IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 68, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Joseph Imbs, of 17, Boulevart Saint
Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 8th June 1869, and dated the 1st January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st January 1869.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS,"
communicated to me from abroad by Joseph Imbs, of 17, Boulevart
Saint Martin, Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This improved machinery or apparatus is chiefly applicable to the
combing of fibrous materials of short and medium lengths.

page_text: The principle.of construction will be best understood by the following
explanation:-Suppose there be two pairs of rollers, each pair consisting
of an upper and an under roller, the under rollers being driven by a
steam engine or other prime mover, and the upper acting as pressure
rollers working by friction, and that two combs pass through fibrous
material lying between the pairs of rollers; now if one pair of rollers
revolve while the other pair remain stationary the first or moving pair
will sieze the fibrous materials and draw them through the combs. If,
when the rollers begin to move, the ends of the filaments have not
attained the point of contact between the rollers of the second pair, or if
the upper roller of the second pair were not pressed down upon the
lower roller of such pair, but allowed the filaments to pass freely towards
the first pair of rollers, and if the rollers continued working until the ends
of the filaments were drawn quite from between the first pair of rollers
all the filaments which the first pair had not laid hold of or drawn out
will remain between the rollers. If at the same time or immediately
afterwards the upper roller of the second pair were pressed down on the
lower roller, and both rollers received rotary motion in an opposite
direction to the first pair, so as to produce a back or return motion, they
will lay hold of the filaments and force them through the combs until
their ends.reach a point beyond one comb, while the short filaments
which were not at first pressed by the rollers will remain on the combs.
If the rollers were then to stop, and at the same time the combs were
depressed and left the space free between the pairs of rollers, and at the
same time the second pair of rollers, take a set of filaments, then if rotary
motion be imparted to this pair of rollers towards the first pair, they
will lay hold of the whole sliver and push it forward; and if this motion
is continued till the ends of the filaments are caught between the first
pair, and if thereupon the first pair receive motion similar to that of the
second pair, the latter also continuing at work, the ends of the filaments
will be drawn between the rollers, and if the rollers be then stopped, and
the combs, having been previously cleared of the short fibres which
stuck on them were again raised, they would engage in the centre of
the fibres, and if the outer end of the filaments be pushed forward, first
after its back motion and then after its forward motion for a space less
than the space between the two combs, one comb will pass through the
combed portion of the sliver, whereas the other comb will pass through
a fresh portion thereof, so that if the above motions be repeated the first

page_text: pair of rollers will comb the back end of the sliver, whereof the front
end has been already combed by the second pair, and tho second. pair
will comb the front end of a fresh batch of filaments separated from the
remainder of the sliver. Instead of the second set of rollers a pair of
nippers may be used, and instead of the first set of rollers there may be
a single roller acting on a clutch or cylinder sliding on a fixed surface,
or there may be another set of nippers instead of such rollers.
1
In a machine constructed for carrying this principle of construction
into practical effect a grooved roller works on a plate flat at top and having
a rounded bevel at bottom; over this plate passes a band drawn forward
by a pair of fluted rollers, and against which the first roller is pressed by
lovers, being turned by its frictional contact with the band. This arrange
ment regulates the distance between the combs.. The nippers or feed
apparatus consist of a grooved bar. placed on another picce. This draws
the end of the filaments through. the combs, and in its return motion it is
closed and pressed together by springs, when the combs are depressed
(the nippers remaining still closed), carries with it an end of the combed
material, and again advances up to the first roller and. bevelled pieca,
which turns partially, and the combed end of the filaments is caught by
the roller. The roller then stops, the feed jaw opens at the same time
and moves back, leaving the fleece or lap stationary, and it then. closes,
.but is not pressed tightly. The combs again riso, pass through the
fleece, and at the same time the first fluted roller and the band draw
those filaments whose combed ends they have laid hold of through-the
.combs. The feed jaw is then tightened by the springs and moves back
_as before, forcing those filaments which it has laid hold of through the
combs, and so on cams produce the to-and-fro and the up-and-down
motions of the feeding jaw, and a cam also produces the up-and-down
motion of the combs, and keeps them at rest in the required position.
Cams and toothed pinions may work the fluted rollers. For doffing the
fibres from the combs an endless band, preferably made of coarse cloth or
woollon velvet, and passing over a pair of rollers, is kept in contact with
the combs by another roller. A fourth roller with a ratchet regulates
the motion of the band. When the combs are depressed, one comb
coming in contact with the band deposits its fibres thereon; when. the
combs rise a spring on the cam framo rising also works the ratchet,
which causes the band to move forward with the filaments thereon, and

