Improvements in and relating to Combing-machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Combing-machines.
I, HUBERT LEOPOLD OFFERMANN, Director of The Leipziger Woll Kämmerei,
Leipsic, in the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to combing-machiues, and is chiefly designed to improve
the construction and increase the efficiency of such apparatus.
In the "Heilmann" combing-machine, the detachment of the combed or cleared
fibres is effected either by a detaching-roller or by delivery or detaching nippers.
Detaching-rollers, which during the detachment are rotated at an uniform rate
against the top comb, have the advantage that fibres of different lengths are
uniformly distributed in the fleece or lap of combed fibre, and the disadvantage,
that they do not draw off so close to the top comb as appears desirable with short
fibres.
The delivery or detaching nippers certainly seize the material close to the top
comb, but have nevertheless the disadvantage that they seize all the fibres at the
same time and consequently all the short fibres in the fleece or lap are gathered up
at equal distances from one another. An uniform distribution of the short fibres
over the whole length of the fleece or lap cannot then be effected in the succeeding
drawing-frame in the requisite manner. For this reason combing-machines with
delivery or detaching nippers have not been extensively used except for cotton.
According to the present invention, both kinds of detaching-devices are combined
with each other in such a manner that their good qualities are utilized whilst their
disadvantages are obviated.
For this purpose the first part of the drawing-off is effected by the nippers,
whilst the roller completes the detachment of the combed fibres.
In this manner the material can be detached close to the top comb, without
incurring the above mentioned disadvantage of the irregular distribution of the
short fibres. Moreover, by an arrangement of this kind, one is put in a position
to allow the detachment to take place at any desired position between the comb
and the detaching-roller, so that the separation of the combings can be regulated,
as desired, according to the nature of the material and its future application.
This double detachment device can either be made so that special detaching or
delivery nippers are provided which operate together with the detaching-roller as
above mentioned, or else in such a way that the main nippers themselves act as the
detaching or delivery nippers.
In the latter arrangement, which is the simplest, the combed fibres are first
drawn back whilst the nippers are open, so that an auxiliary comb, arranged
behind the nippers, cau be inserted into the already combed part of the fibres.
This insertion takes place after the nippers have again closed and the front part
of the fibres is clamped. The lap or fleece, with the inserted auxiliary comb, is
now moved back through a suitable distance from the closed nippers, so that the
fibres held in the nippers are drawn out of the lap or fleece. The first part of
the detachment is here completed. The auxiliary comb is next removed, the
nippers open, the lap of fibres is fed forward within reach of the detaching-
rollers, the top comb is inserted, and the detachment is completed in the usual
manner.

page_text: The provision of two combs as above mentioned is not absolutely necessary, for
if the auxiliary comb be pushed forward through the opened nippers at the same
time as the fibres, the front or top comb can be omitted, since then the rear
part of the fibres will be drawn through the advanced auxiliary comb.
In machines with rigidly mounted nippers, the detaching-device of which
consists of a pair of swinging rollers or a roller and the leather segment on the
comb-cylinder or drum, the provision of two combs is advisable, as with a single
comb arranged behind the nippers, the nippers would need to be opened very
wide for the passage of this comb, thus involving an appreciable loss of time.
In machines with a rigidly mounted detaching-device, in which the nippers
swing backwards and forwards between the detaching-device and the comb-
cylinder or drum, a top comb is sufficient, since the motions necessary for the
feeding-forward of the top-comb can take place during the swinging of the nippers,
without loss of time.
The operation takes place in a machine of this kind, in the following
manner: After the material is combed out by the comb-cylinder or drum, the
nippers open and commence their forward swinging motion, the lap remaining at
rest, until the nippers are over the combed-out part of the fibre. The nippers
then close and swing further, whilst the lap, with the inserted top comb, follows
the nippers at a slower speed, so as to complete the first part of the detachment.
The nippers then open far enough to permit of the comb, inserted in the lap,
being moved so far forward through the nippers that the fibres will come within
reach of the detaching-roller.
The driving-mechanism for the auxiliary comb consists of two cams or
eccentrics, which engage with two levers. The said levers can be adjusted
relatively to each other by means of an adjusting-screw in a well-known
manner, so that the motion of the auxiliary comb can be regulatel as desired.
The backward and forward motion of the feeding device is effected by means
of a lever, operated through intermediate regulating levers from cams on &
suitable driving-shaft.
The position of the intermediate regulating levers relatively to each other can
be varied by means of an adjusting-screw whereby the motion of the feeding device
can be properly controlled.
