MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRAGGING BRISTLES, AND DRAWING HAIR AND VEGETABLE FIBRE
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Speakman Yates, of Leeds, in the County
of York, Brush Maker, for the Invention of "MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR DRAGGING BRISTLES, AND DRAWING HAIR AND VEGETABLE FIBRE."
Sealed the 21st June 1859, and dated the 21st December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Speakman Yates
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st December 1858.
I, WILLIAM SPEAKMAN YATES, of Leeds, in the County of York, Brush
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR DRAGGING BRISTLES, AND DRAWING HAIR AND VEGETABLE FIBRE,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to sorting or separating the various lengths of
bristles, horse and other hair, and vegetable fibre into separate lots, sizes,
or lengths, and which process has hitherto been performed by hand, but which
I propose to accomplish by machinery to be turned or driven either by hand or
power. I employ "gill combs" or "gill combs and pressers," between which
the bristles, hair, or fibre is placed and thereby held to be operated upon,
and nippers or jaws capable of closing and opening by the action of tappets
or cams, and also having a receding and advancing or reciprocatory motion by

page_text: crank or other suitable means, so as to advance and take hold of the projecting
ends of bristles, hairs, or fibres, and draw them out from the rest, which, by
the opening of the said nippers when out, are deposited in a box or other
receptacle.
A series of pairs of nippers may be arranged side by side on a suitable
frame, each succeeding pair projecting a little beyond the preceding, and the
gills to have an intermittant motion in a lateral direction, so that at each stroke
or draw out of the nipper's frame, the gills will move the distance of one pair
or to the next pair of nippers, and so on, each pair drawing out different
lengths in proportion as they are set or arranged relatively to each other, each
separate length being deposited in separate receptacles. Or, instead of having
the nippers to advance and recede, they may be stationary, and the frame
which carries the gills may be made to reciprocate by crank or other
mechanical equivalent, and by means of a ratchet wheel and pall the gills.
may be moved a little nearer the nippers at each stroke or draw out, whereby
the various lengths will be drawn out by the same pair of nippers, and by
having the receiving boxes moveable the bristles or other material will be
deposited in separate receptacles.
For horse and other long hair and vegetable fibre of long lengths, "screw
gills may be employed, such as are used for preparing wool, flax, &c., and
for extra long lengths, both nippers and holders may be made to advance and
recede simultaneously.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Speakman Yates in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM.
SPEAKMAN YATES, of Leeds, in the County of York, Brush Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Speakman Yates, Her special licence
that I, the said William Speakman Yates, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Speakman Yates,

page_text: 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 "MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS FOR DRAGGING BRISTLES AND DRAWING HAIR AND VEGETABLE FIBRE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Speakman Yates, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Speakman Yates, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-
The Invention relates to sorting or separating the various lengths of
bristles, hair, and vegetable fibre into separate lots, and which process has
hitherto been performed by hand without the aid of machinery, but which I
propose to accomplish by machinery to be turned or driven by hand or power.
I employ "gill combs " and pressers, between which the bristles, hair, or fibre
is placed and held to be operated upon, and nippers or jaws capable of closing
and opening by the action of tappets or cams, and also having a receding and
advancing or reciprocating motion given thereto, so as to advance and take
hold of the projecting ends of bristles, hair, or fibre, and draw them out from
the rest, and which, by the opening of the said nippers when out, are deposited.
in a box or other receptacle.
A series of pairs of nippers may be arranged side by side on a suitable
frame, each pair projecting a little beyond the preceding one; the gills have
an intermittent in a latteral direction, so that at each stroke of draw out of the
nippers frame the gills will move the distance of one pair or to the next pair
of nippers and so on, each pair drawing out different lengths in proportion as
they are set or arranged relatively to each other, each depositing in separate-
receptacles. Or, instead of having the nippers to advance and recede, they.
may be stationary, and the frame which carries the gills may be made to
reciprocate by crank or other mechanical equivalent, and by means of ratchet
wheel and pall the gills may be moved a little nearer the nippers at each stroke
or draw out, whereby the various lengths will be drawn out by the same pair.

