IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BESTLING AND FINISHDING TEXTILE FABRICS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Brentnall, of Manchester, Merchant, and
John Smith Raworth, of Manchester, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BESTLING AND FINISHDING TEXTILE
FABRICS"
Sealed the 24th March 1876, and dated the 2nd October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Brentnall and
John Smith Raworth at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 2nd October 1875.
We, SAMUEL BRENTNALL, of Manchester, Merchant, and JOHN SMITH
RAWORTH, of Manchester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR BEETLING AND FINISHING
TEXTILE FABRICS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in certain improvements in machines known
in the trade as beetles," and in certain combinations with the beetle
of hot plates and rollers for the purpose of facilitating the process of
finishing.
In constructing our improved beetle, we propose to fix several batches
of cloth at one end of the machine on separate rollers, and similar
rollers at the other end of the machine to take up the cloth as it is

page_text: unwound from the first rollers; the cloth being beetled in its passage
from one set of rollers to the other set by passing under successive sets
of fallers, which fallers act upon as many folds of cloth at one time as
there are rollers at one end of the machine. Or we may attain the same
object by drawing the cloth off one roller only, and passing it several
times across the machine under the action of the fallers, and finally
batching it on a single roller. The width of each row of fallers is
slightly in excess of the width of cloth to be beetled, and every alternate
row breaks joint with the preceding row. Below each set of fallers we
fix an iron steam chest, having separate connections, so that one or all
of the chests may be heated according to the finish required.
We propose to lift the fallers by cranks and connecting rods with a
slotted cross head arranged to lift all the fallers in one set nearly
simultaneously, and running at such a speed that during the down
stroko the cross head will leave the fallers entirely to the action of:
gravity, assisted by the rebound from a recoil bar placed above, or we
may uso vibrating shafts and arms, or any of the common methods now
in use.
We propose to construct the fallers of wood or iron, with a snug of
india-rubber or leather on ono or both sides. After the cloth has passed:
under the fallers, we introduce a pair or series of rolls for imparting a
finish to the cloth and for regulating its speed in passing through the
machine.
We propose, finally, to take up the cloth on one or more cloth beams,
driven by friction at a higher surface speed than that of the rolls, so that
the pieces may be wrapped tight and at a uniform speed independent of
the varying diameter of the batch of cloth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Brentnall and John Smith Raworth in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st April 1876.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-nineth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
5 cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Samuel Brentnall and John
Smith Raworth, Her special license that we, the said Samuel Brentnall
and John Smith Raworth our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Samuel Brentnall and John Smith Raworth,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
O 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 MACHINES FOR BEETLING AND FINISHING TEXTILE
FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Samuel
Brentnall and John Smith Raworth, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands
and scals, 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 we, the said Samuel Brentnall and John Smith
Raworth, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our Invention consists in certain improvements in the machine
known as a "beetle," and in certain combinations with the "beetle "
of hot plates and rollers for the purpose of facilitating the process of
"finishing."
In constructing our improved "beetle," we fix several batches of
cloth at one end of the machine on separate rollers, and similar rollers
at the other end of the machine to take up the cloth as it is unwound
from the first rollers. The cloth is "beetled" in its passage from one
set of rollers to the other set by successive rows of fallers, arranged to
break joint with one another so that the cloth may be finished alike at
overy point. The motion of the cloth is controlled by rollers, either hot

page_text: times equal, and the ends of the shafts are supported sideways by the
slotted fixings 8, which also sustain them when the straps are thrown off
from falling more than one or two inches.
The motion of the batch rollers with the shafts and worms as described,
and of the rollers c³, c², is derived in the first instance from a pulley t
fixed on
the end of one of the crank shafts k.
In order to bring out the width of the cloth we fix a corrugated
plate under one or more sets of fallers, which has the effect of slightly
stretching the cloth at the moment of impact.
Having now described our Invention, and the method of carrying the
same into effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim,—
1st. The general arrangement and combination of successive rows of
fallers acting upon several thicknesses of cloth, passing from roller to
roller, over flat plates, hot or cold, and through rolls, hot or cold, as
described above and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
•
2nd. The use of cranks for lifting each row of fallers simultaneously
through the medium of connecting rods and cross heads, as shewn, or of
vibrating shafts and arms.
3rd. The use of a recoil bar for accelerating the down stroke of the
fallers.
4th. The use of a corrugated plate for slightly stretching the cloth
3rd. The use of a recoil bar for accelerating the now BROAD
fallers.
4th. The use of a corrugated plate for slightly stretching the cloth
under the action of the fallers.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Brentnall and John Smith
-
"
Raworth, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirtieth
day of March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
L
THOMAS BRENTNALL,
.19, Mosley Street,
Manchester."
(L.S.)
SAMUEL BRENTNALL.
JOHN SMITH RAWORTH. (L.S.)