Dated this 3rd day of February 180s
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Combing-machines.
I, HUBERT LEOPOLD OFFERMANN, Director of The Leipziger Woll Kümmerei,
Leipsic, in the German Empire, 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:-
My invention relates to combing-machines, and is chiefly designed to improve
the construction and increase the efficiency of such apparatus.
In the "Heilmann" combing-machine the detachment of the combed or cleared
fibres is effected either by a detaching roller or by delivery or detaching nippers.
Detaching rollers, which during the detachment are rotated at an uniform rate
against the top comb, have the advantage that fibres of different lengths are
uniformly distributed in the fleece or lap of combed fibre, and the disadvantage,

page_text: that they do not draw off so close to the top comb as appears desirable with short
fibres.
The delivery or detaching nippers certainly seize the material close to the top
comb but have nevertheless the disadvantage that they seize all the fibres at the same
time and consequently all the short fibres in the fleece or lap are gathered up at
equal distances from one another. An uniform distribution of the short fibres over
the whole length of the fleece or lap cannot then be effected in the succeeding
drawing-frame in the requisite manner. For this reason combing machines with
delivery or detaching nippers have not been extensively used, not even for cotton.
According to the present invention both kinds of detaching devices are combined
with each other in such a manner that their good qualities are utilized whilst their
disadvantages are obviated.
The operation of the detaching or delivery nippers and of the detaching rollers
is shown diagrammatically in Figures 1 to 1".
If the detaching or delivery nippers c after having seized the fleece or lap
projecting out from the nippers a to a distance r from the said nippers (Figure 1)
are moved back (Figure 1B), all the fibres clamped by the nippers are
simultaneously drawn out of the fleece or lap held in the feed device, (which is not
shown in the drawing) and the remaining fleece or lap projects from the nippers a
to a distance.
If, on the other hand, the detachment be effected by the rollers g which rotate
continuously, whilst they approach the nippers a, the fibres in the mass are drawn
out of the fleece or lap as they are seized by the said rollers, consequently during
the detachment of the combed or cleaned fibres they are stretched until the rollers
have moved to a distance a, Figure 1°, from the nippers a, and here complete the
detachment, that is to say, the fibres seized at this point are drawn out of the fleece
or lap. The remaining fleece or lap will then project out of the nippers a to a
distance x¹.
If now the nippers c do not complete the whole of the detachment, but are only
moved back to the seizing point of the rollers y, the fibres seized by the nippers
up to this point will we simultaneously drawn out of the fleece or lap. If the
rollers g then come into action in the usual way and complete the detachment at
the distance from the nippers a, the remaining fleece or lap will again only
project from the nippers a to the shorter distance x, while the rollers complete the
pull or travel commenced by the nippers c and all the fibres seized by the nippers c
are drawn out or detached by the rollers.
In this manner the combed or cleaned fibres can be detached close up to the top
comb without incurring the above mentioned disadvantage of heaping up the short
fibres in lines or rows, these being, on the contrary, distributed equally in the
cleaned fleece by the rotation of the rollers g during the detachment. In this way
by suitably varying the size or amount of the first detachment, effected by the
nippers c, the separation of the combings can be regulated as desired, according to
the material of the fibres and to the intended application thereof.
This double detachment device can either be made so that special detaching or
delivery nippers are provided which operate together with the detaching roller as
above described, or else in such a way that the main nippers themselves act as the
detaching or delivery nippers.
In the latter arrangement, which is the simplest, the combed fibres are first
drawn so far back, whilst the nippers are open, that an auxiliary comb, arranged.
behind the nippers, can be inserted into the already combed part of the fibres
This insertion takes place after the nippers have again closed and the front part of
the fibres is clamped. The lap or fleece, with the inserted auxiliary comb, is now
moved back through a suitable distance from the closed nippers, so that the fibres
held in the nippers are drawn out of the lap or fleece. The first part of the
detachment is here completed. The auxiliary comb is next removed, the nippers
open, the lap of fibres is fed forward within reach of the detaching rollers, the top
comb is inserted, and the detachment is completed in the usual manner.

page_text: A detaching device of this kind is shown in Figures 2 to 6 in its various
positions.
In Figure 2, the nippers a are closed, and the material is being combed.
In Figure 3, the nippers a are open, the feeding device e has drawn the lap or
fleece back sufficiently to permit of the auxiliary comb f being inserted into the
already combed part.
