CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS: IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PICKING AND CLEANING COTTON AND WOOL
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifteenth day of March, in the fourth year of Her reign,
did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Newton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said William Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said William Newton, my executors, admors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations"
abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, an
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS: IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PICKING
AND CLEANING COTTON AND WOOL," being a communication from a Foreigner
residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said William Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same
to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters.

page_text: Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
These Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Picking and Cleaning
Cotton and Wool, consist in certain novel features adapted to machinery
applicable to the said purposes, which Invention has been communicated
to me in nearly the following words, and is illustrated by the several Figures of
the accompanying Drawings (viz.)
The Invention is a mode or modes of constructing the said machine, so as
to cause a number of edges or points upon a revolving or vibrating cylinder to
strike in rapid succession against the fibres of the material under operation, in
order to separate from the fibres all foreign matters by an operation analogous
to that of picking them out by hand. This apparatus for cleaning the wool or
cotton may be constructed under various modifications in the manner of form-
ing and arranging the respective parts, whilst the principle of operation remains
substantially the same." In the following description, and the Drawings
therein referred to, exemplifications are given of several such modifications.
The methods of arresting and separating the burs, seeds, and other foreign
matters from wool and cotton, which have been generally adopted in the
machines heretofore used for that purpose, are the employment of a stationary
ledger blade, betwixt which, and a revolving cylinder having ribs or spiral
blades, the fibres were made to pass the edge of the ledger blade, arresting tho
foreign matter, and the revolving blades separating it from the fibres.
such an apparatus not being approved of by the inventor, other constructions
are herein adopted, which it is presumed will be found to be more effective.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the
machine, shewing the ginning or cleansing apparatus under one of its modifi-
cations.
But
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken vertically
through the middle of the machine in a longitudinal direction. In each of
these Figures the same parts of the machine are pointed out by the same
letters of reference. Figs. 3 and 4 shew modifications in section of the fluted
or channelled cylinder or roller by which the burs, seeds, or other foreign
matters are to be beaten or picked off from the fibres. The frame A, A, of
the machine may be made of wood to sustain the bearings of the respective

page_text: cylinders and rollers. The feeding is to be effected by means of an endless
apron B, which passes round two rollers C, C, and a top or pressing roller D
turns freely in slotted bearings in the usual manner, the rollers C, D, being
either plain or fluted. The wool or cotton, as it is fed in between the rollers
C, D, is taken and carried by the rows of points or teeth a, a, a, on the re-
volving picker cylinder E, and delivered on to rows of fine combs b, b, set round
the cylinder F, which is denominated the fine comb cylinder. This cylinder is
fluted or channelled in the direction of its axis to receive the fine combs b, b,
of which there may be eight, ten, or twelve rows, more or less. The teeth of
these combs consist of steel points, which may be about an eighth of an inch
long and the samo distance or less apart. They slope backward in the direc-
tion of the rotation of the cylinder, as shewn in the section Fig. 2. The
teeth may be inserted into strips of brass or other metal let into the periphery
of the cylinder, their points being nearly flush with the surface of the cylinder.
The respective rollers and cylinders are intended to move in the directions
represented by the arrows upon the Drawing. G is a fluted or indented roller,
by which the burs, seeds, and motes are to be beaten, picked, or separated
from the wool or cotton. This roller, the axle of which is supported by the
standards H, H, is so placed that its projecting edges shall come nearly into
contact with the fine comb cylinder; and as it revolves in the same direction
with that cylinder, the edges of the flutes or indentations come into contact
with the seeds, burs, or motes held in the fibres on their being brought up by
the combs, and thereby strike them off or pick them out without injury to the
fibres with which they were entangled, there being no more space allowed
between the roller G and cylinder F than is necessary for the passing of the
fibres. The teeth a, of the picker cylinder E, which feed the cotton or wool
into the fine tooth cylinder, serve also to throw down forcibly the dirt or other
foreign matter detached by the fluted roller, which matter passes out through
the grating J, J below, and falls under the machine. As the cylinder F
revolves, carrying the cleaned fibres upon its points, they are brought into
contact with the brush of the doffer cylinder I, which clears the fibres from
the teeth b, and prepares them to receive fresh supplies of wool or cotton
from the points a as before. Different shapes may be given to the edges
and flutes of the beater G, but it has been found that when the flutes are
made along a solid metallic cylinder in such manner that its periphery shall in
its transverse section resemble the teeth of a circular saw, its operation is most
perfect. For the same purpose a cylinder has been employed with slats or
strips of metal extending longitudinally from end to end, as shewn on an
enlarged scale in the transverse sectional view, Figure 3, which has answered

