Improvements in Machinery Employed in Finishing Lace and other Fabrics.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 15th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 27th Sept., 1887.
TRUYISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery Employed in Finishing Lace
and other Fabrics.
I, LEONARD LINDLEY of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham Lace
Dresser, do hereby declare the nature of said invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object improvements upon that class of machinery forming
the subject of previous Letters Patent granted to me No. 1418 of the year 1883;
No. 5160 of the year 1884, No. 11152 of the year 1885, and relates to a novel
arrangement and combination of parts whereby I obtain a much simpler, lighter and
cheaper form of machine which permits of the ready introduction therein of the
fabric to be finished thus dispensing with a large amount of labour, presents a clearer
view of the fabric as it passes therethrough, is much less liable to injure the fabric
and obviates the necessity for using more than one pressure guage to each machine.
According to my present invention I dispense with the large ironing or drying
cylinder previously employed but I retain the series of smaller heated rollers b, 61
and guide or conducting rollers c referred to in the specification of Patent No. 11152.
I also dispense with the guide rollers 9, 9', g², g³ chain wheels 9, 98 and endless
chain i for driving the said guide rollers together with the straining apparatus
connected with such endless chain i and I arrange the endless gripping chains e on
guide rollers and chain wheels so as to cause them to act in connection with the lowest
of the series of heated rollers b, b¹.
I also employ the endless chains of tentering hooks, pins or clamps described in my
said several specifications but as I now dispense with the large heated ironing or drying
cylinder I cause the said tentering chains to deliver the fabric to be finished to the
lowermost of the series of heated rollers b, and I employ the arrangements described
in my said specification No. 5160 for keeping the tentering chains in contact with
the heated cylinder to which they deliver the fabric and for preventing the soiling of
the covering of the said heated roller and the catching of the tentering hooks or
clamps against the same or against the fabric thereon.
The heated rollers b, b₁ when the machine is to be employed for finishing fabrics
which do not extend on drying, will be all of the same diameter but when finishing

page_text: fabrics which do extend on drying I give to some or all of such heated rollers a
gradually increased surface speed which may be obtained in the manner described in
my said specification No. 11152 or by the aid of gearing. When employing heated
rollers of gradually increasing diameters I prefer to divide them into two similar
series of like diameters and by the aid of gearing cause the second series to rotate
slightly faster than the first thus obviating the necessity for using a large number of
rollers of different diameters; when employing heated rollers of like diameters I
preferably drive the same by means of pinions fixed on the same each gearing with
a separate toothed wheel, such pinions and wheels being so proportioned as to give to
the said rollers the required increase of surface speed.
I preferably arrange the heated rollers 6 6₁ and guide or conducting rollers c
in an arc of a circle around a central driving shaft thus obtaining simplicity of
arrangement.
The fabric on the tentering hooks, pins, or clamps is delivered to the first of the
series of heated rollers, the endless gripping chains aiding in stripping the said fabric
from the said hooks, pins or clamps and holding the same at the edges firmly in contact
with said first heated roller.
The fabric is then passed to and fro and partly around all the said heated rollers
until it arrives at the last one from which it passes over a guide bar or roller direct
to the winding on beam. By these means I avoid passing the fabric in such a
circuitous course as that necessitated in the use of machinery arranged as described
in my specification No. 11,152 whilst by also dispensing with the large heated cylinder
I also dispense with the pressure gauge heretofore used therewith and employ only
one pressure gauge to indicate the pressure in all the heated rollers employed.
When finishing some classes of fabrics the tentering chains will not be required
but the fabric will be passed over a "breadthener," bar or bars, roller or rollers which
will suitably extend it without stretching it.
In some cases color may be applied to the fabric as it passes through the machine.
Dated November 23rd 1886.
LEONARD LINDLEY.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery Employed in Finishing Lace
and other Fabrics.
I, LEONARD LINDLEY of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Lace
Dresser, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The invention has for its object improvements upon that class of machinery forming
the subject of previous Letters Patent granted. to me No. 1418 of the year 1883;
No. 5160 of the year 1884; No. 11152 of the year 1885; and relatos to a novel
arrangement and combination of parts whereby I obtain a much simpler, lighter and
cheaper form of machine which permits of the ready introduction therein of the fabric
to be finished thus dispensing with a large amount of labour, presents a clearer view
of the fabric as it passes therethrough, is less liable to injure the fabric and obviates
the necessity for using more than one pressure gauge to each machine.
According to my present invention I dispense with the large ironing or drying
cylinder previously employed but I retain the series of smaller heated rollers b, b¹, and
guide or conducting rollers e referred to in the Specification of Patent No. 11152.
I also dispense with the guide rollers g, g¹, 9, 93, chain wheels g. 9, and endless
chain i for driving the said guide rollers together with the straining apparatus
connected with such endless chain i described in such specification and I arrange the
endless gripping chains e on guide rollers and chain wheels so as to cause them to act
in connection with the lowest of the series of heated rollers b, b¹.
