US2982676A

US2982676A - Process and agent for cleaning natural and synthetic fibres

Info

Publication number: US2982676A
Application number: US703267A
Authority: US
Inventors: Boer Arpad
Original assignee: BANCROFT BRILLOTEX INTERNAT S
Current assignee: BANCROFT BRILLOTEX INTERNAT S; Bancroft-Brillotex International S A
Priority date: 1957-12-17
Filing date: 1957-12-17
Publication date: 1961-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1978-05-02

Description

zsszms PROCESS AGENT roR CLEANING NATURA AND SYNTHETIC FIBRES Arpad Boer, Buenos' Aires, Argentina, assigngr to Bancroft-Brillotex, International S.A., Montevideo, Uruguay, a corporation of Uruguay d a No Drawing. Filed Dec. 17, 1957, Ser. No. 703,267

4 Claims. (Cl. 134-7) States Patent and then by tests conducted under practical conditions,

may be considered as ideal due to the detersive action.

This invention deals with the employment, as a detergent substance, ofa flour, bran or a milling product of grains of-all kinds and especially of cereals or farinaceous seeds which, milled in a grade greater than that of rapidity of its impalpability, but smaller than that of granulated, acquire a special adherent .power for wool or 'fibre grease which is submitted to cleaning; the detergent having a special activityprincipally dueto'its absorbing and adsorbing power on the waxy or other contaminant substances accompanying these fibres.

The reason why cereals act thus is deduced by the extraordinary hygroscopicity of theseed when it has been crumbled, for, as it has been proved, when they are crumbled and subdivided, each of its faces represents an absorbing surface of great hygroscopic power; and if to this is added'the rasping action effected by the scale of the resulting crumbling of the film which covers the pulp,'the conclusion reached is that the detergent function is-complete, so much so that if the detergent powder is put in intimate contact with the wool or other fibres,

Worthy of comment is the consequence which results from the process so that industrially it is economical and practical, for the grease not being harmful for animals, after the cereal powder has performed its action, it is perfectly usable as food forpoultry, swine, cattle, etc, which means that if bran or rniddlingsvare employed, being the residue of the milling, after being prepared in particles greater than impalp-able flour and smaller than the granulated type, the detergent does not represent any expense whatsoever in the industrial development as it is fully recuperated, with the advantage of offering it to animals with a greater feeding power.

0n the other hand, if dealing with the cleaning of wool and the lanoline is to beprofitably used, there is no 2,982,676 retreated Ma 2, 1961 ice difiiculty, in doing so, for with solvents the same may be easily extracted without affecting the powdered material which may again be used in thecleaning process, or else destined for the feeding of animals. j

Apart from what has been stated, there are several objects attained by the present invention, amongst which may be stated the fact of obtaining a complete cleaning, resulting in the whitening or natural color of the woo or fibres submitted tothe process; 1

Another object of the invention is that of being able to condition the fibres at the same time that the cleaning takes place, for due to friction in contact with the detergent powder, rollers or tract-ion bands can be employed resulting in parallel orientation of the filaments after this operation. 3

Another object is that of cleaning in a dry state, without the detergent powder employed representing a danger to the health of the workmen employed in this task, for even if said powder may remain in suspension within the working space, the same is, inoffensive to the'respira-tory organs. I

The other objects of this invention will be shown throughout the development of the same, whilst for greater clearness the following non-limitative examples are given below: 1 Example I The dirty wool or hair of the animal is opened or carded by the usual means, eliminating as for as possible all the loose earth it may contain. 7

Previously, a detergent powder is prepared from seeds or grains, especially those of cereals such as wheat, maize, barley,.rye, oats, rice,.etc'. Said powder is ground as a grain which is of greater size than an impalpable powder, but of smaller size than a granulated material, which means that it is a perfectly palpable powder.

With this detergent material the wool or'fibres are treated, submitting them to a vigorous friction, so that due to. its absorptive or adsorptive' power the powder collects the grease in a progressive manner in order to carry out its detersive function.

5 In spite of the fact that the treatment is eifected with palpable grains and notwithstanding the presence of starch or flours, no passing of the detergent powder with the Wool or fibres treated occurs, which'means that with beatings, blowings, aspirations or other violent means, the used .powder may be easily, eliminated so as to leave the fibres white or in their natural color. l

Example II v d A detergent powder ispreparedfrom cereals, excepting starch, in such a manner that there remains only the bran and other particles resulting from the crumbling of the grains. 1

Said bran, considered as sub-products of cereals, is milled or sifted so as to obtain small scales or particles somewhat greater in .size than an impalpable flour, but smaller than the granulated grain.

