CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING AND PREPARING WOOL AND OTHER TEXTILE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1840

page_text: горать: цехите.
Substances caderni a cabo!!
DONISTHORPE'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,- GEORGE
EDMUND DONISTHORPE, of Leicester, Machine Maker, send greeting.
A
(WHEREAS Hér' present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters-Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of November, in the fourth year of Her
reign," 'did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Edmund Donisthorpe, Her especial license, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe," my
executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said George
Edmund Donisthorpe, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention
of: "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING AND
PREPARING WOOL AND OTHER TEXTILE SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso obliging me, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe; by
an instrument in writing, under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Edmund Donisthorpe, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My present Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Combing and Pre-
paring Wool and other Textile Substances, apply, in the first place, to improve-
ments upon the machinery or apparatus described in the Specification of my
former Patent, granted to me in conjunction with Henry Rawson, of Leicester,
Hosier, and sealed the Third day of April, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
five, the Specification thereof being duly inrolled in the Court of Chancery on
or before the Third day of October, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five,
and to which Specification I now refer (as the movements and actions or
operations of the combs in the first instance are, the same) the better to shew
my present improvements, which consist, in the first place, in certain novel or
improved arrangements and constructions of machinery or apparatus for effecting
the objects of my Invention, or, in other words, in the application or adaptation
of certain novel or improved mechanical agents to such machinery for giving
or obtaining the required motions to the combs and certain other parts.
And, in the second place, my present improvements apply to another arrange-
ment, construction, or modification of machinery or apparatus, wherein one set
of the combs have a circular or revolving motion, and the other an up and down
or vertical movement, in contradistinction to the former, wherein one set of
combs have a horizontal or longitudinal sliding motion, and the other a
vertical up and down motion.
And, in the third place, my present Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus
for Combing and Preparing Wool and other Textile Substances apply to a
novel or improved mode, method, or means of heating the combs employed in
different machines for these purposes, and consist in the application and use of
hot water, or hot soap and water, or a mixture of hot oil and water, or other
hot fluids, as the heating medium or agent employed to heat the combs; some
of which fluids will at the same time give a degree of moisture to the
wool, flax, or other material, and thereby materially. assist the operation of.
combing and opening or preparing the wool or other textile substances ;.

page_text: and these heating mediums I employ in place of heating the combs by
the direct action of fire or ignited gas, in some instances heretofore used for
this
purpose.
And in order to explain my present improvements, I will proceed to describe
the first part thereof, referring to the Drawings hereunto annexed (that is
to say):-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through an arrangement or
construction of machinery, which will serve to shew my present improvements;
one of the side framings of the machine being removed to expose the
mechanical agents employed to actuate the combs.
the machine; and Fig. 3 a vertical cross section.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of
In this machine it will be perceived there are two sets of combs moving
horizontally, and acting in conjunction with two moving vertically, as in
my former machines; and as the motions of the various working parts of the
machinery, and operations of the same in combing wool, and other materials,
are fully set forth and described in my former Specification above referred
to, it will not be necessary for me again to repeat them, and I shall there-
fore only first point out such parts as are common to the former machines,
referring to them by the same letters of reference as are used in my former
Specification, and then point out and describe my present improvements,
referring to the various parts thereof by numerical figures' for the purpose of
distinguishing them the better. a, a, is the framework of the machine. 9, 9, are
the combs working horizontally in order to comb out the wool, and are mounted
on the sliding tables or carriages h, h, as in the former machines. i, i, are the
holders with their handles j, j. The holders have the forked projections *, 2*,
on their under side, and are moved to and fro across the machine in their
process of operation by means of the rocking frame and levers k, k, and k*,
having their fulcrums at the lower end on the rod / mounted in bearings in
the framework. The middle lever * carries a stud m, which takes into the
grooved or double cam n, on the shaft e, placed crossways of the machine, and
turning in bearings on the side frames. This shaft is actuated by means of a
worm wheel, one on the main driving shaft 2 taking into a worm pinion 3 on the
shafte; and upon this shaft are mounted pinions a, a, taking into the intermediate
wheel b, b, in gear with the wheels c, c, mounted on short axles d, d, turning in
bearings in the framework, and upon these short shafts d, d, are mounted
the pairs of excentric tappets 4, 4, for regulating the inward progressive
motion of the combs 9, 9, as hereafter described, and which, together with
certain parts and movements of the saddles or holders of the combs g, g, are
used in lieu or in place of the guage plates B in my former patent machines.