page_text: of nippers, and by having the receiving boxes to move at each draw out, the
bristles or other material will be deposited in separate receptacles; and for
long hair and vegetable fibre of long staple screws, gills may be employed as
used for preparing wool, flax, &c.
,
The manner in which the Invention is to be performed will be better
understood by reference to the accompanying eight Sheets of Drawings.
Figure 1, Sheet is an end elevation of a machine for dragging bristles or
other fibrous substances, constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is
a front elevation; Figure 3, a cross section; and Figure 4, a plan of the same.
A represents the framing; B, the driving pullies giving rotary motion to the
shaft C, which is communicated by means of spur wheels D and D¹ to the
shaft E, and from thence by bevil wheels F and diagonal shaft F¹, and bevel
wheels F, to the shaft G, on which are keyed crank wheels H, which, through
the medium of connecting rods I, give oscillating motion to the arms J, which
are supported on trunnions or pivots K fixed to the framing; L, M, are cross
rails connecting the oscillating arms K, on which are formed vee slides or
guide brackets L and M³, in which the rods N, O, slide when actuated by the
tappets P, to which they are connected by studs and friction pullies which
enter into the cam grooves on each side; Q are guide brackets affixed to the
oscillating arms K for the lower ends of the rods N to slide in; R, S, are
longitudinal bars or rails secured to the upper ends of the sliding rods N, O,
to which are affixed a series of pairs of nippers T, U, each succeeding pair
being a little in advance of the other, or nearer to the gill combs than the pre-
ceding pair, suitable to the various lengths or "sizes" of bristles, &c., required;
W are the gill combs mounted on grooved rails or slide beds X, X', which
are open at each end for the reception and ejection of the gill combs, which
are caused to enter at one end, slide therein, and pass out at the other end.
These rails or slides are supported at each end by cross slides X2, X³. The
screws Y are for adjusting the slides X, X', so as to place them nearer to or
further from the nippers, as may be required; Z are short slide beds or
carriages to receive the gill combs when passing out from the slides X and X',
being mounted at right angles on other slide beds Z, are capable of sliding
thereon, so as to transfer the gill combs alternately from the slide X to the
slide X, and from X₁ to X, as required, motion being given thereto by tappets
A keyed on the shaft E, and which operate the rods a¹ connected to levers a²
keyed on the shafts a³, on which are also keyed levers a', which by rods a" are
connected to the slide beds Z; b is a rod with a friction pulley entering into
another groove on the tappet a, and is connected to a lever 6', attached to

page_text: which is a forked rod 62, flattened at the upper ends to act against a pin b³
projecting from the upper jaw of the gill combs for opening them; 6 is a
similar rod (and connections with the tappet a'), except that the forked ends
extend above the gill combs, and act on the upper side of the pin. 6 for
closing the gills when actuated by the tappet a¹; c and c¹ are slide brackets
affixed to each end of the machine with short pillars capable of sliding
thereon, to which are hinged palls or arms c and c³, which are placed in or
out of contact with the gill combs as required by means of a rod c actuated
by a tappet c'. The pillars carrying the palls are connected by a rod d, and
are caused to reciprocate intermittently in the slides by means of a slot plate
d and stud plate d (afterwards described more fully). The stud plate is
affixed on the end of a diagonal shaft ds, which is driven by a pair of bevil
wheels d', receiving motion from the shaft E. The bristles, &c., when liberated
from the nippers, fall into spouts or conductors e and e', from which they are
projected upon the table by the motion of the oscillating arms. The table f
is divided by apertures and spouts g into the same number of divisions as there
are pairs of nippers; h is a rod on which is fixed a rake i to every division of
the table, the teeth of which enter into corrugations or grooves formed on the
surface of the table. Intermittent reciprocating motion is given thereto for
operating the rakes by a tappet or stud plate k affixed on a shaft l, which is
driven by bevil gear from the diagonal shaft d³, the stud of which plate enters
into a semicircular slot, which is formed in a plate attached to the rod h,
the rotation of the plate k producing an intermittent reciprocating motion to
the rod h; the bristles are raked off the tables, and pass through the spouts g
into the boxes p placed underneath.
Figure 1 (Sheet 2) is a plan half full size of the slot plate d', the stud plate
d³, and the slide bracket c bolted to a portion of the framing A, with a pillar
and pall C placed thereon. It will be observed that as the stud or pins on
the plate d² travels round, as indicated by dotted lines, in the direction of the
arrow, it will move in the slot done fourth of its revolution without pro-
ducing any effect on the slot plate, but the next it will act against the
side of the slot, and cause the plate d¹ and rod h to move or slide a distance
equal to the whole diameter of the circle described by the revolution of the
stud 3; the other half revolution will produce similar effects, but reverse
movement of the rod. Figure 2 is an elevation of the tappet a, with the
levers, rods, and slide for transferring the gill combs from one grooved rail to
the other, also shewing by dotted lines the cam groove, rods, and levers for
opening or closing the gills, the action of which will be readily understood.

