Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 16th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Dec., 1888
We JOHN GREENHALGII, RICHARD GREENHALGH and JOSIAH GREENHALGH, all of
Vulcan Iron Works, Oldham in the County of Lancashire, Machinists, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of apparatus for opening and
cleaning cotton or other fibres known as a "Willow" and has principally for its
object to improve the construction and action of such apparatus, and consists in the
first place in a certain method of mounting the cylinder.
Hitherto the centre of the cylinder has been arranged mostly in a line with the
top edges of the lower part of the side frames, which are secured together by means
of cross stays, or in some cases the centre of the cylinder has been above the top
edges of the said side frames.
This method of mounting the cylinder we find defective, as owing to the said
cross stays, the working surface of the "flake" or grid is limited and not large
enough to effect a thorough cleaning of the fibres under treatment.
To remedy these defects we mount the cylinder in such a manner that the centre
of the same shall be below the top edges of the said side frames, and about in a
line with the lower edges of the said cross stays, so as to obtain a full half circle as
working surface in the flake or grid, and thus ensuring a better cleaning of the
fibres under treatment.
Our invention relates in the second place to means for keeping the fibres away
from the edges of the cylinder, and the inner faces of the side frames, and directing
the same towards the middle of the apparatus, thus preventing the fibres from falling
between the sides of the cylinder and the frames, clogging the machine and causing
friction.
This we attain by providing or forming the inner faces of the said side frames
with one or
more suitable inclines, corrugations, or other equivalents, which have
a tendency to direct the fibres under treatment from the sides towards the middle

page_text: Our invention relates in the third place to the bars provided with teeth and fixed
over the cylinder, onto the upper part of the side frames.
Hitherto these bars have been screwed to the said side frames and in some cases
one or more rollers provided circunferentially with teeth, has been employed in
place of the said bars.
As the fibres under treatment have a tendency to adhere to the teeth of the said
bars or rollers and in time would clog the machine if not removed, these bars have
to be unscrewed from time to time to enable the removal of the adhering fibres,
which is very troublesome, and a slow process.
To remedy this defect and at the same time to ensure a better opening of the
fibres we employ in place of the said bars or rollers, a suitable number of bars
connected to an endless band or chain and arranged to revolve in a similar manner
as the revolving flats of a carding engine.
These bars we revolve, by means of a suitable gearing, in the same direction as
the cylinder, which causes the fibres to be passed on, and thereby opened in a more
complete manner than heretofore has been the case.
On the return, the said bars present their teeth, which facilitates an easy cleaning
of the same either by hand or automatically.
Our invention relates in the fourth place to the mechanism which delivers the
opened and cleaned fibres and consists in automatically and sufficiently widening
the passage or space between the delivery roller and the teeth of the cylinder while
the fibres are under treatment, so as to allow the same to pass freely, and in
automatically narrowing the said passage or space, on the fibres being delivered, in
order to ensure a better delivery of the opened and cleaned fibres.
To this end we mount the delivery roller or its equivalent, in or on the side frames
of the machine, in such a manner that the same is capable of being slid or moved a
sufficient distance away from, or near to, the teeth of the cylinder, thus widening
or narrowing the passage or space between the same, on the fibres being treated or
delivered, respectively.
The said delivery roller we may actuate by means of suitable connections from
any moving part of the machine or from the mechanism usually employed for
opening and closing the "flake" or grid and the delivery door.
Our invention relates in the last place to the mechanism for opening and closing
the "flake" or grid and delivery door, and has for its object to provide means
whereby the time occupied in opening and closing the flake or grid and delivery
door, will always remain the same and not depend on the time the fibres remain in
the machine under treatment, as heretofore has been the case, and which is very
objectionable, as it is a great loss of time.
For this purpose we suitably mount at the side of the frame, an intermittently
rotating large spur wheel which we bring in gear with a spur pinion suitably
mounted on an oscillating lever, having its fulcrum at the side of the frame.
This spur pinion is formed with or secured to a spur wheel, which gears into a
second spur pinion, fastened. to, or forming part of a worm, arranged to rotate
continuously on a stud fixed to the frame-work.
