IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Sharp Bailey, of Keighley, in the County of
York, Woolcomber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 27th November 1857, and dated the 10th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Sharp Bailey, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th June 1857.
I, JOSEPH SHARP BAILEY, of Keighley, in the County of York, Wool-
comber, do. hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as
follows:-
8 My Invention relates to improvements in machinery for combing wool and
other fibrous materials, which in part has for its object to produce a combing
effect, such as that resulting from the apparatus.or machinery described in a
Patent granted to Joseph Sharp Bailey and Isaac Bailey, dated Nov 20th,
1851, and also in another Patent granted to the said Joseph Sharp Bailey,
dated Dec 17th 1853, in which a cycle or chain of taking combs take the
wool in tufts from a feeding head and draw or comb it out, & after lashing or
dressing the last end of the tufts, present and deliver such last end to drawings
off rollers, which, draw the tufts from the taking combs, and thereby comb out
that end of the tufts held in the taking combs. For this purpose, according

page_text: to my present Invention, I mount taking combs on a revolving frame or
frames, which receive and take wool and other fibrous material in tufts from
a feeding head or heads, and after carrying it a partial revolution, deliver it to
drawing off rollers, which (according to this first part of this Invention) are
supplied with an endless apron or other receiving surfaces on which an accu-
mulation of tufts are deposited, in order to form a lap or sliver; but according
to the second part of this Invention, I cause the taking combs so to act that
they each take a separate detached tuft or tufts from a feeding head or heads
and so dispose the tufts, that a continuous sliver shall be at once drawn off by
the drawing-off rollers. According to my third improvement, I mount taking
combs on a frame, which, although mounted on an axis, does not perform a
complete revolution in taking the tufts of wool or other fibrous material from
the feeding head or heads, and delivering them to the drawing-off rollers, but
performs simply a partial revolution and retrogrades at each time, taking one
or more tufts of fibrous material from the feeding head or heads, and deliver-
ing it to drawing-off rollers, and thus operating on the tuft or tufts of fibrous
material, as before mentioned. Instead of simply cleaning the last end of
the wool or fibrous material by drawing it from the feeding head, I some-
times further dispose cleaning surfaces between the feeding head and drawing-
off rollers, by contact with which the free end of the fibrous material is
further-cleaned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Sharp Bailey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
SHARP BAILEY, of Keighley, in the County of York, Woolcomber, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent- Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph
Sharp Bailey, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Sharp Bailey, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Sharp Bailey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,

page_text: 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 COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the con
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Sharp Bailey, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 Joseph Sharp Bailey, 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 three Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of improvements in machinery for combing wool and other
fibrous material relates to machinery which combs the wool or fibrous material
by means of taking combs taking the wool or other fibrous material in tufts
from a feeding head or heads, and after lashing or dressing the last ends of the.
tufts so drawn out, by passing them in contact with one or more card cylinders
or other cleaning surfaces, deliver the ends of the tufts so combed, carded, or
cleaned, by presenting the combed, carded, or cleaned ends to drawing-off*
rollers, which rollers draw the tufts from the taking combs and thereby comb
out that end of the tufts held in the taking combs, thus combing and cleaning
the tufts from end to end. For this purpose, according to my present Inven-
tion, I mount taking combs on a revolving frame, which receive and take
wool or other fibrous material in tufts from a feeding head or heads, and
after carrying it a partial revolution, deliver it to drawing-off rollers; which,
according to this first part of my Invention, are supplied with an endless
apron or other receiving surfaces on which an accumulation of tufts are
deposited in order to form a lap or sliver.
According to the second part of my Invention, I cause the taking combs so
to act that they each take a separate tuft or tufts from a feeding head or
heads, and so dispose the combs and tufts that a continuous sliver shall be at
once drawn off by the drawing-off.rollers.
According to my third improvement, I mount a taking comb or combs on a
frame, which, although mounted on an axis, does not perform a complete
revolution in taking the tuft or tufts of wool or other fibrous material from the
feeding head or heads and delivering it to the drawing-off rollers, but simply
performs a partial revolution and retrogrades, at each time taking one or more