page_text: Figure 3 is an elevation, and Figure 4 is a plan of the stud plate k, the
semicircular slot plate m and the rod h, to which the rakes i are fastened
with a portion of the corrugated table f. The action of this apparatus is
similar to the other slot plate, except that it moves during one half of the
revolution, and is stationary the other. Figures 5 and 6 are elevations of the
tappet P, with a portion of the oscillating arm J and the rods for operating
the nippers, also portions of the framing A, with a trunnion or pivot K and
shaft E passing through it. Figures 7 and 8 are cross sections and back side
view of the nippers T, U, affixed to parts of the rails R, S, with the rods
N, O, to which they are secured. The upper nipper is made self-adjusting by
a slide and spiral spring, as will be clearly seen in the full size Drawings;
Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 3). The nipping pieces t, u, are formed of wood
faced with india-rubber, and the upper one is covered with parchment and the
lower one with fish skin, so as to obtain a self-adjusting nip.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 (Sheet 3) are the two sides and section of the tappet P,
which operate the nippers, which it will be seen act in opposite directions, the
one side lifting up while the other is drawing down. The teeth of the gill
combs enter in betwixt each other of the opposite combs, and a piece of
flannel or other woollen cloth is pressed down to the bottom of the teeth of
each comb to make a better holding surface to the bristles. The whole line
of grooved rails are filled with the gill combs (that is to say), there is a pair
of gills opposite every pair of nippers in the rail X, and also in the rail X',
with the extra pairs at each end ready to be transferred from one line to the
other, and receiving their charge of bristles at one end and discharging them
at the other. It will also be observed, that the nippers are each arranged at
different distances from the line of gills according to the various lengths or
sizes of bristles required to be made. The spouts are also capable of adjust-
ment to any inclination, so as to deliver the bristles on the table at each stroke
of the oscillating frame and nippers. Boxes or receptacles are placed imme-
diately under the spout from theo apertures of the table to receive the bristles
in the separate sorts or sizes as they are raked off the several divisions of
the table.
Having thus described the parts of this machine, I will now proceed to
explain the manner of working the same. The pair of gills lettered W₁ are
supplied with a suitable quantity of the bristles, the flag ends projecting
towards the nippers, the root ends being set even by a fence or otherwise.
The machine is then set in motion, when the pall c² (being in position or
contact as shewn with the gill W¹) will be drawn by the stand plate d², pushing