Under these conditions the detergent powder is mixed with the wool or animal hair so that through friction and rubbing in a repeated process, the complete extraction of grease is obtained, until the fibres are perfectly clean and in their natural color after removal of the powder which may be recuperated or destined for animal consumption. a Example II] By carding means the wool is opened and defibred to its maximum grade until it acquires the character of a tergent powder must be based on seeds or grains, especially of cereals, milled to a size greater than impalpable but smaller than granulated.

Mixed with said material the fibres are submitted to a rubbing 'which' is repeated through friction elements. When this cleaning process is'complete, the fibres are submitted to beatings, blowings or aspiration to remove the powder, the fibres remaining perfectly clean.

Example IV A detergent powder is prepared from seeds or grains, especially those of cereals sueh' as wheat, maize, barley, rye, oats, rice, etc. I Said powder is ground as a grain which is larger than an impalpable powder, but of a lesser size than granulated, which means that it is a perfectly palpable powder.

Cotton waste was sorted to free it of its non-fibrous materials; the non-ferrous materials were removed by hand while magnets were used to remove ferrous type materials.

The detergent powder is mixed with the cotton waste on one or more of the following: an opener, picker, card or garnett; so that through friction and rubbing the grease is extracted, leaving the cotton waste in perfectly clean condition.

The detergent powder is recovered and is reused several times.

' Example V Linen waste is treated as in Example IV with satisfactor-y grease removal.

Example VI Jute waste is treated as in Example IV with satisfactory grease removal.

. Example V Il Regenerated cellulose rayon waste is treated as in Example IV with satisfactory grease removal.

. 4 .f' and subsequently moving the mass of the dirty fibres and cleaning agent and progressively pulling the individual fibres lengthwise of each other throughout the mass while orienting the fibres parallel to the direction of movement so as to rub them and the cereal particles against each other.

2. The process of cleaning :and orienting a random mass of dirty fibres which comprises formingthe fibres into a continuous batt, mixing the dirty fibres a cleaning agent consisting essentially of cereal grains in the form of palpable particles of dimensions larger than impalpable but smaller than granulate and subsequently moving the batt of the dirty fibres and cleaning agent and progressivelypulling the individual'fi-bres. lengthwise cf each other throughout thebatt while orienting the fibres parallel to the direction of movement so as to rub them and the cereal particles against each other.

3. The process of cleaning and orienting a random mass of dirty fibres which comprises forming a 'thin' veil of thed-irty fibres, mixing with the dirty fibres a cleaning agent consisting essentially of cereal grains in the form of palpable particles of dimensionslarger than impalpa-ble but smaller than granulate and subsequently moving the veil of the dirty fibres and cleaning agent and progressively pulling the individual fibres lengthwise of each other throughout the veil while orienting the fibres parallel to the direction of movement so as to-rub them and-the cereal particles against each other.

4. The process of cleaning and orienting a random mass of dirty fibres which comprises mixing with the dirty fibres a cleaning agent consisting essentially of cereal grains in the form of palpable particles of dimensions larger'than impalpable but smaller than granulate which will adsorb and absorb the dirt from the fibres and subsequently moving the mass of the dirty fibres and cleaning agent and progressively pulling the-individ- The process of the invention is equally applicable to spinning room sweeps, card sweeps and weaving room sweeps, as well as mixtures of any of the fibres and wastes herein named.

The present application is a continuation'in-part of ual fibres lengthwise of each other throughout the mass while orientingt'he fibres parallel to the direction of movement so as to rub them'and-the cereal particles against each other and-causing the cereal particles to adsorb and absorb the dirt from the fibres and then forcibly removing the palpable particles 'with their adsorbed and absorbed dirt. i

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,824,105 Truax Sept, 22, 1931 2,384,458 Dubay Sept. 11, 1945 2,462,982 MacCleanetal Mar. 1,1949

FOREIGN PATENTS I 24,856 Great Britain Feb; 20, 1901

Claims

1. THE PROCESS OF CLEANING AND ORIENTING A RANDOM MASS OF DIRTY FIBRES WHICH COMPRISES MIXING WITH THE DIRTY FIBRES A CLEANING AGENT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF CEREAL GRAINS IN THE FORM OF PALPABLE PARTICLES OF DIMENSIONS LARGER THAN IMPALPABLE BUT SMALLER THAN GRANULATE AND SUBSEQUENTLY MOVING THE MASS OF THE DIRTY FIBRES AND CLEANING AGENT AND PROGRESSIVELY PULLING THE INDIVIDUAL FIBRES LENGTHWISE OF EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE MASS WHILE ORIENTING THE FIBRES PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT SO AS TO RUB THEM AND THE CEREAL PARTICLES AGAINST EACH OTHER.