page_text: these are removed by another doffing comb having a reciprocating
motion. The combs may be slightly sloped towards the doffing roller.
The ratchet may be worked by a pawl or catch actuated by the axis of
the doffing comb, which vibrates once for each rotation of the combing
contrivance. For the purpose of consolidating the slivers a band is used
on which the comb slivers are placed at regular intervals apart. At the
front of the band and in contact therewith is a circular brush, which is
put in connection by toothed wheels with a roller. On the pressure
roller is a belt which alsó passes round a tension roller which is on or
acts on the brush. The roller, belt, and brush work together and the
filaments pass on to the brush. In front of the brush is an urchin with
bent teeth resembling the round combs used in wool drawing machines,
or it
may be a roller covered with card fillets. The hairs of the brush
pass a little way into the teeth of the urchin. This urchin has an
alternating rotary motion turning partly round and returning in an
opposite direction, but a less distance. The difference between the two
arcs or paths is a fraction of the length of the sliver. A similar motion
takes place for each revolution of the combing machine, that is to say,
for each sliver. The forward motion takes place when the brush, rollers,
and band are moving when engaged in withdrawing the sliver from the
combs; the back motion takes place when the brush, roller, and band
are at rest. The speed of the urchin in this motion is equal to or a little
less than that of the brush, hence in the forward motion the sliver
nearest on the brush is left on the urchin, and in the back motion the
friction between the brush and the slope of the teeth drives the filaments
left on the urchin home into its teeth; and moreover the slivers are
deposited on the urchin at intervals, controlled by the lead of the forward
motion over that of the back motion, and the slivers being thus driven
into the teeth of the urchin are pressed close together and "consoli-
dated." The urchin is worked by an excentric stud working a lever
carrying another cam. 'On the urchin is a disc having a number of
notches on the rim. As the cam takes one position the cam on the
lever enters a notch on the disc, and the end of the lever bears on a
fixed but adjustable stud. When the eccentric stud passes to the next
point the lever, resting on the adjustable stud, the cam is raised and
leaves the notch. The eccentric stud continuing to turn the lever ceases
to rest on the adjustablé stud, and the lover cam engaging in another
notch moves the disc forward and brings it back till the second notch

page_text: comes to the place in which the first notch was before; the stud moves,
the cam rises and passes into another notch, and so on. To prevent the
slivers on the band from becoming disturbed and entangled they are
kept in place by one or more rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the
said Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Michael Henry, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUB FOR
COMBING FIBROUS MATERIALS," communicated to me from abroad by Joseph
Imbs, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry, 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 Michael Henry, 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

