IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Anderton Foster, of Queensbury, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING
WOOL AND OTHER FIBRE."
Sealed the 21st December 1877, and dated the 19th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Anderton Foster
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1878.
HERBERT ANDERTON FOSTER, of Queensbury, in the County of York.
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRE."
"IM-
This Invention has for its object to provide an efficient arrangement of mechanism
for lifting noil and short fibre out of the pins of a revolving or endless travelling
comb from which the top or long fibre has been first drawn, and for again placing
such fibre into the pins of the comb, and also into the pins of another smaller
revolving comb, at a point where the two combs meet together, in order that as the
combs continue to revolve the short fibre may be again combed and be subsequently
drawn off into a sliver. For this purpose I employ for lifting the short fibre out of
the large comb (which is usually a circular comb), inclined lifting knives which
enter between the rows of pins of this comb. A short distance above the comb
where the lifting takes place is a plate which keeps the wool from rising off from
the lifting knives. The end of the plate also carries projecting prongs or forks
which extend beyond the rear end of the lifting knives, and serve to lay the wool
lightly on to the surface of the pins of the comb. In front of the large circle or
comb, and close up to it, is a small table which extends partly over the top of the
teeth of the small circle near to where it meets the large circle. The projecting
ends of the fibres rest on the surface of this table until they come over and on to
the pins of the small circle. Standing up from this table is a guard plate to prevent
.

page_text: the wool when lifted from moving too far outwards. On the inner side of the large
circle is another stationary plate, by which the wool after being raised is guided
somewhat outwards before being again pressed on to the pins of the two combs
where they meet together. For pressing the wool into the pins of the large circle I
employ inclined presser plates and a small revolving circular brush for pressing it
into the pins of the small circle. As the combs separate the shorter fibre is taken
away by the small comb, whilst the longer fibre is still retained in the large comb
by the inclined presser plates. The shorter fibre left projecting from the small comb
is drawn off into a sliver, and the noil is subsequently removed from this comb in
any ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Anderton Foster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
January 1878.
HERBERT ANDERTON FOSTER, of Queensbury, in the County of York. "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRE."
This Invention has for its object to provide an efficient arrangement of mechanism
for lifting noil and short fibre out of the pins of a revolving or endless travelling
comb, from which the top or long fibre has been first drawn, and for again placing
such fibre into the pins of the comb, and also into the pins of another smaller
revolving comb at a point where the two combs meet together, in order that as the
combs continue to revolve the short fibre may be again combed and be subsequently
drawn off into a sliver. For this purpose I employ for lifting the fibre out of the
large comb (which is usually a circular comb) inclined lifting knives, which enter
between the rows of pins of this comb. A short distance above the comb where
the lifting takes place is a plate which keeps the wool from rising off from the
lifting knives. The end of the plate also carries projecting prongs or forks, which
extend beyond the rear end of the lifting knives and serve to lay the wool lightly
on to the surface of the pins of the comb. In front of the large circle or comb, and
close up to it, is a small table which extends partly over the top of the teeth of the
small circle near to where it meets the large circle. The projecting ends of the
fibres rest on the surface of this table until they come over and on to the pins of
the small circle. Standing up from this table is a guard plate to prevent the wool
when lifted from moving too far outwards. On the inner side of the large circle is
another stationary plate by. which the wool after being raised is guided somewhat
outwards before being again pressed on to the pins of the two combs where they
meet together. For pressing the wool into the pins of the large circle I employ
inclined presser plates and a small revolving circular brush for pressing it into the
pins of the small circle. As the combs separate the shorter fibre is taken away by
the small comb, whilst the longer fibre is still retained in the large comb by the
inclined presser plates. The shorter fibre left projecting from the small comb is
drawn off into a sliver, and the noil is subsequently removed from this comb in any
ordinary manner.

page_text: The Drawings hereunto annexed represent so much of a combing machine as is
necessary to shew clearly the manner in which I carry out my Invention.
Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 a side elevation.
A is a large circular comb, into the teeth of which tufts of fibre are continuously
fed by a feeding head on the outer side of the comb in the ordinary manner at the
same time that the comb is revolved continuously. As the comb revolves it carries
the fibre fed into it up to drawing-off rollers, by which the longer fibres or top are
drawn off. Afterwards the fibre which still remains in the coinb is carried round
with it to the part of the machine shewn at Figures 1 and 2. Here it passes under
a plate B held above the teeth of the comb, and is lifted by inclined plates or
lifters C which lie between the rows of teeth. As the fibre is lifted above the points
of the comb teeth it is held down on to the lifters C by the plate B, and afterwards
by the prongs or forks D which project from the end of this plate. As the fibre is
carried beyond the end of the plate, and whilst it is held above the teeth of the
comb A by the lifters, it is moved outwards radially a short distance by coming
against a curved or inclined plate E, which is held just above the teeth of the comb.
Afterwards, when the fibre has been carried round past the ends of the lifters, it is
again laid lightly on to the teeth of the comb by reason of the prongs D being
curved downwards, as shewn at Figure 2, whilst the fringe of fibre projecting from
the exterior of the comb is received and rests upon the surface of a table F, which
is slightly below the level of the points of the comb teeth. The table F has standing
up from it a guard plate G, which prevents the fibre moving too far outwards, and
keeps it in place. The inner ends of the fibre which are resting on the top of
the comb A now commence to be pressed downwards by inclined presser plates H,
which lie between the rows of teeth of the comb A, and as the outer fringe passes
beyond the end of the table F it comes on to the top of the teeth of the smaller
revolving comb J and is pressed by a revolving brush I into the teeth of this comb
at the point where it comes up to and meets the comb A. The table extends some-
what over the smaller comb J, so that the fringe of fibre is held by it clear of
this comb until the fringe is to be pressed down into it. At the same time the
inner ends of the fibres are depressed into the comb A, and are nipped and held in
it by the presser plates. The presser plates extend, as shewn, beyond the point at
which the combs A and J meet together, so that as the combs diverge from one
another the longer fibres are retained in the larger comb A, whilst the shorter ones
remain in the smaller comb J. The short fibre carried away by the small comb is
afterwards drawn off by drawing rollers at K, and any noil which is in the comb is
subsequently lifted from it by lifting blades and removed at the point L. The
fibres left in the larger comb are carried round by it to the point at which tufts of
fibre are fed on to the comb and afterwards past the drawing-off rollers. Such of
the fibres as project sufficiently to be taken hold of by these rollers are then drawn
off by them, whilst the others are carried round, lifted, moved forward, and again
deposited into the comb, as above explained.
The plate B is carried by an upright bracket from the framing of the machine.
The lifters Care at their upper ends supported by a pin, which passes through them;
the pin is carried by an arm secured to a bracket, also rising up from the frame of
the machine.
Other upright brackets standing up from the frame carry the table F, the presser
plates H, and the axis of the revolving brush I. The guard plate G carried
by the table F can be set nearer to or further from the comb A, and secured by
screws, as shewn. The curved or inclined plate 1 is attached by pins to the
inner presser plate H, or carried by a separate upright bracket.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to the use of lifting
blades for lifting fibre out of the teeth of a travelling comb, or to the use of presser
blades or revolving brushes for pressing down fibre into such a comb, but I claim
the combined arrangement of apparatus substantially as herein-before described for

page_text: lifting fibre out of the teeth of a travelling comb, and for moving such fibre out-
wards, and again depositing it into the teeth of the travelling comb, and into the
teeth of another comb where these two combs meet together.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Anderton Foster, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HERBERT ANDERTON FOSTER. (L.S.)