Improvements in Felting-machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Felting-machines.
I. VICTOR COQ of Aix in the Department of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Republic
of France, 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 :-
The felting-machines at present employed are composed of two series of
cylinders of small diameter, placed one over the other, surrounded by an endless
apron or band and having at the same time a circular movement, and to-and-fro
or alternating rectilinear movements in opposite directions, producing the felting.
The line of contact of these cylinders presents a very small contact surface, which
renders the use of a great number of rollers indispensable. Further, the endless
aprons or beits have a constant tendency to diverge to the right or left of the
machine. The workman engaged in directing the machine thus finds himself
incessantly employed in bringing back these bands to the position which they
ought to occupy.
It is for the object of removing these drawbacks that I have designed the
machine which will be hereinafter described, and which is shown on the accom-
panying drawing:-
Figure 1 being a longitudinal view, partly in section: and
Figure 2, a sectional end view of the apparatus.
In this machine, the series of upper cylinders is replaced by a drum of large
diameter T, and the lower cylinders by a concave counterplate P of a form
concentric to the cylinder. Four rollers, A, B, R and R' secure the carrying
along of the lower endless belt or apron, which latter forms, by projecting from
the machine in front and in the rear, a table intended to receive the articles to be
felted.
The upper cylinder T is of hollow metal with an internal circulation of steam.
Its circumferential surface is perforated with holes for giving passage to the steam,
but, in order that the water of condensation shall not also escape by these holes,
the latter are provided with tubes projecting into the interior. A bent discharge
pipe S, which does not rotate with the cylinder, and which descends below the
mouths of the said tubes, collects the condensed water, which accumulates at the
lower part of the drum, and discharges it to the outside.
The drum is, provided with a sleeve or covering of woven or felted fabric
which is drawn over the said drum, and which adheres thereto by simple
cohesion.
The counterplate is also made of hollow metal and has a circulation of steam.
It is perforated with very small holes, allowing the steam to impart to the endless
belt or apron the necessary moist heat for felting. Heating tables may also be
arranged under the belt in front of and behind the machine. The rollers R, R
have only for their object to better ensure the carrying along of the belt, and one
or the other or even both of them may, if desired, be dispensed with. The
circular movement of the drum and of the endless belt or apron, as well as their
to-and-fro movement, is imparted by the mechanical parts shown on the
drawing. The counterplate P and the two cylinders R R rest with their ends
on the same frames, in which is arranged the lifting gear shown on the drawing.
This lifting gear has for its object to regulate the distance which is to be left
between the cylinder and the counterplate.
The felting is produced in this machine by a rapid to and fro movement imparted
to the cylinder longitudinally and to the hollow counterplate which stands under

page_text: the cylinder. These to and fro movements of the cylinder and of the counterplate
take place in opposite directions, and the extent of such movements may be
regulated at will. The felt is drawn under the cylinder by the travelling move-
ment of the endless band, and the circular movement of the cylinder. These
various movements are obtained by the following mechanism :-
The driving shaft (that which carries the pulleys) is provided on its centre with
an endless screw, which engages with a worm wheel keyed on a shaft standing
transversely to the machine, this shaft having at its opposite end a pinion, which,
by means of an endless chain, operates the rollers R R and A, on the spindles of
which are also keyed the wheels receiving the chain. These three rollers revolving
in the same direction carry with them the endless apron or band. The cylinder is
revolved by means of a cog wheel engaging in the upper part of the chain
comprised between the pinions R and R. The to and fro movement in opposite
directions of the cylinder and of its counterplate is obtained in the following
manner:
At the end of the driving shaft on the side opposite to the driving pulleys, a cast-
metal disc is keyed. In the thickness of this disc a groove is formed, which
carries the foot of a trunnion. By allowing this foot to slide more or less in the
groove, the trunnion can be placed more or less eccentrically. The foot is fixed in
the desired position by means of two bolts passing through the plate in two
elongated holes. This trunnion is connected to the crank of a second shaft by
means of a connecting rod, and two double levers keyed on this same shaft are
counected by means of pivoted levers having cross connecting pieces shown on the
drawing, first to the upper cylinder, secondly to the lower counterplate, and to the
two conducting rollers R R It is evident that by this arrangement the movement
of the trunnion round the axis of the driving shaft, communicates to the cylinder
and to the counterplate a to and fro movement in contrary directions, the extent of
which becomes greater or lesser according as the trunnion is more or less distant
from the axis of the shaft. The distance between the cylinder and the counter-
plate is regulated in this machine by means of a large lever placed under the
endless cloth or band within reach of the hand, the front end of this lever moving
in a slide against which it may be fixed by means of a hand screw or wing nut.
The lever actuates a transverse shaft on which two shorter levers are fixed, which
shorter levers support the frame bearing the counterplate P and the cylinders R
and R¹.
It will be readily understood that several drums and several plates may be
placed in succession one behind the other, in such a way as to produce, with a single
machine composed of several parts, a more complete felting.
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. In a felting-machine, the use of a drum and of a counterplate of a form
concentric to the said drum, substantially as described and shown.
2. In a felting-machine, the arrangement for heating the drum and for steaming
the drum covering, substantially as described and shown.
3. A felting-machine substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 28th dox of Mar 1801
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.