IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF WOOL; AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR BEING SPUN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Archibald, of Devon Vale, Tillicoultry, in
the County of Clackmannan, North Britain, Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF WOOL;
AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR BEING SPUN."
Sealed the 23rd March 1858, and dated the 16th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Archibald at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th January 1858.
I, ROBERT ARCHIBALD, of Devon Vale, Tillicoultry, in the County of Clack-
mannan, North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF
WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR BEING SPUN," to be as follows, that is
to say:-
It
This Invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of wool, but
it applies also more or less to the treatment of other fibrous materials.
consists of various arrangements whereby the woollen rolls or cardings as
delivered from the carding or preparing engine are properly and evenly pieced
or joined together so as to form the uniformly continuous lengths of rolls
required in the subsequent operations of spooling. As the rolls are delivered
in proper lengths from the carding engine in the usual way they are successively
dropped or deposited in troughs or reversing carrying channels, which again
"

page_text: deposit the rolls so supplied to them upon suitable traversing carrying straps
whereon the connecting action for the piecing takes place. One carding
engine in this operation works in conjunction with and supplies a number of
piecing straps, from three up to any number that may be found convenient,
so that the operation of joining the individual rolls end to end is carried on
with great regularity and uniformity. The rolls or cardings fall from the
carder into angular troughs, by which they are conveyed and dropped on to
the traversing straps beneath. These traversing straps are also formed into
troughs by the attachment to them of narrow strips of hoop iron, forming
side guards for the proper retention of the rolls. Supposing that it is intended
to work with ten heads or lines of rolls at once or simultaneously, the machine
comprehends ten of these endless carrying strap troughs, the delivery end of
each being provided with a separate piecing and drawing head. At each of
these heads as the roll emerges from the pair of delivering rollers it is caught
by a pair of vertical disc rollers or pulleys, the axes of these discs being
parallel with the horizontal line of traverse of the rolls. After leaving the
pair of delivering rollers the roll passes at once between the contiguous
peripheries of the vertical discs, the point of contact or contiguity of which
is in a line with the line of the roll's traverse. The individual discs of each
pair revolve continuously in the same direction, so that their surface or
periphery actions are in reverse directions, hence as the roller passes through
between them it receives a slight twist or spiral working, and then passes out
and through the usual drawing rollers, which gives a regular and uniform
draught to the rolls, changing in length according to the staple of the wool,
whence, it is conveyed to the spool. It is at the part immediately behind the
delivery rollers of the carrying strap that the junction of the hind end of one
roll with the front of the succeeding one is effected, and the two ends being
tapered off by the action of the carding engine they form a species of scarf
joint for the preservation of uniformity of thickness, which uniformity is
materially heightened and improved by the system of working, so as to cause
one carding engine to supply many heads of joining and drawing apparatus,
for by this means the resultant slow deposit of, the rolls end to end allows of
the obtainment of regular overlaps; then as the rolls emerge they each receive
a twist by the apparatus previously, described, as far back from the point of
action of the discs as the point of contact of the delivery rollers, and thus an
even and complete junction of the lengths is duly effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Archibald in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th July 1858.
TO ALL. TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ARCHIBALD,. of Devon Vale,. Tillicoultry,, in the County of Clackmannan, North.
Britain, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in. the year of our Lord
One: thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight,, in. the twenty-first year of Her
reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Archibald,, Her special license that I, the said Robert Archibald,.
my executors,. administrators,. and: assigns, or such. others as I, the said
Robert. Archibald, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-.
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,,
exercise, and vend; within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF WOOL AND OTHER. FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR
BEING SPUN," upon the condition, (amongst others,) that I, the said. Robert.
Archibald, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and, ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in.
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in.
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I the said Robert Archibald, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of wool, but.
it applies also, more or less, to the treatment of other fibrous materials. It
consists of various arrangements whereby the woollen rolls or cardings as
delivered from the carding or preparing engine are properly and evenly pieced
or joined together, so as to form the uniformly continuous lengths of rolls
required in the subsequent operation of spooling. As the rolls are delivered
in proper lengths from the carding engine in the usual way, they are suc-
cessively dropped or deposited in troughs or reversing carrying channels, which

