IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN TENTERING, STRETCHING, AND DRYING FABRICS, PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lee Norton, of Belle Sauvage Yard, Ludgate
Hill, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN TENTERING, STRETCHING, AND DRYING FABRICS,
PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 8th November 1864, and dated the 12th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lee Norton, at the
. Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
May 1864.
I, JAMES LEE NORTON, of Belle Sauvage Yard, Ludgate Hill, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED. IN TENTERING, STRETCHING, AND DRYING FABRICS,
PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
In tentering, stretching, and drying fabrics, it is now common to secure the
selvages of the fabrics to heckle points, pins, or teeth fixed to endless chains,
which travelling on carry the fabric into a drying chamber, other means of
holding the fabric have also heretofore been employed.
According to one part of my Invention the links of the chain are furnished.
with nipping jaws, which are open at the point where the fabric is fed on to
the chains, and then shut down so as to hold the selvages firmly whilst the

page_text: chains take the fabric, through the machine. The jaws are made of such a
length that they nearly meet end to end and support the fabric continuously.
By means of a spring, conveniently made of vulcanized india-rubber, the jaws
are caused to tend constantly to spring open, and after the selvage has been
introduced between them as the chain travels forward, inclines or rollers shut
down the jaws and so lock them by placing a strut (which each link carries
in addition to the jaws) in such a position as to prevent the jaws again separa-
ting. The strut is mounted on a pin joint, and is conveniently furnished with
a tail or other projection, on which other inclines or rollers act when the chain
comes to the point where the fabric leaves it, so as to remove the strut and
allow the jaws to open; in place of this strut a spring catch or other convenient
fastening may be employed. The jaws or clips are formed at the part where
the fabric is held with a recess for an india-rubber ring to be inserted, which is
held in its place by a rib or flanch. The object of this rubber ring is to allow
the jaws to take a firm hold either of a thick or a thin fabric when fabrics of
various thicknesses are required to be stretched on one machine. The chains,
as heretoforé, pass through guides, which at the place where the fabric is laid
on are comparatively close together, but afterwards the guides, by degrees
become further apart, the distance to which they separate may be varied by
adjusting screws as required, so that the fabric becomes stretched, and whilst
thus held it is dried, and when starched becomes stiff. To connect into a chiain
links such as above described, or it may be links having heckle points, pins, or
teeth for holding the fabric as heretofore, I find it in some cases convenient
to dispense with rivetting or other permanent attachments, and to make the
links with a hook at each end so that the hook of one link may lock into
the hook of the next link, the hooks are so made that they can only be fastened
and unfastened by sliding them sideways in and out of their places, the guides
ensure their remaining locked together whilst they are at work. In other
respects the arrangements of the machine are such as have heretofore been
adopted, the chains passing to-and-fro in the drying chamber, and around
pulleys at the ends; or the chains may pass vertically up and down in the chamber;
or they may be made to form a single horizontal, endless sheet, or, as is very
convenient, the chains may pass horizontally from end to end of the chamber,
and afterwards up and down vertically as many times as may be necessary.to
give the requisite surface: The rollers round which the fabric passes as it is,
conducted through the machine to and fro, or up and down, and which are'
required to give it the necessary support are made. telescopic; this is not itself
new, as it has beretofore been practised by me, but according to this Invention
the rollers are constructed more conveniently than heretofore. On the axis

