IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING SILK
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Arthur Greenwood at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1877.
ARTHUR GREENWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machine Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRESSING SILK."
The main object of this Invention is to make a continuous sliver or lap of con-
siderable length, and thereby to economize time in the dressing operation. To this
end I mount the holders which carry the silk in a cylindrical frame, which by its
rotation brings the ends of the silk under the action of rotating cylindrical combs or
card rollers set around the frame. In combination with these rotary combs are
rotary brushes for laying the fibres straight in the combs.
The holders for retaining the silk consists each of a small round stick, which is
embraced by blocks or packing pieces furnished with half-round grooves to receive
the sticks. Stricks of the silk slightly damped are secured in the holders by one end
being lapped round the stick, and they are securely held in place by screws,
wedges, or otherwise.
Any desired number of these holders are arranged around the cylindrical frame,
according to its diameter.
For the convenience of tightening up the holders I divide them into three or
more sets, each set of holders being provided with a separate tightening device.
As the carrying frame, with the ends of silk projecting therefrom, is made to
rotate slowly in front of the cylindrical combs, the latter will comb out the loose
fibres, which are then laid straight in the combs by the rotating brushes. This
operation is continued until all the loose fibres are combed out of the stricks, or
until the combs are filled with the straightened out fibres of silk.
When the combs are full the machine is stopped, and the sliver lap or bat of silk
is removed from the combs by cutting it transversely, and lifting it out of the teeth.
The combing operation is then continued until no more fibres can be combed out of
the stricks. The holders must then be taken out of the frame, and the ends of the
stricks reversed, so that the ends which were enclosed in the holders may be combed
out.

page_text: As a modification of the above I sometimes arrange the comb or card teeth on
backs carried by an endless sheet or chain, instead of round the peripheries of
cylinders, as above mentioned. This endless chain of combs passes round two
tension rollers, and acts in a straight horizontal line, travelling by preference at
about three times the usual speed.
The strick holders are of the same construction as in the former case, but they
aré mounted in what is termed an "in frame." They are arranged in a straight
line corresponding to the line of travelling combs, and the "in frame," with the
silk holders is capable of being raised as the fibres are drawn out, and the length of
the stricks is consequently reduced. The travelling combs, as they draw out the
loose fibres from the stricks, carry them forward to a rotary comb or card cylinder,
which will strip the comb and form the fibres into a bat; the fibres being laid straight
in the teeth of the comb cylinder by rotary brushes.
When the cylinder is full of silk the lap can either be taken off by hand or by a
pair of fluted stripping off rollers mounted on a swinging carriage, so that they may
be thrown back while the comb cylinder is at work, but may be brought forward
when they are required to strip or draw off the lap of silk from the cylinder.
The lap of silk formed as above described is placed upon the travelling sheet of
the filling machine, which sheet carries it forward to an india-rubber covered roller
that delivers the silk to a porcupine roller; this roller transfers the silk to the bite
of a pair of nipping rollers, which hold it up to a filling cylinder fitted with tangential
comb teeth. These teeth take the fibres from the nipping rollers, and the fibres as
the cylinder rotates are straightened by means of a rotating brush, which also rubs
against and cleans the lower, nipping roller.
1
When the filling cylinder is charged with the proper quantity of fibres the stricks
may be removed therefrom, and placed in books ready for the dressing frame.