IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR PRE- PARING TO BE SPUN COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A WEB TO BE CONVERTED INTO FELT AND WADDING, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tatham, of Vulcan Iron Works, Rochdale,
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR PRE-
PARING TO BE SPUN COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR
THE PRODUCTION OF A WEB TO BE CONVERTED INTO FELT AND WADDING, AND
FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th June 1869, and dated the 8th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tatham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th January 1869.
I, WILLIAM TATHAM, of Vulcan Iron Works, Rochdale, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES, AND FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A WEB TO BE CONVERTED INTO FELT AND
WADDING, AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My first improvement consists in a new method of obtaining the
accumulation of material necessary to convert the sliver of a breaker

page_text: carding engine into a web to be fed to a finisher carding engine. The
sliver combed from the doffer of the breaker carding engine I pass over
one or more rollers, the last of which has a light top roller laid upon
it ;
or I pass it over a creeper to a pair of rollers which feed it to a propelling
heater, which may be formed either in the usual way with teeth or bars
or of bristles or similar materials. This beater works in a space closed
above, it has a series of openings or grids underneath, or it may be
inclosed there also in certain cases, except at one part which com-
municates with a recess expanding from the surface of the beater, at
which point it is narrowest to a pair of cage rollers inclosed at the other
end thereof. The beater takes the material from the delivering rollers
above described, and throws it into the expanding recess, where it
accumulates against the cage rollers. In this condition of accumulation
it is very diffuse, and puffed up with air. I communicate a slow rotary
motion to the cage rollers, which by gathering the puffy mass has the
effect of excluding the air, collecting dust, and conveying the web
continuously to a pair of clearing rollers, which may either pass it direct
to the finisher engine or for the purpose of being seen and examined;
there may be a space left between the clearing rollers behind the cage
rollers and a pair of delivering rollers which feed the finishing engine,
the said space being filled with rollers, a creeper, or a polished plate of
metal.
The apparatus described will supply from the filmy sliver of a breaker
carding engine a suitable continuous web thick comparatively, un-
condensed and uniform not only longitudinally, but across from selvage
to selvage, as distinguished from webs which are folded or rolled
and cut and joined, and have necessary inequalities when fed to the
finisher engine.
My second improvement consists in placing a similar apparatus,
consisting of propelling beater recess and cage rollers operating and
connected as above described, fed by hand or by a lap from the lap or
other suitable machine before the breaker carding engine, so as to
distribute clean and prepare the web for being more thoroughly and
effectively carded.
It is obvious that the .above apparatus may be considerably modified
without departing from the principle involved. Thus the propeller
benter may be modified in its action or dispensed with by placing an
exhaust fan in connection with the cage rollers, which will draw the

page_text: material from the delivering rollers, or by enclosing the comb in the
recess above described the exhausting fans may draw the material from
the comb forward without any intermediate gearing. A small pressure
fan may also be placed above the comb and aid in conveying the loose
fleece against the cage rollers.
It is also obvious that though I have mentioned only the breaker and
finisher engines it is equally applicable to any series of successive
carding engines, or it may be rolled into a lap when desired, or mado
into felt or wadding, or for similar purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Tatham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TATHAM, of Vulcan Iron Works, Rochdale, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give
and grant unto me, tho said William Tatham, Her special licence that
I, the said William Tatham, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Tatham, my executors, adminis,
trators, 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 MACHINES
FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A WEB TO BE CONVERTED INTO FELT AND WADDING, AND
POR SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Tatham, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Tatham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My first improvement consists in a new method of obtaining the
accumulation of material necessary to convert the sliver of a breaker
carding engine into a web to be fed to a finisher carding engine. The
sliver combed from the doffer of the breaker carding engine I pass over
one or more rollers, the last of which has a light top roller laid upon it,
or I pass it over a creeper to a pair of rollers which feed it to a pro-
pelling beater, which may be formed either in the usual way with teeth
or bars, or of bristles, or similar materials. This beater works in a space
closed above; it has a series of openings or grids underneath, or it
may be inclosed there; also in certain cases, except at one part which
communicates with a recess expanding from the surface of the beater at
which point it is narrowest to a pair of cage rollers inclosed at the other
end thereof. The beater takes the material from the delivering rollers
above described and throws it into the expanding recess, where it
accumulates against the cage rollers. In this condition of accumulation
it is very diffuse and puffed up with air. I communicate a slow rotary
motion to the cage rollers, which by gathering the puffy mass has the
effect of excluding the air, collecting dust, and conveying the web
continuously to a pair of clearing rollers, which may either pass it direct
to the finisher engine or for the purpose of being seen and examined;
there may be a space left between the clearing rollers behind the cage
rollers and a pair of delivering rollers which feed the finisher engine,
the said space being filled with rollers, a creeper, or a polished plate of
metal.
The apparatus described will supply from the filmy sliver of a breaker
carding engine a suitable continuous web thick, comparatively uncon-
densed and uniform, not only longitudinally but across from selvage to
selvage, as distinguished from webs which are folded or rolled and cut
and joined, and have necessary inequalities when fed to the finisher
engine.
My second improvement consists in placing a similar apparatus,
consisting of propelling beater recess and cage rollers, operating and
connected as above described, fed by hand or by a lap from the lap
or other suitable machine before the breaker carding engine, so as to

