CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CARDING, DOUBLING, AND PREPARING WOOL, COTTON, SILK, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J,
EDMUND LEACH, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Edmund Leach, Her especial licence, full power sole
privilege, and authority that I, the said Edmund Leach, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Edmund
Leach, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no other, 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 and Wales and the town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CARDING, DOUBLING, AND PREPARING WOOL,
COTTON, SILK, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Edmund Leach, should
cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, aud

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her
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 Edmund Leach, do hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is
particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto
annexed, and the following explanation thereof (that is to say):
My improvements in machinery or apparatus for carding, doubling,
and preparing wool, cotton, silk, flax, and other fibrous substances
consist,―
Firstly, in reference to the process of oiling or greasing wools in the
course of preparation for spinning or in the application of Soap lees or
other liquids in similar processes with reference to cotton, flax, or
other fibrous materials, previous to the various operations of the prepa-
ration machinery, and has for its object the more equal distribution and
pressure of the oil or other liquid into the wool, cotton, or other fibrous
substance during its preparation. This is effected by a novel construc-
tion or arrangement of apparatus, consisting of an oiling, greasing, or
damping roller or rollers, the supply being regulated by means of a
doctor plate or otherwise, other rollers for the purpose of feeding and
delivering the wool or other fibrous substance, and also rollers for
spreading, pressing, or squeezing the oil or other liquid equally into the
wool, cotton, &c. us it passes through the machine, the oil or other
liquid being kept at a proper temperature, either by the application of
steam into the interior of the rollers, or by a suitable steain chamber or
vessel placed under the apparatus..
::
Secondly, in reference to thic process of doubling and preparing
slivers. of wool, &c. as they come from the first carding or scribling
engine in order to be submitted to the further process of carding. My
improvements consist, in a certain novel operation or process, and
apparatus for effecting the same, wherein a number of slivers, pro-
ceeding from a creel of bobbins as they come from the scribbling

page_text: engine, are..,wound upon, a long bobbin or spool; side. by, side, their
edges being made to overlap each other alternately so, as-to form, one
continuous flat; broad sheet of wool;:&c. This overlapping or junction
of the slivers I. obtain by passing the flat slivers as they come from the
scribbling engine between guiders leaning or inclining parallel to each
other, which have the effect of slightly overlapping the sides or edges of
the slivers.oiie above another until they form a flat sheet; which imme
diately; passes' on, between -pressing rollers-(two or more in number) by
which the slivers are drawn forwards through, the guiders and pressed
or squeezed together into a single sheet, in which state they are wound
upon a long bobbin or spool by friction of contact with a revolving.
surface drum, and are.in this sheet-like form now-ready to be conveyed
to the last carding, engine.. i
.T
Thirdly, in.reference to the machinery or apparatus for, carding
wool and other fibrous substances... My improvements consist; firstly, in
the application of two or more feeding rollers, or pairs of feeding rollers
with their necessary clearers or strippers (and driving gear) placed, one
above the other, and immediately in the front part or breast of the
carding engine or scribbling engine, by which means I effect a-con-
siderable improvement in carding by dividing or separating the ordinary
quantity of sliver or fibre into so many different parts or thicknesses,
and feeding it in. at so many different points or places instead of feeding
the sliver or wool in a single sheet as usual. The operation of the
cards will thus be considerably more effective from the circumstance of
the sliver as it enters the machine being much thinner at each point,
hence the deliveringior: feeding in of the sliver, must be much more
level and equal wouldishere remark that the number of these
feeding rollers may be multiplied: ori varied as occasion Imay require,, ini
order to effect more perfect and even feeding in of the sliver or wool;
and that they may be placed between every engine in, double or treble
machines; instead of the ordinary stripper: I also:effect a doubling of
such sheets or slivers at the feeding in of the slivers for the purpose of
making the fibres more level or even when first entering the carding
engine. Secondly, my improvements in the machinery or apparatus for
carding consist in the application or arrangement of a curved. bearing

