IMPROVEMENTS IN FULLING MILLS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FULLING MILLS."-A communication from abroad
by William Berry Lodge, of Danbury, in the County of Fairfield,
and State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 81st August 1875, and dated the 13th July 1875.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 18th July 1875, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Ohancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS
in possession of an Invention for “ IMPROVEMENTS
IN FULLING MILLS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent

page_text: for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has be com-
municated to me from abroad by William Berry Lodgo, of Danbury, in
the County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand
and seal fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists, firstly, in a novel mode of raising the
hammers or beaters by a friction mechanism instead of the ordinary
toe-and-wiper action, whereby friction is reduced, the capacity of the
machine is increased, and the motion is smoother, easier, and quicker,
being nearly double; also, a spring or springs made adjustable as regards
their tension, in combination with the hammer or hammers for regu-
lating their fall; also, an open work or perforated bosom for the
circulation of the heated water through the same, and in constructing
the bosom of a series of rollers that assist in turning the goods and
admit of a more rapid motion being given to the stocks; and it also
consists of a hollow box-like formation on the outside or surrounding the
bed and bosom of the mill, and supplied with water heated by steam, in
combination with the open bosom; and said Invention also embraces
india-rubber or other soft and elastic toes to the beaters to prevent
injury to the goods being fulled.
The hammers are adjustable along the arms on which they swing to
regulate them to the boxes in which they work and to the condition of
the goods.
By preference the faces of the arms are armed with leather facing on
a cushion of rubber for increasing the friction by making a somewhat
rough and naturally adlicsive surface, which is also sufficiently elastic
for the cam to indent and thus hold with greater power, but it may be
used or not as preferred.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a side elevation of
a fulling mill constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2, a lon
gitudinal section thereof; and Figure 3, a plan of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: the fulling of a number of goods worked in a mass, besides rendering a
more rapid action of the beaters feasible.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,—
1st. The combination with the hammers or beaters B of the cam or
friction blocks C, operating to effect the lift of the former and to sud-
denly release them when raised, substantially as specified.
2nd. The combination with the hammer or haminers of the mill of an
adjustable spring tension device, arranged to control thoir fall, essentially ]
as herein set forth.
3rd. The combination of the toes G, made of india-rubber or other
analogous soft material, with the hammers B, substantially as specified.
4th. The combination with the beaters of the hot-water box or bath J
and the open bed and bosom H, I, operating on the material being fulled, 1
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.