Improvements in Apparatus for Clearing the Drawing Rollers of Preparing and Spinning Machines for Cotton or other Fibrous Materials.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1886.
Complete Left, 21st Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted. 22nd Mar., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Clearing the Drawing Rollers of
Preparing and Spinning Machines for Cotton or other Fibrous
Materials.
We BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, Machine Maker, JOHN CHEETHAM, Mill Manager
and ROBERT HEWITT ROBINSON, Foreman Mechanic, all of Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEARING THE DRAWING
ROLLERS OF PREPARING AND
MACHINES FOR COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, to be as follows:-
SPINNING
Our invention relates to those clearers employed in cotton and other spinning
machinery known as revolving top clearers and although applicable to all classes of
machines with drawing rollers, applies more particularly to drawing frames with four
or more lines of rollers and is employed where there are two or more top clearers.
The invention consists in improvements upon a system already known and practically
worked for some years, such improvements consisting chiefly in a method of reducing
the weight of the front clearer by means of levers provided with adjustable balance
weights.
The clearer mechanism at present consists of a shaft positively driven from the
gearing of the machine which shaft at each box of rollers drives by means of a pinion
and carrier wheels, one, two, or three top clearers at any speed that may be desired,
the speed being regulated by the diameters of the driving pinions employed. We
find that it is objectionable to drive positively the second and third clearers in some
cases and the back clearer in others and that it is advisable to reduce the weight of
this last named clearer as far as practicable and allow it to run independently on the
two back rollers.
This we effect by forming it hollow so that it encircles the shaft which holds and
steadies the two sides of the arms supporting the other clearers, the hole being large
enough to allow ample play. The front clearer is still driven positively, and as the
weight of the frame supporting it, and the gearing driving it are too much for the
satisfactory working of the leather rollers we apply a lever on each side with a finger
coming under the front ends of the frames supporting the revolving clearer and

page_text: provided at the other end with an adjustable balance weight or weights which when
adjusted and set give exactly the weight requisite to allow the clearer to lap the waste
in a satisfactory manner.
We combine this improvement with a traverse motion given to the whole of these
clearers along the whole length of the frame and which also assists the satisfactory
lapping of the clearers. This traverse motion may be given in the ordinary manner
or we may combine our above described Invention with the Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to Robert Hadfield and John William Pickering on the
15th day of August 1885 No. 9722.
In place of balancing the weight of the frame and gearing we sometimes allow the
framing supporting the gearing and rollers to rest on the stand of the machine and
have a perpendicular slot which allows for the increase of diameter of the front clearer
when lapping. In this case the front clearer is made much lighter than usual and is
weighted at one end to counteract the weight of the gearing wheel at the other end
and this gearing wheel together with the carrier connected with the positive driving
is made with long teeth so as to permit a considerable rise and fall.
We also some-
times support the front portion of the clearer frames by means of springs which are
adjustable by set screws or if preferred, set screws may be used to regulate the weight
and pressure of the front clearer upon the rollers.
We also apply our system of balanced clearer to under clearers for the classes of
machines already mentioned and this system may be single, double or treble and may
be positively or frictionally driven. In each case we have an adjustable balance
weight or weights which may be regulated to give the necessary degree of pressure
on the bottom roller.
When positively driven, the shaft driving the clearer may run the whole length of
the frame and is driven at the proper speed to give the correct lapping speed to the
clearer, being geared in the usual way. The clearer may readily be freed from its
bearings and taken out for the purpose of cleaning, being held. in its position by
springs which will yield to extra pressure and permit the clearer to be inserted or
withdrawn, and for the purpose of driving one end may be square and enter into a
square hole in the driving wheel, the other end being round, and entering into the
spring before mentioned.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Clearing the Drawing Rollers of
Preparing and Spinning Machines for Cotton or other Fibrous
Materials.
We, BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, Machine Maker, JOHN CHEETHAM, Mill Manager,
and ROBERT HEWITT ROBINSON, Foreman Mechanic, all of Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR CLEARING THE DRAWING ROLLERS OF PREPARING AND SPINNING
MACHINES FOR COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
Our invention relates to those clearers employed in cotton and other spinning
machinery known as revolving top clearers and although applicable to all classes of
machines with drawing rollers applies more particularly to drawing frames with four
or more lines of rollers and is employed where there are two or more top clearers.
The invention consists in improvements upon a system already known and practically
worked for some years such improvements consisting chiefly in a method of reducing
the weight of the front clearer by means of levers provided with adjustable balance
weights.