page_text: The main driving shaft 2 is placed in this.,machine longitudinally, turning.in
proper bearings at each end of the framework, and, is driven by means of a
band or strap passed from any first mover to the pulley 5, mounted, turning
loosely on its axle (a pin or stud projecting from the framework), and carries
the pinion 6, taking into the driving wheel 7, on the end of the main.shaft 2
and upon this shaft are mounted the grooved or double cams 8, 8, which give
the forward and backward horizontal motion of the combs g,.g, by means of
the levers 9, 9, having their fulcrums on the shafts. 10, 10, placed across.the
machine and turning in bearings in the side framing. The levers .9, 9,, have
pins or studs 11, 11, fixed on them, which. take into the grooves:12, 12,
formed on the cams 8, 8, and their upper ends are connected to the under side
of the tables or comb carriers h, h; by means of the pins 13, 13, which take
into forked pieces 14, 14*, attached to the underside of the carriers h, and by
these means the combs, g, g, will be caused to be moved backward along the
machine, for as the cams 8; 8-revolve, the levers (9,9, will give them the
required combing motions, all of which mechanism or mechanical agents are,
used in lieu or in place of the wheels c and d, the studs f,f, the weighted cords;
o, o, and pullies p, p, described under my former, Patent. The holding combs;
M, M, are mounted, with their frame N, on the siding rod; O, moving through
the cross head P, supported in the framing Q, as in the former machine, but:
instead of the tappets f coming into contact with the pin or stud sat the lower,
part of the vertical rod O, as described; in my former Specification: for: raising,
these combs, I have applied the following means or mechanism for effecting:
this object: On the shaft 2 is mounted the excentric or cam 15, which re-
volving immediately under the end of the rod O, forces it-upwards, an anti-friction!
roller 16 being placed on the lower end of the shaft, to facilitate this motion.
It will readily be seen that the shape of this cam or excentric will determine,
the speed or quickness of the rising and falling of the combs, M, and that thel
counterbalance weight named in my former Patent is dispensed with;: thet
combs M descending by the gravity of the holders M and rods O... The
holding combs descend gently, and bring the wool or material upon the.
combs g, g, whenever they are brought inwards by the action of the excentric.8.
and levers 9, the shape of the groove 12 in the excentrics determining the time.
the combs g shall rest or remain quiescent while the holding combs' descend
or rise. The method of regulating the gradual progressive action of the
combs g, g, inwards upon the. wool, or other material; in order that they
may begin operating, near to the end of the staple, or not enter too far
into it at first, is regulated in and by the following manner and means.:....
One of the prongs 14* of each pair of the forked parts of the holdersr

page_text: or saddles is" made elastic and attached to rods 17, sliding through
holes in the other prongs, marked 14, and have also compressed coil
springs 18, acting between the pieces 14' and the cross bar 19 attached to the
rod 17, and against 'this elastic or yielding piece the pin or stud 13 acts in
bringing the combs inwards or towards the middle of the machine, and as the
motion of the levers 9, 9, must always be the same, although the motions of
the combs 9 are unequal, some means are required to effect this, and I have
therefore adopted the method shewn in the Drawings. Upon the saddle or
carrier h, h, are fixed the arms or levers 20, 20, the ends of which come into
contact at each inward motion with the tappets or cams 4, 4, upon the short
shafts d, 'd, and according to the position these tappets are in, so will the lever
arms 20, 20, be arrested or stopped in their movement, and consequently the
saddles and combs also. This is shewn by the red lines in Fig. 1, which
represent the parts in the position they are in when beginning to work on a
fresh charge of wool, placed in the holding combs M, the tappets 4, 4, and
arms 20, 20, retarding the progress of the carrier or "saddle" and combs 9,
and keeping them back while the pieces 14* are allowed to be moved forward,
the springs 18, 18, yielding to the action of the levers 9, 9, and as the
tappets 4, 4, revolve gradually, their smaller radius will come opposite or be
presented to the end of lever arms 20, 20, and allow the combs 9, 9, at each
motion to come nearer to the combs M, until they are nearly in contact, when
they will be allowed to operate upon the material until it is sufficiently combed
or prepared.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section, shewing another of my improved
arrangements and constructions of machinery or apparatus, and in which the
actuating shafts, or those carrying the parts for giving motion to the combs,
are placed crossways in the machine, the combs 9, 9, as in the former instance,
being shewn at their greatest extent of outward action. The same letters of
reference being marked upon corresponding parts to the machines described in
my former Specification, I need only remark that, instead of the wheels c, and
tappets f therein described for actuating the combs, I have in this instance
adapted or applied excentrics or cams as the mechanical agents for effecting
these operations. a, a, is the framework; 6 the driving shaft carrying a pinion
at 21, taking into the wheel c on the cross shaft e*, which wheel is in gear
with the wheel d on the other cross shaft e. It will be seen by this Figure
that upon the shafts e, e*, are mounted the cams 22, 22, which as they revolve
act upon anti-friction rollers 23, 23, on the levers 9, 9, and forcing them out-
wards give the necessary combing motion to the combs g, g, which are brought
back or towards the midde of the machine by means of the coiled springs.

