IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING WOOL AND OTHER TEXTILE MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: 22
LETTERS PATENT to Emile Hübner, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR CLEANING WOOL AND OTHER TEXTILE MATERIALS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Emile Hübner at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1879.
EMILE HÜBNER, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic of France, Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CLEANING WOOL AND OTHER
TEXTILE MATERIALS."
The object of this Invention is to separate from wool or other textile materials
any foreign matters which may be intermingled therewith, such as fibre of herbs,
pieces of grass, or other vegetable substances, &c. It is more particularly intendeḍ
to treat the wool or other material in this machine after it has passed through the
ordinary carding or combing machine, because the said foreign substances have a
tendency to resist the action of the combs, and are generally in more or less great
quantities retained in the material treated in the combing machine.
For this purpose I make use of a comb, the teeth of which are very fine and
closely set, and which I alternately introduce rapidly into the band or sliver of
material to be cleaned, and pull out again with the same rapidity.
The operation and effect of my new machine is based upon the fact that the
fibres of the foreign matter contained in the textile material to be treated are much
thicker than the fibres of this material itself. The rapidly reciprocating combs may
be formed with one or several rows of very fine teeth, which are set at such
distances apart that the space between them near the base permits the fibres of the
textile material to pass freely, whilst, on the contrary, the thicker fibres of the
foreign matter which it is desired to separate are firmly pinched in between the
teeth and can consequently when thus be drawn out of the sliver.
The two Figures on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings represent a
wool cleaning machine, constructed on this new principle of operation, combined
with an ordinary wool drawing mechanism which rolls up the clean and picked
sliver.
Figure 1, plate I., is a side elevation in section-;- and

page_text: A is the main shaft carrying three pulleys B, C, D. The two circular brushes E
receive their motion from the pulley B. The crank shaft G is driven from the
pulley C, and the pulley D operates an ordinary wool drawing or rolling mechanism
arranged behind the picking or cleaning mechanism.
The rolling mechanism imparts, by means of intermediate gear wheel O, a very
slow movement to the two sets of cylinders M and M'.
The fibrous material arrives through the trough P and passes between these two
coupled pairs of cylinders M, M', and during its passage between them the picking
and removal of the foreign fibres, particles of straw, &c., takes place.
The two combs K formed in the shape of hackle-bars are fixed transversely on
two sleeves J, J, and form therewith a frame which slides on the two rods Q. This
frame receives a rapidly reciprocating movement from the two crank-discs F on the
shaft G by means of the two connecting rods H.
The two combs K plunge alternately from both sides into the body of the sliver,
receive and hold pinched between their teeth the vegetable fibres and other
foreign matters and remove them from the material. On its return movement
each comb comes in contact with and is cleaned by a circular revolving brush E.
A card-comb R, having a very slow reciprocating movement, rises till it touches
the said brush, which now deposits thereon what it has taken off from the comb K,
and on its downward movement the full card-comb R comes in contact with a
second stationary card-comb S, which serves to clean the comb R and let foreign
fibres, straw, &c., fall down into a receptacle T arranged under each of the circular
brushes.
A straight fixed brush L is placed over each of the combs K at the back end
of their stroke, the object of which is to facilitate the cleansing of the said combs.
The slow movement is imparted to the card-combs R by means of the crank,
disc V, and the two connecting rods ✗.
The sliver thus cleaned is guided toward and passes through a drawing
mechanism Z, which rolls and transforms it into a round strip of perfect regu-
larity, which may fall into any suitable receptacle or may be wound up on a
bobbin.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that what I claim is,―
First. In a machine for cleaning textile materials one or more rapidly recipro-
cating combs which penetrate into the material to be cleaned, and remove the
foreign matters therefrom, substantially in the manner specified, the said comb or
combs being combined with suitable operating mechanism.
Second. In a machine for cleaning textile materials the rapidly reciprocating
comb or combs K for cleaning the said material, combined with the brushes L and
E for keeping the combs K clear, and with additional combs R, S, for removing the
matter deposited on the brushes and with suitable operating means, all substantially
as specified and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emile Hübner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness,
D. H. BRANDON,
1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris.
EMILE HUBNER. (L.S.)