page_text: again deposit the rolls so supplied to them upon suitable traversing carrying
straps, whereon the connecting action for the piecing takes place. One
carding engine in this operation works in conjunction with and supplies à
number of piecing straps from three up to any number that may be found
convenient, so that the operation of joining the individual rolls end to end is
carried on with great regularity and uniformity. The rolls or cardings fall
from the carder into angular troughs, by which they are conveyed and dropped
on to the traversing straps beneath. These traversing straps are also formed
into troughs by the attachment to them of narrow strips of hoop iron forming
side guards for the proper retention of the rolls. Supposing that it is intended
to work with ten heads or lines of rolls at once or simultaneously, the machine
'comprehends ten of these endless carrying strap troughs, the delivery end of
each being provided with a separate piecing and drawing head. At each of
these heads, as the roll emerges from the pair of delivering rollers, it is caught
by a pair of vertical disc rollers or pulleys, the axes of these dises being
parallel with the horizontal line of traverse of the rolls. After leaving the pair
of delivering rollers, the roll passes at once between the contiguous peripheries
of the vertical discs, the point of contact or contiguity of which is in a lino
with the line of the roll's traverse. The individual discs of each pair revolve
continuously in the same direction, so that their surface or periphery actions
are in reverse directions. Hence, as the roll passes through between them
it receives a slight twist or spiral working, and then passes out and through
the usual drawing rollers, which gives a regular and uniform draught to the
rolls, varying in length according to the staple of the wool, whence it is con-
veyed to the spool. It is at the part immediately behind the delivery rollers
of the carrying strap that the junction of the hind end of one roll with the front
of the succeeding one is effected, and the two ends being tapered off by the
action of the carding engine, they form a species of scarf joint for the preserva-
tion of uniformity of thickness, which uniformity is materially heightened and
improved by the system of working, so as to cause one carding engine to
supply many heads of joining and drawing apparatus, for by this means the
resultant slow deposit of the rolls end to end allows of the obtainment of
regular overlaps. Then as the rolls emerge they each receive a twist by the
apparatus previously described as far back from the point of action of the discs
as the point of contact of the delivery rollers, and thus an even and complete
junction of the length is duly effected.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures on the explanatory
Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing

page_text: certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried
out in practice.
Figure 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a front view of one modification of
my improved machinery for preparing wool or other fibrous materials, and
Figure 2 is a plan corresponding thereto; Figure 3 is a partially sectional
elevation of one portion of the arrangement; and Figure 4 is an elevation or
front view of a part of the details of the drawing machinery. As arranged in
the accompanying Drawing, the improved machinery forms an adjunct to or
supplementary portion of the carding machine ordinarily employed for pre-
paring woollen fibres. The framing of the machinery consists of a pair of
cast-iron end standards A, united to each other by transverse tie rods; a
secondary framing B, which extends laterally from the main framing serves to
support the mechanical details of the drawing head. Motion is communicated
to the moving parts of the machinery from an intermediate wheel, which is
driven by a wheel on the carding machine; this intermediate wheel gears with
the wheel C that is fast to the principal shaft D of the machine. The shaft D
is supported by the pillar standard E and by a bracket F, which is bolted to
each of the end standards A. To the arms of the wheel C is attached a disc G,
from the periphery of which the arms H diverge; through each of these arms
a pin I is passed, which is secured thereto by a nut. As the disc G revolves
the pins I successively come into contact with the diverging fins, which are
cast on the front of the face plate or disc J; this disc is secured by a pinching
screw to the shaft K, the bearings of which are carried in brackets that are
bolted to the back of the brackets F. The shaft K has fastened to it a
quadruplicate trough L, which forms a receiver for the cardings as they
emerge from the carding machine; this trough is formed of four divisions
diverging from the centre, the lower part of each angle in which the carding
lies being made of a concave form. As the rolls of carded wool are delivered
from the carding machine they fall successively into the divisions of the
trough L. For this purpose an intermittant motion is imparted to the shaft K,
by means of the pins I; as the disc G rotates the pins strike in succession
the fins of the face plate J, which has the effect of turning the shaft K round
the fourth part of a revolution, and in this manner bringing one division
of the trough L under the delivery of the carding machine. In lieu of this
arrangement the cardings may, if preferred, be dropped direct from the card-
ing engine into the series of traversing. troughs now to be described. The
rolls of carded wool fall from the divisions of the trough L, into a series of
rectangular metal troughs M, which are caused to travel in succession under
the trough L. This series of troughs is attached by means of pins, which

