IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX, Tow, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Gerrard Fitton, of Leeds, in the County
of York, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX, Tow, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS
Sealed the 21st December 1866, and dated the 25th June 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Gerrard Fitton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th June 1866.
I, EDWARD GERRARD FITTON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING FLAX, Tow, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My first improvement has reference to roving and drawing frames, and
consists in making the middle carriage plates in suchwise that one pair of
screws will traverse and conduct to and fro one end of two heads of fallersor
needle bars, that is to say, the right-hand end of No. 1 head and the left-
hand end of No. 2 head, or, vice versa, the left-hand end of No. 1 head and
the right-hand end of No. 2 head of fallers, and so on to the end of the
frame.

page_text: My second improvement relates to spindle step rails and lifters used for
roving frames, and applies only to those which are arranged with spur and
bevil stud wheels mounted on stud or cross bars with the spindle and bobbin
shafts below the stud wheels. I dispense with the loose stud bars, the step
rail, and the cross bars for supporting the studs on the lifters, and cast stud
bars on the step rails and lifters in such form as to allow the spindle and
bobbin shafts to be taken out without taking off the stud bars from the step
rail, or without taking the lifter off its bearings.
My third improvement refers to the step rails of roving frames and other
Inachines having two rows of spindles,and consists in arrangements for lifting
the covers by mechanism for oiling, cleaning, or for other purposes. The
covers are connected to racks working up and down in sockets; a shaft with
pinions gearing into these racks extends the length of the frame; by turning
tnis shaft all the step rail covers are raised and lowered simultaneously.
Many other plans may be adopted for accomplishing the same object.
My fourth improvement relates to the traversing and reversing of roving
frames,and it consists in a combination of mechanism for effecting the same,
parts of which are applicable to mules or other machinery used in preparing
and spinning requiring change motions, and in casting parts of the bearers on
spring pieces in suchwise as to support the same. At the end of the bottom
cone shaft is placed a spur pinion in the usual way; this pinion drives a spur
wheel on the end of a short shaft, to the other end of which is fixed a pinion
for driving a differential motion. The short shaft drives by a worm and
wheel, or otherwise, another shaft provided with right and left handed clutch
boxes gearing into clutches ou bevel wheels for driving the traverse wheels,
which drive through suitable gearing the lifting or rack shaft. When the
the lifter or builder moves up and down it comes in contact with an arm pro-
jecting from a lever supporting the end of a weighted lever; this lever is
connected to the clutch boxes above referred to. When the frame is in
operation the bottom cone drives the clutch boxes and the traverse wheels
which drive the lifting or rack shaft; as the lifter is traversed up and
clown it comes in contact with the projecting arm and partially draws the
clutch boxes out of gear, and lifts the weighted lever past its fulcrum; the
rest of the motion is given by the inclines on the two levers; by this means
the double clutch boxes are alternately thrown into and out of gear. This
part of my Invention may be combined with any of the well-known methods
for tapering or shortening the spools, so that either soft or hard bobbins
may be made. The weighted single or double levers and clutch boxes

page_text: are applicable to change motions for mules or other machines for preparing
and spinning.
My fifth improvement refers to preparing machines, and consists in
traversing the front or drawing rollers laterally by means of a cam or other-
wise, so as to keep an even surface on the parts where the pressings operate,
and to preserve the necks or bearings of the rollers.
My sixth improvement refers to the drawing rollers used in preparing
machines, and consists in fitting tubes or hollow rollers of wrought iron or steel
on those parts of the front rollers which are used for drawing, and in hardening
the same for the purpose of better resisting the heavy wear and tear and
keeping a more even surface.
My seventh improvement relates to the axles of top rollers or pressings
used for drawing in preparing and spinning machines, andconsists in making
the loose boss or bush long enough to extend under the hanger or weight
hook so as to give additional length to the bearing.
My last improvement consists in making double bearings to the eccentric
and rocking or vibrating socket of the doffing combs or knives used for the
carding engines, for which Letters Patent were granted to John Thompson,
Edward Gerrard Fitton, and Frederick Alexander Fitton on the Seventh
August, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, No. 1959, and in
enclosing the working parts of the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Gerrard Fitton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th December 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
GERRARD FITTON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Gerrard Fitton, Her special license that I, the said
Edward Gerrard Fitton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Edward Gerrard Fitton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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,

