CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING, TWISTING, OR CURLING, AND WEAVING HORSEHAIR AND OTHER HAIRS, AS WELL AS VARIOUS FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBINSON WILLIAMS, of Cheapside, in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twelfth day of December, in the second year of Her reign,
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight, did,
for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Robinson Williams, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas
Robinson Williams, my exors, admors, and assigns, and every of them,
by myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy or deputies, servants,
or agents, or such others as I, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within that part of, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING, TWISTING,
OR CURLING, AND WEAVING HORSEHAIR AND OTHER HAIRS, AS WELL AS VARIOUS
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," in such manner as to me, the said Thomas Robinson
Williams, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, or any of them, should in my or
their discretion seem meet; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
obliging n.e, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, 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 to be performed, and-

page_text: to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within two 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
Thomas Robinson Williams, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are parti-
cularly 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 Invention of certain improvements in machinery for spinning,
twisting, or curling and weaving horse and other hairs, as well as various
fibrous substances, consists, in the first place, in several novel and improved
constructions and arrangements of mechanism or machinery for effecting or
performing several different operations upon the hair of horses and other
animals used for stuffing or padding various articles of upholstery or fur-
niture, and for other similar purposes; and in the second place, in a
novel or improved construction or combination of mechanism adapted to
looms for weaving horse hair seating, used for the coverings of chairs, sofas,
and other articles (that is to say) :-
These improvements consist, firstly, in a novel or improved construction or
arrangement of machinery or mechanism whereby the hair of horses, pigs,
goats, and other animals is opened, separated, and partially cleansed, by
removing the dirt or other extraneous or foreign matters therefrom. The air,
after being partially opened and cleansed, is delivered on to a travelling
receiving cloth or apron, in a state fit for the second machine, wherein
the process of opening or separating and cleansing is further carried on.
In this second machine the hair is also delivered on to a travelling apron or
cloth, by which it is carried in the form of a sliver or batt to a set of
drawing rollers, from whence it is delivered to a revolving spindle and
flyer, where it is twisted or spun into a coarse yarn or rope and wound
upon a bobbin, in which state it is taken to the third machine, where
the hard twisting or curling process is performed. The rope or yarn being
delivered from off the bobbins through and by a peculiar apparatus to a
rapidly revolving switch, flyer, or chamber, whereby the material is further
twisted into a hard yarn, or strand, or rope, and at the same time curled into
hard helical coils called "buttoning," and thus caused to take the form of the
knotted or knarled stanks, in which state it is ready to be soaked or boiled
and baked in the ordinary manner of treating the hair when in this state.

page_text: And further, under the first part, these improvements consist in certain
novel or improved constructions or arrangements of mechanism adapted to the
ordinary gill machine, for drawing out or elongating rovings or slivers of hair
formed by a modification of the second machine, and spinning or twisting
them into yarns to be used as warp or weft in weaving horsehair cloth, or for
other purposes.
