IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR T
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lyall, of Amiens, in the Department de la
Somme, France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
T
TT
Sealed the 2nd May 1862, and dated the 11th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lyall at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
February 1862.
I, WILLIAM LYALL, of Amiens, in the Departement de la Somme, France,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY FOR PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for preparing
flax, hemp, and other fibrous substances.
These improvements are two-fold, firstly, the placing an additional gill
carriage or carriages immediately above the present gill carriages or heads of the
ordinary spreading or drawing frame so as to form one machine, whereby great
economy of space, labour, and first cost are judiciously effected; secondly, the
wetting or damping the fibrous bands or slivers in their progress through the
aforesaid machines, thereby making them better adapted to undergo the various
processes which finally convert them into yarn.

page_text: In my first improvement I bolt the sides or standards of the top and bottom
carriages together, or they may be cast in one, the bottom carriage being
bolted to the usual longitudinal rails, which are again connected by the frame
ends. Sufficient distance is left. betwixt the upper and lower heads to allow
all the parts to work freely and independently. The driving pullies are placed
in a position common to both carriages. The slivers which issue from the
top delivery rollers may either fall into their respective cans at once, or pass
betwixt the delivery rollers of the lower head into the same can with the
bottom slivers. The damping of the slivers is effected by a sponge or other
suitable material pressed gently on the sliver betwixt the drawing and delivery
rollers, whilst the machine is in operation, but withdrawn immediately on the
stoppage of the same by a series of levers in connection with the belt motion.
The sponge is supplied with water by india-rubber or other flexible tube
communicating with a small cistern, the water in which is kept at the same
level in order to give a regular supply. The cistern is placed in a suitable
position to allow the water to gravitate to the sponge, and the supply is stopped
by compressing the flexible tube immediately on the stoppage of the machine.
The sponge need not be applied to every sliver, but to one or more, and the
doubling of the sliver diffuses the wet through all.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Lyall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LYALL, of. Amiens, in the Department de la Somme, France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Lyall, Her special licence that I, the said William Lyall, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Lyall, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING FLAX, HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Lyall, 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 William Lyall, 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
thereof, that is to say:-:
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for preparing
flax, hemp, and other fibrous substances.
These improvements are two-fold, firstly, the placing an additional gill
carriage or carriages immediately above the present gill carriages or heads of
the ordinary spreading or drawing frame, so as to form one machine, whereby
great economy of space, labour, and first cost are judiciously effected; secondly,
the wetting or damping the fibrous band or slivers in their progress through
the aforesaid machines, thereby making them' better adapted to undergo the
various processes which finally convert them into yarn.
In my first improvement I bolt the sides or standards of the top and bottom
carriages together, or they may be cast in one, the bottom carriage being
bolted to the usual longitudinal rails, which are again connected by the frame
ends. Sufficient distance is left betwixt the upper and lower heads to allow all
the parts to work freely and independently. The driving pulleys are placed in
a position common to both carriages. The slivers which issue from the top
delivery rollers may either fall into their respective cans at once or pass betwixt
the delivery rollers of the lower head into the same can with the bottom
slivers. The damping of the slivers is effected by a sponge or other suitable
material, pressed gently on the sliver betwixt the drawing and delivery rollers
whilst the machine is in operation, but withdrawn immediately on the stoppage
of the same, by a series of levers in connexion with the belt motion. The
sponge is supplied with water by an indian-rubber or other flexible tube com-
municating with a small cistern, the water in which is kept at the same level
in order to give a regular supply. The cistern is placed in a suitable position
to allow the water to gravitate to the sponge, and the supply is stopped by
compressing the flexible tube immediately on the stoppage of the machine.
The sponge need not be applied to every sliver, but to one or more, and the
doubling of the sliver diffuses the wet through all.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 side elevation, and Figure 2 front elevation, of drawing frame
with double carriages and damping apparatus, which latter is shewn in red.
A, upper water cistern, fed from any convenient place; B, lower cistern, fed
from A, having a ball float, to which is attached a rack working into a wheel C
on the end of a cock, which is opened or shut according to the height of water
in B; D, flexible tube, conducting water to the sponge E; F, spring for
compressing flexible tube; G, driving pulleys; H, sides of the upper gill
carriage; I, sides of the lower ditto; J, longitudinal rail; K, frame end;
L, position of sponge tube, &c., when the machine is not working.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lyall, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM LYALL. (L.S.)