I also employ the endless chains of tentering hooks, pins or clamps described in my
said several specifications but as I now dispense with the large heated ironing or
drying cylinder I cause the said tentering chains to deliver the fabric to be finished to
the lowermost of the series of heated rollers b, b' and I employ the arrangements
described in my said Specification No. 5160 for keeping the tentering chains in contact
with the heated cylinder to which they deliver the fabric and for preventing the
soiling of the covering of the said heated roller and the catching of the tentering hooks
or clamps against the same or against the fabric thereon.
The heated rollers b, b', when the machine is to be employed for finishing fabrics
which do not extend on drying, will be all of the same diameter but when finishing
fabrics which do extend on drying give to some or all of such heated rollers a
gradually increased surface speed which may be obtained in the manner described in
my said specification No. 11152 or by the aid of gearing. When employing heated
rollers of gradually increasing diameters I prefer to divide them into two similar series
of like diameters and by the aid of gearing cause the second series to rotate slightly
faster than the first thus obviating the necessity for using a large number of rollers of
different diameters; when employing heated rollers of like diameters I preferably drive
the same by means of pinions fixed on the same each gearing with a separate toothed

page_text: a single pressure gauge attached to the steam chamber c³ is all that is required on
the machine. The ironing or drying rollers c, c* may, some or all of them be covered
with cloth or felt or they may be used without such covering.
The lowest of the series of rollers c is placed as close as possible to the chains a of
tentering hooks pins or clamps which deliver the fabric to be finished directly to such
lowermost roller c and in order to maintain the chains a always within a given distance
of the surface of the said lowermost roller c, I, as described in my said specification
No. 5160 cause each of the chains a to pass over a pair of rollers d, d' carried at one
end of an arm or lever which is mounted on an axis 6 carried by the frame b and
such arms or levers are acted on at one end by a spring which causes the
The links of
rollers d, d to be borne upwards towards the lowermost heated roller c.
the chains a pass over the rollers d and the extensions a* thereof carrying the tentering
hooks, pins or clamps pass over the rollers d¹.
I also, as described in such last mentioned specification, attach to the chains a wood
or other non-metallic blocks, a³, a', which rise a short distance above the points of the
hooks or pins a², or it may be clamps, and the links a' of the chains and these
blocks a, a, are pressed against the lowermost roller c by the rollers d, d' which latter
support the chains a at such an angle as to facilitate the release of the fabric from the
hooks pins or clamps a².
By these means the tentering chains a are always maintained in the same relation to
the lowermost roller c and the tentering hooks pins or clamps are prevented by the
wood or other non-metallic blocks a³, a from catching against the said lowermost
roller c or against the fabric thereon whilst by the use of such non-metallic blocks a³, a*
I avoid soiling such roller c.
When adjusting the traversing frames b to a new width of fabric the springs bare
unhooked from the arms or levers at which time the smaller springs which always
remain attached to the opposite ends of such arms or levers 6 act to draw down
such ends and consequently the rollers d, d' thereby causing the blocks a³, at of the
chains a to fall out of contact with the lowermost roller c and thus prevent injury to
such roller or to the cloth or other covering thereon in the traverse of the chains in
the direction of the length of such roller c.
In order to prevent contraction or distortion of the fabric operated upon when it is
transferred from the tentering hooks pins or clamps to the lowermost drying roller c.
I, also as described in such last mentioned specification, employ two endless chains e
to act at the edges of the fabric, to assist in liberating the fabric from the tentering
hooks pins or clamps, but according to my present invention I cause such chains to
bring the edges of the fabric immediately into contact with the said lowermost
roller c. I also form such chains e in the manner shown and described in such last
mentioned specification, in order to enable them to obtain a firm hold of the fabric
under treatment.
These endless chains e are caused to remain in contact with the edges of the fabric
and to press them against the heated surface of the lowermost heated roller c as far as
possible around the same; for this purpose the endless chains e are mounted on chain
wheels or pulleys f", ff, the pulleys or wheels ff, at each side of the machine
are each carried by an adjustable bracket 68 fixed to one of the frames b; the pulleys
or wheels are each carried by an adjustable bracket 6 fixed to the top bar of the
frame b and the pulleys or wheels are each carried by a frame 610 which is mounted
with capability of sliding upon rods or bars, carried by the frame b and such
frame is capable of being acted upon by a screw 6" when required to put strain
on the endless chains e.
Motion is given to each of the endless chains e at the same surface speed as the
chains a by an endless chain 6" passing partly around a chain wheel 6 fixed on the
axis 6 of the chain wheel giving motion to the tentering cbains a and partly
around a chain wheelf fixed on the axis of the chain wheel or pulley.