page_text: the purpose tolerably well, the edges c, c, c, of the slats operating like those of
the flutes in the metal roller. Figure 4 represents another modification of the
beater G. In this d, d, d, are strips of metal inserted edgewise into a cylinder,
and extending from end to end, so as to present projecting edges similar to
those of the fluted roller G. In these modifications of the beater, and in
others that might be devised, the general principle or mode of operation is
substantially the same. This machine may be varied in size; but those which
have been constructed and found to answer well have cylinders of from two to
four feet in length, and a fine comb cylinder of about twenty inches in diameter,
and from this the general dimensions of the respective parts may be deduced.
The respective cylinders are driven by pullies and bands in preference to any
kind of gearing. P, P, are the fast and loose pullies on the driving shaft.
The claim of novelty under this modification of the above described machine
is the employment of a revolving fluted or channelled cylinder, having longi-
tudinal ribs or elevations like those herein described and represented, and
marked G, or of any analogous revolving apparatus which will present in rapid
succession a number of beating, picking, or clearing edges to operate upon the
burs, seeds, or motes held in the fibres of wool or cotton presented to their
action by means of an apparatus constructed substantially in the manner
herein set forth. Fig. 5 is a horizontal top view of the machine, so modified
as to admit of the employment of what is denominated an angular toothed
guard lying over and nearly in contact with the fine comb cylinder, which is so
constructed as to arrest and partially to separate the burs and other foreign
matter from the fibres, their separation being effected by beating off by the
points or teeth of what is called an intersecting toothed cylindor. In this
machine a feeding apron and its appendages are used, as in Fig. 1, but they
are omitted in Fig. 5, as being common to a variety of machines used in the
preparation of fibrous materials. The shaft of one of the rollers of the
endless apron is seen at C, and its superincumbent or pressing roller at D.
The picker cylinder E is similar to that in Fig. 1, but it is represented as
larger in proportion to the other parts. This, however, is a matter of indiffe-
rence. F is the fine comb cylinder, this cylinder and its comb being similar
in all respects with those used and described in the first modification. I, I,
are doffing plates which operate in the same way with and may be employed
in lieu of the brush cylinder shewn in Fig. 1. K is the angular toothed
guard, by means of which and of the teeth on the intersecting toothed
cylinder N, the burs, seeds, motes, or other foreign matters are to be
separated. The angular toothed guard is formed in the following manner :-
In Fig. 6, M, M, represents a portion of that part of the guard which

page_text: lies over and nearly in contact with the fine comb cylinder. It consists
of a plate of tempered steel. (such as is used for saw plates, being
best adapted to the purpose). This plate must be of the same length
as the fine comb cylinder, and it is to have angular teeth up one of its
edges along its whole length, as shewn at f. f. In the angles produced between
the teeth, openings or slots, as shewn at g, g, are to be cut through the
plate, and it is to be curved or bent inwards so as to adapt itself to the curva-
ture of the fine comb cylinder. Ribs of cast iron h, h, are to be attached to
the upper side of the plate M, between the edges of each of the teeth, rising
vertically and extending from the points to the upper ends of the slots g, g, or
to the rod or bar L, L, to which the steel and iron plates are affixed. In the
actual machine these plates are about half an inch thick, excepting towards
their outer or lower ends ends j, j, where they are pointed or chamfered so as
to correspond with the form of the teeth in the steel plate. These chamfered
parts of the ribs should be allowed to stand a little within the slope of the
teeth, as shewn in the Drawing, as the steel plate will then operate better in
separating the burs and other foreign matter than when the iron and steel
teeth are flush with each other. In Fig. 6 the steel plate and teeth are re-
presented as of about one half their width and size in the actual machine,
the openings or slots g, g, being about an inch apart.
Fig. 7 is an end view of the angular toothed guard, h being one of the ribs;
M, M, the steel plate; L the bar or rod forming the back edge of the guard,
and F a part of the fine comb cylinder. The steel plate and the iron ribs may
be attached to each other by means of screws passed through the former and
tapped into the latter to prevent the fibres from pressing between the steel and
iron plates at their joints. It will be best to allow the extreme points of the
teeth of the steel plate to be imbedded in those of the iron, the latter being
clongated and notched for that purpose. N, Fig. 5, is the intersecting toothed
cylinder or roller. The teeth in this cylinder aro set in a spiral direction round
it, so as to act successively upon the material to be picked, and they are placed
an inch apart, or at such distance as to correspond with the slots or openings
g, g, in the steel plate M, M. The teeth must be of such length as to enable
the cylinder to revolve clear of the ribs h, and to allow them to render the
openings or slots g, g, in the steel plate. The ribs are sometimes made much
wider than in the proportions shewn in Fig. 7, and the teeth must in this case
be made of a corresponding length. The cylinder N, N, is made adjustable,
so that it may be raised or lowered and that its teeth may enter to a greater
or less depth into the angular toothed guard, and this guard also is. male
adjustable endwise in order to affix it in such manner as that the teeth of the

