CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING HEMP, AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND
SPINNING HEMP, AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS."-A communication
from abroad by Joseph Compton Todd and Philip Rafferty, of Paterson,
Sealed the 23rd October 1860, and dated the 30th May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1860.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING
AND SPINNING HEMP, AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:—
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery for effecting three
different operations required to be used in preparing and spinning hemp
or other fibrous materials used for the manufacture of rope.
The apparatus for effecting the first operation is an improved lapper or
heckling machine, and the Invention consists in the employment of two rotary
[Price 8d.1

page_text: cylinders of different diameters, and rotating at different velocities, one being
furnished with stationary and the other with moveable teeth, in such a mauner
that by the combined action of the two cylinders the fibres of the hemp or
other fibrous material are combed and disentangled, and made parallel.
The Invention consists also in arranging the teeth of the secondary or
smaller cylinder in combination with cam grooves and slotted discs, and with
a slotted casing of the cylinder, in such a manner that the teeth may be
pushed out and made to take hold of the hemp or other material as they pass
the feed opening, and drawn in again on passing the teeth of the main
cylinder. By this means the fibres will be disengaged from the moveable
teeth of the secondary or smaller cylinder, and delivered to the stationary
teeth of the main cylinder.
The fibres when straightened and laid parallel are delivered to the feed
rollers of another machine, which forms the second part of the Invention, and
relates to an improvement in heckling or gilling machines, in which a number
of pointed wires called gills or heckle teeth, fixed in an erect position to an
endless chain moving at a uniform rate, are made to deliver the hemp or other
material to a series of drawing rollers revolving at different speeds, whereby
the fibres are drawn out into a broad and thin riband or sliver. The Invention
consists in arranging the gills or rotary arbors, rendered stationary by the action
of toes passing over suitable ribs or guides, from which they are released asthe
sliver passes off to the drawing rollers, so that the gills disengage themselves
from the fibres without difficulty. It consists also in arranging the bearings
of the drawing rollers in spring levers, so that they exert a uniform and
yielding pressure on the sliver as it passes between them.
And it consists, further, in the employment of endless aprous of leather or
other suitable material in place of the drawing rollers, for the purpose of
producing a smooth and more finished sliver than by the use of ordinary
drawing rollers.
The riband or sliver produced in the heckling or gilling machine is
delivered through a trumpet to the travelling teeth of a machine, which
constitutes the third part of the Iuvention, which relates to an improvement
in machines for spinning hemp or other fibrous material, and it consists in
combining with an endless toothed apron agrooved roller, with a corresponding
pressing roller, and a flyer of the ordinary construction, in such a manner that
the sliver as it passes from the apron through between the two rollers to the
flyer receives a certain degree of twist, rendering it fit to be used immediately
for ropes.

page_text: It consists also in the arrangement of a series of fingers or pawls of varying
length acting on ratchet wheels of different diameter, in combination with
vibrating arms, which form the bearings for the shaft of the pressing roller, so
as to regulate and equalize the thickness of the strand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my exécutors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newtou, 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, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING HBMP,
AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS," being a communication from abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery for effecting the

