IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS."
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Fergusson, of Davyhulme, and Walter
Ralston, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Fergusson and
Walter Ralston at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 10th April 1865.
We, ROBERT FERGUSSON, of Davyhulme, and WALTER RALSTON, of Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS,'
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for finishing
yarns or threads, and the improvements are applicable to machinery for
finishing yarns or threads when in the bank or skein. Heretofore yarns or
threads in the bank or skein have in some cases been finished by being sub-
jected to pressure between a pair of rollers. The bank or skein is for this
purpose distended around a pair of rollers, usually of wood, and the pressure
is then applied to the yarn or thread by a third roller, of metal, which is

page_text: pressed towards one of the wooden rollers, a portion of the bank being between
the two. The wooden roller towards which the metal roller is pressed is by
suitable gearing caused to revolve, so causing the hank to travel round and
expose all parts of it in succession to the pressure between the rollers. Now
according to our Invention, in place of finishing yarns or threads by subjecting
them to pressure alone between a pair of rollers, as above described, we
construct machines for finishing yarns or threads when in the bank or skein
in such manner that the yarns or threads are, at the same time that they are
subjected to pressure between a pair of rollers, also subjected to friction, and
this we accomplish by causing the metal roller to revolve at a greater or less
surface speed than, or it might be in the opposite direction to, the roller
around which the hank or skein passes, and towards which the metal roller is
pressed. The metal pressing roller may either be a plain roller or the surface
of the roller may be engraved or fluted with lines passing around its surface;
the roller may also be heated if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters, Patent, filed
by the said Robert Fergusson and Walter Ralston in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th October 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
FERGUSSON, of Davyhulme, and WALTER RALSTON, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date, the Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Robert Fergusson and Walter Ralston, Her special licence that we,
the said Robert Fergusson and Walter Ralston, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Robert Fergusson and Walter
Ralston, our 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 MACHINERY FOR
FINISHING YARNS OR THREADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Robert Fergusson and Walter Ralston, our executors or administrators, by

page_text: an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Robert Fergusson and. Walter
Ralston, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for finishing
yarns or threads, and the improvements are applicable to machinery for
finishing yarns or threads when in the bank or skein. Heretofore yarns or
threads in the bank or skein have in some cases been finished by being sub-
jected to pressure between a pair of rollers. The hank or skein is for this
purpose distended around a pair of rollers, usually of wood, aud the pressure
is then applied to the yarn or thread by a third roller, of metal, which is
pressed towards one of the wooden rollers, a portion of the hank being between
the two. The wooden roller towards which the metal roller is pressed is by
suitable gearing caused to révolve, so causing the bank to travel round and
expose all parts of it in succession to the pressure between the rollers. Now
according to our Invention, in place of finishing yarns or threads by subjecting
them to pressure alone between a pair of rollers, as above described, we
construct machines for finishing yarns or threads when in the hank or skein
in such manner that the yarns or threads are, at the same time that they are
subjected to pressure between a pair of rollers, also subjected to friction, and
this we accomplish by causing the metal roller to revolve at a greater or less
surface speed than the roller around which the bank or skein
passes, and
towards which the metal roller is pressed. The metal pressing roller may
either be a plain roller or the surface of the roller may be engraved or fluted
with lines passing around its surface; the roller may also be heated if
desired.
And in order that our said Iuvention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is à plan of a machine constructed according to our Invention,
and in the manner which we prefer. Figure 9 is a front view of the came

page_text: a, a, is the frame of the machine, on which is mounted the central or main
axis b, with other axes c, c, one on either side of it; d, d, are fast and loose
pulleys on the axis b, by which it is driven at a speed conveniently of about
120 revolutions per minute, more or less, according to the quality of yarn or
thread, as will be ascertained readily in working; e is a pinion on the axis b
gearing with the spur wheels f,f, on the axis c, c, which are thus caused.to
revolve. At the front of the machine there is a metal roller g upon the axis b.
This roller we prefer should be about 8 inches in diameter and polished on
the surface, and it is made hollow in order that it may be heated with facility,
for which purpose red hot iron heaters may be used, or a gas burner 'may be
fixed within the roller, the pipe therefor passing through the axis b, which,
as the Drawing shows, is made hollow, or a steam pipe may be connected
with the hollow axis; h, h, are rollers on the axes c, c, we prefer that they
should be covered with paper to a thickness of about half an inch; this may
conveniently be done by cutting a sufficient number of sheets of paper into
rings, which are then put on the wrought-iron centre and pressed by hydraulic
pressure of about 3 tons to the inch, and while pressed tight are made secure
by means of wrought-iron rings and keys; afterwards the whole is turned up
together. Cotton bowls may be similarly made with sheets of carded cotton.
These covered rollers are pressed up to the metal roller g by means of adjust-
able weights on the levers k; these levers turn on centres ¹, and have
arms, which, by the connecting rods 7, are linked with the levers m, turning
on centres m¹, and at their upper ends pressing against the front bearings n
of the axes c; 0, 0, are small rollers carried in brackets p, p, which are able
to slide horizontally in the guides 7, and they are pressed outwards constantly
by the spiral springs 7,9. The guides r are adjustable on the main frame to
and from the rollers h to suit any length of bank. The hanks of yarn or
thread to be finished are prepared with dressing as heretofore practised, and
are then placed in the machine two hanks at a time; each bank is passed
around one of the rollers h and also around the roller o at the same end of the
machine, and the spiral springs 9, 9, keep them distended. When the machine
is set in motion the hanks pass round the rollers h and are at the same time
pressed and rubbed by the metal roller g, which travels at a different surface
speed to that of the rollers o, the pinione and spur wheels f, f, being so
proportioned as to cause a suitable difference of speed, and this difference of
surface speed between the rollers g and o is the principal feature of our
Invention. As shown in the Drawing, the surface speeds of the rollers
and are in the proportion of 5 to 4, or thereabout, and this proportion we

page_text: In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Fergusson and Walter Ralston,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five.
ROBERT FERGUSSON. (L.S.)
WALTER RALSTON.
(L.S.)