page_text: intersecting cylinder may duly correspond to the openings or slots in the guard
plate. O, O, are adjusting nuts which fit on to screws at either end of the
bar L, L, of the guard, and bear against the standards k, k, which support it,
allowing sufficient end play for the necessary adjustment. The lower ends of
the standards k, k, have holes in them that pass on to the gudgeons of the
cylinder E. The nuts O, O, serve also to regulate the depth or distance to
which the intersecting teeth of the cylinder N shall enter the steel plate of the
guard. 7, 1, are bridles embracing the ends of the axles of the cylinder N, and
which also admit the ends of the bar L, L, to pass through longitudinal slots in
them in a manner which will be more clearly seen in Figure 8, and by which
the nuts O, O, are made to regulate the distance of the cylinder N. from the
guard.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the machine, shewing the manner in which the
respective cylinders may be driven by means of pullies and bands. P is a
pulley fixed on the shaft of the picker cylinder E, to which shaft may also be
appended a loose pulley, and to these the strap from the driving power may be
applied. On the opposite end of this shaft is a pulley Q, Fig. 5, and on the
shaft of the fine comb cylinder F is a pulley R, upon which the belt S operates.
In Figure 8 m, m, is a band from a pulley on the shaft of tho picker cylinder,
which gives motion to the pulley n, on the shaft of the cylinder N, and o is a
band from the pulley P, which drives the brush cylinder on the doffing plates
I, I. A pulley p, on the shaft of one of the feeding rollers, gives motion to
the endless apron being driven by a band q, q, connected with the pulley 7, on
the shaft of the fine comb cylinder through the intermediate pulley t, and the
band u, u. These bands and pullies may be differently arranged, or other
modes of connecting and driving the respective parts may be adopted, as will
be well understood by every competent machinist. T is one of the standards
which support the intersecting toothed cylinder N, there being a corresponding
standard at the opposite end. These standards may be raised or lowered by
means of a set screw v, passing through a slot in T. is one of the bridles
against which the nuts O operate, the slot or mortice in the bridle being shewn
by dotted lines. The standards or bars k, k, which support the angular toothed
guard, as before remarked, embrace at their lower ends the gudgeons of the
fine comb cylinder. In operating with this machine, as the fine comb cylinder
brings the wool or cotton with its burs or motes into contact with the sloping
edges of the teeth of the angular toothed guard, the burs or other foreign
matter are gradually acted upon by them, their inclined position preventing
any sudden action that might injure the fibres and gradually separating such
foreign matter as it approaches the points of the two continuous teeth. The

page_text: burs, seeds, or motes are there met by the points of the teeth of the intersect-
ing toothed cylinder, by which they are completely separated from the fibres,
are beaten back, and fall down under the machine, passing between the grating
at the under side of the picked cylinder, shewn at J, J, in Fig. 2. I claim
under this second modification of machinery the manner of constructing
what is denominated the angular toothed guard and its combination, with the
revolving intersecting toothed cylinder; the angulur toothed guard lying upon
the fine comb cylinder and separating the burs and other foreign matter by
the action of the oblique edges of its teeth, and such foreign matter being
finally beaten off by the revolving intersecting teeth of the cylinder N, as
herein set forth, the respective parts being mado adjustable, and being con-
structed and arranged suitably for operating effectively in the manner described.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the machine, so modified as to dispense with
the fine comb cylinder used under the two former modifications, and also
with the fluted or channelled cylinder used under the first, and with the angular
toothed guard and the intersecting toothed cylinder used under the second
modification, and substituting therefor a vibrating, cleaning, or separating roller
or cylinder, by the aid of which, and of its appendages, the burs, seeds, and
other foreign matters are separated from the fibres of wool or cotton.
Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the machine taken longitudinally through
the middle thereof. A, A, is the frame of the machine, and B the
endless apron passing round rollers C, C, in the ordinary manner. Instead
of allowing the fibres to pass directly from the feeding apron to the
picker cylinder E, a pair of feeding rollers D, D' may be employed, as is
frequently done in other machines. The roller D in this case takes the place
of the pressing roller shewn in the two former modifications.
The picker
cylinder E is set with teeth or spikes a, a, a, over a small portion only of its
surface, there being usually but three or four rows placed near to each other,
so as to occupy one sixth or one eighth more or less of its periphery, the
remaining portion being left plain as the wool or cotton is to be fed to the
vibrating, cleaning, or separating cylinder at intervals only. F is the vibrating
cleaning, or separating cylinder, which stands at a short distanco from the
points or ends of the teeth on the picker cylinder. The cleaning or separating
cylinder F may be made to vibrate in various ways at the discretion of
the machinist; but that which is represented in the Drawing is at once simple
and effective. The shaft of the picker cylinder E carries a cranks, and as
the picker cylinder E is made to revolve by means of a belt operating on the
pulley G at its opposite end, the vibration of the cleaning or separating
cylinder F is thus effected. The two ends of the band II are bent round and

