IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HECKLING AND DRAWING HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBRE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Washington Pittman, of Dartmouth, in
the Province of Nova Scotia and Dominion of Canada, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HECKLING AND DRAWING
HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBRE.”
Sealed the 5th December 1871, and dated the 5th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Washington
Pittman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th October 1871.
I, GEORGE WASHINGTON PITTMAN, of Dartmouth, in the Province of
Nova Scotia and Dominion of Canada, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES POR HECKLING AND
DRAWING HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBRE," to be as follows:-
This Invention is for opening, combing, straightening, and heckling
hemp, flax, and similar fibre, and is especially adapted to the preparation
of fibre for rope machinery, by delivering such fibre in a continuous
sliver or roving of great uniformity.

page_text: The principal feature of this Invention consists of a comb cylinder for
transferring the fibre in stricks from a series of teeth or combs to a
second series of teeth or combs, and simultaneously straightening the
fibre and equalizing the material as delivered.
The fibre is supplied through a pair of feeding rollers to the surface of 5
a cylinder or endless belt of combs or gill bar teeth; these open, comb,
and separate the fibre as heretofore usual in machines of this class.
"
The comb cylinder is provided with teeth in groups or sections at a
distance apart greater than the length of the fibre, to prevent the fibre
being held at both ends. As the teeth of a section or group enter the 1
fibre upon the first-named cylinder or belt they comb the same and draw;
off a strick of such fibre, and the back end of such strick is loose, and by
the centrifugal force flies out from the surface of the cylinder and is
thrown with force upon a delivery cylinder or belt with numerous teeth,
sufficient to seize the strick, and the further movement causes the teeth 1
of the section on the comb cylinder to comb out the fibres and
straighten them as they are left upon the delivery cylinder or belt. By
this arrangement the strick of fibre is turned over and both ends
combed, and strick after strick left upon the progressively moving
delivery cylinder or belt, from which drawing rollers take the fibre away :
in a form adapted to the subsequent operations in rope making or other
fibre working machines; the lapping of one strick on another, equal-
izing the sliver, and the operation is continuous, and both ends of the
strick are subjected to an equal combing and straightening operation.
This machine takes but little power to drive it, because the pull on
the stricks is intermitted. A regulator applied to the delivery cylinder
or belt to regulate the speed according to the accumulation of fibre may
be employed to ensure uniformity in the sliver drawn off.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Washington Pittman in the Great Seal 80
Patent Office on the 5th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WASHINGTON PITTMAN, of Dartmouth, in the Province of Nova Scotia
and Dominion of Canada, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Washington Pittman, Her special licence
that I, the said George Washington Pittman, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Washington
Pittman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any timo
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 Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR HECKLING AND DRAWING HEMP, FLAX, AND
OTHER FIBRE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Washington Pittman, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 I, the said George Washington Pittman, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being made to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):-
This Invention is for opening, combing, straightening, and heckling
hemp, flax, and similar fiber, and is especially adapted to the preparation
of fiber for rope machinery, by delivering such fiber in a continuous
sliver or roving of great uniformity.
The principal feature of this Invention consists of a "strick cylinder"
for transferring the fiber in stricks from a series of teeth or combs, and
simultaneously straightening the fiber and equalizing the material as
delivered.
The fiber is supplied through a pair of feeding rollers to the surface of
a cylinder or endless belt of combs or gill barr teeth; these open, comb,
and separate the fiber, as heretofore usual in machines of this class.

page_text: The strick cylinder is made of teeth in groups or sections, at a
distance apart greater than the length of fiber, to prevent the fiber being
held at both ends. As the teeth of a section or group enter the fiber
upon the first-named cylinder or belt they comb the same and draw off
a strick of such fiber, and the back end of such strick is loose, and by
tho centrifugal force flies out from the surface of the cylinder and is
thrown with force upon a delivery cylinder or belt with numerous tectli,
sufficient to sicze the strick, and the further movement causes the teeth
of the section on the strick cylinder to comb out the fibres and
straighten them as they are left upon the delivery cylinder or belt. By:
this arrangement the strick of fiber is turned over and both ends combed,
and strick after strick left upon the progressively moving delivery
cylinder or belt, from which drawing rollers take the fiber away in a
form adapted to the subsequent operations in rope making or other
fiber working machines. The lapping of one strick on another equalizes
the sliver, and the operation is continuous, and both ends of the strick
are subjected to an equal combing and straightening operation.
This machine takes but little power to drive it, because the pull on
the stricks is intermitted. A regulator applied to the delivery cylinder
or belt, to regulate the speed according to the accumulation of fiber may
be employed, to ensure uniformity in the sliver drawn off.
In the Drawing a vertical section of the machine is represented, to
illustrate my Invention.
The fiber is passed in through the feeding rollers a, a, and is combed
by and received upon the surface and teeth of the first cylinder or
belt b. A cylinder is shown, but a belt of teeth or gill bars may be
used, and when a belt is used it is preferrable that the fiber should lie
upon the same, and be drawn off by the strick cylinder beneath a roller
or cylinder. The strick cylinder c is made with teeth in one or more
groups, according to the length of fiber and size of cylinder. The teeth
take a strick of fiber from and the loose rear end of the strick is
thrown on the delivery cylinder or belt d, thereby the rear end of the
strick is thrown forward and mado the front end, while the rear
end of the strick is combed out by the teeth of c. The next strick
thrown upon & laps upon the previous one, thus equalizing the mass
that is carried forward by the belt or cylinder d to the drawing rollers e.
The sliver or roving may be concentrated through a draw head or by a

page_text: second pair of rollers f, and delivered into a can or to any mechanism for
making ropes or other articles. The surface of 6 is to move faster than
the material as fed in by the rollers a, so as to comb it, and the surface
of the strick cylinder c is to move faster than that of b, but slower than
that of d.
->
The arrows on the Drawing indicate the direction in which the
respective parts are to move, and for driving them pulleys and belts or
gearing of any convenient character may be employed, and driving
mechanism of this character being well known does not require further
description.
I do not limit myself to any peculiar character of pins, teeth, or
combs, but prefer tapering pointed teeth of the character usual in
heckling or combing hemp and flax, and the fiber may be fed by hand or
by an apron or belt.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is, the strick cylinder with teeth in one or more groups or
sections, in combination with a cylinder or belt of teeth from which the
strick of fiber is taken, and with a cylinder or belt upon which the strick
is received, substantially as and for the purposes set forth..
In witness whereof, I, the said George Washington Pittman, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of
February, A.D. 1872.
Witnesses,
CHA³. H. SMITH,
121, Nassau St., New York.
GEO. D. WALKER,
121, Nassau St., New York.
GEO. W. PITTMAN. (L.S.)