IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, COMBING, AND Price 8d
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
JEAN JACQUES BOURCART, of the firm of Nicholas Schlumberger and
Company, of Guebwiller, France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United ing.
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the
Twenty-seventh day of March, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
two, in the fifteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Jean Jacques Bourcart,
my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority that I, the said Jean Jacques Bourcart,
my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean
Jacques Bourcart, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with,and no others, from time to times and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise and vend, within England, Wales, and the town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, ark,
and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING, COMBING, AND
Price 8d1

page_text: SPINNING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," partly communicated to
me by a certain foreigner residing abroad, and partly my own Invention,
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Jean
Jacques Bourcart, shall cause a particular description of the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said poviso, I, the
said Jean Jacques Bourcart, do hereby declare that the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are fully described in and by the following Specification thereof,
reference being had to the illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:
'
My Invention consists, firstly, in various improvements in and addi-
tions to the Invention for which Letters Patent for England were
granted to Josué Heilmann, of Mulhausen, France, the Twenty-fifth
day of February, One thousand eight hundred and forty-six ; and,
secondly, in improvements in machines for preparing and spinning
wool and other fibrous materials after being combed, or after the fibrous
material has been carded and combed, or after it has been carded only,
or otherwise cleansed and fit for spinning.
I will proceed to describe the improvements in and additions to
Heilmann's Invention; they consist,―
First, in improvements on the "Heilmann "dressing machine. Now
I have found it to be of great advantage to increase the number of
gills or rows of teeth on the drawing roller S, Figure 1, Sheet 1, as it
produces much better work; and to accomplish this I substitute for the
bars a wire V, between each of the gills, and these wires have motion
given to them inwards and outwards in the same manner as described
by Heilmann, namely, by meams of excentric grooves in which the ends
of the wires work. I sometimes apply a balling machine in front of
Heilmann's dressing machine; it may be fixed in front of each head,
1

page_text: or on the side of the machine, and the slivers from each head may be
united together before being wound on the bobbin. In some cases I
submit the slivers to a drawing process before balling them on to a
bobbin. Whatever may be the number of slivers, and the operationsthey
are submitted to, the balling apparatus I prefer, and which I also claim
in combination with this and other preparing machines, as, for instance,
carding engines, drawing frames or combing machines, consists (see
Figures 2, & 3, Sheet I.) in a drum 12, and a roller 8, which receives
motion by contact from the drum 12, and round which the sliver is to
be wound, and in a finger or guide 11, round and through which the
sliver is drawn before it is wound on the bobbin, so as to produce a
friction or tension of the sliver as near as possible to the nipping or
point of contact of the finger or guide with the bobbin 8. The reci-
procating transverse motion necessary for winding is given to the
bobbin 8, as shewn, Sheet II., Figures 1, 2, and 3, or to the finger or
guide, as shewn in Sheet III., Figures 1, and 2. The bobbin may be
vertical, as shewn, Sheet III., Figures 1, and 2; or horizontal, asshewn,
Sheet II., Figures 1, 2, & 3; and Sheet IV., Figures 1, and 2. The
peculiarity of this mode ofapplication is to have the surface contact of
the finger or guide with the bobbin as near as possible to the nipping
or friction points, so that all the tension obtained by friction is effected
within a distance shorter than the length of the fibres to be wound up,
and therefore the strain is sustained only by the fibres, and not by the
sliver, which must be without any tension between the friction points
and the delivery roller, so that a hard bobbin can be produced with an
untwisted sliver without injury to the sliver. The form of the guide
or finger I prefer is represented at Sheet I., Figures 2, and 3; it is
composed of two bars (a), provided at each end with a tube b, b, betwixt
which one, two, or more pins c, c, may be introduced, and set as near
together as the nature of the fibres under operation requires. One end
of the guide or finger is fixed on a centre pin (10), which oscillates
according to the varying size of the bobbin; the other end is con-
stantly pressed on the bobbin by means of a spring, or a weight may
be used instead of a spring. The sliver, as it comes from the delivery
roller, passes through the first, tube, and is then passed under and

