Paddle dyeing apparatus for textile goods

Claim 1

A TEXTILE PADDLE DYEING APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE READILY LOADED WITH UNDYED TEXTILE GOODS FROM ONE SIDE AND IN WHICH THE UNLOADING OF GOODS AFTER DYEING FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE IS FACILIATED, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: AN OPEN TOP VAT ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A DYE LIQUOR AND HAVING FRONT AND BACK WALLS, A FORAMINATED BASKET ADAPTED TO CONTAIN THE GOODS AND HAVING FRONT AND BACK WALLS, SAID BASKET HAVING A SHAPE SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORMING TO THE INTERIOR CONFIGURATION OF SAID VAT AND BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THE UPPER EXTREMITY OF ITS FRONT WALL TO THE UPPER EXTREMITY OF THE FRONT WALL OF SAID VAT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BASKET OVER A RANGE OF POSITIONS FROM A NORMAL POSITION WITHIN SAID VAT TO AN EXTENDED POSITION OUTSIDE AND ABOVE SAID VAT, AN ELONGATE SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BASKET AND EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE FRONT WALL THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF PADDLES MOUNTED AROUND SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH AND EXTENDING ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF FOR AGITATING THE GOODS DURING DYEING, A MOTOR CARRIED BY SAID BASKET FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATING THE SAME, AND FLUID PRESSURE OPERABLE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BASKET AND INCLUDING A FLUID CYLINDER WITH A PISTON ROD NORMALLY POSITIONED IN RETRACTED POSITION WITHIN THE CYLINDER AND ADAPTED TO BE EXTENDED THEREFROM FOR PUSHING SAID BASKET UPWARDLY TO DESIRED POSITIONS BETWEEN SAID NORMAL AND EXTENDED POSITIONS, WHEREBY THE RETRACTED POSITION OF SAID PISTON ROD PROTECTS THE SAME AGAINST DYE LIQUOR DURING THE DYEING OPERATION.