VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING SALT
Year: 1801

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MANLEY, of. the Township of Witton, in the Parish of Great Budworth, in the
County Palatine of Chester, Joiner and Engineer, send greeting.
"WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the First day of. July, in the forty-first year of His reign,
did give and grant. unto me, the said James: Manley, my exors, adñiors, and
assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the
Said James Manley, my. exors, admors, and assigns, during the term of years
O therein expressed, should and. lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend
the.Invention therein mentioned, to wit, "VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS
OF MANUFACTURING SALT," within that part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, the said James Manley,
my exors, admors, or assigns, should seem meet; to have, hold, exercise, and
enjoy the said licence, powers, .privileges, and advantages therein granted or
mentioned to be granted unto me, the said James Manley, my exors, adñiors,.
and assigns, for and during 'and unto the full end and term of fourteen years
therein expressed; in which said Letters Patent there is (amongst other things)

page_text: contained a proviso, that if I, the said James Manley, should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
and cause the same to be inrolled in the High Court of Chancery within one
calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent,
that then the said Letters Patent; and all liberties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by
the said Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE; that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Manley, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, as herein-after
mentioned. And in order the better to explain the nature of my Invention, I
think it necessary to premise the following observations:-
Every kind of brine which is used for salt-making contains in solution à
quantity of earth, of earthy salts, and often of iron, all of which are liable to
mix with the salt during the evaporation of the brine, and to injure its purity
unless they are removed. Some of these impurities may be separated from
the brine by the mere application of heat, but others are more difficult of
separation. In the method of salt-making commonly practised, the whole
process of boiling, of purifying, and. of evaporating the brine is performed:in a
single iron pan, heated by furnaces placed beneath it. To purify the rough brine;
the method usually followed is, to heat it for a certain time; souris &to separate
part of the earthyand metallic impurities; and likewise 'to continue. the
evaporation till a certain quantity of salt is made, and afterwards both to scum
off from the surface, and to clear, or.rake out from the bottom, the earthy and
metallic impurities, as often as is judged to be necessary. These clearings,
which contain a large proportion of salt, are thrown away.
...In the above-nientioned method of preparing the brinc, a great quantity of
fuel is consumed in bringing it to. the requisite lieat, land also much laboursis
often required. in raking out the clearings, and also a certain quantity:ofi:good
salt is lost therewith; and likewise the brine is so imperfectly freed from its
earthy.contents. that a large portion of them still remain, which during the
evaporation either mix with the salt, rendering it less i pure, or else forma
-hard-earthy crust on the bottom and sides of the pan, which requires to be
often removed by the operation of picking; to, the great detriment of the pan
itself.
To remove and lessen these inconveniencies, and other's which will be: after-
wards specified, and to improve the quality of the manufactured article, I have

page_text: invented and adopted the following apparatus, and processes, which constitute the
several distinct heads of improvement of which my said Invention consists:-..
1st. My first head of improvement consists in adding to the common apparatus.
for, salt-making another pan, which I call a heating cistern or preparing pan..
This is placed contigious to the common salting pan, and is heated by an
extension of the flues from the said salting pan, and therefore without requiring.
any additional 'fuel.:-The: preparing pan may be made of iron or any other
suitable material, and of a form, the best adapted to different salt works,, and
either with or without a cover; it should hold at least as much brine as will
serve for one charge of the salting pan. The construction of the pans will,be.
explained by a reference to the Drawing, Figure 1, hereto annexed or subjoined.
Figure 1 is the ground, plan of a salting pan of the usual form, with a prepar-
ing pan adjoining to it.. a, a, a; a, is the salting pan; b, b, b, b; the preparing
panc, ccflues which convey the flame from beneath the salting pan to the
preparing pan;d, the chimney;e, a damper; f f f f fire doors; 99, 9; 9,
grates: The arrows shew the course of the fires through the flues:, These
pans may be used in the following manner. (allowing for such variations as; may,
be found adviseable from occasional differences in the quality of the brine, or
the particular.convenience of the manufacturer):-The rough brine, in the state
in which it is pumped out from the well or drawn from the reservoir, is to be
sent directly to the preparing pan, instead of going ationce into the salting pan,
which is done in the present method of manufacture. The rough brine is then
heated in the preparing pan by means of the same fire which is heating the
brine, already in the salting pan. The rough brine;; by being thus heated in
the preparing pan,, is: brought, without expence of fuel, to the degree of heat
requisite for depositing the earthy and metallic impurities seperable from it.by,
mere heat:,: These impurities subside to the: bottom; leaving: the-brine above
them clear, and hot, ready to be afterwards evaporated in the salting pan before
used, as soon as this pan is able to receive it, or in any contiguous salting pan.
The clarified brine may be drawn off from the sediment by a syphon, or by any
other suitable method, after which, the, sediment' is to be let off through a
waste pipe.at the bottom of the preparing pan and the whole. well, washed out.
The preparing, pan,is: then to be filled with fresli brine; and heated, as before, by
the same: fire which is supplying the salting pan,, so as to prepare a charge of
clear and hot brine for a subsequent.evaporation.
The improvement, in the process of salt-making which I have here specified
will save a considerable, quantity of fuel, inasmuch as the brine may be brought
inthe preparing pan, without any additional expence of fuel, to the same state