page_text: over the pins c, and then passes through the second tube, which forms
the surface contact with the bobbin on which the sliver is to be wound.
Figure 3, Sheet I., shews another finger, the mode of action of which
is the same as the one just described. The finger is provided at one
end with a tube b, and forms at the other end a flat surface with a hole
ethrough it; one end goes on to the axis (10), and moves, upon it
according to the increased diameter of the bobbin; the other end is
pressed against the bobbin by suitable means. The sliver first passes
through the hole b, and then is wound round the finger, and passes
through the hole of the flat surface which forms the surface contact with
the bobbin. The form of the above-described fingers or guides may be
varied; therefore I do not confine myself to the details shewn in the
Drawings; but I claim as this part of my Invention the adaptation to
Heilmann's dressing machine, as well as to carding, combing, drawing,
and other preparing machines, of a balling apparatus acting in the
manner herein-before described.
Another improvement on Heilmann's dressing machine which I
claim consists in placing one or more additional pairs of delivery
rollers m, m, so as to prevent lapping round the rollers 1, 2, or
apron K, Fig. 1, Sheet I. These rollers may be advantageously sub-
stituted for the endless apron K, shewn, Figure 1, Sheet I., and used
for the purpose of preventing lapping.
A further improvement on Heilmann's dressing machine, which; I
also claim,consists in the mode of forcing the sliver or fleece into the
porcupine delivery rollers. Figure 1, Sheet I., shews a fluted roller
(M), the flutes of which are pitched to work with the porcupine
roller D, so as to force the fleece between the pins.
I also claim the same arrangements for other preparing machines;
for instance, carding engines,drawing frames, sheeting drums, or other
machines of the same class.
2
Second, the Invention consists in improvements applicable to Heil-
mann's combing machine, and to other similar machines. Heilmann's
patent combing machine consists in a new combination of a feeding,
drawing, and combing apparatus, which acts upon a "lap," "sliver,"or
"fleece," A, B, (Sheet I., Figure 4,) of fibrous material, by breaking

page_text: '
it asunder, as shewn at C, D, and combing each end C, and D, so as to
separate the long fibres from the short ones; the long ones being united
in one sliver by piecing them up again into a sliver or fleece, by over-
lapping the ends C, and D; the short ones being united in another
fleece or sliver by accumulating them in the same combs from which
they are brushed, and then received on to a doffer, and taken off in the
usual way; and so on the fleece A, B, is operated upon in detached
portions; and the long fibres thus separated from the short ones and
other refuse are ready for drawing, roving, and other subsequent opera-
tions. The mode in which Heilmann proposes to do this consists in
feeding into the machine a small portion of the fleece B, previously
opened, dressed, and straightened, then to stop feeding for a short time.
whilst the end of the fleece just delivered into the machine is taken
hold of by pincers or nippers (33, and 34), see Fig. 1, & 3, Sheet V.,
and operated upon by a set of suitable combs 14, fixed on the revolving
drum 11. The end so combed is then taken hold of by a pair of
rollers (22, and 23), the top roller of which acts as a pincer with the
part 12, of the drum 11, and from which it receives motion, and at
the same time detaches from the fleece or sliver all the fibres which
have been taken hold of; the short fibres and other refuse being left
or retained on the front end of the fleece (which will be delivered and
combed the next time) by the comb 31, which enters into the combed
end D, of the fleece, and at the same time conveys them between the
rollers 22, and 23, so as to piece them up with those previously de-
tached, in order to form again a sliver of reattached portions. Then
the roller (23) presses against the part 13 of the drum (11), by which
motion is imparted to it, and the lap of fibres is by this and the top
roller (22) passed back, and the end (c) is presented to the combs (14)
of the drum (11) to be again operated upon, so as to withdraw the
nips" and knots which may have passed through the combs (31);
and so on, successive small portions are detached by nipping holding
surfaces, combed at both ends, and pieced up in a sliver delivered by
the machine. The comb (31) separates the short fibres from the tail
end (c) by preventing them from being drawn out with it, and they
are left in the front end D, of the fleece, from which they are withdrawn
65