A worm wheel formed with a pulley to which is fixed a cord, strap, or chain,
provided with a weight, is brought into gear at certain times with the worm which
revolves continuously.
The said worm wheel & pulley are mounted on a stud fixed to the aforesaid
oscillating lever, which is also provided with a stud or projection, which by reason
of the weight of the oscillating lever at certain times, is caused to arrest the said
large spur wheel by falling into recesses formed therein & thus making its rotation
intermittent.
This large spur wheel is suitably provided with one or more anti-friction bowls
which actuate by means of suitable connections, such as levers, the "flake" or grid
and delivery door, the recesses in the aforesaid wheel being equal in number to the
said anti-friction bowls.
The aforesaid second-named spur pinion, which is suitably & continuously rotated,

page_text: transmits rotary motion by means of the first-named spur pinion, & spur whee
attached thereto, to the first named large spur wheel until the stul or projection on
the said oscillating lever meets with one of the recesses formed in the large spur
wheel, when it will throw, by reason of the weight of the oscillating lever, the
second named spur wheel out of gear with the second named spur pinion, at the
same time bringing the worm wheel in gear with the worm which continuously
revolves.
At that time the said worm wheel commences to wind the weighted, cord or its
equivalent onto the pulley formed thereon, until a projection provided on the same,
will come into contact with a fixed projection on the frame-work of the machine, and
cause it to lift the worm wheel partly out of gear with the said worm, and the
projection formed on the oscillating lever, out of the recess of the large spur wheel
at the same time throwing the second named spur wheel into gear with the second
named spur pinion, & thus imparting fresh motion to the large spur wheel, the
rotation of which then causes the worm wheel to be thrown fully out of gear with
the worm and allow the aforesaid pulley to unwind to its starting point.
The aforesaid projection on the said worm wheel and pulley is made adjustable, by
means of which, the length of time the fibres have to be treated can be altered at
will for the various kinds of fibres without interfering with the speed of the large
spur wheel which opens and closes the "flake" or grid and delivery door, always at
one speed.
In order to facilitate the setting of the adjustable projection for various times
of willowing we may provide the worm wheel with a pointer and index plate.
D
1
" D
1001
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Opening and Cleaning Cotton or
other Fibres.
We JOHN GREENHALGH, RICHARD GREENHALGH, and JOSIAH GREENHALGH all of
Vulcan Iron Works, Oldham in the County of Lancashire Machinists, do hereby
declare the nature of this 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 relates to improvements in that class of apparatus for opening and
cleaning cotton or other fibres known as a Willow" and has principally for its object
to improve the construction and action of such apparatus.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood we have caused to
be appended hereunto two sheets of drawings marked with letters of reference,
similar letters indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 Sheet I is a side elevation, & Fig. 2 a plan of one side of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 Sheet II is a vertical section of the opposite side of the apparatus.
a is the side frame, the delivery door, e the grid or flake, d the delivery creeper,
e the cylinder, and e¹ the cylinder shaft.
In carrying out our invention the improvements consist in the first place in a certain
method of mounting the cylinder e see Fig. 1.
Hitherto the centre of the cylinder e has been arranged mostly in a line with the
top edges a¹ of the lower parts of the side frames on which the bends are fixed, and
which are secured together at each end by means of cross stays a², or in some cases
the centre of the cylinder e has been above the top edges a¹ of the said side
frames a.
This method of mounting the cylinder e we find defective, as owing to the said
cross stays a² the working surface of the "fake" or grid c is limited, and not large
enough to effect a thorough cleaning of the fibres under treatment.
To remedy these defects we mount the cylinder e in such a manner that the centre
of the same or its shaft e¹, shall be below the top edges a¹ of the said side frames a,
and about, in a line with the lower edges of the said cross stays a², so as to obtain
more working surface in the "Hake or grid and thus ensure a better cleaning of
the fibres under treatment.
Our invention relates in the second place to means for keeping the fibres away from
the edges of the cylinder e, and the inner faces of the side frames and directing
the same towards the middle of the apparatus, thus preventing the fibres from falling
between the sides of the cylinder e, and the frame a, clogging the apparatus and
causing friction.
