IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES TO BE SPUN.
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Roberts, of the City of Manchester, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING COTTON
AND OTHER FIBRES TO BE SPUN."..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said. Richard Roberts at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th November 1854.
'1, RICHARD ROBERTS, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRE-
PARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES TO BE SPUN " to be as follows:
My improvements in machinery for preparing cotton and other fibres to
be spun have reference to the class of machines employed in combing, and
consist,-
Firstly, in the application of screw gills to frames for "lashing" fibre into
combs.
Secondly, in adapting lashing frames for depositing fibre into receiving
combs; and then to recede from them whilst detaching the tuft; or, if pre-
ferred, I adapt the receiving combs to recede from the "lashing frame" whilst
detachiing fibre from the feeding apparatus of the lashing frame:"

page_text: Thirdly, in the application of a brush comb or presser, to retain the fibre in
receiving combs whilst detaching the tufts.
Fourthly, in the employment of a reciprocating carriage for a comb brush
or nipper, for detaching tufts of fibre from the feeding apparatus, and
depositing them on the receiving comb without the intervention of a porter
comb.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ROBERTS, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Roberts, Her special license that I, the said Richard Roberts,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Roberts, my executors, administrators, and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES TO BE SPUN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Richard Roberts, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, 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 Richard Roberts, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My improvements in machinery for preparing cotton and other fibres to
be spun have reference to the class of machines employed in combing, and

page_text: an improved lashing motion to gill or other feeding apparatus of frames for
"lashing" fibre into receiving combs, by which the fibre is held whilst the
lashing frame retires to detach tufts.
Secondly, in an improved combination of mechanism for giving the requi-
site motion to "lashing frames," for receding from receiving combs whilst
detaching tufts from the feed.
Thirdly, in the application of a comb or brush, or a presser, compounded of
comb and brush, to retain the fibre in receiving combs whilst detaching tufts
from the feed.
Fourthly, in the employment of an improved reciprocating carriage with a
"shogging" or an ordinary comb (into which the fibre is pressed by a brush
or nipper), by means whereof the tufts of fibre are detached from the feeding
apparatus and deposited in the receiving comb without the intervention of a
porter comb.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the two accompanying Sheets of
Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of my improved comb-
ing machine for depositing fibre (in tufts) directly from the feeding apparatus
into the receiving comb, as is necessary to explain the nature of my Invention;
and Figure 2 is a front view of the same, in which views A, A, is the framing;
B. B, the gill-head framing; and C, C, the rocking frame; C*, its stretcher,
which together with the gill-head form the "lashing frame;" D, the driving
shaft, on which is fixed the wheel D*, that through the carrier wheel E on a
stud in the rocking frame gives motion to the wheel F, fixed on the rocking
shaft F*, to which are fixed wheels for driving the feeding apparatus (in the
ordinary manner) and the disc F**; G. G, studs in brackets fixed to the
framing, about which the connecting links G*, &*, turn, whilst the eccentric
pins H, HI, in the wheel F and disc F**, rotate in the other end of the links
G*, G*, to give a to and fro motion to the "lasher;" I, a roller, working on
the cam I*, and turning in one end of the two-armed lever I**, which with a
one-armed lever I** is fixed to the shaft J; the levers 1** are connected by
links J* with the "lashing frame" B, B,, which is actuated in one direction
by the cam I*, and in the other by a spring applied, in any convenient manner,
but is not shewn in the Drawing; K, the receiving comb, supposed in this
ins ance to be of-the-chain.kind, with its teeth in the plane of the horizon: my
Invention, however, is applicable to other kinds of receiving combs. K*, a