page_text: of the roller are fixed two discs, at a distance apart somewhat less than the
smallest length of the roller, and each disc has upon it six or other convenient
number of projections, and flat bars parallel with the axis connect the pro-
jections of one disc with the corresponding projections of the opposite disc,
and then the centre portion of the roller is made up. Between each of these
flat bars, and the bar next it, space is left for two other similar bars, the one
belonging to the lengihening slide on the one side, and the other to the lengthen-
ing slide on the other side. One of these slides consists of two discs capable
of moving longitudinally on the axis, the inner disc is in between the two
discs of the centre slide, and is connected with the disc of the outer end by
six (or other number) of the flat bars passing as before mentioned between
the spaces of the bars of the centre portion of the roller. When this length-
ening portion is in its innermost position its inner end is close up to the furthest
end disc of the centre portion, and when this lengthening portion is in its
outermost position its inner end is close up to the disc at the end of the centre
portion which is nearest to this sliding part of the roller. On the other side
of the central portion of the roller the arrangement of the lengthening part
is different, its longitudinal parallel bars are not supported at their inner ends
by a disc, but they slide upon guide bars provided for them in the central por-
tion of the roller. Each of the end discs of the central portion has short
projections formed on it to receive these guide bars which run from one disc
to the other, but nearer to the axis than the bars which support the fabric, and
the bars of the lengthening portion have clips at their inner end which
embrace the guide bais,. and are able to slide upon them as the roller is ex--
panded and contracted.
Another method of arranging the machine consists in causing the chains or..
clips after receiving the fabric to pass along horizontally through guides,.
gradually separating, so that the fabric may become stretched to the full width
required, afterwards the chains pass around or over and under a series of:
steam drums, and thus it becomes dried; there are guides or chain wheels on
the drums to keep the chains at a suitable distance apart, and these guides or
chain wheels are adjustable by screws to render the machine suitable to take
fabrics of different widths.
In stretching or drying some kinds, of goods in order to give what is known
as the elastic finish, it is necessary to arrange the clips or jaws in a machinė;
in such a manner that the, clips or jaws forming the endless chains are caused
by suitable mechanism to oscillate or move to and fro alternately. Although.
I prefer to form the.. clips, jaws, or links into chains, I do not confine myself
o that arrangement, as the same may be made to travel through guides with-

page_text: .
out being directly connected by means of geared wheels being made to work into
the clips, jaws, or links which force them backwards or forwards as required.
I prefer as a rule to fix the machines in closed chambers, and in some cases
I use steam chests or coils placed between the fabric as heretofore in some
cases practised by me, but in other cases I use a heating apparatus and fan
for forcing the air into the drying chamber furnished with suitable ventilation,
or in some cases I use a steam blast or exhaust fan to produce a current
through the chamber.
I would remark that there are other machines besides drying machines in
which fabrics require to be stretched out flat, as for example in raising
machines, where the nap has to be raised across the fabric, not longitudinally,
also in machines for cutting or shearing across the fabric, and in these cases,
clips arranged according to my Invention to travel forward continuously and
to separate to stretch the fabric are also applicable.
In drying goods which do not require to be stretched I make a machine as
follows: In this machine the goods are supported at one selvage or edge only,
the chain carrying the pins or clips for holding the selvage or edge of the cloth
or other material is made to pass horizontally over a series of guides and chain
wheels, the shafts of which are placed vertically: The cloth or other material
to be dried is hooked on the pins or clamped between the jaws of the clips
which hold it securely while it is going through the machine. The clips or
pins are so formed as to allow the cloth or other material to hang vertically.
The chain passes forward along one guide round a chain wheel at the end,
returns along the next guide, and so on through the machine, carrying the
cloth or other material with it. Between the folds of chain thus formed coils
of steam pipes are fixed, the heat derived from which dries the cloth or other
materials as it passes along. When clips are used in this machine they are
made in the way before described, and are held open by a spring between the
jaws until the cloth or other materials have been inserted, when the clip is shut
by coming in contact with a cam or roller, and is kept shut while passing
through the machine by a lever or spring catch which (when the cloth or
other material has passed through the machine) is thrown out by another cam
or roller, and the jaws allowed to open and release the cloth or other material
when dried. This machine is very convenient for drying clothes and
paper.
In drying paper it is convenient to combine with a drying chamber or room
a number of endless chains made with clip links as already described. Each
endless chain passes round drums at its ends, these drums are mounted on
horizontal axes and can be rotated at pleasure. In filling the clips the chain

page_text: is moved round by driving one of its drums so as to bring up the clip links in
succession to the filling point, and each clip having received its sheet or sheets
it carries it into the drying chamber, then the chain is allowed to remain
stationary if necessary in the drying chamber until the drying is complete,
and then the chain is again driven to take off the sheets and recharge the
clips. A number of chains being employed the workman may be kept con-
stantly occupied in putting on and taking off the paper.
For drying paper I prefer however to make a machine which consists of
one endless apron working to and fro horizontally over a series of suitable
rollers at each end of the machine; on this apron the paper to be dried is
placed, and is held in its place by tapes or bands fastened securely at suitable
intervals so as to be stretched tight, and have a tendency to press close to the
apron; the pieces of paper to be dried are placed underneath these bands
and the apron carries them through the machine. The necessary heat is sup-
plied by coils of steam pipes, or a heating apparatus, and fan or steam blast, and
the paper when dry is slipped from, under the tapes, and taken out of the
machine. If necessary the feed and delivery portions of this machine may be
made self-acting.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Lee Norton, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LEE NORTON, of Belle Sauvage Yard,, Ludgate Hill, in the City of London,
send greeting.
Lord
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Iler Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Lee Norton, Her special licence that I, the said James Lee
Norton, my executors, administrators; and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Lee Norton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree. with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-