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF PRAWDO
Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a lateral vertical section of a machine for
combing and cleaning wool and other fibrous material, arranged and con-
structed according to the first part of my Invention; Fig. 2 is a front view
of the same. This view represents the machine contracted in its breadth,
which may be extended to any suitable dimensions. A, A, are two plates
or wheels whose peripheries carry the combs B, B, which are fixed thereto,
and together constitute the comb frame. The circular plates A, A, are
mounted and fixed on a shaft C, which receives rotatory motion transmitted
by driving gear at a speed suitable for the purpose. The shaft C is mounted
in bearings a, a, on the side frames D, D, which are suitably stayed
together by stays b, b. The combs B represented are six in number,
and in the act of combing receive and take wool or other fibrous material
This feeding
from a feeding head E mounted on the frames D, D.
head is similar to ordinary plain feeding heads, and therefore need not be
described. The taking combs B take the fibrous material from the feeding
head, carry it a partial revolution of the frame A, A, and deliver it to the
drawing-off rollers c, c', which draw the fibrous material from the combs B,
combed and cleaned from end to end, as before mentioned. The driving gear
in Fig. 1 is represented only by the red circles representing the pitch lines of
the several wheels and pinions. The shaft F of roller c is the first mover,
and has the driving pullies (fast and loose) G, G, upon it. On the opposite
end of this shaft the pinion e is fixed, which gears into a stud wheel f, carrying
a pinion g, which gears into another stud wheel h, carrying a pinion i; this
pinion gears into the wheel k, fixed on the shaft C of the revolving frame.
The wheel k also gears into a stud wheel l, carrying a pinion m, which again
gears into a wheel n, mounted on the axis of one of the feeding head rollers.
The several feeding rollers are geared together in the usual manner, as seen
by the red pitch lines of the gear. The lower feeding roller has a toothed
wheel, as indicated by the red pitched line p, mounted on its axis; this wheel,
gears with an intermediate stud wheel q, which drives a wheel r fixed on the
I is a
axis of a card, comb, or brush cylinder H, herein-after referred to.
smooth endless apron of leather encircling the drawing-off roller c, and two
other rollers 8, s, which keep it distended in the triangular position, seen
in the section, Fig. 1. K, K, is another endless apron of cloth, mounted on
P

page_text: two rollers L, L, which apron receives the combed and cleaned material from
the apron I, and forms it into a lap. M is a rotatory brush or noil stripper,
whose shaft receives motion from the first mover by strap N and pullies o, o,
whereby it strips the noil left in the combs B after passing the drawing-off
rollers; P is a fanner or flapper, receiving rapid rotary motion from shaft F
by strap Q.and pullies R, R. This flapper acts on the last end of the fibrous-
material, as herein-after described. S, S, are moveable curved plates extend--
ing the breadth of the revolving frame, and forming, in fact, the periphery
thereof. These plates are light metal surfaces, fitted at each end and received
into grooves t, t, in the wheels A, A, as seen in Fig. 1, and also in the partial
section, Fig. 3. These plates S, as will be seen in Fig. 1, do not extend the-
whole distance from one comb B to the next, but leave an open space between-
the teeth of the comb and the edge of the plate, for the purpose of permitting
a free take of the fibrous material from the feeding head by the combs. These
plates have, however, a sliding motion towards and from the comb teeth, for
the purpose of retaining the wool in the comb teeth during a certain portion.
of the revolution of the comb frame. In order to communicate this sliding
motion to the plates S, I mount levers u, u, on axes v, v, carried by the arms.
of the wheel A. The levers u are connected by links w, jointed thereto.
and to the plates S. The levers u are mounted between the wheels A, A;
other short levers x are fixed on the axes v, which levers x carry truck rollers y.
The truck rollers y are received in stationary cam courses T, T, fixed to the-
end frames D, D. The arrangement of levers and cams above described is.
repeated, and coincide with each other at each end of the revolving frame.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The combs B, as they suc-
the arrow, take
cessively pass the feeding head in the direction indicated by
and detach tufts of wool or other fibrous material from the feeding head, with
the plates S in the position indicated at the upper part of the frame, as seen
in Fig. 1. The tuft so taken from the feeding head E by the comb B is
drawn out and straightened; it is then carried past and in contact with the
combing, carding, or cleaning cylinder H, which further straightens out, and
combs or otherwise cleans the last end of the tuft, it being at the time against.
the surface S, which at this part of the revolution is close up against the back
part of the comb B. The plate S¹, in advance of that comb, now begins to-
move in its grooves t, t, towards the comb B', by reason of its truck roller y¹
having entered towards the part of the cam T, which is of the lesser radius,
so that before the wool arrives at the fanner or flapper P, the edge of the
plate S enters between the teeth of the comb B', and prevents the fibrous
material being removed from the comb otherwise than by the drawing-off