page_text: with plates or elevated bearing surfaces of metal or other: smooth
substance placed in front of the doffers for the purpose of supporting or
carrying an endless twisting strap or belt, such elevated bearings being
placed beneath the strap or belt, and under each sliver coming from tlic
doffers, by which means I gain an equal pressure of the endless twisting
strap or belt upon each sliver during its twisting or rubbing process.
Thirdly, in twisting the sliver into threads by means of endless belts or
any other known twisting apparatus direct from off the doffers (which
doffers are of that description formed of annular rings or belts of cards
and alternate blank spaces) without the action of a doffing comb or
stripping roller, by which means the fibre is taken from the doffers
precisely in the same state as it is laid on by the carding cylinders.:
Fourthly, in the application of a novel apparatus to be used for twisting
the slivers from the doffers, instead of employing the endless twisting
strap or belt generally used for this purpose, and consisting of a number
of small rollers or pullies caused to revolve on their axes by means of
endless straps or bands, and placed near each other, for the purpose of
twisting, rolling, or rubbing the slivers into threads by their being
drawn betwixt the approaching circumferences or peripheries, and above
the centres of such rollers or pullies, the peripheries of such rollers
or pullies being made slightly rough by milling, fluting, or otherwise.
And lastly, in the application of a roller or rollers or cylinders,
covered with emery or other rough material, and placed in front of or
above the doffers in carding engines, for the purpose of conveying or
carrying on any sliver which may have broken,.in. order to facilitate
the joining or "pieceing up" of the same. But in order that these
improvements may be more minutely detailed and perfectly understood
I have attached to this 'my Specification three sheets of Drawings
illustrative of the several machines or apparatus above alluded to, and
also their mode of operation in order to effect the saine; having shewn
such machinery in the Drawings as particularly applicable to the woollen
inanufactures, the slight modifications or arrangements of which, in
order to adopt the same to the preparation of other fibrous substances,
will be sufficiently obvious to persons conversant with such or similar
machinery, and neel no further explanation.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1, represents a plan or top view of a machine or
apparatus for oiling or greasing wool, and is represented attached to
the delivering end of an ordinary "cockspur teazer or willow."
Figure 2, is a side elevation, and Fig. 8, is a transverse section taken
vertically through about the middle of the same. a, a, represents the
doffer cylinders of a teazer or willow, from which the wool is delivered
upon an endless feeding cloth b, b, and thus introduced into the oiling
apparatus; c, c, are two inetal rollers supported by the frame ends d, d;
the lower roller c, revolves in a trough or vessel e, containing oil, and
kept at a proper temperature by means of the steam chamber f, be-
neath; the wool as it passes between the rollers c, c, gets properly oiled
or greased, the oil being thus evenly spread and pressed into the wool,
which is now taken by the delivering rollers g, from whence it is
cleared or beaten by the toothed cylinder I, h, revolving in a tin case or
chamber i i.
The supply of oil to the wool is regulated by means of a doctor plate
Z:, which may be set or adjusted by means of the index 7, being fastened
by a set screw behind, and the supply of oil to the chamber e, may be
kept up from a can m, proceeding down the funnel n, or otherwise. It
will be seen that rotary motion may be given to the oiling roller and
feeding cloth when placed in connexion with a teazer or willow by means
of bevil wheels, o, and the spur pinions p, p, and to the beater or
clearer, by means of the strap 1, 2, passing from the main cylinder,
and driving the pulley 2, which actuates the pinions, and wheel t, and
thus drives the delivering rollers; or it will be evident that the whole
may be suitably driven in any other convenient way. I would here
remark that in those cases when the bottom oiling roller is not found to
give a sufficient quantity of oil to the wool, that a funnel may be placed
above the whole length of the top roller, and thus effect an extra
supply; and also that in those processes where oil is not used in the
preparation, but alkalies, acid, or other liquids are employed, the rollers
c, c, must be suitably made of wood, paper, felt, or other material better
adapted for the purpose than metals.

page_text: Figure 4, represents a diagram wherein the wool or other fibrous
material is conducted from the rollers c; c, by means of presser rollers,
and formed at once into a lap or coil as in ordinary cotton lapping
machines.
> *
•
In Sheet 2, Figure 1, represents a plan or top view of a machine for
doubling or overlapping the sides or edges of a series of slivers as they
are brought from the scribbling engine; and thus by subsequent pres
sure joining the series of 'slivers side by side, and, preparing or forming.
them into a single broad flat sheet, or sliver of a suitable width and
eveness, to be placed in the feeders of the carding engine to which they.
are afterwards to be submitted. Figure 2, is a side elevation; and Figure
3, an end elevation of the same, the creel of bobbins being removed in
order to shew the passage of the slivers. A series of bobbins contain-
ing the slivers of wool a, a, a, a, in that state in which they are formed
by the scribbling engine, are brought direct from thence and placed in
a creel b, b; the slivers being conducted over guide rods c, c;. c, c, pass
into the sheet machine, which is composed principally of a series of
guiders d, d, d; d, placed in an inclined position and parallel with each
other, and extending the whole width of the machine, aliair or pairs of
squeezing or pressing rollers e, e, and a revolving surface drum f, for the
purpose of winding the sheet of sliver when formed upon a long bobbini
by friction of contact; the whole being supported by sidė framings j, g.
Now, it will be seen by reference to Figure 3, that the slivers as they
severally enter the machine passing between the guiders i, d; d,. d, are
slightly inclined and placed parallel to each other, and that by passing
onwards through the pressing rollers e, e, they will be laid down flat
side by side, their edges or sides being slightly overlapped or loubled
alternately cach over the other, and thus will be pressed or squeezed
into a single broad flat sheet of sliver, which now passes! on to be wound
upon
the long bobbinh, h, its outer edges being guided and pressed by
the small rollers i, i. The revolution of the surface* drum-f, f;-will
wind the sheet of sliver a, a, upon tlie bobbins as it bears upon
the drum, and rises in the morticed standards k, k, as the diameter
of the bobbin of sliver increases. The sliver in this sheet-like form is
now ready to be taken and placed in the feeder of the subsequent

