Improvements in Expanding and other Combs Used in Warping Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1896-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Expanding and other Combs Used in Warping
Machines.
I HENRY TETLOW of Varley Street, Miles Platting, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Heald and Wire Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates chiefly to the expanding combs of warping mechanism
although it is also applicable to the fixed combs used in such apparatus. The
teeth or dents of such warping combs are made of thin flat strips of metal, the
spaces between the teeth being in the case of expanding combs always greater than
the thickness of the teeth. The consequence is that the yarns passing between the
teeth rarely occupy the exact centre of the space but usually cling to one or the
other of the side teeth. The consequence is that the yarns are unequally spaced
and become irregularly wound on the beam.
To obviate these defects and to make sure that the yarns shall be positively
maintained an equal distance apart, I arrange or incline or bend the teeth of the
comb at the part where the yarns pass through, so as to throw them at an angle to
the path of the yarns something like the louvres of a Venetian blind. The result
is that the yarns as they pass between are parted by the inclined teeth of the
comb and are positively maintained at an equal pitch so that unequal and irregular
winding and tension are done away with. To allow of the yarn being easily placed
between the teeth, I prefer to straighten the teeth at the top so that they lie in
line with the path of the yarn and present no difficulty in dropping the yarns
between the teeth, such as would exist if the teeth were carried up to the top in
their angular position.
My improved form and arrangement of inclined or angular teeth may be used in
an expanding or in a fixed comb. When used in an expanding comb the tails of
the teeth pass between the expanding coils in the usual manner, or otherwise the
dents are moved or operated so as to vary the pitch apart of the yarns, the yarns
in all cases being held an equal distance apart. As the sections and sizes of the
teeth remain unchanged, my improved teeth can with the greatest ease be applied
to expanding combs at present in use. By a modification and in order to produce
dents which will fulfil the aforesaid equal spacing functions I might bend the metal
strip upon itself and expand the said double strip or dent at the part where the
yarns pass through the comb so as to confine the respective yarns and equalise the.
pitch.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Expanding and other Combs Used in Warping
Machines.
I HENRY TETLOW of Varley Street, Miles Platting, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Heald and Wire Manufacturer, 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 accompanying
drawings:-
My said invention relates chiefly to the expanding combs of warping mechanism
although it is also applicable to the fixed combs used in such apparatus.
The nature of my said invention and the distinction which exists between combs
of the ordinary construction and my improved comb will be more easily under-
stood by a reference to the annexed sheet of drawings.
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the construction and defects of the ordinary comb.
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the construction and advantages of my improved comb.
Fig. 5 shows a modification of my invention.
Referring in the first place to the front or edge view Fig. 1 and to the sectional
plan view Fig. 2 which illustrate the present or well known form of comb teeth, it
will be seen that the teeth of such ordinary combs are made of thin flat strips of
metal a carried in the backing 6 which contains the usual spring expanding
mechanism. This expanding mechanism is so common and well known that it is
not necessary to show or describe it. Suffice it to say that by this well known
expanding mechanism the teeth a of the comb are spread further apart or brought
closer together at will by operating a screw. But in any case and at any pitch the
spaces between the teeth are always greater than the thickness of the teeth or the
bulk of the yarn. The consequence is that the yarns (which are represented by
the dotted lines c) as they pass between the teeth rarely occupy the exact centre
of the spaces between the teeth, but often cling or tend to adhere to one or other
of the side teeth as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The result is that
the yarns are unequally spaced. For instance the spaces 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in
Fig. 2 are all unequal so that the yarns a are wound unequally and irregularly
upon the beam.
My invention is for the purpose of obviating these defects and for making sure
that the yarns shall be positively maintained an equal distance apart and so wound
regularly and evenly upon the beam. To this end I arrange or incline or bend
the teeth of the comb at the part where the yarns pass through, so as to throw the
teeth at an angle to the path of the yarns something like the louvres of a Venetian
blind. This improved construction is illustrated by the front elevation Fig. 3 and
the sectional plan Fig. 4, the section Fig. 4 being taken at the line X Y Fig. 3.
The teeth a instead of being straight and in the same plane throughout their
length as in Figs. 1 and 2, are according to my improvement, bent at a¹ so as to
throw the teeth at an angle relatively to the path of the yarns as clearly shown
in Fig. 4. The result is that the yarns as they pass between the teeth are more
closely confined by the two opposite edges of the adjacent inclined teeth a¹ and
are positively maintained at an equal pitch. For example it will be seen that
the spaces 8 to 13 in Fig. 4 are all equal instead of being unequal as in the
case of the spaces 1 to 7 in Fig. 2. Thus unequal and irregular winding and
the consequent unequal teusion are done away with.
To allow of the yarn being easily placed between the teeth I prefer to
preserve the teeth a straight at the top as shown in Fig. 3, so that they lie in
line with the path of the yarn and present no difficulty in dropping the yarns
between the teeth, such as would exist if the teeth were carried up to the top
in their angular position.

page_text: My improved angular teeth might be used either in a fixed or expanding
comb. The extensions or tails of the teeth pass between the spring coils of the
usual and ordinary expanding mechanism contained in the backing or foundation b,.
or the teeth might be expanded by any other suitable means for varying their
pitch apart. As the extensions and sizes of the teeth at the points where they
engage with the expanding mechanism remain the same, my improved teeth
can with the greatest ease be applied to existing combs at present in use.
The object of my invention might also be obtained by using the modified
form of tooth shown in Fig. 5.
In this case I bent or fold the strip of metal a upon itself and expand the
said doubled strip or tooth at a¹ where the yarns pass between.
The spaces x
between the respective teeth are thus restricted so as to confine the yarns to
the fixed pitch apart and thus equalise the winding on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,
1. Forming the teeth of expanding and fixed combs used in warping machines,
with bent or inclined portions at the parts where the yarns pass between, so as
to limit the spaces occupied by the yarns and secure greater regularity and
equality of pitch in winding on substantially as described and shown.
2. Forming the teeth of expanding or fixed combs used in warping machines
with bent or inclined portions at the parts where the yarns pass between so as
to limit the spaces occupied by the yarns and secure greater equality of pitch,
the upper ends of the teeth being made straight to facilitate the entry of the
yarns between the teeth substantially as described and shown.
3. Forming the teeth of expanding or fixed combs from a double strip of
metal expanded at the part where the yarns pass so as to limit the spaces
occupied by the yarns and thus secure greater equality of pitch between the
same, substantially as described and shown.
Dated the 20th day of February 1896.