page_text: 24, 24, connected to the lever arms 25, 25, of the levers 9, 9, and to the floor
of the room or lower part of the framing of the machine. In this machine
the progressive inward motion of the combs g, g, is also regulated by means of
tappets 4, 4, placed on the cross shaft 26, and are actuated by a worm on the
shaft e*, which takes into a pinion 27 on one end of the oblique shaft 28, turning
in suitable bearings and carrying at its other end another worm 29, taking into a
worm wheel 30 upon the shaft 26. The ends of the lever arms 25, as the levers
9, 9, are moved inwards, are brought by the action of the springs 24, 24, into
contact with the tappets 4, 4, and according as the shorter or longer radius
of their peripheries are presented to the ends of the levers 25, so will the
motion of the combs be arrested, the elastic or yielding parts of the saddle not
being required in this instance, the shape and position of the cams 4, 4,
regulating the extent of the inward or advancing action of the combs g. The
upward and downward movement of the holding combs M in this machine are
caused by the cam 81 mounted upon the shaft e", which cam acts upon an
anti-friction roller 32, upon the lever 33, having its fulcrum at one end on a
pin or shaft fixed in the framework, the other end acting against an anti-
friction roller 34 on the end of the vertical rods O, carrying the holding
combs M, these combs falling down gradually with their charge of wool on
the periphery of the cam 31, receding from the lever 33, as will be clearly
understood by inspection of the Drawings.
The arrangements, construction, or modification of machinery or apparatus
constituting the second part of my present improvements is shewn at Figures 5
and 6, which are representations of a single-action machine, having but one
holding comb and one pair of drawing combs, although it may be constructed as a
double machine with two sets of combs. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical trans-
verse section, and Fig. 6 a front view of the machine. a, a, is the framework;
9, 9, the combs for combing out the charges of wool; they are in this instance
mounted upon arms 35, 35, affixed to the shaft 36, answering to the shaft e*.
In the former machine these arms have a rotatory motion communicated to
them by means of a band passed over the rigger 37, which is mounted on an
axle, and carries the pinion 88, taking into the toothed wheel 39, on the
shaft 40, turning in proper bearings in tho side framing. This wheel 39
takes into another wheel 41, on the end of the axle 36, of the arms 35, 35,
this axle also turning in proper bearings in the framework. h, h, are the
saddles or carriers upon which the holdings combs M, M, are placed, as in
the former machines. These holders are mounted upon the crank arms 42,
affixed to the cross rod or bar 48, which rod is passed through and turns in
apertures formed in the vertical guide rods O, having the required up and