page_text: carding engine. The machine may be driven by passing a strap round
the fast pulley 1, which will drive the pinions m, m, at the ends of the
pressig rollers e, e, one of which taking into.the carrier wheel , will
drive the spur wheel o, upon the axis of the surface drum f, or by any
other suitable gearing.
In Sheet 3, Figure 1, represents a side elevation of an ordinary double
carding engine, shewing the application of my improvements thereto,
and which are distinguished by colors, the common parts being drawn
in outline only for the purpose of rendering the same more evident.
Figure 2, is a longitudinal section taken vertically through about the
iniddle of the engine'; and Figure 3, is a plan or top view of part of
the doffer end of the machine:
The framing of the. carding engine a, a, a, a, supports the main
cylinders b, b, and stripper c, and strippers and clearers d, d, d, as usual,
the whole of which are actuated by the ordinary driving gear. Long
bobbins e, e, e, e, two or more in number, containing the sheets of
the
slivers ffff, are previously prepared, and placed in a frame
slivers passing severally under guide rollers h, in the feeding troughs
h, h, h, h, at the breast or front of the carding engine. Now, the first
part of iny-improvements in carding engines' comes into operation. "I
place two or more feeding rollers or pairs of feeding rollers, i, i, i, i,
at the breast of the engine, with their necessary strippers or clearers
kh, h, k, by the action of which it will be understood that as the
slivers, laps, or sheets- of wool, or other fibrous substances are fed
in and divided into so many separate parts and at so many separate
points or places, a considerable improvement will be effected, as
the sliver or wool is much thinner at each point than if fed in at
once, and consequently the. fibres are laid more level and equally,
as the operation of the cards is so much more effective. The feeding
rollers, with their strippers and clearers, must be suitably geared with
the ordinary parts of the carding engine, and of course be regulated
according to their number and situation; and I would remark that they
may also be placed directly against the main cylinder without any in-
termediate strippers. The wool or other fibrous substance now proceeds
5 through the ordinary process of carding, and is taken off by the doller

page_text: cylinders 1, . These cylinders are comprised of alternate rings or belt
of cards and blank spaces, in order to take off the wool in stripes
which is well understood. I have shewn two of these doffer, cylinder
in order to take off two sets of threads, and at this part of the procès
my second and third improvements come into operation. The slivers o
threads of wool or other fibrous substances are now brought between the
travelling endless twisting straps or belts m, m, the speed or amount o
twist given to which may be varied by changing the: mitre wheels m
which are suitably passed over guide rollers n, n, and then brought into
contact in order to rub, roll up, or twist the slivers as they pass between
them; my improvement consists in twisting the slivers direct from of
the doffer cylinders, without the intervention of any doffing comb or
stripping roller, and also in applying a curved bearing or bar o, o, under
the twisting belts, having plates or elevated, bearing surfaces p, p, of
metal or other smooth substance placed under each sliver (which will
be better seen in the enlarged Figure 4), in order to get an equal
pressure of the endless twisting straps upon each sliver during the twist-
ing process; and there are small guiders z, z, placed near the doffers,
and also near the drawing roller y, y, in order to keep the threads, or
fibres separate during the twisting process. The slivers are traversed
by means of the guide bars 7, 7, being actuated by the heart wheel
motion 2, 1, (sec detached view, Figure 5,) and thus evenly laid upon the
long receiving bobbins s, s, and wound upon them by friction of con-
tact, by revolving upon the surface drums t, t, the whole being suitably
geared with the main driving shaft. The bobbins 8, s, of slivers or
threads are then ready to be conveyed to the subsequent processes of
roving or spinning.
My further improvement is in the application of a roller or rollers
u, u, covered with emery or other rough material, and placed nearly in
contact with the doffers, in order to carry on any of the slivers which
may become broken, and, thus facilitate the "piecing up" of the same.
Figure 6, shews a top view; Figure 7,side view; and Figure 8, an
end view of my improved twisting apparatus for rolling up or twisting
the slivers from the doffers. Small rollers a, a, a, e, with milled, fluted,
or roughed peripheries, are mounted in carriers in a bar or rail b, b, and