IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING THE MANGLE OR OTHER FINISH TO WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Orchar and James Graham, both of Dundee, in the
County of Forfar, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR APPLYING THE MANGLE OR OTHER FINISH TO WOVEN
FABRICS."
Sealed the 7th January 1879, and dated the 13th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Orchar and James
Graham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July
1878.
ROBERT ORCHAR and JAMES GRAHAM, both of Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING THE MANGLE OR
OTHER FINISH TO WOVEN FABRICS."
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of
machines for applying the mangle or other finish to woven fabrics.
In a machine made with the improvements, and when arranged for mangling,
there are the usual upper and lower mangling rollers, whilst there are two cloth
rollers carried in a frame, which can be moved horizontally, so as when removing
one cloth roller, to place the other cloth roller in position between the mangling
rollers.
The mangling rollers are held or guided in massive housings or vertical end
frames connected by tie rods and bolted down upon two iron girders, which are
placed across a pit or depressed space formed beneath the floor level, to contain parts
by which pressure is applied to the mangling rollers. The lower roller is carried in

page_text: fixed bearings, but the upper roller is carried in bearings arranged both for pressing
it downwards and for sustaining or raising it as required. Each bearing of the
upper roller is connected by a vertical spindle to the middle of an upper cross head,
which is connected by vertical rods passing down through or beside the housing to
a lower cross head in the pit below. The two lower cross heads are jointed at points
in the central vertical plane of the rollers to two lever pieces, which are parallel to
each other, and are centered on brackets bolted to and projecting down from the
housings, and it is by the application of weights to these lever pieces that the
required pressure is brought to bear, through the crossheads and rods, upon the
bearings of the upper roller.
The arrangements connected with the lever pieces, and for moving the weights
thereon, constitute the most important part of the present Invention. The lever
pieces, which are horizontal when in their mean position, extend in both directions
from their centres or fulcra, being longer on the side for applying downward pressure
to the roller. The weight, or part of the weight used, extends across between the
two lever pieces, and is in the form of a carriage, having at each end of it two or
more wheels to run on rails formed for the purpose on the lever pieces. The
weight of the carriage may, if required, be increased by the addition of plates or
blocks.
Along a part of each lever piece there is formed or fixed a toothed rack, with
which there gears a worm formed with an elongated hollow boss, and held in bearings
fixed to the weight carriage. Through each worm, and engaging therewith by a
groove and feather, there passes a shaft held in bearings at the opposite ends of the
lever piece. The two worm shafts are geared together by a cross shaft and bevil
wheels, and on this cross shaft being made to rotate the two worms are turned
simultaneously, and by their action of the toothed racks of the lever pieces cause
the weight carriage to move along the lever pieces in a direction depending on the
direction of rotation of the cross shaft. The cross shaft is geared by bevil wheels
to the outer end of a shaft carried by one of the lever pieces, and the inner end of
this shaft has on it a bevil wheel, gearing with a bevil wheel loose on the centre
stud of the lever piece, or on a stud in the same line as that centre.
This arrangement of the parts renders the gearing for actuating the worm
shafts on the lever pieces practically independent of any movement of the lever
pieces.
The loose bevil wheel at the centre of the lever piece may be driven in any suit-
able manner, but in one convenient arrangement there is in gear with it a bevil
wheel on an inclined shaft, which is at its other end geared with driving gearing
comprising parts for giving reversed motions, and a pair of frictional clutches with
a lever for causing the engagement or disengagement of the parts, as may be
required. This driving gearing is driven by belts or otherwise from any suitable
prime mover, and the parts are by preference arranged and proportioned so that the
weight carriage can be moved rapidly along the lever pieces.
In connection with the driving gearing there is arranged a disc or barrel geared
so as to move very slowly, and carrying an adjustable stop pin, which as the disc or
barrel is slowly turned round, eventually acts on the clutch lever, and thereby auto-
matically causes the stoppage of the motion. The stop pin on the disc or barrel
corresponds in position to the distance from the fulcra of the weight carriage on the
lever pieces, and when the best pressure for a particular kind of fabric has been
ascertained the same pressure can afterwards always be secured by fixing the stop
pin to correspond.
When the mangling operation on a quantity of woven fabric has been completed
the driving gearing connected with the lever pieces is set in action to move the
weight carriage towards the fulcra, and the motion is continued until the weight
carriage passes to the other side of the fulcra. Then the action of the weight on
the lever pieces becomes reversed, and the upper mangling roller is in consequence
raised so as to leave the cloth roller free for removal.