In carrying out this part of our invention we provide or form the inner faces of
the said side frames a, see Figs. 2 & 3, with one or more suitable inclines /",
corrugations, guides or their equivalents, which have a tendency to direct the fibres
under treatment from the sides of the cylinder e, and frame a, towards the middle of
the apparatus.

page_text: Our invention relates in the third place to the bars provided with teeth and fixed over
the cylinder e onto the upper part or bends of the side frames a.
Hitherto these bars have been screwed to the said bends of the side frames a, and
in some cases one or more rollers provided circumferentially with teeth, has been
employed in place of the said bars.
As the fibres under treatment have a tendency to adhere to the teeth of the said
bars or rollers, and in time would clog the apparatus if not removed, these bars have
to be unscrewed from time to time to enable the removal of the adhering fibres,
which is very troublesome & a slow process.
To remedy this defect and at the same time to ensure a better opening of the
fibres, our improvements consist in employing in place of the said bars or rollers,
see Figs. 1 & 3, a suitable number of toothed bars g, connected to an endless band or
chain, or hinged together, and arranged to ride on pullies i, fixed on cross shafts i¹
mounted in suitable bearings.
These bars we preferably revolve, by means of an eccentric g' fixed on the cylinder
shaft e¹, and a rod g² connected thereto, and provided with a pawl 3 working in a
ratchet wheel g' fixed on the bar shaft i, in the same direction as the cylinder e, which
causes the fibres to be passed on, and thereby opened in a more complete manner than
heretofore has been the case.
On the return motion of the said bars g, they present their teeth, which facilitates
an easy cleaning of the same, either by hand or automatically through the employment
of a brush in connection therewith.
The ends of the said bars are arranged to slide on segment plate e³ fixed adjustably
to the bends of the frame a.
Our invention relates in the fourth place to the mechanism which delivers the
opened and cleaned fibres and consists in automatically and sufficiently widening the
passage or space between the delivery roller 62, and the teeth e² of the cylinder, while
the fibres are under treatment, so as to allow the same to pass freely, and in
automatically narrowing the said passage or space, on the fibres being delivered, in
order to ensure a better delivery of the opened and cleaned fibres.
This part of our improvements we carry out, in mounting the delivery roller b²,
see Figs. 1 & 2, or its equivalent, such as a plate or bar, in or on the side frames a of
the apparatus, in such a manner that the same is capable of being slid or moved a
sufficient distance away from, or near to, the teeth e² of the cylinder e, thus widening
or narrowing the passage or space between the same on the fibres being treated or
delivered, respectively.
This delivery roller 6, we preferably mount in two levers b', pivoted to the sides of
the framework a and capable of oscillating, so as to raise or lower the delivery
roller, and thus narrowing or widening the passage between the same and teeth e²
of the cylinder e.
The said delivery roller b² or its lever 1, we may actuate, i.e., raise and lower, by
means of suitable connections, from any moving part of the apparatus, or from the
mechanism usually employed for opening and closing the "flake" or grid c and the
delivery door b, preferably by means of a cam et rotating intermittently and acting
upon one end of a rod suitably guided, the other end thereof being connected to a
lever e fixed onto the delivery door shaft e', and a second lever e", fixed thereto and
acting onto a stud e, fixed onto the oscillating lever bl.
Our invention relates in the last place to the mechanism for opening and closing the
"flake or grid c and delivery door b, and has for its object to, provide means
whereby the time occupied in opening & closing the "flake or grid c and delivery
door b will always remain the same and not depend on the time the fibres remain in
the apparatus under treatment as heretofore has been the case, & which is very
objectionable, as it is a great loss of time.
In carrying out this part of our improvements, we suitably mount at the side of the
frame a, an intermittently rotating large spur wheel k, which we bring in gear with
a spur pinion, suitably mounted on the stud 2, on the oscillating lever 1, having
its fulcrum at the side of the frame a preferably at 1.

page_text: This spur pinion is formed with, or secured to, a spur wheel k³,
which gears
into a second spur pinion 12, fastened to, or forming part of a worm m, arranged
to rotate continuously on a stud fixed to the framework of the apparatus.