"
The clearer mechanism at present consists of a shaft positively driven from the
gearing of the machine which shaft at each box of rollers drives by means of a
pinion and carrier wheels one two or three top clearers at any speed that may be
desired the speed being regulated by the diameters of the driving pinions employed.
We find that it is objectionable to drive positively the second and third clearers in
some cases and the back clearer in others and that it is advisable to reduce the weight
of this last named clearer as far as practicable and allow it to run independently on
the two back rollers. This we effect by forming it hollow so that it encircles the
shaft which holds and steadies the two sides of the arms supporting the other clearers
the hole being large enough to allow ample play. The front clearer is still driven
positively and as the weight of the frame supporting it and the gearing driving
it are too much for the satisfactory working of the leather rollers we apply a lever on
each side with a finger coming under the front ends of the frames supporting the
revolving clearer and provided at the other end with an adjustable balance weight or
weights which when adjusted and set give exactly the weight requisite to allow the
clearer to lap the waste in a satisfactory manner.
We combine this improvement with a traverse motion given to the whole of these
clearers along the whole length of the frame and which also assists the satisfactory
lapping of the clearers.
This traverse motion may be given in the ordinary manner or we may combine.
our above described Invention with the Invention for which Letters Patent were.
granted to Robert Hadfield and John William Pickering on the 15th August 1885
No. 9722.
In place of balancing the weight of the frame and gearing we sometimes allow the
framing supporting the gearing and rollers to rest on the stand of the machine and

page_text: have a perpendicular slot which allows for the increase of diameter of the front clearer
when lapping. In this case the front clearer is made much lighter than usual and
is weighted at one end to counteract the weight of the gearing wheel at the other end
and this gearing wheel together with the carrier connected with the positive driving
is made with long teeth so as to permit a considerable rise and fall. We also some-
times support the front portion of the clearer frames by means of springs which are
adjustable by set screws or if preferred set screws may be used to regulate the weight
and pressure of the front clearer upon the rollers."
We also apply our system of balanced clearer to underclearers for the classes of
machines already mentioned and this system may be single, double or treble and may
be positively or frictionally driven. In each case we have an adjustable balance
weight or weights which may be regulated to give the necessary degree of pressure
on the bottom roller.
When positively driven the shaft driving the clearer may run the whole length of
the frame and is driven at the proper speed to give the correct lapping speed to the
clearer being geared in the usual way.
The clearer may readily be freed from its bearings and taken out for the
purpose of
cleaning being held in its position by springs which will yield to extra pressure and
permit the clearer to be inserted or withdrawn and for the purpose of driving one end
may be square and enter into a square hole in the driving wheel the other end being
round and entering into the spring before mentioned.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will describe the accompanying eight Sheets of Drawings reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 which illustrate that part of our Invention which
consists chiefly in balancing the front clearer or clearers and the driving mechanism
therefor by means of levers and weights and also in improvements in driving the
clearers.
In these views a designates the stand or frame of the machine; the top and e
the bottom drawing rollers of which in this case four pairs are shown; the front
and e the back clearer mounted in the arms or frame supported at one end on the
shaft and on the other end by the fingers of the levers h. These levers are
free to swivel on fulcra or bearings a on standards a² bolted to the stand a and are
weighted by means of the adjustable weights 2. The shaft is driven positively as
usual from the machine by gearing not shown and transmits notion by means of the
pinion and carrier wheels 2 g³ and gear d¹ to the front clearer d. The back
clearer e is made hollow and encircles but does not touch the shaft or stud fon
which the carrier wheel is secured thus the back clearer e is not driven positively
but simply by frictional contact with the pair of top rollers upon which it rests.
In cases where there are three or more clearers we propose to drive the front clearer
positively but the other clearers would preferably be made hollow and be driven by
frictional contact only.
It will be readily seen that by adjusting the weights the levers can be so set
that the fingers will carry all the superfluous weight. of the gearing and the
front clearer the latter bearing on its top rollers with no more weight than
is necessary to insure the waste being lapped upon the clearer in a satisfactory manner.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate one arrangement for imparting a traverse motion to top
clearers balanced according to our Invention; parts of this arrangement are also
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
On the shaft is secured a worm g which gears into a worm wheel mounted
loosely on a stud supported in a forked bracket the arms of which hang from the
shaft g.
which is fitted
Secured to or made with the worm wheel i is an eccentric disc
between two stationary guides or standards a³ secured to the stand a.