page_text: by the following statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures
maiked thereon, that is to say:-
This improved machinery or apparatus is especially applicable to the
combing of fibrous materials of short and medium lengths. The most
important of such materials arc medium lengths of cotton and wool.
The principle of construction will be best understood from the
following preliminary explanation:-Suppose there be two pairs of
rollers A, A, B, B', Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 3, each pair consisting of an
upper and under roller, the under rollers A, B, being driven by a steam
engine or other prime mover, and the upper rollers A', B', acting as
pressure rollers working by friction, and suppose that between the pairs
of rollers there be two combs P, P', passing through a sliver lap or hank
of fibrous material R passed between the rollers. Now if one pair of
rollers revolve while the other pair B, B', remain stationary, the
revolving pair A, A', will seize tho fibrous materials and readily draw
them through the teeth of the combs, provided that when the rollers
A, A', begin to move the ends of the filaments shall not have reached
the point of contact between the cylinders B, B', as these would otherwise
have held them, or if the roller B' were not pressed down at that moment
upon the roller B but just rested thereon so as to allow the filaments
beyond the point of contact to pass freely towards (when drawn by) the
pair of rollers A, A'. If the rollers A, A', continue working until the
ends of the filaments were drawn quite from between them all the
filaments which that pair had laid hold of or drawn out will remain
between the pairs of rollers. If at the same time or immediately after-
wards the rollers B, B', were pressed down on the roller B, and both
rollers B, B', receive rotary motion in an opposite direction to that of
the rollers A, A', so as to produce a back motion, they would readily
lay hold of the filaments on which they would exert pressure in this
action and force them through the combs until their ends reached a
point beyond one comb P, while the short filaments which were not at
first pressed by the rollers will remain on the combs. If the rollers
were then to stop, and at the same time the combs P, P', on which the
short filaments remained were depressed and left the space free between
the pair of rollers, and at the same time the second pair of rollers B, B',
hold a set of filaments previously penetrated; then if rotary motion be

page_text: imparted to this pair of rollers B, B', in a direction towards the pair
A, A', they will lay hold of the whole sliver R and draw it forward, and
if this motion is continued till the end 2 of the filaments is caught
between the pair of rollers A, A', at their angle of contact, and if
thereon that pair receive motion similar to that of the rollers B,.B', tho
latter also continuing at work the ends P of the filaments will be drawn
and caught between the rollers, and if the rollers A, A', be then stopped
and the combs P, P', having been previously cleared of the short fibres
which stuck on them were again raised their teeth would engage in the
centre of the sliver of fibres, and if the outer end of the sliver be
moved forward first after its back motion and then after its forward
motion for a space less than the space between the two combs, the
comb P' will pass through the portion of the sliver already combed;
whereas the other comb P. will pass through a fresh portion thereof, so
that if all the above motions be repeated the pair of rollers A; A', will
comb the back end of the sliver, whereof the front end has been already
combed, and one pair will effect thé combing of the front end of.a fresh
batch of filaments, and so on, the rollers A, A', feeding each time. a
combed sliver separated from the remainder of the sliver.
"
Now this principle of construction is adopted in the improved
machinery about to be described with the following modifications in
constructive practice. Instead of the feed rollers B, B', a feed nipping
contrivance is used, and instead of the rollors A, A', a single roller acts
on a clutch or cylinder sliding on a fixed surface, or there may be
another set of nippers instead of such rollers.
I proceed to describe, with reference to the Drawings, a machino
constructed according to the Invention.
Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, aro longitudinal sections of the apparatus
constructed according to the Invention.
:
Description of Figure 3.-This Figure shows the portion of the appa-
ratus in which the combing operation, properly so called, is performed.
B is a cast-iron block, the upper surface of which is flat and the lower
surface forms a rounded bevel; over this piece B passes an endless
leather band I caused to move by means of grooved rollers K, K'. At
the edge of the block B is a small grooved roller c, which is pressed down
upon the band I by pressure levers L, L. This cylinder is caused to
revolvo by the band I. By means of this applianco the point of con