page_text: project from their. ends to plates of metal which are connected by links, and
attached to two endless bands N, which traverse the machine from end to end.
"The bands N, are carried round a pair of pitch wheels O, which are keyed
upon the shaft D, and from thence round a pair of corresponding wheels P,
the bearings of which are carried in a projecting part of the end standards A.
The rotatory motion of the shaft D, causes the series of troughs M, .to
traverse forward continuously, but when a certain and predetermined number
of cardings have been deposited in the troughs, a mechanical action causes
the whole of the filled troughs to be turned over, so as to throw out the
carded rolls contained therein. On the shaft D, there is a bevel wheel Q,
which gears with a wheel R, that is fast to the extremity of the horizontal
shaft S. The bearings of the shaft S, are carried in brackets which project
from the left-hand end standard A; the shaft has fast to it two cams T, which
as the shaft rotates come into contact with the projecting arms of the bar U.
This bar U is fitted into the standard A, so as to have a lateral traverse to-
and-fro, the cams T causing it to move inwards when they strike against the
pendent part of the arms. The bar U has nine notched stops projecting
from its upper side, and the effect of this inward movement is to cause the
projecting stops to come in contact with the catches V, on the under sides of
the trough M, this contact turns the troughs over as the bands N continue
their onward traverse. The number of troughs inverted in this manner is
made equal to the number of drawing rollers in the machine.; in the arrange-
ment shown in the accompanying Drawing the number is nine, but it is
obvious that a greater or lesser number, from three upwards, may be actuated
in like manner. After the bar U has performed its office of tilting the
troughs M, it is brought back to its normal position by the cords W, which
are attached thereto, and pass over the pulleys X, the cords having, the
..counterweights Y, hung to their lower extremities. When the cams T have
passed the arms of the bar U, the gravity of the weights Y brings the bar
.back to its original position, whilst the succeeding nine troughs are charged
"with cardings. The rolls of carded wool thus thrown out of the troughs M,
fall upon the endless bands Z, which are traversing in an opposite direction
beneath the troughs; these bands are made-of leather, and have trough-like
pieces of thin metal a, passed through them. The sides of the pieces of
-metal are curved outwards, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, of my Drawing, and
the bands thus arranged form a series of endless flexible troughs. There are
nine of these endless bands which traverse round a corresponding number of
band wheels b, arranged on the shaft c, and are carried thence round other
band wheels fitted upon the..opposite or left-hand side of the machine; the

page_text: position of these wheels is indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, on my Draw-
ing. Thus whilst the series of troughs M are travelling longitudinally, .or
from the back to the front of the machine, the flexible troughs Z are.tra-
versing in a transverse direction, or from side to side of the machine. The
series of flexible troughs Z, derive their motion from the wheel. C, on the
shaft D, which wheel gears with a wheel d, keyed to the shaft e, which is
carried in standards f, that are bolted to the flooring.. The shaft e extends
across the machine, and has fast to its right-hand extremity.a pinion 9, which
gears with a pinion g', on the shaft h; this shaft has keyed to it a wheel.h';
which is in gear with the wheel c', on the shaft c. The rotatory motion of
the shaft c, and band wheels. b, causes the rolls of carded wool to move
forward and pass beneath the discs.i, the spindles of which are carried in the
recessed arms of: a series of brackets j, that are bolted to the upper rail of the
right-hand end standard A. Each of the discs i is a turned piece of wood,
the periphery of which just rests upon the roll of carded wool, and by its
pressure keeps the carding in the proper position, and prevents its being
drawn out too quickly by the twisting pulleys.k. That is to say, when a
series of nine cardings are deposited in the troughs Z, they are carried
forward to the pulleys k; meanwhile nine. other cardings are deposited in the
flexible troughs Z, by. the tilting of the troughs M; these last cardings are
caused to overlap.the ends of those that are travelling between the pulleys k.
The cardings travel between the fluted peripheries of. the twisting pulleys k,
which are arranged .contiguous to. each other, the peripheries. of each pair
being opposite to the edge of the discs i. The twisting, pulleys k, are each
cast.with a grooved pulley.at the back, and are carried upon studs which are
bolted to the brackets l,. that are in like manner secured to the cross rail m.
The upper part of the brackets l, are made with a flange which extends nearly
to the back of the pulleys k, and serves to cover the peripheries of the grooved
driving pulleys; this portion of the arrangement is more clearly shown
in the partially. sectional view, Figure 3, on my Drawings. The twisting
pulleys k, are driven by means of the endless cords n, which are carried over
the grooved pulleys and round the.drum o; this drum is driven by means of an
endless cord p, which receives its motion from a pulley in connection with the
carding machine. The endless cord p is carried round the duplex pulleys q
which are fast to the vertical shaft r, and thence round a pulley on the
extremity of the shaft of the drum o; the bearings of this shaft are fitted in
brackets which project from: the inner edges of the framing B. The collar
bearings of the vertical shaft r, are carried in brackets s, which project out-
..wards in a diagonal. direction from the right-hand end standard A. The

