IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN FLAX, HEMP, Tow, SILK WASTE, CHINA GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Greenwood, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN FLAX, HEMP, Tow, SILK WASTE, CHINA GRASS,
AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Greenwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
October 1862.
I, THOMAS GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machine
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN FLAX, HEMP, TOW, SILK WASTE, CHINA
GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to the machines employed in the
dressing of waste silk and China grass. Hitherto the sheet carrying the
dressing combs has been driven at one uniform speed, and that a slow one, in
order that the combs should not tear or break away the material when first
brought under their operation.
Now the object of my improvement is to expedite the dressing operation
without injury to the material being dressed. This I propose to effect by
applying a variable speed to the comb sheet, and thereby increasing the speed
and action of the combs as the dressing process proceeds. This variable or
progressive speed can be accomplished either by means of a disc plate driving

page_text: a bowle, or by a pair of cones with a traversing strap varied in position
either by hand or by means of a self-acting motion, in conjunction with the
rising motion of the in-frame which holds the "books" or clamps in which
the materials to be dressed are secured. Or I apply two or more speeds to
the driving shaft of the machine, with a lever and clutches changeable by the
operator at pleasure. Or I combine the variable or progressive increase of
speed of the comb sheet with different speeds of the driving shaft for
expediting the dressing operation.
The second part of iny Invention relates to a novel method of fixing the
hackles, gills, or combs to the bars or fallers used in machines for preparing
such fibrous substances. Hitherto these gills have been rivetted or screwed
on the upper edge of the bars or fallers, by which process the bars or fallers,
are considerably weakened, in consequence of the holes for the rivets or screws
being drilled through them.
My improvement consists in fitting the combs or gills into a recess, say of
a dovetail-shape, cut in the bar or faller, so as to resist the pull of the
material when drawn through the combs or gills. The combs or gills can
then be held firmly in their places by soldering.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Greenwood in the Great Seal- Patent Office on the
22nd April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Greenwood, Her special license, that I, the said Thomas
Greenwood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the,
said Thomas Greenwood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,.
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN FLAX, HEMP, Tow, SILK WASTE, CHINA

page_text: GRASS, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Greenwood, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Greenwood, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The first part of my Invention relates to the machines employed in the
dressing of waste silk and China grass. Hitherto the sheet carrying the
dressing combs has been driven at one uniform speed, and that a slow one, in
order that the combs should not tear or break away the material when first
brought under their operation.
Now the object of my improvement is to expedite the dressing operation
without injury to the material being dressed. This I propose to effect by
applying a variable speed to the comb sheet, and thereby increasing the speed
and action of the combs as the dressing process proceeds. This variable or
progressive speed can be accomplished with more or less advantage in various
ways. Thus, I may use a disc plate driven by a bowle, or a pair of cones with
a traversing strap varied in position either by hand or by means of a self-
acting motion in conjunction with the rising motion of the in-frame which
holds the "books" or clamps in which the materials to be dressed are secured.
Or I may apply two or more speeds to the driving shaft of the machine, with
a lever and clutches changeable by the operator at pleasure. Or, I may
combine the variable or progressive increase of speed of the comb sheet with
different speeds of the driving shaft for expediting the dressing operation.
The arrangement, however, which I prefer is shewn in the accompanying
Drawing, where Fig. 1 represents so much of a silk dressing frame as is
necessary to explain this part of my Invention.
A, A, is the main framing of the machine; B is the driving shaft, supported
in suitable bearings attached to the framing A, A, and carrying a pair of belt
pullies at its outer end.. Keyed to the inner end of this shaft is a bevil wheel
which takes into a similar wheel on the lower end of a vertical shaft C, which
turns in bearings projecting from the main framing. This shaft C carries the
friction bowle D, the boss of which is fitted with a key that slides in a suitable
groove in this shaft. The use of this bowle is to drive by friction of contact a

page_text: disc plate E, which communicates motion to the endless sheet of combs
employed in dressing the waste silk. This disc plate E is mounted upon a
stud fixed in the framing A, and has a pinion upon its boss which takes into a
spur wheel F, also mounted on a stud fixed in the framing A. Upon the boss
of this wheel F is a pinion which takes into a spur wheel G, keyed to the axle
of the ordinary sheet roller H of the dressing frame. I is a vertical sliding
piece mounted in bearings attached to the framing A, and formed with a pro-
jection terminating in a fork which embraces the bosses, and thereby serves to
support the friction bowle D in position on its shaft C. On the opposite side
of this sliding piece I is a projection J, which extends over the in-frame K,
and is caught by this frame during its rising motion, and carried upwards with
it, thereby causing the friction bowle D to rise towards the centre of the disc
plate E, and impart an accelerated motion thereto, and consequently to the
sheet roller H and combs carried by the sheet. The in-frame K, which carries
(as is well understood) the "books" or clamps which hold the silk to be
dressed, is raised by the rotation of cams L up to the action of the combs, and
thus slowly rising reaches the projection J, and lifts the slide together with the
bowle D. The bowle thus raised gradually nears the centre of the disc E, and
thereby proportionately increases the speed of its rotation, which increased:
speed is communicated to the endless sheet of combs; the advantage of this
progressive accelerated speed being to pass the combs the more quickly.
through the silk as the combing and straightening process proceeds.
The second part of my Invention relates to a novel method of fixing the
heckles, gills, or combs to the bars or fallers used in machines for preparing
flax, hemp, or other fibrous substances. Hitherto these gills have been revitted
or screwed on to the upper edge of the bars or fallers, by which process the
bars or fallers are considerably weakened, in consequence of the holes for the
rivets or screws being drilled through them. My improvement consists in
fitting the combs or gills into a recess, say of a dovetail shape, cut in the bar
or faller, so as to resist the pull of the material when drawn through the
combs or gills. The combs or gills can then be held firmly in their places by
soldering.
Fig. 2 is a side view of a screw gill faller or heckle bar, shewing the recesses
cut out to receive the gills or heckles; Fig. 3 is a plan of the same, showing
the manner of cutting the dovetail recesses. Fig. 4 is a side view, showing
the gills or heckles soldered in their places; and Fig. 5 is an edge view of the
same.
The arrows show the direction in which the sliver is drawn, and the resist-
ance offered by the dovetail shape of the ends of the heckle or gill stock.

page_text: a, a, is the gill bar or faller; b, b, are the recesses cut to receive the heckles
or gills; and c, c, are the heckles or gills, which fit the recess, and are held
firmly in their places by soldering.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Machinery for Preparing to be Spun Flax, Hemp, Tow, Silk Waste, China
Grass, and other Fibrous Substances," and described one method of imparting
a gradually increasing speed to the dressing combs in silk dressing frames, I
wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to this plan, as the same
object may be accomplished by various mechanical contrivances; but what I
do claim under this first part of my Invention is, imparting a varied and
accelerated speed to the combs of silk dressing machines as the process
proceeds, for the purpose above described.
Under the second head of the Invention, I claim the mode above described
of fixing heckles, gills, or combs to the bars or fallers used in machines for
preparing to be spun flax, hemp, tow, silk waste, china grass, or other fibrous
substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Greenwood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
THOMAS GREENWOOD. (L.S.)