And I will now proceed to describe these several arrange-
ments and constructions of mechanism used in the above processes, referring
to the Drawings of the same (that is to say) :-
:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the first machine; and Fig. 2, a longitudinal
section, taken vertically through the same to shew the interior. a, a, is the
framework and standards of the machine; b, the endless feeding cloth, upon
which the rough material is placed by the attendant, and is carried to the
weighted receiving and feeding rollers c, c, from which it is delivered to the
action of the toothed drum or devil cylinder d, d, which I make about three
feet in diameter by thirty-two inches wide. This drum or cylinder is properly
mounted on a shaft d* turning in bearings on the frame, and is made to revolve
very rapidly (say, about four hundred to five hundred revolutions per minute);
its periphery is furnished with a great number of steel points or teeth (say, about
ten thousand), which are securely fastened on to the several staves or pieces e, e,
forming its outer periphery, which staves are securely bolted on to the inner
staves or pieces ff, (see Figure 2); the teeth of the cylinder as it revolves
take into the material as it is delivered slowly from the feeding rollers, and
striking into the locks or knobs of hair, comb them 'open, loosening and sepa-
rating the hairs one from another as they are successively presented by and at
the same time held between the feed rollers. And in order that the longer hair
may be kept in contact with the teeth and cause them to act more perfectly
thereon, I apply and use a brush of strong bristles, or a mixture of bristles
and wire points at g, whereby the longer hairs are kept up to the teeth, and
by the action of the cylinder the dirt, pieces of hoof, sticks, or other foreign
matters will be forced out of the hair, and will descend to the floor of the
room (as shewn by the red arrows), or into any receptacle placed thereon,
while the hairs will be delivered in the direction shewn by the blue arrows on
to the endless receiving cloth h, h, and passed over the rollers i, i; the material
is thereby carried up to the opposite end, from whence it is removed by the
attendant to the next machine. The feeding cloth 6 is formed with side or
guide pieces k, to keep the material on the cloth, and the cylinder d is covered
with a tight case or cover b fitting on to the frame and top feeding roller; m
is a stop piece for interrupting the draft around the top part of the cylinder,
and causing the hair to be carried by the draft further up the incline of the

page_text: receiving apron, which is also furnished with guide pieces n, n, to keep the
material from being blown therefrom.
It will be evident to all practical mechanics that the various parts of this
machine may be put into motion by riggers or pulleys and bands passed from
any first mover. I therefore do not confine myself to any particular con-
trivance for effecting this; but as the teeth of the cylinder are liable to meet
with sudden obstructions by knots or knarls of hair, or pieces of hoof or wood
delivered from the feed rollers, and thereby liable to injury, I prefer driving
the feed rollers by means of friction of contact between two plain surfaces,
riggers, or drums, as then, on any extraordinary resistance being opposed to
them, they will be allowed to stop, one friction surface slipping past the other.
The following arrangement of mechanism for actuating the various parts
will show how this may be effected:-1, 1, is a band passed from the first
mover on to a pulley or rigger mounted on the shaft of the devil cylinder on
the other side of the machine, on which shaft is also mounted the small
friction wheel 5, the periphery of which is kept in contact with the large
friction drum 2 (mounted on the arms 3 of the sliding frame 4 by the weighted
lever 6, which is connected through the lever 7 and rod 8 to to the sliding frame
4; 9 is a bevil pinion on the axle of the drum 2. This pinion takes into a
bevil wheel 10 on the shaft 11, turning on bearings 12 in the framework.
Upon one end of the shaft 11 is a pinion 13 taking into another pinion 14,
having a smaller one on its axis, which takes into the toothed wheel 15 on
the end of the axis 16 of the lower back feed roller, the others being connected
by a train of pinions in the ordinary manner. The feed apron roller is turned
by means of a toothed wheel upon. its axis taking into a pinion in connection
with another upon one of the back feed rollers.
gear, the
The receiving apron is put into motion by the pinion 19 on the other end of
the shaft 11 taking into the bevil wheel 20 on the axis of the roller i' of the
receiving cloth. When it is wished to throw all those parts out of
attendant has only to remove the lever 7 in the direction of its arrow, when all
parts will be disconnected, and the supply of material stopped, although the
cylinder is not so until the impediment is removed.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the second arrangement and construction of
machinery or apparatus wherein the material is further opened and cleansed,
and spun or twisted into a rope or yarn; Figure 4 is a plan view; Figure 5 is
a longitudinal section taken vertically through the same; and Figure 6, an
end view, looking towards the spindle and flyer. As the arrangement,
construction, and operation of the feeding cloth, cylinder, and receiving apron
in this machine are similar to the former, I have used the same letters of

page_text: reference to denote similar parts, and therefore the foregoing description will
suffice for those parts of this machine; only remarking that the attendant
should take more care in laying the material evenly upon the surface of the
feeding apron b, in order that a regular and even batt or layer of material may
be carried up by the receiving apron h to the drawing rollers; the side guards
n of this apron are inclined for the purpose of collecting this material into a
narrow batt or layer, and as the hair is thrown from the cylinder the short
hairs will fall first, and the longer hairs, finding more resistance in the
atmosphere, will be suspended therein by the draft and carried higher up the
apron, and consequently fall upon the shorter material lying thereon, whereby
when the material becomes twisted, the longer will be wrapped round the
shorter, and cause it to take the required curl. The material is passed from
the end of the cloth h, between the several pairs of weighted drawing rollers
A, A, where the batt of material will be elongated or drawn out, and is
collected by the elastic mouth-piece and guide B, which collects and smooths
down the hairs and fibres of material as they are being twisted, and they then
pass through the collar C of the flyer, which rebolves in suitable bearings D; at
this point the material is twisted into a yarn or rope, and is passed along the
arm of the flyer E, through the guides F on to the bobbin G, which rests on the
table or disc H of the copping rail I; between the drawing rollers A, A, and
apron roller there is a short space left to allow any dust or dirt to fall from the
batt before it enters the spinning frame. The spindle K is fixed at one end
into the flyer, and the other end rests in the cup piece L; N is the warve or
pulley for giving motion to the spindle, and is set in motion by a band O,
passed from the rigger P on the shaft Q, which is actuated by a band passed
from the first mover to the driving riggers on its end; the drawing rollers A
are set in motion by a band R passed from a pulley on the shaft Q to another
rigger S on the shaft of one of the outer drawing rollers, the other rollers
being driven at different speeds by the toothed wheels on their axes, from
one of which the motion of the top roller i of the receiving apron h is taken.
The copping motion of the bobbin is obtained after the manner of ordinary
spinning machinery, by means of the copping rail I being suspended by the
cords or chains T passed over pulleys to the small drums on the shaft U; the
mangle wheel motion V is made to revolve by the following means:-A pulley
on the main shaft Q carries a band W passed over another pulley X, turning
on a short shaft; upon the boss of this pulley is a small pinion taking into the
teeth of the wheel on the shaft Y, which turns in a bearing on the frame at
one end, and at the other carries a pinion taking into gear with the mangle
wheel V in the ordinary manner, and turning it and also the shaft U, first

page_text: one way and then the other, and consequently winds on to and unwinds the
cords or chains T from the drums on the shaft U, and thus produces the
copping motion. The different parts of the machine may be thrown into and
out of gear in a similar manner to the former machine, but as there is not
the same danger of destroying the teeth of the cylinder (the material being
previously opened), the feed rollers are driven as above described; and the
friction wheels, with the means of disengaging them described with reference
to the former machine, may be dispensed with.
I would here remark with reference to this and the former machine, that I
have described the devil cylinder as being driven separately from the other
parts of the machine to prevent a difference in the thickness of the batt or
layer at the time of stopping the feed, for removing the bobbin, or otherwise,
as the cylinder would not at the instant of starting acquire its proper velocity.
After the bobbin has become filled with twisted rope or yarn, it is taken to
the third machine, and there taken off the bobbin and curled or buttoned. It
will be seen by reference to the Drawings, that a channel or casing is thrown
over the feed apron to collect the dust arising from the devil cylinder, which
casing may be carried without the building or to any other convenient situation.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of the machinery or apparatus for curling and
"buttoning up" the hair into the knotted hanks; Figure 8 is a side elevation,
and Figure 9 is a sectional plan of the same taken in the line a, b, of Figure 7.
a, a, is the framework or standards of the machine; is the main driving
rigger, which is put in motion by a band passed from the first moving power.
This rigger is attached to the hollow spindle c, turning in a bearing at d, and
has also the differential pullies e, f, upon it. To its other end is also attached
the guide flyer g, its other hollow end turning in the bearing h; i is a spindle
passed through the bearing on the frame, and through the hollow spindle c,
and carries the bobbin k, which has been previously filled with twisted rope or
yarn at the last-described machine. There is no motion communicated to this
spindle or bobbin but by the drag of the yarn as it is drawn off by the
curling apparatus. The yarn or rope is passed over guide pullies at 7, 1, and
through the hollow bearing at h, and between the notched groove m on the
base of the inverted cone n and the notched drag wheel o, and is then coiled
around the cone, as shewn by the red colour in Figure 8 (and the enlarged
detached view of this part at Figure 10), and then fastened to a hook pat
the bottom of the revolving chamber q, which revolves at a rapid speed,
bearing at its lower end by means of a pin in the cup piece r, and at its other
by the hollow mouth-piece s, which runs in the guide bearing t; u, u, are
guides or inclined pieces, shaped like portions of the thread of a spiral worm

page_text: or screw, and are for the purpose of retaining the coils of rope or yarn on the
cone, and retarding them while the proper twist or curl is given to the
material, as required, to make it curl or "button up" in the proper manner.
The guide pieces u, u, are fixed into a sliding plate a, a, to which is connected
the collar piece b, which is furnished with a bevelled edge q, for giving the
rope a direction out of the groove m, and towards the point of the cone n.
This sliding plate and bevilled collar piece is made to take any movement
of the cone which may be caused by thicker or thinner parts of the yarn
passing between the rollers, or to accommodate different sized yarns. The cone
n is fixed on to the end of the shaft or axle v, which is passed through a
bearing at the upper part of the machine, and carries at this end the rigger w.
The other bearing of this shaft is in the looped guide piece x, and is kept
forced towards the wheel o by the rod y and spring . This arrangement is
for the purpose of allowing the cone to move or give way in any extraordinary
thickness of the rope or yarn passing between the notched drag wheels, when
it will carry with it the plate a and guide pieces u. The drag wheel o is
mounted on a shaft 1 passed through bearings 2, 3, and has a toothed wheel
4 on its end, which takes into the teeth of the pinion 5 on the shaft of the
cone, which is put into motion in the following manner:-An endless band 6
is passed from one of the grooves of the pulley e, over a guide roller 7, and
around the grooved pulley u, whereby the required motion is given to the
grooved drag wheels. The curling, "buttoning up" can, or chamber is put in
motion by the band 8 passed from the pulley f, under guide pullies 9 to
the pulley 10, on the under side of the chamber, which is thereby made to
revolve at a rapid rate, and at the end of the rope or yarn has been attached
to the hook p, it will give a hard twist to the rope or yarn as it is delivered by
the drag wheels and cone, and will be made to curl or "button up " in the
required degree, which curling or "buttoning" takes place at the point or
apex of the cone. Each helical coil of the twisted yarn being laid one beside
the other, and the same is twisted hard by the revolution of the chamber 9,
at the same time the slack of the curled or "buttoned yarn loops and. doubles
itself together, and forms the knarled, knotted, and looped mass of material
ready to be soaked or boiled and baked, to cause the hair or other material
effectually to retain the curl given to it, for which purpose it is removed by the
door in the chamber q, whenever the whole of the yarn or rope on the bobbiu
has been so operated upon. When this is the case, the empty one is removed,
and a full bobbin placed on the shaft i, which is done by the following means:-
The bobbin is secured on the shaft by a key piece 12 passed through a groove
or slit formed in the end of the spindle i, the other end being furnished with

page_text: a screw and nut 13 pressing against the bearing j. by which means any
required drag can be given to the bobbin; the spindle i sliding freely through its
bearings will allow of its being drawn through the same and out of the bobbin,
which may then be removed and a fresh one substituted.
I would here remark that in some cases the chamber q may be dispensed
with, and a switch flyer used instead, as shewn in Figure 11; but I prefer
the chamber, as it keeps the mass of material together, and whenever the
slack of the curled or "buttoned"
yarn or ropes touches the sides of the
chamber, it tends to throw it back, and causes the slack or loop to double or
curl itself into the knarled or twisted loops.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism or machinery connected with
the spinning or twisting of hair, which machinery does not belong to the
process of curling, knotting, or "buttoning" of the same, but only to the
spinning of yarns, to be used either as warp or weft in weaving horsehair
cloths, or for making hair ropes or cords, and when a finer description of
yarn is required than that produced by the second machine before described.
To effect this object, I dispense with the bobbin and yer, and all parts of
the spindle K, substituting the table H, Figure 12, so that a revolving motion
may be given to the table from different sized pullics upon the arbor q
according to the degree of trust required in the roving. Upon this table is
placed an open-mouthed receiving can a, into which the roving, as it passes
from the delivering rollers, is allowed to fall, and as the can revolves a slight
degree of twist will be given to the roving.
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the second machine with these parts
applied thereto; in other respects the mechanism remains the same. It will
be perceived that these cans can be applied to and removed from the machine
when they are filled without stopping it. The can containing the rovings are
removed to the gill machine, and are placed in sets of two, three, or more to
each spindle of the gill, according to the size. of yarn required. The rovings
are laid upon a travelling endless feeding cloth placed in an inclined position,
by which they are sustained and conducted to the ordinary drawing rollers,
and through the heckle points to the delivering rollers, by which mechanism
the roving is drawn out or elongated, and delivered through the elastic mouth
piece or guide B (before described) on to the flyer and bobbin, to be spun
into yarn of the required number for weaving, as warp or weft, or for other
purposes, in the same manner as described in the second machine.
Figure 14 is a longitudinal section taken vertically through a gill machine
of the ordinary construction used in worsted and linen manufactures with my
improvements applied thereto, and which ordinary parts it will not be

page_text: necessary for me particularly to describe beyond shewing the construction and
operation of the novel parts therewith. A, A, is the ordinary framework;
B, C, the two pairs of drawing rollers; D, the heckle points, whereby the
sliver or roving of material is elongated, the heckle points having the ordinary
rising and falling and travelling motion given to them; and E, E, the
delivering rollers; a, a, are the cans filled with rovings, as brought from the
second machine, the ends of which are place upon the travelling endless
feeding cloth b, by which they are carried up and passed between the drawing
rollers B and C, through the heckle or combing points D, and between the
delivering rollers E, through the elastic mouth-piece c, by which the material
is smoothed down as it is twisted by the flyer and spindle, and wound upon
the bobbin; and as all the other parts of the spinning machine are similar to
that shewn in Figure 5, the same letters of reference are marked thereon and
no further description will be requisite.
Having now described the construction and operation of these various
novel or improved arrangements and constructions of machinery for perform-
ing the several operations of preparing, spinning, twisting, and curling of hair,
I will proceed to describe the novel or improved construction of mechanism
adapted to looms for weaving the fabric commonly known as horsehair
seating, in which fabric the long hair of horses is used as the weft, the warp
being a linen or . other yarn, and which weft is drawn through between the.
warps by moving hooks or tractors, which are caused to pass from one side of
the loom or the other, and drag or draw in the weft, the attendant holding
the hair in his bands and presenting it to these hooks or tractors as they are
produced by the machine from between the warp to receive the weft, and
after taking hold of the same the stocks or tractors draw the hairs in between
the warp ready to be beaten up by the reed and the warp to close upon them.
Figure 15 is a front elevation of a power loom of nearly the common con-.
struction, with the improved mechanism adapted and applied thereto; Figure.
16 is an end view of the same; Figure 17 is a transverse section taken
vertically in the line c, d, of Figure 15, and looking towards the right band;
Figure 18 is a plan or horizontal view of the parts of the loom which give
motion to and affect the travelling to and fro of the hooks or tractors through
or between the warp threads. In this latter view I have shown a portion of.
the warp threads as they would appear over the hooks, but have omitted the
harness and its appendages in order to render the mechanism for working the
hooks or tractors more evident. A, A, is the framework of the loom; B is
the driving shaft, mounted in the ordinary way in the framework as usual in,
power looms, and furnished with cranks C for working the lathe D, the leg or.

