48 and from the latter sprocket a chain extends to a sprocket upon a shaft carrying the guide roll 25?,and from which the take-up roller 25 may receive its motion.

The drying chamber between the partitions 26 and 27', it will be noted, is located between the plenum chamberand the econo- .mizer chamber so that its outer walls are at all times protected against rapid variations in temperature? The material, upon entering the housing,

passes over the guide rolls 44 and 45 in horizontal runs and at the same time the opera tion of the fan causes blasts of the heated air from the plenum chamber through the slots in tubes 46 everywhereto impinge on the surface of thefabric. Due to the arrangement of'the parts, both sides of the-fabric are subjected successively to the action of these heated blasts of fresh air, by which the moisture is rapidly and uniformly evaporated froin the'material and" the latter is brought, ,to a substantially dry condition [prior to, its entrance into thefcarbonizing chamber, which it enters in abut, relatively dry statel In the latter chamber it moves upwardly, thus being subjeetedto a grad,- ually increasing temperature in substantial- 1y still and dry air whereby the carbonizationis effected in a certain and eflicient man- ""nei', without serious loss of heat. The desired temperature is thus maintained by the expenditure of vastly. less steam. than in prior practices. The heat of such chamber may be, varied to a substantial degree by means of the controllable heating coil 51, so that the final temperature to which the ma-;

terial is subjected may be regulated with I zle's 46 passes into the'space 32 and from' thence through the economizer 30 to the discarge pipe 34, while the fresh air entering the passage 35 passes in heat transferring relationship to the outgoing, vapor laden,

and heated air in the tubes, so that the incoming air is heated to a substantial degree prior to its entrance into heating chamber 37. The device thus serves in an economical manner to dry and carbonize the material, permitting the amount of heat expend ed to be reduced to a minimum and at the same time, by the eflicient application of heat to'the material and'the conservation ofthe heat in chamber 23, permitting the operaperature than is 'comon, so that the usual danger of damage by overheating is minition to take place at a lower radiated temmized. By the. employment of suitable.

dampers in the inlet andoutlet dilcts, the

temperature and moisture content of the air in'thedrying chamber may be nicely determined, such control being also facilitated by the employment of regulable heating coils in the heating chamber ing the speed of the fan.

Theapparatus is compact in form, and

and by verysince the main drying devices and the car-' bonizing chamber are entirely enclosed there is no discharge of injurious fumes into the space surrounding the apparatus.

While the process bodiment o apparatus for carrying it into elfectfit is to be understood that the process 1s independent of any particular apparatus and may well'be practised without employmg theapparatus here disclosed.

I claim:

1. That mode of finishing fabric which comprises as'steps, moistening such fabric with a reagent, eubjecting thefabric to a has been illustrated and I described b reference toone specific empreliminary drylng in the open air, and

dryi'ngthe fabric to a predetermined ex-' tent in a heat-insulated closed housing by subjecting the fabric to impinging blasts of air having a predetermined temperature and moisture content.

' 2. That mode of finishing fabric which comprises as steps moistening the fabric bonizing the fabric in a still atmosphere'by the application of radiant heat.

3. That process of treating textile fabric which comprises subjecting such fabric to an acid bath, partially drying the fabric. and further drying the fabric in a closed 'housing by the application thereto of heated blasts of air directed against its opposite sides, and thereafter subjecting the dried fabric to a carbonizing temperature.

4. That mode of finishing fabric which comprises as steps moistening the fabric with dilute acid, partially drying the fabric in the open air at a tem erature insutlicient to evolve acid fumes, su stantially completing the drying by repeatedly subjectingthe fabric in a closed chamber to the action of blasts of heated air directed against the surface of the fabric and thereafter subjecting the fabric to the action of still air. at a carbonizing temperature.

5. That process of finishing textile ,fabric which comprises passing such fabric through an acid bath, partially drying such fabric in the open air with the application of gentle heat, further drying such fabric in a closed heat insulated housing by the application thereto of heated blasts of air, and

subjecting such fabric to the direct' action of radiant heat to raise it to a carbonizing temperature.

- 6. That continuous process of finishing fabric which comprises as steps moistening the fabric with a carbonizing reagent, partially drying the fabric in the open air by the application ofm entle heat, passing the partially dried fabric through a closed chamber and substantially completing the dryin of the fabric therein, and passing the fzihric through a second closed chamber in a series of vertically spaced horizontal runs and applying radiant heat directly against the surface of the fabric while disposed in such horizontal runs.

7. That continuous process of finishing fabric which comprises drawing the fabric through a dilute acid bath partially drying the fabric in the open air, causing the fabric to pass through a closed chamber in a series of spaced substantially horizontal runs, projecting blasts of heated air against opposite sides of the fabric while disposed in such horizontal runs -whereby substantially to complete the drying of the fabric, and passing the fabric through another closed chamber in a second series of horizontal runs, and subjecting the fabric to radiant heat of a carbonizing temperature While disposed in said second series of runs.

Signed by me at New York city, N. Y., this 13th day of March, 1925.

JOSEPH H. WALSH.

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