US2653075A

US2653075A - Method of dyeing furs

Info

Publication number: US2653075A
Application number: US196223A
Authority: US
Inventors: Poser Paul
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-12-21
Filing date: 1950-11-17
Publication date: 1953-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1970-09-22

Description

Sept. 22, 1953 P. POSER 2,653,075

METHOD OF DYEING FURS Filed Nov. 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IMVENTOR A-rrys.

PAUL POSER Sept. 22, 1953 P. POSER 2,653,075

METHOD OF DYEING FURS Filed Nov. 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTM PAUL POSER" Sept.v22, 1953 P. POSER 2,653,075

METHOD OF DYEING FURS Filed Nov. 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 VA LV 5 73 9U Mp 76 231* Mow-0R Kg INVEN OR PAUL P05 E R Patented Sept. 22, 1953 METHOD OF DYEING FURS Paul Poser, London, England Application November 17, 1950, Serial No. 196,223 In Great Britain December 21, 1948 2 Claims.

The process of dyeing fur skins involves, in most instances, a preliminary washing step followed by the successive steps of de-greasing, rewashing, mordanting, dyeing, and re-washing, the final step being followed by a drying process. In the past this process has been conducted in vats into, and from which the fur skins have had to be lifted for each of the successive steps and, in the case of fur skins with a relatively-thick layer of fur (e. g., sheep skins), it has frequently been necessary for the lifting of the skins to require the united efforts of two or more operatives.

According to the invention, the method of sub jecting fur skins to the action of fluid, in a dyeing process, consists of packing, with appropriate pressure, the skins into a closable container with each skin having its flesh side in contact with the fiesh side of one neighbouring skin (or of another part of itself, if folded), and its fur side in contact with the fur side of the other neighbouring skin, and then forcing the fluid along the surface of the skins, the said appropriate pressure enabling the mutually presented fur sides of the skins to ofier less resistance to the flow of the fluid than do the mutually presented flesh sides.

For conducting the requisite steps in proper sequence, the container can be included in a circulatory system which also includes a reservoir from which the particular fluid can be pumped to the container and to which the fluid from the latter returns, the reservoir (or its contents) being exchanged for each successive step, and the container being provided with a drain cock for the removal of th respective fluids at the conclusion of each step.

A further feature of the invention, involves forcing the fluid along the surface of the skins in two opposite directions, either alternately or simultaneously. In this way the time taken for the treatment can'b desirably reduced.

, According to a still further feature there is included the additional step of forcing air (which may be heated) under pressure along the surface of the skins in the container, when the latter has been emptied of a liquid re-agent, for accelerating the drying of the skins. This step can replace, or be alternated with another step which involves reducing the pressure within the container for'facilitating evaporation of the residual re-agent still wetting the skins.

According to yet anotherfeature of the invention an apparatus, for the treatment of fur skins by the above-mentioned method, includes a container, for the fur skins, having a hermeticallysealing cover for an access openingthereon-and having at least one internal distributor for connection to a supply of fluid to be used, the container also having an outlet, for th fluid, which is sufliciently spaced from the distributor as to provide accommodation between them for the skins to be treated.

A still further feature involves providing the container with at least two internal distributors, whichare spaced apart to allow of the interposition of the skins to be treated, and providing means for putting the distributors alternatively or simultaneously into communication with a supply of the fluid to be circulated between the skins. When the distributors are designed for alternative use, the one not being used for supplying the fluid can act as the outlet from the container to the return path of the circulatory system, and when both distributors are designed simultaneously to deliver the fluid to the container, the latter can have an overflow outlet to the said return path.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, in vertical section, of one form of closable container for use in carrying the invention into practice, showing the connections to the circulatory system;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a modified construction of th container;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic lay-out of a plant, including two reservoirs for alternative use;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing another modified form of the container, being provided with two internal distributors;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic lay-out of a plant embodying the container of Figure 4 and including two reservoirs for alternative use; and

Figure 6 is a modified detail of the plant shown in Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1, the container l i is in the form of a vertical drum with a hermetically-sealing cover I2, and the distributor is defined in the lower end of the container by an internal transversely-arranged perforate wall it. The inlet pipe I4 from the circulatory system extends concentrically through the cover in a sealing manner, and through the major portion of the length of the drum to deliver the fluid at the far side of the perforate wall, and serves as a core about which the fur skins (parts of four of which are indicated, by way of example, at 15) can be T wrapped with their one edge abutting the perforate wall, there being also a communication through the cover to the return pipe it of the circulatory system.

