IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF PREPARING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Moorhouse, of Denton, in the County
of Lancaster, Tailor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OR METHOD OF PREPARING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, OR OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
Scaled the 23rd March 1853, and dated the 29th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Moorhouse
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th January 1853.
I, HENRY MOORHOUSE, of Denton, in the County of Lancaster,
Tailor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF PREPARING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX,
OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EM-
PLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows: -
My Invention relates to the method of delivering the fibrous
material from the carding or other similar engine to the receiving
can, and also in the formation of the said can or receiving vessel.
The present method is to deliver the fibrous material in the state
of soft sliver into a circular can or vessel, the said sliver being laid

page_text: in coils round the inside of the can, and pressed down either by hand
or plunger, which processes are open to many objections.
Instead of the aforesaid plans, I propose to lay the fibre or sliver
in straight horizontal layers, by means of an eccentric or traversing
motion, and to press or compress, the said fibre or sliver in the vessel
by means of a roller, conical or other shape, working in the vessel on
the material, and regulated by pulleys and weight.
This my Invention will be understood by reference to the accom-
panying sketch or outline Drawing; in which a represents the mouth
or opening of the vessel; b, the framework from top to bottom of the
can or vessel; c, the roller which revolves on the fibre or sliver by
the revolution of the vessel; d, d, the eccentric or traversing motion,
which lays the fibre or sliver in the said can or vessel, and is con-
ducted thereto by the conductor c; f, the weight or ballast to ässist
the roller to lift the framework as the sliver is delivered in; g,
pulleys to work the weight or ballast; and h, the framework inside
the can or vessel.
I desire it to be distinctly understood that this is merely an out-
line description of my Invention, which I will more fully explain in
my Complete Specification.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Henry Moorhouse in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 29th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
HENRY MOORHOUSE, of Denton, in the County of Lancaster, Tailor,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
and in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Moorhouse, Her
especial license that I, the said Henry Moorhouse, my executors, ad

page_text: ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Moor-
house, 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, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF PREPARING
COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Moorhouse, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my 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 Henry Moorhouse, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say):
My Invention relates to improvements in that part of machinery
or apparatus used for preparing cotton, wool, &c., to be spun gene-
rally, called can compressers, coilers, or plungers, being the mode or
method of laying the slivers in a can or vessel, and keeping
them well pressed down, so as to prevent them overflowing, and
thereby become wasted. Instead of laying the slivers in coils round
the inside of the can or vessel, as at present adopted, I lay them in
straight horizontal layers by means of an eccentric or traversing
motion; and instead of the plunger as at present used, I use one or
more conical or other shaped rollers, to revolve at the bottom of the
can on the slivers, and by means of a frame inside the can or vessel
balanced or adjusted by pulleys and weights, so as to lift the frame
as the slivers are deposited, thus commencing the pressure from the
bottom, and rising gradually as the vessel fills, instead of commencing
from the top or midway, as is the case by the present mode of work-
ing the plunger and coiler; and also, whenever the plunger may be

page_text: preferred to the use of the rollers above described, I apply the same
principle to work it from the bottom, and rise gradually as the can
or vessel fills, instead of plunging from the top or about midway of
the vessel, as heretofore; this I accomplish by means of a ratchet
wheel and pulley, with lever catch &c., which regulate the fall of the
plunger to the distance required.
These my improvements will be clearly understood by reference to
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the same letters of
reference are used to represent similar parts where different views or
diagrams are shewn. Fig. 1, represents a sectional elevation of my
improved inethod, showing one conical roller; but, as I have already
stated, I do not confine myself to the use of only one roller, as in many
cases two or three will be preferable; neither do I confine myself to the
conical shape of them, as other forms will answer the purpose, though
not quite so well. Fig. 2, is a plan of the same; Fig. 3, is a sectional
clevation of the can or vessel, shewing the plunger worked from the
bottom by means of the ratchet wheel and pulley; and Fig. 4, is
a plan of the same. a, represents the can or vessel; b, the frame-
work; c, the rollers; d, the conductor which turns on a joint or
hinge at e, and is moved forward and backward by a crank or other
convenient method. The centre rod of the frame b, is guided by the
rollers f, and connected to the strap or cord g, which passes over the
pulley h, and is furnished with a weight i, to balance the frame-
work b. In Figs. 3 and 4, a represents the can; b, the plunger,
which is suspended to the strap c, and turns over the pulley d, on
the side of which is a ratchet wheel e, furnished with a lever f, and
ratchet g, to which motion is communicated by the connecting rod
, attached to a crank pin i, on the bevil wheel j, working in another
bevil wheel, moving simultaneously with a spur wheel Z, driven by
the pinion m upon the driving shaft n. At o is a balance weight
to take up the slack of the strap c, as the cotton in the can advances
in height. It will be perceived that this motion is alternate, and is
in proportion to the length of the crank and lever.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself

page_text: to the exact details herein described, as such may be varied or modified
without departing from the principle thereof. But I claim as of my
Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not
been hitherto used within this realm,-
Firstly, the method of laying the sliver in a horizontal direction,
and pressing it with one or more rollers; and,
Secondly, the mode of using the plunger so as to accommodate
itself to the different heights of the sliver in the can or vessel, as
herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
HENRY MOORHOUSE. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Henry Moorhouse,
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
1