CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Heppleston, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Machinist, and John Hunter, of the same Place, Machinist,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR STRETCHING AND FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS."
Sealed the 3rd June 1856, and dated the 10th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Heppleston and
John Hunter at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,.. with
their Petition, on the 10th December 1855.
We, THOMAS HEPPLESTON, of, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, and JOHN HUNTER, of the same Place, Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of our said. Invention for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY.
OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS to be as
follows:-
We employ a hollow cylinder of copper or any other suitable metal, mounted
in framework, and capable of being heated from the interior by steam, hot air,
gas, or any other convenient means, which cylinder may be raised or lowered
by a nut attached to a cross head in the framing, through which the screw:
passes from the cylinder; this cylinder having the banks of yarn previously
passed over it for causing an extra stretch to the yarn, thereby increasing the

page_text: friction, so that a lustre or finish is imparted to the thread or yarn; the banks
being caused to move by suitable rollers in the framing round which they
pass, one of these rollers being adjustable by nuts and screws, causing the
hanks to be more easily placed and displaced, also allowing of a greater or
less degree of tension to the yarn when required, the adjustable roller being
driven by appropriate carrier wheels and connecting rods from the first roller
round which the hanks pass. We also employ (for yarns of delicate colours
that will not stand the heat of the cylinder) a suitably fixed fan, that it may
dry the hanks passing over the cylinder while cold, if preferred.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
HEPPLESTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, and JoHN
HUNTER, of the same Place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter, Her special license that we, the
said Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter,
our executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MẠCHI-
NERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING AND FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Heppleston and John
Hunter, by an instrument in writing, under our hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what' manner" the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
Ander
We employ a hollow cylinder of copper or other suitable metal, mounted'
on framework, and capable of being heated from the interior by steam, hot air,
gas, or any other convenient means, which cylinder may be raised or lowered
by means of a nut attached to a crosshead, through which a screw passes;
this cylinder having the hanks of yarn previously passed over it for causing
an extra stretch to the yarn, thereby increasing the friction; so that a lustre or
finish is imparted to the thread or yarn; the hanks being caused to move by
suitable rollers (in the framing), around which they pass, one of these rollers
being adjustable by nuts and screws, causing the hanks to be more easily
placed and removed, and also allowing of a better regulation of the tension
of the yarn when required, the adjustable roller being driven by appropriate'
carrier wheels and connecting rods from the first or driving roller, around
which the banks of yarn pass. We also employ (in finishing yarns of light
colors that will 'not withstand the heat of the cylinder) a fan wheel, suitably
placed, that it may dry the hanks passing over the cylinder whilst 'cold; if
preferred.
In order that this Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawing, made upon a scale of
about an inch and a half to the foot, and having similar letters of reference*
marked upon corresponding parts of the machinery or apparatus in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved machinery or apparatus for
stretching and finishing yarns and threads; Figure 2 is an end view of the
same; Figure 3 is a plan view, shewing the position of the yarn "upon the
rollers.
:...
In the several Figures referred to, a, a, is the framing of the machine; bis
the cylinder, into which steam may be admitted when required, and over which
the banks of yarn pass; this cylinder is capable of being raised or lowered
by the action of the screw C, in conjunction with the nut d, fixed upon the
crosshead E. Depending from the crosshead are two rods f, f, each termi-'
nating in two bearings, and in each of which are fitted two friction rollers'g, g.
Upon these friction rollers the cylinder 6 rotates; so that by raising the cross-
head and friction rollers the cylinder 6 will be elevated, and the required tensio
will be given to the yarn, &c.

page_text: e yarn.
The same arrangement of screw and crosshead is used when the
yarn is put
on or taken off the rollers; for instance, when the yarn or thread is required
to be placed on the rollers, the roller h, which is actuated by the above-
mentioned apparatus, is driven forward towards the cylinder 6 until the
can be placed round it and the driving roller i, and passed over the top of the
cylinder 6; the roller h is then screwed back until the required stretch is given
to the hank of yarn, &c. An extra tension may be given to the hank during
the operation of stretching and finishing, either by the apparatus connected
with the roller.h, or by that connected with the cylinder b. At a convenient
part of the machine, are fixed the rotating brushes k, which are driven by the
pulley ; these brushes act as fans .to dry the yarn, &c., when, the heated
cylinder is not used, as well as brushing the yarn or thread, so as to lay the
fibres in one direction, thereby giving to the hank a lustrous finish, and also.
strengthening the threads. When the cylinder bis employed heated, these
brushes. are not used, but it is requisite in such, instances that both the rollers'
h, i, should be driven by gearing, instead of the roller i driving the roller h
and the cylinder.b, by means of the friction caused by the hank of yarn, &c.
These rollers are driven by the gearing m, m, which is kept in gear by means
of the connecting arms or rods n, n. By this arrangement the gearing of
these wheels may be ensured, although the wheel upon the roller is not
always in the same situation, in consequence.. of its being altered by the screw
and apparatus connected therewith, for the removal, stretching, &c., of. the
hanks. The operation of this apparatus will be more clearly understood by
referring to the Drawing, and to the following description.
The roller his first brought to a convenient position, to allow of the hank
of yarn being easily passed around it; the hank is now placed. around the
driving roller i, thence over the cylinder b, and round the roller h; it is then
drawn out to the required stretch by means of the roller h. If the yarn
is of light texture and color, the brushes are put in motion, and the thread or
yarn by this means becomes polished, and the fibres laid in one direction; but
should the bank of thread or yarn be of such a nature as to be able to with-
stand the heat of the heated cylinder, the brushes are then dispensed with, and
the finish is given to the yarn by the friction caused in passing over the heated.
cylinder..
During this operation, should it be requisite to stretch the yarn to a greater
extent than was done in the first instance, such stretch can be effected either
by moving the roller h or the cylinder b. When a hank of yarn has thus been
stretched and finished, the roller h is screwed up towards the cylinder, which

page_text: causes the hank to slacken; it can then be removed, and the machine is ready
for a repetition of the operation.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, together with the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, we would remark, in con-
clusion, that we claim the novel and peculiar arrangement, construction, and
combination of the machinery or apparatus for stretching and finishing yarns
or threads, as herein-before particularly described and set forth, and fully
detailed and exhibited in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Seventh day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
ICT
(L.D.)
JOHN HUNTER.
(L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said
Thomas Heppleston and John Hunter,
in the presence of
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Sol':