page_text: by the combs 14, when the end D, is operated upon. The short fibres
and other refuse of each portion are accumulated in thecombs (14),from
which they are taken and delivered in a "lap," "fleece," or sliver.
For long fibrous material I give to the detaching rollers 22, and
23, an additional oscillating motion by means of excentrics or crank
shafts, which oscillating motion completes the detaching; but under
some circumstances I have found it to be a great advantage to make
those rollers fixed with a regular revolving motion round their own
axes, or to make at least one of them fixed with a regular revolving
motion round its own axis, and to effect the detaching by giving
additional motions to the feeding apparatus described by Heilmann,
when referring to Figure 5, of the Drawings annexed to the Specifica-
tion of his said Patent. The manner in which I propose to carry
these improvements into effect is as follows:-(See Sheet V, Figures
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 ;) 5, and 6, are the feeding rollers, which are fixed
on the bar 34, of the pincer, and partake of its motion; these rollers
are made to pass forward a portion of the sliver or fleece, then to stop
for a short time, and so on, their action is regularly intermittent.
Instead of a pair of rollers a roller and a guide plate may be used, or
a series of teeth acting in the same manner. 33, and 34, are the
pincers, which take hold of the end just delivered into the machine by
the feeding apparatus, and bring it to the combs 14, on the drum 11,
by which the end of the fleece is combed (see Figure 3), after which
the pincers are lowered again, and they remain shut till the end which
has been combed is laid on the roller 23, as is shewn in Figure 3. At
the same time the top roller 22. and the roller 23, approach the pincer
33, and 34, and pinch or take hold of the end laid on the roller 23.
At the same time the pincer opeus, the comb 31, enters into the
combed part between the rollers 22 and 23, and the pincers and the
feeding rollers deliver into the machine a fresh portion of the fleece;
then the pincers, whilst opened, are raised, as well as the comb 31, till
the fibres which have been taken hold of by the rollers 22, and 23, are
separated from the fleece; the short fibres and other refuse being left
or retained by the combs 31, in the front end of the fleece, which will
be delivered in and combed in the next operation. After the portion

page_text: has been detached the pincer is shut again, and a new portion of the
fleece is combed. The comb 31, assumes the position shewn in Figures
1 and 3, and so on until the end just combed is laid on the roller 23,
and overlaps the last detached portion, and is nipped by the rollers 22,
and 23, and detached from the fleece, and so on, the detached portions
combed at each end are pieced up end to en 1 into a sliver, and
delivered by the delivery rollers (m, m¹). The short fibres accumulated
in the combs 14, are brushed away, and doffed, as shewn in the
Drawings. The means I use for effecting this consist of two drums
g, g', on which a lap of fibrous material is placed; the drums g, g',
receive the same motion as the feeding rollers 5, and 6. The
fleece is taken round a guide plate 6', embracing the axis 6, and
passes between the feeding rollers 5, and 6. The top roller 6, is fixed
on the bar 34, of the pincer, and the bottom roller is pressed against
the roller 6, by means of a hook e, and a spring. At one end of the
Foller 6, is the star c, which receives a regular intermittent forward
motion from the disk d, which is provided with a hole and a pin, and
to which a regular revolving motion is imparted from the main shaft a,
by means of a series of toothed wheels. The bar 33, of the pincer is
fixed on the shaft b, which receives an oscillating motion from the
main shaft a, by means of a crank K, and a rod j, and a lever i. The
bar 34, of the pincer is loose on the shaft b, and receives its motion
from the main shaft by means of the excentric m², which guides the
lever 341, of the pincer 34. The excentric m², is made so that the
pincer bar 34, when in the position shewn in the Drawing, Figure 1,
remains still, whilst the bar 33, continues its motion a short time, so
that the pincers open. When the bar 33 rises again, the excentric m²
is made so that the bar 34, rises also, in order that the pincer may
remain open until the detaching is effected, but at that time the
excentric m² guides the bar 34, so that the bar 33 meets it in its
rising motion without shock; at that moment the excentric m², ceases
its action on the bar 34, which is carried away by the bar 33, till the
combing is completed, and the pincers are lowered, and the end just
combed laid on the roller (23), as shewn in the Drawings, Figures 1,
and.3. At that time the concentric part of the excentric m², comes

