IMPROVEMENTS IN SECTIONAL WARPING MILLS
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I, ALFRED ARMITAGE, of Albany Mills, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Woollen Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECTIONAL WARPING MILLS," to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to that class of warping machines where a cylindrical
cage is employed having lugs or bars running borizontally accross the circumference
of such cage, and onto which bars, the warp is wound around in sections.
As warping is an important process in the manufacture of fancy goods, it is
essential that such warping should be accurately and uniformly done, otherwise it
causes considerable disarrangement in the subsequent process of weaving, in many
cases interfering so far with the pattern as to damage it and render the piece
un-marketable.
In the present system of warping it is found in practice that as layer on layer of
warp is wound upon the cage, that the underlying layers have a tendancy to
expand or spread out at each side, and thus become intermingled with other
sections at each side thereof; and this is done notwithstanding the care which the
workman may have taken in setting out the required width in equal sections.
Attempts have been made to overcome this difficulty by building up the sections
in the form of a rhomboid in cross section, but this is not found to answer the
purpose.
In order to carry out my invention I make the cage of a different construction
and for that purpose I employ small rods which pass through thin metal rings or
flanges placed thereon at equi-distances from each other. These flanges project
some little distance outwardly, and are capable of being moved backwards and
forwards in a horizontal direction; but the central flange is stationary. When
warping, the width of the warp required is set out by an ordinary yard stick or
other measuring instrument, and if it is found that the flanges are required to be
moved laterally, they are so moved until the required number of flanges or sections
fill exactly the required width. The mechanism for moving the said flanges is so
arranged that the flanges will take positions equi-distant from each other, so that
the width of the warp will, by these flanges, be sub-divided into equal sections, and
this will be the case whether the flanges are moved outwards or inwards. As the
centre flange is stationary it will be understood that the flanges on the two sides
thereof will move in opposite directions-viz-those on the right hand will move
to the right and those on the left hand will move to the left and vice-versa.

page_text: I will assume for example that the flanges are-say-two inches apart, and the
width of the warp requires that in order to sub-divide such width into equi-distant
sections, the flanges should be-say-three inches apart from each other, the flanges
on each side of the centre stationary flange will be caused to move one inch out-
wards, the next or second flange will move two inches, the third three inches, the
fourth four inches, and so on, each subsequent flange moving over one inch more
space than its predecessor, until the outer flanges of the two sides of the cage reach
the desired width.
The required length of warp is then fed onto the outside section after which it
is severed and then fed to the next section and so on, until the required sections
are filled up; the flanges entirely preventing one section of warp becoming
intermingled with another section, and also ensuring a solid and uniform building
up of the warp.
In order to prevent any portion of the warp when being fed into a section from
slipping over the flange into the next section by some unexpected movement of the
ordinary feeding mechanism which travels lengthwise of the cage, I employ one,
two, or more small runners fixed in self-adjustable bearings and attached by any
suitable means to the feeding mechanism, such runner or runners being arranged
so as to fit between the two flanges without touching the sides thereof. This
runner or runners bear upon the warp as it is fed into the section, thus preventing
the warp from slipping over the flange into the next section also making a more
solid bed, the self-adjustable bearings in which the runners are fixed, allowing them
to give way as the warp continues to build.
The flanges may be moved by right and left handed screwed shafts placed
respectively on each side of the centre flange, and operated by any suitable
arrangement of gearing, or other mechanical devices may be employed for moving
the said flanges.
By the use of rings or flanges as above described and the manner of moving
them outwards or inwards (such movement also causing the flanges to divide the
distance moved into equi-distant sections whatever may be the width to which
they have been extended) the danger of intermingling the warp and producing
damaged goods is now avoided.

