IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Petrie, junior, of Rochdale, in the County
of Lancaster, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 23rd March 1869, and dated the 26th September 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Petrie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th September 1868.
I, JOHN PETRIE, junior, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention refers, firstly, to those rakes for washing machines
which are caused to move to and fro in the fluid while they vibrate
upon a centre of motion, and commonly called swing rakes, and consists
in applying a balance weight or spring thereto. The rake of ordinary
construction I propose to mount upon a ball or other joint carried by

page_text: a lever or levers, an arm of which turns upon a centre and carries a
balance weight or spring. The vibratory motion is imparted to the rake
by a crank or other such means as usual.
Secondly. My Invention refers to a method of mounting the said
swing rake. This object I accomplish by mounting the rake upon a
rod provided with a parallel motion. The rake actuated by the usual
means is jointed to a vertical rod united by a cross bar at top, and by
a lever at bottom to another vertical rod, and to the said lever I propose
to connect the balance weight or spring above described.
Thirdly. My Invention refers to a method of effecting a variation
in the sweep of the swing rake. This I accomplish by connecting it
to a radius rod, the other end of which turns upon a centre which is
adjustable and may be raised or lowered, and by these variations of
position the sweep of the rake may be altered at both ends of the
stroke.
Fourthly. My Invention relates to a method of delivering the
material to the squeezing rollers.
rollers. For this purpose I elevate the
"brat" and place beneath it a guide which conducts the material to
the bite of the said rollers.
Fifthly. My Invention refers to a construction of chain for travelling
surfaces used in washing machines, the peculiarity thereof being that
it has no rivets but is self-locked or jointed. Upon a series of links
I form T ends, and upon this I string outside links formed with slots
in which the said T ends are situate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Petrie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PETRIE, junior, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen. Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of' September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said John Petrie, Her special license that
I, the said John Petrie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Petrie, my 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 OR APPA-
RATUS FOR WASHING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Petrie, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 I, the said John Petrie, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
My Invention refers, firstly, to those rakes of washing machines
which are caused to move to and fro in the fluid while they vibrate
upon a centre of motion, and commonly called swing rakes, and
consists in an arrangement whereby they become balanced.
Secondly. To a method of mounting the said rakes by use of a
parallel motion.
Thirdly. In a method of effecting a variation in the sweep of swing
rakes.
Fourthly. In a method of delivering the material to the squeezing
rollers.
Fifthly. To a method of constructing chains for travelling surfaces
used in washing machines.
My first improvement is shewn at Figures 1 and 2, in which a portion
of the trough of a wool washing machine is shewn at a, carrying a
ine shaft 6 which drives cross shafts, as at c, for imparting motion to

page_text: the rakes, one of which is shewn at d receiving its sweeping motion
by means of the crank e. According to my Invention I form a ball f
on the top of the rake stem g, which ball is placed within a socket h
formed in two parts which are then bolted together. Upon this socket
is formed an arm i which extends downward and is jointed to a
lever capable of turning upon a fixed centre and carrying a
weight m. As the vibratory motion is imparted. to the rake d by the
crank e (which is moving in the direction of the arrow), the rake stem
will raise the arm i so as to cause the lever k to turn upon its centre,
and the weight m will become a counterbalance for the weight of the
rake, and the like result will follow when the crank descends by the
raising of the weight m.
My second improvement is shewn at Figures 3 and 4. The swing
rake is at d, actuated as usual by the crank e, but in this instance
the rake stem is jointed at top to a rod n, the lower end of which is
connected to a lever o turning upon a centre p; at q is a link jointed
to the rod n, and also to a rod r which at its lower end is connected
to the lever o; at 8 is a short link jointed to the common centre of
the link q and rod r, and at its other end to a fixed centre t. As
rotatory motion is imparted to the crank e the rake is caused to
perform its swinging movement upon the centre n, which centre moves
upward and downward and causes the lever o to turn upon its centre p,
and during this movement the links and rods n, q, 8, r, together with
the said lever o constitute a parallel motion. Upon the axis of the
lever o I place a sector v from which is suspended a weight w by
which means the rake becomes balanced.
My third improvement is also shewn in the said Figures 3, 4. Hitherto
the centre of motion t has been referred to as fixed, but according to
this part of my Invention I form it upon a rod x which can be moved
upward or downward in a pedestal y and kept in any desired position
by a tightening screw. Supposing it be desired to increase the horizontal
distance through which the rake shall swing, the centre of motion t
is raised, by which means the link q will be thrust forward through
the medium of the links and will carry with it the rod n, and
consequently the upper end of the rake stem, which by being turned
on the crank pin e will convey the rake d beyond the extent of the
sweep which the Drawing shews, and an extension will also take place
when the crank has moved the rake to the other end of the sweep.

page_text: If it be desired to contract the sweep of the rake then the centre of
motion is depressed and the reverse effect to that above described will
take place.
My fourth improvement is shewn at Fig. 5, in which x represents
the squeezing rollers of a wool washing machine. At y is the travelling
surface or "brat," which according to my Invention I elevate, and
place beneath it a board or plate z. As the "brat" travels onward
it conveys the material as usual, but in this instance delivers it
to the board or plate z, which conducts it to the bite of the squeezing
rollers.
My fifth improvement is shewn at Figures 5*, 6, 7, 8. Figures 5*
are detached plan and side views of a link of the chain and upon which
it is intended to place side links, one of which is shewn in two views
at Fig. 6. The central link A is formed with two T-shaped ends a, b,
and the side links B, Fig. 6, with a slot c, and at one end there is an
extended part d; they are also arched out on their sides, as shewn at e.
In order to explain how these links are put together to form a chain
it will be convenient to assume that this is accomplished, and to describe
the method of separating the said links. The first operation is to turn
downward one pair of the side links, say A, Fig. 7, after which the
T link, say B, is raised so as to bring its end about the middle of the
slot c; then the link A is turned upward and the middle of its slot
brought coincident with the T end of its corresponding length, after
which the two Tends are brought close together and the side
links A, A, may be turned off, as shewn in the plan view Fig. 8.
The reason why the said link may now be removed is, that the parts d
are brought opposite to the arched parts e, but when they are in their
working position the ends of the links are opposite each other. In
order to put the links together the operation (but reversed) will be
precisely the same as that described for separating them. It will thus
be seen that my improved chain does not require rivets but is self-
locked or jointed; the chain thus formed may be used for carrying
laths or other such apparatus adapted in any usual manner for the
construction of "brats" for feeding, delivering, or conveying the fibrous
material, or for carrying spikes or other instruments in order to lift the
said material.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to

page_text: be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent,-
Firstly. And in reference to Figures 1 and 2 the arrangement shewn
for balancing the rake.
Secondly. In reference to Figures 3 and 4 the use of the parallel
motion for carrying the rake and the method of balancing the same.
Thirdly. And for the purpose above set forth the use of the moveable
centre of motion t, Fig. 3..
Fourthly. In reference to Fig. 5 I claim elevating "the brat," and
placing the guide z beneath the same.
Fifthly. The construction of chain shewn and described in reference
to Figures 5*, 6, 7, 8.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Petrie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
JOHN PETRIE, J. (L.S.)