Improvements in Wool-washing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: ate of Application, 6th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1894
Improvements in Wool-washing Machines.
WE, FREDERICK GRANDERSON SARGENT, and ALLAN CAMERON SARGENT,
both of Graniteville, in the County of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Manufacturers, 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 :-
Our invention relates to wool-washing machines, and it consists in certain new
and improved constructions and combinations of the several parts thereof substan-
tially as hereinafter described and claimed.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wool-washing machine provided with our
improvements.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of the same.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the end of the machine in side elevation, provided
with a modification of the counterbalancing apparatus for the harrow.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section of a portion of the machine on the
dotted line a- of. Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the machine, showing the
details for operating the ducker.
Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of another portion of the machine, showing
the mode of operating the vibrating agitator.
Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the same.
The bowl of the machine, 1, is supported on feet and provided with escape
openings 22, in its bottom for drawing off the liquid. It is also provided with a
perforated false bottom 3, at some distance below the fluid level, the delivery
end 4, of which inclines upward to form the bed for the carrier to convey the
fiber to the squeeze rolls 56 from which the wool is delivered in the usual
manner. Underneath the squeeze rolls is the trough 7 to receive the fluid which
is squeezed out of the wool by the rolls, which fluid contains small fibers of wool,
and this trough has an outlet S at its bottom to which the pipe 9 is connected which
leads to the reservoir 10, from whence the fluid is elevated and delivered with the
wool fibers back into the bowl by a bucket wheel, substantially as hereinafter
described.
Underneath the bowl 1 are the cross shafts 12 attached to the bowl by boxes
or bearings 13 13. These cross shafts 12 have attached to each end of each of
them the swinging arms 14 14, which extend upward on each side of the bowl and
These
have their upper ends connected together by the cross bars or rods 15.
rods are again connected to each other by the horizontal rods or links 16 16, at
each side of the bowl so that the motion which is given to one pair of the swinging
arms 14 turning on their shaft 12 will be communicated to the other pair of
arms 14 turning on their shaft 12, and the motion of the cross rods 15 as the arms
are brought to a vertical position, will be upward from the top of the bowl and
vice verso.
On the rods 15 the harrow, which conveys the wool through the bowl, is mounted
in the following manner:
The harrow consists of two longitudinal bars 17 17, connected together by cross
bars 18 18, and from the latter the teeth 19 19 project downward so as to engage
with the fiber and convey it through the liquid in the bowl when the harrow is

page_text: moved forward. The transverse rods 15 pass across the tops of the longitudinal
bars 17 of the harrow and where they come against these bars the rods are provided
with grooved rollers 20 20, which revolve upon them and fit the bars 17 in their
grooves. Directly over the top sides of these grooved rollers the longitudinal
bars 21 21 are bolted to blocks 22 at each end, which blocks are themselves bolted
to the upper sides of bars 17 so as to form guideways between, the bars 17 and 21
of sufficient length to allow for the requisite longitudinal movement of the
harrow forward toward the squeeze rolls in the operation of the machine sub-
stantially as hereinafter described. Near the feed-in end of the bowl the
uprights 23 23, are attached to it on each side, and the shaft 24 is mounted in
boxes at the upper ends of these uprights and extends across the bowl and
carries on its outer ends the grooved cams 25 25. In the grooves of these cams
are attached the chains 26 26, which have attached to their lower ends the
weights 27.27. Just inside of the sides of the bowl are attached two grooved
pulleys 28 28, and the chains 29 29 are attached at one end in the grooves of
these pulleys and at the other end to the cross rod 15 of the harrow and the
weights 27 27 are thus made, to nearly, or a little more than counterbalance the
weight of the harrow, and to assist in swinging the levers 14 14 upward in lifting
the harrow out of the washing fluid.