page_text: for which, in the usual mode of mannfacture, a fire must be kept up for several
hours under the salting pan. The above improvement will likewise save much
of the time necessary to the process of evaporation, as well as much of the time
and labour now employed in clearing out the sediment; and it will contribute
to lessen the quantity of the pickings, and consequently the frequency of their
removal.:
mere
2nd. My second head of improvement in the manufacture of salt, which is
quite distinct from the first, is to add to the brine a certain quantity of fixed:
alkali, especially of barilla, or any other species of the mineral alkali, whereby
several of the earthy salts contained in the brine, and not seperable from it by
heat, are decomposed, and the earth precipitated in the form of a sediment,
which may be removed without much difficulty. The quantity of the alkali and
the time at which it should be added must depend on the degree of concentra-
tion of the brine, and especially on the nature and proportion of its contents,
and, as these differ much in different springs, and even in the water of the
same spring at different times, they must therefore be left to the manufacturer.
to determine for himself, according to circumstances.
pan,
3rd. My third head of improvement in the manufacture of salt, which is quite
different from the two former, consists of a peculiar method of constructing the
flues for conveying the flame and heated air of the furnaces beneath the
so as to lessen the requisite consumption of fuel. Many attempts have been
made at various times to increase or retain the heat under salt pans, by means
of circuitous, angular, or otherwise lengthened flues, all of which attempts have
been frustrated by the heaving or rising of the pan when the liquor which it
contains is fully boiling, which has allowed the flame to pass directly over the
cross and midfeather walls to the chimnies instead of circulating through the
flues. To remedy this inconvenience, let flue plates be formed of plates of iron
bent to an angle lengthwise, in order to afford a face or flanch part, to be
rivetted or otherwise fastened to the bottom of the boiler, whilst the other part
of the width of the plates projects downwards from the bottom of the pan, and s
is either to be received loosely in a groove of the cross and midfeather walls,
or else to hang down for some inches beside them. By this method the flame
and heated air will be kept within the flues, notwithstanding the rise and fall'
of the pan, and the advantage in saving fuel, which is derived from the
circuitous course of the flues, will be secured.
Figure 2 exhibits one of the methods of applying these plates. a, a, a, a, is
the salt pan; b, b, b, grates; c, c, c, flues; d, the chimney; e, e, e, dampers;
fff, fire doors. The dark lines represent the iron plates, and the lighter
3

page_text: parts on each side, the brick partition walls of support, between which the
plates are received loosely. The arrows shew the course of the fires through
the flues. The above construction may be applied both to salt pans, and to
pans of any description which are intended to bear the fire.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and one.
JAMES (L.s.) MANLEY.
Sealed and delivered (being first duly stamped),
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and one.