In Figure 2 the distributor is shown as a concentric perforate tube [3a within the drum con- 3 nected, through a seal in the lid, with the inlet pipe I4, there being between the tube and the drum a concentric perforate cylindrical wall H. The annular space between the latter and the drum communicates with the return pipe l5, and the tube We and wall I! serve for directing the flow of the fluid between fur skins stacked, as indicated at l5a, with their planes horizontal, on the bottom of the drum and in the annulus between the said tube and perforate wall.

The circulatory system can include any suitable fluid pump (not shown) for delivering the fluid at a sufficient pressure to overcome the resistance to fluid flow offered by the fur skins and to provide a circulation at a desired speed.

In the form or" the apparatus illustrated by Figure 3 the container I la is rectilinear and has end compartments formed by flat perforate walls l8, is spaced from the adjacent end wall. Fluid for the treatment is to be delivered, from a reservoir by a pump, into one of these compartments, which acts as a distributor, and the other compartment acts as a collector for the fluid to be returned to the reservoir.

In the example shown there are two separate reservoirs 2t, 2! for two fluids to be used (although, obviously, there could be more than two) and for selective connection to the intake of the pump 22 (which can be driven from an electric motor 23) cocks. There may be other cocks whereby a drain outlet 24 from the container may be put into communication with the pump inlet and the contained fluid be returned to the appropriate reservoir at the conclusion of each step in the treatment.

For circulating fluid from reservoir 2| through the chamber Ha, the

cooks

25, 26 and 21 are opened (all others being closed) and the fluid is circulated through the pipe 28, the pump and the

pipes

29, 30 to the container, and from the latter back to the reservoir through the pipes 3| and 32. If desired, and when the chamber and associated pipes are full of the fluid, cocks 25 and 21, can be closed and a cook 33 in the drain outlet 24 be opened, so as to connect the pump and chamber in a closed circuit.

At the end of that phase of the treatment, the cook 26 can be closed, and cooks 34 and 35 opened to empty the container, the fluid being pumped back to the reservoir 2| through the

pipes

29 and 36 for subsequent re-use. When it is desired to drain the reservoir, that can be done by opening the cock 3'! in a drain pipe 38.

Similarly, with

cocks

39, 25 and 40 open (all other cocks being closed), fluid from reservoir 20 can be circulated through the pipes 4| and 28, the pump, the chamber, and back to the reser-- voir 20 through the pipes 3i and 42. As before, the chamber and pump can then be connected for circulating the fluid in a closed circuit by closing the cocks 39 and 4!], and opening the by setting appropriately-disposed cally controlled), not shown, may be installed in the container, or at any desired point of the circulatory system, for enabling the process to be carried out under complete control.

For drying the skins at any appropriate stage of thetreatment the interior of the container can be put into communication, by opening a cook 45, with the inlet of an air-exhaustion pump 46 so that, in conjunction with heaters, the fur skins can be subjected to the conjoint drying influence of heat and sub-atmospheric pressure. Also, the pump 45 can be used for Withdrawing noxious vapour, due to any liquor used in the treatment, from the container.

Obviously, the operation of the apparatus for a complete drying process could be rendered automatic by arranging for the various cocks to be operated by a time-controlled mechanism.

It will be seen that by the invention it is possible to place a plurality of fur skins in the container, arranged in the prescribed manner, and to conduct the successive steps of the dyeing process without removing the skins between each successive step. In carrying out the complete dyeing process each fluid to be used would be circulated through the skins and, after it had done tory system would be connected to a supply of the fluid requisite for the next step.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the container lib is an upright cylinder, and one of the dis tributors is a centrally-arranged pipe 5|] (which may be perforated) of which an open upper end terminates short of the closed top of a perforated, upright, frusto-conical shield 5| which is supported from the pipe by

spiders

52, 53. The other distributors is a helically coiled pipe 54 arranged to be near the inner periphery of the container and to extend from near the bottom to near the top of the latter, and this pipe has perforations (some of which are indicated at 55) which are directed radially-inwardly. These two distributors have a common supply pipe 56 at the bottom of the container, and there is a valve 51 of which the movable member can be adjusted, as by the handle 58, for putting either distributor or both of them into communication with the supply pipe. The perforations, from one end to the other of either or both distributors, can be of different sizes so as to secure equalisation of the pressure of the re-agent delivery at all levels in the container, and the distributors can be fed from the pump through a pressure reducing means.

