IMPROVEMENT IN WOOL-COMBING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JOHN MIDGLEY, of Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of
Rhode Island, United States of America, Overseer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for an "IMPROVEMENT IN WOOL-COMBING MACHINES," and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
"
My said device consists of an upright shaft, spindle or rod, so attached to the
upright drawing-off rolls that it will hang between them and the edges of the
revolving combs, and, if desired, said rod, spindle or shaft, may be covered with a
loosely fitting cylinder to avoid any possible friction in the contact of the moving
sliver with the stationary spindle.
The accompanying drawing is hereby made part of the specification, similar
letters of reference thereon indicating corresponding parts.
In said drawing Figure 1 is a plan of a wool-combing machine with rolls in
section and showing relative position of my invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the drawing-off rolls, and through my
device aforesaid thereto attached.
Figure 3 shows in partial elevation the upright drawing-off rolls, parts of the
sliver and of the movable apron used with said rolls, and also shows how my said
invention is or may be supported in its place.
a, a, are the upright drawing-off rolls, b, indicates generally my said device and
its relation to said rolls and to the larger and smaller combs d, e, f; the endless
aprons are shown at c, c, c, and the usual parts of the machine for delivering the
wool when combed and cleaned, and formed into the sliver, are seen at g, h, i, k;
the arrows indicate the direction of the revolution of the combs.
My said invention, indicated generally by b, consists of the upright rod, shaft or
spindle, the top of which is fastened to the frame-work of the upright drawing-off
rolls, and the body of which projects downward between the rolls and the edges of
the combs aforesaid. This rod may be made of wood or metal, and its longitudinal
surface may be rounded, beveled, or otherwise shaped as may be desired. Although
I have preferred to suspend the rod from above by means of the screws shown in
Figures 3 and 4, yet it may have an under fastening and project upwards between
the rolls and the comb with like results. And said upright rod, shaft, spindle or
wire, instead of having its stationary surface exposed to the moving sliver, may

page_text: be covered with a loosely fitting cylinder u, in Figure 3, (and supported on the
shaft by the under screw-head or nut o,) which would turn thereon and move with
the sliver in the direction of the rolls, thus avoiding all friction with and injury
to the wool as it is gathered up from the combs. The shaft or rod aforesaid, seen
at m in Figure 3, may also have the adjustable fastening shown by the double top
plates 2, 8, one of which is rigidly secured to the end of the shaft or rod, the other
being secured to the frame-work t, by the screws v, v, and both plates being
confined together by means of the bolt and nut w, y, protruding through a slot in
the center of one or both of said top plates. By this mode of construction the
relative position of the "taker in " may be so adjusted as to be brought nearer to
the comb, or nearer to the drawing-off rolls, as may be desired.
The lines x, x, show the wool in the combs, and 2, 2, the overlapping beard
which it is the province of the drawing-off rolls to gather in. To assist and more
perfectly accomplish the gathering in of this overlapping beard, and the formation
of it into the sliver, is the object of my invention; the device is therefore inserted
and supported between the drawing-off rolls and the edges of the combs as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, its actual operation being best illustrated in Figure 2, where it
is adjusted so near the edge of the comb that all the projecting ends of the wool
are taken up and directed upon the endless apron c, and to and between the
drawing-off rolls, a, a.
'
The use of my invention as above described will effect a large saving of the
wool combed, as it secures the drawing off of all that overlaps the edges of the
combs and none is lost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In wool-combing machines a stationary vertical rod standing between the
combs and the drawing-off rolls for drawing the sliver, for the purpose of more
perfectly "taking in" the beard or wool overlapping the edges of the combs, and
constructed and used in the manner substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination, with the combs and drawing-off rolls of wool-combing
machines, of a stationary vertical rod supported between the rolls and comb afore-
said, and operating in connection with the endless apron used therewith to gather
in and draw off all the wool or beard overlapping the edges of the combs, and
constructed and used in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein-
before set forth.
3. A "taker-in" as applied to wool combing machines, consisting of an upright
shaft, wire, rod or spindle, inserted and adjustably supported between the drawing-
off rolls and the edges of the combs, covered with a cylinder movable thereon, and
acting in combination with the said drawing-off rolls and the endless apron con-
nected therewith, all in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described
and shown.