An Improved Machine or Apparatus for Testing Paper and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1894
Complete Specification Lelt, 20th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine or Apparatus for Testing Paper and the like.
I GEORGE ORLANDO WOOLLEY 10 Salisbury Road Gloucester in the County
of Gloucestershire by trade Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed to improve the present methods of testing in the
sheet, the breaking strength of paper or any like material.
The machine for this purpose has parts so arranged that by one movement of a
lever, the sheet of paper to be tested is gripped securely between the flat surfaces
of two circular rings of suitable section, one of the aforesaid surfaces having a
ring of flat india-rubber or other yielding material fastened thereto, so that it may
adjust itself to any inequalities in thickness of the paper thereby holding the
paper securely at every part of the two surfaces before mentioned.
The area within the inner diameter of the rings aforesaid determines the part
of the sheet of paper to be tested, and this part which I will call the diaphragm is
quite unsupported.
A piece of suitable shape which I will call the ram is then caused to bear with
increasing pressure on the diaphragm until the paper breaks.
This may be effected by means of a sliding sleeve or cylinder placed directly
opposite and perpendicular to the centre of the diaphragm and having a piston and
rod made to work freely within it, the aforesaid ram being fixed to the outer end
of the piston rod.
A spiral spring is placed inside the sleeve one end of which is fastened to the
end of sleeve nearest the diaphragm and the other to the piston.
The sliding sleeve is then made to advance towards the diaphragm, the ram
meeting with the paper is stopped by reason of the resistance of it, but the sleeve
being still pushed forward the spring is extended until by reason of the increasing
pressure of the ram the paper breaks.
The degree of pressure requisite to break the paper is then ascertained by means
of a finger or pointer which has been pushed forward by the piston along a slot cut
laterally in the sleeve; a graduated scale being marked on the outside.
Dated this the Thirteenth day of July 1894.
GEORGE ORLANDO WOOLLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine or Apparatus for Testing Paper and the like.
I GEORGE ORLANDO WOOLLEY Mechanical Engineer 10 Salisbury Road,
Gloucester do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention is designed to improve, the present methods of testing in the
sheet, the breaking strength of paper or any sheet material or fabric.
The machine I have designed for this purpose, has parts so arranged that the
sheet to be tested, is gripped securely between the two flat surfaces of two rings or
[Price 8d1

page_text: parts, of suitable section. One of the aforesaid surfaces has a ring of flat india-
rubber, or other yielding material fastened thereto, so that it may adjust itself to
any inequalities, in thickness of the sheet.
The surface not covered by indiarubber, may have a series of grooves cut in it,
to assist in holding the sheet securely. The aforesaid flat surfaces may be circular,
square, or any other shape, I however for the present purpose, will assume that
they are circular. These two surfaces may be forced together either by a cam,
eccentric, screw, or any other suitable means, providing that the sheet is clamped
securely, and with equal pressure at every part of the two surfaces before
meutioned; however prefer to use the screw arrangement, hereinafter described.
The area within the inner diameter of these rings, determines the part of the
sheet to be tested, and this part which I will call the diaphragm is quite unsupported.
A piece, of suitable shape, which I will call the ram, is caused to bear with
increasing pressure on the diaphragm, until the sheet breaks. This may be effected
by means of a sliding cylinder, placed directly opposite the centre of, and
perpendicular to, the diaphragm, and having a piston and rod made to work freely
within it, the aforesaid ram being fixed to the outer end of the piston rod.
spiral spring is placed inside the cylinder, one end being fastened to the end of
cylinder nearest the diaphragm, and the other to the piston.
A
The sliding cylinder is then made to advance towards the diaphragm, and the
ram, meeting with the sheet, is stopped by reason of the resistance thereof. The
cylinder being still pushed forward, the spring is extended until by reason of
the increasing pressure of the ram, the sheet breaks.
The degree of pressure requisite to break the sheet, is then ascertained by means
of a sliding finger or index, which has been pushed forward by the piston along a
slot cut in the cylinder; a graduated scale being marked on the outside thereof.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood, and readily carried
into practical effect, I have hereunto attached the accompanying sheets of drawings,
marked with figures and letters of reference; the same letters referring to the
same or corresponding parts, in the various views and figures.
Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a testing machine, constructed according
to my invention. In this view is shewn the general arrangement, and the manner
of holding and supporting the top or fixed ring A, rigidly and in a true position,
immediately over or opposite the bottom ring B. C. C. C. C. are the four sides of
the opening cut in the standard D, through which can be seen the graduated
scale, marked on the outside of the cylinder. F. is the lever. Fig. 2 represents a
sheet of paper, showing how the sheet is gripped.
Sheet 2. Fig. 3. represents a side elevation; showing all the working parts in
section, excepting the screw I. piston rod G. pivot pin H. and sliding index
finger J. which are shewn in full. Figs. 4 & 5. are sections on the lines Q. R.
and S. T. respectively.
Referring to Fig. 3. A is the fixed ring and A¹ is the ring of indiarubber
fastened thereto. B is the movable ring. F is the lever, with its boss F', screwed
on the outside to fit the hole in the base plate K. L is the sliding cylinder working
in a hole bored in the standard D. M is the bottom cover screwed into the
cylinder, and having a recess screwed to fit the outside of the spiral spring N,
and having a hole in the centre, to serve as a guide for the piston rod G. The
piston P. is also recessed, and screwed in a similar manner, and fitted to the
other end of the spring. U. is the ram. V. the nut, screwed into the end of
cylinder, and fitting the screw 1. O is the handwheel, and Y the saddle piece.
I will now describe the functions of the several parts of this machine, or
apparatus, for testing the comparative strength of paper, or any sheet material, by
a method which I believe to be novel and not hitherto in use.
The sheet to be tested, of a size sufficient to completely cover the gripping
surfaces, is inserted between the surfaces of the parts A. & B. The lever F is
then moved over to the other side, thereby unscrewing its boss a part of a
revolution, causing it to rise and thereby lifting and forcing upwards, the part B,

page_text: which is made to work freely on the pivot pin H., until the sheet is held securely;
the indiarubber A' which is fastened to the upper ring, forcing the sheet into the
small grooves in the lower ring surface, thereby effectually preventing any slip,
when pressure is applied to the diaphragm.
Referring to Sheet 1. Fig. 2 represents a sheet of material, the space between
the dotted circles, denoting the part of the sheet gripped by the two ring surfaces
of A and B, the part enclosed by the smaller circle being the diaphragın referred
to. The sheet being held in the manner described, the ram U is just touching the
diaphragm, this position of the ram, I will call zero, the index fiuger J being then
placed at the bottom end of the slot in the cylinder, it will then be touching the
piston P. and level with the bottom mark or zero on the scale, this mark being
also level with a corresponding mark on the standard D, in which the cylinder Lis
made to slide. The screw I is then turned, by means of the handwheel O and the
cylinder descends, being kept from turning by the saddle piece Y, which is
fastened to the cylinder but free to move in the opening C CCC in the standard;
thereby pressure is applied to the diaphragm, by reason of the extension of the
spring N; the pressure being steadily increased until the ram is forced through the
diaphragm, and is caught by the indiarubber pad or cushion X.
The sliding
index-finger J. is made to slide in the slot cut in the cylinder, with sufficient
friction to sustain it, and keep it in position. This may be effected by means of
the friction washer J' Fig. 4. with the short spiral spring behind it as shewn.
The degree of pressure requisite to break the diaphragm, can then be ascertained
by the position of the sliding index finger on the scale, where it had been pushed
by the piston, and left at the moment the diaphragm broke. The amount of
depression of the diaphragm, at the moment of breaking, is ascertained, by the
distance of the sliding index finger, below the zero mark on the standard thus
indicating the amount the sheet stretched before breaking.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The construction and use of a machine or apparatus, for testing the
comparative strength of paper or other sheet material, substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
2nd. The use of flat surfaces, for the purpose of holding the sheet, to form a
liaphragm of circular or any other shape, substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
3rd. The application of the spring and ram arrangement with sliding index
inger, as a means of ascertaining the breaking strength of the sheet of material
being tested; substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 19th day of September 1894.
GEORGE ORLANDO WOOLLEY.