page_text: MENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN TENTERING, STRETCHING, AND DRYING FABRICS,
PAPER, AND OTHER MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Lee Norton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their bands and seals, 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 James Lee Norton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
In tentering, stretching, and drying fabrics it is now common to secure
the selvages of the fabrics to heckle points, pins, or teeth fixed to endless
chains, which travelling on carry the fabric into a drying chamber, other
means of holding the fabric have also heretofore been employed.
According to one part of my Invention the links of the chain are furnished
with nipping jaws, which are open at the point where the fabric is fed on to
the chains, and then shut down so as to hold the selvages firmly whilst the
chains take the fabric through the machine. The jaws are made of such a
length that they nearly meet end to end, and support the fabric continuously.
By means of a spring, conveniently made of vulcanized india-rubber, the jaws are
caused to tend constantly to spring open, and after the selvage has been intro-
duced between them as the chain travels forward, inclines or rollers shut down
the jaws, and so lock them by placing a strut (which each link carries in addi-
tion to the jaws) in such a position as to prevent the jaws again separating.
The strut is mounted on a pin joint, and is conveniently furnished with a tail or
other projection on which other inclines or rollers act when the chain comes
to the point where the fabric leaves it so as to remove the strut and allow the
jaws to open. In place of this strut a spring catch or other convenient
fastening may be employed. The jaws or clips are formed at the part where
the fabric is held with a recess for an india-rubber ring to be inserted, which
is held in its place by a rib or flanch. The object of this rubber ring is to
allow the jaws to take a firm hold either of a thick or a thin fabric when
fabrics of various thicknesses are required to be stretched on one machine.
To connect into a chain links such as above described, or it may be links
having hecklė points, pins, or teeth for holding the fabric as heretofore, I find
it in some cases convénient to dispense with rivetting or other permanent.
attachments, and to niake the links with a hook at each end, so that the hook

page_text: of one link may lock into the hook of the next link. The hooks are so made
that they can only be fastened and unfastened by sliding them sideways in and
out of their places, the guides ensure their remaining locked together whilst
they are at work.
Figure 1 shows an elevation of a clip formed with a spring catch in the
manner described with india-rubber springs; Figure 2 is a clip on the same
principle, but arranged to work with spiral springs instead of india-rubber ;
and Figure 3 is a plan of the same; Figure 4 is an arrangement to work with
flat steel springs; Figure 5 is a plan of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a clip in
which the top jaw is pressed down, and kept closed by a strut.
In the Figures, from 1 to 5 inclusive, a is the moveable jaw, and b is the
fixed jaw, which may be cast in the same piece, or otherwise fastened to the
link.c.
A recess is formed in the link for the tooth of a chain wheel to work
in, and the projections d, d, are cast on to work against the lips of the
guides e, e, (Figure 1), these guides also support the clip at f. The move-
able jaw a works on a fulerum g, and h, h, are the recesses for the india-
rubber bands; i is the spring by which the jaws are made to part when the
spring catch k is released, this spring catch works on a fulcrum l, and is kept
in position by the spring m, and may be released by a cam or roller pressing
on the tail n.
upon which
In Figure 6 a is the top jaw working on the fulcrum b; c, the. fixed jaw;
d, d, the recesses for the india-rubber bands; and e, the spring, which may be
either of india-rubber, as shown in the Drawing, or a spiral or flat steel or
other kind of spring; f is a bracket supporting a fulcrum g,
works the strut or lever shown in dotted lines at h, this strut may be fur-.
nished with a friction roller shown in dotted lines at i, and it has also a tail
ör lever k, which by coming in contact with a roller or cam may be made to
release the clip, and allow it to open, and another roller or cam is employed
to shut it down; 7 is the link. The jaws of these clips may be split in the
centre as shown at 7, this is done to enable the india-rubber banils to také
firmer hold of the jaws, but it will only be necessary when the jaw's" have to
be made very long. The links may be formed into chains by being furnished
with male and female ends as shown in the plan views, Figures 3 and 5,
at o, o', and where the chains are required to pass round' cbain wheels on
vertical axes it will be merely necessary to pass a headed pin through the
Loles p, p, or if the chains are required to pass over chain wheels fixed on
horizontal axes they may be rivetted like those used by me at present, or the
ends of the links may be so formed that one link pushing against the end of
the next, forces it forward through the guides, or the links carrying the pins

