Improvements in Apparatus for Drawing off Fibres in Combing Machinery.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1887
Complete Left, 10th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 11th May, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drawing off Fibres in Combing
Machinery.
I ISAAC HOLDEN M.P. of Oakworth House Keighley in the County of York and a
member of the firm of Isaac Holden & Sons of Bradford in the same county and of
Reims and Roubaix both in the Republic of France, Wool Combers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The improvements have reference to the drawing off rollers employed to draw off
the combed fibres from the travelling combs of combing machines.
The invention is particularly applicable with advantage to the Square Motion
Combing Machine.
It is customary in such machines to use one pair of fluted rollers for drawing the
fibres from the travelling comb or equivalent part of the machine holding them pro-
jecting in readiness to be taken hold of, and the two rollers grip the fibres between
one of their interspacing fluted surfaces and the surface of an interposed endless
leather apron and as they revolve inwardly under pressure the fibres successively
presented to them are drawn off. One of these rollers rotates in fixed bearings, whilst
the other roller is capable of rising and falling under varying strain. Pressure is
exerted on this moveable roller at its extremities by means of springs and screws.
I have found great disadvantages to attend this mode of applying such pressure
particularly where it being found desirable to make these fluted drawing rollers small
in diameter and of considerable length, the pressure being localized on the extremities
a tendency is induced for the centres of the rollers to arch or bend somewhat apart
and consequently whilst the grip is maintained at their ends it becomes impaired and
their drawing power reduced towards the middle of the rollers-the drawing power
along the rollers is unequal-that of the ends varying from the centre and the leather
apron which is interposed having to bear this unequal pressure becomes strained and
worn or used up at the ends or sides whilst it remains uninjured in the middle
portion.

page_text: According to my invention I supplement the use of the ordinary two drawing off
rollers by the employment of additional rollers of like or additional diameter to
give support and rigidity or uniformity of pressing strain to the drawing off surfaces.
The additional number of rollers may vary.
I will however describe my invention as being applied to a square motion comb
circle and with two additional fluted rollers each having a leather or equivalent
endless apron working around it one of the additional rollers works below and
against the lower drawing off roller and the other additional roller over and against
the upper drawing off roller.
The under additional roller may run in fixed, or adjustable spring bearings with
screws.
The upper additional roller will be adjustably borne by spring pressure to its
drawing off roller.
The widths of the additional rollers may vary but if of short lengths so as to occupy
only the middle portions of the drawing off rollers much convenience arises.
The rollers arranged as described or with an increased number of additional rollers
to the two drawing off rollers, may be used without the employment of leather or
equivalent aprons, instead of with them, and they may be made of metal, or of a
suitable elastic material adapted to give a soft pressure such as vulcanite, paper,
leather or composition.
Dated the 14th day of July 1887
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Drawing off Fibres in Combing
Machinery.
I ISAAC HOLDEN M.P. of Oakworth House Keighley in the County of York and a
member of the firm of Isaac Holden & Sons of Bradford in the same County and of
Reims and Roubaix both in the Republic of France, Wool Combers 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:-
The improvements have reference to the drawing off rollers employed to draw off
the combed fibres from the travelling combs of combing machines.
The invention is particularly applicable with advantage to the Square Motion
Combing Machine.
It is customary in such machines to use one pair of fluted rollers for drawing the
fibres from tho travelling comb or equivalent part of the machine holding them
projecting in readiness to be taken hold of, and the two rollers grip the fibres
between one of their interspacing fluted surfaces and the surface of an interposed
endless leather apron and as they revolve inwardly under pressure the fibres succes-
sively presented to them are drawn off. One of these rollers rotates in fixed bearings,
whilst the other roller is capable of rising and falling under varying strain. Pressure
is exerted on this movable roller at its extremities by means of springs and screws.
I have found great disadvantages to attend this mode of applying such pressure
particularly where it being found desirable to make these fluted drawing rollers small
in diameter and of considerable length, the pressure being localized on the extremities
a tendency is induced for the centres of the rollers to arch or bend somewhat apart
and consequently whilst the grip is maintained at their ends it becomes impaired and
their drawing power reduced towards the middle of the rollers-the drawing power
along the rollers is unequal-that of the ends varying from the centre and the leather
apron which is interposed having to bear this unequal pressure becomes strained and
worn or used up at the ends or sides whilst it remains uninjured in the middle
portion.
According to my invention I supplement the use of the ordinary two drawing off
rollers by the employment of additional rollers of like or additional diameter to give
support and rigidity or uniformity of pressing strain to the drawing off surfaces.
The additional number of rollers may vary.
I will however describe my invention as being applied to a square motion comb
circle and with two additional fluted rollers each having a leather or equivalent endless
apron working around it one of the additional rollers works below and against the
lower drawing off roller and the other additional roller over and against the upper
drawing off roller.
The under additional roller may run in fixed, or adjustable spring bearings with
screws.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews a section of an arrangement of drawing off rollers with a portion of
the main comb circle sufficient to indicate the relative positions of the parts and an
additional set of upper and lower supporting rollers and parts carrying the same.
Figure 2 shews another sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 1, and
longitudinally of the drawing off rollers.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a set of drawing off rollers with a portion of the main
comb circle.
Figure 4 is another cross sectional view of the drawing off rollers and supporting
rollers taken on the line A-B of Figure 3, whilst the sectional view figure 1 is taken
on the line CD of the same Figure 3.
Figure 5 shews a slightly modified arrangement from that shewn by Figure 1, by
a like sectional view, the difference in this latter arrangement being that the under
supporting roller is supported in elastic bearings instead of rigid ones.
Figure 6 shews a sectional view at right angles to Figure 5 and longitudinally of
the drawing off rollers.
Throughout the Figures like letters of reference indicate like parts.
a indicates the main circle of comb teeth from which the fibre is to be drawn off.
b is the upper drawing off roller and c the lower drawing off roller. e is a leather
apron or apron of similarly suitable material which in the rotation of the rolls b, c
traverses between their respective flutes and bears on its surface the drawn off fibres.
This apron is endless and is maintained distended upon the rollers e¹, e², e³. d is a
clearing brush adapted to clear any adherent fibres from this apron said brush being
kept pressed to the apron by means of the weighted cranked lever d' centred at d².
The fluted drawing off roller is supported at its necks or ends in suitable
bearings shewn in Figure 3 in plan and is kept pressed against the lower fluted
roller c by spring pressure as is well understood. The lower Huted roller c is carried
in fixed bearings at its ends or necks e¹, c¹.
These rollers by the aid of my improvements are enabled to be made of more slender
proportions than heretofore and yet can be prevented from being distorted or developing
à tendency to bow or separate at the mid portions. f is a fluted roller shewn in this
instance as of considerably larger diameter than the drawing off roller and as of
length much shorter than that roller, it here occupying less than one third of the
length of the roller and around this roller and a distending roller is lapped the
endless apron. This roller is carried by its ends or necks in bearings carried
by the sliding piece which is contained with capability of rising and falling in the
guideway formed for it between the plate and the face plate f" which is secured to
the former by the screws and nuts. This sliding piece is recessed so as to receive
the one end of the coiled spring the other end of which is pressed upon by the stud
piece the head of which is pressed down by the screw stem fl carried adjustably
correspondingly threaded socket in the framing g. This roller thus
presses on the middle portion of the roller just where deflection is most likely to be
developed and the truth of the roller is maintained.
in a
The lower roller c is supported in like manner by means of another similar
roller which is borne at its ends or necks ³ in bearings carried by the sliding
piece h³ which is carried rigidly but with capability of adjustment by the part of the

page_text: frame the adjustment vertically being attained by means of the screw h and
transversely by the screw h². Around this fluted roller and around the
distending roller ¹ is lapped the endless apron h². The rotating guide rollers or some
of them employed to press off or distend the endless aprons e, f, h2, are capable of
adjustment.
In Figures 5 and 6 f¹³ is a guide or anti-friction roller against which the apron f
presses. is a sliding piece in the bearings h of which the ends 3 of the roller h
are carried and this piece being formed recessed so as to receive the coiled spring h
by which that piece is borne upon as it slides up and down under any variation of
The other end
pressure arising from the passage of matters between the rollers b, c.
of this coiled spring abuts against the stud piece 10 the position of which in the
casing h, his adjusted by the screwed stem " carried in the threaded opening
in the framing g².
The face plate is held to the recessed plate 1 by screw nuts h³. 14h14 are
receptacles for lubricant to be conveyed respectively to the bearings of the rollers f
and h.
By these means I am enabled to reduce the diameters of the drawing off rollers of
combing machinery so as materially to affect the closeness with which they can
usefully work up to the comb circle and I am enabled to control the tendency to
bend outwards or arch developed in drawing off rollers, especially when their diameter
is reduced, when fibres are passing between them with economy of the leather aprons
interposed when such are used.
When elastic surfaced rollers are employed one or both of the rollers for h so
formed need not be provided with aprons for h².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
In combing machinery the application and use to the drawing off rollers of
additional supporting rollers to press against said drawing off rollers (and their
interposed aprons if the same be used) so as to prevent bending apart or separation
of the drawing off surfaces at their middle portions and preserve equality of nipping
pressure across the rollers.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.