IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUB- STANCES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Ferrabee, of Brimscombe Port Mills, near
Stroud, in the County of Gloucester, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES."
Sealed the 26th February 1867, and dated the 4th October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Ferrabee at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th October 1866.
I, JAMES FERRABEE, of Brimscombe Port Mills, near Stroud, in the County
of Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES,"
to be as follows:-
The objects of this Invention are to get more uniform bats of wool or other
fibrous substances than hitherto to present the fibre in the best manner to the
action of the carding engine and to allow of the preparing machines being arranged
side by side or parallel to each other, in place of being arranged as heretofore

page_text: at right angles. These advantages I obtain by delivering the thin fleece obtained
from the doffer of the first carder on to a cross apron (by means of a reciprocating
apron) in laps to form a bat, say 9 inches wide, then by means of a second
reciprocating apron I transfer this narrow bat to the ordinary feed apron of a
second carder running parallel with the first reciprocating apron laying the
bat in zig-zag layers on the feed apron, and thereby forming a continuous bat
of the width of the card cylinder to which it is fed. From this cylinder the
fibrous material is doffed and may be delivered by the aid of a reciprocating
apron on to a cross apron and thence by another reciprocating apron as before
explained on to the feed apron of the finishing carder, or the reciprocating
apron that receives the fleece from the doffer may transfer it to an apron
travelling slowly beneath it and in the like direction. A bat will thus bo
formed which is to be taken up by the finishing engine and further carded.
In carrying out this Invention I apply to the first carder what I term a
slivering machine, which consists mainly of the reciprocating apron and the
cross apron before mentioned. The reciprocating apron is mounted on a
vibrating frame, and I cause it to traverse to and fro over the cross apron
which runs at a right or any other convenient angle to the direction of the
traversing frame. The whole of the parts of the slivering machine are fitted
in a suitable framework adapted to the width of the carding engine to which
it is applied, and the framework is mounted on wheels for the convenience of
removal. Motion is given to the slivering machine by a strap or other con-
venient means from the axis of the cylinder of the "first way" preparing
engine or carder, and the "fleece" as it is stripped from the doffer is taken
forwards by the apron on the vibrating frame and laid in folds to any required
thickness on the cross apron running underneath it. At the end of the cross
apron and in close proximity to it is another travelling apron and vibrating
frame of similar construction which takes up the sliver as it is delivered by
the cross apron and lays it crosswise in layers, one overlapping the other
diagonally on the ordinary feed apron of the "second way" carding engine,
forming a continuous and uniform "bat" thereon of any required width and
thickness preparatory to its undergoing a further carding operation, and the
same arrangement for laying a cross sliver may be again repeated to produce
a bat for delivery to the "finishing" carder. In some cases, however, as
above intimated, I propose to use in conjunction with this improved slivering
and "bat" forming machinery a reciprocating apron (constructed like that
first described) which taking the fleece from the doffer of the second carder
will deliver it on to the ordinary feed apron of the finishing carder in a
direction parallel to the motion of the feed apron and in layers to form a con-

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Ferrabee in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
FERRABEE, of Brimscombe Port Mills, near Stroud, in the County of Gloucester,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Ferrabee, Her special licence that I, the said James
Ferrabee, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Ferrabee, 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
"IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Ferrabee,
my executors or administrators, 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 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 James Ferrabee, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the lettters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
-The objects of this Invention are to get more uniform bats of wool or other
fibrous substances than hitherto to present the fibre in the best manner to the
action of the carding engine, and to allow of the preparing machines being
arranged side by side or parallel to each other in place of being arranged as
heretofore at right angles. These advantages I obtain by delivering the thin