A worm wheel m² formed with a pulley m³, to which is fixed a cord m³, strap,
or chain, provided with a weight m³, is brought into gear at certain times with the
worm which revolves continuously.
The worm wheel m² is mounted on a stud n, fixed to the aforesaid oscillating
lever 1, which is also provided with a stud, projection, or bowl, which by reason
of the weight of the oscillating lever 1, at certain times is caused to arrest the
said large spur wheel by falling into recesses * formed therein and thus making
its rotation intermittent.
This large spur wheel is suitably provided with one or more anti-friction bowls p,
which actuate by means of suitable connection, such as a lever pl, pivoted to the
frame side a, and connected to the band, strap, or cord p², passed around the pulley p³,
and attached to the "flako " or grid c, and the delivery door b, by means of the
cam e, formed on the intermittently rotating spur wheel & and its connection with
the delivery door as hereinbefore described, the recesses in the spur wheel k
being equal in number to the anti-friction bowls P.
The aforesaid second-named spur pinion which is continuously rotated, transmits
rotary motion by means of the first named spur pinion and spur wheel attached
thereto, to the first named large spur wheel k until the stud, projection or bowl n* on
the said oscillating lever meets with one of the recesses *, formed in the large spur
wheel k, when it will throw, by reason of the weight of the oscillating lever 1, the first
named spur pinion ², out of gear with the spur wheel at the same time bringing the
worm wheel m² into gear with the worm m which continuously revolves.
At that time the said worm wheel m² commences to wind the weighted cord or
its equivalent, onto the pulley m³ formed thereon, until the projection n² provided
thereon comes into contact with a fixed stud or projection o¹ on the framework a or in
the frame a³ of the apparatus, formed with a circular slot, and causes it to throw the
worm wheel m² partly out of gear with the said worm m, and the projection, stud, or
bowl on the oscillating lever 1, out of the recess of the large spur wheel k, at the
same time throwing the spur pinion into gear with the spur wheel k, and thus
imparting fresh motion to the latter, the rotation of which, causes the worm wheel m²
to be thrown fully out of gear with the worm m, and allows the pulley m³ to unwind
and fall back to its starting point, the adjustable stud n³.
The stud or projection on the frame as being made adjustable, the length of time
the fibres have to be treated can be altered at will for the various kinds of fibres
without interfering with the speed of the large spur wheel which opens and
closes the "flake or grid c, and delivery door always at one speed.
In order to facilitate the setting of the adjustable projection for various times of
willowing, we may provide the said worm wheel m² or frame a³ with a pointer
and index plate.
A modification of the last part of our invention consists in arranging the fulcrum
of the oscillating lever at ², instead of at 1, in this case however, the continuous
rotating spur wheel 2, and worm m attached thereto will be interposed between
a carrier pinion on the fulcrum of the oscillating lever and the worm wheel m²,
the latter being also carried by the oscillating lever l, but rigidly.
The spur pinion and worm m, are rotated from the cylinder shaft e¹ by means of
the pullies & ³, and strap v².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In apparatus for opening & cleaning cotton or other fibres :-
1st. The cylinder e having the centre of rotation below the top edges a¹ of the
side frames a, and in, or about in a line with the lower edges of the cross stays a²
of the apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

page_text: 2nd. The application to the insides of the side frames a around the cylinder e, of
inclines or guides, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3rd. The application of a travelling endless chain of toothed bars g in connection
with the teeth e² on the periphery of the cylinder e, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
4th. Automatically widening or narrowing the passage between the delivery roller b²
or its equivalent, and the periphery of the cylinder e, by respectively raising and
lowering the delivery roller 2 or its equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
5th. The employment of an oscillating lever furnished on one end with a stud
or its equivalent n, and on the other end with a worm wheel m², provided wih
a sud coming at certain times into contact with a fixed and an adjustale
projection or stud o¹ & n³ on the framework a or a³ and carrying a train of spur
wheels between, respectively in combination with a spur wheel provided with
one or more recesses, bowls and cams, and with a spur wheel and worm m
rotating continuously on a stud fixed to the frame work of the apparatus, offerated
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 15th day of October 1888
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester,
Agents to Applicants.