page_text: 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, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND
SPINNING FLAX, Tow, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Gerrard Fitton, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Edward Gerrard Fitton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following Specification, reference being had to the figures and letters on the
three accompanying Sheets of Drawing (that is to say):-
My first improvement, which has reference to roving and drawing frames,
consists in making the middle carriage plate in suchwise that one pair of screws
will traverse and conduct to and fro one end of two heads of fallers or needle
bars; this first improvement is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 1,
which represent a back elevation and end elevation of part of a roving
frame. In these views a, a, are the gill screws, and b, b, the fallers or
needle bars; the right-hand ends of the fallers of No. 1 head and the left-
hand ends of the fallers of No. 2 head take into the gill screws a, and in like
manner the right-hand ends of No. 2 head of fallers take into the left-hand
side of No. 3 head, or vice versa, and so on to the end of the frame. The
cams c¹ for raising and depressing the fallers instead of being fixed to the
gill screws as usual are fixed on the back shaft c. The cams c' act on the
levers c² and depress the shorter end and raise the longer end which lifts
the faller from the lower to the upper screw. A stud in the lever c² acts
on the lever c³, to which is jointed the slide c* for drawing down the faller
from the upper to the lower screw.
My second improvement relates to spindle step rails and lifters used for
roving frames, and applies only to those which are arranged with spur and
bevel stud wheels mounted on stud or cross bars with the spindle and bobbin
shafts below the stud wheels; this second improvement is shewn at Figure 3
of Sheet 1, which represents an end elevation of a roving frame at the first
bearer, and in Figure 4, which is a plan of my improved step rail and lifter;

page_text: Figure 5, an end elevation of the lifter d; and Figure 6, an end clevation of
thestep rail e. I dispense with the loose stud bars on the step rails and cross
bars for supporting the studs on the lifters, and I cast stud bars d' and e¹ on
the step rails and lifters; these stud bars are cast of such a form as to allow
the spindle and bobbin shafts d and e to be taken out without taking off the
stud bars from the step rail, or without taking the lifter off its bearings; by
this arrangement the bobbin shafts can be removed from the lifter without
taking the spindles out, and the spindle shaft can be taken out of the step
rail without removing the stud bars.
My third improvement refers to the step rails of roving frames and other
machines having two rows of spindles, and consists in arrangements for lifting
the covers by mechanism for oiling, cleaning, or for other purposes; this third
improvement is shewn in Figures 3 and 6. The covers fare connected to the
racks f, working up and down in the sockets f2 fixed to the step rail e; the
shaft g, with pinions g¹ gearing into the racks f', extends the length of the
frame; by turning this shaft by the handle, shaft, worm and wheel, shewn in
Figure 6, all the step rails covers are raised and lowered simultaneously, or if
preferred the covers may be raised at two or more times. Many other plans
may be adopted for accomplishing the same object.
My fourth improvement relates to the traversing and reversing of roving
frames, and it consists in a combination of mechanism for effecting the same,
parts of which are applicable to mules or other machinery used in preparing
and spinning requiring change motions, and in casting parts of the bearers on
spring pieces in suchwise as to support the same; this fourth improvement
is represented in Figure 3 on Sheet 1, and in Figures 7 and 8 of Sheet 2,
Figure 7 being a back elevation, and Figure 8 a plan of part of a roving frame.
At the end of the bottom cone shaft is placed the spur pinion ¹ in the usual
way; this pinion drives by means of a carrier the spur wheel ¹ on the end of
the shaft, on which is fixed the pinion 12 for driving a differential motion =.
The shaft drives by the worm 13 and wheel m³, or otherwise, the cross
shaft m, which is provided with the right and left handed clutch boxes m¹ and
m³, gearing into clutches on the bevel wheels m'and m5 for driving the wheel
n' fixed to one end of the shaft n, to the other end of which is fixed the
traverse pinion n² gearing into the traverse wheel o, which drives, through the
pinion o¹ and the wheel o² or other suitable gearing, the ordinary lifting or
rack shaft o3. When the lifter or builder d, see Figure 3 on Sheet 1, moves
up and down, the set screws p come alternately in contact with the armp¹ pro-
jecting from the lever på supporting the end of the weighted lever p³. The

