Improvements in Wool-combs.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
Improvements in Wool-combs.
We, JOHN SHARPE and THOMAS SHARPE, both of Thornton, in the County
of Providence, State of Rhode Island, United States of America, Wool-combers,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has reference to improvements in the aprons by which the sliver
is carried from the circles.
The object of this invention is to produce a wool-comb in which the wear on the
sliver-aprons will be greatly reduced.
The further object of the invention is to produce a new and improved wool-comb
in which the speed of the guide-aprons can be adjusted.
The invention consists in certain peculiar features of construction and novel
combination of parts, which will hereinafter be more fully described and pointed
out in the claims.
Figure 1 represents a top view of a wool-comb showing the improved arrange-.
ment of the aprons and indicating the means for driving the guide-aprons.
Figure 2 represents a top view of the guide-apron driving-mechanism and indicates
its engagement with the rack of the comb-circle.
Figure 3 represents an elevation of this driving-mechanism, consisting of a train
of gears, and the bracket in which the shafts of said gears are journaled.
Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.
In the drawings 5 indicates the large comb-circle which is provided with an
inner circumferential-gear 6 travelling with this circle. 7-7 are the two smaller
comb-circles which rotate within the large circle. 8 and 8' are the usual drawing-
off rolls, for drawing the sliver from the large circle, and 9 and 9' indicate the usual
rolls by which the sliver is drawn from the smaller circles. These rolls 8 and 8¹
and 9 and 9 are fluted longitudinally and are vertically journaled in suitable
bearings.
The delivery-aprons 10-10 are formed of any suitable material and are carried
by the drawing-off rolls 8 and 9' and pass between these rolls and those marked 8'
and 9, an intermediate-apron 11 being carried on the rolls 9-9.
These aprons 10
are guided in the proper direction by the usual guide-rolls.
The guide-aprons 12-12 are supported on the vertical guide-rolls 13-13, one of
which is located near the fluted-rolls 81,-these aprons being driven in the direction
of the travel of the delivery-aprons by the vertical shafts 14-14 journaled in
suitable bearings and provided at their lower ends with the gears 15-15, which
are engaged by the idle-gears 16-16, carried by a shaft journaled in a slotted
bearing 17 in the bracket 18, intermeshing therewith, and with the gears 19-19 to
which motion is imparted by the gears 20-20 secured to the shafts of the gears 19
also journaled in said bracket and engaging with the rack 6 extending around the
inner circumference of the large comb-circle.
A number of the gears 19 of various sizes are supplied to the operator of this
machine, and, by substituting one size for another, the speed of the gears 15-15
and the drive-shaft 14-14 can be varied at will.
By the construction and combination thus described, the guide-aprons 12-12,
not being subjected to the wear of the fluted drawing-off rolls 8' on which these
aprons have usually been carried, are not worn to any great extent, thus saving
the cost of replacing the same, while in practice, it is found that with this con-
struction the aprons 10-10 wear longer than heretofore-also by the changing of

page_text: the gears 19 the speed of the guide-aprons can be varied to drive the sliver over
the delivery-aprons at the speed desired.
Much delay and damage have been caused by a lap of the sliver being taken
around the drawing-off rolls 8--8, which, in ordinary combs, are not covered by
the delivery-aprons, and to overcome this objection is an additional reason for
driving the guide-aprons. As these aprons are supported near the drawing-off
rolls 88 and move in the same direction as the aprons 10-10, they will carry
forward any sliver which is drawn partially around said rolls and prevent the
lapping of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
-
Claim 1. In a wool-comb, the combination with delivery-aprons carried on the
drawing-off rolls of the larger and smaller circles and distended by suitable guide-
rolls, of a guide-apron supported on suitable guide-rolls and adapted to direct the
sliver toward the draw-off rolls of said larger circle, and means for conveying:
motion to said guide-apron, as described.
2. The combination with the draw-off rolls 8-8 and 9¹_9' of a wool-comb, and
aprons 10-10 carried thereby, of the aprons 12-12 supported' by the rolls 13-13
and driven by the rolls 14 supporting a portion thereof, a gear 15 on the lower
journaled end of said shaft, an interchangeable idle-gear 16 carried on a shaft.
secured in a slotted bearing in the bracket 17, a drive-gear 19 carried on a shaft
also journaled in said bracket, and the gear 20 secured to the upper end of said
shaft and intermeshing with the circular rack of the wool-comb, as and for the
purpose described.
Dated this oth
CL
1000
JOHN SHARPE..
THOMAS SHARPE.
In presence of :-
JOSEPH A. MILLER, Jr.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.