page_text: distribute clean and preparo the web for being more thoroughly and
effectively carded.
'
It is obvious that the above apparatus may be considerably modified
without departing from the principle involved. Thus the propeller
beater may be modified in its action or dispensed with by placing an
exhaust fan in connection with the enge rollers, which will draw the
material from the delivering rollers, or by enclosing the comb in the
recess above described the exhausting fans may draw the material from
the comb forward without any intermediate gearing. A small pressure
fan may also be placed above the comb and aid in carrying the loose
flecce against the cage rollers.
It is also obvious that though I have mentioned only the breaker and
finisher engines it is equally applicable to any series of successive
carding engines, or it may be rolled into a lap when desired, or mado
into felt or wadding, or for similar purposes.
:
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and
more readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings on two Sheets, in
which Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a sectional elevation of a double carding engine
for wool, or two single ones combined, showing my first improvement
applied between the first or breaker engine, and second or finisher
engine, in combination with my second improvement before the first
or breaker engine; and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, showing more in
detail my second improvements with grids around the beater; Fig. 3
shows an elevation of the method of driving the different parts; Fig. 4
shows a plan of the same; Fig. 5 shows a face and edge view of the
beater blade.
As the parts employed are the same in both my first and second
improvements, except that the one treats a fleece which has been combed
from the doffer, while the other treats a web which has not been operated
upon, being simply passed from the lap of a lap machine or fed directly
by hand. I will first describe those parts shown which do not onter
into my present improvements.
A is the framing of the machine; B, the main cylinders, and D, the
doffers, which as usual run in bearings fastened upon the framing b', 6º,
&c., the rollers and cleaners placed in the usual position around the
main cylinder; c, the doffing comb; d', d³, are rollers, which in my

page_text: first improvement convey the fleece to and hold it against the action of
the propelling beater f.
In my second improvement g is a web supplied from a lap of a lap or
other machine, see Fig. 2, or hand fed, see Fig. 1. d', d³, are rollers, as
above stated, which convey the web to and hold it during the action of
the propelling beater f. By these two different processes the sliver from
the comb and the web in the rough state is supplied to the rollers d', d²,
by which under both improvements it is submitted to the action of the
propelling beater f. From these rollers d', d³, and including therein the
parts and their action, both my first and second improvements are
precisely alike, and I will now proceed to describe them simultaneously.
The roller d' is placed so that its surface is just within the range of
the serrated edge of the blades of the propelling beater f, which I form
as follows:-I place a shaft sufficiently long to reach across the framing
and revolve in bearings fastened thereupon, and receive a pulley & on a
projecting portion of it, through which it may receive motion from the
main cylinder B or other convenient driver. On this shaft and within
the framing I place a number of narrow rims c³, from which project at
an angle, as shown in the Drawing, certain arms c³, which in fastening
the rims upon the propelling beater shaft, I place in straight lines, so
that they are suitably arranged for receiving the pieces of timber c³,
Fig. 5. On these pieces of timber I place strips of steel c^ having cach
by preference a serrated edge, which acts upon the fleece or web held on
and by the rollers d', d'. The blades c³, Fig. 5, I make full in width at
the ends and hollow in the middle. In case of a carding engine for
wool 60 inches wide on the wire I make, as shewn in the Drawing, the
combination of steel and timber about three and a quarter inches wide
at the ends and one and three-quarters or two inches in the middle.
The outer diameter of the beater I make twenty-four inches, the
openings in the ends of the beater for the admission of air thirteen
inches, and it makes about 500 revolutions per minute. Rotating at
this velocity and formed of these dimensions a web is produced in the
chamber for a following engine perfectly regular from selvage to
selvage.
The dimensions above given require to be varied and accommodated,
firstly, to the width of the carding engine; secondly, to the velocity of

