IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tongue, of Wakefield, in the County of
York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 2nd June 1865, and dated the 9th December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th December 1864.
I, WILLIAM TONGUE, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to an improvement in a machine for
combing fibrous materials for which a Patent was granted to me dated January
15th 1864, No 111, in which combed tufts of fibrous material are accumulated
on to a travelling pointed surface from a rotating nipper, and pressed therein
by means of brushes attached to or working with such nippers, and I find it
desirable to attach to each nipper a wire or bar which is capable of being
drawn within the line of rotation of the nipper during a portion of its move-
ment, such bar or instrument being brought into action so as to draw one er
of the tuft of fibrous material out of the nipper at the moment when the o'
end of the tuft of fibrous material is being pressed into the pointed s
from which it is afterwards removed in the form of a sliver.

page_text: The second part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement of
machine for combing fibrous materials; in this machine the sliver of fibrous
material is carried into the machine by feed rollers, and a "screw gill" feed
apparatus, in front of which is a nipper attached to and working with such
apparatus, the end of the sliver of fibrous material projecting from the screw
gill is held by such nipper, and the end of the sliver projecting beyond the
nipper is cleaned by means of a pointed sheet travelling over a roller close to
the nipper. After the end of the sliver of fibrous material is cleaned the
nipper is caused to open and the gill feed apparatus to move forward towards
a rotating detaching nipping apparatus similarly constructed to that described
in the Patent granted to me before referred to, and when the forward move-
ment of the feed apparatus takes place, the cleaning pointed surface is caused
to move so as to allow such apparatus to move forwards. While the screw
gil apparatus is moving towards the detaching nipper it is caused to feed
forward by means of an intermittent movement the end of the sliver a suitable
distance, and the "faller" or "fallers," moved towards the first mentioned
nipper in making such feed are held up by an instrument which is caused to
support them at this point. When the "screw gill" and the apparatus
attached thereto have been moved sufficiently close to the intermittent rotating
detaching nipping apparatus, which at this point is stationary, one of the nippers
of which is in a suitable position is caused to close on the cleaned part of the
projecting end of the sliver of fibrous material, and at the same time a comb
moving to and fro with the feed apparatus is caused to pass into the portion
of the sliver of fibrous material last fed forward, and also partly into the
cleaned portion of such sliver, the fibrous material being pressed into such
comb by means of a dabbing brush. The feed gill apparatus then recedes
from the detaching nipper leaving a tuft of fibrous material in such nipper;
the complete separation of such tuft of fibrous material from the sliver being
effected by means of the rotation of the detaching nipper, and if desired by a
wire or bar caused to press upon the fibres and complete their separation from
the sliver. When the tuft of fibre is detached, the nipper in front of the screw
gill is closed, and the comb which had been inserted into the end of the sliver
projecting beyond the nipper, is eithor withdrawn or caused to move away
from the nipper so as to partly comb out the projecting end of the sliver before
the endless pointed travelling surface is brought into action as above described.
This travelling surface may be graduated so as to be open when it com-
mences to act upon the fibrous material and become finer as it travels through
the fibre, and the noil is removed from such travelling pointed surface by
means of a rotating brush and doffing roller and comb, as is commonly

page_text: practised in heckling machinery. When the nipper closes on the end of the
sliver of fibrous material the "faller" or "fallers," moved forward as described
when forming a feed are caused to drop out of the sliver. The intermittent
rotating detaching nipper (of which I prefer to have four arranged around one
axis) carries the tuft to an endless pointed surface which gradually approaches
such nipper so as to act upon the tuft first at or near the point of the fibres
and then nearer the nipper.
Before the intermittent rotating detaching
nipper makes another step forward, the travelling sheet recedes from the
nipper and the tuft is then carried forward and deposited among teeth to be
drawn off in the form of a sliver as described in the Patent granted to me
before referred to, and in the first part of my present improvements. Or it
may be delivered to a porter comb to be carried to and deposited on a
travelling comb from which a sliver may be afterwards drawn as is well under-
stood. In some cases I prefer to substitute a feed comb acting with a brush
(as described in the Patent granted to me before referred to) in place of the
screw gill, such feed comb oscillating to and from the detaching nipping appa-
ratus in the same manner as the screw gill feed apparatus before described.
In place of the feed apparatus moving to and from the detaching nipper,
such feed apparatus may be caused to oscillate on a centre so as present the
end of a sliver of fibrous material to a cleaning instrument and then (by the
oscillation of the feeding apparatus) to the intermittent rotating detaching
nipper which by its rotation combined with the oscillation of the feeding
apparatus will detach a tuft, and carry it away to be cleaned and formed into
a sliver as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
June 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TONGUE, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Tongue, Her special licence that I, the said William Tongue, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Tongue, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Tongue, my executors and administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 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 Tongue, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention relates to an improvement in a machine for
combing fibrous materials for which a Patent was granted to me, dated January
15th, 1864, No. 111, in which combed tufts of fibrous material are accumulated
on to a travelling pointed surface from a rotating nipper, and pressed therein
by means of brushes attached to or working with such nippers, and I find it
desirable to attach to each nipper a wire or bar, which is capable of being
drawn within the line of rotation of the nipper during a portion of its move-
ment, such bar or instrument being brought into action so as to draw one end
of the tuft of fibrous material out of the nipper at the moment when the other
end of the tuft of fibrous material is being pressed into the pointed surface
from which it is afterwards removed in the form of a sliver.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention, which
consists in an improved arrangement of machine for combing fibrous
materials.