page_text: different operations required for preparing and spinning hemp or other fibrous
materials used for the manufacture of rope.
The apparatus for effecting the preliminary operations of preparing the
fibres for the subsequent operations which form the subject of 'the present
Invention, is a lapper or heckling machine, in which are two rotary cylinders
of different diameters, and rotating at different velocities, one being furnished
with stationary and the other with moveable teeth, in such a manner that by
the combined action of the two cylinders the fibres of the hemp or other
fibrous material are combed and disentangled, and made parallel. The bars
which carry the teeth of the secondary or smaller cylinder work in cam
grooves and slotted discs, in combination with a slotted casing of the cylinder,
in such a manner that the teeth may be pushed out and made to take hold of
the hemp or other material as they pass the feed opening, and are drawn in
again on passing the teeth of the main cylinder. By this means the fibres
will be disengaged from the moveable teeth of the secondary or smaller
cylinder, and are delivered to the stationary teeth of the main.cylinder.
The fibres when straightened and laid parallel are delivered to the feed
rollers of another machine, which forms part of the Invention, and relates to
an improvement in heckling or gilling machines, in which a number of pointed
wires called gills or heckle teeth, fixed in an erect position to an endless chain
moving at a uniform rate, are made to deliver the hemp or other material to
a series of drawing rollers revolving at different speeds, whereby the fibres are
drawn out into a broad and thin ribband or sliver. The Invention consists in
arranging the gills or rotary arbors rendered stationary by the action of toes
passing over suitable ribs or guides, from which they are released as the sliver
passes off to the drawing rollers, so that the gills disengage themselves from
the fibres without difficulty; the bearings of the drawing rollers are also
arranged in spring levers, so that they exert a uniform and yielding pressure
on the sliver as it passes between them.
The Invention consists, further, in the employment of endless aprons of
leather or other suitable material in place of the drawing rollers, for the
purpose of producing a smooth and more finished sliver than by the use of
ordinary drawing rollers.
The ribband or sliver produced in the heckling or gilling machine is
delivered through a trumpet to the travelling teeth of a machine, which
constitutes another part of the Invention, which relates to an improvement in
machines for spinning hemp or other fibrous material, and it consists in
combining with an endless toothed apron a grooved roller with a corresponding

page_text: pressing roller, and a flyer of the ordinary construction, in such a manner that
the sliver as it passes from the apron between the two rollers to the flyer
receives a certain. degree of twist, rendering it fit to be used immediately
for
ropes.
The Invention consists also in the arrangement of a series of fingers or
pawls of varying length acting on ratchet wheels of different diameter, in
combination with vibrating arms, which form the bearings for the shaft of the
pressing roller, so as to regulate and equalize the thickness of the strand.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure'l is a longitudinal vertical section
of the heckling or gilling machine; Figure 2 is a detached section of the
aprons employed in place of the drawing rollers; Figure 3 is a plan or top
view of the heckling or gilling machine; Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical
section of the spinning machine; Figure 5 is a plan or top view of the saine;
Figure 6 is a detached plan of the fingers and ratchets for regulating the
thickness of the strands. The hemp or other material having been properly
prepared in the lapping machine, is removed from the teeth of the latter, and
is fed into the heckling or gilling machine (Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) through the
spout I and the feed rollers J (Fig. 1). From the rollers J the fibres pass to
the endless toothed apron K. The teeth i of this apron are arranged on rotary
arbors, which are secured to two endless chains & running over rollers or
chain wheels k' arranged on suitable arbors on the frame 1'. Secured to the
ends of each of the arbors are the toes, and these toes are provided with
two projecting pins, which, by coming in contact with the double ribs or
guides on the inner sides of the frame I', serve to keep the teeth in an
upright position, until at the end of the frame these toes by passing over the
rounded ends of the ribs release the arbors, thereby allowing the teeth to
follow the action of the sliver as it is delivered to the drawing rollers
K, K, K. If the teeth were fixed rigidly on the endless apron K, they
would be liable to carry some of the fibres down with them, and they would
soon fill up and thereby disturb the correct action of the gilling machine. By
the action of the toes on the other hand, the teeth are kept rigid as long as
they are required to act on the fibres, and on passing the drawing rollers they
are released, so that they leave the sliver without carrying round some of
the fibres: The middle one of the drawing rollers K is secured to the
driving shaft L, to which motion is imparted by the pulley L. Gear wheels
L serve to transmit the motion from the driving shaft to the endlessapron K,
and it will be noticed that the motion of this apron is considerably slower than
the motion of the drawing roller K". The rollers K and K move simply

