IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Curtis, of the Firm of Messieurs Curtis, Sons, &
Co., of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and Thomas
Barker, of the same Place, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBING MACHINES."
Sealed the 25th November 1879, and dated the 28th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Curtis and Thomas
Barker, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August
1879.
RICHARD CURTIS, of the Firm of Messieurs Curtis, Sons, & Co., of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and THOMAS BARKER, of the same Place,
Mechanic. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES."
Our Invention consists, first, in an improved feeding motion, and secondly, in
certain improved combinations of machinery for actuating the nippers and combs,
and stripping the combs.
In performing our Invention we make use of a leather apron connected to the
feed plate and to a bar close to the feed rollers to deliver the cotton or other fibres
from the lap to the feed rollers. The feed rollers are mounted on vertical radial arms
working on bosses formed on the pedestals in which the lower cam shaft rotates
near the bottom of the machine, or they may be on the shaft. The upper back
nipper is fixed on sliding arms working on the radial arms, and is opened by cams
on the lower cam shaft and closed by springs. The lower back nipper is fixed to
the radial arms. A to and fro motion is given to the radial arms carrying the feed
rollers and the back nippers by cams on the upper cam shaft. On the lower feed
roller is a ratchet wheel worked by a catch on one of the sliding arms of the upper
nipper. The comb bars are mounted on radial arms working in a horizontal or
nearly horizontal position, and provided with balance weights. Two separate comb
bars are employed, one sliding on the other, the sliding bar being arrested near the
end of the return stroke by stop pieces, to allow both combs to be cleaned by one
revolving brush. Motion is communicated to the combs by the upper cam
shaft. If desired, three combs may be applied. The upper and lower front nippers
are fixed to shafts which are caused partially to rotate by cranks and levers worked
from the cam shaft. The shaft on which the lower nipper is fixed partially rotates

page_text: in fixed bearings. The shaft on which the upper nipper is fixed partially rotates
and is supported in bearings having a vertical motion; this vertical motion allows
the upper nipper, when the lower one is brought in contact with it, to be raised,
and as the nippers return towards the feed its descent is arrested by adjustable
stops which cause the nippers to be opened, the amount of which opening is
regulated by the stops. The nippers when holding the cotton are pressed together
by springs attached to the upper nipper which draw it downwards. The material
as combed is delivered by the front nippers to a pair of rollers, the lower roller
being driven from the cam shaft by a notched wheel and gearing. The lap rollers
are driven by levers connected to the front nipper shaft. The above details may be
varied or modified.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Curtis and Thomas Barker in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th February 1880.
RICHARD CURTIS, of the Firm of Messieurs Curtis, Sons, and Co., of Manchester;
in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and THOMAS BARKER, of the same
Place, Mechanic.
IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES."
"
Our Invention consists, first, in an improved feeding motion, and secondly, in
certain improved combinations of machinery for actuating the nippers and combs,
and stripping the combs. And in order that our invention may be fully understood
and readily carried into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, reference being had to the Figures and letters marked
thereon..
Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan of our improved combing machine;
Fig. 3 is a detached view of part of the same; Figs. 4 and 5 represent the needle
bars and nippers in various positions, and Fig. 6 represents the feed rollers, needle
bars, cleaning brush, nippers, and bearing of the upper front nipper. In Fig. 1, a, a,
are the ordinary friction rollers for unlapping the lap or fleece of fibres to be combed,
and b is a leather or other suitable apron, one edge of which is fixed to the double
feed plate c, and the other edge is secured to the cross bar d, shewn best in Figs. 4,
5, and 6, e, are the feed rollers which are mounted on vertical radial arms f,
shewn best in Fig. 3, which are mounted on bosses formed on the pedestals in
which the lower cam shaft g rotates. This shaft is placed near the bottom of the
machine, as shewn in Fig. 1, or the radial arms f may vibrate on the shaft g. h is
the upper. back nipper fixed to the sliding arms working on the radial arms
which the lower back nipper i is fixed; the upper back nipper h is opened by
the cams g', fixed on the shaft g, and it is closed by the springs h¹.
to
The requisite to and fro motion is given to the radial arms f carrying the feed
rollers e and the back nippers hand by the cams ¹ fixed on the main cam shaft
, the grooves of the cams fitting on bowls connected to the brackets f², fixed to the
radial arms f. On the lower feed roller e is fixed a ratchet wheel e¹ which is
worked by the catch f jointed to one of the sliding arms f¹.
The front comb bar is fixed to the radial arms m mounted on the shaft m¹,
and counterbalanced by the weights m³.
Behind the front comb bar is the second comb bar l. The radial up and
down motion is communicated to the combs 1, l', by the cam c² fixed on the main
cam shaft, and by the lever m³ fixed to the shaft m¹. When the comb bar lis
near the bottom of its stroke the motion of the comb bar is arrested by the stop
pieces, see Fig. 6; the stop pieces are fixed to the inside of the framing so as to
allow both combs to be cleaned by the revolving brush n. In some cases three or
even more comb bars may be employed; when such is the case the number of stop
pieces must be correspondingly increased to vary the levels of the combs so that
one revolving brush will suffice to clean them all. o is the upper front nipper,
and p is the lower front nipper, which are caused partially to rotate by the cam l³
on the main cam shaft k and lever q on the shaft q', at each end of which shaft
are levers q³ connected by connecting rods q³ to the nippers o and p respectively.
The nipper o works in bearings r, shewn in Fig. 6, which slide upwards when the
upper and lower front nippers approach a vertical position in moving to and fro
between the front rollers and back nippers.
The nipper p works in a stationary bearing and raises the nipper o when it
comes in contact with it. 8, 8, are stop pieces connected by adjustable studs 8² to the
bearings ; these stop pieces come in contact with caps or fixings on the frames 8²
that contain the bearings of the nippers o and p, and arrest the descent of the
nipper o, and cause the nippers o and p to open when they approach the front

page_text: rollers and t¹ and the back nippers h and i, as shewn in Figs. 5 and 6. Motion
is communicated to the rollers t and t¹ in the usual manner. To the nipper o are
connected springs o', see Figs. 1 and 3, to draw it downwards and give the requisite
pressure for holding the fibre to be combed. The material as combed is delivered
by the front nippers to the rollers and t, the roller t¹ being driven from the cam
shaft by a notched wheel and gearing as usual. The combed fibre, leaves the
rollers and t¹ in two separate fleeces which are conducted to a double trumpet by
a curved tin plate u, see Figs. 1 and 2, where they are formed into one sliver. The
lap rollers are driven by levers connected to the front nipper shaft as usual.
Having stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves
to the details given, as the same may be varied or modified, and what we
claim is,
First. The apron for guiding the fibre to the feed rollers, as shewn and
described.
:
Secondly. Actuating and carrying the back nippers h and i by the radial arms f
and, as shewn and described.
Thirdly. The use of the radial arms m for carrying the needle bars, and the
mode of arranging, actuating, and cleaning the same, substantially as shewn and
described, and;
Fourthly. The improved mode of constructing and actuating the front nippers o
and p, as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Curtis and Thomas Barker, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty third day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ATERMA
RICHARD CURTIS. (LS.)
THOMAS BARKER. (L.S.