page_text: and the end of the sliver projecting beyond the nipper C is cleaned by means
of a pointed sheet D travelling over a roller d close to the nipper. After the
end of the sliver of fibrous material is cleaned the nipper C is caused to open
and the gill feed apparatus B to move forward towards a rotating detaching
nipping apparatus E, similarly constructed to that described in the Patent
granted to me before referred to. And when the forward movement of the
feed apparatus B takes place, the cleaning printed surface D is caused to
move so as to allow such feed apparatus B to move forward. While the screw
gill apparatus B is moving towards the detaching nipper E, it is caused to
feed forward by means of an intermittent movement the end of the sliver a
suitable distance, and the "faller" or "fallers" moved toward the first-
mentioned nipper in making such feed are held up by an instrument b¹, which
is caused to support them at this point. When the "screw gill" B, and the
apparatus attached thereto have been moved sufficiently close to the inter-
mittent rotating detaching nipping apparatus E (which at this point is
stationary) one of the nippers of which is in a suitable position is caused to
close on the cleaned part of the projecting end of the sliver of fibrous
material, and at the same time a comb F moving to and fro with the feed
apparatus B is caused to pass into the portion of the sliver of fibrous material
last fed forward, and also partly into the cleaned portion of such sliver. The
feed gill apparatus B then recedes from the detaching nipper E, leaving a tuft
of fibrous material in such nipper, the complete separation of such tuft of
fibrous material from the sliver being effected by means of the rotation of the
detaching nipper E, and by a bar G, which is caused to press upon the fibres
and complete their separation from the sliver. When the tuft of fibre is
detached, the nipper C in front of the screw gill B is closed, and the comb F
which had been inserted into the end of the sliver projecting beyond the
nipper C is withdrawn from the nipper. This travelling pointed surface D is.
graduated so as to be open when it commences to act upon the fibrous material,
and become finer as it travels through the fibre, and the noil is removed from
such travelling pointed surface D by means of a rotating brush d**, and
doffing roller d, and comb d₁s, as is commonly practised in heckling
machinery. When the nipper C closes on the end of the sliver of fibrous
material, the "faller" or "fallers" moved forward, as described when forming
a feed, are caused to drop out of the sliver. The intermittent rotating
detaching nipper E (of which I prefer to have four arranged around one
axis) carries the tuft to an endless pointed surface H, which gradually
such nipper E, so as to act upon the tuft first at or near the point of the
fibres, and then nearer the nipper E. This endless travelling pointed surface II