page_text: batten of which & turns on a centre at e, and effects the beating up of the
weft after each successive return of the hooks or tractors through the warp;
E is a shaft, carrying two tappets F, F, which are fixed upon it by a box in
any convenient manner. These tappets act upon the levers G, G, alternately
for the purpose of opening and shutting the sheds of the warp at each side of
the piece, this being necessary for producing the proper edge for horsehair
seating; H, H, shews a part of the harness acted upon the levers G, G; I, I,
are levers for working the other part of the harness K, K, which levers are
set in motion by a set or cut of wheels as at L, actuated by a train of gear
wheels from the driving shaft B; M is the warp beam; N, the guide roller
for the warp threads; O, the reed; P, the temples; Q, the breast beam;
R, the work beam; S is the driving pulley on the main shaft; and T and U,
wheels for giving motion to the shaft E. All the parts here referred to
compose nearly the ordinary working parts of a power loom, and being well
understood no further description will be necessary; and I shall now proceed
to shew and describe the novel arrangement of mechanism as applied to the
loom for carrying in the weft in weaving horsehair seating.
The main shaft B carries the spur wheel T, which taking into the wheel V
of double the dimensions of T upon the shaft E, causes that shaft with the
side cam wheels W, W, to revolve, which by their action upon the levers
X, X, produce the "pecker" motion of the hooks or tractors.
It will be seen that the levers X, X*, have their fulcrums at a, a, and
that each one is provided with a friction roller Y; which works against the
peculiarly formed face of the side cam wheels W, W. On reference to
Figure 18, it will be observed that the roller Y on the lever X has passed:
into the recess formed in the side face of the cam W, and by the connection
of the lever X with the pecker lever Z by the rod z, this last-mentioned lever
has been allowed to be forced inward, and consequently with it the hook or
tractor a to which it is connected (as hereafter described), the extremity of
which has been passed quite through the shed of the warp; the hook or s
tractor is thus passed through the warp for the purpose of receiving the weft,
which the attendant supplies by quickly holding one end of it over the hook
(which is furnished with a small friction roller), and holding that end between
his fingers, while the hook or tractor recedes and draws in the weft out of the
case or bag in his other hand.
The hooks or tractors a, a, (one of which is shewn of the usual size at
Figure 19,) are formed on the ends of long rods or levers b, attached by pins
c to sliding plates d, which move and slide in the race or guides e, e, on
the batten D. There are slits or openings formed in these sliding plates

page_text: through which the upper end of the levers z are passed, and are thus connected
to the hooks or tractors; f, f, are the raised parts of the arms or levers of
the tractors upon which the springs b, b, act, to throw the ends of the tractors
out from the reed when protruded through the warp ready to receive a weft
or hair. In order that the levers Z, Z, may follow the motion of the reed or
batten, their fulcrums are placed in rocking joints or steps g, on the floor of
the room, the centre of such rocking fulcrums being opposite to and in a
right line with the acting centre of the sley or batten.
The lever Z, and hooks or tractors a, are made to follow the motion of
the cam W, by means of strong springs a, a, which are connected by a cord
to the pecker lever Z. It will also be perceived by this Figure that the
roller of the lever X*, being upon the outer or plain face of the cam W*,
it is forced back, and with it the other pecker lever Z*, and consequently has
withdrawn its hook or tractor from out of the warp, and the strong spring
a* is thereby put into tension. There are small but powerful springs b, b,
fixed in the top part of the lathe leg, which acts on the fulcrum end f of the
hook or tractor just as it is about being projected through the warp, and it
is thereby diverted from its straight course, and the hooked end turned out-
wards from the reed, as shown in the Drawing. The object of this movement
is to give facility to the attendant feeding or serving the weft to the hooks or
tractors as they are projected. e, e, are guide plates for the arms of the hooks
or tractors, having slits through which they pass; f,f, are stop pieces for
preventing the forward tractor moving too far.
