Flattening, and Winding or Reeling Emery or Glass Cloth or Paper or other Flexible Material in Long Lengths.
Year: 1885

page_text: Flattening, and Winding or Reeling Emery or Glass Cloth
or Paper or other Flexible Material in Long Lengths.
We, ARCHER EDWARDS, and RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, both of Curtain Road
in the County of Middlesex Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING,
FLATTENING, AND WINDING OR REELING EMERY OR GLASS CLOTH OR PAPER OR
OTHER FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN LONG LENGTHS" to be as follows:-
Our invention relates more especially to Emery or glass cloth or paper made in
long lengths, but it may be applied also to wall or printing papers or other such
flexible material, which it is required to flatten and wind or reel easily in rolls.
Supposing our invention to be applied to Emery or glass cloth which is inade
in long lengths and in the process of manufacture is hung up to dry in folds
suspended from racks or rollers, and which it is then necessary to reel so as to form
rolls, it is found that such material when dry is somewhat stiff and inflexible,
especially laterally, and that it is difficult or impossible to straighten it so that
when wound or reeled its edges are uniform and even, its tendency in winding
being to project irregularly at its sides or edges which are liable to be damaged if
the material when flat is forcibly pressed or guided laterally for the purpose of
bringing its edges into a true and even line.
Our invention has for its objects improvements in machinery or apparatus by
which the straightening and reeling is easily, quickly, and effectually accomplished.
We take a framework or support consisting preferably of two vertical parallel
frames, of metal or other suitable material held together by stays, and across
between these frames at their upper ends we arrange a strong shaft upon which is
fitted and firmly fixed so that it cannot revolve a cylinder or drum of considerable
diameter, and of a length somewhat greater than the width of the material to be
operated upon. In front of this drum we fix a board or guide up which the
material is drawn in the way hereinafter described, from a box in which it has
been stored, or from the floor, or from the racks themselves upon which it has
been dried.

page_text: The guiding board may be hinged so that it can be turned up out of the way
when required, and it has high parallel sides or edges somewhat wider apart than
the width of the material, which sides guide and tend to straighten the edges of
the material, which passes over the upper side of the fixed druin and round the
latter to its lower side and thence to a reel revolving in bearings in the lower part
of the frame, round which reel it is wound as the reel is made to revolve by steam
or other convenient power.
For a sufficient part of its upper circumference the drum is fitted with parallel
projecting flanges between which the material is drawn, and these flanges being
fixed at a distance apart very slightly greater than the width of the material, the
latter is straightened by the pressure of its edges against the flanges, and is delivered
from the drum to the winding reel with its edges properly straightened so that when
wound upon the reel they lie perfectly true. The lateral pressure against the edges
of the material being applied when the latter is stretched round the curved surface
of the drum, is capable of giving sufficient force to straighten the material without
injury or bending up the edges as would be the case if it were attempted to force
them laterally whilst they were lying upon a flat surface.
The part of the drum opposite the roller (hereinafter described), may be made
removeable, so as to facilitate the replacement of the covering as it wears; and the
part of the drum which is not passed over by the material may be left open, and
the ends of the covering can be more conveniently fastened.
In order to keep the material in sufficiently close contact with the drum whilst
it is passing over the latter, we arrange a transverse shaft or bar across the machine
above the drum, and to this bar we hinge or pivot a frame of cast iron or other
suitable material the outer end of which is provided with bearings carrying a roller
which presses down the material against the drum below. The frame also carries
between the roller and the bar upon which it is pivotted as described two or more
bars parallel with the axis of the drum, their lower side being somewhat rounded
and coming (when the roller is pressed down) within a short distance of the surface
of the moving material which is thus kept down and prevented from rising or
buckling.
.
When desired, the frame with the roller and bars can be raised from the material
for the purpose of introducing or adjusting the latter, and it is preferably partly
balanced so as to be readily so raised when desired. The frame can be held down.
with any desired pressure by adding or removing weights from it, or by altering the
position of the balance weight, and the roller, which is preferably covered with
leather, india rubber, or other sufficiently soft and elastic material, is provided with.
friction brakes by which it is prevented from revolving two freely.
Where the edge of the material is very much curled up, we sometimes arrange
lateral curved guides between which it passes so as to be gradually straightened or
flattened to some extent, before it passes between the flanges upon the drum as
already described. Or where very thin paper is.being treated, the curled-up edges
may be so flattened down by a blast of air directed upon them from a fan or other
convenient source.
..
Before passing from the drum to the winding, reel as already described, we
preferably make the material pass over a roller revolving in bearings carried by a
lever or levers the outer ends of which' are provided with balance weights so that
the roller is pressed up against the drum with any desired force.
And in order that the reels upon which the straightened material is wound may
be readily and quickly removed and replaced, we prefer to arrange at each side of
the machine a circular flange of sufficient diameter, the material being wound
between these two flanges. The flange at one end has an axis which revolves in
the frame of the machine, and is driven by means of a belt from a shaft above the
machine, and the flange at the other end runs loose upon or in a bearing in the
opposite frame. The two flanges have a radial groove or notch froin their circum-
ference to the centre, down which notches a spindle or axis or axle can be dropped