page_text: is also graduated in a similar mauner to the travelling pointed surface D,
so as to operate upon the fibres presented to it with heckles gradually
increasing in fineness. Before the intermittent rotating detaching nipper E
makes another step forward the travelling sheet H recedes from the nipper,
and the tuft is then carried forward and delivered to a porter comb I to be
carried to and deposited upon an endless comb sheet K, from which a sliver
may be afterwards drawn, as is well understood.
I will now proceed to describe in detail the arrangements of mechanism for
giving motion to the various parts before referred to. L is the main framing
of the machine; M, the main driving shaft or axis, which gives motion by
means of the toothed wheels m and m' to the cam shaft or axis N. The
main shaft M also gives motion to the upright shaft or axis o by means of
bevil wheels o', o, and the upright shaft o communicates motion to the
horizontal shaft or axis o by means of the bevil wheels o*, 0°; b is the framing
of the gill feed apparatus B, which is supported by slides moving in guides b*,
attached to the side framings of the machine b is an axis supported in bearings
carried by the framing of the gill feed apparatus, and motion is com-
municated to this axis & from the horizontal axis o by means of the bevilled
wheel o taking into the bevilled wheel 6, fixed on a stud carried by the
framing of the gill feed apparatus. Upon the stud which carries the
wheel is also fixed the toothed wheel , which takes into and drives the
toothed wheel & fixed on the axis . The bevilled wheel of is caused to
revolve with the axis o' by means of a feather on such axis, and is at the same
time moved to and fro on such axis by means of a bracket fixed on the
framing of the gill feed apparatus, so as to retain the teeth of the wheels oº, 6º,
constantly in gear. The gill feed apparatus B is shown in the position it
assumes when the endless pointed surface D is on the point of descending out
of the way so as to allow the gill feed apparatus to move forward towards the
intermittent rotating nipping head E, the gill feed apparatus being caused to
move to and fro in the following manner :-n are levers, fixed on the axis n',
and one of such levers carries a truck or roller 2, which acts against the
surface of the cam 28. The levers are also connected to the gill feed
apparatus by links n', so that by the rotation of the cam n³ the gill feed
apparatus is moved away from the rotating nipping head B. The reverso
movement of the gill feed apparatus B, by which it is caused to approach the
nipping head E, is effected in the following manner :-n is a lever capable of
moving on the axis n', and the lever n is actuated by means of a cam n
acting upon a truck or roller n carried by the lever n³. The lever n is
connected to the lever by means of springs on the connecting rods n

page_text: l
pressing on the bars nº attached to the levers n. The result of this arrange-
ment is that the gill feed apparatus B is drawn towards the rotating nipping
head E by means of the springs on the rods n³, until the adjusting screws 6º
(carried by the framing 62 of the feed apparatus B) come in contact with the
fixed stops on the main framing, by which arrangement the feed apparatus
is arrested at the exact point desired, any further movement of the lever n³
only tending to further compress the springs on the rod n³. The links n¹
before referred to are constructed so as to be capable of adjustment in order
to regulate the position of the feed apparatus B in relation to the other parts
of the machine. At the time the travelling pointed surface D is descending,
the nipper C is caused to open in the following manner :-The axis 6º carries
a cam c, which acts on a truck carried by the lever c', fixed on the rocking
axis c, upon which are fixed the levers c, connected by adjustable links c* to
the nipper bar c³, moving in grooves formed in the framing b² of the feed
apparatus B, and the nipper bar c carries a slide, to which is attached the
upper nipper c, the slide which carries such nipper being pressed downwards
by means of springs on the rods c', so that the nipper when closed will accom-
modate itself to the thickness of the fibrous materials held between the
nipping surfaces, the lower nipper c being fixed to the framing of the feed
apparatus B. The upper nipper bar co is constantly acted upon by springs on
the rods c, connected to the levers c³, so as to cause it to open or move away
from the lower nipper c³, at the same time causing the truck on the lever c¹ to
press upon the cam c. After the nippers C have been caused to open, as above
described, and during the movement of the feed apparatus towards the
rotating nipping head, movement is communicated to the feed rollers A and
fallers b, so as to project a portion of the sliver of fibrous material in the
following manner:-a is a cam on the axis 5, acting on the toothed quadrant
lever a¹ by means of a truck on such lever, which is carried by and moves on
the axis c. The toothed quadrant lever a¹ takes into a toothed wheel a²
moving on the axis a³ and the toothed wheel a carries a catch a', which takes
into a catch wheel on the axis a³, so as to cause such axis to revolve when the
toothed quadrant lever is raised by the cam a, and the axis a³ communicates
motion to the screw axes a³, in the usual manner, so as to cause the gill
fallers to travel forward a certain distance, the feed rollers A being at the
same time caused to revolve in the direction of the arrows by means of a train
of toothed wheels a, a, a, a, a, and a", (as indicated,) the toothed
wheels a' and a¹ being loose on the axis 65. When the fallers 6 make the
forward movement towards the nipper c³, as above described, the front faller
nearest the nipper is prevented from dropping (as would be the case in an

page_text: ordinary gill box) by means of instruments 'acting by their forward move-
ment towards the nipper c³ at the same time as the fallers, so as to prolong
for the time the supporting "saddles" 610, and thus prevent the descent of the
faller until the instruments are again withdrawn. The instruments are
carried by slides & moving in guides in the framing of the gill feed apparatus B,
and the instruments are moved to and fro by means of the cam 6 acting
on a truck carried by the lever 6's, fixed on the rocking shaft or axis 6.
613 is a lever fixed on the other end of the axis 6, and the levers 61 and 615
are connected to the slides 6" by means of the connecting rods 66, 67, so that
the cam acts to withdraw the instruments from under the fallers after
the nippers C are closed, a spring on the rod 618 acting to press the instru
ments forward and at the same time retain the truck on the lever 3 in
contact with the surface of the cam 19. After the end of the sliver has been
moved forward in the manner above described and the feed apparatus is at a
suitable distance from the rotating nipping head E, one of the nippers of the
nipping head E closes upon the end of the sliver presented to it by feed appa-
ratus and the teeth of the detaining comb F (which in the meantime has been
caused to approach the projecting ends of the slivers) is caused to descend
into and amongst the fibres, so as to be immersed partly in the portion of
fibrous material last fed forward, and partly into the portion which has been
operated upon by the travelling pointed surface D, and the detaining comb F
is actuated in the following manner :-f is a cam on the axis 6, acting upon
a truck carried by the lever f', which is keyed on the rocking shaft or axis f;
f is a lever fixed on the other end of the axis f, and the levers f' f, are con-
nected respectively to the bell-crank levers f, f, by means of the connecting
rods ff. The bell-crank levers f, fs, are supported and move on the axis c³,
and are connected to the slides fo, fo, by means of connecting rods fi, f.
The slides f, f, move in guides formed in the framing of the gill feed
apparatus, and the detaining comb F is connected and moves up and down with
such slides, f; springs on the rods f, f13, connected to the levers f', f³,
act so as to cause the detaining comb F to rise when the cam F permits
it to do so, the springs on the rods f", f13, also acting to keep the truck on
the lever fin contact with the cam f. The detaining comb F is so arranged
that when desired the screws which fix it to the slides f³, fo, may be removed,
and the detaining comb bar may then be turned up on the hinged joints f", fi,
(connected to the slides f, f) into a suitable position for being cleaned or
repaired; 6 is a dabbing brush which is caused to press the slivers of fibrous
material into and amongst the teeth of the gill fallers at the time when the
nipper C is closed, such brush being raised at the time when the forward

page_text: movement of the gill fallers takes place. The brush 61 is actuated by the
movement of the rocking axis c³, as clearly shown in the Drawing. After the
tuft of fibrous material has been detached and carried away by one of the
detaching nippers of the nipping head E the endless travelling pointed surface
D is raised into a suitable position to act on the ends of the slivers of fibrous
material held by the nipper C, the feed apparatus having first moved back to
such a position that the travelling pointed surface may first commence to act
upon the ends of the slivers, the feed apparatus being then caused to gradually
approach the cleaning pointed surface D, and when sufficiently close it is
caused to dwell in that position a sufficient length of time to complete the
separation and combing of the fibrous material presented to its action, the
travelling pointed surface D being so arranged and constructed as to bring
into operation heckles of successive degrees of fineness so as to operate on the
fibres first with coarse and then with finer teeth. After having completed the
combing of the fibrous material presented to it, the endless pointed surface is
caused to descend into a position by which it is brought in contact with the
revolving cleaning brush D', and at the same time into such a position as will
allow of the forward movement of the feed apparatus B. The movements of
the travelling pointed surface D are effected in the following manner :--d' is
a cam on the axis N, which cam acts on a truck carried by the lever d² fixed
on a hollow axis d³ supported by and moving on the rocking axis n'; d' is a
lever arm keyed on the hollow axis d³ and communicating its motion by
means of the connecting rod d³ to the lever arm de keyed on the rocking
axis d'. On this axis are arms ds which carry the rollers do, do, and d, over
which the endless pointed sheet D travels. There are lever arms d* keyed
on the axis d' which serve to act as stops (when the cleaning apparatus dis
raised) by coming in contact with adjusting screws b* carried by the framing b
of the feeding head so as not to allow the feed head and nippers C to advance
towards the travelling sheet D beyond the distance determined by such stops.
Although the combing or cleaning apparatus D is arranged so as to descend
by its own weight I prefer to control its downward movement by means of
the counter cam d" acting on a truck carried by the lever d₁ supported by
and moving on the rocking axis n', and the lever d¹ is connected to the
lever d² which actuates the cleaning apparatus D by means of springs on the
rods d. Travelling motion is communicated to the endless cleaning sheet D
so as to cause it to bring the coarser or finer heckles carried thereby into
operation upon the fibrous material at the time required, as above described,
in the following manner:-m² is a toothed wheel fixed on the axis M, the
wheel m² gives motion to the intermediate toothed wheel m, which cou-

