IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STRAIGHTENING AND PREPARING FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR COMBING OR SPINNING
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tongue, of Kennington, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR STRAIGHTENING AND PREPARING FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR COMBING OR
SPINNING."
Sealed the 4th August 1868, and dated the 6th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tongue at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th February 1868.
I, WILLIAM TONGUE, of Kennington, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STRAIGHTENING AND PREPARING FIBROUS
MATERIALS FOR COMBING OR SPINNING," to be as follows:-
In the Specification of an Invention for which a Patent has been
granted to me bearing date the 22nd of August 1866, No. 2155, an
arrangement of machinery is described for preparing fibrous materials
by which one-half of a series of gills or heckles is withdrawn, moved
towards the feed rollers or instruments and then replaced, after which

page_text: the whole series is moved from the feed rollers or instruments so as
to comb out or prepare the material presented by such feeding instru-
ments, the other half of the series of gills or heckles is then withdrawn
and replaced in a similar manner to the first half of the series, and by
the repetition of these movements the material is straightened, prepared,
and delivered from the machine. Now my present improvements
relate to certain changes whereby the construction of the machine is
simplified.
In the arrangement shown and described in the Drawings and
Specification above referred to, there is a slide which carries the
"saddle" for raising and lowering the gills or heckles, and which
also carries the spacing fingers or instruments for retaining one of the
half series of gills in a suitable position until the other half series
is replaced between them. This slide moves in one guide at its lower
part, and is then branched and carried up at each end of the horizontal
slide, and is guided by means of two guides placed above the brackets
to which the spacing fingers are attached. One of such slides guided as
above described, with the "saddles" and "fingers" attached is arranged
at each side of the machine, and they are connected by means of a
cross bar, to which with the slides movement is communicated by
means of adjustable connecting rods, by means of which the height
is regulated, to which the gills are lifted by the saddles at either side
of the machine. Now according to my present improvements the
slide moves in a guide at its lower end, but the guides above the
spacing fingers are dispensed with, and in place of the slide being
branched and carried up at the ends of the horizontal slides the
branching is dispensed with and the slide carried straight up, and a
guide formed for it between the two parts of the horizontal slides, and
below the bracket to which the spacing fingers are attached, by which
means one guide is dispensed with, and readier access obtained to the
gills or heckles. Suitable brackets are provided upon the slide to
which the "saddles" and "spacing fingers" are attached.
Another improvement consists in so attaching the cross bar to the
slides on either side of the machine that the height of such slides can
be regulated without adjusting the height of the bar, and I prefer to a
regulate the height of such slides by means of regulating screws.
Another improvement consists in arranging springs to act by means
of levers or otherwise directly upon the slides (in place of upon the

page_text: cross bar as hitherto practised), so as to bear them up and counter-
balance their weight and momentum.
Another improvement consists in forming the fingers which support
one-half of the series of gills (while the other half of the series is
withdrawn) in one piece with the plate which guides the ends of the
gills which are withdrawn.
In the arrangement shown and described in the Drawings and
Specification above referred to the horizontal slide which carries the
fingers, by means of which the gills (after being lowered) are carried
back towards the feed rollers, moves in guides formed in cross rails or
bars arranged under the gills; and another of my present improvements
consists in dispensing with such cross rails or bars and supporting the
horizontal slide in guides attached to the framing of the machine at
either end of such slides.
Another improvement consists in connecting the rocking axis which
actuates the horizontal slide above named with such slide by means
of a spring and rod so arranged that the pins and connections are
always drawn tight in one direction, accuracy of movement being thereby
obtained.
Another improvement consists in forming the bearings in halves which
support the outer ends of the rocking axes by which the various move-
ments are communicated to the machine. By forming these bearings in
two parts, one of which can be readily removed the axes and the various
parts can be more readily attached to them and can be more readily
removed from or placed in the machine than has hitherto been the case.
In the arrangement of machine shown and described in the Drawings
and Specification above referred to, the "dabbing brush" by which the
fibrous material is pressed into the gills or heckles is carried and
actuated by slides similarly formed and guided to those which carry the
"saddles" and "spacing fingers," and another of my present improve-
ments consists in dispensing with such slides and guides in a machine
where the gills or heckles are worked in the manner and order described
in the Specification above referred to, and in attaching the dabbing
brush to parallel levers and links so arranged as to cause the brush to
move up and down in a horizontal position without the aid of slides and
guides.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TONGUE, of Kennington, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Tongue, Her special licence,
that I, the said William Tongue, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others, as I, the said William Tongue, my exccutors,
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 STRAIGHTENING AND PREPARING FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR
COMBING OR SPINNING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,.
the said William Tongue, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be 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 William Tongue, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
In the Specification of an Invention for which a Patent has been
granted to me, bearing date the 22nd of August, 1866, No. 2155, an
arrangement of machinery is described for preparing fibrous materials
by which one half of a series of gills or heckles is withdrawn, moved
towards the feed rollers or instruments, and then replaced, after which
the whole series is moved from the feed rollers or instruments so as to