page_text: by friction, and they are forced up against the surface of the roller K" by
means of spring levers and k, as shown in Figure 1. Another set of
drawing rollers M, M', are arranged below the rollers K, K", K. The
roller M is driven by means of a series of geared wheels from the driving
shaft L, and the roller M is forced against the roller M by the action of a
spring lever m. The surfaces of the several drawing rollers are gradually
made fluted, so as to enable these rollers to take a firm hold of the fibres.
By the combined action of the drawing rollers K', K", K, and M, M', the
fibres of the hemp or other material are drawn through the teeth of the end-
less apron, and they are perfectly disentangled and are drawn out into a broad
and thin ribband or sliver. When it is desired to give to the sliver an
extra finish, it is passed through another gilling machine in which endless
aprons S, S', running over rollers S*, S take the place of the drawing
rollers, as shown in Figure 2. Thus prepared, the sliver isdelivered into the
endless toothed apron N of the spinning machine, which is represented in
Figures 4 and 5. This apron is constructed in a similar manner to the toothed
apron of the heckling or gilling machine, the teeth being arranged on
arbors n, and kept. in the proper position by toes n¹ running on ribs or
guides n on the inside of the frame N'. The teeth, however, and the whole
apron are made lighter and thinner than in the apron K, as the fibres are
already in the proper position, so that it takes but little power to draw out the
sliver to the required thickness. From the apron N the sliver passes through
a spout or trumpet O to the grooved roller O', where it is collected and pressed
by the action of the roller O*, the face of which is narrow enough to fit into
the groove of the roller 04, as shewn in Figure 5. Motion is imparted to
these rollers from the driving shaft P by a belt running over pulleys P1, P,
and the motion of the rollers O³, is somewhat faster than the motion of the
apron, so as to produce a drawing motion on the fibres. The apron N on the
other hand is moved by a series of pawls or fingers o, o, acting on ratchet
wheels o¹, o2, on an arbor o" (Fig. 6), from which the motion is transmitted
to the shaft p (Fig. 4) which carries the apron, by means of a belt p" running
over pulleys p, . The fingers 0, 0, are of different length, and they act on
ratchet wheels o' of different diameters (see Fig. 6), and they are arranged on
excentrics in such a manner, that by giving the excentric a rotary motion,
the fingers o2 by acting on the ratchet wheels o* of the smallest diameter,
produce the rotary motion of the shaft o", and the fingers o, which act on the
largest ratchet wheels o' are now caused to drag. But if the fingers o² are
raised, the fingers o will act and cause the apron to move slower than it does
りっ

page_text: when its motion is produced by the fingers 02. If the fingers o are raised a
little, their action on the ratchet wheel will be diminished, and the motion of
the apron becomes still slower than before. By these means the speed of the
apron N can be regulated, and if all the fingers are raised and thrown out of
gear, the motion of the apron stops. The fingers are controlled by vibrating
levers q', which are connected by rods q" with arms q* tha: form the bearing
for the axle of the pressing roller O*. If this roller rises, the fingers o, o", are
raised, and the motion of the apron becomes slower, and if a lump of fibre of
extraordinary thickness passes under the pressing roller, all the fingers will be
thrown out of gear, and the motion of the apron N will stop. By the action
of these fingers, therefore, the thickness of the strand can be regulated and
rendered perfectly uniform, for the slower the motion of the apron as compared
with the motion of the rollers O', O*, the smaller the quantity of hemp or
other fibrous material delivered by the apron, and the thinner the strand. A.
jenny of this description is particularly adapted for spinning manilla grass, but
it can also be used for other fibrous materials; and two such machines are
usually arranged side by side in the same frame. The twist is imparted to the
strand by the action of ordinary flyers Q,which wind the strand up on bobbins
Qin the ordinary manner. The flyers are moved from pulleys Q* by means
of belts, and the bobbins which are secured to the tubular shafts are operated
by means of belts running over a drum and pulley. A longitudinal
sliding motion is imparted to the bobbins in the ordinary manner, in order to
wind the strand evenly.
Having now described this Invention of improvements in machinery for
preparing and spinning hemp and similar fibrous materials, and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid,
1st, the mode herein set forth of arranging and operating the gills or teeth
of heckling or gilling machines; 1 claim particularly the apron K, and the
mode of mounting the teeth thereon.
I also claim the mode set forth of arranging the bearings of the drawing
rollers K', K, and M', so as to produce a uniform and yielding pressure as
the silver passes between them.
I further claim the use of endless aprons S, S', running over rollers S*, Si*,
in place of the drawing rollers, as herein set forth.
And in reference to the opening machine, I claim, secondly, the use of the
endless toothed apron N, rollers O', O*, and flyer Q, as and for the purpose
set forth.

page_text: . And I also claim the use of the fingers o, 0%, of varying length operating on
the ratchet wheels o¹, 02*, of different diameters, for the purpose of regulating
and equalizing the thickness of the strand, as herein set forth..
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty:
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON.
(L.S.)