page_text: upon which the material is to be wound, and the loose flange is capable of being
moved endways for a short distance by a lever or screw, so that when the spindle
has been inserted as described the flange is moved endways and the ends of the
spindle enter central holes in the flanges, their extremities being square or of such
shape that when the flange is made to revolve as described, it drives the spindle
and opposite flange and so draws the material through the machine and winds it as
already described.
When the reel is filled it can be readily removed by turning the grooves in the
flanges described and dropping the filled reel upon a platform at the bottom of
the machine, and a fresh spindle can then be substituted.
The machine is provided with wheels by which it can be readily brought to any
part of the floor where the material has been dried, the driving shaft above running
for the full width of the building, so that it can drive the machine, in whatever
position the latter may be fixed."

page_text: Flattening, and Winding or Reeling Emery or Glass Cloth
or Paper or other Flexible Material in Long Lengths.
We, ARCHER EDWARDS, and RICHARD JOHN EDWARDS, both of Curtain Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
drawing, that is to say :-
Our invention relates more especially to emery or glass cloth or paper made in
long lengths, but it may be applied also to wall or printing papers or other such
flexible material, which it is required to flatten and wind or reel easily in rolls.
Supposing our invention to be applied to Emery or glass cloth which is made
in long lengths and in the process of manufacture is hung up to dry in folds
suspended from racks or rollers, and which it is then necessary to reel so as to form
rolls, it is found that such material when dry is somewhat stiff and inflexible,
especially laterally, and that it is different or impossible to straighten it so that
when wound or reeled the edges are uniform and even, its tendency in winding
being to project irregularly at its sides or edges which are liable to be damaged if
the material when flat is forcibly pressed or guided laterally for the purpose of
bringing its edges into a true and even line.
Our invention has for its objects improvements in machinery or apparatus by
which the straightening and reeling is easily, quickly, and effectually accomplished.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention, figure 1 being a
side view shewing the action of the apparatus.
We take a framework or support consisting preferably of two vertical parallel
frames a of metal or other suitable material held together by stays where necessary
and across these frames at their upper end we arrange a strong shaft b upon which
is fitted and firmly fixed so that it cannot revolve a cylinder or drum or part of a
drum c of metal, or wood, covered with india rubber, leather, or other suitable
material of considerable diameter, and of a length somewhat greater than the width
of the material to be operated upon.
In front of this drum we fix a board or guide up which the material is drawn
in the way hereinafter described, from a box in which it has been stored, or from
the floor, or from the racks themselves upon which it has been dried.
The guiding board d may be hinged at i so that it can be turned up out of the
way when required, and it has high parallel sides or edges or two parallel sets
of pins f somewhat wider apart than the width of the material, which sides or pins
guide and tend to straighten the edges of the material e, which passes from the
board d over the upper side of the fixed drum c and round the latter to its lower
side and thence to a reel g revolving in bearings in the lower part of the frame
round which reel it is wound as the reel is made to revolve by steam or other
convenient power.