The ironing or drying rollers c according to the arrangement shown in the drawings,
are arranged in two similar series and are preferably arranged in an arc of a circle
drawn around the axis g; each of such rollers c or c* is of slightly larger diameter

page_text: than that of the next preceding or lower roller cor c*, whilst the first series are all driven
at the same number of revolutions by means of toothed pinions c and the second series
of rollers are driven at a slightly accelerated speed by means of smaller toothed
pinions fixed on the axes thereof all of which are driven by a toothed wheel g
rotating on the axis which wheel g' is driven at the same surface speed as that of the
tentering chains a by the following means.
Fixed to the wheel g' and rotating therewith is a wheel g* which is driven by a
pinion ¹ fixed on a shaft h working in a bracket s¹ fixed to the frames of the
machine.
On this shaft is a worm wheel 2 which is driven by a worm i¹ fixed on a shaft i
which latter is driven by a cone speed on the same to which motion is given by
belting from any suitable source of power.
For giving motion to the tentering chains a a driving lever 616 provided with a
pin 617 is fixed on the shaft 6" and is driven by one of the arms of a wheel 618 which in
its turn is driven by a pinion h³ fixed on the shaft h.
The wheel 68 is mounted loosely on the shaft 61 and by sliding it along the said
shaft it can be disconnected from both the pinion h³ and the driving lever 61% when for
any purpose the tentering chains are required to be stopped.
By the above described arrangement of parts the lowermost of the series of ironing
or drying rollers c is caused to rotate at the same surface speed as that of the tentering
chains a but on account of the increased diameters of the following rollers c the sur-
face speed of each succeeding roller c is slightly greater than that of the next preceding
or lower roller c and also by the above means I cause the second series of rollers c* to
rotate slightly faster than the first thus obviating the necessity for using so large a
number of rollers of different diameters as would be required if they were all in one
series of different diameters.
In some cases instead of using two series of such rollers only one may be used.
The rollers may however be all of the same diameter in which case the increased
surface speed of each succeeding roller may be obtained by means of suitable gearing,
the arrangement I prefer to use for such purpose being a separate toothed wheel g¹ to
gear into the pinion e of each roller c such toothed wheels g' and pinions c being so
proportioned as to give to the said rollers c the required increase of surface speed. By
the use of ironing or drying rollers of gradually increasing surface speeds, I am
enabled to efficiently finish cotton and other goods which are liable to extension on
drying as any extension of the fabric under treatment after passing from the first
ironing or drying roller is taken up by the increased surface speed of the succeeding
rollers by which means it is kept in a constant tension until it is completely dried
thereby securing its continuous contact with the various rollers and consequently pro-
ducing a better finish that has heretofore been attained in the classes of goods which
are liable to such extension on drying; when however it is desired to finish fabrics
which are not liable to such extension on drying I employ heated rollers which have
all the same surface speed. I place outside and intermediate of these ironing or drying
rollers & guide or conducting rollers; which by gravity aided by suitable guides k₁
fixed to the framing k carrying the bearings of such rollers e always remain in contact
therewith.
The fabric is first placed on the tentering hooks, pins or clamps in the usual way,
and is conducted by the tentering chains to the lowermost of the heated or ironing
rollers c, the endless chains e assist in delivering the fabric to such roller c and then
hold it firmly and as far as possible around the same, it then passes from such first
roller c, to and partly around a guide or conducting roller j and thence to the second
roller c and so on until it arrives at the last of the ironing or drying rollers c* from
which it is passed over a guide bar or roller 1 and is thence conducted directly to the
winding on beam or roller m which by preference is rotated by hand.
Any required number of the ironing or drying rollers c of increasing surface speeds
may be employed either in combination or without other similar rollers revolving at
equal surface speeds with each other.
By the peculiar arrangement and combination of parts above described I am enabled

page_text: to conduct the fabric in a continuously forward course through the machine and there-
by avoid the undue strain which is put thereon when using a large ironing or drying
cylinder in combination with the rollers c as hereinbefore described which latter ar-
rangement or combination necessitates the fabric to be conducted in a very circuitous
course, that is to say, first around the said large ironing or drying cylinder until it
arrives at the uppermost of the heated rollers after which it is led around the said
heated rollers and guide or conducting rollers until it arrives at the lowermost of such
heated rollers, whence it passes partly around a guide roller and is then caused to rise
in a vertical direction to and over other guide rollers to the back of the machine where
it is wound on to the winding on drum or roller. I also according to my present
invention by causing the fabric to pass through the machine in a continuously forward
direction avoid the necessity for using the conducting rollers hitherto necessary for
conducting the fabric from the last or lowermost of the said rollers c backwards to the
winding on beam or drum as also the driving arrangements necessary for giving
motion to such conducting rollers. I also avoid the necessity for using moveable
conducting rollers for conducting the fabric from the large cylinder to the first of the
said rollers c and for facilitating the entry of the fabric between the cylinder and said
first conducting roller.
When finishing some classes of fabrics, the tentering chains will not be required,
but the fabric will be passed over a breadthener bar n see Figures 9 and 10 or bars,
roller or rollers which will suitably extend it or smooth it out.
I would here remark that I do not claim the various parts herein described separately
considered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
The peculiar arrangement and combination of parts substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated.