IMPROVEMENT IN COMBING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for AN IMPROVEMENT
IN COMBING MACHINES to be as follows:-
In wool combing machines great difficulty has always been experienced in
removing burrs straw and other vegetable matters contained in the mass of
filaments by mechanical means and when chemical means are employed for the
purpose which is the most effectual method, the wool is always more or less injured
In considering the action of a comb upon the front end of the fleece, it will be
found that the burrs oppose a resistance to its entry between the comb teeth and
the object of this Invention is to provide an apparatus by which this resistance is
overcome and the burrs are forced to penetrate between the teeth.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing
which represents the apparatus in vertical section.
In figure 1 A is the pressing cylinder the ribs of which enter the spaces between
teeth of the comb cylinder B. The burrs are thus held between the comb
cylinder B and the ribbed cylinder A and are necessarily acted on by the comb
teeth, instead of escaping their action as hitherto and caused to pass out with
the noil instead of remaining in the fleece. C, c are the pitch circles of the gear
wheels for driving the cylinder A.
In machines having a cylindrical comb on a movable axis, the cylinder A and
comb cylinder D figure 2 are always geared and displaceable together in order to
enable the operation of tearing asunder the fleece to be performed.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN COMBING MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Н
In wool combing it is a desideratum to remove the burrs straws and other
vegetable matters contained in the mass of filaments by mechanical means.
Chemical means have been employed for the purpose with effect but to the
detriment of the quality of the wool. In considering the action of a comb upon
the front end of the fleece, it will be found that the burrs &c oppose a resistance to
its entry between the comb teeth and the object of this Invention is to provide an
apparatus by which this resistance is overcome and the burrs &c are forced to
_penetrate between the teeth.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing
which represents different views of the apparatus.
Figure 1 is a section shewing the pressing cylinder, and a portion of the comb
cylinder. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the different relative positions of the comb and
pressing cylinders. Figures 5 and 7 show the mode of mounting the combs and
figure 6 a detail view of a comb. Figures 8 and 9 show two other modes of
mounting the combs.
To ensure the penetration of the fleece between the teeth of the comb cylinder
I employ a pressing cylinder x figure 1. In order that the action of this cylinder
may be as efficient as possible, it is necessary that the surfaces of the comb and
pressing cylinders should be brought nearly in contact, so as to slightly nip the
front end of the fleece and thus better ensure the penetration of the filaments
between the teeth. This movement of the cylinders towards each other is however
only effected in a gradual manner as is shown in figures 2, 3 and 4. Moreover in
order to still further ensure the removal of burrs straws &c a bar f is fixed along
each row of comb teeth as shown in figures 14 and 6, which by preventing the
entry of the fleece between the roots of the teeth forms an obstruction across which
any straws in the fleece are broken or bent at abrupt angles so that they cannot
escape the action of the teeth. It is important that the pressing cylinder and
cylinder comb should be truly cylindrical, and for this purpose a special construction
of comb cylinder is employed as represented in figures 5, 6 and 7 where the
part dd is turned in a lathe, the comb bars being afterwards let into grooves as
will be hereinafter explained. Or the construction shown in figures 8 and 9 may
be adopted which also allows of a truly cylindrical surface being obtained. Which-
ever construction of comb cylinder be adopted, the periphery which serves as &
point of support for the comb bars is of variable radius in order to effect the
progressive approach of the pressing and comb cylinders towards each other as
above mentioned.
A is the shaft of the comb cylinder B cross bar connecting the two arms which
carry the comb cylinder CC set screws which permit of the pressing cylinder
being adjusted about A as a centre to set it more or less near to the stationary or
holding nipper. D is a slide by which the pressing cylinder can be adjusted at the
desired distance from the comb cylinder. a is the pitch circle of the gear wheel
keyed on the comb cylinder shaft and gearing with a pinion on the pressing
cylinder axis indicated by the pitch circle . fis the metal bar before mentioned.

page_text: In figure 2 b b¹ represents the position of the periphery of the comb cylinder at
the moment of commencing to act on the front end of the web. A is the axis of
the comb cylinder, 61 61 is the radius of the arc of the circle b, b¹ constituting &
portion of the circumference of the comb cylinder.
In figure 3 c c is the periphery of the comb cylinder being an arc of a circle
whose radius c, ell is greater than that of 611 6111, thus reducing the distance
between the pressing cylinder and the comb when the part o c¹ of the latter comes
opposite to it.
In figure 4 d d is the periphery of the comb cylinder being an arc of a circle
whose radius d is greater than o¹, c. When this part comes opposite to the
pressing cylinder x the circumferences of the two are close together. f metal bar
upon which the straws &c are broken as before mentioned.
In figure 5, b, b' is part of the periphery of the comb cylinder being an arc
described from centre A with a radius b. This is followed by an arc c c¹
having a radius c, cl, and this again by an arc d d having a radius d¹¹.
gg, g slots in which the comb bars are inserted. In figure 6, h is a comb bar
and i is a key for fixing the bar h.
In figure 7 k is a locking ring secured by screws on the end of the comb
cylinder, for retaining the comb bars h, h in position after they are inserted in the
grooves g g g, the ends h¹ of said bars being for this purpose notched to receive
the flange of the ring and their locking surfaces correspondingly inclined to
enable the bars to be secured more or less tightly upon the comb cylinder. In
figure 81, 1, 2111 are comb bars placed in an arc of a circle d d' described from
centre A with a radius dam, m¹ is the periphery against which the
bars are clamped. The two other segments b b and c c¹ of the comb are
similarly arranged.
In figure 9 0, 0¹, oll, o'll are the comb bars placed in an arc dd described
from A with a radius did. P 2' are recesses in which the comb bars o o¹ ol, oll
are seated and secured by screws as shown. The segments b b and c, c¹ are
similarly constructed.
It will be understood that the details of the various parts may be varied to suit
the kind of machine to which they are applied, without departing from the
principle of the Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1 A pressing cylinder for ensuring the penetration of the front end of the web
between the teeth of the comb segment or comb cylinder, arranged to operate
substantially as described, that is to say, having rotary motion upon its own axis
and which accompanies the comb cylinder in the up and down movements the
presser depending for its action not on this up and down motion but on the variable
radius of the comb cylinder with which it is combined as described.
2nd The application to the comb teeth of a projection as shown in figure 4 as
and for the purpose before specified.
3rd A comb cylinder of varying radius having the comb bars mounted thereon
by means of slots, keys and locking ring as shown in figures 5, 6 and 7, or by
screws as in figures 8 and 9 all substantially as specified.
Dated this 5th day of August A.D. 1884.