page_text: again in operation; the bar 34, stands still whilst the bar 33 opens the
pincers, and so on. The comb 31, is loose on the shaft (6), and
receives its motion from the main shaft by means of an excentric O,
which acts upon it by means of a lever 31. The comb 31, as shewn
at Figure 1, is in its lowest position, and just about to be forced into.
the combed front end of the fleece by means of the incline of the
excentric O, and then to follow the open pincer in its rising motion
till the detaching is effected. At that time the comb 31, is kept still
by the concentric part of the excentric O, till the combing is completed,
and the pincer lowered again; then the comb 31, is also lowered and
brought into its first position ready to be forced again into the fleece
which has just been combed. The detaching roller is fixed, and turns
regularly round its own axis; it receives its motion from the main shaft
by means of a series of suitable toothed wheels. The surface speed
of the roller is so calculated that for each operation of combing the
roller advances a distance equal to a portion of the length of the fibres
to be operated upon, which distance is variable according to the extent
to which it is desired to overlap the ends of the fibres. The top
roller 22, is pressed on the bottom roller by means of a hook p, a
lever p', and a weight p¹. The top roller 22, may be held in the same
carrier, and revolve with the bottom roller, or it may move round the
roller 23, from the position shewn in the Drawing, till it is brought
to a position as near to the nipping bar 34, as it is possible for the
comb 31, to be able to pass. The oscillating motion is given to the
top roller by an excentric q, fixed on the main shaft a, which acts upon
it by means of a lever z, moving upon its fulcrum z¹, and which is
connected with the roller (22) by means of the lever s, t. In the
position shewn in the Drawings the top roller is just about to vibrate,
so as to take hold of the combed end of the sliver, which has been laid
upon the roller 23, by the pincers, by means of an incline on the
excentricq; and it remains in that position till the detaching is effected,
then it goes back to its first position, so as to allow the end just combed
in front of the nippers to be laid by them on the roller 23. The
bottom roller 23 may be fluted, and the top roller 22 covered with
leather, as shewn in the Drawings, Figure 1, and Figure 6; or, vice

page_text: versâ, the top roller 22, may be fluted, and the bottom roller 23,
covered with leather, as shewn in Figure 3, or both rollers may be
fluted (see Figure 5), and driven by wheels; the endless apron 23¹,
passes over the bottom roller 23. 232, in Figure 6, and Figure 4, is
an additional roller, made to revolve by frictional contact with the
bottom roller 23, which I have found very useful for preventing lapping.
Instead of one roller a pair or several pairs of additional detaching
rollers may be used to increase the nipping power of the detaching
rollers 22, and 23, which will be of great importance in some cases.
The sliver composed of reattached portions is then passed between
the delivery rollers m, m', turning regularly round their own axes, and
delivered in a box or united to other slivers, (as I wish it to be under-
stood that I can unite in the same machine one or more heads.) A
drawing head and balling apparatus, acting in the same manner as
herein-before described for the dressing machine, or any other balling
apparatus, may be applied with advantage to a machine composed of
several heads. The short fibres accumulated in the combs 14, are
brushed away by the brush u, and struck into the doffer (a), and taken
off by a doffer knife a¹, and delivered out of the machine by the de-
livery rollers Y, Z, in the form of a sliver. The combing drum, the
brush and doffer, and knife, as well the delivery rollers, are driven
direct from the main shaft by means of a series of suitable toothed
wheels. If several heads are put together the sliver of short fibres
may be united together, and also wound round a bobbin.
Figure 3, Sheet V., represents another arrangement of machinery,
acting in the same manner as before described, but intended for longer
fibres. The feeding rollers are replaced by a series of teeth acting in the
same manner as the feeding rollers; or a porcupine roller with a guide
plate may be used, or two porcupine rollers, or any other kind of
teeth. And I may here remark, that at the time of the detaching, the
comb teeth of the feeding apparatus are forced into the fleece, so that
the fibres are detached or separated from the fleece by withdrawing
them through series of teeth. The number of rows will depend upon
the length of the fibres to be operated upon. At the same time there

page_text: is an additional oscillating motion given to the pincers 33, 34, to the
combs 31, and to the feeding apparatus, by making the centre / oscil-
late upon a fulcrum 6¹. This additional oscillating motion facilitates
the detaching, so that any length of fibres may be operated upon.
I claim, as this part of my Invention, the improved combination of
parts herein before described, and the peculiar mode of action of the
feeding, drawing, and combing apparatus herein-before described.
Another of my improvements in Heilmann's combing machine con-
sists in substituting for all the combs or part of them brushes or
bristles or rows of brushes. These brushes or rows of brushes may
be arranged finer and finer, or coarser and coarser, or all alike, or
alternately fine and coarse, or one comb or several combs, and one brush
or several brushes and one comb, or in any other manner.
Another improvement on Heilmann's combing machine consists in
substituting for the endless aprongenerally used to prevent lapping of
the sliver round the rollers an additional roller 23', Figures 4, & 6,
or several pairs of detaching rollers, which may be advantageously used
to increase the nipping power. I have found it to be a great advan-
tage sometimes to dispose the additional roller 221, Fig. 4, so that it
cannot move back with the roller 22, by means of a ratchet wheel (h)
and pawlf. These rollers may be driven by contact or by toothed
wheels directly or indirectly, as convenient for the fibrous materials.
A further improvement on Heilmann's combing machine consists
in winding the sliver delivered by the machine on a pinned surface, or
any other suitable surface. I am aware that slivers have been before
wound on pinned and other surfaces, and it is in practice at the pre-
sent time, in front of carding engines; therefore I do not claim it in
general, but only in combination with Heilmann's machine. The
apparatus I prefer for doing this consists in a drum C, Sheet I., Fig. 5,
fixed in front of Heilmann's combing machine, provided with rows of
teeth (d) and bars or wires (E), moveable in the grooves (h), but
maintained in their position, as shewn in the Drawing, by the springs
(g). F, is a surface piece of iron, concentric with the drum, but which
slides horizontally by means of the lever (K), so that when the lever

