CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAP MACHINES, OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Seed, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAP
MACHINES, OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON OR OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 12th December 1856, and dated the 14th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Seed at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
. June 1856.
I, WILLIAM SEED, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAP MACHINES,' OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," to be as follows:-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of enabling or causing the "lap
machine" to form the lap or fleece of cotton, &c., of a perfect quality through-
out, and being of the same density or thickness at its last coil or lap or
completion (that is, at its largest diameter,) as at its first coil or lap at the
commencement of its formation (or at its smallest diameter); whereas the
laps hitherto formed or made in "lap machines" have been variable, in their
quality or thickness, owing to the continuous stretching or extension of the

page_text: fleece during its winding on to the "lap roller," the fleece thus becoming
gradually more attenuated as the increasing diameter of the lap proceeds.
This improvement is effected by additional simple mechanism applied to the
lap machines; first, by gradually removing or diminishing the weight or
pressure upon the axis of the lap rollers (where weights are used) as the-
progrees of the winding on of the flecce. approaches to the completion or full
diameter of the lap; secondly, in the application and use of a differential
motion, for the purpose of actuating the feed rollers, so as to supply a larger
proportion of cotton, &c., as required by the increasing diameter of the lap,
such differential motion being also required and applied for the purpose of
decreasing the speed of the lap roller sufliciently to allow it to lap or wind on
the fleece at its largest diameter without its being subject to any distension and
attenuation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Seed in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SEED, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent,. bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight, hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Seed, Her especial license that I, the said William Seed, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said, William
Seed, 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 Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAP
MACHINES, OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON, OR OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the
said William Seed, by an 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

page_text: 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 William Seed, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the is
same to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
My Invention is designed for the purpose of enabling or causing the "lap
machine" to form the pressed lap or fleece of cotton, &c. of a perfect quality
throughout, and being of the same density or thickness at its last coil or lap
in completion, that is, at its largest diameter, as it is at its first coil or lap at
the commencement of its formation (or at its smallest diameter); whereas
the pressed laps hitherto, formed or made in "lap machines" have been
variable, in their quality or thickness, owing to the continuous stretching or
extension of the fleece during its winding on the "lap roller," the flecce thus
becoming gradually more attenuated as the increasing diameter of the lap
proceeds.
:
This improvement is effected by additional mechanism applied to the "lap
machines," first, by gradually removing or diminishing the weight or pressure.
upon the axis of the lap rollers (where weights are used) as
the progress of
the winding on of the fleece-approaches to the completion or full diameter of
the lap; secondly, in the application and use of a differential motion, for tho
purpose of actuating the fluted feed rollers, so as to supply a larger proportion
of cotton as required by the increasing diameter of the lap, such differential
motion being also required and applied for the purpose of decreasing the
speed of the lap roller sufficiently to allow it to lap or wind on the fleece
at its largest diameter without its being subject to any distension and
attenuation.
In order that the Invention may be clearly understood, I have attached to
these Presents a Sheet of Drawings, made upon a scale of about two inches to,
a foot, and having similar letters of reference marked upon corresponding parts:
of the machinery or apparatus throughout all the Figures illustrated.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the apparatus, having the side of the framing.
removed;, shewing the situation and application of the differential motion for
actuating the feed rollers; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, showing tho
cone pulleys for imparting the said differential motion as applied to the fluted
lap'rollers, and also the skewed or twisted plate or disc for moving the strap
forks along the pulleys; the view also shews the mechanism for raising the.
brake from the ordinary brake-wheel by means of the rod and weight therein,
shewn. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the apparatus, shewing the novel mode of

page_text: driving; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken through one end of the machine,
the better to shew the apparatus or mechanism for lifting or regulating the
brake when soft laps are required to be formed, this end of the machine being
only used when such laps are to be made, the other apparatus being employed
when a hard uniform lap is required.
In Fig. 1, a, a, is the framing of the lap machine, in which the fluted lap
rollers b, b, rotate; c is the skewed plate, which is worked by the rack turning
the pinion secured thereon. As the lap increases, this plate moves the forked
rod d, which, through the strap fork.c, moves the strap along the cone pulleys
f, g, of which fis the driving pulley. The gearing of this machine is similar
to that used in the ordinary lap machine, except that the main driving pulley
is placed upon the shaft bearing the cone pulley f, and communicates motion
to the fluted feed rollers, first through the pulleys, and thence by the wheel
and pinion gearing.
In Figs. 2 and 4, h is the brake-wheel, and i the brake; k, a cam on the
brake-wheel shaft, making one revolution only, or part of a revolution, from
the beginning to the completion of the lap; is a plate spring, attached at one
end to the vertical bar m, and at the opposite end to the ordinary rod and
weight, employed for weighting the axis of the lap roller. The operation of the
various parts of the machine will be more easily understood upon reference to
the Drawings, and the following working description thereof. The fleece of
cotton is fed on to the lap rollers 6, 6, and taken from them on to the lap
cylinder, upon which it gradually accumulates. As this accumulation pro-
gresses, the rack rises and turns the pinion secured upon the disc or plate c,
causing the plate slowly to revolve; this imparts motion to the forks d and e,
and the strap becomes gradually moved along the pulleys, which causes the lap
rollers b, b, to rotate at a slower speed, and create less draught upon the cotton
fleece, thereby ensuring more uniformity in the formation of the said lap when
completed. When a "soft lap" is required, the rising rack gives motion to
the pinion, and consequently to the cam k upon the same shaft. This cam, by
gradually rising, raises the spring 1, which lifts the weight-exerting pressure
upon the brake-wheel h through the brake i, and upon the axis of the lap
roller. As the lap continues to raise the rack so is the pressure of the weight
removed from the lap, and the last "laps" are consequently softer and less
pressed than the first laps formed upon the roller, is required.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same may be performed, I would remark, in
conclusion, that I claim,-
First, the novel application of mechanism for imparting a differential motion

page_text: to the fluted lap rollers b, b, either by means of the cone-shaped pulleys, or
other equivalent, for the purpose of forming a lap uniform throughout, or a
similar application of the same motion to the feed rollers for the same
purpose.
Secondly, the method of forming a "soft lap" by regulating the break upon
the wheel by the mechanism shewn.
And, lastly, the novel method of driving the said fluted lap rollers, and the
general arrangement of the machinery or apparatus, as herein-before described,
set forth, and fully exhibited in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said. William Seed, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six:
WILLIAM SEED. (L.S.)