page_text: comb out or prepare the material presented by such feeding instruments,
the other half of the series of gills or heckles is then withdrawn and
replaced in a similar manner to the first half of the series, and by the
repetition of these movements the material is straightened, prepared,
and delivered from the machine. Now my present improvements relate
to certain changes and contrivances whereby the construction of the
machine is simplified and its operation improved.
And in order that my present improvements may be fully understood
and readily carried into practice I will proceed to describe the same,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, which show
several views of a machine for straightening and preparing wool or other
fibrous material constructed and arranged in accordance with my present
improvements, corresponding parts being marked with similar letters of
reference to like parts described and shown in the Specification and
Drawings above referred to.
In the arrangement shown and described in the Drawings and Speci-
fication above referred to there is a slide which carries the "saddle" or
surfaces i for raising or lowering the gills or heckles c, and which also
carries the spacing fingers or instruments i³ for retaining one of the half
scrics of gills c in a suitable position until the other half series is replaced
between them. This slide moves in one guide is at its lower part and
is then branched and carried up at each end of the horizontal slide
and is guided by means of two guides i, i, placed above the brackets
to which the spacing fingers i³ are attached. One of such slides i, guided
as above described with the "saddles" and fingers attached, is
arranged at each side of the machine and they are connected by means
of a cross bar i to which with the slides movement is communicated
by means of adjustable connecting rods by means of which the height
is regulated to which the gills are lifted by the saddles i at either side
of the machine. Now according to my present improvements, as shewn
in the Drawings hercunto annexed, the slide a moves in a guide t² at its
lower end, but the guides above the spacing fingers are dispensed with,
and in place of the slide being branched and carried up at the ends
of the horizontal slides the branching is dispensed with and the slide
carried straight up and a guide i* formed for it between the two parts of
the horizontal slides and below the bracket i** to which the spacing
fingers are attached, by which means one guide is dispensed with and
readier access obtained to the gills or heckles c, c. Suitable brackets ***

page_text: and i*** are provided upon the slide to which the "saddles "i and
spacing fingers" are attached.
Another improvement consists in so attaching the cross bar 20 to the
slides on either side of the machine that the height of such slides ¿¹
can be regulated without adjusting the height of the bar, and I prefer
to regulate the height of such slides by means of regulating screws 2¹¹,
as shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Another improvement consists in arranging springs to act by means
of levers, as shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed (or otherwise)
directly upon the slides i' (in place of upon the cross bar as hitherto
practiced) so as to bear them up and counterbalance their weight and
momentum.
Another improvement consists in forming the fingers / which support
one half of the series of gills c (while the other half of the series is with-
drawn) in one piece with the plate which guides the ends of the gills
which are withdrawn, as shown in the Drawings annexed.
In the arrangement shown and described in the Drawings and Speci-
fication above referred to the horizontal slide g' which carries the
fingers by means of which the gills c (after being lowered) are carried
back towards the feed rollers & moves in slides g* formed in the cross
rails or bars arranged under the gills; and another of my present
improvements, as shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, consists in
dispensing with such cross rails or bars and supporting the horizontal
slide in guides g* attached to the framing a of the machine at either
end of such slide g¹.
Another improvement consists in connecting the rocking axis g* which
actuates the horizontal slide g¹ above named with such slide g¹ by means
of a spring g, rod g¹³, and lever g", so arranged, as shown in Figure 7
of the Drawings annexed, that the pins and connections are always
drawn tight in one direction, accuracy of movement being thereby
obtained.
Another improvement consists in forming the bearing in halves which
support the outer ends of the rocking axes g' and 7, as shown in the
Drawings annexed, by which the various movements are communicated
to the machine. By forming these bearings in two parts, one of which
can be readily removed, the axes g' and and the various parts can be
more readily attached to them and can be more readily removed from
or placed in the machine than has hitherto been the case.

page_text: In the arrangement of machine shown and described in the Drawings
and Specification above referred to the "dabbing brush" e by which
the fibrous material is pressed into the gills or heckles c, c, is carried
and actuated by slides e similarly formed and guided to those which
carry the "saddles" i and "spacing fingers"; and another of my
present improvements consists in dispensing with such slides e³ and
guides in a machine where the gills or heckles are worked in the
manner and order described in the Specification above referred to, and
in attaching the dabbing brush e to parallel levers e¹s and links e so
arranged as to cause the brush e to move up and down in a horizontal
position, as shown in the Drawings annexed, without the aid of the slides
and guides e and i, motion being communicated to the levers c¹³ from
the eccentric e by means of the connecting rod e¹.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner.
in which the same is carried into practice, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described so long
as the truc character of my improvements is retained; but what I claim
is the arrangement and construction of machinery for straightening and
preparing fibrous materials for combing and spinning in accordance with
the several improvements, substantially as herein-before fully described
and shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tongue, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
WILLIAM TONGUE. (L.S.)
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.