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US 5,954,841 AGranted
Wool scouring
AssigneePrimary Applications Limited
InventorPeter William Beven
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved method for scouring wool. The method comprises differential heating of grease contaminants in the unscoured wool to at least partially liquefy the grease, absorbing the grease by the addition of a grease-absorbing material, and separating the grease-absorbing material from the wool. The method of the invention involves substantially less water consumption than current methods and is a more efficient means of producing wool.
Claims14
A process for scouring wool comprising the steps of
- (a) treating the wool by irradiation with microwave energy so as to cause at least partial liquefaction of grease contaminants present in the wool;
- (b) adding to the wool a material capable of absorbing liquefied grease contaminants in wool, wherein steps (a) and (b) can be carried out in any order;
- (c) mixing the wool and the grease-absorbing material such that at least some of the liquefied grease contaminants absorb to the material;
- and
- (d) separating the grease-absorbing material from the wool.
2 more elements
An apparatus for scouring wool comprising:
- (a) a treating means for generating microwave energy to cause at least partial liquefaction of grease contaminants present in the wool;
- (b) a vessel adapted to receive wool and a material capable of absorbing liquefied grease contaminants present in wool;
- (c) means for mixing the wool and grease-absorbing material in the vessel;
- and
- (d) means for separating the grease-absorbed material from the wool, wherein the treating means causes at least partial liquefaction of the grease contaminants when the wool is in the vessel, and the wool and the grease-absorbing material are mixed in the vessel by the mixing means such that liquefied-grease contaminants absorb to the material prior to separation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.