page_text: For a sufficient part of its upper circumference the drum is fitted with parallel
projecting flanges h between which the material is drawn and these flanges being !
fixed at a distance apart very slightly greater than the width of the material e the
latter is straightened by the pressure of its edges against the flanges h, and is
delivered from the drum c to the winding reel g with its edges properly straightened
so that when wound upon the reel they lie perfectly true.
The lateral pressure
against the edges of the material being applied where the latter is stretched round
the curved surface of the drum c, is capable of giving suflicient force to straighten
the material e without injuring or bending up the edges as would be the case if it
were attempted to force them laterally whilst they were lying upon a flat surface.
The part of the drum opposite the roller (hereinafter described), may be made
removeable, so as to facilitate the its removal as it wears; and the part of the drum
which is not passed over by the material may be left open as shewn, and the ends
of the covering can be more conveniently fastened there.
In order to keep the material in sufficiently close contact with the drum whilst
it is passing over the latter, we arrange a transverse shaft or bar i across the
machine above the drum c and to this bar we hinge or pivot a frame k of cast iron
or other suitable material the outer end of which is provided with bearings carrying
a roller which presses down the material e against the drum c below. The frame
also carries between the roller and the bar upon which it is pivotted as described
two or more bars m parallel with the axis of the drum, their lower side being
somewhat rounded and coming (when the roller is pressed down) within a short
distance of the surface of the moving material which is thus kept down and
prevented from rising or buckling.
When desired, the frame with the roller and bars can be raised from the material
round the centre i for the purpose of introducing or adjusting the latter, and it
may be partly balanced so as to be readily so raised when desired. The frame can
be held down with any desired pressure by adding or removing weights from it, or
by altering the position of the balance weight, and the roller t, which is preferably
covered with leather, india rubber, or other sufficiently soft and elastic material,
is provided with friction brakes by which it is prevented from revolving too
freely.
Where the edge of the material is very much curled up, we sometimes arrange
lateral curved guides between which it passes so as to be gradually straightened or
flattened to some extent, before it passes between the flanges upon the drum as
already described. Or where very thin paper is being treated, the curled up edges
may be so flattened down by a blast of air directed upon them from a fan or other
convenient source.
Before passing from the drum c to the winding reel g as already described, we
preferably make the material pass over a roller n revolving in bearings carried
by a lever or levers the outer ends of which are provided with balance weights so
that the roller is pressed up with any desired force.
And in order that the reels upon which the straightened material is wound may
be readily and quickly removed and replaced, we prefer to arrange at each side of
the machine a circular flange o, o¹, shewn in figure 2 of sufficient diameter, the
material being wound between these two flanges. The flange at one end has an
axis p which revolves in the frame of the machine, and is driven by means of a
belt from a shaft above the machine, and the flange o¹ at the other end runs loose
upon or in a bearing p¹ in the opposite frame. The two flanges have a radial
groove r, r, or notch from their circumference to the centre, down which notches a
spindle or axle s can be dropped upon which the material is to be wound, and the
loose flange is capable of being moved end ways for a short distance by a lever or
screw at t so that when the spindle has been inserted as described the flange is
moved end ways and the ends of the spindle enter central holes in the Banges, their
extremities being square or of such shape that when the flange is made to revolve
as described, it drives the spindle and opposite flange and so draws the material
through the machine and winds it as already described.

page_text: When the reel is filled it can be readily removed, and a fresh spindle can then be
substituted, by turning the grooves in the flanges downward and dropping the
filled reel upon a platform at the bottom of the machine.
The machine is preferably provided with wheels at by which it can be readily
brought to any part of the floor where the material has been dried, the driving
shaft above running for the full width of the building, so that it can drive the
machine, in whatever position the latter may be fixed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The method of straightening Emery or glass cloth or paper or other flexible
material by applying lateral pressure to its edge whilst it is stretched round a
curved surface, substantially as described.
2. The combination of the drum or part of a drum c, with the lateral flanges h,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn in the drawing.
3. The combination with the drum or part of the drum c and lateral flanges h,
of the hinged frame k, roller l, and bars m, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shewn in the drawing.
4. In combination with the drum c or part of a drum c, and flanges h, the roel o
and weighted roller n, substantially as described and shewn in the drawing.
5. In combination with the drum or part of a drum c and flanges the board d
having lateral guiding flanges or guiding pins f substantially as described and
shewn in the drawing.
6. The winding device consisting of the flanges o, o', having radial slots r, r',
and central holes square or of equivalent shape, and the screw or lever at t,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the drawing.
Dated this 5th day of Annil 100