page_text: fleece obtained from the doffer of the first carder on to a cross apron (by
means of a reciprocating apron) in laps to form a bat, say nine inches wide,
then by means of a second reciprocating apron I transfer this narrow bat
to the ordinary feed apron of a second carder (running parallel with the
first reciprocating apron), laying the bat in zig-zag layers on the feed apron,
and thereby forming a continuous bat of the width of the card cylinder to
which it is fed. From this cylinder the fibrous material is doffed, and may
be delivered by the aid of a reciprocating apron on to a cross apron, and
thence by another reciprocating apron as before explained on to the feed
apron of the finishing carder; or the reciprocating apron that receives the
fleece from the doffer may transfer it to an apron travelling slowly beneath it
and in the like direction. A bat will thus be formed which is to be taken up
by the finishing engine and further carded.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is an end elevation; Fig. 2 is a
front elevation; and Fig. 3 a plan view of the slivering machine for pro-
ducing from sheet sliver as it is stripped from the doffer of a preparing
engine a uarrow sliver composed of folds of sheet sliver crossing each other
diagonally.
In these Figures A is the main framing of the machine mounted on wheels
to admit of the whole being conveniently removed from the doffer of the
preparing engine; B, B*, are rollers for carrying a transverse or cross
apron D for transmitting the bat of sheet sliver formed by this machine to
the second preparing engine; C, C', is a compound vibrating frame for
transferring the doffed sliver from the roller E of the preparing engine to the
apron. This vibrating frame is fitted with rollers c, c, c, c, which serve to
carry an endless apron b. The axle of the roller c (see Fig. 3) has its
bearings in the main framing A, and forms the fixed fulcrum of the com-
pound frame, the two parts C, C', of which are jointed together at their
upper ends by the axle of the guide roller c', which axle forms the moving
fulcrum of the compound frame; 3 is a guide roller mounted in slots in the
sides of the frame C', and supported by pressure springs attached to the
sides of the frame; c is a guide roller having its bearings in the extremity
of the compound frame. On the axle of this roller are mounted the flanged
wheels d, which run on guide rails affixed to the main framing, and serve to
support the compound vibrating frame. The endless apron or lattice is
made of the width of the doffer of the preparing engine, and it is kept in
tension by means of the roller c³. The cross apron D which receives the
duffed fibre from the endless lattice 6 has imparted to it a continuous motion,
it being situate at a right angle or any other convenient angle to the traverse

page_text: of the vibrating frame C, C¹. This motion is communicated to the apron D
from the driving shaft a by the chain and wheels e, e, and bevil wheels f, f*,
the wheel being keyed on the axle of the roller B of the apron. The
roller c which carries the endless apron receives motion from the shaft a
through the wheels h, h', h², and by means of the chain and wheels g, g',
and crank k, a to-and-fro motion is given to the vibrating frame C. The
sliver is stripped from the doffer roller E of the preparing or carding engine
by means of the doffing comb F. On motion being communicated to the
driving shaft a from the axle of the carding engine by means of the
pulleys l, m, and belt n, the sheet sliver from the doffer cylinder is received
on to and carried by the endless apron b over the compound frame C, C¹,
while the latter is moved to and fro a distance equal to the throw of the
crank by reason of the connection of the part C of the frame with that
crank through the coupling rods ¹. The sheet sliver will thus without being
subject to any tension be laid in a series of folds crossing the endless apron D
in a diagonal direction alternately from right to left and from left to right
in order to form the bat, the apron being at the same time moved con-
tinuously forward by the bevil gearing f.f, as before explained. The narrow
bat or thick sheet of sliver thus produced is carried under the compressing
roller o, which is driven by contact with the apron D, and is intended to
increase the cohesion of the fibres. The bat thus formed may now be wound
upon bobbins, or it may be carried forward as a continuous "bat" and be
fed into a second preparing engine, or it may be hardened or felted or other-
wise disposed of. The width of the narrow sliver it will be readily understood
may be varied at pleasure by increasing or decreasing the length of the throw
of the crank, and its thickness may be varied at pleasure by simply increasing
or decreasing the speed of the cross apron D, provision being made for
shifting the gearing to effect the desired change of speed.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation and Fig. 5 a plan view of the improved machinery
for taking up the narrow bat of sliver and conducting it forwards and laying
it crosswise on the apron of the second preparing engine so as to produce
therefrom a continuous bat of the width of the engine. C2, C3, is a compound
vibrating frame provided with rollers c, c, c', c³, for carrying an endless
apron similar to that already described with reference to Figures 1, 2,
and 3. The axle of the roller c³, which is mounted at the extremity of the
part C3 of the vibrating frame, is connected to a traversing carriage P; this
carriage is fitted with flanged wheels d¹ which run on the rails R. extending
across the feed apron D' of the second preparing engine. The axle of the