page_text: the air is admitted; fourthly, when grids are used, the air entrance, and
the form of the curves of the blades need to be altered, unless enclosed
underneath. The recess into which the material is thrown I make an
expanding chamber, being smallest at the end next the beater, being
there of the same superficial section as the beater blades, or very nearly
so, but uniform. It is obvious, however, that this opening affects and is
affected by the form and position of the blades of the propelling beater.
I prefer to give it a uniform section, as shewn, and concentrate all the
curve necessary to produce an even web, or otherwise as desirable, in
the blades of the beater, as shown in Fig. 5. The form shown in the
Drawing accords with that which in practice I find most suitable to
take away the material with greatest freedom and accuracy from the
propelling beater and pile it in the chamber and upon the cago'
rollers k', . These rotate very slowly so as to admit of the material
acquiring a thickness suitable for being transmitted direct as the web of
the following engine. On leaving the cage rollers I carry the web for
a short distance on an open creeper w and pressure rollers, or its equi-
valent y and y', Fig. 2, so as to be capable of examination before, entering
the feeding rollers m, mr, by which it is supplied to the following engine.
The apparatus described will not only, as shown, produce an even
sliver, but will correct an uneven sliver from a leading carding engine
by accommodating the curve of the blades o of the follower to the
irregularity, or the irregularity may be produced if desired for any
purpose. The web thus produced and supplied is altogether free from
3 breaks, piecings, or other irregularities, and possesses all the freeness and
massiveness desirable in webs for feeding carding engines.
I have shown in the Drawings how the web produced may be utilized
by passing it from the producing carding engine to the follower, but it
is evident that instead of this it may be rolled into a lap, being equally
O perfect when so used as in the form in which I have herein-before
described it. I prefer to use it as shown, as thereby the room, machinery,
and labour are more capable of being economized, but if for any purpose
ns, for example, want of room, or for the purposes of arrangement, or
for combining webs of different color, or for the purpose of producing
felt or wadding, it may be useful to put the material in lap form, I
should regard this as only a modification of my Invention.
It is also obvious that fans may be used, either to propel over the
comb or exhaust the air over the cage rollers so as to combine with or

page_text: replace the propelling beater f, but this in whole or part I should regard
as a modification of my Invention.
It is obvious also that the beater may be variously formed, as instead
of blades it may be a cylinder covered with brushes or toothed, as shewn
in the breaker engine, Figs. 1 and 2.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as secured to me
thereby,-
5
Firstly. The combination of machinery described and shewn, whereby
the sliver of one carding engine may be dispersed by a beater and 1
collected in mass in a chamber and upon cage rollers to form a web for
a following carding engine.
Secondly. The combination of machinery described and shown,
whereby the feed of a breaker carding engine may be dispersed and
collected so as more perfectly to loosen the material, and so to prepare 1
it for being more effectually carded, mixed, or distributed.
Thirdly. The apparatus described whereby the sliver of a carding
engine may be massed for the purpose of being felted or wadded, or used
for such or similar purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tatham, have hereunto 2
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM TATHAM. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERTSON,
Engineer and Patent Agent,
17, Queen's Chambers,
Market Street,
Manchester.