IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BELTS OR BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND AN IMPROVED MECHANICAL PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME. AND MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Maurice Gandy, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BELTS OR BANDS
FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND AN IMPROVED MECHANICAL PROCESS OF
MANUFACTURING THE SAME. AND MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
"IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Maurice Gandy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1880.
MAURICE GANDY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
IN AND RELATING TO BELTS OR BANDS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY, AND
IMPROVED MECHANICAL PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND MACHINERY
EMPLOYED THEREFOR"
My Invention relates,—
AN
First. To improvements in the manufacture of belts or bands for driving
machinery, and by my Invention I produce a new class of belt not heretofore
known.
Second. To an improved mechanical method or process of making a cotton canvas
or like belt.
Third. To certain mechanical contrivances by which a belt, such as spoken of
under the first head, can be produced.
My Invention consists,―
First. Of an improved cotton canvas or like belt.
Second. Of an improved mechanical method or process of making a cotton
canvas or like belt.
Third. Of certain mechanical contrivances to be used in the manufacture of
cotton canvas or like belts.
My improved cotton canvas belt consists,-
First. Of cotton canvas or duck composed of warp stouter than the weft, both
warp and weft being hard spun, and the canvas hard and tight woven.
Second. Of cotton canvas or duck thus made and folded by a mechanical
operation, while the cotton canvas or duck is being subjected to tension.
Third. Of cotton canvas or duck thus made and thus folded, and within which
there is placed during the folding under tension, and conjointly under tension, one,
LD 077

page_text: two, or more breadths of cotton canvas or duck made as described, so that a belt
may be produced of two, three, four, six, eight, or any number of plies, as desired.
Fourth. Of cotton canvas or duck thus made, thus folded and thus combined,
united by longitudinal rows of stitching while the belt is under tension.
Fifth. Of cotton canvas or duck thus made, thus folded, thus combined and thus
stitched, saturated with linseed oil.
even,
Sixth. Of cotton canvas or duck thus made, thus folded, thus combined, thus
stitched, and thus saturated with linseed oil, pressed and stretched until it is hard,
and rigid, preparatory to painting and finishing, and preparatory to its being
used, and by which the belt is rendered insensible to atmospheric changes, so that
the elasticity of the woven and sewn cloth is nullified, or so to speak, killed by a
uniform stretching process which is applied during the mechanical folding of the
belt, during the stitching of the belt, during the oiling of the belt, and at the
finishing of the belt.
I would here state that in the manufacture of belts or bands for driving
machinery, where such belts have been composed of plies of woven fabric of any
description, it has been the habit of the trade to fold the woven fabrics or cloth of
which the belt is compounded by manual labour, and such woven fabric being
necessarily of a more or less stiff nature, it has been impossible to produce a folded
and compounded belt in which the edges of the belt were fairly together, and the
belt of a uniform thickness, and all the plies of the belt so compounded as to take
their share of the strain which would be applied to the belt when in use. Thus
although I have described this first part of my Invention as applied to belts of
cotton canvas or duck composed of warp stouter than the weft, both warp and
weft being hard spun, and the canvas hard and tight woven, I would have it
understood that my improvements are applicable to all belts or bands composed of
woven fabric other than hard woven cotton canvas or duck.
In my improved cotton canvas belt the hard woven canvas is a necessary part, so
is the mechanical folding under tension, so is the stitching under tension, and the
after saturation and pressing under tension. The folding is not absolutely necessary
because the several plies of canvas can be woven to the desired width and mechani-
cally laid together under tension and discharged evenly to the sewing machine
where they are stitched together under tension. What I particularly mean by the
mechanical folding under tension is the multiplying of the plies evenly under
tension by mechanical means, the only object of folding is to increase the number
of plies and the thickness and strength of the belt, and that can be done by cutting
the interior plies in strips from wide canvas, leaving no selvage, but far preferably
by hard weaving the canvas of the desired widths with a selvage on both sides,
and then by mechanically laying the interior plies within an envelope composed of
the outer ply by a mechanical folding process under tension.
My improved mechanical process of making a cotton canvas or like belt
consists,-
First. Of mechanically folding the canvas or woven fabric while under tension
in a machine so as to form a four ply belt.
Second. Of mechanically folding the canvas or woven fabric, while under tension,
in a machine so as to form a belt of more than four plies by combining with the
first folded fabric one or more additional cloths so as to produce the additional
plies.