page_text: brush for fixing the fibre in the receiving comb; L, L, rods working in
brackets L*, L*, fixed to the framing for guiding the fixing brush K*;.L**;
L**, liuks connecting the fixing brush K* with the levers M, M, fixed to and
turning with the shaft M*, in one direction by the action of the cam N on the
roller N*, on a stud in the end of one of the levers M, and in the opposite
direction by a spring, applied in any convenient manner.
It may in some cases be desirable to use a presser, either separately or in
conjunction with a brush, to secure the fibre in the receiving comb whilst. the
tuft is being withdrawn from the feed, which presser may consist of a plate or
plates of thin metal, attached to the brush, stock, and adjusted to work outside
the comb, or in a space or spaces provided for it between the rows of teeth;
in other cases it may be preferable to use a counter comb of the same pitch
as the receiving comb, having one or more rows of teeth inserted with or beside
the bristles in the brush stock.
The operation of the machine is thus: The feeding apparatus having been
set to the proper angle. with reference, to the receiving comb, and supplied
with fleece or sliver, the shaft. D is set in rotary motion, which, through the
wheels D, E, and F, communicates motion to the shaft F*, which, by means
of the crank pins H, H, and connecting links. G*, G*, causes the feeding
apparatus to reciprocate. through a space equal to the length of the fibre the
machine is adapted to comb; on the feeding apparatus arriving at the point
shewn in the Drawing, the cam. I* operates. upon it through the levers I**,
and links J*, J*, to carry the tuft protruding from the feed to the bottom of
the. receiving comb at. one side of the feed, and to a suitable depth at the other
side; and simultaneously with the fibre, being brought against the points of
the teeth of the receiving comb, the brush K. is brought against the back
of the tuft, and follows it at the same speed as the feeding apparatus advances,
until the tuft is fixed-in- the comb, during which operation (owing to the
links G*, G*, being very short, and the crank pins turning the back centre,)
the lasher makes no material recession from the receiving comb; but when
the tuft is fixed, the lasher retires rapidly in the plane of the feed until the
tuft is withdrawn, after which the can. I permits the lasher to be returned
(by the action of a spring) to the position shown in the Drawing,-and-the-
-operation-to-be-repeated. As in the arrangement of the lashing frame, shown
in Figs. 1 and 2, the returning gill fallers of the feeding apparatus would
come against the fibre in the receiving comb, I would recommend that the
front of the feeding apparatus be put to face the framing A, A, instead of
the contrary way, as shewn.
In Sheet 2, Figure 3 is a side, elevation, and Figure 4 a front view, of so

page_text: much of a machine for combing fibre as is necessary to explain another of my
improvements, in seizing and detaching fibre from the feed, and conveying it
to and depositing it in the receiving combs by means of the taking comb; in
which A, A, is the framing, upon which the receiving comb A* travels, by
means well understood; B, B, the sides of -the gill-feeding head, bolted to the
framing A, A, and connected together at the top by the stretcher B*; C,
the driving shaft on which are fixed mitre wheels for turning the screws of the
feeding apparatus in the ordinary manner; D, a spur wheel, fixed on the shaft
C, and communicating motion through the wheel E to the shaft F; G, G, a
reciprocating carriage, jointed to and supported by the links H, H,. H, H, the
other end of which is jointed to the levers I, I, I, I, fixed on the shaft I*, I*,
to which are also fixed the levers J, J; connected together by the link J*,
which is connected by the link K to the lever K*, fixed on the shaft L,
turning in bearings in the framing; to this shaft is also fixed the lever M on
a stud, in which is a roller M*, that is actuated by the cam N, fixed on the
shaft C; in the wheel D is a stud or crank pin. D*, which communicates
through the link O, lever O*, shaft P, levers P*, P*, and.links Q, Q, a to and
fro motion to the carriage G, G, and reciprocating or shogging comb G* (see
Figs. 5 and 6), or other tuft-taking apparatus, one example of which.may be
seen on referring to the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the
Twenty-fifth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of my improved taking comb, in which the
bars a and b are each represented as forming two sides of a rectangular tube,
in which the bar c reciprocates or shogs to and fro endwise, first to fasten by
cranking, and then to liberate, by straightening any fibre that may be among
the teeth in the bars a and c.
!
Fig. 6 is another variety of the improved taking comb, in which the bars a
and are represented as having each two rows of teeth, and the shogging bar
c only one row, which at each to and fro motion loops and unloops the fibre.
The to and fro end motion is given to the bar c by the following means,
namely:-On the right-hand side of the carriage.G, G, is a roller G**, which
works against a projection from the frame B, and thereby steadies the carriage
G, G, as it recipricates between the feed and the receiving comb; the left-
hand end of the bar c is jointed to the middle of the short lever d, one end of
which is loosely jointed to the carriage G, G, and the other end carries a
roller e, which is pressed against during every take of fibre by the bar R, which
is carried by the cranks S and S*. T, a lever (shown partly in dots), fixed to
the crank S*, and connected by the link Tx with the lever U, turning on a
stud in the framing, and carrying the roller U*, working on the cam V; W

