IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR COVERING OF 'Top DRAWING ROLLERS' FOR SPINNING MACHINERY, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson
and Co., Patent Agents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
and of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR COVERING OF 'Top
DRAWING ROLLERS' FOR SPINNING MACHINERY, AND IN COMPOSITIONS
THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Gottfried Strasser, of
Iserthal, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th May 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Patent
Agents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OR COVERING OF TOP DRAWING ROLLERS' FOR SPINNING
MACHINERY, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad
by Gottfried Strasser, of Iserthal, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria.
The following is a description of the Invention as near as possible in Mr. Strasser's
own words, the only alterations being of a verbal constructive character so as to
comply with the English law and practice.
In the cotton and wool spinning manufactories the cylinder or "top drawing
rollers" in spinning machines have at present a covering of felt cloth, and over it a
covering of leather. This construction has however many objections, chiefly owing
to the frequent renewal necessary in these cases, implying great outlay for the
calf skins used for the purpose.
"It has been my endeavour for many years to find an improvement overcoming
these objections, and after much thought and many trials at our own manufactory
I have arrived at this Invention, which has proved successful in its practica!
adoption in our own works.
The Invention consists in covering the metallic or other core of the roller with
cotton or felt cloth, or other good absorbent material, well soaked in a certain
chemical composition, also forming part of this Invention, instead of a covering

page_text: with calf skin as now used. The compound can, if desired, be applied directly over
the felt cloth, or, if the felt cloth is to be permanent, over a parchment covering
over the felt cloth.
The advantages are,-
1st. Greater durability as compared with calf skin.
2nd. An improvement in the quality of yarn spun, it being more even.
31d. Less loss of raw produce used in spinning, saving of cost, the composition
coverings being more durable, also a saving in labour as my rollers require less
cleaning, as will be afterwards more fully detailed.
From my experience so far my cylinders are always smooth on the surface, and
no cotton is absorbed by the rollers covered with velvet.
It is therefore not
necessary to clean every two hours, as heretofore, and thus my Invention combines
a minimum of labour with a minimum loss of material used in spinning. My
cylinders do not absorb grease, and old calf-skin-covered rollers may be renovated
by being covered afresh with my compound covering, and thus continue in use for
many years.
Sometimes instead of applying a leather or parchment paper over the felt cloth,
as at present in use, I cover with cotton cloth soaked at first in an india-rubber
solution and afterwards in gelatine and isinglass. The cloth is cut into lengths
according to the size of the cylinders (or cores of metal) and glued over the same
with common glue boiled in vinegar or acetic acid, or with other suitable adhesive
mixture. My composition at present in use in our mills is as follows:-30 per cent.
When well dissolved it is
gelatine, 10 per cent. isinglass dissolved in vinegar.
boiled down into a thick fluid mass. I then add five per cent. glycerine, benzine,
and sulphuric ether, after which the whole is boiled for about ten minutes to
amalgamate the ingredients thoroughly. The second compound consists, as at
present used by me, of 30 per cent. caoutchouc dissolved in suitable solvent or fluid.
It forms the second coat, binding well the first compound and giving elasticity to
the roller.
In actual practice the first compound is applied to the cloth or paper which forms
the covering of the roller. When this has dried on this cloth or paper the second
compound is applied, and when this is dry another coat of the first compound is
given over the whole.
These quantities can be varied and other kindred chemicals substituted in some
cases for these. One plan I am now testing for instance being as follows:-Dissolve
30 per cent. natural caoutchouc in 70 per cent. water, and apply this to the pieces
of cotton cloth cut to size convenient to handle. When dry take 40 parts gelatine,
10 isinglass, 50 water, and boil them down to a syrup; take 15 parts of glycerine,
3 parts alum (saturated solution in water), and two parts oil of turpentine; add
these to the previous mixture, and steep the cloth that has already gone through
the first steeping therein. When well soaked pass between two rollers lined with
caoutchouc to make it even, and the cloth is ready to cut up in lengths as required.
It is now cut to size, glued on with gluo dissolved in vinegar, and when dry the
cylinders are polished true in a turner's lathe.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th November 1880.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Patent
Agents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OR COVERING OF TOP DRAWING ROLLERS' FOR SPINNING
MACHINERY, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR," A communication from abroad
by Gottfried Strasser, of Iserthal, Bohemia, in the Empire of Austria.
c
The following is a description of the Invention, as near as possible in Mr.
Strasser's own words, the only alterations being of a verbal constructive character,
so as to comply with the English law and practice.
In the cotton and wool spinning manufactories, the cylinders or "top drawing
rollers" in spinning machines have at present a covering of felt cloth, and over it a
covering of leather. This construction has however many objections, chiefly owing
to the frequent renewal necessary in these cases, implying great outlay for the calf
skins used for the purpose.
It has been my endeavour for many years to find an improvement overcoming
these objections, and after much thought and many trials at our own manufactory
I have arrived at this Invention, which has proved successful in its practical
adoption in our own works.
The Invention consists in covering the metallic or other core of the roller with
cotton or felt cloth, or other good absorbent material, well soaked in a certain
chemical composition, also forming part of this. Invention, instead of a covering
with calf skin as now used. The compound can if desired be applied directly over
the felt cloth, or, if the felt cloth, is to be permanent, over a parchment covering
over the felt cloth.
The cloth I use is of peculiar construction resembling moleskin, and is formed by
the skipping over seven threads of the woof, and then taking the eighth, the woof
being kept rigidly straight all the time. Thus while on one side the material
resembles cloth without nap, but in which only the warp is bent, the woof lying
straight, the other has an appearance of a close lying mass of threads, each thread
dipping below only every eighth of an inch, and as the threads alternate with each
other it gives a uniform flat and very absorbing surface. This absorbing elastic
side is placed inward on the rollers, the closely woven side being that exposed
when the roller is finished. The cloth is put round the roller with the warp
parallel to the axis of the roller; the woof then encircles the roller, and being of
perfectly straight threads with the warp interlaced round then it cannot stretch,
so the roller always remains of the same diameter, and the number of yarn spun on
these rollers is not subject to variation.
The advantages of my process are, first, greater durability as compared with
calf skin; second, an improvement in the quality of yarn spun, it being more
even; third, less loss of raw produce used in spinning, saving of cost, the
composition coverings being more durable; also a saving in labour, as my rollers
require less cleaning, as will be afterwards more fully detailed.
From my experience so far, my coverings last about four times as long as the old
calf skins and are cheaper in first cost. They are always smooth on the surface,
and no cotton is absorbed by the rollers covered with velvet.
It is therefore not
necessary to clean every two hours, as heretofore, and thus my Invention combines
a minimum of cost and labour with a minimum loss of material used in spinning,

