CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUB- STANCES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Evan Leigh, of Collyhurst, in the County of Lan-
caster, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 17th July 1855, and dated the 18th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Evan Leigh at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th January
1855.
I, EVAN LEIGH, of Collyhurst, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates principally to an improved method of making cotton
"laps" for carding engines, and more particularly for "finisher cards." In
the present mode of making cotton "laps" on blowing machines, and others,
technically called "Derby doublers," there is nothing but the cohesion of the
fibres of the cotton wool when pressed to bind the "laps" together, and great
inconvenience arises and much waste is occasioned by the rolls sticking
together whilst unlapping at the carding engines, &c. My Invention consists
in preventing this inconvenience and waste, and is accomplished by traversing

page_text: 0%
a bobbin of slubbing, or other bobbin of soft twisted cotton, (or sliver of cotton
twisted or untwisted from a can,) transversely across the lap machine whilst
the lap is being made, and allowing such slubbing, roving, or sliver to draw
off the said bobbin, or be withdrawn from the can through the calendar rollers
of the lap machine, and be rolled up with the laps in a zig-zag or diagonal
direction, which has the effect of tyeing or binding the cotton laps better
together, preventing their expansion when taken out of the machine, and
allowing them to be carried about.without, injury and to unroll freely. This
operation may be accomplished.by.a.suitable simple.arrangement of mechanism
attached to the lap machine; for instance, an upright rod or shaft, having at its
upper end an arm or lever, which shall carry the bobbin of "slubbing." The
upright shaft is moved and its arm is caused to oscillate or vibrate horizontally
by an excentric crank and connecting rod; the bobbin thus is kept traversing
from side to side across the machine,-distributing-its "sliver" diagonally across
the cotton lap as it revolves, the angle or distance asunder of these diagonal
binding slivers, and consequently the longitudinal strength of the lap, being
regulated by the speed of the driving shaft, and its crank or excentric; the
entire of the above Invention being also-applicable for a similar purpose and
in a like manner to other machinery for preparing cotton, &c., technically
called "blowing machines.".
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Evan Leigh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th July
1855..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EVAN
LEIGH, of Collyhurst, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by.Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January; in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Evan Leigh, Her especial license that I, the said Evan Leigh, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Evan
Leigh, 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

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI-
NERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR
SPINNING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Evan Leigh,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
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 Evan Leigh, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to an improved method of making cotton "laps"
for carding engines, and more particularly for "finisher cards." In the present
mode of making cotton "laps" on blowing machines, and others, termed
"Derby doublers," there is nothing but the cohesion of the fibres of the cotton
wool when pressed to bind the "laps" together, and great inconvenience arises
and much waste is occasioned by the rolls sticking together whilst unlapping
at the "carding engines," &c. My Invention consists in preventing this
inconvenience and waste, and is accomplis by traversing a bobbin of
slubbing or of soft twisted cotton (or sliver of cotton twisted or untwisted
from a can) transversely across the machine whilst the lap is being made, and
allowing such slubbing, roving, or sliver to draw off the said bobbin, or be with-
drawn from the can through the calender rollers of the machine, and be rolled
up with the lap in a zig-zag or diagonal direction, which has the effect of
tyeing or binding the cotton laps better together, preventing their expansion
when taken out of the machine, and allowing them to be carried about
without injury, and to unroll freely.. This operation may be accomplished by
any simple and suitable arrangement of mechanism attached to the machine;
for instance, an upright rod or shaft, having at its upper end an arm or lever,
which shall carry the bobbin of "slubbing." The upright shaft is moved and
its arm is caused to oscillate or vibrate horizontally by an excentric crank and
connecting rod; the bobbin thus is kept traversing from side to side across the
machine, distributing its slubbing or "sliver" diagonally across the cotton lap
as it revolves, the angle of distance asunder of these diagonal binding. slivers,
and consequently the longitudinal strength of the lap, being regulated by the
speed of the.driving shaft and its crank or excentric; or the bobbin of slubbing
may be traversed across the machine by any other suitable arrangement; the

page_text: entire of the above Invention being also applicable for a similar purpose and
in a like manner to other machinery for preparing cotton or other fibrons
substances, such as, for instance, those technically called "blowing machines."
In order that my Invention may be better understood and explained in detail,
I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawing, made upon a scale of 'about
two inches to the foot, and having on the several Figures shown similar letters
of reference on corresponding parts of the machinery or apparatus.
I will now proceed to describe the apparatus or machinery which I have.
found as preferable to employ for effecting the above purpose 'as before
described.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of these improvements attached to part
of a frame of a "sliver lap machine;" Figs. 2 and 3 being respectively a plan
or top view and side elevation, shewing the driving gear of the same; and
Fig. 4 represents a plan view of the lap crossed diagonally by the sliver or soft.
twisted cotton. a, a, represents a portion of the framing of a "sliver lap
machine;" and b, b, the calender rollers, between which the "slivers" from
the cans pass and are pressed; c exhibits a bevil wheel, secured upon the shaft
of the upper calender roller, and which, through the small bevil pinion d and
vertical shaft e, gives motion to the small pulleys f, f, and strap or band g; on.
the strap g a small stud or finger h is secured, working within the frame j,
which is supported by two guide rods or bars k, k; to the tongue 1 of the
frame jis attached a small pendant rod m, to which is secured by collar and
nut the rod n and guide lever o; on the rod n is a spindle p, for carrying the
bobbin 2. The action of the machine will now become evident. Motion having
been communicated to the above-described apparatus from the bevil wheel c
on the shaft of the upper calender roller, it will be seen, on reference to the
Drawing hereunto attached, that upon the revolution of the small pullies or
bowls f, f, the strap or band g immediately causes, by aid of the small stud or
finger h secured upon it, the traverse of the frame g in either direction within
the limits of the strap or band g; in connection with the frame j, a bobbin
is mounted, and partakes of the lateral motion of the frame j in either direc-
tion from side to side, allowing the sliver or slubbing of cotton to be wound
from off the bobbin, and falling alternately in an opposite and transversely
diagonal direction across the "lap" as it is wound from the cans over the
calender rollers, and illustrated distinctly in Figs. 1 and 4; by this means I am
enabled to give greater tenacity to the "laps," thus preventing their expan-
sion when taken from the machine, reducing considerably the present waste,
and causing them to unroll freely when unlapping at the carding engines.

page_text: Should it be desirable at any time or for any purpose to quicken or lessen the
delivery of the slubbing or sliver from the bobbin or can, so as to diminish or
increase the angle of the transverse diagonal delivery, it may be effected by
simply changing the bevil gearing.
Having now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be performed, I wish it to be distinctly under-
stood that I claim the novel application, employment, and use of the peculiar
character of apparatus imparting a weft-like motion (herein described) for
the purpose of delivering a slubbing sliver or yarn of soft twisted cotton
transversely over and upon the laps of such or similar machines as "Derby
doublers," "blowing machines," "sliver lap machines," &c., and particularly the
novel application, employment, and use of a traversing bobbin, for the purpose
of delivering such a sliver of twisted or untwisted cotton (or from a can), for
the purposes as herein particularly described and set forth, and fully illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Evan Leigh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
EVAN LEIGII. (L.S.)