page_text: After a freshly filled cloth roller has been placed in position the weight carriage
is by the reversed motion of its driving gearing moved towards the other end of
the lever pieces; and it is important to notice that the pressure is thereby brought
gradually upon the upper mangling rollers, whilst the lever pieces are never held in
a rigid or dead position, in whatever position the weight carriage may be, but are
always "lively," or in other words, perfectly free to yield to any inequalities in the
cloth on the roller, or to any accidental obstruction.
The improved apparatus and arrangements herein-before described may be
modified for the purpose of applying the "calendar," "chesting," or other similar
finish

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Orchar and James Graham in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th January 1879.
ROBERT ORCHAR and JAMES GRAHAM, both of Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR APPLYING THE MANGLE OR
OTHER FINISH TO WOVEN FABRICS."
Our said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation of
machines for applying the mangle or other finish to woven fabrics.
In a machine made with our improvements, and when it is arranged for mangling,
there are the usual upper and lower mangling rollers, whilst there are two cloth
rollers carried in a frame which can be moved horizontally so as when removing
one cloth roller to place the other cloth roller in position between the mangling
rollers.
The general arrangement of housings or end frames and mangle rollers, together
with the two cloth rollers and their horizontally moving frame, are substantially
the same as those described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to William
Robertson and James Guthrie Orchar, and dated 12 April 1867 (No. 1088), and need
not therefore be further described on the present occasion.
The lower mangling roller is carried in fixed bearings in the housings or end
frames, but the upper roller is carried in bearings arranged both for pressing it
downwards, and for sustaining or raising it as required.
The bearings of the upper roller are by parts herein-after described connected to
a pair of lever pieces arranged in a pit or depressed space beneath the machine, and
these lever pieces are loaded by means of a weight carriage, which can be moved
along them from end to end, the lever pieces extending not only on the side of the
fulcra for pressing down the upper roller, but also to a short distance on the other
side, so that when the weight carriage is moved beyond the fulcra the lever pieces
will sustain or raise the upper roller.
The arrangements connected with the lever pieces and for moving the weights
thereon constitute the most important part of our Invention, but they will be
most readily understood with the aid of explanatory Drawings, of which we here-
unto append two Sheets, to be herein-after referred to in particularly describing our
improvements. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark
the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
"
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a sectional side elevation,
and Figure 2 on Sheet 2 is a sectional plan of a mangle or "mangle finishing
machine as made with our improvements.
Figure 3 on Sheet 2 is a transverse vertical section, showing some parts beneath
the machine.
The mangling rollers 4, 5, are held or guided in massive housings or end frames 6,
connected by tie rods and bolted down upon two iron girders 7, which are placed
across a pit or depressed space 8 formed beneath the floor level to contain the parts by
which pressure is applied to the mangling rollers 4, 5. The lower roller 4 is carried
in fixed bearings in the housings 6, but the upper roller 5 is carried in bearing
blocks 9, completely encircling the roller journals and fitted to slide in the vertical
guide slots in the housings. The upper roller 5 can thus be either pressed downwards
or raised by means of the bearing blocks 9, and these blocks are attached by vertical
spindles 10 passing through the tops of the housings, each to the middle of an
upper cross head 11, which is connected by vertical rods 12 passing down through
(or it might be beside) the housing to a lower cross head 13 in the pit 8 below.
The two lower cross heads 13 jointed at points 14 in the central vertical plane
of the rollers 4, 5, to two lever pieces 15, which are parallel to each other and are
centered on brackets 16 bolted to and projecting down from the housings 6.
The lever pieces 15, which are horizontal when in their mean position, extend in