page_text: rollers c, c¹. The flapper P having rapid rotary motion in the direction shown
by the arrow, the fibrous material on arriving opposite thereto is thrown
towards the apron I, which having also a comparatively quick motion, carries
the free end of the fibrous material up towards the drawing-off rollers, which
is nipped by them, and now becomes the first end of the tuft. The action of
the drawing-off rollers and apron I draws the cleaned portion of the
wool or other fibrous material from the comb B, and transfers it to the
apron K, on which it forms a lap to be removed at suitable intervals. The
further rotation of the comb frame A causes the plate S to retreat from
the comb teeth, by reason of the truck roller entering that part of the
cam race T of the larger diameter, which takes place before the comb which
has last delivered the wool to the drawing-off rollers arrives at the noil
stripper M. This stripper frees the noil from the comb, and the operation
is continued.
Instead of having only one feeding head two or more feeding heads may be
employed and disposed at different parts of the circumference of the revolving
frame; so that two or more detached tufts may be taken by each taking comb
at each revolution of the frame; and instead of using only one cleaning
cylinder or surface, one or more such cleaning cylinders or surfaces may be
applied to act on the last end of the fibrous material as it passes from
each feeding head.
The second part of my Invention relates to improvements in machinery for
combing wool & other fibrous material, in which the combs have such motion
imparted to them during their revolution, that although taking the wool or
other fibrous material from the feeding head or heads in detached tufts, yet
that they so dispose the tufts when acted on by the drawing-off rollers that a
continuous sliver is drawn off.
Sheets 2 and 3 represent this machinery or apparatus in detail. Fig. 4,
Sheet 2, represents the plan of the revolving wheel or frame A carrying the
taking combs, which, by preference, I place in a horizontal position. The
disc or frame A is mounted on a vertical shaft B, fitted in bearings on the
main frame C, which is separately represented in the side view, Fig. 5. Fig. 6
is a horizontal plan of the frame and wheelwork or driving gear, showing also
the framework of the several feeding heads and intermediate cleaning surfaces,
and Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the lines a b, bc, as viewed at right angles
to each of those lines; C, C, is the main cross frame before mentioned; to this
frame radial frames D, E, and F, are bolted; these radial frames carry
quadrant frames, forming together circular frames G, G, to which the feeding
head frames and bearings carrying the cleaning surfaces are affixed. The.

page_text: upright shaft B has a wheel M affixed on it, gearing into a pinion N, fixed on
an intermediate shaft P, which also carries a wheel Q. This wheel gears
into a pinion R, fixed on the. shaft S, which is the shaft of the drawing-off
rollers. This shaft carries a mitre wheel, gearing with another on the driving
shaft carrying the driving pullies (fast and loose), as seen dotted in Fig. 7:
On the revolving disc or frame A, a series of taking combs U, U, are mounted
on radial shafts T, T, fitted in bearings a, a, fixed to the frame A. These
combs are themselves each a portion of a circle of a radius corresponding with
their distance from the centre shaft B, so that when they assume a horizontal
position at one part of their revolution, they form together a portion of a circle,
which is the position they assume when the wool or other fibrous material is
being withdrawn from them. The taking combs U, U, also assume a vertical
position at another part of their revolution, in which position they receive and
take the tufts of wool from the feeding head or heads. The combs are held in
the above-mentioned horizontal and vertical positions by strong springs b,.b,
which are fixed to the plate or frame A at c, c. A square part d is formed on
the end of each shaft T, on which the free end of the spring 6 bears. This
pressure of the spring on the flat surfaces of the square d tends to keep the
combs U in either of the two positions mentioned, at the same time it gives
way to a superior farce when such is exerted to change the position of the
combs at the required times. V, V, are the several feeding heads, consisting
of frames e, e, fixed in a radial position to the upper and lower circular frames
G, G, and carrying the feeding rollers, as separately represented in side view,
Fig. 8. One of these feeding rollers fis of a concave form, suited to the
exterior form of the taking combs, while the other g is of a convex form,
adapted to press the fibrous material on to the surface of the roller f, which is
faced with card or other suitable material. The back rollers h, h, of the feeding
head are parallel, and are driven by communication with the front rollers
in the ordinary manner: The feeding rollers ƒ and g are overhung, as will be
observed in Figs. 7 and 8, the bearings of their shafts r, s, being both below
the rollers, they are driven from the central shaft B by the wheel j fixed
thereon, and intermediate stud wheels h', h', which communicate with wheel i
fixed on the shaft k. A corresponding wheel 2 is fixed on the lower end of
shaft k, which is intermediate of and drives the two shafts s, s, of the adjoining
feed heads, by toothed wheels y, y, fixed on these shafts, which motion is
transmitted to all the feeding heads by similar intermediate wheels , and
shafts, fitted to bearings m, m, as seen in the plan, Fig. 6, thus giving
motion to all the shafts s, s, of the concave feeding rollers. On the upper ends
of the shafts, I place card rollers, or other cleaning surfaces n, n, as seen in
'

