Improvements in Machinery for Stretching or Stentering Fabrics.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Stretching or Stentering Fabrics.
I, FERNAND DEHAITRE, of 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, France, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a construction of stretching or stentering machine for
fabrics, in which the stentering chains receive, in addition to their continuous
forward motion, a relative reciprocating motion, such, that while the one chain and
consequently the one side of the fabric is advancing through a certain distance the
other chain and side of the fabric is receding to a corresponding extent, thus
continuously bringing the weft threads of the fabric into oppositely oblique or
diagonal positions whereby they are subject to a very uniform stretching action.
For this purpose the horizontal pitch wheels that impart the forward motion to
the stentering chains have their vertical axes mounted in frames that can move
longitudinally to and fro, and the axes carry bevil wheels that gear with other
bevil wheels having tubular axes of large internal diameter, that run in corre-
sponding bearings in the said frames.
Through such tubular axes passes the horizontal driving shaft which has
continuous rotary motion imparted to it by a pair of bevil wheels, of which the
driving wheel is fixed on a vertical driving shaft situated immediately below the
middle of the said horizontal shaft which is carried at that point in bearings capable
of swivelling round the vertical shaft.
The latter is considerably smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the
tubular axes of the bevil wheels through which it passes, and it is connected to
such axes by means of a ball and socket connection, or universal joint, whereby it is
enabled to impart a continuous rotary motion to the before mentioned pitch wheels
for effecting the forward travel of the chains and fabric, while at the same time it
can receive a reciprocating angular motion round the middle point of its length by
means of a connecting rod and crank or cam motion, which reciprocating motion it
consequently imparts to the frames carrying the pitch wheels and steutering chains
by means of the before mentioned universal joints.
By preference I construct such joints as follows :-
The shaft is formed with four longitudinal keyways or grooves into which fit the
inner ends of four key pieces, the outer ends of which pass through slots in the
tubular axis of the bevil wheel and bear with a rounded surface against the bearing
of the frame in which the axis runs. Between these keys segment pieces are fitted
on the shaft, having spherical surfaces that bear against the inner cylindrical
surface of a lining piece fixed in the tubular bearing of the axis, so that on the
rotation of the shaft, it imparts its rotary motion to the axis and bevil wheel while
the spherical surfaces of the filling pieces allow the shaft to assume the before
described alternate opposite angular positions within the tubular axes.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1803
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: GUMI LEID DI BUITICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Stretching or Stentering Fabrics..
I, FERNAND DEHAITRE, cf 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, France, 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:―
My invention relates to a construction of stretching or stentering machine for
fabrics, in which the stentering chains receive, in addition to their continuous
forward motion, a relative reciprocating motion, such that while the one chain and
consequently the one side of the fabric is advancing through a certain distance the
other chain and side of the fabric is receding to a certain extent, thus continuously
bringing the weft threads of the fabric into oppositely oblique or diagonal positions
whereby they are subject to a stretching action.
Existing stentering machines operating in the above described manner suffer
from the defect that owing to the manner in which the rotary motion is imparted to
the pitch wheels of the stentering chains, the stretching of the weft of the fabric
is only effected at intervals in consequence of the varying angular positions which
the pinions of the driving shaft assume relatively to the toothed wheels of the
stentering chains, thus rendering the stentering action imperfect.
My present invention has for its object to remedy this defect by an improved
arrangement of the driving gear which I will proceed to describe with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 shews a vertical cross section of the stentering machine. Fig. 1ª shews &
sectional part plan of the same,
Fig. 2 shews a side view of the driving gear,
Fig. 3 shews a cross section of the ball and socket connection of the driving
shaft and
Fig. 4 shews a detached view of one of the key pieces.
The driving shaft A of the machine receives its motion through a pair of bevil
wheels B and C of which B is loose on the shaft, but is capable of being coupled
thereto by a clutch B' as shewn, while the bevil wheel Cis fixed on the vertical
first motion shaft C' situated at the centre of the machine. In addition to its
rotary motion, the shaft A receives an oscillating motion, round the shaft Cas a
centre, by means of a connecting rod D from a suitable crank or cam motion, the
shaft A being for this purpose carried at its middle in bearings F G on a bracket E
swivelling upon the shaft C, and at its ends by bearings H H' capable of sliding
on are shaped guides I I' carried by the framing of the machine.
The shaft A communicates to the stentering chains at a a, and consequently also
to the fabric at b carried thereby, the requisite advancing motion by means of the
pitch wheels JJ' mounted on vertical shafts K K' rotated by bevil gear L M, L'M',
of which L L are fixed on the shafts K K' while M M₁ are formed on tubular
bosses through which the shaft A passes, and receive rotary motion from the latter
by means of a kind of ball and socket connection to be presently described.
The shafts K K' being carried by looped brackets X'X' mounted on the sleeves
of the wheels M M¹, and consequently carried by the shaft A, it will be seen that
while the wheels J J revolve and impart the travelling motion to the stentering
chains, they, as also the ways 9 carried by X, at the same time partake of the
oscillating motion of the shaft A.
During such motion, the brackets X are maintained in their upright position by
having their lower ends connected together by rods Z.
The ball and socket connection of the shaft A with the wheels M M² is
constructed as follows.
On the shaft A is mounted a sleeve 1, having a spherical outer surface and embraced
by a second sleeve 2 fixed in the tubular bosses of the wheels M M'. Both the

page_text: sleeves 1 and 2 as also the bosses of M M' have slots into which fit key pieces N
having their outer ends formed with a spherical surface bearing against the annular
parts of the brackets X that embrace the bosses of M M¹. Thus it will be seen that.
while the rotation of the shaft A is transmitted to the wheels M M¹ through the
key pieces N, the shaft A is free to assume an angular position within the bosses
of M M' while receiving its reciprocating motion from the rod D.
Thus it will be seen that by the ball and socket connection of the shaft A with
its bevil wheels M M', the varying angular position of the former in oscillating on
its centre produces no corresponding angular displacement of the axes of the
wheels M M relatively to the wheels L L', thus avoiding the defective stentering
action that occurs in existing stentering machines of this kind, where the wheels
corresponding to M M' are fixed on their shaft and where consequently, owing to
the alternate retarding and advancing effect of the angular motion of these wheels.
upon the speed of the pitch wheels, a very unequal and consequently defective
stentering effect is produced on the fabric, as on the backward motion of the shaft.
and toothed wheel on the one side of the machine the pitch wheel on that side is.
turned backward on its axis, so that the warp threads of the fabric on that side
move through a less angle than the driving shaft and consequently lose the tension.
put upon them.
It will be evident that other known forms of universal joints for connecting the
shaft A with the bosses of the wheels M M¹ may be employed in place of that.
described for permitting of the angling of the shaft A in the bosses of the wheels
while imparting continuous rotary motion thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In machines for stretching or stentering fabrics of the kind herein referred to,
connecting the reciprocating driving shaft to the toothed wheels driving the pitch
wheels and stentering chains, by means of a ball and socket connection or other
form of universal joint, whereby, while the wheels and chains are made to
reciprocate with the shaft, a uniform continuous advancing motion is imparted to
them, substantially as described.
2. In the construction of stentering machines referred to in the preceding claim,.
effecting the connection of the shaft A with the tubular bosses of the wheels M M¹
by means of slotted spherical sleeves 1, 2, in which are fitted key pieces N the
spherical ends of which engage with slots in the bosses of the said wheels,.
substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of June 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.