page_text: the gill W into the position W, when the upper jaws will be pressed down
by the action of the tappet a¹ acting upon the forked rod , thus closing the
gills which hold the bristles, the nippers being brought up and opened at the
proper time, are again closed by the action of the tappet P, thus taking hold
on the longest of the projecting bristles, which on the nippers being drawn back
by the cranks and rods, will be drawn out or "dragged" from the shorter
bristles, which on the opening of the jaws of the nippers will drop into the
spouts or conductors e and e', from which to the table f, and are thence raked
off by the action of the stud plate R, when they pass through the aperture
into a box or receiver P placed underneath. The gills W₁ are then pushed
forwards by the palls c² to the next pair of nippers, which being nearer to the
line of rail, will take hold of the bristles nearer to the gills, and draw or drag
out the next length or size, which will in like manner as the preceding size be
deposited in a separate receptacle or the next box; meantime another pair of
gills, charged or supplied with bristle, will have been actuated by the pall c
for being pushed forward into the first-named position, and there operated upon
as before explained, so also every pair of gills succeeding each other in the
rail X will be operated upon successively by the several pairs of nippers, the
different lengths or "sizes" being deposited cach in its own box or receptacle..
In some cases more than one nip is required to be made to draw all out of the
same length or size, then by means of suitably formed tappets the palls c
and will be lifted so as not to be in contact with the gills, but to pass over
the lug W when pushing up. The grooved rails carrying the gills may be
made to advance and recede, and the nippers remain stationary if desirable.
The Drawings in Sheet 4 illustrate another arrangement of machinery
suitable for the same purpose. Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, the
opposite side elevation; Figure 3, a plan; Figure 4, an end elevation; Figure 5,
a vertical section through A, B; Figure 6, a plan or section through C, D.
A represents the framing; B, the driving pullies giving motion to the shaft C,
and by spur gearing to the shaft E; F and F are the tappets for giving motion
to the nippers g and g', by means of rods with studs and friction rollers, as
previously described in Sheet 1. On the shaft E is affixed a bevil wheel,
which gears with another bevil wheel affixed on the diagonal shaft h, which by
means of a pair of bevil wheels i, j, give motion to the shaft R, on which are
affixed the cranks or plate wheels 1, 1, which by means of connecting rods,
m, m², gives an oscillating motion to the arms n, n', which carries the nippers,
and are connected by cross rails n², n³, n'. The arms are supported on
brackets or bosses n³, no, affixed to the framing on which they turn or oscillate ;.

page_text: and the rods g³, 9', 95, and 96, are guided by slides or brackets o!, 0, 0, and o,
affixed on the cross rails n² and n³, all of which parts are fully described in
details hereafter.
On the shaft E is a cam p, which operates a lever p' hinged on the shaft p³;
to the said lever is attached a pall p³, which takes into a ratchet wheel p
running loose on the shaft p², every second, third, or fourth tooth being cut
deeper to allow the said pall to take into another ratchet wheel ps, which is
affixed on the shaft p², and on which shaft are also fixed pinions p and 7,
working in racks p³ and, which are attached to the gill carriage p1 by
luggs passing through slots in the frame A, which gill carriage is made to
advance towards the nippers, and then to remain stationary until the bristles
are drawn out; the loose ratchet wheel taking up the pall and allowing the
gill carriage to remain in the position last given to it, until the oscillating
arms have advanced and receded one or more times, as found requisite; p,
small friction pulley attached to the pall P", for the purposes of stopping the
gill. table at any required distance, and is made to act upon the inclined plane
P¹³, attached to the side P, P, thereby lifting the pall P³ out of the ratchett
wheels. Underneath the gill carriages are tables Q, with grooved surfaces,
which are mounted upon spindles R, on which spindles are affixed pinions R',
deriving motion from the rack R2 (causing the series of tables to move or
turn in the same direction) by one of the spindles extending to the rake R³,
the cam R imparting a latteral and intermittent reciprocating motion thereto.
Returning to the shaft C, Figure 3, we observe the pinion S geared into the
spur wheel S', which gives motion to the shaft S2, which shaft communicates
motion to the stud plate S³, on which is a friction pulley S', operating with
the cam groove So, which cam plate is attached to the lever T, and by the
action of the stud and friction pulley within the cam groove imparting motion
to the levers T and T2, and through the medium of the hinged rods Ts and T
to the cranked rod T5; the ends of the last-named rod are made to slide
within the grooves u and u', passing underneath and beyond the hinged incline
u², and returning along the groove u in the direction shewn by arrows,
thereby lifting out of the grooves on the turntables the cranked bar or rake
rod Ts with the pins inserted in and projecting from the under side, which, by
entering into the grooves on the tables Q, acting the part of a rake to clear
off the bristles deposited thereon by the last action of the oscillating arms n,
and by mounting up the inclined plain u², the highest part of the groove 20'
lifting the rake rod T' out of the grooves on the turntables, and allowing these
tables to return to their original position. Returning to the shaft E, we