page_text: passed
41st year
SPECIF ON enrolled pursuant to
reign of His Majesty King George the Third, dated 2nd July 1801, and
intituled "An Act for vesting for a limited time in the Reverend Edmund
Cartwright, Clerk, Master of Arts, his Executors, Administrators, and
Assigns, the sole Property in certain Machinery by him invented for
Woolcombing."
TO ALL PERSONS TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
the Reverend EDMUND CARTWRIGHT, late of Doncaster, in the County of
York, since of St. Marylebone, in the County of Middlesex, but now of
Woburn, in the County of Bedford, Clerk, Master of Arts, sends greeting...
WHEREAS by an Act of Parliament made and passed in the forty-first
year of the reign of His present Majesty King George the Third, intitled
"An Act for vesting for a limited time in the Reverend Edmund Cartwright,
Clerk, Master of Arts, his Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, the sole
Property in certain Machinery by him invented for Woolcombing;" (which
received His Majesty's royal assent on the Second day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and one), reciting therein that His said Majesty, by His Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the Twenty-seventh
day of April, in the thirtieth year of His reign, did give and grant unto the
said Edmund Cartwright, by such description as therein contained, his execu
tors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege,

page_text: and authority to make, use, exercise, and vend certain machinery by him
invented for "DRESSING, HECKLING, COMBING, AND PREPARING HEMP, FLAX, WOOL,
HAIR, SILK, AND COTTON," in that part of His Majesty's Kingdom of Great
Britain called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, for a term of fourteen years from the date of those Presents; and that
by other Letters Patent under the Great Seal aforesaid, bearing date the
Eleventh day of December, in the thirty-first year of His said Majesty's reign,
after reciting therein that it had been represented to His said Majesty that
the said Edmund Cartwright had invented certain improvements on and addi-
tions to his said machinery, for which His said Majesty had been pleased to
grant the Letters Patent herein-before set forth and herein-before in part
recited, His said Majesty did give and grant unto the said Edmund Cart-
wright, his executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege, and authority to make, use, exercise, and vend his said
Invention in England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, for
the term of fourteen years from the date of those Presents; and that by other
Letters Patent under the Great Seal aforesaid, bearing date the Fifteenth day
of May, in the thirty-second year of His said Majesty's reign, after reciting
therein that it had been represented to His said Majesty that the said Edmund
Cartwright had invented .improvements upon and additions to machinery by
him already invented (and for which he had at sundry times obtained His
Majesty's Letters Patent) for manufacturing and fabricating wool, hemp, flax,
silk, hair, and cotton from the raw state of each respective article till made
into yarns, twist, cords, ropes, and cables, and till perfected in the loom and
cut for raising a pile, His said Majesty did give and grant unto the said
Edmund Cartwright, his executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial
licence, full power, sole privilege, and authority to make, use, exercise, and
vend his said Invention, in England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, for the term of fourteen years from the date of those Presents;
and the said Act of Parliament, after also reciting that His said Majesty, by
His other Letters Patent under the Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to
be kept and used in Scotland in place of the Great Seal formerly used there,
bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, One thousand seven hundred
and ninety, in the said thirty-first year of His reign, did give and grant unto
the said Edmund Cartwright, his executors, administrators, and assigns, His
especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and authority to make,. use, and
vend the machinery for manufacturing and fabricating wool, hemp, flax, silk,
hair, and cotton from the raw state of each respective article..till perfected in
the loom, within that part of His Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called

page_text: Scotland, for the term of fourteen years from the date of those Presents; and
the said Act of Parliament, after also reciting that in the said recited Letters
Patent respectively were contained provisoes, obliging the said Edmund Cart-
wright to describe and ascertain the nature of his said Inventions, and in what
manner the same were to be performed, by instruments in writing under his
hand and seal, to be respectively inrolled as therein and herein-after expressed,
namely, the instruments describing the Inventions which were the objects of
the said three first therein-recited and hercin-mentioned Letters Patent, to
be inrolled in the High Court of Chancery in England within one calendar
month from the dates of the said Letters Patent respectively, and the instru-
ment describing the Invention, which was the object of the said last therein-
recited and herein-before mentioned Letters Patent, to be inrolled in the
Court of Chancery in Scotland within four calendar months from the date
thereof; and also reciting that the said Edmund Cartwright had accordingly;
in pursuance of the said respective provisoes, and within the respective times
so limited as aforesaid, 'caused particular descriptions or specifications of his
said Inventions to be respectively inrolled in the said Court of Chancery in
England and in Scotland, in and by instruments in writing under his hand
and seal; it was in and by the said now-reciting Act of Parliament (amongst
other things) enacted, that from and after the passing of the same Act the
sole privilege and advantage of making, using, exercising, and vending all
such of the said machines and inventions mentioned in the said therein-before
in part recited and herein-before mentioned Letters Patent as were applicable
to the art of business of woolcombing, with the additions and improvements.
made therein, within that part of the United Kingdom called Great Britain,
should be and were thereby declared to be vested in the said Edmund Cart-
wright, his executors, administrators; and assigns; as his and their exclusive
right and sole property for and during the term of fourteen years, and that hc,
the said Edmund Cartwright, his executors, administrators, and assigns, and
every of them, by himself or themselves, or by his or their deputy or deputies,
servants, or agents, or such others as he, the said Edmund Cartwright, his
executors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of fourteen years therein and
herein-before mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend all such of the said 'Inventions (whether of machines or of improvements
upon and additions to machines) as were or should be respectively applicable
to the said art or business of woolcombing, within that part of the said United
Kingdom called Great Britain, in such manner as to him, the said Edmund
Cartwright, his executors, administrators, and assigns, or any of them, should