My improved mechanical contrivances to be used in the manufacture of cotton
canvas or like belts consist of a series of mechanical contrivances by which the bolt
or bale of canvas or woven fabric is mechanically formed into a belt by folding,
such folding being done while the fabric is under tension.
The combined apparatus consists,—
First. Of a loose roller which carries the bale or bolt of canvas.
Second. Of a pair of weighted press rolls or nippers, and an adjustable guide
through which the open cloth of canvas passes.
Third. Of a nest of concentric suspended rings of different sizes through which,

page_text: according to the width of the cloth the canvas passes (the rings being arranged in
a nest to suit different widths of belts). From the rings which impart to the canvas a
tubular form, the canvas is led through an adjustable oval guide to partly flatten it,
and then to a folding machine which consists of a pair of press plates weighted or
screwed, an internal gauge and two outside adjustable guides, the gauge and the guides
are adjusted according to the width of the belt being produced. From these press and
gauge plates the folded cloth is led through a pair of press rolls, which crease the
folded cloth, so that the folded over edges meet evenly in the centre. If a four ply
belt only is required, the folded and creased cloth is led from these press rolls
through a series of guides and through an angle creaser, which latter forms the
cloth into a V form ready to be received by a second series of adjustable gauge and
guide plates, after which it is pressed between press rolls and delivered ready
for the sewing machine.. During the process of folding and forming the canvas
cloth into the belt, the fabric is subjected to tension between the various press rolls,
so that the belt produced has each ply of which it is composed evenly placed and
rigidly pressed so as to bear its allotted share of the strain to which the belt will be
subjected in use.
In manufacturing belts of more than four plies, I prefer that the first cloth should
be formed by the process just described as far as the first folding and forming an
envelope for the centre plies, which are inserted after the first folding and creasing,
by a machine which opens the folded cloth into the form of a rectangular gutter,
into which gutter the interior plies in any desired number may be inserted. After
insertion, the edges of the firt cloth are folded over the interior plies, and the
combination is then led through press rolls and through the diagonal guides, angle
folder, gauge folder, and press rolls, and discharged folded, pressed and stretched
ready for stitching and finishing, which is preferably accomplished by the process
and machinery described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to
No. 1527, dated 18 April 1879.
mic,

page_text: of cotton canvas or duck composed of warp stouter than the weft, both warp and
weft being hard spun and the canvas hard and tight woven, I would have it
understood that my improvements are applicable to all belts or bands composed
of woven fabric other than hard woven cotton canvas or duck.
In my improved cotton canvas belt the hard woven canvas is a necessary part, so
is the mechanical folding under tension, so is the stitching under tension, and the
after saturation and pressing under tension. The folding is not absolutely necessary,
because the several plies of canvas can be woven to the desired width, and
mechanically laid together under tension and discharged evenly to the sewing
machine, where they are stitched together under tension; what I particularly
mean by the mechanical folding under tension is the multiplying of the plies
evenly under tension by mechanical means; the only object of folding is to increase
the number of plies and the thickness and strength of the belt, and that can be
done by cutting the interior plies in strips from wide canvas, leaving no selvage,
but far preferably by hard weaving the canvas of the desired widths with a selvage
on both sides, and then by mechanically laying the interior plies within an envelope
composed of the outer ply by a mechanical folding process under tension.
My improved mechanical process of making a cotton canvas or like belt
consists,―
First. Of mechanically folding the canvas or woven fabric while under tension in
a machine so as to form a four ply belt.
Second. Of mechanically folding the canvas or woven fabric while under tension
in a machine, so as to form a belt of more than four plies by combining with the
first folded fabric one or more additional cloths so as to produce the additional plics.
My improved mechanical contrivances to be used in the manufacture of cotton
canvas or like belts consist of a series of mechanical contrivances by which the bolt
or bale of canvas or woven fabric is mechanically formed into a belt by folding,
such folding being done while the fabric is under tension.
The combined apparatus consists,―
First. Of a loose roller which carries the bale or bolt of canvas.
Second. Of a pair of weighted press rolls or nippers and an adjustable guide
through which the open cloth of canvas passes.
