IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS."
A communication from abroad by Alfred François Lacassaigne, of Paris, in
the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th September 1877.
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR AP-
PARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS." [A communication from abroad by Alfred
François Lacassaigne, of Paris, in the Republic of France.]
The object of this Invention is to gradually stretch fabrics transversely to their
proper width while they are being carried forward slowly and continuously. To
this end, while the fabric is travelling slowly forward over a stretching cylinder,
which supports it while under operation, it is laid hold of and gripped tightly at its
two selvages by a series of pincers or grippers which are arranged at the outer ends
of a series of extension bars of which the expanding cylinder is composed.
The periphery of the stretching cylinder is formed of two sets of parallel bars,
which are capable of being drawn out lengthwise, so as to elongate the cylinder, and
draw the pincers or grippers wider apart. This is effected by means of grooved
discs, which are capable of being set at an angle to the axis of the stretching cylinder,
and into the grooves of which take the tails of the grippers, so that these latter, as
they are carried round, will draw out and stretch the fabric laterally.
The fixed jaw of the grippers is firmly secured to the bars which form the
periphery of the cylinder, while the movable jaw is mounted on a pin carried by a
forked piece, which is connected with the fixed jaw by means of a pin and slot, so
11

page_text: that when the forked piece is drawn back it will force down the movable jaw, and
cause it to hold the fabric securely. When the forked piece is released, a coil
spring will lift up the movable jaw, and will release the selvages of the fabric. By
this means the gripping of the pincers is rendered automatic.
The stretching cylinder is mounted on a shaft, to which is adapted a long
right and left screw, whereby the grooved discs which actuate and control the
grippers may be set at any desired angle; so that the grippers may be drawn wider
apart, so that when the cylinder carrying the grippers is rotated, the latter will pull
out or stretch the fabric transversely.
Motion is communicated to the working parts from the main driving shaft, which
is provided at one end with a pulley, so that it may be actuated by means of a band
from any prime mover. Pinions on this main shaft gear into and drive toothed
wheels, which are mounted on a central shaft, and are connected by means of
horizontal driving pins with the gripper discs and the stretching cylinder. These
wheels turn slowly on their sockets or sleeves, which are secured on the central
shaft by means of a key, but in such a manner that they are capable of lateral
movement thereon when acted upon by the right and left handed screw above
mentioned. By opening and closing the grippers in succession, these latter are
made to lay hold of the fabric as it travels through the machine.
The gripper discs are capable of adjustment at any angle or inclination on their
shaft by means of a worm or endless screw, which is also made to act on a sector
rack carrying an index or pointer of an indicating apparatus, whereby the exact
amount to which it may be desired to stretch the fabric may be regulated with
accuracy by turning the right and left handed screw, so as to give the amount of
inclination or angle required, and which will depend upon the nature of the work
to be done.
From the above explanation it will be understood that the central cylinder,
which carries the grippers and supports the fabric while under operation, is made in
two parts, one of which fits into the other, so that by drawing out the two parts,
the length of the cylinder may be extended, according to the requirements of the
work.
It will now be understood that as the cylinder slowly rotates, the grippers, which
have tight hold of the selvages of the fabric, will stretch the latter transversely, and
when this has been done to the proper extent, the grippers will be opened and will
release the fabric, which may then be folded or rolled up in the usual manner.
In order to impart proper tension to the fabric it is passed over two or more
tension bars, which will keep it stretched longitudinally. One of these tension bars
is graduated from the centre towards the ends, so that as the fabric passes over it
as it enters the machine, the attendant can see at once what is the exact breadth of
the fabric before it is stretched. When the fabric after being stretched is released
from the grippers, it passes over a roller provided on its periphery with teeth
inclined in opposite directions from the centre towards the ends. By this means
the fabric is prevented from shrinking up again as it leaves the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd March 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR AP-
PARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS." A communication from abroad by Alfred.
François Lacassaigne, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to gradually stretch fabrics transversely to their
proper width while they are being carried forward slowly and continuously. To
this end while the fabric is travelling slowly forward over a stretching cylinder
which supports it while under operation it is laid hold of and gripped tightly at its
two selvages by a series of pincers or grippers, which are arranged at the outer ends
of a series of extension bars, of which the expanding cylinder is composed.
The periphery of the stretching cylinder is formed of two sets of parallel bars,
which are capable of being drawn out lengthwise so as to elongate the cylinder and
draw the pincers or grippers wider apart. This is effected by means of grooved
discs, which are capable of being set at an angle to the axis of the stretching cylinder,
and into the grooves of which take the tails of the grippers, so that these latter as
they are carried round will draw out and stretch the fabric laterally.
The fixed jaw of the grippers is firmly secured to the bars which form the peri-
phery of the cylinder, while the movable jaw is mounted on a pin carried by a
forked piece, which is connected with the fixed jaw by means of a pin and slot, so
that when the forked piece is drawn back it will force down the moveable jaw and
cause it 'to hold the fabric securely. When the forked piece is released a coiled
spring will lift up the moveable jaw, and will release the selvages of the fabric. By
this means the gripping of the pincers is rendered automatic.