page_text: in his or their discretion seem meet, and that the said Edmund Cartwright,
his executors, administrators, and assigns, should and lawfully might have and
enjoy the sole property, profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to.
time-coming, growing, accruing, and arising by reason of the said Inventions
last mentioned, or any of them, for the said term of fourteen years; to have,
hold, receive, and enjoy the same for and during and to the full end and term
of fourteen years, as therein aforesaid; and that no other person or persons-
within that part of the United Kingdom called Great Britain should at any
time during the said term of fourteen years, either directly or indirectly, make,"
use, or put in practice the said Inventions, or any of them, or any part of the
same, nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor should
make or cause to be made any addition thereto nor subtraction from the same,
whereby to pretend himself, herself, or themselves the inventor or inventors,
devisor or devisors thereof, without the licence, consent, or agreement of the
said Edmund Cartwright, his executors, administrators, or assigns, in writing
under his or their hand and seal or hands and scals in that behalf first had
and obtained, upon and subject to such pains and penalties as could or might
be justly inflicted upon such offenders for their contempt of the said Act, and
further, to be answerable to the said Edmund Cartwright, his executors, admi-
nistrators, or assigns, according to law, for his and their damages thereby
occasioned; and after also reciting or taking notice that the descriptions or
Specifications which were inrolled in the Courts of Chancery in England and
Scotland respectively, pursuant to the proviso in the said therein-before recited.
and herein-before mentioned Letters Patent respectively contained, applied to
other Inventions of the said Edmund Cartwright, which were equally the
objects of the said Letters Patent, as well as his said Inventions relating to
the art or business of woolcombing, and that such various and considerable
alterations in the frame of the said machines for woolcombing, and such great
simplicity in the construction thereof, were successively introduced by the
several Inventions, which were respectively the objects of the three last of
the said therein-before recited Letters Patent, as to render a great part of the
framework and some of the parts for communicating motion of the woolcomb-
ing machinery that was the object of the first of the said therein-before recited
Letters Patent, unnecessary and superfluous, so that the description of the
same, as it then stood in the Specifications so inrolled as aforesaid, must, if
consulted, occasion to mechanics who might be desirous of learning the best and
simplest mode of constructing the said machines on the true principles of the
several Inventions of the said Edmund Cartwright by the Specification thereof,
unnecessary study and trouble; it was therefore expedient, for the more

