IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING AND PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER. FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Barker, of Berry Brow, Huddersfield, in
the County of York, Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING AND PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER.
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 14th November 1871, and dated the 30th May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Barker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1871.
I, ROBERT BARKER, of Berry Brow, Huddersfield, in the County of
York, Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING AND PREPARING COTTON AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a toothed roller or cylinder with guards,
which is applied to any of the ordinary machines for opening, scutching,
blowing, carding, or otherwise preparing cotton and other fibrous sub-
stances, to remove the pieces of seed, husks, leaf, or other impurities.

page_text: from the fibres, or the improved toothed roller or cylinder with guards
may be used as a separate machine.
The toothed roller consists of annular rings of sheet metal in which
curved-pointed teeth are made; these teeth catch hold of the fibres and
convey them between the teeth of an elastic spring guard, which
prevents the passage of pieces of seed, husks, leaf, or other impurities,
but allows the fibres to be carried forward to a second guard formed of
a bent plate of metal with slots, between which the curved teeth on the
annular rings pass. This second guard is rigid, and it removes any
impurities that may have escaped through the first guard. The im-
purities separated from the fibres are collected in a box, which is
emptied at intervals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Barker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BARKER, of Berry Brow, Huddersfield, in the County of York, Cotton
Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Barker, Her special licence, that I,
the said Robert Barker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Barker, 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 CLEANING
AND PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Barker, my executors or ad-
ministrators, 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

page_text: 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 Robert Barker, 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 statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists of a toothed roller or cylinder with guards,
which is applied to any of the ordinary machines for opening, scutching'
blowing, carding, or otherwise preparing cotton and other fibrous sub-
stances to remove the pieces of seed, husks, leaf, or other impurities from
the fibres, or the improved tooth roller or cylinder with guards may be
used as a separate machine.
The toothed roller consists of annular rings of sheet metal in which
curved-pointed teeth are made. These teeth catch hold of the fibres.
and convey them between the teeth of an elastic spring guard which
prevents the passage of pieces of seed, husks, leaf, or other impurities,.
but allows the fibres to be carried forward to a second guard formed of
a bent plate of metal with slots, between which the curved teeth on the
annular rings pass.
This second guard is rigid, and it removes any
impurities that may have escaped through the first guard. The im-
purities separated from the fibres are collected in a box which is emptied.
at intervals.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, reference being had to figures and letters marked.
thereon.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of part of an ordinary cotton carding engine to
which my improvements are applied.
a is the lap of cotton, and 6 the roller by which it is unwound as.
usual; c, c, are the feed rollers which are either fluted in the ordinary
manner or covered with my improved toothed rings; d is the licker-in,.
the surface of which is covered with annular rings of sheet metal in
which curved-pointed teeth are made as shewn full size in Figs. 2 and 3..
The licker-in delivers the fibres to the main cylinder e, which is provided
with workers and clearers fand g, or with top flats as usual, but in order
to remove the pieces of seed, husks, leaf, or other impurities that may be

page_text: be applied to the last cylinder to strip the fibres and to deliver them
into a suitable receptacle.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the
application thereof to carding engines and burring machines, I wish it
to be understood that it is also applicable to the ordinary machines
employed for opening, scutching, blowing, or otherwise cleaning and
preparing cotton and other fibrous substances.
•
I would also remark that I do not limit myself to the number or
peculiar shape of the guards; but what I do claim is, the combination
of a cylinder covered with annular rings of curved teeth, and the elastic
and rigid guards for removing the impurities from fibrous substances, as
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Barker, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
ROBERT BARKER. (L.S.)