page_text: rotatorý motion of the drum o, causes the peripheries of the twisting pulleys k;
to turn in similar directions, which act upon the cardings as they pass between,
so as to impart to them a slight twist or spiral working in a longitudinal
direction before they reach the drawing rollers t and u. These drawing rollers
t and u, are two plain rods of metal which derive their motion from the wheel v;
on the shaft c; this wheel is. in gear with a pinion w, on the shaft x, the
bearings of which are carried in. brackets that are adjustable: in slots cast in
the standards of the framing B. On the shaft x, and inside the pinion w, is a
wheel which
Y,
gears with the pinion, on the first drawing roller:t, by which
it is driven at the requisite speed.. The second drawing roller u, is driven
from: the other side of the machine. by means of a spur wheel. 1, on the
extremity of the shaft x, which wheel is in gear with a pinion 2, on the end of
the drawing roller u. The rolls of carded wool are kept upon the drawing rollers
t and u, by means of the presser rollers 3; these consist of a series of short
rollers placed end to end and resting upon the rollersit and u, as shown in the
sectional view, Figure 2, of my Drawing. The presser rollers 3 are made so
that either of them may. be. readily removed in case of a carding breaking; at
one end of each roller is a groove, into which the projecting end of a stud from
each of the twisting rollers k, enters, which serves to keep each presser roller
in its place. The outer faces of the two end rollers are nearly in contact with
two brackets 4, which project. from the inner sides of the framing B. It
is at the part immediately behind the discs i, that the junction of the backward
ends of the cardings that are passing through the machine with those that are
following is effected. The two ends being tapered off by the action of the
carding engine, they form a species of scarf joint, which secures the preservation
of uniformity of thickness in the roll, at the same time the slow deposit of the
rolls end to end allows of the obtainment of regular overlaps. The joining of
the ends is effected by the pressure of the discs i; and the joint actions of the
twisting pulleys k, and the drawing rollers t, u, and 3. The troughs Z, and
disc i, travel at a slower speed than the drawing rollers, so as the rolls are
twisted by the action of the twisting pulleys k; they are at the same time
clongated and made into uniform rolls by the drawing rollers, which
action makes the junction so uniform, that the roll presents-precisely the same.
appearance throughout, and is almost imperceptible when closely examined.
From the drawing rollers t and u, the woollen rovings pass over the drum 5,
the shaft 6 of this drum is carried in brackets, which are cast on the standards
of the framing B. The drum 5 is driven from a pinion 7, which is keyed
outside the pinion, on the drawing roller t; this pinion is in gear with an
intermediate wheel 8, which gives motion to the wheel 9, on the shaft of the
-

page_text: drum 5. The rovings of wool are finally wound upon the spool or roller' 10,
which is driven by frictional contact with the drum 5. The spindle of the
spool 10, is carried upon brackets 11, which are fitted loosely upon the shaft 6;
these supporting brackets 11 are made with three arms, as shown in Figure 1;
of my Drawing, the shorter arm of each slides to and fro on the rod 12, which
serves as a guide thereto. A lateral traversing motion is given to the spool
10, by means of a rod 18, which is attached to the brackets:11, and receives
an intermittent motion from the heart wheel or cam 15, which, as it:rotates,
comes in contact with the antifriction rollers 14, that are carried upon studs
projecting from the free end of the rod 13. The cam 15 is carried upon a
horizontal shaft 16, to the inner extremity of which is keyed a wheel 17, that
is in gear with a pinion 18 on the end of the shaft D. The rotatory motion of
the heart wheel 15 causes the rod. 13 to move to and fro in a lateral direction,
carrying with it the brackets 11, and spool 10. By means of this lateral.
traverse the rovings are laid regularly and evenly upon the spool 10, the width
of each winding being regulated by the amount of traverse given to the rod 13
from the heart wheel 15. By this system of treating or operating upon rolls
of carded wool yarns are obtained, which are far more uniform and level
throughout than those manufactured in the ordinary way, at the same time
waste of material is avoided.
.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said.
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery for use in the
treatment or preparation of wool and other fibrous materials for being spun,
as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of joining the ends of rolls of carded wool and
other fibrous materials; so as to form a continuous and uniform length or
roving, by means of the machinery herein-before described, or any mere
equivalent therefor.
Third, the system or mode of effecting the junction of rolls of carded wool
and other fibrous materials, by passing them beneath discs or presser rollers,
and completing the junction by means of fluted twisting pulleys and drawing
rollers as herein-before described.

page_text: Fourth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing machinery for
piecing and drawing rolls of carded wool and other fibrous materials, in which
three or a greater number of rolls of fibrous material are operated upon at one.
and the same time, by means of presser rollers, fluted twisting pulleys, and
drawing rollers, as herein-before described..
Fifth, the system or mode of arranging and constructing the presser rollers
which are fitted above the drawing rollers, so that any one of the series may be
readily removed without impeding the motion of the others as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Archibald, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
ROBERT ARCHIBALD. (L.B.)