page_text: roller has its bearings in a frame S fixed to the floor, and carrying also the
compressing roller o before mentioned; the axis of the roller c is the axis of
vibration for the compound frame C³, C. In one of the sides of the carriage P
a vertical slot p is formed to receive a fixed stud or pin r carried by a hori
zontal travelling belt T, which runs on a pair of pulleyst having their bearings
fixed to one of the rails R. Mounted in pendent bracket bearings s, s,
attached to the carriage Pare two rolls u for consolidating the narrow sliver
as it is laid upon the apron D'. These rolls are supported at one end by a
rail extending across the frame of the feed apron which keeps them revolving
as they traverse to and fro over the "bat" underneath and by short inclined
planes w, which relieve them from the bat at each end of the traverse, and
prevent them from "sluffing the sliver laid on the feed apron below. A
compensating lever balanceweight a keeps the compound vibrating frame in
equilibrium throughout its traverse. Motion is given to the endless apron
"
and vibrating frame C2, C3, and parts in connection therewith from the shaft a
before mentioned; thus by means of the chain wheels and chain e' motion is
given to a short shaft which through bevil wheels f, f, gives motion to
the roller, and thus drives the endless apron b.
The traverse of the vibrating frame is effected by the pin r of the traversing
strap T in the following manner :-Keyed to the short shaft e is a chain
wheel which through a chain e' drives a chain wheel keyed on a short shaft c';
a second chain wheel on this shaft e' communicates motion through a
chain with a chain wheel on a spindle and carrying a bevil pinion fin
gear with a bevil pinion f³ on the axle of the roller that carries the traversing
strap T. It will now be understood that the apron takes the narrow sliver
from the cross apron D (Figures 1, 2, and 3) over the compound vibrating
frame which is carried to and fro by the endless strap and stud r working in
the slot p of the carriage P, and lays it without any tension in uniform
diagonal and overlapping folds across the apron .D', while that apron is
moving slowly underneath, and that tho bat so produced will be fed con-
tinuously to the second preparing engine; or it may, if desired, be hardened
or felted or otherwise disposed of. The width of the bat may be increased or
decreased by varying the traverse of the carriage attached to the vibrating
frame, and its thickness regulated by increasing or decreasing the thickness
of the narrow sliver, and varying the speed of the apron on which the bat is
formed; also two or more slivers from separate preparing machines may be
laid transversely on the same apron, it being necessary only to make the apron
sufliciently long to receive them.

page_text: It will be readily seen that all the parts of the slivering machine and the
folding machine, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are put in motion simultaneously
from the axle of the cylinder of the first preparing engine so as to ensure
uniform delivery of sliver to the feed apron of the carding machine.
For some kinds of work it will be desirable to complete the formation of
the bat by a folding process which will lay the fibres more parallel to each
other; this I effect by the use of the machine shewn in end elevation at
Fig. 6, which machine is arranged for producing a continuous bat (composed
of thin sheet sliver) of the width of the doffer from which the sheet sliver is
stripped. The sliver is laid in folds which overlap each other upon an endless
apron placed beneath the vibrating frame, and travelling in the same direction.
The roller c has its bearings in the moveable frame or carriage A2 which forms
the fixed fulcrum of the compound vibrating frame C³; these frame is connected
to a travelling carriage P₁ similarly fitted, and serving the same office as the
carriage P above described. The endless apron is somewhat wider than
the doffer of the preparing engine. Motion is communicated to the roller c
carrying the endless apron be from the axle of the cylinder of the preparing
engine by means of the belt 1, the pulley m², and spur wheels n', n³, and the
traversing strap T which works the compound frame is driven by the
pulleys e, e, the belt 1, and the spur wheels f². The apron takes up the
sheet sliver as it is stripped from the doffer E' carries it over the compound
vibrating frame which is moved to and fro by the traversing strap T, as
already described in connection with Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and lays it in
folds, one over the other in the form of a bat on the apron D° underneath,
the thickness of the bat being regulated by the relative speed of the apron D³
to that of the traverse of the vibrating frame C and its apron b². The rolls u¹
of the carriage Pare released at each end of the traverse of the carriage
fiom contact with the bat by inclined planes, as in Fig. 4.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Machinery
for Preparing Wool and other Fibrous Substances," and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I claim the means herein-before described of
producing a narrow sliver from sheet sliver as it is stripped from the doffer
of a preparing engine, and of producing a continuous "bat" composed of such
narrow sliver so formed laid in layers disposed diagonally across the feed
apron of another preparing engine or across the apron of a hardening or other
machine for felting purposes.
Second, I claim the application of the forward folding machine, as shewn
in Fig. 6 for forming a bat of sliver, and feeding the same to a preparing
engine (either with or without a condensing machine attached) when used

page_text: in combination with the cross folder (Figures 4 and 5) herein-before
described.
Third, I claim mounting in a separate framework, easily removeable from
the doffer of a preparing engine, an endless cross apron for receiving sheet
sliver as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Ferrabee, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JAMES FERRABEE. (L.S.)