IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBRES."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Crofts, Richard Dawson, and John King,
all of Hunslet Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING WOOL OR
OTHER FIBRES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Crofts, Richard
Dawson, and John King at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 21st May 1868.
We, JOHN CROFTS, RICHARD DAWSON, and JOHN KING, all of
Hunslet Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declaro the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS
FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBRES," to be as follows:-
The improvements relate particularly to that class of combing
machinery in which the fibre to be operated upon is laid, in the feeding,
on to two sets of travelling and holding combs, which are arranged so
that in their progress they come together at or about the time of
receiving the fibre, and then progressively separate from each other,
a portion of the fibre being retained by one set of such holding combs

page_text: whilst part is drawn out therefrom by the other set. In such machines
as generally used each holding comb is formed into a circle, and the
progressive separation is obtained by one circle of teeth being smaller
and working within the other.
In carrying out our improvements the holding combs in place of being
formed in circles are arranged in short lengths, connected together by
hinge joint or as a chain, so that they may by preference be endless
and be capable of moving during parts of their traverse in straight or
inclined directions and have motion given to them by passing round
suitable pulleys or wheels. Feed boxes travel with one, say the outer
set, of these chains of holding combs, and in place of a single set of
inner holding combs we employ a double set travelling together with
the points of the teeth of one set towards and passing down between
those of the other, by which the surfaces of the teeth of these two sets
of inner holding combs may be brought closer together to form a gauge
finer than could be produced with all the teeth pointing in the same
direction, and admit of narrower combs being used in this position.
One set of this double series of inner holding combs is in its progress
caused for a time to travel parallel or nearly so with the other or outer
set during the time of receiving fibre from the feed boxes and the
pressing of such fibre by the dabbing brush fully into the teeth of these
holding combs. Then in the further progress of this set or portion of
the inner holding combs the fibre is brought under and penetrated by
teeth of the other or upper set of inner endless combs. We prefer that
the rows of teeth of the upper set of these inner holding, combs be
interspaced with those of the lower inner combs, and that one row of
them lie between the lower inner and outer holding combs. When
fibre has been taken between teeth of the two inner sets of holding
combs, these combs in their motion progressively diverge from the other
holding combs until separation of the fibres takes place, aided if need
be by a separator; drawing off rollers then draw off from the respective
combs. Noil lifter and other apparatus also operate as usual. Similar
operations may be repeated on different parts of the outer or larger
series of holding combs. The respective chains of combs are controlled
in their motion by suitable guides. By these means increased efficiency
in working is obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Crofts, Richard Dawson, and John King
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
CROFTS, RICHARD DAWSON, and JOHN KING, all of Hunslet Lane,
Leeds, in the County of York, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said John Crofts, Richard Dawson, and John
King, Her special licence that we, the said John Crofts, Richard
Dawson, and John King, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said John Crofts, Richard Dawson, and John
King, our 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBRES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Crofts,
Richard Dawson, and John King, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of: us or them, 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 we, the said John Crofts, Richard Dawson,
and John King, 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, thereof,
that is to say:-
The improvements relate particularly to that class of combing
machines in which the fibre to be operated upon is laid, in, the feeding,
onto two sets of travelling and holding combs generally known in the