page_text: municates its motion to the toothed wheel d" fixed on the axis of the roller do.
The intermediate wheel m³ is carried by a stud which connects the levers m
and ds (which are supported by and moved on the shaft M), and the axis
of the roller do, the levers m³ and d¹³ serving to maintain the intermediate
wheel m³ in gear with the wheels m² and d" in the different positions assumed
by the apparatus carrying the endless travelling sheet D. The travelling
pointed surface D is formed by a series of bars fixed upon a flexible sheet of
leather or other suitable material, such bars being fixed close together, as
described in the Specification of the Patent granted to me before referred to.
Every alternate bar is arranged to project beyond the edges of the flexible
sheet in such manner that the teeth of wheels fixed at each end of the
roller d' take into the spaces between the projecting ends of the heckle bars
so as to communicate motion to the endless sheet, and by this means bring
into operation the coarser and finer teeth in correct succession, as desired, to
operate upon the fibrous material presented thereto; d¹ are guides carried
by the arms d³ which act against the projecting ends of the heckle bars to
prevent any endway movement of the sheet of heckle bars D. The heckle
bars are fastened to the flexible sheet D by means of scrows the heads of
which are arranged in longitudinal succession so as to travel in annular
grooves formed around the rollers d, d', and do, the larger diameters of such
rollers forming the supporting or carrying surface of the endless flexible
sheet D, thus allowing the projecting heads of the screws to pass freely around
the rollers without causing any irregularity in the movement of the travelling
endless sheet. The brush d** receives motion from the endless belt M',
which is driven by the pulley M on the axis M, and the brush d** imparts
motion to the doffing roller d" by means of a bevil wheel d" taking into the
bevel wheel do fixed on an axis revolving on the bracket da; d is a screw
fixed on the same axis, which screw drives the toothed wheel d³ revolving on
a stud carried by the bracket d. The wheel d takes into a toothed wheel
on the axis of the doffing roller d"; d18 is an oscillating doffing knife to which
motion is communicated by the belt M' actuating the crank des and con-
necting rod d. The noil, as it is removed from the doffing roller d", falls
upon the endless travelling belt d, which carries it out at one side of the
machine, and motion is communicated to this belt by means of a bevilled
wheel on the end of the axis of the doffing roller d" taking into a bevilled
wheel on the axis d, which, by means of the toothed wheel d28 and inter-
mediate wheel d drives the wheel d³° fixed on the axis of the roller d³, over
which the endless belt passes, and by which it is driven. During the time
that the gill feed apparatus B is approaching the nipping head E the sepa-

