IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR UNTWISTING STRANDS AND OTHER TWISTED OR SPUN MATERIALS, FOR PICKING OAKUM, DRESSING FIBRES, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, of Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, formerly of Unna, Westphalia, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
UNTWISTING STRANDS AND OTHER TWISTED OR SPUN MATERIALS, FOR PICKING
OAKUM, DRESSING FIBRES, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
Sealed the 23rd March 1869, and dated the 28th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustav Albrecht Carl
Bremme at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 28th September 1868.
I, GUSTAV ALBRECHT CARL BREMME, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, formerly of Unna, Westphalia, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR UNTWISTING STRANDS AND OTHER TWISTED OR SPUN MATERIALS, FOR PICKING
OAKUM, DRESSING FIBRES, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to untwisting strands and other twisted
or spun materials; secondly, to feeding untwisted or non-twisted strands
to hackle or dressing cylinders; and thirdly, to dressing, combing, or
picking the material or fibres.

page_text: My machinery for untwisting consists of a rotary feeder composed
of parts about to be explained. Two untwisting rollers are mounted
in a frame, which rotates on its axis at right angles or nearly so to
the axes of the rollers; the journals of the frame, one at each side of
the rollers, are hollow. On the axle of one roller right and left handed
worm wheels are keyed; these wheels reach into pockets, one of which
holds the corresponding worms or screw on which is fastened a toothed
wheel gearing into another wheel fixed on the pedestal of the hollow
journals. The rotary motion of the frame on its hollow journals is thus
transmitted to one of the rollers, the other being driven in its turn by
gearing; or if preferred the worm may be made to gear into a worm
wheel on both rollers, so that they are each driven direct. To reverse
the rotation or twist of the feeder it is only necessary to change the
opposite worms into the unoccupied pocket. The strand to be untwisted
is passed into one of the hollow journals, which I call the receiving
journal, and then between the untwisting rollers; owing to the rotation
of this journal the strand is conducted more correctly between the
rollers than would be the case if fed through a stationary tube or
directly from a pair of feeding rollers in stationary bearings. From
the untwisting rollers the strand passes through the other journal, which
I term the discharging journal, to a hackle or dressing cylinder, so
that the fibre rotates on its axis as it progresses to the hackle teeth.
The discharging journal should be slightly bell-mouthed; by the motion
of the hackle teeth the fibre is turned against the edge of the journal
which forms a resting base for the fibre in whatever position the un-
twisting rollers may be. The teeth can pass closer to this resting base
than they could pass to the rollers if the fibre was conducted directly
from them; they thus lay open the fibre before it projects so far from its
resting base as to dangle or hang. The strand may be fed to the
receiving journal from a pair of feeding rollers or from a bobbin or
otherwise. If preferred the untwisted fibre may be properly collected
on its discharge from the discharging journal, instead of being con-
ducted at once to a hackle or dressing cylinder. The feed rollers are
preferably driven by gearing from a toothed wheel on the receiving
journal.
My machinery for dressing, combing, or picking the fibres consists of
two or more hackle combs carried by side plates on a rotating shaft,

page_text: teeth to pass through. When two combs and covers are employed
the loose ends of the covers are diametrically opposite cach other or
nearly so, and are connected by two rods which are attached to the
rods of two excentrics loose on the cylinder or comb shaft. These ex-
centrics are held stationary and in position by toothed quadrants
gearing into pinions on a shaft which can be turned so as to change
the position of the excentrics when required. The teeth of the combs are
by preference curved or inclined according to arcs struck from the
centre of the cover hinge, so that the holes in the covers need not be
larger than necessary for the teeth to pass through, and so that the
edges of the holes being always in contact with the teeth the latter
will be supported against strain when passing through the fibre and
the fibre will be more effectually prevented adhering to thom.
My dressing or combing machine will in most cases be combined
with the rotary feeder before described, the fibre passing directly from
the discharging journal of the latter to the hackle teeth, and tho
hollow journals being driven by gearing and straps from the cylinder
or comb shaft, or from countershafts if several machines are arranged
in a row; but the dressing or combing machine also applies to dressing,
combing, or picking fibres, whether the same have been untwisted as
before described or otherwise, or to fibres in a non-twisted state.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GUSTAV
ALBRECHT CARL BREMME, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
formerly of Unna, Westphalia, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Gustav Albrecht Cart Bremme,
Her special licence that I, the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said