page_text: the section, Fig. 7. These card rollers or surfaces are concave, to suit the
external form of the combs. The bearings of the feeding rollers are fixed in
their frames e, e, by suitable cotters p, and the back 'rollers are driven by the
toothed wheels t, t, fixed on the lower ends of the shafts s and u, the back
rollers being fluted, drive each other by frictional contact.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-Motion being given to the
revolving frame A in the direction of the arrow, and the wool or fibrous
material supplied to the several feeding heads, the taking combs, while in the
vertical position, begin to take the fibrous material from the first feeding head
of the series marked (1), carrying it past the first cleaning surface n, which
acts slightly thereupon, it then takes another tuft or portion of wool from the
second feeding head, which it also cleans by the second cleaning surface n in
succession; it subsequently passes and takes tufts or portions of fibrous
material from all the feeding heads 3, 4, 5, &c., cleaning such tufts by the
several intermediate cleaning surfaces described, until the necessary amount of
fibrous material is taken up by each comb U; during the whole of this time it
is in the vertical position, as seen in Figs. 4, 5, 7, and 8. After the comb
passes the last feeding head and cleaning surface of the series, it is caused to
change its position by one end v of a double arm on its shaft T, coming in contact
with a fixed cam or stop W, which causes it immediately to change from 'the
vertical to the horizontal position. (This cam W is fixed on a bracket raised
from the main frame, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6.) After passing this point, the
several combs abut against each other, and form together a portion of a circle,
in which position they advance towards the drawing-off rollers X, which are
fluted, and take hold of the cleaned end and draw it from the combs, and
form it into a continuous sliver. The combs, having passed the drawing
rollers; are stripped of the noil by a brush or other suitable stripping medium,
unnecessary to be described, after which they are ready again to assume the
vertical position, and take another supply of the fibrous material. The change
of position is effected by another stationary cam or stop Y, fixed to the circular
frame G, with which the opposite end w of the lever fixed on shaft T comes in
contact, and cants it at the proper time. Fig. 9 represents a detached view
of the cross lever v, w, and the stops W and Y, with the different positions
the lever v, w, and comb U are thereby caused to assume.
Instead of the number of feeding heads represented in the plan, Fig. 6,
being used, any other number may be employed, or two or more pairs of
drawing-off rollers may be used, with different sets of feeding heads for each
pair of drawing rollers, the cams and stops being also in duplicate, or increased
in number to cause the necessary changes of position in the taking combs.

page_text: The third part of my Invention relates to an oscillating apparatus, arranged
somewhat similar to the apparatus first herein described, but in which some of
the combs are dispensed with, and the comb frame is so actuated as to make
only a partial revolution; the comb or combs during such partial revolution
embrace the feeding head, cleaning surface, drawing-off rollers, and the noil
stripper, after passing which in succession the frame retrogrades, and again
takes another tuft or tufts from the feeding head to be similarly acted on.
The motions of the machine are adapted for the purpose, the gearing being
arranged independent of the oscillating comb frame, so as to obtain and permit
the oscillating and other motions required, as will be readily understood..
Instead of forming the taking combs U in the form of a segment of a
circle, they may be made straight, and at the same time mounted on radial
shafts T, as herein-before described; but in place of fixing these straight
combs rigidly to the shaft T, they must be jointed thereto, while these shafts
must have freedom of motion in their bearings towards and from the centre of
the revolving frame. The object in so fitting and mounting the combs, is to
permit them to follow a straight course while passing the drawing-off rollers.
In order to guide them in this straight course, I place a suitable guide in the
position required, and place two pins in the back part of the comb, which take
into and traverse such guide, groove, or course at the time of delivering the
wool or other fibrous material to the drawing-off rollers. The guide course is
trumpet-mouthed at one end, to permit easy access of the guide pins. In
other respects the combs are mounted as before, and assume the different
positions in taking and delivering the fibrous material as before described, in
order to produce a continuous sliver. The combs are sustained in their
several positions by such stops as may be required. Taking combs which
take the fibrous material in tufts and then change their position, so as to abut
end to end when delivering to the drawing-off rollers, may be mounted on an
endless chain or chains, instead of on a rotating frame, as described with
reference to the second part of my Invention. In this case the combs should
be straight, so that they may take up and deliver the fibrous material during
their passage along the straight part of the course of the endless chain or
chains. Such chain or chains are mounted on suitable chain wheels, as well
understood.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I desire it to be understood that I do not claim any of the
parts of the machinery herein-before described taken separately, nor do I
confine myself to the, precise details thereof, so long as the peculiar
characteristics of my Invention are retained. ; and I declare that what I

page_text: claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the arrangement and construction of machinery for the
purpose of combing wool and other fibrous material, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Sharp Bailey, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
JOSEPH SHARP BAILEY. (L.S.)
53, Chancery Lane, London.