page_text: rating bar or knife G is caused to descend into a position below the end of
the sliver of fibrous material, when one of the nippers of the nipping head E
closes upon it, and when the gill feed apparatus recedes the bar G is caused
to rise and press upwards against the fibres in the act of being detached, the
nipping head E then, by its rotation, draws such fibres over the bar G, and
by the further rotation of the nipping head E and further ascent of the bar G
the complete separation of the tuft from the end of the sliver is effected. The
bar G is caused to move as above described in the following manner :-9, 9,
are cams on the axis N which act upon trucks carried by the levers g¹ sup-
ported by and moving on the axis n', and the levers g¹ communicate motion
to the sliding bars g2 by means of the adjustable liuks g³. The sliding bars g²
move in guides attached to the framing of the machine and carrying the
separating knife or bar G.
I will now proceed to describe the construction, arrangement, and method
of actuating the various parts of the nipping head E, which are similar to the
corresponding parts described in the Specification of the Patent granted to
me before referred to. There are four pairs of nippers e', e, arranged around
the axis e, the holding surfaces of which are grooved as is well understood,
and the pairs of nippers are adjustable relatively to each other and to them-
selves, and both nippers of each pair in opening and closing have movement
imparted to them. The intermittent rotating movement by which the nipping
head is caused to assume the positions above described is imparted to the nipping
head E by means of the crank pin e¹ and connecting rod e², connected to the
bell crank rocking lever e³, supported by and moving on the axis e, and the
rocking lever e³ communicates an intermittent rotating movement to the axis e
and apparatus E attached thereto by means of a catch wheel fixed on the
axis e, the apparatus E being prevented from oscillating with the return
movement of the lever 3 by means of the catch e carried by the framing of
the machine, the catch wheel being held firmly against such catch e" by means
of stops arranged on the side of the catch wheel, which towards the end of
each movement of such catch wheel are brought against a spring buffer
carried by the lever e, the lever e' being caused to move so as to allow the
catch wheel to move forward another step by means of the eccentric e³ on the
axis N, and connecting rod . The nippers e are carried by slides moving in
guides formed in the side plates e¹ of the nipping head E which are fixed on
the axis e. Movement is imparted to the nippers e so as to cause them to
open and close when required in the following manner:-The rocking lever e³
is fixed on a hollow boss, on which is also fixed the cam e", which will there-
fore move forward with the nipping head when moving from one point to

page_text: another, but will when such nipping head is stationary, oscillate back upon
the axis e, together with the lever e³, and by that means act upon trucks or
rollers carried by levers e fixed on the rocking axes e¹³, moving in bearings
formed in the plates e¹0 and the rocking axes e¹s by means of the lever e, and
adjusting connecting rod e¹s gives motion to the nippers e. The slides which
carry the nippers are also connected by bars e, which press upon springs
on the adjustable rods e¹ connected to the lovers es, which are supported by
and move on the axes es, and the levers e¹8 act upon the nippers e, which
slide upon bars e fixed to the side frames e¹0; e20 is a break on the axis e,
which counteracts the momentum of the nipping head E. The tuft of fibrous
materials when separated from the end of the sliver is carried round by the
nipping head E, and is then held in a position to be acted upon by the end-
less travelling pointed surface H, which is caused to approach the nipper
whilst remaining stationary, so as to commence to operate at or near the end
of the tuft of fibrous material, and gradually approach the nipper until suffi-
ciently close thereto to complete the combing of the tuft, the pointed surface
then recedes from the nipper prior to another partial rotation of the nipping
head E, by which the tuft of fibrous material is carried away. The pointed
travelling surface H is also so arranged as to act upon the tuft, successively
increasing in fineness in the same manner as previously described in reference
to the travelling pointed surface D. The travelling pointed surface His
also formed with hackle bars, and actuated in the same manner as the
travelling pointed surface D, and is caused to assume the positions above
described in the following manner :- is a cam fixed on the axis N, which
cam acts on a truck carried by the lever ', supported by and moving on the
axis ; is a connecting rod, by which the movement of the lever h¹ is
transmitted to the lever arm ³ fixed on the axis h. ho, h, are lever arms
fixed on the rocking axis h', which by means of the links ho are connected
with and give motion to the sliding frame h, moving in guides formed in
the adjustable framing h, h. The sliding frame supports the rollers ho, ho,
and ", over which the travelling pointed surface I travels, and it will be
seen that the weight of such apparatus serves to keep the truck on the
lever in contact with the cam h. The travelling movement is com-
municated to the endless cleaning sheet H so as to cause it to bring the
coarser or finer heckles carried thereby into operation on the tuft of fibrous
material at the time required as above described in the following manner :-
m is a toothed wheel fixed on the axis M, the wheel m² gives motion to the
intermediate toothed wheels me, m', which last communicates its motion to
the toothed wheel fixed on the axis of the roller ". The intermediate