page_text: both directions from their centres or fulcra 17, being longer on the side for applying
pressure to the top roller 5 (that is towards the left hand in Figure 1), and they are
connected together by transverse tie bars 35, of which there are a pair near each end:
Each lever piece 15 is made double or with a slot. passing vertically through it at
the part immediately under the housing, and the rods 12 pass through the slot,
whilst the bracket 16 projects into it, as also does the central upwardly extended
part of the cross head 13, which is jointed to the lever piece, part of the cross
head 13, which is jointed to the lever piece. The weight or part of the weight used
extends across between the two lever pieces 15, and is in the form of a carriage 18,
having at each end of it two or more wheels 19 to run on rails 20 formed for the
purpose along the bottom inside edges of the lever pieces 15. The weight of thé
carriage 18 may, if required, be increased by the addition of plates or blocks.
Along the upper inner edge of each lever piece 15 there is formed or fixed a
toothed rack 21, with which there gears a worm 22, formed with an elongated
hollow boss, and held in bearings fixed to the weight carriage 18. Through each
worm 22, and engaging therewith by a groove and feather, there passes a shaft 23
held in bearings at the opposite ends of the lever piece 15. The two worm shafts 23
are geared together by a cross shaft 24 and bevil wheels 25, and on this cross
shaft 24 being made to rotate the two worms 22 are turned simultaneously, and by
their action on the toothed racks 21 of the lever pieces 15 cause the weight car-
riage 18 to move along the lever pieces in a direction depending on the direction of
rotation of the cross shaft 24. The cross shaft 24 is geared by bevil wheels 26 to
the outer end of a shaft 27, carried by one of the lever pieces 15, and the inner
end of this shaft 27 has on it a bevil wheel 28 gearing with a bevil wheel 29 loose
on the centre stud of the lever piece (or on a stud in the same line as that
centre)..
This arrangement of the parts renders the gearing for actuating the worm shafts 23
practically independent of any movement of the lever piece 15.
The bevil wheel 29 at the centre of the lever piece 15 may be driven in any
suitable manner, but in one convenient arrangement, which is shown in the Draw-
ings, there is in gear with it a bevil wheel 30 on an inclined shaft 31, which is at its
other end geared with driving gearing comprising parts for giving reversed motions,
and a pair of frictional clutches 32, with a lever for causing the engagement or
disengagement of the parts as may be required. This driving gearing is driven by
belts or otherwise from any suitable prime mover, and the parts are by preference
arranged and proportioned so that the weight carriage 18 is moved with comparative
rapidity along the lever pieces 15 when proceeding in the direction to take off the
pressure, and more slowly when proceeding in the opposite direction. This difference
of speed is obtained by driving the pulleys at the clutches 32 by belts from pulleys
of different sizes on the power shaft.
In connection with the driving gearing there is arranged a disc or barrel 33 geared
so as to move with comparative slowness, and carrying an adjustable stop pin, which
as the disc or barrel is slowly turned round, eventually acts on the clutch lever, and
thereby automatically causes the stoppage of the motion. The stop pin on the disc
or barrel 33 corresponds in position to the distance from the fulcra of the weight
carriage 18 on the lever pieces 15, and when the best pressure for a particular kind
of fabric has been ascertained, the same pressure can afterwards always be secured
by fixing the stop pin to correspond.
When the mangling operation on a quantity of woven fabric has been completed
the driving gearing connected with the lever pieces 15 is set in action to move the
weight carriage 18 towards the fulcra 17, and the motion is continued until the
weight carriage 18 passes to the other side of the fulcra. Then the action of the
weight on the lever pieces 15 becomes reversed, and the upper mangling roller 5 is
in consequence raised, so as to leave the cloth roller 34 free for removal. After a
freshly filled cloth roller has been placed in position the weight carriage 18 is by the
reversed motion of its driving gearing moved towards the other end of the lever
pieces 15, and it is important to notice that the pressure is thereby brought gradu-

page_text: ally upon the upper mangling roller 5, whilst the lever pieces 15 are never held in
a rigid or dead position in whatever position the weight carriage 18 may be, but are
always "lively," or in other words perfectly free to yield to any inequalities in the
cloth on the roller 34, or to any accidental obstruction.
The main driving gearing shown on the accompanying Drawings and indicated by
dotted pitch circles in Figure 1, comprises a spur wheel 35 on the journal or spindle
of the lower mangle roller 4, having in gear with it pinions 36, 37, on two
shafts 38, 39, which carry spur wheels 40, 41, in gear with each other, whilst one 40
is in gear with a pinion 42 on a first motion shaft 43, having on it a pulley 44 for a
driving belt. The spur wheels 40, 41, are loose on their shafts 38, 39, but are fitted
with frictional clutches 45, 46, by means of which either can be engaged with its
shaft, and as these spur wheels 40, 41, rotate in opposite directions, the motion
imparted to the mangle rollers will be in one direction or the other, accordingly as
the one or the other clutch 45, 46, is put into gear.
Our improved apparatus and arrangements herein-before described may be
modified for the purpose of applying the "calendar," "chesting," or other similar
finish.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel and
original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The arranging or combining together of parts for applying pressure in machines
for imparting the mangle or other finish to woven fabrics, substantially in the
improved manner herein-before described.
2. The lever pieces (15) placed beneath the framing and connected by the cross
heads and rods to the bearing blocks of the upper roller (5), such lever pieces
being provided with means for moving a weight or weights along them from their
ends at the side for producing pressure on the roller to their other ends which are
on the other side of their centres, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
3. The construction of the lever pieces (15) and arrangement of the weight
carriage (18), admitting of the latter being moved past the centres towards either
end of the former, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
4. The herein-before described combination of gearing details for moving the
weight carriage along the lever pieces.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Orchar, on behalf of myself and the
said James Graham, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day
of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-nine.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
ROBERT ORCHAR. (L.S.)