page_text: clearly ascertaining the said Inventions and improvements, that other descrip-
tions or Specifications applicable only to the said woolconbing machines, and
omitting whatever related to other inventions of the said Edmund Cartwright,
and also applicable to the construction of the said woolcombing machines in
their improved state, should be inrolled; it was therefore in and by the now-
reciting Act of Parliament further enacted, that if the said Edmund Cart-
wright should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of such of his
said several Inventions as were respectively applicable to woolcombing, as
aforesaid, and in what manner the same were to be performed, by instruments
in, writing under his hand and seal, and cause the same respectively to be
inrolled in the High Court of Chancery in England, and also the Court of
Chancery in Scotland, within six calendar months next and immediately after
the passing of the now-reciting Act of Parliament, that then the same Act, and
all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease,
determine, and become void; provided always, that the said Edmund Cart-
wright, his executors, administrators, or assigns, should not, in so describing and
ascertaining the nature of his said Inventions applicable to woolcombing, or
any of them, be obliged to use the same words, figures, delineations, references,
explanatory notes, or observations as were formerly used by the said Edmund
Cartwright in any of the said Specicfiations which were inrolled in the respec-
tive Courts of Chancery of England and Scotland pursuant to the provisoes in
the therein-before in part recited Letters Patent respectively contained, but
should be at liberty to omit any of the words, figures, deineations, references,
explanatory notes, or observations which he, the said Edmund Cartwright,
then used, and to make of any other words, figures, delineations, references,
explanatory notes, or observations which he should judge most apt and proper
for describing and ascertaining the said Inventions, or any of them, in their
improved state, and the manner in which the same were to be performed; pro-
vided also, that if the said Edmund Cartwright should in such written instru-
ment, as aforesaid, explain any better practical application of the principle or
principles of his said Inventions, than might thentofore have been generally
practised or made public, and so as not to vary from such principle or prin-
ciples, such explanation should not be taken or construed in anywise to pre-
judice or weaken the claim or right of the said Edmund Cartwright to be held
and considered as the sole and true Inventor of such principle or principles,
notwithstanding such explanation might vary from the former descriptions
or Specifications so inrolled, as aforesaid.
NOW KNOW YE, that the said Edmund Cartwright, in pursuance of and
in compliance with the said proviso in the said recited Act of Parliament con-

page_text: tained, doth, by this instrument in writing under his band, and seal, testify and
declare that the nature of such his said several Inventions as are respectively
applicable to woolcombing, as aforesaid, and the manner in which the same are
to be performed, are described and, ascertained in and by the Drawings or
delineations hereunto annexed, .together with the words, figures, references,
explanatory notes, and observations following, that is to say:-
Figure 1, a perspective view of the horizontal lasher or preparer. A, the
carrying frame revolving round a fixed axis; B, the fixed axis; C, a worm
fast upon the fixed axis; D, a wheel working in the worm C; E, E, the
delivering rollers, one of which is upon the axis of the wheel D; F, a tooth'd
cylinder receiving action from one of the delivering rollers; G, G, feeding
rollers furnished with an endless cloth. When the frame A is put in motion,
the tooth'd cylinder is carried round under the feeding rollers and collects the
wool at the same time that the tooth'd cylinder is carried round by the frame,
it revolves upon its own axis, delivering the wool to the rollers E, E, and they
again deliver it to the circular comb II, from whence it is drawn off by other
rollers in a sort of sliver, whereby it is prepared for the combing machine; and
for the purpose of conveying the wool to the drawing-off rollers, the comb H
has a revolving motion round its center. Note. What is said of D, E, E,
and F explains the duplicates of them, shewn in Figure 1, but not referred to.
Note. Instead of the comb H, some manufacturers have, at the recommenda-
tion of the said Edmund Cartwright, used a toothed cylinder to receive the
wool, and a second tooth'd cylinder for taking it off the first and conveying it
to the drawing-off rollers; but in such application of cylinders, not being
protected by any of his Patents, he claims no exclusive right therein.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 are different views of the most material parts of the
combing, machine; but as the best instruction to intelligent mechanics is an
account of the leading principles of an Invention, so before any reference is made
to the said Figures those leading principles are here mentioned; that is to say, a
principal comb, either circular or streight, and capable of a motion in a direction
at right angles or nearly so to the direction of its own teeth, is, in the first place,
applied; a second or clearing comb, either circular or streight, and capable
also of a similar motion, is likewise applied for clearing the wool lodged in the
first-mentioned-comb,-which-is-called-giving-work-in-the-head; rollers are also
applied in the operation of filling the principal comb, and drawing off the
sliver and cranks are applied in acts of lashing the wool into the principal
comb and of working the clearing comb. Other leading principles of the
Invention will also be developed in the course of the general description
of the manner in which these first-mentioned principles are applied by the

