IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED THREAD AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Alfred Barlow, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard,
London, Patent Agent and Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED THREAD AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR." A
communication from abroad by Alphonse Monchablon, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Alfred Barlow at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd March 1880.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London, Patent Agent
and Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED THREAD
AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR.' A communication from abroad by Alphonse
Monchablon, of Paris, France.
"
For some time it has been endeavoured to manufacture felted thread, that is to
say, with which fabrics may be made without being previously spun.
Several machines have been constructed for this purpose, but none of them have
given practical results on account of the weight of rollers used, which speedily wore
out the endless apron upon which they acted, and of putting directly to the felting
machine the slubs containing all the oil which was used for the purpose of oiling
the wool, which oil is injurious to the felting operation.
In this process which is the subject of this Invention the slubs are washed in hot.
water and soap in a special machine constructed as follows:-
The slubs or coarse roving coming from the carding machine pass upon a roller
and then are driven upon an apron which dips into a tub containing hot water and
soap, then the said slubs pass between two wringing rollers. The apron is made
with a series of wooden bars laid across and between a double cloth in order to keep
same in straight position, and upon said apron is sewn a band forming a pocket in
which is placed the end of the slubs in order that they shall follow the course of
the apron.
When the slubs are washed they are carried to the second part of the machine
constructed with funnels, each of which are furnished with two holes, and having
alternatively in both directions a very quick rotative motion given to them by a
single cord. There are as many funnels as slubs. The slub enters the funnel
through one of the holes, and after passing out re-enters the funnel by the second

page_text: hole; by that method the slubs take a cylindrical form without the filaments being
pressed. Then the slubs pass between a series of rollers having a very quick motion
where they are rapidly rubbed, or, as it called, felted, the rubbing rollers having
the peculiarity that each of them has a quicker motion than the preceding one in
order to produce an action of drawing upon the thread, which drawing is very
important because it allows of making very thin thread and to place the threads
nearer to one another in the machine.
All the rollers are fixed in frames having a forward and backward motion; this
disposition renders the rising of the rollers easy. The frames slide in a groove
with anti-friction rollers.
After the thread is out of the machine it is felted and then received on a skein-
whisk or winder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed.
by the said Walter Alfred Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
September 1880.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London, Patent Agent
and Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELTED THREAD
AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR.” A communication from abroad by Alphonse
Monchablon, of Paris, France.
For some time it has been endeavoured to manufacture felted thread, that is to
say, thread with which fabrics may be made without being previously spun.
Several machines have been constructed for this purpose, but none of them have
given practical results on account of the weight of rollers used, which speedily wore
out the endless apron upon which they acted, and of putting directly to the felting
machine the sluts containing all the oil which was used for the purpose of oiling
the wool, which oil is injurious to the felting operation.
In the process which is the subject of this Invention the slubs are washed in hot
water and soap in a special machine constructed as follows:-
The slubs or coarse roving coming from the carding machine pass upon a roller
and then are driven upon an apron which dips into a tub containing hot water
and soap, then the said slubs pass between two wringing-rollers. The apron is
made with a series of wooden bars laid across and between a double cloth in order
to keep same in straight position, and upon the said apron is sewn a band forming
a pocket in which are placed the end of the slubs in order that they shall follow
the course of the apron.
When the slubs are washed they are carried to the second part of the machine
constructed with funnels, each of which are furnished with two holes, and having
alternatively in both directions a very quick rotative motion given to them by a
single cord.
There are as many funnels as slubs. The slub enters the funnel through one of
the holes, and after passing out reenters the funnel by the second hole; by that

