Improvements in Apparatus for Stretching Woven Fabrics.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application. 18th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stretching Woven Fabrics.
We JAMES WESTLEY and MARK JAMES PILLING of the Wellfield Brass and
Copper Works, Leyland, in the County of Lancaster, Brass-founders, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for stretching cloth in the direction from
selvedge to selvedge so as to increase its width as is now well understood and has
for its object to obtain a more regular effect across the full width of the fabric.
We employ a series of what we will term stretching wheels which are arranged to
stretch the cloth in opposite directions from the centre each having an increased
effect according as its position is more remote from the centre of the series. Each
wheel consists of a ring frame which revolves in or upon a carrier which is adjusted
at an angle with relation to the axis of rotation of all the wheels. Roller balls or
small wheels may be used to lessen friction between the ring frame and the carrier.
Each ring frame is provided with a number of sector stretching plates which are
grooved or adapted to take hold of the cloth.
Each sector is hinged to the ring frame so that the sector can assume the proper
position to receive the cloth. We prefer to employ controlling rods or parts which
keep the sectors about parallel with the axis of rotation as the sectors are carried
around as for example the sectors may be conned with rods or bars which extend
throughout the series and are carried around as the ring frame revolves the
connection with the rods or bars permitting of the movement of the sectors in
direction parallel with the axis of rotation.
In
The degree of inclination of the ring frame carriers can be varied and regulated
by means of a screw shaft which acts simultaneously upon all the carriers in the
series and cants them over in opposite directions from the centre of the series
the screw threads upon the shaft varying in pitch so that each carrier is canted or
inclined to a greater relative extent than the next carrier nearer the centre.
order to increase the range of adjustment we may employ two separate screw shafts
one having right hand threads and the other left hand threads the two shafts being
coupled together in the centre by means of a coupler having a sliding connection
with the shafts. When one shaft is turned all the carriers are adjusted.
Each screw shaft can be drawn outward end wise by means of a screw' which is
provided with a nut which is adapted to take hold of the screw shaft so that the
inclination of all the connected carriers can be uniformly increased in addition to
the variable inclination obtained by rotating the screw shafts. The method of
imparting end wise movement to the screw shafts may be varied.
Dated this 17th day of June 1892.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stretching Woven Fabrics..
We JAMES WESTLEY and MARK JAMES PILLING of the Wellfield Brass and
Copper Works, Leyland, in the County of Lancaster, Brass-founders, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
áccompanying drawings :-
-
Our invention relates to apparatus for stretching cloth in the direction from

page_text: selvedge to selvedge so as to increase its width as is now well understood and has
for its object to obtain a more regular effect across the full width of the fabric.
We employ a series of what we may term stretching wheels which combine
together so as to constitute a stretching roller and are arranged to stretch the cloth
in opposite directions from the centre of the combination. Each wheel consists of
a set of sector stretching plates which revolves around a part which we will term a
ring and which is adjusted at an angle with relation to the common axis of rotation
of what we have termed a roller. We employ controlling rods or parts which keep
the sectors about parallel with the axis of rotation as the sectors are carried around.
The degree of inclination of the said rings can be varied and regulated by means of
a screw shaft which acts simultaneously upon all the rings in the series and cants
them over in opposite directions from the centre of the series the screw threads
upon the shaft varying in pitch so that each ring is canted or inclined to a greater
relative extent than the next ring nearer the centre.
In order that the nature of our invention may be fully understood we will
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the said drawings
Fig. 1, represents a longitudinal section of part of a stretching roller constructed
in accordance with our invention and
Fig. 2, a cross section of the same.
In the said figs. a a are the stretching sectors and bb are the adjustable rings.
Each of the said rings is in the form of a plate having a ring-shaped edge which is
turned to a circular form in cross section.
A square shaft c passes through the centres of the rings and is secured in any
suitable manner to the framing of the machine to which the stretching apparatus
may be applied. The rings are all hinged to the said shaft so that they can be
canted into positions of varying angularity with relation to the common axis as
indicated in Fig. 1. In the example the hinge of each ring is formed in a separate
piece which is secured to the ring by means of screws or bolts as indicated on a
larger scale in Fig. 3. This piece b' is formed with an aperture to fit against two
sides of the square shaft and with lugs which are drilled to receive a hinge pin 62
which passes through the shaft on a line which coincides with the axis of rotation
of the roller. By forming the part in a separate piece the fulcrum upon which
the ring moves when being canted can be brought to coincide with the centre line
of the ring as in the drawing.
A vee groove is planed in one side of the square shaft and in this groove are
mounted to slide a number of nuts d d there being a nut for each ring. Each aut
is formed with a projection which engages with a pine which passes through lugs
upon the piece so that when the nut is slid in the vee groove the connected ring
is moved upon its fulcrum and is canted or inclined more or less with relation to
the common axis.
The said nuts are tapped or formed with internal screw threads to suit the
threads upon a screw shaft f which extends throughout the length of the combina-
tion and can be turned by means of a handle for by suitable means.
The pitch
of the screw threads varies, the pitch of the thread in each nut being greater
according as such nut is further removed from the centre line of the combination of
rings such centre line being indicated by the line A, B, in Fig. 1.
The roller illustrated would have ten of the rings band sixty of the stretching
sectors a one of the rings 6 with six connected stretching sectors constituting what
we have termed a stretching wheel.
Four of the rings do not appear in Fig. 1, for want of room in the drawing but
it will be understood that the parts to the right of the line A, B, would be dupli-
cates of the parts to the left. Supposing the pitch of the thread of the nut 1 on
each side of the line A, B, to be represented by one the pitch of the nut 2 might
be represented by two the pitch for nut 3 by three and so on the pitch of the outer-
most nut at each end of the series being in such a case five times that of each of
the nuts 1.

