IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LINT OR SIMILAR SUBSTANCES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Waithman, Esquire, of Bentham
House, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LINT OR SIMILAR
SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 5th October 1855, and dated the 7th April 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William Waithman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th April 1855.
I, ROBERT WILLIAM WAITHMAN, Esquire, of Bentham House, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LINT OR SIMILAR
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in a manner of imparting to the knife, and
cushion or bed upon which it presses, a combined to and fro motion, by means
of cams or other similar contrivances.
Secondly, in forming or constructing the cushion or bed of a series of
adjustable springs contiguous to each other, fixed laterally upon a suitable
framing, with an upper surface of leather or other suitable substance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert William Waithman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WILLIAM WAITHMAN, Esquire, of Bentham House, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert William Waithman, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
William Waithman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Robert William Waithman, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
LINT OR SIMILAR SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Robert William Waithman, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert William Waithman, 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 by the
following statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists, firstly, in improved modes or methods of imparting
to the knife, and cushion or bed upon which it presses, a combined to and fro
motion, by means of cams or other similar contrivances.
Secondly, in forming or constructing the cushion or bed of a series of
adjustable springs contiguous to each other, fixed laterally upon a suitable
framing, with an upper surface of leather or other suitable substance, which
Invention will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, in which the same letters of reference are used to represent the
same parts in all the Figures from 1 to 9.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a plan of
the same; Fig. 3, a transverse section thereof; and Figs. 4 and 5 are end views.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the under side of some of the springs attached to part
of a frame; Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same, with the addition of
the leather cushion. These views, Figs. 6 & 7, are full-sized dimensions.
Figs. 8 and 9 are detached views of the principal working parts of the above.
Figs. 10, 11, and 12 are transverse sections of other arrangements of machinery
for producing the same result.
a represents the main framing of the machine; b, the driving shaft; c, the
fast and loose pulleys; d, d, are vibrating frames working upon their centres
e, e. Fixed to the shaft is a cam or eccentric f, which in its revolution
comes in contact with the friction rollers g, g, thereby giving a to and fro
motion to the vibrating frames d, d, to the upper parts of which are fixed the
pivots h, h, upon which the frame i vibrates, which action is obtained by the
cam k in its revolution coming in contact with the lever l, working on its
fulcrum m. To the lever one end of the connecting rod n is attached, having
its other end connected to the pin or centre o, fixed to the frame i, to which
the knife p is made fast. To the frames d, d, is connected a frame g, to the
under side of which are fixed a number of springs r, fixed to the frame q by
the screws s and t. Upon the loose ends of the spring a leather cushion u
is placed. The force with which the knife p is made to press upon the saine
is adjusted by the screw and nut upon the rod w, acting upon the spring &
upon the frame i. a¹ is a cylinder of wood furnished with pins, to which a
slow motion is given from the driving shaft b by means of worms and worm
wheels b. To the opposite end of the cylinder a¹ is fixed a pulley c', which
gives motion by means of a belt d¹ to the pulley e¹, communicating motion to
the friction roller f¹, above which is a presser roller g¹. is the roller upon
which is placed the material k¹ to be operated upon; passing from thence
under the guide roller it is held by the pins upon tho cylinder a', passing to
the friction roller f' and presser roller g', between the knife p and cushion u,
to the taking-up roller m', the motion to which is given by the friction of the
material upon the friction roller f¹.
The action of the machine, illustrated by the Figs. 1 to 9, is as follows:-
The supply of material to be acted upon is placed upon the roller h¹, and the
loose end carried to the taking-up roller m³, thereby placing it between the
knife and cushion. The driving shaft being put in motion, turns with it
the eccentric f, cam k, and worm b¹. The eccentric f as it revolves comes in
contact with the friction rollers g, g, giving a to and fro motion to the frames d,

page_text: and with them the frame i, knife p, frame q, with the springs r, and cushion u.
The other vibratory movement of the knife is obtained from the cam k. This
simultaneous combined action of the knife and cushion operating upon the
material as it passes onwards forms it into lint, which by the action of the
friction roller f¹ is coiled upon the roller m¹. The springs under the cushion
by their elasticity perform a very important part, and being in a series each
furnished with an adjusting screw, the cushion can be so tempered to the
pressure of the knife as to prevent the material being cut through and
spoiled.
In Fig. 10 I shew the cushion and knife placed in reverse positions to those
before described, the knife p being under the material k¹, and attached to a
cross frame fixed to the frames d. The frame q, holding the cushion with its
adjusting springs, is fixed to the vibrating frame i. Thus the knife
P has the
simple motion of the frame d, and the cushion u the compound motion of
the frame d and the frame i, producing upon the material submitted to their
joint action the same results as in the machine before described.
In the section, Fig. 11, is shewn a modification, in which the frames holding
the cushion and knife have given to them a compound to and fro motion upon
beds, instead of vibrating as those before described. y is a bearing for the
driving shaft b, to which the cam and eccentric f are made fast. The
vibrating frame i and cushion frame q are connected, and move upon the
beds. The cam raises the frame i off the cushion by pressing the under
side of a lug or catch n¹. The to and fro motion is obtained by connecting
the rod o' to the eccentric f and pin p¹. In Fig. 12 the operations are
similar to those last described, but the positions of the knife and cushion
are reversed, the knife being placed under the material, and the cushion
above it.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from the
principle thereof; but I claim,-
Firstly, the improved modes or methods of imparting to the knife, and
cushion or bed upon which it presses, a combined to and fro motion, by means
of cams or other similar contrivances.
Secondly, the formation or construction of the cushion or bed of a series of
adjustable springs, contiguous to each other, fixed laterally upon a suitable
framing, with an upper surface of leather or other suitable substance, as such

page_text: improvements are herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, or any modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Waithman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five.
ROB W WAITHMAN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named
Robert William Waithman, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.