page_text: method the slubs take a cylindrcial form without the filaments being pressed. Then
the slubs pass between a series of rollers having a very quick motion where they
are rapidly rubbed, or, as it is called, felted, the rubbing rollers having the
peculiarity that each of them has a quicker motion than the preceding one in order
to produce an action of drawing upon the thread, which drawing is very important
because it allows of making very thin thread and to place the threads nearer to one
another in the machine.
All the rollers are [fixed in frames having a forward and backward motion; this
disposition renders the rising of the rollers easy. The frames slide in a groove with
anti-friction rollers.
When the thread passes out of the machine it is felted and then received on a
skein-whisk or winder.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings illustrates the Invention, and in Fig. 1 is
represented the washing apparatus.
A is the roller provided with slubs coming from the carding-machine.
The roller C in turning puts in motion the apron B, which acting upon the
roller A causes the said roller to unwind.
The slubs follow the apron B which dips into a tub P containing hot water and
soap for the purpose of washing the slubs during their passage, then the said slubs
pass between two wringing-rollers E and F, a convenient pressure being given to
the latter by the use of combined levers and weights like in ordinary wool washing-
machines.
The roller D is for giving tension to the apron.
The rollers C, C³, are guide-rollers, and their purpose is also for giving
tension.
The apron B is made with a series of wooden bars laid across and between
a double cloth in order to guide same by the sides and keep it in straight
position.
The motion is communicated from the felting machine directly to the roller O by
the means of an endless chain.
The rollers C1, C2, C3, C, E, and F may also be driven by the means of an endless
chain. In order to easily drive the slubs from the roller A to the roller E at the
beginning of the operation a band forming a pocket is sewn upon the apron B,
wherein the end of the slubs are placed in order that they shall be carried along
with the apron B. When the slubs have been washed and then pressed between
the wringing-cylinders E and F, they are carried to the second part of the machine,
represented in Fig. 2, which is constructed as follows:-H are funnels, each of
which are furnished with two holes o and o³, there being provided as many funnels
as slubs, so that each slub passes through its corresponding funnel, and all the said
funnels have a very quick rotative motion given to them by a single cord. The
slub after entering the funnel passes through the hole o and then reenters the
funnel by passing through the second hole o¹, whereby the slubs are sufficiently
twisted and consequently strengthened, and presents a cylindrical form without the
filaments being pressed. Then the slubs pass between a series of rollers M and N
having a very quick motion where they are rapidly rubbed, or, as it is called,
felted, the said rubbing-rollers having the peculiarity that each of them has a quicker
motion than the preceding one in order to produce an action of drawing upon the
thread, which drawing is very important as it allows of making very thin thread
and to place the threads nearer to one another in the machine.
In order to simplify the machine all the rollers are fixed in frames (see Fig. 3)
baving a forward and backward motion, which is transmitted to the rollers by
means of the said frames. By this arrangement the rollers may be raised by
raising the frames, and then it is easy at the beginning of the operation to place
the thread without the said thread being successively passed between the rollers.
The frames K (Fig. 2 and 3) slide in a special groove, shown in L (Fig. 1), with
anti-friction rollers. After the thread has passed out from the rubbing rollers it is

page_text: thoroughly felted, and afterwards is received on a skein whisk or winder like
ordinary thread.
The mechanism for producing forward and backward motion of the frames is
shown in (Fig. 4). It consists of a fork 1 acted upon by a cam 2 with a movable
centre of rotation 3 which allows of the regulation of the stroke of the slide; all
the mechanism is in a box with oil inside so that the wear is very small.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention,―
I claim, 1st. In the process of manufacture of felted thread, the washing of slubs,
as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. Twisting and making the slubs cylindrical by means of the funnels H,
substantially as specified.
3rd. The felting machine operating by the rollers M, N, in combination with
funnel H without the use of an endless felting apron.
4th. The rubbing rollers M, N, having the peculiarity that each of them has a
quicker motion than the preceding one to produce an action of drawing upon the
thread.
5th. The special framing of the rollers M, N, and slide motion therefore.
6th. The mechanism for producing the forward and backward motion of the
frames.
7th. The use in combination of these elements which constitute an industrial
process for the manufacture of felted thread.
Lastly. All the herein before described arrangements constituting a machine
made according to this Invention for felting the carded slubs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Alfred Barlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
TT TEN
DADIAH