page_text: Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, 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, 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 UNTWISTING STRANDS AND
OTHER TWISTED OR SPUN MATERIALS, FOR PICKING OAKUM, DRESSING FIBRES, AND
OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, 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 Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme, 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 thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention relates, firstly, to untwisting strands and other twisted
or spun materials; secondly, to feeding untwisted or non-twisted strands
to hackle or dressing cylinders; and, thirdly, to dressing, combing, or
picking the materials or fibres.
My machinery for untwisting consists of a rotary feeder composed of
parts about to be explained. Two untwisting rollers are mounted in a
frame which rotates on its axis at right angles or nearly so to the axes
of the rollers; the journals of the frame, one at each side of the rollers,
are hollow. On the axle of one roller right and left handed worm
wheels are keyed; these wheels reach into pockets, one of which holds
the corresponding worms or screw on which is fastened a toothed wheel
gearing into another wheel fixed on the pedestal of the hollow journals.
The rotary motion of the frame on its hollow journals is thus transmitted
to one of the rollers, the other being driven in its turn by gearing; or if
preferred the worm may be. made to gear into a worm wheel on both
rollers, so that they are each driven direct. To reverse the rotation or
twist of the feeder 'it is only necessary to change. the opposite worms.
into the unoccupied pocket: The strand to be untwisted is passed into

page_text: one of the hollow journals, which I call the receiving journal, and then
between the untwisting rollers; owing to the rotation of this journal
the strand is conducted more correctly between the rollers than would
be the case if fed through a stationary tube directly from a pair of
feeding rollers in stationary bearings. From the untwisting rollers the
strand passes through the other journal, which I term the discharging
journal, to a hackle or dressing cylinder so that the fibre rotates on its
axis as it progresses to the hackle teeth. The discharging journal should
be slightly bell-mouthed; by the motion of the hackle teeth the fibre is
turned against the edge of the journal, which forms a resting base for
the fibre in whatever position the untwisting rollers may be. The teeth
can pass closer to this resting base than they could pass to the rollers if
the fibre was conducted directly from them; they thus lay open the
fibre before it projects so far from its resting base as to dangle or hang.
The strand may be fed to the receiving journal from a pair of feeding
rollers, or from a bobbin or otherwise. If preferred the untwisted fibre
may be properly collected on its discharge from the discharging journal
instead of being conducted at once to a hackle or dressing cylinder.
The feed rollers are preferably driven by gearing from a toothed wheel on
the receiving journal.
My machinery for dressing, combing, or picking the fibres consists of
two or more hackle combs carried by side plates on a rotating shaft, and
each provided with a hinged cover having holes or slots for the teeth to
pass through. When two combs and covers are employed the loose
ends of the covers are diametrically opposite each other or nearly so,
and are connected by two rods which are attached to the rods of two
excèntrics loose on the cylinder or comb shaft. These excentrics are held
stationary and in position by toothed quadrants gearing into pinions on a
shaft which can be turned so as to change the position of the excentrics
when required. The teeth of the combs are by preference curved or
inclined according to arcs struck from the centre of the cover hinge, so
that the holes in the covers need not be larger than necessary for the
teeth to pass through, and so that the edges of the holes being always in
contact with the teeth, the latter will be supported against strain when
passing through the fibre, and the fibre will be more effectually prevented
adhering to them.
My dressing or combing machine will in most cases be combined with
the rotary feeder before described, the fibre passing directly from the

page_text: discharging journal of the latter to the hackle teeth, and the hollow
journals being driven by gearing and straps from the cylinder or comb
shaft, or from countershafts if several machines are arranged in a row;
but the dressing or combing machine also applies to dressing, combing,
or picking fibres whether the same have been untwisted as before
described or otherwise, or to fibres in a non-twisted state.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a sectional elevation of a
portion of a machine for untwisting strands constructed according to my
Invention.
A is the standard or upright; B, the journal which passes through it;
below the journal are two lugs C, D, to which is hinged a box or
receptacle E; this box has two rollers F, G, geared together by the
pinions H, I, so that they turn together and prevent any drag upon the
strand or thread in passing between them. In front of the two rollers
is a hinged cover J having an aperture in it in line with the centre of
the roller faces where they meet; this aperture has a trumpet-mouthed
tube K fitted in it in order that the strand may be led between the
rollers F, G, in a proper manner; there is a spring L fitted in the
bearings of the lower roller G and a tightening screw, so that the
necessary amount of pressure can be obtained.
Fig. 2 is a face view of the box and rollers. The strand after passing
between these rollers passes into a journal B which is hollow and forms
part of the untwisting mechanism shewn in Fig. 3, the strand being
passed through this journal into and between a second pair of rollers M, N ;
these have a rotary motion imparted to them in order to draw the strand
from the first pair of rollers. On each end of the axle of one of the
rollers M, N, a worm wheel O is fixed driven by a worm or endless
screw P, P, placed in the pocket of a face plate or drum which is caused
to revolve by a driving band. There is a pinion Q on the worm wheel
spindles which gears into a fixed wheel R on the pedestal or bearing
which supports the drum. On rotary motion being given to the drum
the pinion Q causes the worms to turn the wheels O and the rollers M, N,
and thus an independent motion of the rollers M, N, is given in addition
to the motion of the drum.
Fig. 4 is a face view of the rollers M, N, and parts adjacent, and
Fig. 5 a section of the same. There is a spring and tightening screw
connected to these rollers to exert a pressure upon them, and the
independent motion of the rollers cause them to untwist the strand.