The lifting motion and longitudinal motion is given to the harrow in the following
manner :-
Two uprights 30 30 are attached to the sides of the bowl and in these are
mounted crankshafts 31 32; directly opposite to each other carrying the
cranks 33, which are connected at their outer ends by the single wrist pin' 34
extending across the machine from one to the other. Two links 35 35 are attached
to the bars 17 17 of the harrow and extend upward from the latter so as to
embrace the wrist pin 34 of the cranks 33. The slots in these links are so
proportioned that the cranks only raise the harrow in their movement from a
horizontal position in one direction over to a horizontal position in the other
direction, and then the wrist pin travels downward and upward in the links and
merely moves the harrow horizontally along on the guide bars 21 over the rollers 20
of the cross bars 15, giving a direct horizontal and forward movement to the
harrow toward the carrier and squeeze rolls during the lower half-revolution of
the cranks 33, and giving a lifting and backward motion during the upper half-
revolution of the cranks. In order to relieve the strain on the links. 35, a
pitman 100 is also attached to the wrist pin at one end and pivoted to the harrow
at the other, but if desired the links 35 can be employed alone by making them
heavy enough to endure all the strain of the crank. The links are made open
enough to allow the pitman 100 to swing up and down in them. A single link 35
may be employed in place of two, as it will perform the same functions if made
strong enough. This lifting and backward movement and horizontal forward
movement of the harrow by the crank causes the levers 14 14 to swing upward on
the backward movement and sustain the harrow at both ends while moving
backward, and to also swing downward in the first part of the forward movement
and then to remain stationary and support the harrow while it moves horizontally
forward. When the levers 14 move downward to the position where they. remain
stationary while the harrow moves forward horizontally upon them, they are
checked by the spring 40, which is attached to the shaft 12 at the feed-in end of
the machine and comes against the end of the bowl, 1, so as to arrest the downward
movement of the levers as described, and the spring 40 thus forms an elastic stop
for this purpose, although if preferred, a rigid arm may be used in place of the
spring to perform this function.
The crank shaft 31 is driven by the pulley 36 on its outer end and another
pulley 37 is attached to the crank shaft, which belts to another pulley 38 on the
end of crank shaft 39, and this crank shaft drives the carrier which is hung at
its forward, end upon the swinging arms 50 50, which are pivoted upon the
transverse shaft 51 underneath the bowl in the usual manner. The wrist pin of

page_text: the crank shaft 39 passes through the swinging arm 52, which is pivoted to the
rod 63, and lifts and controls the carrier in the usual manner.
In its upward
movement the rear end of the carrier is provided with rollers 54, which engage
with and travel up the guide-ways 55 that are attached to the inside face of the
bowl.
up
The harrow is provided with a ducker plate 60, having a forked lower edge 61,
which catches the wool underneath it as the ducker plate is raised and submerges
it underneath the washing fluid. The ducker plate is attached to the shaft 62,
which is mounted on the springs 63 attached to the longitudinal bars 17 17 of the
harrow. The shaft 62 extends at each end over the sides of the bowl, 1, and has
small rollers 64 64, on these ends in the planes of the sides of the bowl. On the
sides of the bowl are attached the cam plates 65 65, in position for these rollers, to
travel over them as the harrow moves horizontally forward, which plates lift the
shaft 62 and the ducker plate 60 and drop it vertically after the rollers have passed
over the cam plates 65. By this action the wool. coming under the ducker is
soused downward into the fluid as the harrow moves forward. As many of these
duckers may be attached to the harrow as are necessary for the thorough sousing
of the wool. The harrow is also provided with an agitator, consisting of a row.of
teeth 70 70, extending 'trausversely across the bowl and attached to the rock
shaft 71. This rock shaft is mounted in bearings 72 on the bars 17 of the harrow
and attached to its outer ends are the arms 73, which have studs projecting
transversely over the sides of the bowl, on which are mounted rollers 74 74. "These
rollers are arranged to engage with the cam plates 75 75, attached to the sides of
the bowl, so as to vibrate the rock shaft 7i as the harrow moves horizontally
forward. One cam plate 75 may be dispensed with and the other alone used to
operate the agitator, if desired, as it will do the work.
The rollers may be made heavy enough to vibrate the rock shaft and agitate the
washing fluid and fiber to the desired extent, but if desired, the arm 76 may be
attached to the rock shaft, and the spring 77 attached to one of the bars 17 be
made to bear upon the arm so as to hold the teeth 70 vertical or nearly so.