page_text: or
jaws may as before mentioned be furnished with hooks at the ends, as
shown in Figure 7 at a, a, a, a, and may be thus linked together, the hooks
being kept in their places by the guides through which. the chain passes, this
method of connecting the links, which is of my Invention, admits of a link
which is working imperfectly being readily removed and replaced by another.
The joints may be applied to the links either as is shown at Figures 3 and 5,
or as shewn at Figure 3* at right angles to that direction as is most con-
venient, having regard to the other arrangements of the machine.. Where the
fabric is to remain in the clips whilst the chains pass over the chain wheels,
the joints should be in the position shown at Figure 3*. According to
the arrangement I usually adopt the chains as heretofore pass through
guides, which at the place where the fabric is laid on are comparatively
close together, but afterwards the guides by degrees become further apart,
the distance to which they separate may be varied by adjusting screws as
required, so that the fabric becomes stretched, and whilst thus held it is
dried, and when starched becomes stiff. In other respects also the arrange-
ments of the machine are such as have heretofore been adopted, the chains
passing to and fro in the drying chamber, and around pulleys at the ends, or
the chains may pass vertically up and down in the chamber, or they may be
made to form a single horizontal endless sheet, or as is very convenient, the
chains may pass horizontally from end to end of the chamber, and afterwards
up and down vertically as many times as may be necessary to give the
requisite surface. The rollers round which the fabric passes as it is con-
ducted through the machine to and fro, or up and down, and which are
required to give it the necessary support are made telescopic, this is not itself
new, as it has heretofore been practised by me, but according to this Inven-
tion the rollers are constructed more conveniently than heretofore. On the
axis of the roller are fixed two discs at a distance apart somewhat less than
the smallest length of the roller, and each disc has upon it six or other con-
venient number of projections and flat bars parallel with the axis, connect the
projections of one disc with the corresponding projections of the opposite disc,
and thus the centre portion of the roller is made up. Between each of these
flat bars and the bar next it, space is left for two other similar bars, the one
belonging to the lengthening slide on the one side, and the other the length-
ening slide on the other side. One of these slides consists of two discs
capable of moving longitudinally on the axis, the inner disc is in between the
two discs of the centre slide, and is connected with the disc of the outer end
by six (or other number) of the flat bars passing as before mentioned between
the spaces of the bars of the centre portion of the roller. When this

page_text: lengthening portion is in its innermost position, its inner end is close up to
the furthest end disc of the centre portion, and when this lengthening portion
is in its outermost position, its inner end is close up to the disc at the end of
the centre portion which is nearest to this sliding part of the roller. On
the other side of the central portion of the roller the arrangement of the
lengthening part is different, its longitudinal parallel bars are not supported at
their .inner ends by a disc, but they slide upon guide bars provided for them in
the central portion of the roller. Each of the end discs of the central portion
has short projections formed on it to receive these guide bars which run from
one disc to the other, but nearer to the axis than the bars which support
the fabric, and the bars of the lengthening portion have clips at their inner
end which embrace the guide bars,. and are able to slide upon them as the
roller is expanded and contracted.
"
Figure 8 is a view of the telescopic roller partly elongated; Figure 9 shews
it closed up; Figure 10 is a section on the line a, b; .Figure 11 is the same
section enlarged; Figure 12 is an end view' of the roller, and Figure 13
shows one of the iniddle plates; c is the axis of the roller, and d, d', are the
two discs belonging to the middle part; e, e, e, are the projections cast on the
discs.to receive the flat bars f. f,f. These bars are rivetted to the plates in
the, manner shown in Figure 11, holes 9, 9, 9, being cast in the plates to
allow the rivets to be fixed in their places; h, h¹, are the discs, and i, i, i, the
bars belonging to the first lengthening part, and these bars are fastened to
their plates in the same manner as those of the middle portion. The plate h¹
is in between the two plates of the centre portion; is the disc of the
lengthening part on the other. side of the centre portion, and I, 1, 1, are the
bars, the inner ends of which are formed as shown in Figure 11, so as to
slide upon the guide bars m, m, m; n is a key which extends the whole
length of the roller. By means. of the key n the roller is made to turn with
its axis. This roller may be fitted on the shaft so that either one end piece
is fixed, and the other two lengths moveable, or the centre portion may be
made a fixture, and the two end portions moveable, in which case of course
both sides of the machine would have to be moveable.
Another method of arranging the machine according to my Invention
consists in causing the chains or clips after receiving the fabric to pass along
horizontally through guides gradually separating, so that the fabric may
become stretched to the full width required, afterwards the chains pass around
or over and under a series of steam drums, and thus the fabric becomes dried.
There are guides or chain wheels on the drums to keep the chains at a
suitable distance apart; and these guides or chain wheels are adjustable by