page_text: lever p² is connected by a clip to the clutch boxes m² and m². When the
frame is in operation the bottom conek drives, through the gearing shewn, the
clutch boxes mi and m³ and the traverse wheels n² and o, which drive the
lifting or rack shaft o³, as above described. As the lifter d is traversed up
and down it comes in contact with the projecting arm p¹ and partially draws
the clutch boxes m¹ and m³ out of gear and lifts the weighted lever p³ past
the point of the lever p²; the rest of the motion is given to the clutch boxes
by the inclines on the two levers; by this means the double clutch boxes are
alternately thrown into and out of
gear. This part of: my Invention may be
combined with any of the well-known methods for tapering or shortening the
spools, so that either soft or hard bobbins may be made. The weighted single
or double levers and clutch boxes are applicable to change motions for the
drawing roller catch boxes and other parts of mules or other machines for
preparing and spinning. The brackets or arms supporting the shaft and
clutch boxes m¹ and m³ are cast on the bearers or spring piece, instead of
fastening loose fixings as heretofore, or as usual.
My fifth improvement refers to preparing machines, and consists in
traversing the front or drawing roller laterally by means of a cam or otherwise,
so as to keep an even surface on the parts where the pressings operate, and
to preserve the necks or bearings of the rollers.
My sixth improvement refers to the drawing rollers used in preparing
machines, and consists in fitting tubes or hollow rollers of wrought iron or
steel on those parts of the front rollers which are used for drawing, and in
hardening the same for the purpose of better resisting the heavy wear and
tear and keeping a more even surface. The fifth and sixth improvements are
represented in Figures 9 and 10 of Sheet 3; in these views q is the drawing
roller, q¹ and q² are retaining rollers; on the intermediate wheel q³ is fixed a
worm q* gearing into the wheel 5 mounted on a stud. On the wheel q5 is an
eccentric groove, into which fits a bowl on the end of the lever; this lever is
mounted on a stud r', and at the other end of the lever is a swivel clip or fork
taking into a grooved boss fixed to the drawing roller q, thereby giving the
desired lateral or longitudinal to-and-fro motion to the drawing roller. The
drawing part of the drawing roller consists of a tube of hardened iron or steel,
markeds, as shew at Figure 10, for the purpose of resisting the heavy wear
and tear and keeping a more even surface.
My seventh improvement relates to the axles of top rollers or pressings
used for drawing in preparing and spinning machines, and consists in
making the loose boss or bush long enough to extend under the hanger or

page_text: weight hook, so as to give a Iditional length to the bearing.
improvement is shewn at Figure 11 of Sheet 3; in this view
This seventh
is the axle of
the top pressings and s²; s fits on the axle as usual, and on the
loose boss or bush 3, which is prolonged at st to extend under the hanger or
weight hook so as to give additional length to the bearing.
My last improvement consists in making double bearings to the eccentric
and rocking or vibrating socket of the doffing combs or knives used for the
carding engines, for which Letters Patent were granted to John Thompson,
Edward Gerrard Fitton, and Frederick Alexander Fitton on the Seventh
August, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, No. 1959, and in
enclosing the working parts of the same. This part of my Invention is
represented in Figures 12 and 13 of Sheet 3; in these views tis the eccentric,
and u is the rocking or vibrating socket, as described in the Specification of
the Patent above referred to.
My present Invention consists in adding the bearing to the axle of
the eccentric t, and the bearing u¹ to the axle of the vibrating socket u.
Another part of my Invention consists in enclosing the working parts in the
cover or casing w.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First, the improved mode of working the ends of two heads of fallers or
needle bars of roving and drawing frames with one pair of screws, as described
and shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
Secondly, the improved mode of constructing the step rails and lifters of
roving frames, as described and shewn in Figures 3, 4, 5, and G.
Thirdly, the application of mechanism for raising and lowering simulta-
neously the step rail covers of roving frames, as described and shewn in
Figures 3 and 6.
Fourthly, the improved combination of levers and clutch boxes, described
and shewn in Figures 3, 7, and S, for effecting the traversing and reversing
motious of roving frames and other machines used in preparing and spinning.
Fifthly, the application of mechanism for traversing the front drawing
roller of drawing frames and other preparing machines in the manner and for
the purpose described in reference to Figures 9 and 10.
Sixthly, the improved mode of constructing thedrawing rollers of preparing
machinery, as described and shewn in Figures 9 and 10.
Seventhly, the improved mode of constructing the top pressings ofmachines
for preparing and spinning, as described and shewn in Figure 11.

page_text: And, lastly, the application of double bearings to the axle of the eccentric
and vibrating socket of the doffing combs or knives of carding engines,
and enclosing the same in a cover or casing, as described and shewn in
Figures 12 and 13.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Gerrard Fitton, have hereunto
set my handand seal, this Twentieth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six.
EDWARD GERRARD FITTON. (L.S.)