page_text: I, ALFRED ARMITAGE, of Albany Mills, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Woollen
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SECTIONAL WARPING MILLS," and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
This invention has reference to that class of warping machines where a cylin-
drical cage is employed having lugs or bars running horizontally across the
circumference of such cage, and onto which bars the warp is wound around in
sections.
As warping is an important process in the manufacture of fancy goods, it is
essential that such warping should be accurately and uniformly done, otherwise it
causes considerable disarrangement in the subsequent process of weaving, in many
cases interfering so far with the pattern as to damage it and render the piece
un-marketable.
In the present system of warping it is found in practice that as layer up on
layer of warp is wound upon the cage, that the underlying layers have a tendancy
to expand or spread out at each side, and thus become intermingled with other
sections at each side thereof; and this is done not-withstanding the care which the
workinan may have taken in setting out the required width in equal sections.
Attempts have been made to overcome this difficulty by building up the sections.
in the form of a rhomboid in cross section, but this is not found to answer the
purpose.
In order to carry out my invention I make the cage of a different construction
and for that purpose I employ small rods which pass through the thin metal rings
or flanges placed thereon at equi-distances from each other. These flanges project
some little distance outwardly, and are capable of being moved backwards and
forwards in a horizontal direction. The mechanism for moving the said flanges is
so arranged that the flanges will take positions equi-distant from each other, so
that the width of the warp will, by these flanges, be sub-divided into equal
sections, and this will be the case whether the flanges are moved outwards or
inwards.
Such being the nature and object of my invention I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully and for that purpose make reference to the accompanying
sheet of drawings illustrative thereof. Fig. 1 is elevation of a certain form of
apparatus constructed according to my invention, Fig. 2 is cross section of same,
and Fig. 3 is end view shewing position of the gearing. A is framing of machine,
B main driving shaft, and C are a series of screw shafts caused to rotate all in one
direction by the spur wheels D, driven by wheel E, from the hand wheel T. The
screw shafts C are supported at each end by plates or discs F, having bosses G,
which are keyed or otherwise fastened to the central shaft H running the whole
length of the machine. I are a series of plates, similar to plates F, but in this case,
the said plates are not fastened to the central shaft H, but are capable of sliding
backwards and forwards thereon as hereinafter explained. In addition to these

page_text: plates having a central hole and boss J, they have also six holes and bosses K, so
as to pass over the screws C, but a boss in each of the said plates is tapped or
made with a nut so as to fit one of the screwed shafts in such manner, that when
the shafts rotate the plates will be made to move accordingly. The two outer
discs F are connected together by stays or rods L, upon which rods the warp is
wound, and in order to prevent one section of warp from becoming entangled with
the next section, I place flanges M to each plate I, and secure them thereto by
other plates N, bosses P, and bolts a.
It will therefore be seen that when rotary motion is given to the central shaft H,
that the series of discs will rotate and warp would be wound upon the rods L in
uniform sections between the flanges M, thereby preventing entanglement as at
present experienced.
When a different width of section is required to be wound, the flanges I and M
must be moved laterally, and to do this the screwed shafts are operated, which
causes the flanges I to travel on the said screws in either direction, according as
they are operated, but it will be obvious that if the flanges required to be one
eighth of an inch closer together, that whilst the first flange moved that distance
the second flange would have to move twice as far, the third flange three eighths
of an inch, and so on, each flange gaining one eighth, in order therefore to do this,
each screw is of a quicker pitch, the first screw being of a fine pitch, the second
coarser, and so on as will be easily understood.
To carry out this part of my invention I fasten a pinion wheel D on one or both
ends of each screw, all of which pinions are in gear with the central pinion E
placed loosely on the shaft H, therefore when it is desirable to operate the screws,
the wheel R is placed into gear with wheel E, and on the hand wheel T being
turned by the operative, the flanges are moved nearer to, or further from each other
as desired. A catch S is employed to lock the wheels D, so as to prevent them
rotating when the machine is at work.
In making a large machine, I may employ a central fixed disc, and arrange
those discs on each side of the central one to open out in opposite directions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. The employment of screws C of different pitch for causing the plates
to travel at different speeds and distances.
Secondly. The employment of flanges or discs such as I, or M, to open and
close by self-acting mechanism, for the purpose of winding different widths of
sections.
Thirdly. The general arrangement and construction of machine as herein shewn
and described for winding warp in sections.
Dated this 27th day of August 1886.