Means for Felting Spherical Articles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1895-Accepted, 29th June, 1895
Means for Felting Spherical Articles.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT of 67 Burley Lodge Terrace Leeds Depôt
Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to machinery adapted to felt or "mill" the seamless
envelopes of spherical articles, and more perticularly the articles described in
Specifications for Patents numbered 16053 of 1891, 24987 of 1893, 9707 of 1893,
and 8928 of 1893.
In carrying out my invention, I employ a rotating disc preferably of wood,
having radial grooves, and concentric semi-circular grooves in its upper surface.
I surround said disc with a series of circular receptacles, said receptacles are
fixed in position overhanging said disc, and midway relative to the outer semi-
circular groove, and are fitted with suitable lids.
Another part of this invention consists in two tables, both of which have a
series of semi circular grooves cut lengthways therein, said tables are superimposed
one upon the other, with the semi-circular grooves opposite each other; the upper
table is retained against longitudinal displacement by guides, and is free to vibrate
vertically; the under of said tables is reciprocated on rollers by means of a crank,
bell crank lever, and link connected to fixed bracket secured to underpart of said
table.
Dated this the Sixteenth day of August 1894.
THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT.
I THOMAS MARSDEN COCKROFT, of 67 Burley Lodge Terrace, Leeds, in the
County of York, Depôt Manager, 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 :-
My said invention relates to machinery for felting or milling the seamless
envelopes of spherical articles and more particularly such as those described in the
Patent Specifications No. 16053 of A.D. 1891, No. 8928 of A.D. 1893, No. 9707
of A.D. 1893, and No. 24987 of A.D. 1893.
The object of my said invention is to subject the articles to rapid rolling or
kneading motion in such a manner as to retain their spherical shape while being
milled.
This I accomplish by the use of reciprocating or rotating tables.
To explain my said invention I refer hereinafter to the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine having a reciprocating table.
a is the table reciprocating at right angles to the plane of the paper between
guides bb. The table is provided with channels and runs or slides on
rollers 62.
A bell crank lever c shown in side elevation in Figure 2 driven by a crank e¹ on
the main driving shaft underneath the machine imparts a reciprocating motion to
the tabla a

page_text: e
Instead of a crank an excentric and strap on a driving shaft at one end of the
table a to which the excentric strap is hinged may be used. A cover plate
having corresponding channels is placed over the spherical articles (which are
indicated by dotted lines) while the milling operation takes place. The cover is
occasionally lifted and the positions of the spherical articles chauged in order to
aid in the retention of the spherical shape.
Figure 4 illustrates a machine in which instead of a reciprocating table a
continuously rotating table g is used. The table g is mounted on a vertical spindle
driven by a belt and pulleys. Over the table is a fixed ring on which are
mounted brackets h¹ carrying one or more cylindrical receptacles ; just out of
contact with the rotating table.
The articles to be milled (indicated by dotted lines) are placed in the
receptacles and covered by the lids j¹. On the rotation of the table g the
articles in the receptacles which in this case rest by their own weight on
the table g are caused to dance roll and to beat against each other and the sides of
the receptacles j thus continually changing their points of contact with the table
with each other and with the receptacles. The table g shown in plan to a smaller
scale in Figure 3 has circular channels m corresponding to the longitudinal
channels in Figure 1 and has also radial channels n which aid in changing the
positions of the articles. The soapy water (or other liquid in which the balls are
soaked to aid the milling) escapes through pipe k.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A machine for milling spherical articles consisting of a channelled recipro-
cating table in combination with a channelled cover plate substantially as set forth
and shown with reference to Figure 1.
2. A machine for milling spherical articles consisting of a horizontal rotating
table in combination with one or more stationary receptacles substantially as set
forth and shown with reference to Figure 4.
Dated th day of May. 100%
E. T. WHITELOW, A.M. Inst. C.E.,
70 Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.