page_text: observe the cam V, Figure 2, pressing against the lever V', which is made to
operate by the rod V2 upon the lever V and pall V; the lever Vs having its
fulcrum upon the shaft Vs, the pall taking into the ratchet wheels V and 7,
the ratchet wheel V playing idly on the shaft V³, with either the second,
third, or fourth tooth cut deeper, as before described, thereby communicating
an intermittent motion to the chain wheels V8 and 9; and by the chain wheel
passing round the guide pullies V" and ", gives motion to the semicircular
boxes X, suspended thereto by the pivots y, which are made to enter into the
lugs attached at uniform distances to the chain W. These moveable boxes
receive the bristles, &c., which have been previously cleared off the turntables,
each box securing its own length or size, or indicated by the measurement
figured thereon. Figure 6 (Sheet 3) is a cross section of this machine,
shewing the gills and manner of operating them. Motion being com-
municated to the pullies B and to the shaft C, and by the gearing D and D'
to the shaft E, the tappets or circular plates F and F are made to revolve,
the cam grooves thereon causing the rods G³, 4, 5, and 6, to slide up and down,
opening and shutting the upper and lower jaws of the nippers, thereby
enabling them to seize hold of the bristles, &c., presented to them. The bevil
wheels on shafts E and diagonal shaft H give motion to the shaft K, through
the medium of the bevil wheels J and J, and to the oscillating arms N, by the
crank plate L and rod M, causing the aforesaid to oscillate or move back-
wards and forwards, and draw out the bristles, &c., which the nippers have
previously seized (seen in Figure 3), these bristles, &c., being inserted in the
gill comb by the attendant; the bristles thus drawn out are delivered to the
turntables Qby the conductors, as shewn in Figure 1, and are then removed
from thence into the moveable box X by the rakes operating between the
grooves on the surface of the turntable, as already described, and are then
ready to be removed.
In Sheet 5 of the accompanying Drawings is illustrated a machine for
assorting bristles, &c., more especially adapted to be worked by hand.
Figure 1 is a front elevation; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is a
plan; Figure 4 is a side elevation. A represents the framing; B, the fly
wheel, with handle, for giving motion to the shaft C and crank plate D, which
is connected by the rod D' to the oscillating arms or levers D2 and D³. These
óscillating arms are united or fastened together by the cross rails D', and bar
or rod D; D is a tappet or plate, with cam grooves cast on each side;
described in the sheet of details; D' and D are rods, the lower end of which
are formed into slides, and are guided by the brackets D' and D, having also

page_text: at their lowest extremity a stud with friction pullies E and E', the upper
extremity of the rod D being connected with the lower jaw of the nippers E³,
the rod Ds being connected with the upper jaw of the nippers E2, their con-
struction being as those described in the sheet of details, Figures 7 and 8,
Sheet 2. The arms D2 and D³ are supported on the bosses E3 and E. Motion
is communicated from the shaft C by beviled gear, and the diagonal shaft E to
the shaft G, on which is fixed the tappet or cam plate D, which opens and
closes the nippers, as previously described, on which is also the cam H, com-
municating motion through the medium of the lever and pall E' and H to the
ratchet wheels H³, and the pinion H, giving motion to the rack H³ and slide
H, the shaft H' forming the fulcrum for the lever H', and on which revolve
the loose ratchet wheel H³, and to which is affixed the ratchet wheel H³ and
the pinion H. This motion has been already described in detail, in connection
with the previous machines. From the shaft motion is conveyed to the
gill carriage I, by a lug passing through a slot in the frame A, to which it is
secured as before described in detail, the upper part of the carriage I' having
on the side nearest to the nippers E a vee slide, which guides the upward and
downward motion of the gill combs I, the motion being imparted by the wheel
I³ and screw I, passing through the neck Is into the sliding boss 1°, down to
the step I', the gill comb I² being attached to the plate 1s inserted within the
slide I; the lower gill comb 110 being also fixed to the plate 1" inserted
within the slide I¹. The bristles after having been drawn out by the nipper
jaws E slide down the conductors K and K', and are deposited upon the
table L, which table is adjusted by the slots L1 and L2; upon the upper
surface of this table are a series of elevations or ribs, enabling the rakes to
penetrate underneath the bristles, &c., and thus effectually to remove them. To
the shaft G is connected the short shaft M by beviled gearing M and M², on
which shaft is keyed the stud plate M³, having a friction pulley M* affixed to
the face of the same, which, working in the semicircular cam groove M
secured to the lever Me, imparts an oscillating and intermittent motion to the
lever Mo. The lower end of this lever rests upon the fulcrum M7, the upper
end is hinged to the rod M³, the opposite extremity of this rod being affixed
by a hinge joint to the slide M°; to this slide is also affixed the rake M
which, operating within the groove on the table L, carries before it the
bristles, &c., deposited thereon, and precipitates them into the boxes N.
O and O are two wheels fastened to the shaft 03, supporting the boxes N
upon pivots 03, and are kept in a vertical position whilst the wheels revolve.
P is a cam, which gives a lateral and intermittent motion to the stud and