page_text: screws to render the machine suitable to take fabrics of different widths.
Figure 14 is a side elevation of a machine thus arranged with steam cylinders;
Figure 15 is a plan of the same; Figure 16 shows a combination of forks or
clutches which fit into suitable recesses in the moveable chain wheels for the
purpose of sliding them in or out along the steam cylinder to suit the different
widths of cloth; Figure 17 shows a side view of one of the steam cylinders
fitted with the chain wheels; Figure 18 is an end view of the same. In
Figures 14 and 15, a, a, a, are the frames; b, b, b, the cross shafts on which
are keyed the steam cylinders c, c, c, the fixed chain wheels d, d, d, and
(outside the frames) the train of driving wheels e, e, e. Motion is given to
the train of spur wheels by a belt passing over the cone pulley f; i, i, are the
chain wheels for the moveable side of the machine; these chain wheels are
made with a recess in them, as shown in the side view, Figure 17, and into
this recess fit the projecting ridges j,j, on the clutch arrangement (Figure 16.)
These moveable chain wheels are in the form of rings, and fit over the
cylinders, as shewn in Figure 18, they are made to revolve with the cylinders
by the keys k, k; g, g', are the guides through which the chains h pass before
they reach the chain wheels. These chains move in the direction shown by
the arrows, and are indicated in the Drawing by the dotted line, and may be
made to carry either clips or pins. The guides have a joint at o, so that they
may be brought nearer together at the feed part of the machine, and the
cloth may thus be fed on. without previously stretching it in width, and it is
gradually stretched until it attains the required width; 1, 1, is a shaft which
may be driven in either direction by the arrangement of bevils shown at m.
The shaft 7, 1, carries worms n, n, which work into worm wheels fixed on to
the ends of screws so as to turn the screws round. These screws work
through nuts fixed to the clutch frame (Figure 16) so as to traverse it in a
direction parallel to the axes of the cylinders. By moving the handle p, one
of the wheels m is brought into gear with the wheel on the end of the shaft 1,
which will then by means of the worm and worm wheels drive the screws,
and move the clutch frame, carrying the moveable chain wheels with it, say,
nearer to the fixed chain wheels on the other side of the machine, so that a
narrow piece may be tentered. When it is required to carry the nioveable
chain wheels back again, the other wheel m is brought into gear with the
wheel on the shaft l, which it of course drives in the contrary direction, and
with it of course the screws, which now carry the moveable frame and chain
wheels away from the fixed side of the machine, in order to tenter a wider
piece; r is the feed board. In order to avoid excessive friction, the moveable
frame may be furnished with friction rollers s, s, s, running on cross bars t, t, t.