page_text: My cylinders do not absorb grease, and old calf skin covered rollers may be
renovated by being covered afresh with my compound covering, and thus continue
in use for many years.
According to trial experiments made the cylinder covered with my compound
gives a more even yarn, which is partly explained by the fact that owing to the
high price of calf skin cylinders they are kept too long in use, injuring the quality
of the yarn, before they are renewed.
Sometimes instead of applying a leather or parchment cover over the felt cloth,
as at present in use, I cover with cotton cloth soaked at first in an india-rubber
solution and afterwards in gelatine and isinglass. The cloth is cut into lengths
according to the size of the cylinders (or cores of inetal), and glued over the same
with common glue boiled in vinegar or acetic acid, or with other suitable adhesive
mixture. One composition in use in our mills is as follows:-Thirty kilograms of
gelatine, ten of isinglass dissolved in sixty pounds of vinegar; when well dissolved
it is boiled down into a thick fluid mass. I then add five kilograms each of
glycerine, benzine, and sulphuric ether, after which the whole is boiled for about
ten minutes to amalgamate the ingredients thoroughly. The second compound
consists as at present used by me of thirty parts by weight of caoutchouc dissolved
in seventy parts of solvent. It forms the second coat, binding well the first compound
and giving elasticity to the roller.
In actual practice the first compound is applied to the cloth or paper which
forms the covering of the roller. When this has dried on this cloth or paper the
second compound is applied, and when this is dry another coat of the first
compound is given over the whole.
These quantities can be varied and other kindred chemicals substituted in some
cases for these. One plan I am now testing, for instance, and at present prefer,
being as follows:-Dissolve thirty per cent. natural caoutchouc in seventy per
cent. water, and apply this to the pieces of cotton cloth cut to size convenient to
handle, say from two to ten feet; when well saturated hang up to dry; when dry
take forty parts gelatine, ten isinglass, fifty water, and boil them down to a syrup;
take fifteen parts of glycerine, three parts alum (saturated solution in water), and
two parts oil of turpentine. Add these to the previous mixture, well mix and
warm, and then steep the cloth that has already gone through the first steeping
therein; when well soaked pass between two rollers lined with caoutchouc to
make it even, and the cloth is ready to cut up in lengths as required. It is now
cut to size, glued on in the manner already described with glue dissolved in vinegar
instead of water, and when dry the cylinders are polished true in a turner's lathe.
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not bind myself to the exact
ingredients or materials herein described, as it is obvious that in speaking of gelatine,
for instance (where, as in this case, it is used mechanically rather than chemically),
there are many other substances that can be scarcely, if at all, distinguished
from it in mechanical properties, and many of these could, with little disadvantage,
be substituted for it, and the like may be said of some of the other ingredients, so
that in speaking of any substance as forming part of my composition, I wish it
to stand as the representative of other matters similar in mechanical properties
and not objectionable in a chemical point of view, and that what I believe
to be new and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
First. The herein described covering for "top drawing rollers" for spinning
machinery consisting of felt or cloth soaked with a gummy or gelatinous material
dissolved in a suitable solvent or solvents in such manner that when dry and
polished it may be sufficiently hard and elastic to do service as a "top drawing
roller," the cloth being preferably manufactured with practically non-elastic threads
round the cylinder at right angles to the axis, and with an inner absorbing texture
so as the more readily to take up and enclose the gummy matter used.

page_text: Second. The manufacture and use of the compositions for coating "top drawing
rollers" for spinning machinery, substantially as herein described.
Third. The manufacture of "top drawing rollers" for spinning machinery,
substantially in the manner herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)