The shaft runs the whole length of the machine and drives the clearers for each
box of rollers by a separate pinion the clearers being supported by a frame such as f

page_text: and
which is prevented from moving along the line of the shaft by means of the collar f
on one side and the fixed driving pinion on the other side. It follows therefore that
when the shaft g revolves the worm g turns the worm wheel and the eccentric
as the traverse or throw of the latter is confined by the standards as a reciprocating
motion is imparted through the forked bracket j¹ to the shaft g and thus to the frame f
driving gear and clearers at each box of rollers throughout the whole length of the
machine.
It is obvious that in place of the above described mechanism for imparting a
reciprocating motion to the shaft and clearers other suitable mechanism may
be employed for the same purpose.
Fig. 6 represents an alternative arrangement for weighting the levers h.
In this case an adjustable spring is employed for each lever in place of the
weighis h
Figs 7, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate that modification of our Invention in which we
support the side arms or frame upon the stand or framing a instead of balancing the
frame with the clearers and gearing by means of the weighted levers has in the
previous arrangements.
In Fig. 7 the clearer frame rests directly upon the stand a and vertical slots f³ in
the arms permit the front clearer d to rise as its diameter increases by the waste
lapping on it.
In this arrangement the front clearer d is of much lighter construction than usual
and is weighted at the opposite end to the gear in order to counter balance the
weight of the latter. The gear and the carrier wheel are both made with long
teeth to permit the clearer d to rise and fall in the slots /*.
In Figs. 8 and 9 two arrangements are shown for supporting the clearer frame by
means of springs which may be adjusted by means of screws ¹.
In Fig. 10 an arrangement is shown in which set screws are employed for
supporting the clearer frame and regulating the weight and pressure of the front
clearer d upon the drawing rollers.
Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate our Invention as applied to underclearers.
In this case two underclearers m and are shown both driven positively by
gears o² 3 o from the pinion o¹ on the shaft o which is driven positively by gearing,
not shown, and runs the whole length of the machine. The underclearers m and n
and the gearings are all supported in two levers p which are connected together at the
front end by a stay or cross shaft and are pivoted and have their centres of motion
preferably on the shaft o the back ends of the levers being extended and weighted by
the adjustable weights to regulate the pressure of the clearers upon the drawing
rollers in a similar manner to that already described with reference to the top clearers.
In place of the weights p adjustable springs might be employed for the same purpose.
In order to equalize the pressure upon the two underclearers we mount the back
underclearer in springs secured to the levers p.
This system of balancing the underclearers may be applied to either one clearer or
three clearers as well as to two clearers and the underclearers which would both
be supported by springs as shown may either be driven positively by gearing or simply
by frictional contact with the drawing rollers.
Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate our improved arrangement of mounting and supporting the
clearers as applied to the front underclearer m. We make the clearer pivot at one end
square in section and this pivot takes into a square hole in the driving gear of. The other
pivot mis circular in section and is supported as shown best in Fig. 14 in a spring
secured to the lever p. By pressing back the springs the clearer m may be readily
removed for cleaning or other purposes.
३
Although the shafts and o are described as running the whole length of the
machine they may be in two or more lengths.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is-
1. Regulating the weight or pressure with which the front top clearer or front.

page_text: underclearer or both bears or bear upon the drawing rollers of a drawing frame or
other preparing or spinning. machine by means of levers and adjustable counter
weights or springs.
2. The combination with the frame which supports the top clearer or clearers, of
the levers provided with adjustable counter weights or springs substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and as illustrated by the Drawings.
3. The combination with the underclearer or underclearers of the levers p provided
with adjustable counter weights or springs substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and as illustrated by the Drawings.
4. The combination with the arrangement of levers and adjustable counter
weights or springs for the top clearer or clearers of the arrangement of levers pand
adjustable counter weights or springs for the underclearers substantially as and for
the purposes described and as illustrated by Figs. 11 and 12.
5. The combination with a front clearer driven positively by gearing, of a back
clearer or clearers made hollow to reduce weight and driven only by frictional contact
with the drawing rollers substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as
illustrated by the Drawings.
6. The combination with an arrangement of levers and adjustable counter weights
or springs for the clearers at each box of drawing rollers, of mechanism for imparting
a traverse motion to said clearers substantially as herein set forth.
7. The combination with an arrangement of balanced clearers, of mechanism for
imparting a traverse motion to said clearers substantially as described and illustrated
by Figs. 3, 4, and 5.
8. The several constructions combinations and arrangement of parts substantially
as and for the purposes herein described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10.
9. The combination with the clearer frame supported on the frame or stand a sub-
stantially as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, of the slots and the long teeth on the gears d¹
and
for the purpose specified.
10. The several arrangements of mounting and supporting the clearers by means
of springs substantially as herein set forth..
CW 1007
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicants.