Improvements in and appertaining to Machines for Steaming and Pressing Fabrics.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1898
1000
26th No
1808
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and appertaining to Machines for Steaming and
Pressing Fabrics.
We, EZRA SYKES, of Turnbridge, Huddersfield, in the County of York, Machine
Maker, Exocir HEPPENSTALL, of Turnbridge, Huddersfield aforesaid, Dyer, and
EDWIN SYKES, of Turnbridge, Huddersfield, aforesaid, Machine Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to that description of machine set forth in the specifica-
tions of Letters Patents granted to Alexander Theodor Sarfert on the 29th day of
June A.D. 1893 No. 12757 and on the 31st day of December A.D. 1892 No. 24156.
Our invention comprises improvements in the arrangement of rollers for tra-
versing fabrics around the pressing rollers and steam cylinder jointly with a
runner cloth or travelling apron and in driving certain of the parts.
In carrying out our invention we drive the pressing rollers and the steam
cylinder positively by suitable gearing, the pressing rollers being preferably driven
direct from the steam cylinder by a spur wheel gearing into pinions on said
rollers. In one case the teeth of the pinions are sufficiently deep to admit of such
movement to and from the cylinder as takes place when under pressure and when
pressure is removed.
One method we adopt of arranging the rollers consists in mounting the runner
cloth roller and winding on roller in adjustable bearings on the outer sides of the
pressing rollers and in such manner that one or other of said rollers, whichever for
the time being has the runner cloth wound thereon, can be driven by frictional
contact with its adjacent pressing roller to unwind the said runner cloth. The
winding on roller is actuated by a slip drive from the runner cloth roller, said slip
drive comprising a strap passing around pulleys mounted on each of said rollers,
the driving pulley on the runner cloth roller being fast on its shaft, and the
driven pulley being placed loosely on its shaft or mounted on a bush and having
spring fingers or catches thereon adapted when moving in one direction, to engage
with the teeth of a ratchet wheel fast on the shaft of the winding on roller and
to rotate said roller, but when moved in the opposite direction, to ride harm-
lessly over said teeth.
As the two said rollers act alternately as runner cloth rollers and winding on
rollers, the said slip drive is duplicated, one being the reverse of the other and
acting in turns at each reversal of the machine.
The piece of fabric to be operated on is passed over an expansion roller previous
to joining the runner cloth at the adjacent pressing roller from whence they
travel together round the steam cylinder in contact with an endless travelling
apron passing under said cylinder and over a small overhead roller. After leav-
ing the second pressing roller the fabric and runner cloth are jointly wound on
to the winding on roller and when the end of the fabric is reached, the machine is
reversed and the winding on roller now becomes the runner cloth roller and is
driven by frictional contact with its adjacent pressing roller to unwind the rummer
cloth which thus travels back through the machine in an opposite direction and
is joined at the near pressing roller by another fabric, that last steamed and

page_text: ing rollers driving them as before described by a friction or slip drive to wind-on
the runner cloth and fabric and released when unwinding, so as to be rotated by
the pull or tension of the runner cloth the pressing rollers also being slightly
re-arranged and, together with the steam cylinder, driven positively.
Our invention will be more readily understood, by reference to the accompany-
ing drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1, is end elevation of a machine for steaming and pressing woven fabrics
embodying our improvements.
Fig. 2 is part side elevation of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow A
same figure.
Fig. 3 is a sectional diagram shewing the course of the fabric through the
machine.
Figs. 4 and 5 are details hereafter referred to.
Referring to the drawings letter a represents the steam cylinder or drum
journalled in bearings in the framework 6 of the machine; c, d, the pressing
rollers arranged above the cylinder a and journalled in fixed bearings e, and f, g,
the runner cloth rollers which act alternately as runner cloth and winding-on
rollers. The steam cylinder or drum a, and the pressing rollers c, d, are driven
positively by any suitable gearing, the rollers c, d, being preferably driven
direct from the steam cylinder a by a spur wheel gearing into pinions on said
rollers c, d. The roilers f, g, receive motion when required through pinions h,
and spur wheels j, k, on the bosses of which are keyed wheels, which are
driven by the spur wheel 2 from the steam cylinder shaft, the spur wheels j, k,
running loose on the shafts j, kt. The shafts of the rollers f, g, are journalled
in bearings in the upper ends of levers m, m', fast on the shafts j, k, and they
engage with slotted bearings in blocks f, g, adapted to be slided laterally in
openings n, n', in the framework by mechanical, hydraulic, or steam pressure
to force said rollers when the fabric has been fully wound, or is being wound,
thereon under pressure against the pressing rollers c, d.
In the drawings we have shewn the means for giving the said pressure as com-
prising hydraulic rams o, ol, working in cylinders o,, to which water under
pressure is admitted through pipes p, pl
The levers m, m³, are connected together by a rod or bar m² to ensure uniform
parallel movement of the two rollers f, g, when pressure is applied or removed.
The pinions, i, are mounted loosely on the axes of rollers f, g, and have
attached thereto friction discs q (see Fig. 2) with which opposing friction discs r,
secured rotatively on the axes of rollers f, g, are adapted to be forced into engage
ment by means of hand wheels s working on the screw threaded ends of the
shafts of rollers f, g. By turning the hand wheels in one direction they travel
along the screw threaded shafts toward the friction discs, and compress strong
spiral springs which act on the friction discs r, and force them into contact
with the discs q, whereby motion is communicated to the rollers f, g, for winding
on the fabric and runner cloth.
The hand wheels are secured in position by lock nuts u. To release the
rollers f, g, to allow the fabric and runner cloth to be unwound therefrom the
nuts are loosened and the hand wheels traversed outwardly so as to disengage
the friction discs whereupon the rollers are free to be rotated in the opposite
direction by the pull of the runner cloth.
Instead of the above friction drive we may employ the slip drive, shewn in front
elevation and sectional side elevation Figs. 4 and 5, which comprises a pulley r
mounted loosely on the axis of each runner cloth roller f, g, and each driven by
straps from a pulley fast on the opposite runner cloth roller shaft. The pulley r
carries a finger or catch s supported and guided in lugs t fast on the face of the
pulley and held down in engagement with the teeth of a ratchet wheel u fast
on shaft of the runner cloth roller, by means of a flat spring t
When the pulley r is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the finger or catch s
engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel and the two being thus locked together,
the runner cloth roller is rotated to wind on the fabric, but when the pulley tis