IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PIECE GOODS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Firth, of the Firm of Firth, Booth, and
Company, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING
PIECE GOODS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Firth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November 1880.
GEORGE FIRTH, of the Firm of Firth, Booth, and Company, of Bradford, in the
County of York, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR MEASURING PIECE GOODS."
The object of this Invention is to obviate the creasing to which pieces are
subject in machines for this purpose hitherto in use, and at the same time to increase
the speed at which pieces can be measured.
When pieces are badly creased in measuring they have to be sent back to the
dyer and finisher, involving expense and delay.
I
I accomplish my object in the following manner :-
pass the piece over the top roller, as in the ordinary machine, but instead of
passing the saine between two very tight rollers below, which confirm the creases, I
pass the pieces in front of a revolving brush immediately below the top roller, and
in front of a revolving shaft having radiating wings and two or more rollers down
into the box placed for its reception. The revolving brush, winged shaft, and
rollers all revolve the same way the top roller does, and are carried by their centres
almost in a vertical line with the top roller. On the other side of the piece I
place an apron of metal of the full width of rollers, carried on a centred shaft
above; the bottom of this apron is bent in wards, so that the piece passes over the
bottom edge; by means of a crank or eccentric this apron is made to oscillate,
and thus distribute the piece evenly into the box below.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Firth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th May
1881.
GEORGE FIRTH, of the Firm of Firth, Booth, and Company, of Bradford, in the
County of York, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR MEASURING PIECE GOODS."
The object of this Invention is to obviate the creasing to which pieces are
subject in machines for this purpose hitherto in use, and at the same time to increase
the speed at which pieces can be measured.
When pieces are badly creased in measuring they have to be sent back to the
dyer or finisher, involving expense and delay.
My Invention consists in dispensing with the oscillating tight rollers between
which the pieces pass after leaving the top cylinder or roller of an ordinary
machine, and in substituting a revolving brush immediately below the top cylinder.
Working in conjunction with the above brush I mount a revolving shaft having
radiating arms and two revolving cylinders for keeping the piece straight; and for
evenly distributing the piece in the box below I mount an oscillating apron. I
will now give a detailed description of my Invention, aided by the accompanying
Drawing, which represents the side elevation of such portions of a piece measuring
inachine as are required to make clear my improvement.
The letter A indicates the general framework of the portion of machine to which
my improvement is attached, and B the revolving cylinder or bottom roller, to
which motion is communicated in the manner as hereafter described. Mounted
on the top of framework A is another revolving cylinder C about the same
diameter as wheel C¹, secured on axle of said cylinder, as is another wheel of the
same diameter at the opposite end of axle. Motion to the top cylinder is commu-
nicated from pulley on cylinder shaft B, and the piece to be measured is conducted
under cylinder B and over top roller or cylinder, as indicated by the dark dotted
line; so far the parts described are old.
And
In my improved machine I mount immediately below the top cylinder or roller
a revolving brush D which brushes against the piece and prevents in the first
instance the tendency of the picce to wrap round the top cylinder C by virtue of
the higher speed I am enabled to run my machine. Below the brush D is mounted
a revolving shaft, to which are secured fan wings F; these in rotating batter
against the piece in its descent and assist the brush D to take out any crease that
may be in the piece, whereas if passed between the ordinary oscillating rollers the
creases are confirmed. In addition to the before-mentioned revolving brush and
fan wings I mount two revolving cylinders G and I, which prevent tho piece
wrapping round the fan wings F, and direct the piece into the box E below.
in order that the same may be evenly distributed into the said box I suspend an
apron J to a shaft extending across machine at K. This apron is the full width
of the before mentioned cylinders or rollers, and is made to oscillate by means of a
rod Lat each side of the machine connecting the apron to a crank stud on revolving
wheel M, and to a similar wheel at the other side." The piece passing in front of
revolving brush, projecting fan wings, and rollers, all of which revolve in the same
direction as top cylinder is pressed to one side of the box when the apron is drawn
towards the machine, and when it recedes the piece follows the same until the
return stroke of the apron.
In order to put the machine steadily in motion I mount a friction disc N on to
a shaft attached to lever P; at the side of this disc is a pulley R of smaller
diameter connected to main shaft by strap S, and when the foot lever T is pressed
down the circumference of revolving disc is brought in contact with cylinder B,

page_text: causing the same to rotate, and thus starting the machine steadily, when the
ordinary catch clutch can be put in gear and machine driven at full speed. On the
release of pressure on foot lever the weight U and spring V raise the disc from off
the cylinder B.
What I claim as iny Invention is,-
The arrangement and combination of the circular brush, revolving fan wings,
rollers, and oscillating apron applied to pieco measuring machines, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Firth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineering & Patent Offices,
Bradford.
GEORGE FIRTH. (L.S.)