page_text: said Edmund Cartwright, in preference to the many other modes in which
they may be applied, which general description is as follows, that is to say:―
1st. The principal comb is circular, its teeth point to its own center, and it
has a slow revolving motion round that center.
2dly. In order to give the wool the first combing, and at the same time to
feed or fill the principal comb with wool, the machine is furnished with a
member or limb called the crank lasher, the form of which is not without
some resemblance to the human arm, to the action of which the action of tho
crank lasher has still more resemblance.
It has a joint corresponding to the
human shoulder joint, a second answering to the joint at the human elbow, and
at its lower extremity it has a pair of rollers, with which, as with a hand, it
takes hold of the prepared wool, draws it forward, and regulates the delivery.
while the lasher lashes it into the principal comb; the relative position of the
crank lasher to the principal comb is of course regulated by the operation to
be performed; as in like manner must its size be proportioned to the space
through which the feeding rollers must pass in the operation of lashing, for
the purpose of which operation a suitable motion is generated by means of a
crank, the cross or crown bar of which passes through the lower branch of the
lasher at some distance from its extremity; another distinct motion being also
generated for governing the protruding action of the feeding rollers by means
of a wheel fast on the cross or crown bar of the crank; and in order to keep
together and conduct to the feeding rollers the prepared wool, a tube is
attached to the lower branch of the lasher. Note.-For this first combing the
wool may be brought into a sliver-like state, either by the preparer, Figure 1,
or by hand, or by other means; being then placed in a can or otherwise, either
behind or under the shoulder joint of the lasher, it is passed over that joint,
then over the elbow joint, then through the tube, and entered between the
feeding rollers, which of course perpetually draw it over the lasher, and per-
petually deliver it to the principal comb, as long as there is a supply of wool
and the machine is kept at work.
3dly. For the purpose of the latter combing, called giving work in the
head, the clearing comb has a revolving motion in a plane at right angles,
or nearly so, to the plane of the principal comb, so as that once in every
revolution it strikes through the wool of that comb; and for generating that
revolving motion, cranks are again applied, a pair of them being used for this
purpose. Note. It is thought best that the teeth of the clearing comb
should be inserted into the head or stock with obliquity, much in the manner
of the teeth of the ordinary hand comb.
And, 4thly. For drawing off the sliver of combed wool, the said Edmund

page_text: Cartwright uses a pair of rollers, so placed, that by the revolving motion of
the principal comb, the wool with which it is filled is successively brought
within the bite or grasp of these rollers; and in aid of the first pair, additional
rollers are also applied, to prevent lapping and improve the sliver; and for
conducting the sliver clear of the machine, conducting (or callender) rollers
are likewise applied.
To experienced engineers and mechanicians enough has been already said
for making them compleat masters of the Invention, and enabling them
to construct combing machines on the principles of this Invention, which
principles are susceptible of application in a variety of forms. But in
order to render the construction easy to inferior mechanics, as well as to
exhibit the form most approved of by the author of the Invention, the
Figures 2, 3, and 4 have been annexed, which Figures, being for the most
part of themselves sufficiently explanatory, little will be added in writing.
Figure 2, a sort of birds-eye view of the principal parts of the combing
machine. A, the principal comb; B, B, the crank lashers; C, the clearing
comb (see also c, Figure 4); D, D, D, drawing-off rollers, with the assistant
drawing-off rollers, of which there are a pair of each (as shewn in Figure 4,
D, D, D,) altho' here three in the whole are only visible; E, conducting
(or callendar) rollers (see also E, Figure 4); F, the crank axis, where the
moving power first gives action to the machine, altho' it might be first
applied elsewhere. This axis gives motion to one lasher a, the axis of th
crank carrying the other lasher b, b, a pair of bevel wheels conveying the
motion from one lasher to the other. c, c, another pair of bevel wheels
conveying action to the axis d, upon which is a wheel giving motion to the
wheels upon e, e, the axes of the cranks which carry the clearing comb.
Figure 3, a side view of some principal parts of the combing machine. f, a
bevel wheel upon the axis of one of the cranks, working in a bevel wheel z
(see also. z, Figure 2,) on the axis of g; h, a spur wheel working in i, another
spur wheel upon the axis k, for conveying motion to the principal comb: 1, 1,
a pair of bevel wheels for giving motion to the axis m, and for generating
action in the drawing-off rollers; n, n, a pair of bevel wheels giving motion to
the axis o, and for conveying action to the drawing-off rollers. Figure 4, a
--perspective-view-of-some principal parts of the combing-machine.-p,-a-pinion
on the axis (see Figure 3) working into the wheel 9; 9, a wheel with
inward teeth fastened to the rim of the principal comb, and by which that
comb is carried round like the head of a windmill, this revolving motion being
aided by trucks; r, r, a pair of bevel wheels, one of which is upon the axis o
(see Figure 3), giving motion to the drawing-off rollers; s, the shoulder joint