The stretching cylinder is mounted on a shaft to which is adapted a long right
and left handed screw, whereby the grooved discs which actuate and control the
grippers may be set at any desired angle in order that the grippers may be drawn
wider apart, so that when the cylinder carrying the grippers is rotated, the latter
will pull out or stretch the fabric transversely.
Motion is communicated to the working parts from the main driving shaft, which
is provided at one end with a pulley, so that it may be actuated by means of a
band from any prime mover. Pinions on this main shaft gear into and drive
toothed wheels, which are mounted on a central shaft, and are connected by means
of horizontal driving pins with the gripper discs and the stretching cylinder. These
wheels turn slowly in their sockets or sleeves, which are secured on the central shaft
by means of a key, but in such a manner that they are capable of lateral movement
thereon when acted upon by the right and left handed screw above metioned. By
opening and closing the grippers in succession these latter are made to lay hold of
the fabric as it travels through the machine.
The gripper discs are capable of adjustment at any angle or inclination on their
shaft by means of a worm or endless screw, which is also made to act on a sector
rack carrying the index or pointer of an indicating apparatus. By this means the
exact amount to which it may be desired to stretch the fabric may be regulated
with accuracy by turning the right and left handed screw so as to give the amount
of inclination or angle required, and which will depend upon the nature of the work
to be done.
From the above explanation it will be understood that the central cylinder, which
carries the grippers and supports the fabric while under operation, is made in two
parts, one of which fits into the other, so that by drawing out the two parts the
length of the cylinder may be extended according to the requirements of the work.
It will now be understood that as the cylinder slowly rotates, the grippers, which
have tight hold of the selvages of the fabric, will stretch the latter transversely, and

page_text: when this has been done to the proper extent the grippers will be opened, and will
release the fabric, which may then be folded or rolled up in the usual manner.
In order to impart proper tension to the fabric it is passed over two or more
tension bars, which will keep it stretched longitudinally. One of these tension bars
is graduated from the centre towards the ends, so that as the fabric passes over it
(as it enters the machine) the attendant can see at once what is the exact breadth
of the fabric before it is stretched. When the fabric, after being stretched, is
released from the grippers it passes over a roller provided on its periphery with
teeth inclined in opposite directions from the centre towards the ends. By this
means the fabric is prevented from shrinking up again as it leaves the machine.
In the accompanying Drawing,―
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine complete; and Fig. 2 is an
end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the parts detached, and hereafter more particularly
referred to.
Fig. 4 is a front view of another part, showing also the indicating apparatus.
Figures 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sections of the stretching cylinder taken
respectively on the lines A, B, and C, D, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 7 is a top view of some of the stretcher bars.
Fig. 8 is a general plan view of the stretching cylinder drawn on a reduced scale,
and showing also some of the other parts connected therewith.
Fig. 9 is a side view, Fig. 10 a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 11 a plan
view of one of the nippers or grippers drawn on an enlarged scale.
This gripper consists of a foot piece A, whereby the gripper is secured to the discs
of the stretching cylinder. A hole or socket is made through the piece A to receive
the bent tail piece B, which works the upper jaw C of the gripper by means of a
kind of forked piece D and two pins, one of which is secured to the socket, and the
other to the forked piece D, the two pins being so arranged that they can slide or
move in corresponding slots made in the two pieces. It will be seen that by this
arrangement, and in consequence of the inclination of the upper part of the piece A
(which constitutes the fixed jaw, and which may be grooved or roughened if
required), the gripping of the selvage of the fabric is effected automatically in the
most complete manner, and the more energetically the more the fabric is stretched;
the forked piece D in fact cannot rise until the tail piece B of the gripper is drawn
back, in consequence of the abutment or bearing which takes place between the pins
and the slots in which they work when the grippers are in a closed state. By this
means any special effort or motion to effect the closing of the grippers is avoided or
rendered unnecessary, and therefore fabrics of very different thickness may be
operated upon without any alteration in the mechanism of the grippers being
required.
A coiled spring is arranged upon the axle of the moveable jaw C, and serves to
bring back this latter to a state of rest when it ceases to be drawn forward by the
fabric.
Small friction rollers are adapted to the end of the tail piece B, in order to
facilitate its working in the groove of the disc of the gripper carriers.
It will be seen on referring to the side elevation, Fig. 2, that the apparatus is
mounted on a cast-iron double framing b, b, the front part of which carries an
arrangement of tension bars a, a, and a², which are intended to give suitable
tension to the fabric. On the middle bar a¹ of these bars is a scale divided into
degrees starting from the centre and extending outwards in both directions, as
shewn at Fig. 8. Each figure on this scale would indicate exactly double its
apparent value (considering the number of the divisions), so that by simply reading
the scale either on the right or the left of the central line the entire width of the
fabric will be accurately seen at the moment at which it enters the apparatus in
order to be seized by the grippers. These grippers c, as will be seen at Figures 1
and 6, are mounted on the discs d, which are constructed of two parts connected
together by means of bolts, so that they may be easily detached. In the arms of

page_text: these discs are oval-shaped holes in order to allow the straining pins e, e, to pass
through. To the outside circumference of these discs are secured the jointed ends
of the bars f, of which the extendible stretching drum is composed.
It will be seen in Figures 1 and 7 that these bars have a kind of universal joint,
whereby they are attached to the discs, the joint consisting of a vertical and a
horizontal pin, so that they may yield to the angular displacement of the discs
without interfering with the rotation of the drum. These bars intercross each
other, that is to say, two consecutive bars attached to the same disc have a space or
interval between them, into which is inserted and slides a bar connected with the
other disc (see Figures 1, 5, 7, 8). By this means is formed a drum, which can be
extended longitudinally and adjusted to any desired length.
The bars are provided on their under side with an appendage of a rectangular
form, which guides them when they slide or move on the edge or periphery of the
central disc or plate g (Figures 1 and 5), which rotates loosely on a sleeve k secured
upon the fixed shaft i which supports all the moveable parts of the apparatus.
This sleeve is held in place by means of two screw pins 1, 1, (Figures 1 and 6)
arranged opposite to each other, and constituting a vertical rocking axis, on which
the discs & will receive an amount of annular displacement corresponding to the
widening of the fabric. This annular displacement is communicated to the discs d by
means of the crown plates m, with which they are connected by a projecting piece
which enters into a groove of the disc, as shewn in the Drawing, or by means of
antifriction rollers to reduce the friction. These crown plates m, m, are also
provided at their peripheries with a cam groove, parts of which are curved back in
opposite directions on the two discs. In these cam grooves work the bent ends of
the rods B (Figures 9 and 10), which are connected with and work the upper jaw
of the grippers so as to oblige the latter to open and close at the proper moment.
These crown plates m, m, are also provided at their upper part with a curved or
sector-shaped groove n, Fig. 2, which admits of slightly altering the position of the
plates m in order to vary the time of opening and closing the grippers. They are
moreover suspended from a sort of crank o, which may be turned round the axis p
arranged exactly in the prolongation of the axis of oscillation of the corresponding
disc, and fixed to a support or standard q which carries a circular or curved mortice
(as seen at Fig. 3), which receives a bolt, whereby the crown plate m is secured
during the time of its angular displacement. This displacement, which determines
the amount of stretching to which the fabric is to be subjected, is obtained through
the medium of the two sockets screwed in opposite directions, and carried by a
shaft s upon which they may slide laterally, while a feather obliges them to turn or
rotate with it, so that by imparting rotary motion to this shaft an equal and
symmetrical angular displacement may be given to the two crown plates m, and
therefore to the two gripper-carrying discs of the apparatus. Moreover, these
screwed sockets are provided with a collar t, Fig. 4, which works in the forked
end of the cross piece u, Fig. 2, mounted on the socket j, before mentioned, and
therefore acting, as regards its motion of displacement, in the direction of the axis
of the machine.
?"
The number of turns of the screwed sockets is indicated upon the graduated
dial w by the index or pointer v, Figures 2 and 4, which is provided at its lower
end with a toothed sector, into which gears the thread of the screwed socket, which
is mounted upon the shaft 8, as shown at Figures 2 and 4.
The movement for causing the two gripper-carrying discs to approach towards or
move further from each other is produced as usual by means of a screwed shaft
with right and left handed screws, which is placed in a recess or space made in the
shaft i, and rotary motion is imparted to these parts by means of the long pins e, e,
fixed in the toothed gearing 2, which is driven by a pinion capable of sliding freely
upon the driving shaft, so that it may always follow the driving gear when it is
moved with the gripper-carrying discs and the other parts which are mounted on
the sockets j.
In order that the fabric, when it as been stretched by its passage through the

page_text: machine, may not shrink up again on leaving the machine it passes over a roller æ,
(represented in longitudinal and cross section at Figures 12,) which is provided with
two sets of teeth pointing in opposite directions, the points of which hold all the
parts of the fabric in the position they have assumed by passing over the drum.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid,—-
The construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and
constituting a machine or apparatus for stretching fabrics transversely.
I claim particularly the improved construction of automatic gripper herein shown
and described, and also the graduation of one of the tension bars, as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
I also claim the mode, herein shown, of constructing the stretching drum of a
series of jointed bars, which are capable of being moved longitudinally or in a
.direction parallel to the axis of the drum, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
I further claim the use and application of the crown plates m, m, for the purpose
of imparting to the discs, which carry the bars f which constitute the stretching
drum, the necessary angular displacement required for extending the length of the
drum, and which crown plates also automatically effect the opening and closing of
the gripper jaws, as herein set forth.
I likewise claim the construction and arrangement of parts herein set forth for
effecting the simultaneous and symmetrical angular displacement of the crown
plates and gripper discs, and at the same time indicating the amount of stretching
which has been given to the fabric.
Lastly, I claim the use and application of a roller provided on its circumference
with teeth inclined in opposite directions for the purpose of preventing the fabric
from collapsing or shrinking up when it leaves the apparatus, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
1.7 133 NEWTON
Tα1