Improved Method of and Means for Drying, Stretching, or Coating Textile Goods, Driving Belts, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Drying, Stretching, or Coating
Textile Goods, Driving Belts, and the like.
I, JOHN HARGREAVES, Mechanical Engineer, of Leebrook Foundry, Raw-
tenstall, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a machine whereon can be placed textile goods in the
piece for drying in compact and systematic form, and equally stretching the same
throughout their length, and is more particularly applicable to woven driving belts
and woollen or felt pieces.
For this purpose I employ a machine consisting of four longitudinal beams or
girders, arranged in pairs, one pair at the top of the machine, and the other pair
at the bottom of the machine, which beams carry a number of rollers, over and
under which are passed, the pieces or belts, having their ends attached. The two
pairs of girders or beams are connected vertically and carried by suitable screws
and nuts, the screws attached at their top ends to gearing which simultaneously
rotates the screws, thereby increasing or decreasing the distance between the top
and bottom set of rollers on which the pieces or belts are mounted, and thereby
stretching them.
In order to deal with the pieces or belts further, say to traverse or rotate them
about the rollers in charging or discharging the machine, or to coat the belts, I fix
on the ends of the rollers suitable gear, say worm wheels; or the equivalent attached
to worms mounted on a suitably arranged side shaft, rotated by power or hand.
As in stretching the pieces or belts the lengths between the individual top and
bottom rollers may not be in equal tension, I arrange the worms so that they may
be disconnected from the worm wheels on the ends of the rollers and thus leave
each roller free to revolve in any direction when tension is being put on the pieces
or belts through the rotating screws. This is achieved by mounting the worm shaft
in suitable bearings that have a vertical or lateral motion imparted to them,
preferably a vertical motion attained by fixing eccentrics or cams upon another side
shaft fixed below worm shaft. This shaft when suitably rotated raises or lowers
the worm shaft and thereby connects or disconnects the worms with the worm
wheels on the ends of the rollers. In order to dry the belts when in position on
the machine, heat may be introduced into the room containing the machine or the
machine may be cased in and heat then applied.
Dated this 5th day of August 1891
JOHN HARGREAVES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Drying, Stretching, or Coating
Textile Goods, Driving Belts, and the like.
I, JOHN HARGREAVES of Leebrook Foundry, Rawtenstall in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, 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 relates to a machine whereon can be placed textile goods in the
piece for drying in compact and systematic form, and equally stretching same
throughout their length and is more particularly applicable to woven driving belts
and woollen or felt pieces.

page_text: For this purpose I employ a machine consisting of four longitudinal beams or
girders (A) arranged in pairs, one pair at the top of the machine and the other
pair at the bottom of the machine, which beams carry a number of rollers (B)
over and under which are passed the pieces or belts (C) having their ends attached.
The two pairs of beams (A) are connected vertically and carried by suitable
screws (D) and nuts (E) the screws attached at their top ends to gearing (F) which
simultaneously rotates the screws, thereby increasing or decreasing the distance
between the top and bottom set of rollers on which the pieces or belts are mounted,
and thereby stretching them.
In order to deal with the pieces or belts further, say to traverse or rotate them
about the rollers (B) in charging or discharging the machine, or to coat the belts,
I fix on the ends of the rollers suitable gear, say worm wheels (G) or the equivalent,
attached to worms (H) mounted on a suitably arranged side shaft (J) rotated by
power or hand.
As in stretching the pieces or belts the lengths between individual
top and bottom rollers may not be in equal tension, I arrange the worms (H) so that
they may be disconnected from the worm wheels (G) on the ends of the rollers, and
thus leave each roller free to revolve in any direction when tension is being put on
the pieces or belts (C) through the rotating screws (D). This is achieved by
mounting the worm shaft in suitable bearings (K) that have a vertical or lateral
motion imparted to them, preferably a vertical movement attained by fixing
eccentrics or cams (L) upon another side shaft (M) fixed below worm shaft (K).
This shaft (M) when suitably rotated raises or lowers the worm shaft and thereby
connects or disconnects the worms (H) with the worm wheels (G) on the ends of
the rollers. In order to dry the belts when in position on the machine, heat may be
introduced into the room containing the machine, or the machine may be cased in
and heat then applied.
Figure 1, is a side view, Figure 2 is plan and Figure 3 an end view of the
machine and is lettered and numbered for reference both on drawing and in
Specification which I will describe.
The girders (A) are here shown with the rollers (B) mounted therein together
with the screws (D) carrying the bottom girders. The belts (C) are here shown
upon the rollers (B) when the machine is charged, and they may be traversed
either way by the worm wheels (G) being rotated in either direction through
the worms (H) on shaft (J) driven by open and crossed belts through the
pulleys (N). The shaft (J) is carried by bearing brackets (K) at certain
places along its length and of which only one is shown. These bearing brackets (K)
are fitted so as to slide vertically on the brackets (0), which parts (0) are
bolted to beams (A), by the cams (L) rotating with the shaft (M), on which
is mounted a sector of a worm wheel (P) geared to a worm (Q) which can be
rotated by the hand wheel (S) on the vertical shaft from the floor (R). The
screws (D) are rotated into or out of the nuts (E) by the gearing (F) of which
the pitch lines are only shown in some cases and the shafts (T), the whole
actuated through the vertical shaft (U) with a keyed bevil wheel (V) at the
bottom of same, geared into two others with catch boxes cast on their fronts,
these two riding loose on the shaft (W) that carries the driving pulley (X) the
sliding catch (Y) with feather key engaging with catch box on face of either
bevil wheel, rotates the gearing (F) in either direction and hence the screws (D)
thereby setting the top & bottom set of rollers (B) closer together or further
apart thus stretching or releasing the belts or pieces (C) a lever (Z) is keyed on
shaft 1 to throw in or out of gear by hand the sliding catch (Y) which engages
with jawed lever 2, a lever 3 is also keyed on shaft 1 through which a stop rod (4)
passes with collars on (5) said stop rod being attached and carried by one of the
moving bottom beams brings the machine automatically to rest either at the top
or bottom of the stroke by the collars (5) depressing or raising the lever (3) and
detaching the slide catch (Y).
To assist in traversing the belts or pieces geared pressure rollers (6) may be
put at intervals to prevent the belts sliding on the rollers (B) when revolving.

page_text: The casing (7) keeps the admitted hot air enclosed in the machine for drying the
belts.
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,―
1. The machine for drying stretching and coating woven belts substantially as
described and set forth in the accompanying drawing & Specification.
JOHN HARGREAVES.