page_text: trade as Noble's machines, and which are arranged so that in their
progress such combs come together at or about the time of receiving the
fibre, and then progressively separate from each other, a portion of
the fibre being retained by one set of such holding combs, whilst part
is drawn out therefrom by the other set. In such machines as generally
used each holding comb is formed into a circle, and the progressive
separation is obtained by one circle of teeth being smaller and working
trade as Noble's machines, and which are arranged so that in their
progress such combs come together at or about the time of receiving the
fibre, and then progressively separate from each other, a portion of
the fibre being retained by one set of such holding combs, whilst part
is drawn out therefrom by the other set. In such machines as generally
used each holding comb is formed into a circle, and the progressive
separation is obtained by one circle of teeth being smaller and working
within the other.
In carrying out our improvements the holding combs in place of
being formed in circles are arranged in short lengths connected together
by hinge joint or as a chain, so that they may by preference be endless
and be capable of moving during parts of their traverse in straight or
inclined directions, and have motion given to them by passing round
suitable pulleys or wheels. Feed boxes travel with one, say the outer
set, of these chains of holding combs, and in place of a single set of
inner holding combs we employ a double set travelling together, with
the points of the teeth of one set towards and passing down between
those of the other, by which the surfaces of the teeth of these two
sets of inner holding combs may be brought closer together to form a
gauge finer than could be produced with all the teeth pointing in the
same direction, and admit of narrower combs being used in this position.
One set of this double series of inner holding combs is in its progress
caused for a time to travel parallel or nearly so with the other or outer
set during the time of receiving fibre from the feed boxes, and the
pressing of such fibre by the dabbing brush fully into the teeth of these
holding combs. Then in the further progress of this set or portion of
the inner holding combs the fibre is brought under and penetrated by
teeth of the other or upper set of inner endless combs.
that the rows of teeth of the upper set of these inner holding combs
be interspaced with those of the lower inner combs, and that one row
of them lie between the lower inner and outer holding combs. When
fibre has been taken between teeth of the two inner sets of holding
combs, these combs in their motion progressively diverge from the
other holding combs until separation of the fibres takes place, aided
if need be by a separator; drawing-off rollers then draw off from the
respective combs. Noil lifter and other apparatus also operate as usual.
Similar operations may be repeated on different parts of the outer or
larger series of holding combs. The respective chains of combs are
We prefer

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows by a side view, and Figure 2 by a plan view parts
of apparatus arranged to carry out our Invention. Figure 3 shows on
a larger scale a section of some of the parts taken through the linc
(1), (1), of Figure 2; Figures 4 to 7 show some of the parts separately
in order that their construction may be better understood. In each
of the Figures of the Drawings the same letters are employed to
indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a, a, are the outer holding combs, which are formed in short lengths
or sections carried by the frames b, b, which frames also carry the
feed boxes c, through which the fibre to be operated upon is fed
from the balls d, as is well understood in machines of the character
referred to. These frames b, b, are formed at their inner ends ₁ to
stide on the stationary table e, whilst their outer ends are provided
with rollers 6, by which these frames are capable of sliding freely
on the table e, and they are connected together to move in the order
desired by means of links b³, which are formed to pass round pulleys f, f,
onc at each end of the table c, and adapted when rotary motion is
given to them to cause the progressive motion to be given to the
segments of combs a and the feed boxes supplying them with the
fibre to be operated upon. In order that this motion to links b³ and
parts operated thereby may be uniformly progressive the pulleys f, f,
are formed with projections f¹ to embrace the parts of those links,
as is well understood, we also prefer to give simultaneous equal
motion to both pulley wheels f, by which the motion of the parts is
rendered uniform. g and h are the inner holding combs, and it will
be seen that the points of the teeth of the combs point in the
opposite direction to those of the combs g, and the teeth of the
combs are capable of passing between the rows of the teeth of the
combs g, and thereby are capable of forming a finer gauge than could
be produced by all the teeth of these inner combs pointing in the
same direction. The combs g are connected together by links g', and

