Improvements in Machines for Lapping, Rolling, and Measuring Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left 11th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAI. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Lapping, Rolling, and Measuring
Textile Fabrics.
We, CAROLINE COOPER, JAMES COOPER, SQUIRE COOPER, and HENRY
COOPER, all of the Thomas Street Works, Radcliffe in the County of Lancaster,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to machines or apparatus for lapping rolling and measuring
textile fabrics, and its objects are to enable the apparatus to be more readily
adjusted, to provide for the easier and quicker removal of the cloth, and to ensure
more accurate measurements.
In a machine to which our improvements are applied two parallel swords or
lapped or rolled
blades are arranged in suitable rotary carriers, and the cloth
around them, or in some cases, a roller or stave may be employed in substitution
for the swords. In passing to the swords or to their substituted roller or stave,
the cloth passes over a measuring roller the motion of which by the cloth is utilised
to denote its length.
In carrying out our invention, when the parallel swords are used, we pivot the
sword ends nearer to the fast headstock upon two nut blocks mounted upon a right
handed and a left handed screw respectively cut upon a single rod, so that by
rotating the screw in one direction or the other the nut blocks and swords thereon
can be caused to approach towards or recede from each other. The right and left
handed screw is mounted in a suitable rotary carrier. The opposite ends of the
swords are bevelled or pointed and fit into corresponding recesses formed in nut
blocks mounted upon right and left handed screws similar to those already
described, and this right and left handed screw is mounted in a carrier upon a
spindle which is capable of rotary and longitudinal motion in a loose headstock.
The spindle is engaged with a locking lever capable of being moved horizontally
and engaged in any position. When it is required to remove a lapped piece of
cloth from the swords, the spindle is drawn back by the locking lever, thus
liberating the free ends of the swords, which being pivoted at the opposite ends,
may be closed together and moved through a considerable angle to free the cloth.
If a roller or stave be used in substitution for the swords, the right and left handed
screws and their nut blocks and carriers may be dispensed with. One end of the
roller or stave will be connected and rotated with the mandrel, and the other end
will be supported by the longitudinally moving spindle in the loose headstock.
Upon one side, and preferably on the forward side of the measuring roller we
arrange a drop roller under which the cloth is carried to the measuring roller, the
tension of the cloth supporting the drop roller in an elevated position in work. So
soon as the end of the cloth reaches the apparatus, the drop roller falls by gravity,
being no longer supported by the cloth, and throws the counting mechanism out of
gear, or alternatively, causes a brake to be applied to the measuring roller, so that
in either case the counting or measuring apparatus ceases to act immediately the
end of the cloth passes.
Dated this 9th day of January A.D. 1894.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Lapping, Rolling, and Measuring
Textile Fabrics.
We, CAROLINE COOPER, JAMES COOPER, SQUIRE COOPER, and HENRY
COOPER, all of the Thomas Street Works, Radcliffe in the County of Lancaster,
Engineers, 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 :-
This invention relates to machines or apparatus for lapping rolling and measuring
textile fabrics, and its objects are to enable the apparatus to be more readily
adjusted, to provide for the easier and quicker removal of the cloth, and to ensure
more accurate measurements.
We will describe our said invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:-
Figure 1 is a front view,
Figure 2 a plan, and
Figure 3 a sectional end view of a machine constructed to embody our
improvements.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, are diagrammatic representations of devices for releasing
or stopping the measuring mechanism.
In a machine to which our improvements are applied, two parallel swords A, are
arranged in suitable rotary carriers B B', and the cloth is lapped or rolled around
the swords. In some cases, a roller or stave may be used in substitution for the
swords. In passing to the swords or to their substituted stave or roller, the
cloth C, shewn by the dotted line, passes over a measuring drum D, the motion of
which by the cloth is utilised to denote its length.
In carrying out our invention when the parallel swords A are used, we pivot
those ends of the swords which are nearer to the fast head-stock E, upon two nut
blocks a a respectively fitted upon a right handed and a left handed screw thread
cut upon the rod F, so that by rotating the screwed rod in one direction or the
other, the nut blocks and the swords pivoted thereto can be caused to approach
towards or recede from each other: The screwed rod may be provided with squared
projecting ends for its rotation by a suitable key, and it is mounted in end bearings
in the rotary bracket or carrier B, fixed upon the back spindle G, upon which
spindle also the driving pulley P is mounted.