page_text: From this it will be seen that when the screw shaft is rotated the nuts will be
caused to travel at varying speeds and will cant over the rings to a varying
extent.
Supposing for example all the rings to be square with the axis at the commence-
ment by turning the screw shaft the rings would be caused to assume the different
angular positions represented in Fig. 1, and by the diagram Fig. 4, which indicates
the varying angles for the rings in the complete roller.
We do not confine ourselves to the regularly increasing inclination shown in the
drawings as it may be desirable in some cases to make the increase in the inclination
irregular.
For convenience of construction we form the screw shaft in lengths coupled
together so as to revolve together as if made in one piece. We may vary the
method of obtaining the differing angularity of the rings as for example we may
vary the distance between the hinge pin 62 and the centre of connection between
the nut and the ring either throughout the series of rings on either side of the
line A, B, or throughout part of the series. In the latter case the variation of
angularity would be obtained partly by the use of varying screws and partly by
varying the distance between the said two points.
It will be understood that to obtain the effect indicated in the diagram all the
screws on one side of the line A, B, must be "right hand" and all on the other side
" left hand."
Upon the square shaft are fixed three circular blocks 9 9 and upon these are
mounted to revolve metal rings hk, rollers i being interposed to reduce friction.
The three rings are connected together by means of six bars kk so that the
combination forms a cage or ring frame. In the example these bars are formed
with vee edges. Upon these bars are mounted to slide the sixty sector plates a.
These sectors are curved so that in combination they form a nearly continuous
cylindrical surface. The sectors are roughened or grooved or are covered with
card cloth or otherwise adapted to take a suitable hold upon the cloth to be
operated upon.
Each sector is provided with inwardly projecting fingers a¹ which
are planed to fit the vee edges of the bars so that the sector is held upon the bars
and at the same time is guided to move, in a straight line parallel with the axis of
the roller. The inner side of each sector is also provided with two antifriction
bowls or with studs, fingers or projections to take the places of such bowls.
The said bowls are at a distance apart suitable to the widths of the rings b b.
As hereinbefore stated the sectors are divided into sets of six and each set is
controlled by one of the rings 6 which enters between the pairs of bowls upon the
six sectors in the set as clearly indicated in the drawing. The effect of this con-
struction is that when the sectors are caused to revolve around the fixed rings by
rotating the ring frame hk the sectors will be caused to slide to and fro upon the
bar k.
On referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the sectors at the bottom of the fig.
are close together whereas at the top of the fig. they are widely separated. Thus
at each revolution of the roller a sector will slide away from the centre line A, B,
during one half of the revolution and will slide toward such line during the other
half. The parts are represented in Fig. 1, in the positions assumed when the
roller is adjusted to produce the maximum effect for which it is constructed but it
will be understood that by turning the screw shaft the effect can be reduced to
any desired extent the inclination of all the rings 6 being proportionately reduced.
The apparatus is intended to be used in the following described manner.
The roller being applied to a machine which is provided with means for drawing
forward the cloth to be operated upon and for guiding the same the cloth is brought
on to the roller and is drawn forward so as to be kept in contact with half of the
circumference of the roller or with a lesser portion of the surface as may be
preferred.
The roller is so applied as that the cloth is brought on to the roller at the part
where the sectors are near or close together and is taken off at the part where the

page_text: sectors are more separated or are at their greatest distance apart. The ring
frame his revolved by the passing cloth or is positively revolved by suitable
means the result being that the sections separating right and left from the centre
line A, B, stretch the cloth in both directions from the centre of its width or
thereabouts.
It will be seen that as each of the ten sectors in a line is acting to stretch the
cloth and as the sectors have the differential movements herein before described a
stretching effect which is regular or nearly uniform across the width of the cloth
is obtained.
We do not confine ourselves to the number of the rings nor of the sectors
controlled by each ring nor in other respects to the precise details of the apparatus
so long as the general effect is obtained by means substantially the same as herein
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
ticu and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1) The combination of parts constituting the roller or apparatus for stretching
woven fabrics substantially as set forth and indicated.
2) The rings hinged upon a fixed shaft, the right and left hand screws of
varying pitch, the nuts connected with the rings, and the sectors a, controlled by
the said rings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
3) The sectors or curved plates a fitted to slide upon a ring frame hk around
the rings 6 which are connected with screw nuts having threads of varying pitches
and the connected screws or screw shaft or shafts to suit the said nuts substantially
as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
4) In a "roller" for stretching woven fabrics curved plates mounted to slide
in directions to and from the centre of the length of the roller and controlled in
such sliding by rings or circular pieces which are hinged to a fixed central shaft or
bearer and are adapted to be canted to varying angles by means of right and left
hand screws of various pitches the canting of the rings increasing in proportion to
the remotenes of the rings from the said centre substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Dated this 17th day of March 1893.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.