Third. Of a nest of concentric suspended rings of different sizes through which,
according to the width of the cloth, the canvas passes (the rings being arranged in
a nest to suit different widths of belts). From the rings which impart to the
canvas a tubular form the canvas is led through an adjustable oval guide to partly
flatten it, and then to a folding machine, which consists of a pair of press plates
weighted or screwed, an internal gauge, and two outside adjustable guides. The
gauge and the guides are adjusted according to the width of the belt being
produced. From these press and gauge plates the folded cloth is led through a pair
of press rolls which crease the folded cloth, so that the folded over edges meet
evenly in the centre. If a four ply belt only is required, the folded and creased
cloth is led from these press rolls through a series of guides and through an angle
creaser, which latter forms the cloth into a V form ready to be received by a
second series of adjustable gauge and guide plates, after which it it pressed between
press rolls and delivered ready for the sewing machine. During the process of
folding and forming the canvas cloth into the belt, the fabric is subjected to tension
between the various press roll, so that the belt produced has each ply of which
it is composed evenly placed and rigidly pressed, so as to bear its allotted share of
the strain to which the belt will be subjected in use.
In manufacturing belts of more than four plies, I prefer that the first cloth
should be formed by the process just described, as far as the first folding, and form
an envelope for the centre plies, which are inserted after the first folding and
creasing by a machine which opens the folded cloth into the form of a rectangular
5 gutter, into which gutter the interior plies in any desired number may be inserted.
After insertion the edges of the first cloth are folded over the interior plies, and the
combination is then led through press rolls and through the diagonal guides, angle

page_text: folder, gauge folder, and press rolls, and discharged folded, pressed, and stretched
ready for stitching and finishing, which is preferably accomplished by the process
and machinery described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to
me, No. 1527, dated 18 April 1879.
The beforegoing being the nature, object, and purposes of my Invention, I will
now proceed to illustrate how the same may be practically applied, and to describe
forms and arrangement of apparatus such as are suitable for carrying my Invention
into practice, and for that purpose I have attached two Sheets of Drawings
illustrative of such apparatus and mechanism, which are marked with letters and
figures of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation, like
letters and figures being used to denote the same or corresponding parts throughout
the various views and figures.
Upon reference to the Drawings,--
Figures 1 to 30 represent a series of mechanical contrivances, according to my
Invention, for folding the cotton canvas or other fabric into a belt under tension.
Figure 31 represents the combined apparatus, Figures 1 to 30, for folding the
cotton canvas or other fabric into a belt under tension.
Figure 1 is a side elevation in section of the first of the mechanical contrivances.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of part of Figure 1.
A is a loose roller which carries the bale or bolt of canvas B. The canvas passes
up and between the press rolls A' and through the adjustable guide pieces A", as
shown. These guide pieces consist of a fixed guide a on which the adjustable
guide pieces a have vertical and lateral movement by means of the vertical
pieces which gauge the canvas. From the guide pieces A" the canvas then
passes through one, according to the width of the canvas, of a nest of concentric
rings C, Figure 4, which is a side clevation, and Figure 5, which is an end view.
The rings Čare mounted on a table, as shown, and are capable of adjustment in
their relative position to the guides A¹¹ by means of a screw or its equivalent.
From the rings C the canvas passes to and through an adjustable oval former D,
shown in front view at Figure 6. The rings C and the oval former D impart to
the canvas a tubular form, such as shown at Figure 7. From the former D the
canvas passes through the appliance, shown at Figure 8, going first through the
press plates E, which are shown in detail at Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. These
press plates form the canvas B into the fold or section shown at Figure 14.