page_text: tact P of the comb P¹ is adjusted as required. R is the feed apparatus
or nipping appliance, which consists of a grooved bar R placed over a
bar Q covered with leather. The sliver lies between the bars R, Q,
and this feeding appliance draws the end of the sliver through the
combs P, P', as it moves back the appliance is closed, that is to say,
the parts Q, R, of the feeder are forced together by means of springs p,p,
when the combs are depressed the feeder remains closed, and having in
it the combed end of the sliver moves forward till it come up to the
block B and cylinder c, thereupon the cylinder c turns a little and
catches under itself a certain quantity of the sliver. The cylinder c then
stops, the feeder opens at the same time and moves back, leaving the
sliver stationary; it then returns to the position shown in the Drawing,
in which though closed it does not exert pressure. The combs rise
again and pass through and through the fleece, and at the same time the
rollers K', K, being caused to move the roller c and the band I, between
which the combed end of the sliver is caught draw it through the combs.
The adjacent ends of the parts of the feeder Q, R, are then presseḍ
tightly together by means of the springs, and the feeder moves back as
before, forcing those filaments which it has laid hold of through the teeth
of the combs; the same motions are again repeated in the same order,
and so forth. O' and O', 'are shafts which are caused to revolve at the
same time, each making one revolution for each motion of the machine.
E is a çam on the shaft o³, which imparts the required to-and-fro or hori-
zontal reciprocating travel or traverse to the feeder Q, R; E' is a cam on
the shaft O', which produces the up-and-down motion of the feeder,
for which purpose the cam acts on the rods T, which raise and lower a
frame G to which the bar R is attached; E³ is a cam which lowers, raises,
and stops the combs; M is a wheel toothed at intervals, and which is in
gear with a toothed pinion keyed on the axis of the roller K, so as to im-
part intermittent motion to this roller and to the clutch and the cylinder c.
Description of Figure 4.-This Figure shows the portion of the
apparatus for doffing or clearing the fibres from the combs. T is an
endless band travelling over two tension rollers R, R. The band T
should be made of coarse canvas or woollen velvet or similar material;
the roller R keeps it in working contact with the comb P. The roller R',
which is of larger diameter, moves the band; on the axis of this roller R'
is a ratchet wheel R. X is a spring on the frame of the cam E³, which

page_text: is the cam that works the combs. When the combs descend the comb P
ás it comes under the band T deposits on the lower part thereof the
filaments which it carries. As the combs rise the spring X rising also
moves the ratchet wheel and thereby moves the band T with the
filaments deposited thereon. Another comb mounted on an axis o
and having an alternating or vibrating motion removes these filaments
from the band as fast as they are presented to it. The combs may be
slightly sloped towards the left, that is towards the doffer, in order that
the doffing operation may be more completely effected; this is not
shown in the Drawing, but it is readily understood. The combs move up
and down vertically, but they are slightly inclined, so that the doffer
may be regulated in such manner as to cause the points of the teeth of
the comb to come in frictional contact with the band T, but the-stem's
of the comb do not come in contact therewith. The ratchet r is worked
by a pawl or driver
axis o. The comb
actuated by a lever or connecting rod m on the
and the axis o perform one vibration for each
revolution of the combing appliance, and I can at the same time producé
the motion of the band T at pleasure while the combs rise and fall.
:
Description of Figure 5.-Figure 5 shows the part of the machine in
which the slivers are consolidated. In this Figure T is the endless band
on which the combed slivers are laid at regular intervals; B is a circular
rotary brush placed in front of the band T and revolving in frictional
contact therewith; this circular brush B rovolves in the direction of the
arrow, and its motion is connected with that of the roller O by means
of toothed gearing. C' is a pressure roller pressing on the band T; mis
a leather band passing round this roller C', and also round a roller P
which bears on the brush B. When the roller C works the band m and
the brush B also move, describing equal arcs or circumferential paths,
and the slivers pass over the brush B. In front of the brush B is an
urchin or toothed roller H having inclined teeth. It is constructed like
those circular combs used in machines for drawing combed wool, or it
may be like a carding roller, that is to say, a cylinder having card teeth
on its periphery. The hairs of the brush enter to a little depth into the
teeth of the urchin; this urchin has a peculiar alternating rotary motion
turning partly round in the direction of the arrow and returning in an
opposite direction, but to a less distance. The difference the two
arcs or paths measured on the circumference of the urchin is a
fraction of the length of the sliver. A similar motion takes place at

page_text: rests on the band; or, and this is preferred, a set of three or four rollers
are used for this purpose, being properly guided or controlled in their
motion and placed very near to each other from the roller c to the
roller O'.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim the
machinery or apparatus for combing fibrous materials, in so far as
regards the arrangement and combination of parts of which the same
consists, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
ERNEST DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street,
London, E.O.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)