page_text: they are guided in their traverse by passing in the course e¹ formed for
them on the table e, whilst the progressive motion is imparted to them
by means of the pulley wheels g², which are formed to embrace parts of
the links g', and in the rotary motion imparted to them by suitable gear
to give the desired motion to the combs g, uniform with the combs a.
The sections of combs h are carried by the plates h¹, which are capable
of moving vertically in plates h³, and these plates 2 are connected
together so as to have progressive motions imparted to them and
thence to the combs by means of links ³. This progressive motion
is imparted to these links and the parts carried thereby, so that the
combs may move with the combs g and by those links being
embraced by suitably formed parts on the pulleys h*. It will be seen
by the arrangement shown that the inner holding combs 9 in their
progress for a time travel at A and A parallel or nearly so with the
teeth of the outer holding combs a, and it is at this time that the
fibre under operation is fed on to those combs a and g, through the
feed boxes c. The fibre thus fed onto these holding combs a and g
in then pressed fully into them by means of dabbing brushes i, i, as
is well understood. Then in the further progress of the combs a and g,
the fibre just received by them is brought under and penetrated by the
teeth of the combs h. The vertical movement of the combs his controlled
by the grooved course 5 formed in the stationary framing to receive
pulleys he, one to each of the frames h. We prefer not only that the rows
of teeth of the upper set h of these inner holding combs be interspaced
with those of the lower combs g, but that one row of teeth of such
combs be capable of passing in between the teeth of the combs a
and the teeth of the combs g. As arranged there are two points for the
supply of the fibre to the combs à, g, and h in order to its being
worked by them, but this may be varied, and it will be seen that in each
case after the respective combs a, g, and h have for a time travelled
together, the combs 9 and progressively diverge from the combs
a, when a separation of fibre will take place by part thereof being
held between the combs g and h, whilst the bulk is retained by the
combs a. At this point of separation we prefer to aid the separation by
the use of separators; such as ordinarily used in machines of the
character referred to, one of these separators is however shown separately
at Figure 6. The circles k, k, indicate the position of fluted drawing off
rollers for drawing off fibre from the inside of the teeth of the combs;
a and k¹, the aprons to such drawing off rollers. The fibre remaining in

page_text: these combs a is then held down in the teeth a by a stationary plate l;
and when it has passed that plate it is raised by lifting plates or
inclines m out of the teeth of the combs a in the rising of the inner
ends of the boxes for a fresh laying on of fibre. A side view of a
plate and of a series of plates m is shown separately at Figure 7.
The lifting of the inner ends of the boxes at the times desired is
effected by the inclines q.
The circles n, n, indicate the position of
fluted drawing off rollers, and n¹ their aprons for drawing off fibre
from the teeth of the combs g. o, o, are noil lifters; and p, p, noil
rollers for taking away the noil from these combs g; r is a steam
pipe passing under the combs a, by which heat may be imparted to
the respective combs.
We have not thought it necessary to show the various gear by which
the motions to the respective parts are obtained or other of the ordinary
details, as such will be well understood by persons acquainted with this
class of machinery.
Figure 8 represents by side view, Figure 9 by plan view, Figures
10 and 11 sections, of parts of apparatus showing our improvements
applied when both the inner and the outer holding combs travel in
circles, a indicating a portion of the outer circle of holding combs,
and the inner circle of holding combs, these circles being arranged
to operate in relation to each other and having apparatus for feeding
the fibre into them and taking it therefrom, as is well understood
by persons acquainted with the machines for combing wool and such
like fibre commonly called Noble's; h are the segments of intersecting
teeth acting therewith according to our improvements. Each of these
segments of combs h is affixed to a carriage ho, which is capable
of sliding vertically on pillars h', ', carried by the inner circle g,
whilst the desired up-and-down movement is given to the respective
segments by each of the carriages he being provided with a projecting
studs, which passes into and is actuated by a groove ho formed in
the plate or course h¹º.
Having thus described our Invention, and means which we adopt
in carrying our improvements into effect, we would have it understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise arrangement or working
of parts described or form of combs indicated, as the same may be
varied when using circular or other form of combs without departing
from the peculiar character of our Invention; but what we claim is,

page_text: the arranging or combining apparatus of the character referred to
for combing wool or other fibres whereby comb teeth a, g, and h and
parts connected therewith may operate together on the fibre in
manner substantially as described.
In witness whereof, wc, the said John Crofts, Richard Dawson,
and John King, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JOHN CROFTS.
(L.S.)
RICHARD DAWSON. (L.S.)
JOHN KING.
(L.S.)
JOHN CROFTS.
(L.S.)
RICHARD DAWSON. (L.S.)
JOHN KING.
(L.S.)