IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF OAKUM PROM OLD ROPES, CORDAGE, OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Brasier, of New Cross, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF OAKUM PROM OLD ROPES, CORDAGE, OR OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 16th August 1867, and dated the 19th February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brasier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
February 1867.
I, EDWARD BRASIER, of New Cross, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF OAKUM FROM OLD ROPES, CORDAGE, OR
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to certain arrangements of machinery for softening,
carding, or preparing old ropes, cordage, or other fibrous materials so as to
convert or manufacture the same into oakum suitable for being applied to the
uses for which oakum is required. For this purpose I cut the ropes, cordage,
or other fibrous materials into suitable short lengths of about ten or twelve
inches, more or less, and subject them to a beating operation in any suitable
machinery so as to open and separate the strands; this cutting of the rope or
yarns into lengths may either be performed upon the material as it is fed into
the rollers, or if preferred it may be cut between the rollers or beaters of the

page_text: carding machinery by means of a self-acting knife or other suitable means.
I then introduce the fibrous materials so prepared into my improved arrange-
ment of softening and carding machinery, which consists of a series of pairs of
feed rollers, plain or fluted, or both, heated above and below or within or
otherwise by means of steam chests or heated air, gas, or other convenient
means. The series of pairs of feed rollers flatten and spread the yarns, and
conduct them up to the surface of a drum furnished with strong card teeth,
and heated by steam, hot air, or gas. Around part of the circumference of the
drum a series of working and stripping rollers are arranged, also furnished
with card teeth or other pointed surfaces which operate upon the fibrous
material to card and open it as it is carried round by the drum. Around such
other part of the drum as may be found necessary a casing is arranged heated
by steam, hot air, gas, or otherwise, the series of rollers being also enclosed
when required by a heated casing formed so as to conduct the heat close up
to the rotating surfaces of the drum and rollers in order to heat and thus
soften the fibrous materials whilst under operation. The rollers themselves
may also be hollow, so as to be heated by steam, gas, or hot air admitted
through their hollow axes, if preferred. A suitable doffer is employed to
remove the fibrous materials from the teeth of the drum, which may after-
wards, if desired, be delivered in the form of a sliver, as is well understood.
The main drum may either be heated or not as is found necessary according
to the nature of the fibrous materials to be operated upon. Thus it will be
seen that the fibrous materials under operation are maintained at such a
temperature as to soften the same by being surrounded by or kept in contact
with the heated surface of the apparatus.
I would remark that in carrying out my Invention I prefer to employ the
arrangement and combination of machinery previously described; at the same
time it will be evident that the series of heated rollers and apparatus for
softening the fibrous materials (preparatory to carding and opening the same)
may be arranged separately from the machinery afterwards employed for
carding and opening the same, in which case the fibrous material as it is
softened and delivered from the series of heated softening rollers may be con-
ducted to or introduced into ordinary carding or preparing machinery for the
purpose of opening and preparing the same while in a soft and suitable
condition.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Brasier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BRASIER, of New Cross, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
'said Edward Brasier, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Brasier, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Brasier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 MACHINERY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF OAKUM FROM OLD ROPES, CORDAGE, OR OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Brasier, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their bands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanie
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 Edward Brasier, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed,, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements relate to certain. arrangements of machinery for softening,
carding, and preparing old ropes, cordage, or other fibrous materials so as to
convert or manufacture the same into oakum suitable for being applied to the
uses for which oakum is required. For this purpose I cut the ropes, cordage,
or other fibrous materials into suitable short lengths of about ten or twelve
inches, more or less, and subject them if desired to a beating operation in any
suitable machinery so as to open and separate the strands. The cutting of the
rope or yarns into lengths may if desired be performed upon the material as

page_text: it is fed into the rollers of the carding machinery, or if preferred it may be
Cut between the feeding rollers of the carding machinery by means of a self-
acting knife or other suitable means. I then introduce the fibrous material so
prepared into my improved arrangements of softening and carding machinery,
which consists of a series of pairs of feed rollers, plain or fluted, or both, heated
above and below or within or otherwise by means of steam chests or heated
air, gas, or other convenient means. The series of pairs of feed rollers flatten
and spread the yarns and conduct them up to the periphery of a revolving
drum furnished with a strong card or other suitable pointed surface and heated
by steam, hot air, or gas. At suitable points around part of the circumference
of the drum a series of working and stripping rollers are arranged, as is well
understood in machinery of this description, and these rollers are also fur-
nished with strong card teeth or other suitable pointed surfaces which operate
upon the fibrous material to card and open it as it is carried round by the
drum. Around such other part of the drum as may be found necessary a
casing is arranged heated by steam, hot air, gas, or otherwise; the series of
working and stripping rollers being also enclosed when required by a heated
casing formed so as to conduct the heat close up to the rotating surfaces of the
drum and working and stripping rollers, in order to heat and thus soften the
fibrous materials whilst under operation. The working and stripping rollers
themselves may also be hollow so as to be heated by steam, gas, or hot air
admitted through their hollow axes if preferred. A suitable doffer is employed
to remove the fibrous materials from the teeth of the drum, and the material
may afterwards if desired be delivered in the form of a sliver, as is well
understood, or the material may be removed from the drum without being
formed into a sliver by means of a revolving comb and fan beater, or by other
suitable means which a mechanic acquainted with this class of machinery will
readily apply. The main drum may either be heated or not, as is found
necessary, according to the nature of the fibrous materials to be operated upon;
thus it will be seen that the fibrous materials under operation are maintained
at such a temperature as to soften the same by being surrounded by or kept
in contact with the heated surface of the apparatus.
I would remark that in carrying out my Invention I prefer to employ the
arrangement and combination of machinery previously described, at the same
time it will be evident that the series of heated rollers for softening the fibrous
materials (preparatory to carding and opening the same) may be arranged
separately from the machinery afterwards employed for carding and opening
the same, in which case the fibrous material as it is softened and delivered

page_text: from the series of heated softening rollers may be conducted to or introduced
into ordinary carding or preparing machinery for the purpose of opening and
preparing the same whilst in a soft and suitable condition.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Brasier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
E. BRASIER. (L.S.)