An Improved Tool for Seizing Fibres and other Objects of Small Diameter.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 11th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 15th June, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Tool for Seizing Fibres and other Objects of Small
Diameter.
I CAMILLE CHARPENTIER, of 28 Rue Delambre, Paris, France Mechanician, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My Invention relates to an improved tool or implement for seizing objects of small
diameter such as animal or vegetable horsehair, metal wire, beads, etc.
The tool may, for example, be used for seizing one or more hairs, fibres, or wires
from a bundle, for the purpose of drawing them out from the mass, or for taking
up one or more small round objects from a number, such as lead grains, beads, etc.
My Invention which consists more particularly in the construction of the jaws of
the tool, is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein
figure 1 represents an olevation of a tool for seizing a single fibre or other object,
and figure 2 a longitudinal central section of same. Figure 3 is an inner face
view of the lower jaw, and figure 4 is an inner face view of the upper jaw. Figure 5
shews a modified arrangement of the lower jaw adapted for seizing several fibres or
other objects at a time.
The same letters of reference represent the same parts in all the figures.
The nipper (figures 1 to 4) consists essentially of two jaws a b bearing the studs or
nipping surfaces c d. The upper stud c is of truncated conical form and hollowed
or perforated at the centre, and the lower stud d is of conical form flattened at top.
The jaws may be operated in any suitable manner, and in the example shewn, the
jaw a is mounted on a stem e sliding in a tubular sheath or handle to which the
lower jaw b is fixed. A spiral spring a surrounds the stem e so that on pressing
the button on the end of said stem, the jaws of the nipper will be separated and on
releasing the button the spring 9 will immediately close the jaws. The jaws may also
be made to open and close by rotating upon a common axis instead of having a
parallel motion, as shewn. Thus, by opening the jaws and thrusting the tool into
a bundle of fibres, such as horsehair for example, and then allowing the jaws to close
together, the flattened conical stud d will enter the hollow or perforation in stud c

page_text: and imprison a fibre between the two, which can be then withdrawn from the mass.
If it is desired to extract several fibres at a time, the stud d would be replaced by
one having a rounded head, as shewn at i figure 5.
This improved tool which may be mounted on any kind of machine and operated
automatically, is more particularly useful in the manufacture of horse hair fabrics,
as it permits of dispensing with the services of an attendant who usually supplies the
material to the weaver. Moreover, by mounting the nipper upon the loom, so as to
render it self-acting by the aid of suitable mechanism, the weaving of all kinds of
horsehair fabrics entirely by mechanical means, which has never hitherto been
attained, can be practically realized.
The form and dimensions of the several parts of the tool may be varied, as well as
the material of which it is made, according to requirements.
Dated this 12th day of August 1887.
C.
CHARPENTIER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane,
Patent Agents.

page_text: I, CAMILLE CHARPENTIER, of 28, Rue Delambre, Paris, France, Mechanician,
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 :-
My Invention relates to an improved tool or implement for seizing objects of small
diameter, as for example for drawing out one or more hairs, fibres, or wires from a
bundle, or for taking up one or more small round objects, such as shot, beads, etc.,
from a máss.
My Invention which consists more particularly in the construction of the jaws of
the tool, is illustrated by way of example in the drawing left with my provisional
specification and also in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 represents an
elevation of a tool for seizing a single hair, fibre, or other object; and figure 2 a
longitudinal central section of same. Figure is an inner face view of the lower
jaw; and figure 4 is an inner face view of the upper jaw. Figure 5 shews a modified
arrangement of the lower jaw adapted for seizing several fibres or other objects at a
time. The same letters of reference represent the same parts in all these figures.
The nipper (figures 1 to 4) consists essentially of two jaws a b, the nipping portions
of which are in the form of conical studs c d, the stud c being hollowed or perforated
at the centre and the stud d having a blunt point. The jaws may be operated in
any suitable manner; and in the example, the jaw a is carried by a stem e sliding
through the hollow stem f to which the jaw b is fixed. A spiral spring g, confined
between an abutment and a collar on the stem e, tends to close the jaws which are
opened by pressing the head on the end of the stem e towards the head on the end of
the hollow stem f. The jaws may also be made to open and close by being hinged
together.
It will be readily understood that by opening the jaws and thrusting the tool into
a bundle of fibres, such as horsehair for example, and then allowing the jaws to close
together, a fibre will be seized between the blunt point of stud d and the hollow or
perforated point of stud c, and may then be withdrawn from the mass. If it is
desired to extract several fibres at a time, the stud d would be replaced by one having
a rounded head, as shewn at i figure 5.
This improved tool which may be mounted on any kind of machine and operated
automatically, is more particularly useful as a selector in the weaving of horse hair
fabrics and by actuating the selector by the mechanism of the loom, the mechanical
weaving of horsehair fabrics may be effected; the form and dimensions of the parts
of the tool being varied according to requirements.
In order to facilitate the adjustment and operation of the nipping studs and enable
them to be readily changed according as it is desired to seize one or several hairs or

page_text: fibres at a time, the tool is provided with the improvements illustrated in figures 6, 7,
8, and 9, which represent respectively a front and side view and sections, on a larger
scale, of the tool in the open and closed positions.
The nipper studs ab are formed on the ends of screws c screwing through the jaws, so
that they may be readily adjusted and replaced by others. The mode of operating the
nipper jaws illustrated in these figures, is more especially adapted for use when the
jaws are to be actuated mechanically as in a loom. The jaws e resemble the limbs of
a tuning fork being in one with a shank d. They are sprung apart in order to
separate the nipping studs, by means of a cross-head f carried by a rod g, and acting
as a wedge between the inclined inner faces of the jaws, so that by moving the cross-
head in the direction of the arrow a the jaws are separated, as shewn in figure 9, in
readiness for insertion into the bundle of hair or fibres. By moving the cross-head
in the opposite direction (arrow y) the jaws close by their elasticity in order that the
nippers ab may seize a hair or fibre. The jaws are slightly recessed at i i to receive
the cross-head when the jaws are expanded, and prevent it slipping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1st. A nipping tool having movable jaws provided the one with a truncated conical
stud having a central hollow or perforation, and the other a blunt conical stud,
substantially as described and represented in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, of the drawings, for
the purpose specified.
2nd. A nipping tool having movable jaws provided the one with a truncated conical
stud having a central hollow or perforation and the other with a stud having a rounded
head, substantially as described and illustrated in figure 5 of the drawings, for the
purpose specified.
3rd. The employment of the tools hereinbefore described, for the purpose of
extracting or detaching one or more fibres at a time from a bundle, or for removing
one or more round objects of small diameter from a mass, and more particularly its
application to looms for weaving horsehair, substantially in the manner before
explained.
4th. Mounting the nipping studs on the ends of screws cc received in the jaws, as
described and shewn in figures 8 and 9, to enable them to be adjusted or replaced.
5th. A nipper, having spring jaws and screw nipping studs in combination with a
wedge or cross-head working between them, as herein before described with reference
to figures 6 to 9 for the purpose specified.