page_text: In stretching or drying some kinds of goods, in order to give what is known
as the elastic finish, it is necessary to arrange the clips or jaws in a machine
in such a manner that the clips or jaws forming the endless chains are caused
by suitable mechanism to oscillate or move to and fro alternately.
Figure 19 is a plan; Figure 20 a side elevation of an elastic finish machine
constructed with clips according to my Invention; Figure 21 is a cross section
shewing one of the swing frames.
a, a, a, are the fixed standards supporting the swinging cross frames b, b, b.
These cross frames carry worm racks c, c, into which work worms not shown
in the Drawing. The worms are keyed on to the shafts d, d, d, in such a
manner that they can slide upon the shafts. The shafts d, d, d, are driven
by bevils, which are keyed on to the longitudinal shaft e, e; this shaft bas
also a bevil wheel f keyed on it, which is driven by the bevil wheel g on the
short cross shaft h. The shaft h may be driven by hand or other power;
i, i, i, are the guides through which the chains carrying the clips k, k, pass in
the direction indicated by the arrows. The guides are made double on each
side of the machine, and a chain wheel 1, l', is fixed (on a vertical axis) at each
extremity of each of these double guides. The cloth is fed on over the feed
board m, and it then enters the clips which are shut down by the rollers n.
Passing through the machine the cloth is dried and stretched, and it may then
be either delivered out of the machine by the clips being released by the
rollers o, o, or the "elastic finish" motion may be applied to it as hereafter
described. The empty clips return along the outside guides. The double
guides are made up of two single guides bolted together by means of the
small cross bars p, p, p; in the centre of these cross bars a boss is formed
with a hole, into which fits the pin q. This pin is carried by the worm on
the shaft d, so that it will be seen that on revolving the shaft h, the motion
will be transmitted through the shafts e and d, d, to the worms, and the
worms. working in the worm racks will carry the pins q, q, and with then of
course the double slides on each side of the machine, in or out from the
centre according to the direction of the motion, and the thread in the worm.
The direction of the thread of the worm will of course be so arranged that the
two sides will always work to or from one another, so that both guides may
always be the same distance from the centre of the machine; r, r, are the
joints, by means of which the front part of the guides may be brought nearer
together than the other part, in order that the clips may get hold of the
cloth, which is narrow when fed on. The worm shafts d, d, may be made to
work by hand at this part of the machine, and independently of the worm
shafts in the other part of the machine, or the worms may be entirely

page_text: dispensed with; and the guides moved by handles placed at the ends. The
chain wheels, at the delivery' end of the machine are driven in the
direction of the arrows by a belt passing over the cone pulleys s, the motion
being transmitted through the requisite bevil gearing t. The driving shaft. u
is capable of swinging with the other part of the machine; v is a face plate
carrying the adjustable pin w, which is connected with one of the swing
frames by the connecting rod x. By moving a handle y, which is connected
with a system z, 2, the driving wheels are thrown out of gear, and the wheels
for driving the disc v are brought into gear, and will cause the disc to revolve,
and thus communicate a swinging motion to the cross frame b, which swinging
on a centre a¹ will communicate a swinging motion to the guides. Although
in all these machines I prefer to form the clips, jaws, or links into chains, I do
not confine myself to that arrangement, as the same may be made to travel
through guides without being directly connected by means of geared wheels
being made to work into the clips, jaws, or links, which force them backwards
or forwards as required. I prefer as a rule to fix, the machines in closed
chambers, and in some cases (when not employing steam drums), I use steam
chests or coils placed between the fabrics, as heretofore in some cases practised
by me, but in other cases 'I use a heating apparatus and fan for forcing the
air ready heated into the drying chamber, which is furnished with suitable
ventilation; or in some cases I use a steam blast or exhaust fan to produce a
current through the chamber. I would remark that there are other machines
besides drying. machines in which fabrics require to be stretched out flat, as
for example, in raising machines where the nap has to be raised across the
fabric not longitudinally, also in machines for cutting or shearing across the
fabric, and in these cases clips arranged according to my Invention to travel
forward continually, and to separate to stretch the fabric are also applicable.
In drying goods which do not require to be stretched, I make a machine as
follows: In this machine the goods are supported at one selvage or edge only:
The chain carrying the pins or clips for holding the selvage or edge of the
cloth or other material is made to pass horizontally over a series of guides and
chain wheels, the shafts of which are placed vertically. The cloth or other
material to be dried is hooked on the pins or clamped between the jaws of the
clips, which hold it securely while it is going through the machine. The clips
or pins are so formed as to allow the cloth or other material to hang vertically.
The chain passes forward along one guide, round a chain wheel at the end,
returns along the next guide, and. so on through the machine, carrying the
cloth or other material with it. Between the folds of chain thus formed,
coils of steam pipes are fixed, the heat derived from which dries the cloth or