page_text: clasp the crank pin 2, and this band passes round the guide pulley. I and the
pulley I on the shaft of the separating cylinder F, the effect of which will be
to cause the said cylinder F to vibrate back and forward to an extent that will
be determined either by the size of the pulley K, or by the throw of the
crank pin z.
When constructed in this form the picker cylinder may be less
in diameter than in the first two modifications, but no particular rule can be
given in this respect, as the sevoral parts of the machine may be much varied
in size without materially affecting their action. Tho vibrating cylinder F. is
about three or four inches in diameter, and upon its periphery are affixed two
or more combs b, b, made of plates of steel, which are to be bent and
worked off truc to the curvature of the cylinder. Along one edge or both
edges..of these plates are formed comb teeth, which may be about a tenth
of an inch apart, and an eighth of an inch deep, more or less: These are to
be sharpened up, bevelling from the under sides of the plates, so that their
points will be flush with their outer faces. When these plates are screwed
in their proper situations, strips of paper or pasteboard should be placed
below them, so as slightly to raise them from the cylinder, in order that the
teeth may take hold of the wool or cotton, but not too rankly. To cause
the vibrating cylinder to bring a portion of the wool back, and work it to and
fro when necessary, teeth are formed on the back edge of one or more of
the comb plates, by which means the desired effect is produced. Above the
vibrating cylinder is placed a regulating guard L, L, which guard extends
from end to end of the doffer, and may be raised or lowered by set screws d, d.
Along the lower edge of this regulating guard there is affixed a steel plate c, c
(see Fig. 10), armed with teeth similar to those-on-the-comb-plates of the
doffer, the said teeth pointing forward towards the front of the machine
where the picked fibres escape. These teeth lay hold of the wool or cotton
that has been carried forward by the comb teeth b, b, and retain it until the
fibres have completely passed through.. The guard plate-e, e, is bent. to the
curvature of the doffer. The wool or cotton being placed on the endless
apron is fed at intervals on to the comb plates of the cylinder F, the spikes
or teeth on the picker cylinder not being allowed to: come nearer than the
distance of about half an inch from the vibrating cylinder, so that too large a
quantity of the fibres cannot be held upon the comb teeth. The vibration of
the cylinder F must be to that extent which will carry the whole of tho wool
or cotton held upon the teeth of the comb plates to the front of the machine
beyond the teeth upon the guard plate, these teeth preventing its return. As
the cylinder vibrates forward the burs or seeds are detained by the edge of
the guard plate, and on its return they fall off and pass down through the

page_text: grating J, J, in the usual way. Those portions of the fibres which are not at
once perfectly cleaned are subjected to a loosening and picking operation by
the vibration of the cylinder F, and thus the wool is perfectly cleaned from
burs and other foreign matter, and the cotton separated from its seed without
injury to the fibre. The picker cylinder and its appendages may be enclosed
by a cover e, e, and a similar cover may be used under either of the modifica-
tions. The claim of novelty in this last modification is, the manner of applying
and using the vibrating doffer with its comb plates, constructed and operating
as herein set forth, in combination with the toothed guard plate as described;
and this is claimed whether the respective parts be formed exactly as herein
represented, or in any other way which is substantially the same, producing a
like result by analogous means. And I would observe that for machines of a
small size this last modification is to be preferred.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.