IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING COTTON FOR SPINNING, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Mason, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PREPARING COTTON FOR SPINNING, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR EFFECTING THE SAME."
Sealed the 4th April 1854, and dated the 5th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Mason at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th October 1853.
I, JOHN MASON, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREPARING COTTON FOR SPINNING, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
EFFECTING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the application of artificial heat to cotton
previously to or during those processes commonly known as willowing
and scutching, or during operations which are used as equivalents to the
above. The manner of applying the heat may be much varied, and
will depend upon construction of machinery, situation, and other par-
ticulars. To illustrate my Invention, however, I may suppose that the

page_text: material as it is fed into the machinery or apparatus is caused to pass
over a plate or vessel heated by steam or by other means; or a current
of heated air may be caused to traverse or pass through the cotton; and
in some cases it may be found desirable to heat certain parts of the
operating machinery, as, for instance, feed rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Mason in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN MASON, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Mason, Her especial license that
I, the said John Mason, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Mason, 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 PREPARING
COTTON FOR SPINNING, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING
THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Mason, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Mason, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
My Invention consists in the application of artificial heat to cotton
previously to or during those processes commonly known as willowing
or scutching, or during operations which are used as equivalents
thereto; and in order to illustrate the principle of my Invention .I
have appended to this my Specification certain Drawings, which I will
now proceed to describe.
"
.
Fig. 1, is a sectional view of a scutching machine arranged so as
to be used according to my Invention. Between the upper and lower
portions of the feed apron a, and of the width thereof, is affixed a
chamber 6, supplied with steam from any convenient source, or other-
wise heated; as the material therefore passes onward it will be
subjected to the heat arising therefrom previously to its being acted
upon by the revolving blades c. The ordinary rollers may be adapted,
if desired, between the feed apron and the scutcher, but in the Draw-
ing I have shewn that apparatus usually called the "patent feeder,'
the dish part d, of which I form hollow, and supply with steam or
otherwise heat. The material then passes through the machine, and is
wound into a lap at e, in the usual manner. Fig. 2, is a sectional
view shewing another method by which heat may be applied to the
material. The laps of cotton constituting the feed are shewn at f, they
are mounted in slots of framework so as to rest upon the periphery of
an unlapping drum g, which has rotatory motion communicated to it.
This drum is formed hollow, and has steam supplied to its interior.
The combined laps are conducted by a pair of rollers h, to the feed
dish and roller i, which may be supplied with steam if desired, and
from thence the material passes to be operated upon by the beaters c, as
usual. In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn certain methods
by which my Invention may be carried into effect. I desire it, however,
to be understood that I do not confine myself thereto, as other
arrangements may be adopted to accomplish the like effect; for
instance, currents of heated air may be caused to traverse or pass
through the material, and the ordinary feed rollers or scutching
cylinders or beaters may be formed hollow and supplied with steam.

page_text: In cases where a double scutcher is adopted the material may be
caused to pass over or between intermediate rollers or other apparatus
heated to any desired temperature, or the calendar rollers of a first
machine may be used to convey the heat. I have also shewn my
Invention in combination with a scutching machine, but it will be
evident to all competent persons that the same may be adapted to the
willow or other machines used for opening and cleaning cotton. In
the foregoing description I have alluded to the heating apparatus as
constituting part of the machine by which the material is scutched, &c.
I would observe, however, that, if desired, the said apparatus may be
detached therefrom, and constitute a hot air chamber, in which cotton
in the raw or loose state may be placed to be subjected to the required
temperature, and removed therefrom to the machine by hand or by
travelling surfaces or other machinery. By the use of my Invention
the material will become dryer and looser so as to enable the scutching
apparatus to act upon it more easily. The degree of temperature
to be used will depend upon the quantity of material to be acted upon,
and the extent of heating surface, but should be so regulated as to
effect a drying of the cotton, and cause it to part more readily with
dust and other impurities.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim as secured to me the application of
artificial heat to cotton previously to or during the processes of willowing,
scutching, or others used in lieu thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Mason, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN MASON. (L.S.)