page_text: is lowered the surface becomes eccentric with the drum, and pulls out
the bars (E) from between the rows of teeth. (0) is a toothed
roller fitting between the rows of teeth of the drum. The sliver
delivered by the machine is presented to the drum and wound upon it.
The roller (O) forces it into the teeth till the drum is filled. Whilst
being filled the surface (F) is within the bars, but when filled the
lever (K) is forced down, and the surface (F) forces the bars (E)
out of the teeth, and with them the fleece, which can be broken asunder
and taken away.
Instead of having bars or wires to force out the
fleece from between the teeth, the rows of teeth may be fixed on a
strap or lap, which strap or lap is fixed on the drum to be filled, and
when filled it is taken away from the drum, and placed behind any
other machine for a subsequent operation. I claim the combination
and the mode of action of this apparatus in combination with Heil-
mann's or any other combing machine.
Another improvement consists in adapting to Heilmann's combing
machine cutters, knives, or scissors, to cut or break those fibres which
extend beyond a certain length, without shortening the fibres which
are not too long. We perform the cutting or breaking operation of
the fibres to the length required in Heilmann's machine at the moment
the detaching rollers have withdrawn the long fibres from between the
feeding apparatus to separate them from the fleece delivered into the
machine. Figure 6, Sheet I., shews the knife a, placed between the
comb 31, and the detaching rollers 22 and 23. The knife a, is put
in motion by the levers b, b', and the excentric o, fixed on the shaft
carrying the drum. And it is the cutting or breaking of the fibres
which are longer than a given length, without cutting or breaking
those which are not too long, which I claim in combination with
Heilmann's or any other combing machines, especially those acting
by detaching portions.
I now proceed to describe my improvements in machines for pre-
paring and spinning wool and other fibrous materials, after being
combed, or after the fibrous material has been carded and combed, or
after it has been carded only, or otherwise cleansed and fit for spinning.
This part of my Invention consists in anew combination of machinery

page_text: for drawing, then pressing or roving without twist, and then winding
or balling the pressed or untwisted roving of fibrous material on
bobbins.
The drawing process is performed by an apparatus composed of a
pair of drawing rollers 4, and 5, (see Sheet I., Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10,)
one or more porcupine rollers (2, 2), with one or more toothed rollers
(3, 3), which gear into the teeth of the porcupine, so as to force it
into the sliver, and a pair of tension rollers or guides, according to
the nature of the material to be operated upon, and the fineness of the
sliver to be drawn.
The bottom roller receives its notion from the main shaft by a series
of toothed wheels, and drives the top roller by contact or by gearing,
as shewn in Figures 1, and 2, Sheet III. The tension rollers (t) may
be driven by toothed wheels; but I have found it better to leave them
loose and carried by the sliver or fleece itself. I have found it to be a
great advantage to substitute for the tension rollers (t) one or more
guides (Z, Z) with a friction roller, as shewn.
I consider the mode of forcing the sliver into the teeth of the por-
cupine a very useful one. The porcupine drives the fluted roller (3)
by gearing, and the roller (3) is fixed on a radius bar which has its
centre on the axis of the porcupine roller, so that it can work upon
it, and be fixed in any suitable position by the slot (s). The porcupine
is placed as near as possible tangentially to both drawing rollers, as
shewn in the Drawings.
I have found this position of the porcupine a very useful one. One
or more additional porcupine rollers with toothed rollers may be applied,
as shewn (Figure 7, Sheet I.,) for longer fibres. The relative position
of those porcupines depends upon the length of the fibrous material to
be operated upon, but the first one near to the drawing rollers will
always be taugential to them.
The drawing off rollers may be both fluted, as shown (Figure 7,
Sheet 1), and the bottom roller (4) covered with an endless apron e,
which passes over the guide roller (e¹), or the bottom roller may be
fluted, and the top roller (5) covered with leather or parchment (see
Figure 9, Sheet I.) For certain fibrous material and fineness of sliver