page_text: friction pulley P¹ attached to the slide P2, and to the lever S and the pall S¹,
and ratchet wheels S and S³; the lever S having its fulcrum upon the shaft O³;
and connected at its lower extremity by the rod R hinged upon the joints R¹
and R. The gills being charged by the attendant, and closed by the screw
I', the machine is set in motion by the hand of the operator acting upon the
fly-wheel B, which communicates the same to the oscillating arms D2 and D³
by the crank plate D and rod D¹; motion also being given to the shaft G by
the diagonal shaft P, and to the tappet on circular plates with cam grooves,
which, by their rotation, cause the rods D and Ds to slide up and down,
thereby opening and closing the jaws of the nippers E. The gill carriage or
table being advanced towards the nipper by the action of the lever and pall H¹
and H, which motion is derived from the shaft G, and operating upon the
ratchet wheels H3 and the pinion H, and rack and slide H and He, the ends
of the bristles, &c., are seized by the jaws of the nippers, and as the oscillating
arm D and D³ recede, are dragged or drawn out, and by the opening of the
jaws deposited on to the conductors K and K'. Figure 2 shews the machino
in the act of dragging out the bristles, and as those oscillating arms advance
towards the nippers, precipitate them upon the table L, from which they are
removed by the rakes M and pitched into the boxes N ; these boxes being
brought into their proper position by the action of the lever and pall S and S',
each box receiving its own proper length, which are then ready to be removed
by the attendant.
The Drawings in Sheets 6 and 7 shew an arrangement of machinery
specially adapted for dragging or drawing long lengths of hair or vegetable
fibre.
A is the framing; B, the driving pullies, communicating motion to the
crank wheels C, through the medium of the shafts c, c¹, and c³, the pinion
3, and spur wheels c* and c³. D, a diagonal shaft connecting the shaft c
with the shaft E, by the bevil wheels e¹, 3, 3, . F and F are oscillating arms
suspended on the bosses F2 and 3, being connected to the crank wheels C, and
by the hinged rods F 4 and F 5, are caused to oscillate (like the pendulum of
a clock); F 6, 7, and 8, are cross rails uniting or bracing together the
oscillating arms F and F 1. On the shaft E are fixed the tappets or circular
plates G (fully described in the details, Figures 3, 4, and 5, Sheet 3,) acting
upon the stud and friction pullies I 1, 2, 3, 4, which cause the rods G2, 3, 4,
and 5, to slide or move up and down, being guided in their course by the slide.
brackets H 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. These rods are attached to the rails I and K;
the rail I having affixed to it the upper jaws of the nippers L, and the rail K