page_text: is the brush for fixing the fibre in the comb G*; W*, links working through
guides attached to the framing; and connected by their other end to the levers
X, X, fixed to the shaft X*, to which is also fixed the lever Y, carrying on a
stud the roller Y*, working, on the cam Z. f is a brush for fixing the fibre in
the receiving comb A*; this brush is guided by rods g, g, sliding in bearings
fixed to the framing, and is connected by links h, h, with the armis i, i, fixed
on the shaft k, to which is also fixed the lever l, carrying on a stud the roller
m, which works on the cam n, fixed on the shaft F. The drawing-off rollers,
"noil strippers," sliver delivering apparatus, and the connecting of the receiv-
ing comb with the combing head, being well understood; are omitted in the
Drawings.
The operation of the machine is thus:-The shaft C having been set in
motion, causing the feeding apparatus to advance the fibre towards the
receiving comb A* in the ordinary manner, so that when the taking comb
arrives at the position shown in the Drawing the feed shall protrude suf-
ficiently to occupy the width of the taking comb G*, which is then, by the
action of the cam N, made to pierce the feed simultaneously with the advance
of the brush W (by the action of the cam Z), to fix the fibre in the taking
comb, which being done, the brush W is instantly withdrawn, after which the
bar c of the taking comb is moved a little to one side, by the action of the cam
V, in order that the bend thereby produced in the fibre may cause it to be
retained by the taking comb G*, until the tuft is withdrawn from the feed,
and brought into the position shown by dotted lines in front of the receiving
comb A*, at which time the cam V allows the bar to retire, and the spring C*
to return the bar c, and thereby unbend the fibre, which is then instantly
struck off the comb G* by the brush d, into the receiving comb A*. Although
I have shown a gill-feeding apparatus, my improvements are applicable to
other feeding-apparatus.-
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the details herein set forth, as the same may be varied without departing from
the peculiar character of my Invention; but I claim is,
Firstly, the application of the combination of mechanism shewn and
described, in reference to Figs. 1 and 2, for giving an improved lashing
motion to gill or other feeding apparatus of frames for "lashing" fibre into
receiving combs, by which the fibre is held whilst the "lashing frame retires "
to detach tufts from the feed.
Secondly, the improved combination of mechanism shewn and described
in reference to Figs. 1 and 2, for giving the requisite motion to "lashing

page_text: frames," for receding from receiving combs whilst detaching tufts. from
the feed.
Thirdly, the application of a pressing comb or brush, or a presser composed
of a comb and brush, for fixing and retaining the fibre in the receiving comb,
whilst tufts are being detached from the feed, as shewn and described in
reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
Fourthly, the improved reciprocating carriage, represented in Figs. 3 and 4,
and the reciprocating or shogging combs, shewn and described in reference to
Figs. 5 and 6, for cranking or looping the fibre among the teeth of the
taking comb, by means of which tufts of fibre are detached from the feeding
apparatus, and deposited in the receiving comb without the intervention of a
"porter comb."
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Roberts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
KICH KUBERTS.
(L.S.)