page_text: I have found a top roller made of wood very good (see Figures 8,
and 10). One or more additional pairs of drawing rollers may be used
to prevent lapping, and to increase the nipping power,
which are very
useful for long fibres. The dimensions of the apparatus depend upon
the length of the fibre to be operated upon, and also on the fineness of
the sliver or untwisted roving; but I have found it always an advantage
to use the smallest diameter possible for the drawing rollers, as well as
the finest porcupine which it is practicable to employ for the fibres to be
treated without injuring them, and for making good work; I therefore
do not confine myself to any dimensions or fineness of porcupine.
The pressing operation is effected by a fixed tube (h), and a pair of
delivering rollers (m, m¹), see (Figure 7, Sheet I.) through which the
sliver is conducted. That operation is sufficient for certain descriptions
of fibres, and especially when the sliver is thick; but for certain fibrous
materials, and especially when the sliver becomes finer, I have found it
advantageous to substitute for the fixed guide tube a turning one (see
Figure 10), or two endless aprons (see Figures 8, and 9), moving
round their own axes so as to deliver the sliver, but having a vibrating
friction motion imparted to them so as to give a certain consistence to
the roving without twisting it. A bar of glass or iron may be placed
in front of the drawing roller, and also in front of the friction apron, to
prevent lapping. An additional roller may also be used in front of the
friction apron.
The winding or balling process of the sliver or untwisted roving is
performed by an apparatus very similar to that described forthedressing
machine. So long as the machine is made to operate upon slivers I
prefer the very same balling machine before described, the principal
object of which is, as I have said, to produce more or less tension on
the sliver by friction applied as near as possible to the point of contact
of the sliver with the bobbin so as to wind the sliver straight and to
make hard bobbins. When the sliver becomes finer and finer, then I
should propose an apparatus acting in the same manner as before
described, but making bobbins in a similar manner to that adopted in
the fly frame for twisted roving (see Figure 9, Sheet I). The bobbin

page_text: to be formed is conical at each end, and cylindrical in the middle. For
making the bobbin of untwisted roving I propose to place the bobbin
on a fixed spindle (9), see Fig. 8, the bobbin turning round with a
variable speed so calculated that the surface speed of the bobbin for
each diameter is the same as the surface speed of the drawing or
delivering rollers, or nearly the same. The finger (11) is fixed on
another spindle parallel to the bobbin, having a variable shortening up
and down motion so calculated as to form the conical ends. The sliver
or untwisted roving delivered by the machine is passed or wound
several times round the finger, and then wound on the bobbin, the form
of which I have described. The same mode of pressing the finger
against the bobbin may be used as shown in Figures 11, 12, 13,
and 14, Sheet I. where a flat spring a, inserted in one of the legs of
the flyer (which is made hollow for that purpose), is employed to give
the necessary pressure of the finger against the bobbin; and I may here
state that I also claim that mode of giving pressure to the finger for
twisted roving. The finger may also be fixed on a spindle concentric
with the bobbin as shown at (Sheet I., Figure 9,) in a similar manner
to what is done in common fly frames, but then the spindle carrying
the finger must be fixed.
The arrangements and combinations of machinery just described are
preparatory to certain machinery for transforming the sliver coming
from the combing machine in a rough state or other suitable machine
into an untwisted thread or roving ready to be placed on the spinning
machine. I have hereunto annexed the Drawings of the machinery I
propose (Sheet III., Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7.) I do not consider it
necessary to give a detailed description of the Drawings, as the various
parts employed are well known. Figure 8, shews the method I adopt
for forming the porcupine rollers. The dimensions, the diameter of
drawing rollers and bobbins, the fineness of combs, and the number of
machines of each description to be used, depends on the material to be
operated upon, and the fineness of the sliver or untwisted roving.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as

page_text: of my Invention the several new combinations and arrangements of
machinery for preparing, combing, and spinning wool and other fibrous
materials herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Jacques Bourcart, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of Sep-
tember, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.