The supply pipe 56 communicates, through a cock 59, with the output side of a circulating pump 22a which is driven by an electric motor 23a, and the pump inlet communicates, through a pipe 60 and one of the cocks BI and. 62, with the outlet from either of two-reagent reservoirs 20a, 21a. The tops of these reservoirs communicate, through pipes 83, 64 which are respectively controlled by cocks 65, 66, with an overflow outlet 61 near the top of the container. Also at the and the pump for circulating a re-agent whilst the other reservoir is being drained and re-filled in preparation for the next step. Also, when the pump is a reversible one, the re-agent can be pumped from the bottom of the container back into the bottom of the appropriate reservoir for re-use.

The container may be provided with an agitating basket 1'! of a suitable material for the skins. As shown the top of the basket has a radial flange 18 by which it is rotatively supported from a ledge 19, with an interposed bearing 80. An electric motor 8|, mounted on the outside of the hermetically-sealing cover 82, has its shaft 83 extending through a gland 84 in the cover and carries a laterally extending bar 85 to engage between diametrically opposed pairs of abutments 86 on the flange 19 for driving the basket.

A fan 81, driven by an electric motor 88, can deliver drying air through a pipe 89, controlled by a cook 90, to the container when the supply of liquid re-agent has been cut ofi from the container and the latter has been drained. By suitably setting the cocks the drying air can be conducted away from the container through the drain pipe 16 and thus safely carry ofi noxious vapour.

The various cocks can be operated, in a timed cycle, by any suitable time control means whereby a complete process (i. e., successive steps for degreasing, washing, mordanting, dyeing and rewashing the skins) can be carried out automatically.

The overflow outlet 61 preferably includes a filter 9|, and thermometers 92, heaters (not shown), and any other desired instruments or devices (e. g., pressure gauges) can be arranged in suitable positions in the apparatus.

The whole apparatus can be enclosed in a cabinet 93 having a panel 94 displaying, for example, the dials 95 of the instruments employed and indicators for showing the particular step of a process being carried out and any other information it is necessary for the operator to have.

The modification shown in Figure 6 involves supplying the two injectors from separate supply pipes 56a, 5622 through a change-over valve 96, which latter can connect either of them with an additional return pipe 91 to the pump. In this case a cook 98 isolates the tanks 20a, 2| a and the fluid enters the container by one distributor and, with cock 99 open, leaves by the other in a continuous circulation.

Obviously instead of there being two re-agent reservoirs there could be more (or even one) dependently upon the number oi re-agents to be used, and it will be seen that by appropriately setting the valves, the heaters, the time control device, etc., it is possible to treat the skins under strict control according to their typical requirements, and to do that without any necessity for handling them between successive steps of the complete process.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 01' the United States is:

1. The method of subjecting fur skins to the action of a fluid in a dyeing process which consists in arranging the skins in a stack, the flesh side of one skin abutting the flesh side of its adjacent skin and. the fur side of one skin contacting the fur side of one of a pair of skins stacked flesh side to flesh side, sealing the mutually presented flesh sides of each pair of skins in the stack by compressing the stack but, due to the fur, leaving a path for fluid flow between each pair of mutually presented fur sides, and introducing and forcing the fluid to flow along said path between the fur sides from one side of said stack to the other.

2. The method of subjecting fur skins to the action of a fluid in a dyeing process which consists in arranging the skins in a stack, the flesh side of one skin abutting the flesh side of its adjacent skin and the fur side of one skin contacting the fur side of one of a pair of skins stacked flesh side to flesh side, sealing the mutually presented flesh sides of each pair of skins in the stack by compressing the stack but, due to the fur, leaving a path for fluid flow between each pair of mutually presented fur sides, introducing and forcing the fluid to flow along said path between the fur sides from one side of said stack to the other, and then discontinuing the fluid flow and finally forcing air along said paths for accelerating the drying of the fur skins.

PAUL POSER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 952,703 Glasel Mar. 22, 1910 1,230,667 Carr June 19, 1917 1,809,909 Pierini June 16, 1931 2,171,277 Ohsman Aug. 29, 1939 2,321,775 Sartakofi June 15, 1943 2,414,955 Karten Jan. 28, 1947 2,426,372 Poser Aug. 26, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Tuck article in Journal Soc. Dyers and 001., August 1949, pages 386 to 389.

Claims

1. THE METHOD OF SUBJECTING FUR SKIN TO THE ACTION OF A FLUID IN A DYEING PROCESS WHICH CONSISTS IN ARRANGING THE SKINS IN A STACK, THE FLESH SIDE OF ONE SKIN ABUTTING THE FLESH SIDE OF ITS ADJACENT SKIN AND THE FUR SIDE OF ONE SKIN CONTACTING THE FUR SIDE OF ONE OF A PAIR OF SKINS STACKED FLESH SIDE TO FLESH SIDE, SEALING THE MUTUALLY