page_text: other material as it passes along. When clips are used in this machine they
are made in the way before described, and are held open by a spring between
the jaws until the cloth or other materials have been inserted, when the clip
is shut by coming in contact with a cam or roller, and is kept shut while
passing through the machine by a lever or spring catch which, when the cloth or
other material has passed through the machine, is. thrown out by another
cam or roller, and the jaws allowed to open and release the cloth or other
material when dried. This machine is very convenient for drying cloths and
paper.
Figure 22 is an elevation of a machine for drying cloth or other goods
without stretching, and Figure 23 is a plan; Figures 24, 25, and 26, shew
plan, front, and side views of a link furnished with pins, and Figures 27 and
28, a front and side view of a link with a clip attached.
a, a, a; is the framework of the machine; b is the cone pulley and counter
shaft; and c, the driving shaft. The motion is communicated from the
driving shaft c to the short vertical shafts upon which the chain wheels are
fixed through the bevil gearing d, d, d. e, e, e, are the vertical shafts carrying
the chain wheels f,f,f. The chain g, which is represented by the dotted line
in the plan, slides along the guides h, h, h, in the direction of the arrows;
i, i, i, are coils of steam pipes fixed between every fold of the chain: One of
these coils is shown in dotted lines in Figure 22. The heat given 'off by these
coils dries the cloth as it passes. through the machine. k is a small roller
formed' either of india-rubber or other suitable material, or it may be a circular
brush for pressing the cloth on to the pins. The chain is formed as before
mentioned, of links, which may carry either pins or clips, which are formed' as
shown at Figures 27 and 28, or in any of the ways previously described. If
clips are used, suitable cams and rollers are applied for opening and shutting
them. The guides are bars which fit into the recess in the links, Figures
26 and 28, and the links are kept in their places by a piece m; which is cast
on to each link.
In drying paper it is convenient to combine with a drying chamber or room
a number of endless chains made with clip links as already described.
Each endless chain passes round drums at its ends. These drums are
mounted to turn horizontally, and can be rotated at pleasure. In filling the
clips the chain is moved round by driving one of its drums so as to bring up
the clip links in succession to the filling point, and each clip having received
its sheet or sheets, it carries it into the drying chamber; then the chain is
allowed to remain stationary, if necessary, in the drying chamber until the
drying is complete, and then the chain is again driven to take off the sheets

page_text: and recharge the clips. A number of chains being employed, the workman
may be kept constantly occupied in putting on and taking off the paper.
This machine it will be seen is very similar to that just previously described
except that in place of employing a single chain taking a zig-zag course
through the machine several separate endless chains are employed, each
travelling to and fro only.
For drying paper I prefer to make a machine which consists of one endless
apron working to and fro horizontally over a series of suitable rollers at each
end of the machine. On this apron the paper to be dried is placed, and is
held in its place by tapes or bands fastened securely at suitable intervals, so
as to be stretched tight, and have a tendency to press close to the apron.
The pieces of paper to be dried are placed underneath these bands, and the
apron carries them through the machine. The necessary heat is supplied by
coils of steam pipes or a heating apparatus and fan or steam blast, and the
paper, when dry, is slipped from under the tapes and taken out of the
machine. If necessary, the feed and delivery portions of this machine may
be made self-acting.
Figure 29 is a longitudinal section of a machine arranged for drying paper.
a, a, a, is the framework of the machine; b, b, the driving gear; c, c, the
cross shafts; d, d', d³, &c., the rollers over which the endless apron passes in
the direction of the large arrows. The chains which support this apron on
each side of the machine run on the guides f,f,f. The paper to be dried is
placed on the inclined part e' of the apron e, and it may either be held in its
place by tapes or bands fastened securely at intervals so_as to stretch tight
and have a tendency to press on the apron, or it may be. arranged as shown
in the Drawing. The dotted lines represent endless tapes or bands which run
in the direction of the small arrows, and the first set of tapes to guide the
sheets around the roller d³ pass over the upper rollers g, h, d³, i, k, and 1;
there are three other sets of tapes below the first, all arranged in a similar
manner. The paper to be dried rests on the apron until it reaches the
roller d'. It is then slightly nipped between the tape and the network, which
causes it to pass round the roller. The guides m, m, (which may be con-
veniently made of metal plates bent so as to be parallel to the circumference
of the roller) prevent it getting out of its place. The paper then passes back
to the front part of the machine being carried on the tapes, which may, if
necessary, be supported by rollers. It is then taken round the roller d³, and
passes back again, lying between the tapes and the network until it reaches the
roller d'. Here it comes in contact with the second tape, and is again carried
as before, and so on through the machine, until it is delivered out in a dried

page_text: state at n; 0, 0, 0, are screws, by means of which the rollers 1, 1, can be
moved nearer to or further from the machine so as to allow for the variation
in the length of the tapes caused by the heat. The heating apparatus is not
shown in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, J, the said James- Lee Norton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
J. L. NORTON. (L.S.)