IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING COTTON AND WOOL
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Cunliffe Lister, of Bradford, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING
COTTON AND WOOL."
Sealed the 7th December 1853, and dated the 17th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Cunliffe
Lister at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 17th, October 1853.
I, SAMUEL CUNLIFFE LISTER, of Bradford, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBING COTTON AND WOOL" to be as follows:-
Within-a-short time the process of combing has been applied to
cotton and like short stapled fibre, but the machinery heretofore in use
for preparing and combing-wool is not, for the most part, applicable for
such short staple without material: alteration, and the present Invention
consists of improvements in arranging machinery for cotton and short
stapled fibre; and the first improvement is the arranging filling heads or
apparatus for filling Surat and cotton of short staple into combs so as to
work with rollers of less-diameter than an inch and a half.. Heretofore

page_text: in spinning Surat cotton it has been usual to card it, and by reason
of its peculiar character and quality it has only been applicable to spin-
ning very low numbers. I find that by subjecting it to a process
of combing by feeding it into combs by filling heads, such as above
mentioned, and drawing it from the combs, I can separate the different
lengths and qualities of fibres of which Surat cotton is composed, and
obtain a large and valuable portion of such uniforin staple and length
of staple as to spin comparatively high numbers therewith; and part
of my improvements consists in so treating Surat cotton and cotton of
like quality. And another improvement consists in causing twist to
be put on to the fibres of cotton and short fibred wool as the same is
drawn off from combs, in place of simply using drawing rollers, as
heretofore practised.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
SAMUEL CUNLIFFE LISTER, of Bradford, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister, Her
special licence that I, the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Cunliffe Lister, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING COTTON AND WOOL," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I; the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister, by an

page_text: 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 Samuel Cunliffe Lister, 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):
Within a short time the process of combing has been applied to
cotton and like short stapled fibre, but the machinery heretofore in use
for preparing and combing wool is not, for the most part, applicable for
such short staple without material alteration, and the present Invention
consists of improvements in arranging machinery for cotton and short
stapled fibre; and the first improvement is the arranging filling heads or
apparatus for filling Surat and cotton of short staple into combs so as to
work with rollers of less diameter than an inch and a half. Heretofore
in spinning Surat cotton it has been usual to card it, and by reason of
its peculiar character and quality it has only been applicable to spinning
very low numbers. I find that by subjecting it to a process of combing
by feeding it into combs by filling heads, such as above mentioned, and
drawing it from the combs, I can separate the different lengths and
qualities of fibres of which Surat cotton is composed, and obtain a large
and valuable portion of such uniform staple and length of staple as to
spin comparatively high numbers therewith; and part of my improve-
ments consist in so treating Surat cotton and cotton of like quality.
And another improvement consists in causing twist to be put on to
the fibres of cotton and short fibred wool as the same is drawn off*
from combs, in place of simply using drawing rollers, as heretofore
practised.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same. A sliver of Surat or
other cotton of a similar short fibre is caused to be fed into combs by a
suitable feeding head, which may be such as have heretofore been used
with fine wool or other cotton, but by reason of the shortness of the

page_text: fibre of 'Surat cotton it is desirable-to have-the feed rollers of not larger
dianieter than an inch and a half. The Surat cotton having been fed
into a fine comb, and by preference-a circular or continuous comb, is
then to be drawn off therefrom in the ordinary manner; but I prefer
to draw it off by means of a revolving spindle, so that in the act of
drawing off the cotton from the comb it may have a twist put on, which
is very desirable with such short stapled cotton. The workman draws
off a quantity of the fibres from the conib by twisting. the fibres, and
he then places it on a bobbin of a spindle, which is then continually
revolved, as the comb rotates, by which the cotton will be drawn-off;
twisted, and wound on to the bobbin.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
Witness,
RICH: RIDEHALGH,
Sol, Bradford.
S. C. LISTER. (L.S.)