page_text: of the lasher (see also Figure 2 and 3); t, the elbow joint of the lasher (sec.
also Figure 2 and 3); u, a wheel fast upon the cross or crown bar of the:
crank moving the lasher (see also u, Figure 3); v, a wheel, on the opposite
end of whose axis is a pinion working into a wheel on the axis of one of the
delivering rollers; w, w, (see also v, Figure 3,) the second roller, receiving
motion from the first by a wheel, not visible in this Drawing; a, the lasher
tube already mentioned; y, y, y, &c.; springs for pressing the respective rollers.
together. Note. As soon as one revolution of the principal comb is com-
pleted, all the woolcombing operations are perpetually going on at the same.
time, each in its proper part of the circle, so long as the machine is kept at
work and wool is supplied, the principal comb continually carrying its empty
teeth (cleared of the noils by hand) under the crank lashers to be filled, and.
the wool to be once combed, then carrying that wool under the clearing 'com:b.
to receive work in the head, carrying it thence to the rollers to be drawn off..
agreeably to the various applications of the principles of the said Edmund.
Cartwright's inventions of woolcombing machinery, which were noticed by
him in the Specification he inrolled in the High Court of Chancery, on the
Eleventli day of June, One thousand seven hundred and ninety-two. Ile now
again observes that streight combs may be fed, worked, and have the material
drawn off on the same principles as circular combs, and that instead of a
clearing comb, a porcupine, having teeth pointing from the center (of which
a Drawing was exhibited in the said Specification), may be used for the
purpose of clearing the material. Note.-The application of the principle of
drawing a sliver from the combs by means of rollers in the case of the clearing
comb while in the act of giving work in the head, and described in the afore-
said Specification of the Eleventh day of June, One thousand seven hundred
and ninety-two, has been found liable to objection; but experience has
suggested another mode of applying that principle of the clearing comb, which
is found remarkably convenient. In the place of the original circular clearing
comb is fixed a double socket, capable of receiving two streight clearing combs,
each of which can be swivelled into work or out of work at pleasure, and in
an instant; while in work they stand with a certain degree of obliquity, which
answers the same purpose as their former circular shape, of progressively
entering the wool and combing deeper and deeper at every stroke.
As soon.
as one of these streight clearing combs is sufficiently filled it is swivelled out
of work, whereby the empty one is at the same time swivelled into work; the
full one is then taken out of the socket, and a fresh empty one slotted into
its place; the same operations are repeated as often as a clearing comb gets
filled with wool. Near at band is an apparatus called a save-all, in which

page_text: there is a pair of grooves standing perpendicular, or nearly so, to receive the
loaded clearing combs as taken from the combing machine, the loaded combs
being successively dropped into the pair of grooves, for which purpose they are
all of one pattern, and are provided with ribs answering to these grooves, and
in such a position that the direction of their descent is at right angles, or
nearly so, to the direction of their teeth; for a while they descend merely by
their own weight, but afterwards a pinion in graining with the teeth of a rack
on the back of every comb stock; the combs are forced past a pair of drawing-
off rollers, which draw off the wool in a sliver; the emptied comb, having
passed below the pinion and the rollers, drops upon the floor; it is then taken
up, stripped of its noils, and carried back to the combing machine in readiness
to be again slotted into the socket above mentioned. The clearing combs are
thus shifted without losing a single stroke in giving work in the head, and the
save-all is so proportioned to its work as to afford a perpetual sliver. The
save all is best attached to the combing machine itself, from which any
mechanic can give it motion.
In witness whereof, the said Edmund Cartwright hath hereunto set
his hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and one.
Inrolled the Eighteenth day of December, in the year above written.