In Figure 4, the nippers have gripped the front part of the combed fibre and the
auxiliary combf has been inserted.
In Figure 5, the auxiliary comb f and the feeding device e with the lap or fleece
have been moved back through a certain distance from the nippers so that the first
part of the detachment is completed.
In Figure 6 the nippers have opened, the auxiliary comb is removed, the lap or
fleece has been fed forward within reach of the detaching roller. g and the leather
segment h, the top comb b has been inserted and the detachment is completed in
the usual manner.
The provision of two combs as above mentioned is not absolutely necessary, for
if the auxiliary comb be fed forward through the opened nippers at the same time
as the fibres, the front or top comb can be omitted, since then the rear part of the
fibres will be drawn through the advanced auxiliary comb.
In machines with rigidly mounted nippers, the detaching device of which consists
of a pair of swinging rollers or a roller and a leather segment on the comb-cylinder
or drum, the provision of two combs is advisable, as with a single comb arranged
behind the nippers, the nippers would need to be opened very wide for the passage
of this comb, thus involving an appreciable loss of time.
In machines with a rigidly mounted detaching device in which the nippers swing
backwards and forwards between the detaching device and the comb-cylinder or
drum, oue top comb is sufficient, since the motions necessary for the feeding-
forward of the top-comb can take place during the swinging of the nippers, without
loss of time.
The driving mechanism for the arrangement shown in Figures 2 to 6 is given in
Figures 7 to 11 in which the essential parts of the combing machine are shown in
different positions.
The feeding device e is mounted on the bent lever r which turns about the stud
or pin R and is continually pulled downward by means of a spring B attached to
its rear end. This lever, by means of the roller D', engages with the arm N" of
the lever turning about the axis A; the roller n of the lever n runs on the
periphery of the cam p on the driving shaft S. Round the axis A freely turns a
second lever o, the roller ol of which runs on the periphery of a second cam g,
which is arranged near the cam p on the driving shaft S. On the sleeves or hubs
of the levers o, n, are arms o¹, n', of which o¹ is provided with an adjusting screw u
which rests on the arn n' and enables the position of the levers n and o to be varied
relatively to each other as desired. Moreover the arm or nose N on which the
arm r rests, is cast onto the lever n.
In Figure 7 is shown the position of the parts, at the moment when the needle
segment of the comb cylinder finishes its operation, the nippers open and the feeding
device moves back with the band of fibres, while the arm r resting on the arm or
nose N sinks since the arm o follows the cam g.
After the auxiliary comb has been inserted, it, together with the feeding device,
(the nippers being now closed, Figure 9) is again drawn back by the further
operation of the above described mechanism, and the first part of the detachment
is completed.
The auxiliary comb is now removed, the nippers open, and the feeding device
moves forward to the detaching cylinder. This forward motion is effected by the
camp which now presses the lever n upwards.
Since the camp has the larger diameter, the feeding device will not only be
pushed forward through the amount of the feed, but also to that amount through
which it was previously drawn back to effect the first part of the detachment.

page_text: Since, by reason of the improvement forming the subject of the present invention,
double backward and forward motion of the feeding device is required, two feed-
cams p and q are provided, which act on two lever arms adjustable relatively to
one another.
The auxiliary comb fis actuated, in a similar manner to the feeding device, by
a double lever i, k, which turns about the pin R. Since the backward and forward
motion of the auxiliary comb must correspond with that of the feeding device,.
exactly the same mechanism is provided therefor. The lever-arms i and k are
operated by two cams of different diameter I and m, they are adjustable relatively
to one another by means of the screw t and the spring T acts on them, in an
exactly similar manner to that in which the spring B acts on the pair of
levers n, o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what [
claim is
1. A double-acting detaching or delivery device for combing machines, so
constructed that the detachment of the combed or cleaned fibres is effected in two
stages or steps, the first by means of nippers so as to separate the least possible
amount of combings, and the second by means of detaching rollers for uniformly
distributing the shorter fibres.
2. The modification of my double-acting detaching device for combing machines,.
in which the first part of the detachment of the combed or cleaned fibres is effected
by the backward motion of the feeding device after the clamping of the front part
of the combed fibre by the nippers and the insertion of a top comb arranged
behind the nippers into the combed part of the fibre, after which the fleece or lap is
again fed forward through the opened nippers and the detachment completed in
the usual manner, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.
3. The improved apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 2 to 11 of the accompanying drawings and operating as and for the-
purposes above specified.
O dox of November 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.