page_text: down motion communicated to them by the means permiter s
Upon the end of the cross rod or shaft 43 is affixed another cross arm or
lever 44, carrying at its extremity an anti-friction or truck roller 45, acting
in the stationary curved groove or slot 46, formed in a piece or plate 47,
attached to the slide framing of the machine. The up and down movement of
the vertical rods O is effected by the following means:-Upon the shaft or axle
40 is mounted the cams or excentrics 48, which act upon antifriction rollers
on one end of the levers 49, having their fulcrums on pins or studs on the side
framing. The other ends of these levers act upon anti-friction rollers, 50,
mounted upon pins or arms projecting from the vertical rod O, O, and it will be
seen that, according to the shape of the cams 48, and their rotation, so will
the upward and downward movements of, the combs M, M, be regulated,
and that as the levers 42, with their arms 44, and axis 43, are mounted
on the movable vertical rods O, O, the guide slot or groove 46, by means
of the roller 45, will cause the comb M to take the required movement,
So as to keep them in the proper positions towards the combs g. 9,
In order to regulate the progressive action of the combs g, g, upon the charge
of wool or other material, I have adopted the following mechanism:-Upon
the shaft 40 is placed the worm 51, which takes into a wheel 52 upon the
shaft 53, turning upon bearings in the framework, and upon the other end of
this shaft is mounted the excentric or cam-54, against the periphery of which
the picce 55, on the cross bar 56 of the vertical rods O, O, comes into contact
and arrests or stops them in their descending motion, the smaller diameter of
the excentric 54, as it revolves, coming opposite the picce 55, and consequently
regulate the downward motion of the combs and extent to which the charge
of wool shall be presented to the action of the combs g, g, during the operation
of combing. It will be perceived that I have not in this machine shewn any
contrivance or mechanism for giving the to and fro motion of the combs g, g
crosswise of the machine, as the method or means described in the former
machines may be readily applied or adapted to this arrangement of mechanism.
The third part or section of my present improvements, which consist in a
novel or improved means, mode, or method of heating the combs by the appli-
cation of hot water, hot soap and water, or a hot mixture of oil and water,
or hot oil, or any other suitable fluid as the heating medium, I carry into
effect in the following manner:-I first construct a suitable vessel formed
of wood, metal, or earthenware, of convenient length and breadth to receive.
the combs, and apply thereto suitable pipes or flues, or fireplaces, according
to the nature of the fluid or mixture of fluids required, to be heated, either by
steam or the direct action of fire or ignited gas. The vessel is to be filled

page_text: with the fluid or heating liquid medium, and when it has become heated to the
required degréé, I place or immerse the combs in the same and retain them
therein until they become sufficiently heated for the purpose of combing, they
are then to be quickly taken by the attendant and applied to the filling frame,
where they receive their supply of material, and immediately affixed to the holders
or carriers h, h, of the combing machine, and removed therefrom before they
get cold, and fresh heated combs applied. The heating of the charged combs
or holders may be readily done by the workinen two or more times while the
charge of wool or material is under the operation of combing; and in order
the better to carry this part of my Invention into effect, and cause the wool to
be drawn more freely from the holding combs, I generally place them a second
time into the heating medium, taking care not to immerse them in the fluid so
far as to injure the wool, which has, by the process of combing, been laid on
or close to the "comb-head," or, in other words, to heat the points of the
combs a second time without touching the wool, the trough or vessel containing
the heating fluid being supplied with a proper guard or grating in order to
keep the wool from touching the liquid or heating fluid.
Having now described and ascertained the nature and objects of my In-
vention, and the manner, means, or method of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to claim any of the parts
separately, but that I claim, under the first and second sections or parts of my
present improvements, the novel or improved arrangements and constructions
of machinery for combing and preparing wool and other textile materials, to
which such machinery or apparatus may be applicable, and particularly as regards
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the application and use or adaptation thereto of the cams
or excentrics 8, 8, and 22, 22, as the mechanical agents for giving the required
motions to the combs 9, 9, and also as regards Figs. 5 and 6, giving to the
holding combs M, M, the required movements in respect to the rotary motion
of the combs g, g, so as to bring the wool or other material gradually under
their operation.
And, lastly, I claim, under the third head, the application and use of the
hot fluids or liquids herein-before named, as the heating medium for heating the
combs in wool-combing machines, or those used for other textile substances.
+
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand.eight hundred and forty-one. :
GEORGE EDMUND (L.S.) DONISTHORPE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Seventh day of May, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid George Edmund Donisthorpe came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Seventh day of May, in the year above written.