CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBING OF WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
NOBLE the elder, of Mill Place, Commercial Road, in the County of Middle
sex, Wool Comber, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the sixth year of Ilis
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto ine,
the said James Noble, his especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that I, the said James Noble, my exors, admors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Noble, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBING OF
WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso that I, the said James Noble, should cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to Le performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said James Noble, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had

page_text: to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in certain combination of machinery for combing
wool or other fibrous substances, as will be fully described hereafter.
indicate similar parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side view of a machine having my improvements applied
thereto. Figure 2 is a front view; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section; and
Figure 4 a plan of the machine. And it is proper here to state that I have
used the same letters of reference in each of the Figures of the Drawings to
a, a, is the framing of the machine the construction
and nature of which will readily be traced in the Drawing. b, is the main or
driving shaft, turning in suitable bearings at each side of the machine; on to
the shaft bis keyed or otherwise affixed the drum c, which, being actuated
by a band or strap from a steam engine or other first mover, communicates
motion to the various parts of the machine. d is a toothed pinion affixed
on the main shaft b, which takes into and drives the cog wheel e, which
turns on a short axis affixed to the side framing of the machine; the
wheel e, serving as an intermediate wheel to transmit the motion of the
pinion d to the cog wheel f, which wheel f is keyed on the shaft g,
and gives motion thereto, the shaft g turning in suitable bearings on each
side of the machine, as is clearly shewn in the Drawing. On to the shaft
g is affixed the rotatory frame, or what I call the comb carrier, h, h,
the construction of which will be readily understood by an examination
of the Drawing. It consists of two wheels bolted together by the bolts h', as
shewn. i, i, are tables or frames for receiving the combs. These frames move
on axes j,j, to which axes are affixed the levers k, k, the shape and construction
of which are clearly shewn. At the end of each of these levers h, k, is a
friction roller 1, 1, which, moving in eccentric guides, cause the combs affixed
on the tables or frames i, i, to come into and pass through a proper direction
for the combs descending nearly in a vertical line, and nearly parallel to the
combs hereafter described. m, m, are lever handles by which the combs are
affixed on the tables or frames i, i. These lever handles move on axes n, n,
affixed to the tables or frames i, i, there being studs or projections o, o, formed
on the tables or frames i, i, which entering into suitable openings formed in
the heads of the combs, the combs may thus be securely held and affixed
on the tables i, i, all which is clearly shewn in the Drawing, and will readily
be carried into effect by an engine or machine maker. p, p, are eccentric
guides which are bolted to parts of the side framing of the machine. Each

page_text: of these guides consists of two parallel plates or sides, between which the
friction rollers on the levers k, k, move, and are thus controlled to move in a
direction determined by the eccentric guides, and thus will the tables or
frames i, i, with their combs successively, come properly into action with the
other comb hereafter described. It will be seen that there are four sets of
combs on the rotary carrier, each arranged as above described, and come
successively into action. On to the axis or shaft g is affixed the pulley or
drum q, from which proceeds an endless band or strap, which, passing over,
actuates the pulley or drum r affixed on the shaft or axis s, which turns in
suitable bearings on each side of the machine, as is clearly shewn in the
various Figures in the Drawing. On this shaft or axis s is keyed the cylinder t,
having the groove t' cut or formed therein. The object of this groove t' is to
cause the lever v to move from side to side of the machine, that lever v being
affixed on axis v', supported in suitable bearings on the cross or transverse
framings of the machine, as is shown in the Drawing. To the axis v' are
affixed the arms ve, and to these arms is affixed the bar v, which consequently
moves from side to side of the frame by the movement of the lever v.
The
object of this apparatus being to communicate a motion from side to side of
the machine to the comb w, which is affixed to the table x by a lever handle m
and studs o, similar to those employed for the purpose of affixing the combs to
the tables i, i. But in the present case the lever handle is straight, in place
of being bent, as is the case with respect to the lever handles first described.
From the table a descends the projecting forked arm z, the fork of which
embracing the bar v³, consequently partakes of the motion from side to side of
the machine of that bar v³, there being an opening or slot cut in the frame or
carrier A of the table x, in order to allow of the table x being moved or
slided from side to side. The frame A slides on the two parallel guides or
rails B, forming part of the side framing of the machine; the slides A only
being permitted to be drawing into the machine by the act of combing out the
wool or other fibrous substances placed in the machine progressively by means of
the graduated plates C, C. And these plates C, C, are caused to rise gradually
by the toothed racks D, D, formed on the projecting legs of the plates C, C, there
being slots cut in such legs with guides (with heads) E, which are affixed to
the side framing of the machine; by this means the plates C, C, are caused to
rise vertically, and as each step ór graduation of those plates is raised above
the frame A, that frame is permitted to be drawn in towards the combs on the
rotatory comb carrier, and thus the combs enter the wool or other fibrous
substance progressively, and draw out and comb the same by degrees till
the comb w comes to the end of its motion, when the combs are to be removed

page_text: and fresh ones placed or affixed in the machine. On the shaft or axis sis
affixed the tooth or catch F, which, coming in contact with the ratchet wheel
F, drives that ratchet wheel one tooth for each revolution of the axist 's; the
ratchet wheel being keyed or affixed to the shaft or axis G, which turns in
suitable bearings on each side of the machine, as is clearly shown; on the shaft
or axis G is keyed or affixed the cog wheels H, H, which, taking into the
racks D, D, gradually lift the plates C, C; on one of the cog wheels H is
affixed the projecting plate I, which, coming against the lever or arm J, forces
that lever or arm outwards, and as the arm J, or is keyed or affixed to the
shaft or axis K, that shaft or axis K turning in suitable bearing affixed to the
side framing a, the pinion d is detached from its axis, and thus will the machine
be stopped, and this detaching of the pinion d is effected by means of the
forked arm or lever L sliding the clutch box M, the lever or arm L being
keyed or affixed to the shaft or axis K, all which is most clearly shown in the
various Figures of the Drawing. N is a stud projecting from and attached to
the shaft or axis K, which, coming against the projecting tail of the catch or
paul O, lifts it out of the rachet wheel, and thus allows the plate C to descend
the comb w, and the slide A being first drawn back.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would wish it to be understood that I lay no
claim to the various parts separately of which the machine is composed, nor do
I claim the combination thereof. other than is hereafter pointed out: and dis-
tinctly claimed as my improvements, and I would remark that. I do not confine
myself to the precise forms of such parts, provided the objects of my Invention
are retained. The above is the best arrangement I am acquainted with for
giving full effect to my Invention. But what I claim is the placing of combs
(actuated by a rotatory carrier) on axes, such as are described at j, j, combined
with levers k, controlled in their motion by suitable guides p, p, whereby the
combs connected to and actuated with the rotatory carrier successively come
into. action with the comb w, as above described.
In witness whereof, the said James Noble hath hereunto set his
Land and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.