Patent GB-190416542-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the Method of and Means for Working or Dressing Textile Fibres, especially Silk and the like
Inventor: MELLOR ARTHUR
Filed: 1904-07-27
Granted: 1905-06-22
Abstract: 16,542. Mellor, A., and Villy, J. July 27. Silk-dressing machines.-The advantages of the flat and the circular frames are combined. The tufts of silk or other fibres are held between boards which are gripped in carriages 1, Fig. 1, running on rails 4<11>, and worms 3 on a central shaft 3 above engage racks on the carriages to traverse them in succession through the first machine so that the depending tufts are acted upon first from one side by an endless chain 15 of combs 14 travelling in the same direction as, and at a greater speed than, the carriages, and then from the opposite side by a chain 16 of combs travelling in the opposite direction to the carriage. The carriages next pass into apparatus which turns them over to bring the dressed tufts on top, and then into a turntable, by which they are directed into a cross-channel where the tufts are reversed. Another turntable then directs the carriages into a second machine, where they are first turned over by apparatus to bring the uncleaned tufts below and then subjected to chains of combs as in the first machine. Another cross-channel and similar turntable and turn-over apparatus are arranged at the opposite ends of the two machines, and bogies mounted on rails are arranged beyond each end of each machine to receive the carriages for removal and supply of fresh tufts. The chain 16 of combs is cleaned by a revolving brush 42, from which the waste is taken by the chain 15 of combs, and a revolving brush 43 cleans these combs and is stripped by one of two drums 44, 44<1> which are mounted on vertical spindles and brought into action alternately. When a stripper is filled with fibres, it is turned about its vertical spindle as in the case of stripper 44, thus disengaging the gearing, and the lap is then cut across and drawn off by the rollers 67. The brush 42 may be provided with independent stripping-apparatus. The bars 14, Fig. 5, carrying the teeth 14<1> are secured to slightly wedge-shaped bars 23 so that the teeth of each bar gradually penetrate the tufts, and the bars 23 are connected to the chains by plates 24, and are yieldingly supported in chairs 25 provided with runners 26 travelling on slightly-inclined guide-rails 27 so that the teeth gradually penetrate deeper into the tufts. Springs 31 between the bars 23 and chairs 25 permit the bars to yield in case the teeth meet with excessive obstruction. The boards holding the tufts are gripped in the carriages between cross-bars 32, 32<1>, Fig. 8, which are linked by bars 33, 33', with spring connections 32<11> at one or both cross-bars, to blocks 34 fixed at each end of a cross spindle 35. A hand lever with a spring locking-device is provided on the spindle 35, and a spring stud bearing against the cam-ended boss of the lever prevents it from flying up when the locking-device is released to turn the spindle. Each turn-over apparatus is constructed with a table 81, Fig. 12, carrying projecting arms 80, and in pasing a carriage into the machine, it is moved along rails 73 until the wheels pass between the table and lower arm 80. Towards the end of this movement, a pin 82 on the carriage acts through levers and links 83, 84, 85, and 86 to turn a loose cam on a spindle 88 so as to disengage a pawl 89 from a ratchet-wheel 90 on the spindle, thereby allowing a weighted chain 91 to rotate it and cause a clutch lever 93 to engage a driven wheel 94 with a wheel 95 formed with a disc 96 which is fixed to a shaft 96<1>. A shaped disc 97 on the table shaft 81<1> is normally held steady by the circumference of the disc 96, but at two opposite positions this disc is cut away and segments of teeth are provided which engage a wheel on the shaft 81<1> and rotate the table through half a revolution. At the end of such a movement a face cam 100 on the disc 96 acts on a weighted lever 89<11> carrying the pawl 89 so as to turn the spindle 88 and disengage the wheel 94. The carriage is thus carried into line with the rails 4<11>, and is moved into engagement with the traversing-worm 2 by a curved spring-arm 101, which is turned about its pivot by gearing from a spindle 102 rocked by a cam on the back of the disc 96. The carriage may be drawn out quickly from the turn-over apparatus at the delivery ends by driving the pinions engaging the carriage racks through ratchets so that they may be over-run, and these pinions are carried in weighted levers to facilitate the engagement of the teeth.