In working with this loom there may be either one or two attendants;
if two, one at each side, in order to feed the hooks or tractors with .weft; but
their duties being simple, children may be employed for this purpose.
The method of feeding is as follows:-The horsehair or fibrous material is
put together in lengths into a case or bag, from which the attendant has.to
select one, and placing one end of it over the hooked end of the retreating,
hook or tractor, keeps firm hold of that end until the hook or tractor has
reached the further extremity of the breadth of the warp, at the same time
allowing the reverse end to draw out of the bag as it proceeds, he then lets
go of the weft, and the reed beats up in the ordinary manner; or only one.
hook or tractor may be put in motion, and then only one attendant will be.
required to feed in the weft.
I would here remark that in this latter case only one cam of a double form,
that is, having two recesses or indentations acting upon one of the levers.
X, X*, will be required.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of these several improve-

page_text: ments, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understand that what I claim as my Invention secured to me by the above in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, that the general construction and arrangement of mechanism described
under the first or preparing machine, and particularly the travelling apron for
receiving the cleansed or opened material, which apron is placed in such position
that it will receive only the material as it is carried onward by the centrifugal
force of the cylinder, while the dirt and unopened locks of hair fall short of
it, and consequently are not carried away with the opened material.
Also under this machine, I claim the use and application of the brush for
keeping the longer material in better contact with the cylinder teeth.
Under this second machine I claim the general construction and arrange-
ment of the various parts thereof, and particularly the formation of a batt or
sliver by means of the travelling receiving apron, which also by its position
receives the open or cleansed material separate from dirt or unopened locks.
Further I claim the guide nipper or spring clamp mouthpiece B, placed
over the top of the spindles for collecting and smoothing down the hairs or
fibres at the point where they begin to receive the twist.
And in the similar machine for producing rovings for the gill. spinning
machine for making finer hair yarns, I claim the use of open moveable
receiving cams without cover, top, or neck of any kind, by which the twist
is given to the roving, and which are capable of being removed from and
applied to the machine without stopping it.
In the gill machine I claim only the application of the mechanism con-
sisting of the travelling apron for carrying the rovings from the cans to the
drawing rollers, and the elastic guide mouth or nipper to the spindles, for the
purpose before stated.
And as regards the curling or "buttoning" machine, I claim the general
construction and arrangement of its various parts, and particularly the
revolving spring drag wheels or jaws for taking the rope or yarn from off the
bobbins in uniform quantities, and the peculiar construction and application
of the cone and the guide pieces u therewith, for the purpose of compelling the
rope or yarn to receive the compressed helical coil, and at the same time the
operation of knotting or hanking it takes place in the can or chamber, or of
winding it upon the forked swift, as shewn in the Figures, into skeins or banks.
And as regards the loom, I claim the general arrangement and construction
of mechanism for operating upon and setting in motion the hooks or tractors
for drawing in the weft or hair or other materials, whether one or two are
used, instead of by hand as in common, and particularly the use of two hooks

page_text: or tractors operating from opposite sides alternately, which hooks or tractors
in weaving horsehair allows of the hairs being all drawn from the larger or
root end, and thereby ensuring the more certain alternating of the two ends of
the hair in the weaving. And I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
the form of these hooks separately (as they are nearly similar to those used
by hand); but what I do claim is the operating upon and setting in motion
such books (whether one or two) by the mechanical means above described.
And in conclusion I would remark, that although in describing the above
machinery I have confined myself to spinning, twisting, or curling and
weaving horsehair and other animal hairs, yet it is obvious that the same
machinery may be applied to spinning, twisting, or curling and weaving various
other fibrous substances.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-nine.
THOS R. (L.s.) WILLIAMS.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Thomas Robinson Williams, in
the presence of