Between the plates E there is a gauge piece E provided with a vertical tongue E,
and the upper press plate E¹ is formed in two pieces between which the tongue Eli
passes, as shown in Figure 12. d, d, are adjustable slides on the press plates E,
which gauge the width of the belt or folded canvas B, which in its passage through
the plates E is passed round the gauge E. From the plates E the belt or canvas
passes through the press rolls F, which may consist of two, three, or more rolls, if
desired. These rolls F crease the edges of the folded canvas, which then passes to
and through the appliance shown at Figure 15, which is a sectional side clevation,
and Figure 16, a front elevation of an apparatus which receives the canvas or belt
through the guiding appliance G, and opens the folded belt which it receives in the
form shown at Figure 14, into an open gutter, as shown at Figure 17, into which
may be laid the number of cloths required to form the completed belt. These cloths
are stored on the loose rolls e, e¹, e¹¹, and are delivered through the tension
rolls h, h¹, h¹, as shown at G', into the gutter of the belt, as at Figure 17. The
guiding appliance G is adjustable in accordance with the required gauge of the
belt. From the appliance shown at Figure 15, the belt passes over the table
shown at Figure 18, of which Figure 19 is a plan. The table is provided with a
longitudinal guide g, upon which there is an adjustable gauge i consisting of two
hinged bars , which are provided with slots and a thumb 'screw, so that they can
be adjusted vertically, the lateral adjustment or gauge being effected by the
groove on the gauge i. From the table, Figure 19, the belt passes to the
appliance shown at Figure 20, which consists of the press plates H, see details,

page_text: Figures 21 and 22. The belt passes between the plates H which are provided with
gauge pieces, as shown, and from thence through the press rolls H³, which may be
two, three, or more. These rolls H¹ crease down the edges of the belt hard down
on the interior plies into the form shown at Figure 23. From the rolls H¹ the belt
passes through the forming appliance, of which Figure 24 is a side elevation, and
Figure 25 an end elevation. This consists of an adjustable gauge former which
forms the belt B with or without its interior plies into the section shown at
Figure 26. The belt then passes to the final forming machine, which is shown in
side elevation at Figure 27, the belt B passing first through the adjustable gauged
press plates I, see detail, Figure 28, which form the belt and fold it up from the
V section, Figure 26, to the section, Figure 29. After passing through the press
plates I, the belt B is finally passed between the nipping guide J and a pair of
press rolls K.
These rolls may be of double, treble, or other arrangement, and are
adjustable or of compensating nature. Figure 30 is a plan of Figure 27. In this
arrangement a pair of rolls is shown, the roll K being fixed and the roll K¹
adjustable. The relative position of the various appliances will be understood upon
reference to Figure 31.
By the mechanical contrivances constructed and arranged as herein described, a
belt of any number of plies can be folded under tension and produced direct from
the bale, and folded and creased, so that the folded over edges meet evenly in the
centre and at the side, and after so folding it is ready for the sewing machine
stitching, saturating, and pressing operations, and further stretching and finishing
operations, as described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me,
No. 1527, dated 18 April 1879.
I would remark in conclusion that although I have shewn and illustrated in
the Drawings certain mechanical contrivances according to my Invention for
mechanically producing a folded belt, I do not intend to confine the Patent of
which this is the Specification to the identical form of mechanical contrivances
herein. shown, I would also state that my said Invention is not limited to the
machinery illustrated, but also consists of the belt and of the mechanical process by
which it is produced.
I claim therefore as my Invention and secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent,-
A belt possessing the following composition and characteristics:-
First. A foundation consisting of cotton canvas composed of warp stouter than
the weft, both warp and weft being hard spun, and the canvas hard or tight
woven.
Second. A foundation composed of canvas thus made and folded upon the line
of its warp by a mechanical operation while the canvas is being subjected to
tension.
Third. A foundation composed of canvas thus made, thus folded and within
which there is placed during the folding under tension and conjointly under
tension, one, two, or more breadths of canvas, so that a belt may be produced of any
number of plies, as desired.
Fourth. A foundation composed of canvas thus made and thus mechanically
folded under tension united by rows of longitudinal stitching.
Fifth. The interstices and fibre of a structure thus made saturated with and full
of linseed oil, or any mixture of linseed oil, or compound of oil and rosin, or tallow
and rosin.
Sixth. The structure thus made, thus saturated and pressed full of oil or other
compound, pressed and stretched rigid, hard and even, and the elasticity of the
structure nullified or killed.

page_text: described and snown in the Drawings nereto annexed.
Second. Effecting the construction of a belt of more than four plies, substantially
as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
CLAIM THIRD.
First. Effecting the folding and construction of belts of canvas or other cloth by
a series of mechanical contrivances which mechanically receive the canvas of any
width and produce a belt of any width and number of plies, substantially as herein
described and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. The individual mechanical contrivances for receiving, forming, folding,
creasing, and multiplying the number of plies of cotton canvas or like belts,
substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third. The combined arrangement of mechanical contrivances for receiving the
canvas or cloth, folding and multiplying the cloths under tension, and producing
a folded belt ready for stitching, as herein described and shown in the Drawings
hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Maurice Gandy, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
MAURICE GANDY. (L.S.)