page_text: having affixed to it the lower jaws L', which are made to open and close by
the action of the tappets or cam plates, as before described. M, the frame
containing the screws, cams, fallers, and other apparatus commonly used in
connection therewith as an ordinary screw gill. m² and m² are two rollers for
conducting the hair or other fibre from the gills to the nippers L and L,
which in receding draw out the lengths, the cord m³ communicating motion to
these rollers by passing round the pullies m* and m, attached to the horizontal
shaft O; N, vertical shaft geared into the shaft E by the bevel wheels N 1
and 2, giving motion to the horizontal shaft N³, through the, medium of the
bevil wheels N 4 and 5; also to the shaft O, through the medium of the bevil
wheels N.6 and 7; the shaft O imparting motion to the screw gills through the
medium of the bevil wheels O¹ and spur pinion 02; P; a short shaft receiving
motion by bevil wheels P' from the vertical shaft N, on which is keyed the
stud plate P2, which communicates to the semicircular slot plate P³, attached
to the slide P, an intermittent and reciprocating motion, which, by means of
the rack P, operates the quadrant P affixed on a shaft P, to which is secured
a long narrow grooved table for receiving the hair or fibre from the main table
(afterwards described), which turning at right angles delivers the hair or fibre
to the receiving boxes. Q is a cross rail or bar fixed underneath the main
table and above the quadrant table, having a row of pins or teeth projecting
from the under side, and which enters into the grooves on the quadrant table
for removing the hair or fibre therefrom as the table passes under it; R and R',
are tables for receiving the hair or fibre after being dragged or drawn out of
the gill combs by the nippers, the upper surface being grooved or corrugated.
S is an horizontal shaft geared into the shaft N by bevil wheels S1, S2; at the
other end of the shaft is a tappet or circular plate S³, on which is a stud and
friction pulley S, working within the semicircular slot plate S affixed to the
lever So, which gives motion through the medium of the rod S7 to the rake
rods S8 and, for clearing the hair or fibre from the tables R and R', in the
first place, to an endless cloth, and afterwards to the quadrant table, which
carries the same to the receiving boxes; T are rollers carrying the endless
cloth, receiving motion by a cord or strap from the pulley T fastened in the
shaft G1; this endless cloth receives the hair or fibre when swept from the
table R by the action of the rake S, and conveys the same to the front of
the machine ready to be transferred by the attendant to the second series of
gill combs. The flag ends of the hair or fibre being set evenly together are,
by the movement of the endless cloth, brought to the front of the machine,
when they are taken off and reversed, the rods foremost, and placed upon the

page_text: other series of gills, from which they are drawn out by the nippers, by
which process the rod ends are set even, and the various lengths or sizes
are assorted (as previously described in relation to the other machines,
and are then removed from the table R on to the quadrant table, on which
they had been deposited, then by the action of the rake S³, to the buckets,
which have an intermittent and) forward motion standing to receive the
material, and then moving forwards bringing the next bucket to receive its
own proper length. These buckets are propelled by the action of the tappet
or cam V, Figure 2, acting upon the lever V¹, upon the bent lever V2 and
pall Vs, which pall takes into the ratchet wheels V* and V, producing an
intermittent and forward motion. The balance weight W attached to the
lever V, by the chain X passing over the guide pulley X', draws the lever V₁
back to its original position; Z and Zare pullies supporting the chain of
buckets. The gill combs on the right-hand side of the machine being charged
with hair or fibre (suitably hackled previously), is advanced towards the
nippers by the screws, the nipper closing and taking hold of the ends thereof,
and moving backwards by the oscillatory motion of the arms, clears out the
portion thus held, and on the opening of the nippers deposits the sanie on the
table R', which is then carried off to the endless cloth by the rake S. Figure 1
(Sheet 8) is an elevation of the tappet V, which operates the moveable boxes
or receptacles. Figure 2 is an elevation of the ratchet wheel p', which works
loose upon the shaft p 2, in which every fourth tooth is cut deeper. Figure 3
is an elevation of the ratchet wheel, in which every fourth tooth is also cut
deeper than the others; but these ratchet wheels may be made to any other
number of deep cut so as to regulate the setting-up motion to the number
of draughts required to be made to clear one length of bristle or other fibre.
Having thus fully described the nature of this Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would have it distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction or arrange-
ment of machinery as herein set forth; but what I claim as my Invention,
and which I believe to be new within the realm, is,
Firstly, the holding of bristles, horse and other hair, and vegetable fibre by
means of gill combs, for the purpose of separating or sorting such into various
lengths or sizes by machinery.
Secondly, the dragging or drawing out of such substances with nippers
operated by mechanical means.
Thirdly, the packing and covering of such nippers.
Fourthly, the self-acting means of delivering such substances in separate

page_text: Fifthly, the means of receiving such substances by either moveable.or
stationary receptacles.
And, sixthly, the construction, combination, and general arrangement of the
several machines for the purposes herein set forth, which are fully described
and illustrated in the accompanying eight Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Speakman Yates, have here-
unto set my hand and seal; this Twentieth day of June, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named William Speakman Yates, in the
*présence of
W. TASKER,
Patent Agent, Halifax.
W. S. YATES.. (L.S.)