The cam plates 75 will then move the rock shaft and teeth in one direction and
the spring 77 will throw them in the other direction, thus producing the desired
agitation.
In order to insure the return of the washing fluid and fiber, which flows into the
reservoir 10 to the bowl with the best advantage, we have devised a separating
device which shall separate the larger portion of the fluid from the fiber and cause
the latter to be delivered into the upper part of the bowl above the false bottom 3,
while the larger portion of the fluid is delivered below the false bottom in the
following manner :-
On the sides of the reservoir 10 are attached upright supports 80 80, in which is
mounted the shaft $1, driven by the pulley S2 on its outer end. This shaft supports
a circular plate or disk 82, from which the buckets 84 project inward toward the
bowl, being so arranged as to revolve downward into the reservoir 10, and dip up
the fluid and floating fiber and carry it up and dump it into the trough 85, which
projects under the buckets above the shaft 81. This trough has a false bottom 36
This false bottom
of concave form and is perforated on each side of the concave.
inclines downward over the upper edge of the bowl, and when the washing fluid and
floating wool fibers are dumped onto it the fiber sinks to the middle portion of it
and slides downward over the unperforated surface into the bowl of the machine,
while the larger portion of the washing fluid flows through the perforations of the
false bottom and escapes through the passageway 87 (Fig. 5) into the bowl below
the false bottom 3. The floating fibers of the wool being thus delivered into the bow!
over the top edge with a comparatively small amount of the washing fluid, mingle
with the wool fibers passing through this part of the bowl and become attached to
them and are thus taken up and delivered through the squeeze rolls to better
advantage."

page_text: :
Instead of using the chains and cams for counterbalancing the harrow we may
Amake use of the modification shown in Fig. 4, as follows:-
To one of the arms 14 is pivoted the link 90, which at its upper end is pivoted to
the horizontal lever 91. This lever is supported upon the rock shaft 92, mounted
in boxes at the upper end of standard 93 which is attached to the side of the bowl I.
At the opposite end of the lever 91 is attached the weight 94, which is arranged to
counterbalance the harrow. The position of the harrow and lever at its upper
· point of movement is shown by dotted lines. The harrow moves back and forth
upon its guide rollers in the same manner as before described, and its construction
in other parts is substantially the same.
It is evident that the rods 16 16 which connect the two pairs of swinging arnis 14
may be dispensed with, and the movements of the two pairs of arms be communi-
cated to them by the harrow, if desired, but the rods 16 give greater steadiness of
motion and save a considerable amount of wear upon the guideways 21, of the
harrow, and we therefore prefer to use them. It is also evident that the ducker 60
may be operated by one cam plate 65, if desired, instead of having two arranged on
opposite sides of the bowl, but its operation by means of two is the preferred
construction.
Although we have shown but two pairs of levers 14 in the drawings, we do not
wish to limit ourselves thereby, as it is, obvious we may use a greater number of
said levers with larger machines.
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 :-
1. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl, two or more pairs of
levers 14 14, mounted on pivots at their lower ends, each pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, and a harrow mounted upon
said cross shafts and arranged to be moved up and down with the pivoted levers,
and counterbalancing mechanism mounted on a separate shaft and connected to said
harrow, substantially as described.
2. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of two or more pairs of
levers 14 14, mounted on pivots at their lower ends, each pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, and a harrow mounted upon
guideways on said cross shafts and arranged to be moved up and down with the
pivoted levers and to slide to and fro horizontally on said guideways, and counter-
balancing mechanism mounted on a separate shaft and connected to said harrow,
substantially as described.
3. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl, two or more pairs of
levers 14 14, mounted on pivots at their lower ends, each pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, a longitudinal rod 16,
connecting both pairs of said levers together pivotally, and a harrow mounted upon
guideways on said cross shafts and arranged to be moved up and down with the
pivoted levers and to slide to and fro on said guideways, and counterbalancing
mechanism mounted on a separate shaft and connected to said harrow, substantially
as described.
4. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of a bowl, two or more pairs of
levers 14 14, mounted on pivots at their lower ends, each pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, a harrow mounted upon
guideways ou said cross shafts, provided with the link 35, and arranged to be
moved up and down with the pivoted levers and to slide to and fro on said guide-
ways, the crank and crank shaft 33, 31, arranged to engage with said link and
move the harrow to and fro and up and down, and counterbalancing mechanism
connected to one pair of said levers and arranged to counterbalance the weight of
the harrow, substantially as described.
5. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl, two or more pairs of

page_text: levers. 1414, mounted on pivots at their lower ends, cach pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, and both pairs connected.
together by a longitudinal connection so that they move together when one is
moved, a harrow mounted upon.guideways on said cross shafts provided with the i
link 35, and arranged to be moved up and down with the pivoted levers, and to
slide to and fro on said guideways, the crank and crank shaft,33, 31 arranged to.
engage with said link and move the harrow to and fro and up and down, and
counterbalancing mechanism connected to one pair of said levers, and arranged to
counterbalance the weight of the harrow, substantially as set forth.
6. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl, provided with a cam
plate 65 attached to it, the harrow arranged to move horizontally to carry the wool
forward toward the squeeze rolls aud to be lifted up and carried backward above
the bowl, and the ducker 60 attached to the harrow by a yielding connection
arranged to bring the ducker into contact with the cam plate on the forward
movement of the harrow and lift it vertically up and down and to carry it clear of
the cam plate on the backward movement of the harrow, substantially as
described.
7. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl provided with a cam
plate 75 attached to it, the harrow arranged to move horizontally forward toward
the squeeze rolls and to be lifted up and carried backward above the bowl, and the
agitator teeth, 70, attached to a rock shaft mounted on the harrow and provided
with the arm 73, arranged to come in contact with the cam plate on the forward
movement of the harrow and agitate the teeth and to be lifted up and carried back-
ward over the cam plate on the return movement of the harrow, substantially as
described.
8. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl provided with a cam
plate 75 attached to it, the harrow arranged to move horizontally forward toward
the squeeze rolls and to be lifted up and carried backward above the bowl, the
agitator teeth 70 attached to a rock shaft mounted on the harrow and provided
with the arm 73 arranged to come in contact with the cam plate on the forward
movement of the harrow and agitate the teeth, and to be lifted up and carried
backward over the cam plate on the return movement of the harrow, and the
spring 79 attached to the harrow and arranged to bear upon an arm attached to
the rock shaft and press upon the latter against the action of the cam plate,
substantially as described.
9. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of the bowl, the squeeze rolls
mounted at the delivery end thereof, the trough 7 beneath the latter arranged to
catch the fluid and fiber which drops from the squeeze rolls, the conduit 9 con-
nected at one end to said trough, the reservoir 10 connected to the other end of said
conduit, the bucket wheel arranged to lift the fluid and fiber from the reservoir
above the edge of the bowl, and the trough 85 arranged to receive the fluid and
fiber delivered by the bucket wheel, and provided with the perforated false
bottom 86 arranged to deliver the fiber and part of the fluid into the bowl above
its false bottom 3 and with the passage 87 leading into the bowl below said false
bottom, substantially as described.
10. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of two or more pairs of
levers 14 14, mounted on pivots at their lower ends, cach pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, a harrow mounted upon
guideways on said cross shafts and arranged to be moved up and down with the
pivoted levers and to slide to and fro horizontally on said guideways, a rock shaft
connected to said pivoted levers, and a weight attached to said rock shaft arranged
to draw said levers upward, substantially as described.
11. In a fiber washing machine, the combination of two or more pairs of
levers 14 14 mounted on pivots at their lower ends, each pair connected at their
upper ends by a cross shaft across the top of the bowl, a harrow mounted upon
guideways on said cross shafts and arranged to be moved up and down with the
pivoted levers and to slide to and fro horizontally on said guideways, the rock

page_text: shaft 24 mounted upon the bowl, the chain 29 connecting said rock shaft and pivoted
levers, the cam 25 mounted on said rock shaft, and the chain 26 and weight 27
arranged to draw the levers upward with a diminishing force as they continue to
rise and carry the harrow up with them, substantially as described.
'
12. The improvements in wool-washing machines, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described, set forth, and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this Fifth day of December 1893.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants' Agent.