page_text: wheel me revolves upon a stud carried by the lever arm m³, and the inter-
mediate wheel m7 is carried by a stud which connects the levers m³ and h¹³,
which are supported by and move on the shaft M, and the axis of the roller h".
The levers m and h¹³, serve to maintain the intermediate wheel in gear with
the wheels me and h¹ in the different positions assumed by the apparatus
carrying the endless sheet H. is a revolving brush, which removes the
noil from the endless sheet H, and delivers it to the doffing roller h¹³, from
which it is removed by means of the crank doffer ¹ as is well understood.
The tuft of fibrous material cleaned as above described is carried by the
further rotation of the nipping head E to the transferring comb I, which is
formed of pins, which at this time are near the line of rotation of the nipping
head E, and are pointed in a direction opposite to the direction of such
rotation so that the tuft of fibres carried by the rotating nipper is drawn into
the teeth of the transferring comb I. The nippers are then caused to
partially open, so that when the nipping head commences to make another
step forward the tuft of fibrous material will be left upon the teeth of
such carrying comb I, which at the same time is caused to move away
from the nipping head E towards the travelling pointed surface K. The trans-
ferring comb I is carried by the levers i, i¹, and the bar which carries the
transferring comb I is constructed to revolve in bearings formed in the
levers i, ¹; is a fixed toothed quadrant into which the wheel ³ (fastened
on one end of the transferring comb bar) gears, so that in moving from
the nipping head E to the travelling pointed surface K the transferring
comb and bar I will be caused to perform a revolution, by which means
the tuft of fibrous material carried by the transferring instrument I will
be thrown on to the endless travelling pointed surface K with the long end
of the tuft nearest to the drawing-off rollers k, and by means of the stop /',
coming in contact with the finger i, the plate i will be caused to throw
the tuft of fibrous material from the teeth of the transferring comb I on to
the pointed travelling surface K. The plate i³ is carried by brackets i³,
attached to the transferring comb bar I with which the plate is rotates, so as
to assist in turning over the tuft of fibrous material. After the transferring
comb I has deposited the tuft on the travelling sheet K, as above described,
it returns to the position first described preparatory to receiving another
tuft of fibrous material.
The transferring comb I is caused to move to and fro as above described in
the following manner:- is a cam fixed on the axis N, which cam acts on a
truck carried by the bell crank lever is, which is supported by and moves
upon the axis n'; ' is a connecting rod by which the movement imparted

page_text: to the bell crank lever is is transferred to the lever i, fixed on the rocking
axis 10, upon which is also fixed the lever i', which levers i and i¹ carry
the transferring comb I as above described. Motion is communicated from
the horizontal axis o" to the axis ' by means of the bevil wheels o' and
and the axis ke' communicates motion to the endless travelling pointed
surface K, the drawing-off rollers k, and the rolling brush ³, by means of
the trains of toothed wheels, indicated by dotted lines. The travelling
pointed surface K. moves at such a speed that the successive tufts deposited
upon it by the transferring comb I are partly laid over each so as to
form a continuous sliver, and they are pressed into and among the teeth of
the endless travelling pointed sheet K by means of the rolling brush
The brush is carried by lovers k' moving on studs carried by armis k, fixed
on the rotating axis A, and the brush is drawn outwards from the axis k
by means of springs on the rods, so that the brush can be pressed
towards the axis, and when, by the rotation of the axis, the circular
brush is brought in contact with the travelling pointed surface K, it will be
caused to roll along such surface for a certain distance, and thus press the
fibrous material into and among the teeth of the travelling sheet K, which
at this point is supported by a fixed bed or surface.
I would here remark that in some cases I prefer to substitute a feed comb
acting with a brush, (as described in the Specification of the Patent granted to
me before referred to where three such feed combs are employed, arranged
around an axis) in place of the screw gill previously described, such feed
comb oscillating to and from the detaching nipping apparatus in the same
manner as the screw gill feed apparatus before described. Or an endless
travelling pointed sheet may be employed as a feeding instrument in place of
the screw gill feed apparatus previously described.
In place of the feed apparatus moving to and from the detaching nipper,
such feed apparatus may be caused to oscillate on a centre so as to present
the end of a sliver of fibrous materials to a cleaning instrument, and then (by
the oscillation of the feeding apparatus) to the intermittent rotating detaching
nipper, which, by its rotation, combined with the oscillation of the feeding
apparatus, will detach a tuft and carry it away to be cleaned and formed
into a sliver as above described.
And I would remark that I have not thought it necessary to show or
more minutely describe the manner of carrying out the modifications above
referred to, as a competent workman, aided by the previous description,
would readily arrange machinery in accordance with this part of my
improvements.

page_text: Although the cleaning instruments employed are by preference constructed
and arranged as herein described I do not confine myself thereto, as they
may be greatly varied without departing from the true character of my
Invention, and card sheets or porcupine rollers or card rollers may in some
cases be employed or substituted for the arrangements of cleaning instruments
previously described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tongue, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W. C.
WILLIAM TONGUE. (L.S.)