page_text: When the untwisting is perfected the fibre passes through another
hollow journal S, where it is presented to the action of the hackle
teeth T, T, which revolve with the side plates shown in Fig. 6. The
side plates, the teeth plates, and the covers form a drum which is
mounted upon the main shaft V of the machine. The hackle teeth are
fitted in the drum in sets, of which there may be as many as convenient,
for instance, six sets are shown in Figure 7 and only two in Figure 6.
Outside the hackle drum are two excentrically fitted bars or excentric
rods X, X, having their outer ends attached to the covers; the opposite
ends of the covers are connected therewith by two tie rods X', X', and
which excentric rods as the drum revolves move or press the covers or
duffers Y, Y, over the teeth in order to "duff" or push off the loose fibre
from them. To the bosses of the excentrics are attached two toothed
quadrants S, S', which hold the excentrics in the desired position.
The plates to which the teeth are attached have a slight motion upon a
pin at one end, the other pin working in a slot in the sides of the drum
and kept in position by springs Z, Z, as shown. The duffers Y, Y, are
by preference centred upon the fixed pin of the teeth plates, and the
holes which work over the teeth are struck from the centre of the pin
on which the plates move; they are so made in the plates that the
teeth are always in contact without strain so as to prevent fibre adhering
to them. Sometimes I dispense with the tie rods X', X', and connect
all the duffers by rods a, a, to the excentric ring; one of the rods
being fixed to the ring causes it to rotate with the drum, and in the
rotation they all act upon the "duffers" in succession, as clearly seen
in Figure 7.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the different parts before described com-
bined so as to form one machine; Fig. 9 is a side view partly in section;
and Fig. 10 a back end view of the same.
The action is as follows:-Motion is communicated by any prime
mover to the fast pulley b mounted on the main driving shaft V;
upon this shaft a shifting sleeve is fitted having two bevil pinions d, e,
on it; one or other of these pinions is in gear with a bevil wheel fon
the end of a shaft g placed at right angles to the main driving shaft V.
The shaft g carries a cone or step pulley h, over which a band is passed
to rotate the drum containing the untwisting rollers M, N. The strand to
be untwisted is first introduced into the tube K and between the first

page_text: pair of rollers F, G, which feed and act as a fixed point for the strand
to be untwisted upon; the strand then passes through the hollow
journal B to the second pair of rollers M, N, which have an independent
motion in addition to a rotary motion on their axles by which the
strand is untwisted, as before explained, and becomes as it were a sliver.
In this state it passes through the other hollow journal S to the teeth
of the hackling drum, where it is combed or hackled; this drum is
mounted upon the main driving shaft so that the teeth are presented
in front of the last-named hollow journal S and lift the end of the sliver
before it has passed far enough to dangle or hang. J is a handle by
which the necessary alteration in position of the excentrics by means
of the quadrants is effected. The strands may be fed to the tube K by
a pair of feeding rollers or from a bobbin or otherwise. The material
may be collected and otherwise treated after being untwisted without
being operated upon by the hackle teeth or comb.
as
Although I have described and shown the covers or "duffers
being moveable to "duff" the material from the hackle teeth, the duffers
may be stationary and the plates with the teeth on them may have a
corresponding motion imparted to them for the same purpose, and other
means of actuating the covers or duffers may be employed without
departing from the essential features of my Invention.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The general arrangement and combination of the various parts,
substantially for the purpose as herein-before described and represented
in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
こ
Secondly. The construction of the hackle drums whether fitted with
two or any number of sets of teeth or combs and covers or "duffers," in
the manner and for the purpose herein-before described and represented
in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The employment of the rotary feed rollers and parts con-
nected therewith in combination with a hackle or comb drum, in the
manner described and represented in the Drawings.
Fourthly. The construction and employment of the rotary feed, as
herein-before described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: And, fifthly. The construction and employment of the hollow
journal S in the machine when used for untwisting, in the manner
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustav Albrecht Carl Bremme,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
GUSTAV A. C. BREMME. (L.S.)