IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOTH TENTERING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOTH TENTERING MACHINES." A communication from
abroad by George Pembroke Wood, of Johnston, Rhode Island, United States
of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1881.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOTH TENTERING
MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by George Pembroke Wood, of
Johnston, Rhode Island, United States of America.]
Swiss
This Invention relates to improvements upon what is known as the "
tenter machine," and it consists in providing means for operating the two clip-
chains which hold the edges of the cloth by employing adjustable gearing, in order
to make proper allowance for the unequal length or tension of the two edges of the
web, and thus preserve the proper rectangular crossing of the threads.

page_text: Figure 9 represents a front elevation of the operating mechanism, illustrating
the method of changing the relative movements of the clip-chains, by means of cone-
pulleys, and
Figure 10 is a plan of the same.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of the said mechanism, with a portion of one of the
driving gear-wheels broken away.
In Figures 3 and 4, which represent a tentering machine as ordinarily constructed,
C¹, C¹, are the rag-wheels which carry the clip-chains D¹, D', one of which is
represented in Figure 3. The sides E¹, E', of the machine are made to vibrate
longitudinally by means of the crank F¹ and connecting-rod G³, jointed to the loose
fitting strap g placed at the end of the pivoted vibrating shaft A which is attached
to the frame by means of the pivoted hangers B, B. The sides E¹, E¹, are connected
by means of the bars H¹, H¹, H', pivoted at the points h¹, h¹, h¹, in line with the
pivot of the shaft A. The vibration of the shaft A is indicated by the dotted lines
in Figure 4; I' represents the floor of the room, and J', a piece of cloth or canvas
covering the sides of the machine, in order to properly retain the heat of the steam-
pipes, and direct the same against the web. The rag-wheels C¹, C¹³, are held between
the double hangers K, K¹, attached to each of the sides E¹. The vibrating shaft A
is pivoted to a stand L¹, secured to the floor I¹, the shaft A. being driven from the
upright shaft U by means of the bevel gear-wheels M' and N'; and the upright shafts
U and R¹ are driven from the main shaft K by means of suitable bevel gear-wheels.
The pinions at C, C, which drive the rag-wheels C¹, C, and clip chains, are held.
upon the shaft A by means of a spline which will not allow the pinions to be turned
on the shaft, the relative positions of their teeth cannot therefore be changed, while
the machine is in motion. For this reason no provision can be made for the
adjustment of the relative movements of the chains, on account of the unequal
length of the selvedges of the web when held in the clip of the chains. It is. there-
fore necessary for the operatives engaged in feeding to watch the inequality at the
delivering end of the machine, which is at a great distance from the feeding end, and
by pulling on the edge of the web, as the circumstances may require, gradually bring
the threads to their proper position as near as possible. With the most careful
attention however the work is liable to great and long continued variation.
The object of my improvements is to furnish means for rapid adjustment, while
the machine is in operation, so that on the appearance of any discrepancy at the
delivering end, the operative may at once make the required adjustment without
having to wait for that portion of the web held by the clips of the chain, to pass
entirely through the machine, which will require a comparatively long time.
The application of my improvements is shewn in Figures 1 and 2, where A is the
pivoted vibrating shaft held in the hangers B, B, pivoted to the frame of the
machine, and in the piyot arms P¹, P', as shown also in Figures 5 and 6. One of
the pinions C is secured by means of a feather and retaining groove upon the
shaft A, and the other by the same means upon the sleeve D surrounding said shaft,
and both are held in place between the jaws b, b, of the pivoted hangers B, B,call
as shewn in Figure 9. The shaft A is driven by means of the bevel gear-wheels E
and F, and the sleeve D is driven in the same direction by means of the gear
wheels G and H. The upright shaft U upon the upper end of which the gear-wheel F
is placed; is driven in the construction shewn in Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8, by means
of the bevel gear-wheel V upon the lower end of the shaft, and the gear wheel V'
upon the main driving shaft K, located below the floor I. The sleeve U¹ which
surrounds shaft U, and upon the upper end of which the gear-wheel H is placed, is
driven by means of the gear-wheel X which is keyed to the sleeve U¹, and turns
loosely upon the upright shaft U, the revolution of which gear-wheel may be varied
in speed as desired by means of the gear-wheel Y, pivoted to the worm-wheel Z,
and the gear wheel A¹ upon the lower end of the sleeve U'.
When the machine is in motion; by moving the worm gear wheel Z by means of
the worm Z', the relative angular position of the teeth of the pinions C, C, upon the
vibrating shaft A will be changed, and by this means the relative movements of

page_text: the clip-chains may be readily adjusted to suit the unequal lengths of the edges of
the web.
The worm Z is placed on a shaft a, connected by bevel gear-wheels with the
shaft of hand-wheel c near the feeding end of the machine, and under the immediate
control of the feeding operator, and with the shaft of the hand-wheel d, located near
the delivering end of the machine, in order that the necessary adjustment may be
readily made from either end as desired.
The web e passes from the machine over the rolls f, f, shewn in Figure 2, and in
its vertical passage from the roll g, the distortion of the web will be readily detected
by the operator, and a slight turn on either of the hand wheels c or d will serve to
immediately remedy the defect by causing one of the chains to move either faster
or slower than the other, until the proper relative position is reached.
The clip-chains D', D¹, move back and forth with the vibration of the shaft A,
and serve to continually move the threads of the web held in the clips while in the
process of drying.
Instead of the compound gear wheels above described for changing the relative
position of the clip-chains while the machine is in motion, a pair of cone-pulleys
may be employed to change the relative speeds of the clip chains in their forward
movements, as shewn in Figures 9, 10 and 11, where the upright shaft U upon
which the gear wheel F is placed, is driven by means of the gear wheel I upon the
lower end of the shaft, and the gear wheel J upon the main driving shaft K. The
gear wheel H upon the sleeve U¹ enclosing the shaft U, is driven in the same direction
with the gear wheel F, by means of the gear wheel L-upon the lower end of the
upright sleeve, and the gear wheel M upon the shaft of the cone pulley N, which is
driven by means of the bevel gear wheel O upon the main driving shaft, the gear
wheel Pi on the shaft of the cone pulley Q, and the cross belt R running between
the guides S, S; attached to the bar T. The movement of the belt R by means of
the belt guide to either side of its central position on the pulleys, will cause the
pinions C, C, to revolve at unequal rates of speed, thus causing one of the clip chains
to move faster or slower than the other, to correct any decided inclination of the
threads of the web; and when the threads of the web have been brought to their
proper position, the belt may be shifted to its central position on the cone pulleys,
causing the pinions C, C, and the clip chains to again move at a uniform rate of
speed. The belt guide is to be placed under the control of the person feeding the
machine by means of suitable connections as before described.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. In a cloth-tentering machine, the combination with the clip-chains, their
supporting frames and mechanism for reciprocating the said frames of driving
mechanism, and means for regulating the same, whereby the speeds of the said chains
may be varied with respect to each other, substantially as described.
Second. In a cloth-tentering machine, the combination of a pinion C, the vibrating
shaft A, the upright shaft U, and the gear-wheels E and F, with a second pinion C,
the sleeves D and U¹, and the connecting gear-wheels G and H, with the means for
driving the shaft U and sleeve U separately, and mechanism for regulating the said
driving means, whereby the relative movements of the pinions C may be varied
with respect to each other, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Harris Lake; have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
housand sight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY H. LAKE. (L.S.)