IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Charles Walker of Shipley near Bradford in the
County of York for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING
MACHINES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Charles Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1883.
JOHN CHARLES WALKER of Shipley near Bradford in the County of York,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES,"
My Invention relates to the "dabbing" brushes employed in wool, and other
combing machines, for pressing the wool or other fibre into the teeth of the combs,
and its object is to construct such brushes so that they can be more readily
attached or removed from the mechanism for actuating them, for repairs or other
purposes, and without injury to the brush or bristles. For this purpose I construct
the body of the brush of metal, and form a hollow bridge at the back of it, whereby
it is attached to the mechanism for actuating the brush. These parts are readily
got at by the attendant when required, also the wires for securing the bristles at
the back of the body of the brush are easy of access, when the bristles are required
to be removed or applied.
I actuate the dabbing brushes from one central rocking bar or shaft, motion
therefrom being transmitted to the slides carrying the brushes by levers by
preference of as near as possible the same length. By such arrangement the
brushes balance each other, and therefore work more smoothly and with much less
strain on the machine, motion being imparted to the rocking shaft by cams,
eccentrics, or their equivalents. I by preference apply the rocking shaft in a
convenient position below the comb circle.
In order to cheapen the construction thereof, and at the same time to present a
smoother surface in the trough of the feed box to the material as it passes through,
I either construct the trough of the feed box of porcelain, glazed earthenware, glass,
or I coat the interior thereof with a suitable vitreous enamel. Further I also
apply coating of vitreous enamal to the conductors also to the periphery of the feed
rollers preventing thereby any staining of the material by the metal forming such
conductors and feed rollers and boxes.
In order to prevent the material dragging back or slackening, I employ a checking
piece suspended in suitable bearings on the conductors in front of the feed boxes,
these press on the material in case of backward movement and retain it.

page_text: In this arrangement I dispense with the ordinary pillars for carrying the driving
shaft and impart the required motion to the machine through driving pulley h and
bevel wheels i carried on the horizontal shaft k and vertical shaft , such shafts
being supported by the bracket m attached to the framework g and in order to
impart the vertical reciprocating motion to the dabbing brushes I employ an
eccentric n, cam, or its equivalent on the vertical shaft l, this is coupled to a toggle
arrangement of levers o. o¹ by the short connecting link or rod p. It will be readily
seen that on the vertical shaft being put in motion the eccentric n imparts a radial
movement to the toggle levers o. o' the lower lever o¹ being attached to the short
lever v keyed on the horizontal shaft r below the comb circles, imparts thereto a
to and fro or rocking motion, Such movement giving to the levers s and t a radial
reciprocating action whereby the desired vertical reciprocating movement is given
to the slides ff carrying the dabbing brushes e this being transmitted from the
levers through the connecting rodu.
A further modification of my Improvements in actuating dabbing brushes is
shewn in Figs 6, 7, and 8 in which a is the ordinary driving shaft, bb the brackets
attached to the pillars c. c, d d are the slides which carry the dabbing brushes e. e,
all of which are of ordinary construction. Now I in my Improvements impart the
required vertical reciprocating movement to the slides d. d, from an eccentric f,
cain, or its equivalent, keyed or otherwise carried on the driving shaft. Below the
driving shaft is employed a horizontal shaft g carried in suitable bearings h on the
pillars c. c. At the outer ends of this shaft are keyed or otherwise fastened the
levers ii such levers being connected to the dabbing brush slide by the connecting
rods k. k, and studs ll. I also employ another lever m on the horizontal shaft g
which is keyed or otherwise fastened thereon to which a radial reciprocating
movement is transmitted by the eccentric f through the rod o imparting to the
horizontal shaft g a rocking motion, such movement giving to the levers ii a radial
reciprocating action whereby the desired vertical reciprocating movement is given
to the slides d, d, carrying the dabbing brushes e, e.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and shewn by drawings
how the same may be carried into practice I would have it understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details or configuration of the parts 1 have described
and shewn as the same may be varied or modified without departing from the
nature of my said Invention; what I do claim is :—
The construction and application of dabbing brushes a having provided
thereon a bridge or rib b substantially as and for purposes herein setforth.
The arrangement and application of a central rocking bar or shaft (ṛ Figs
3. 4 and 5) and (g Figs 6. 7. and 8) substantially as and for purposes herein
setforth.
The application of porcelain, glazed earthenware, glass, or a vitreous enamel
in the construction of and coating of the feed boxes, conductors, and feed
rollers, substantially as and for purposes herein setforth.
In Witness whereof I the said John Charles Walker have hereunto set
my hand and seal this seventeenth day of September in the year of Our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.