The opposite ends of the swords are bevelled or pointed and fit into corresponding
recesses formed in nut blocks a' a' fitted upon a right and left handed screwed
rod F mounted in the carrier B' fixed upon the end of the spindle G¹. The rotary
carriers, screws and nut blocks at the opposite ends of the swords are of similar
construction with the exception of the means for connecting the swords with the
nut blocks.
The spindle G is engaged with a locking lever L capable of being moved
horizontally and of being locked in any desired position. As shewn by the
drawings the lever is slotted and engaged between collars on the spindle by the set
screw. It is pivoted on the bracket K K, so as to be capable of horizontal
motion over the toothed sector S which it can be engaged with at any point by the
detent M.
When it is required to remove a lapped piece of cloth from the swords, the
spindle G¹ is drawn back by means of the lever L, thus liberating the free ends a' a¹
of the swords, which being pivoted at the opposite ende, may then be closed together

page_text: so as to free the cloth. If a roller or stave be used in substitution for the swords,
the screws FF' and their carriers B B' may be dispensed with. One end of
the roller or stave will be connected with the back spindle G, and the other will be
supported by the spindle G.
Upon one side and preferably upon the forward side of the measuring drum D,
we arrange a drop roller R, under which the cloth is carried to the measuring
roller, the tension of the cloth alone supporting the drop roller whilst it is at work.
As soon as the end of the cloth reaches the apparatus, the drop roller falls by
gravity, being no longer supported by the cloth, and throws the counting mechanism
out of gear, or alternatively causes a brake to be applied to the measuring drum, so
that in either case the counting or measuring apparatus ceases to act immediately
the end of the cloth reaches it.
The counting mechanism consists of a worm wheel W on the axis of the
measuring drum, into which the worm or tangent screw w gears. The motion of
this tangent screw is communicated by the spindle V to the index finger U which
moves over the graduated plate u as is well understood.
As represented by Figure 3 the foot-step of the counting spindle V is capable of
being moved in a horizontal plane and has attached to it on either side a chain c cl
of which the part c' is connected to a spring s and the part e to the machine side,
this part of the chain being under the drup roller R. When the drop roller falls,
upon the passage of the end of the cloth, it depresses the chain c, and thereby pulls
the tangent screw w out of gear with the worm wheel W, whereupon the counting
mechanism instantly ceases to act.
In the modification represented by Figure 4, the part c of the chain represented
in Figure 3, is substituted by a bell-crank lever d, the vertical member of which is
engaged by a pin and slot with the spindle foot-step and the other member of which
has its end under the drop roller. Upon the fall of the drop roller, the foot-step
and tangent screw are moved as before described.
In Figure 5, the spindle foot-step is mounted upon a slide e upon the outer end
of which an inclined plane i is formed, against which the drop roller falls, thus
pushing the slide e and removing the tangent screw out of engagement with the
worm wheel W. When the drop roller is raised, the slide is automatically returned
by the spring s.
Figure 6 shews a modification in which the slide e is connected by a link to a
reciprocating block 9 which is connected by a second link f' to the spindle of the
drop roller.
Either of the devices described for disengaging the tangent screw from the worm
wheel for stopping the counting device may be employed for applying a brake to
the measuring drum, or the special device illustrated by Figure 7 may be adopted.
In this case the slide e has an inclined plane i, against which the roller fails, forcing
the slide, towards the measuring drum D. Upon the forward end of the slide there
is an arc strap which comes into contact with the surface of the drum when the
slide is pushed forward, and acts as a brake.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be perforined, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a machine for lapping rolling and measuring textile fabrics, a pair of
parallel swords having their extremities at one end pivoted to two nut blocks fitted
upon a right and left handed screw, and at the other end fitted into recesses or the
like in similar nut blocks fitted on a similar screw, the two screws being at opposite
ends of the swords and mounted in rotary carriers, substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for lapping rolling and measuring textile fabrics, the combination
and arrangement with the measuring drum and counting devices, of a drop roller
which falls upon the passage of the end of the cloth, and which by its fall actuates

page_text: links levers slides or the like for the purpose of either putting the counting
mechanism out of gear or of applying a brake, substantially as herein before
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of October A.D. 1894.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.