IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, Tow, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING THE SAME TO BE COMBED OR CARDED."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Billington, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, Tow,
SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR PREPARING THE SAME TO BE COMBED OR CARDED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Billington at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1860.
I, EDWARD BILLINGTON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING COTTON, WOOL,
FLAX, TOW, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR PREPARING THE SAME TO BE COMBED OR CARDED," to be as follows:—
Instead of employing a notched disc and catch as used in Heilmann's
combing machine for giving the backward and forward rotary movements, I
substitute a disc with a toothed or roughened surface, or fine-pitched ratchet
wheels and chicks, or other suitable friction holder apparatus, by which I am
enabled to vary the time or place at which the movements of the cam shall
become connected or in gear with the mechanism to which it has to give
motion. In preparing the said fibrous materials to be combed I them
over a cylinder with fine steel pins or projections on the surface running close
to the feed rollers, which first straightens the fibres, and then takes them
until they are charged the proper substance for a lap, which is then taken off
the cylinder ready for the combing or carding process.
pass

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Billington in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st February 1861.
-
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BILLINGTON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
lid, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Billington, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Billington,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Billington, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, Tow,
SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
PREPARING THE SAME TO BE COMBED OR CARDED," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Edward Billington, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Edward Billington, 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 (that is to say):-
:
This Invention consists, firstly, in certain improvements in Heilmann's
combing machine, or others of a similar nature, and refers to that part of the
machine where a notched disc and catch has hitherto been employed for giving
a reverse and direct, or backward and forward motion to the fluted detaching
roller. Instead of the aforesaid notched disc and catch, I substitute à disc
with a toothed or roughened surface, or fine pitched ratchet wheels and clicks,
by which means I am enabled to vary the time or place at which the move-

page_text: .
ments of the cam shall become connected or in gear with. the mechanism
which it has to give motion.
This Invention consists, secondly, in an improved arrangement of machinery
for preparing raw cotton or other fibrous materials for the combing or carding
machine. I cause the said fibrous materials to be taken by a drum or cylinder
having fine steel pins or projections on the surface running close to the feed,
which pins first straighten the fibres of the material, and then hold them until
they are of sufficient consistence to form a lap, which is then taken off the
drum to be submitted to the combing or carding process.
These improvements will be clearly understood. by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, the letters referring to
each Figure separately.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the arrangement. of mechanisin
hitherto employed in Heilmann's combing machine for giving reverse and
direct, or backward and forward motion to the fluted detaching roller; Fig. 2,
a side elevation of my improved arrangement of mechanism for the same
purpose; and Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of my improved machinery for
preparing raw cotton or other fibrous materials for the combing or carding
machine.
In the mechanism represented in Fig. 1 there is a cam a fixed to the end
of the shaft b; the path of the cam is shewn by dotted lines, and acts against
a bowl c on the double lever & which works on the shaft e. The lever d by
means of the catch ƒ gives the backward and forward motion to the disc 9.
having notches at intervals, a fresh notch being taken at each revolution of
the combing cylinder by the action of a cam plate h fixed to the cam a; the
said.cam plate comes in contact with a bowl i on the arm k fixed upon the
same axis as the catch f, and lifts the catch out of the notch at the end of the
vibration of the double lever d, the catch sliding on the periphery of the disc
until it arrives at the next notch, when the spring pulls it in. In Fig. 2,
representing my improved arrangement of mechanism for giving the reverse
and direct, or backward and forward motion to the fluted detaching roller, I
employ a disc having inclined teeth cut all round its periphery, as seen at 1,.
instead of the disc before described, having notches at intervals. The catch iş
shewn at m working on a pin n, and has on it a number of teeth to fit the
teeth on the disc to which it is held in gear by the wedge o, which is jointed
to one end of the link p, the other end of the link being jointed at q to the
arm or lever r fixed to the axis s at the top of the double lever t, to which axis
is also fixed the arm or lever u carrying the bowl v, the lower end of the
double lever being mounted with a bowl t¹ fitting the path of the cam t.. To

page_text: the pin or jointy there is attached a spring w, which, by its tension, presses
the wedge o between the inclined surface & in the double lever and the top of
the catch: Instead of 'the small cam plate shewn in Fig. 1, I employ one of
greater length, as seen at y, Fig. 2, which cam plate raises the lever u, and
draws out the wedge sufficiently to allow the spring z to lift the catch and hold
it out of gear with the teeth of the disc until the backward motion of the
double lever ceases, at which time the cam plate has finished its course, and
allows the levers u and ŕ to descend, when the spring w forces the wedge into
its place, so as to secure the catch and wheel together for the next movement.
Instead of the spring z for lifting the catch a weight or other contrivance may
be employed to produce the same effect.
"The advantages of my improved mechanism over that in previous use
consist, firstly; in its greater durability; secondly, in its certainty of action;
thirdly, in its giving off by means of the toothed disc the whole of the motion
imparted to the double lever, for whatever may be the wear the teeth of the
catch perfectly fit the teeth of the disc, whereas, in the old system, the wear
forms a space between the notches and the catch; and thereby produces a loss
and uncertainty of motion; fourthly, in its causing the amount of backward
motion to be immaterial, for, as there are teeth all round the disc, the catch
may gear into any part of its periphery, and thus obtain the means of increasing
or diminishing 'the reverse motion to suit the length of the staple.
The second part of my Invention is represented in Fig. 3; it consists of an
improved machine or apparatus for preparing raw cotton or other fibrous
materials for the combing or carding machine. The cotton or material is
first made into a lap at the blowing machine, and afterwards placed in a
*suitable frame, as at a, and carried onwards by the endless apron b to the feed,
which consists of a pin roller c turning close to a metal surface d, the pins
being inclined at a suitable angle, as shewn in the Drawing. Beyond the
feed there is a large drum or cylinder e covered with fine pins f, which are set
in a reverse position to those of the pin roller; the drum revolves at a quick
speed in the direction of the arrow, and the pins comb out or straighten the
fibres of the cotton or material as they are fed in, and ultimately take them on
the periphery of the drum, which operation is allowed to continue until the
cotton or material on the drum is of the proper thickness for combing or
carding. The motion of the drum is then stopped; and the fleece separated at
the opening or slot g, and the end of the fleece is then inserted between the
rollers handi by moving the drum until the toothed wheels k and l, which
communicate by other gearing with the under roller i gear with each other.
Motion is then given to the shaft of the said under roller i, and transmitted by

page_text: the gearing to the drum, which turns in a reverse direction to the arrow, by
which means the fleece is drawn off in the form of a lap, which is conveyed in
the usual manner to the lap machine. The drum is then returned to its first
position, and when put in motion a similar operation of straightening and
laying on the fibres is performed for the purpose of forming a fleece, which is
afterwards drawn off, as before described, which operations are continued as
often as required.
Having thus fully described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I claim as my Invention, and which, to the best of my
knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used within the realm, in that
part of Heilmann's or other similar combing machines which are used for
giving the reverse and direct, or backward and forward motion to the fluted
detaching roller.
Firstly, the employment of a disc having inclined teeth cut all round its
periphery, and also a catch with teeth of a similar form.
Secondly, the levers and wedge, and parts connected with them, for, releasing
the teeth of the catch from the teeth of the disc, and afterwards holding them
firmly together.
Thirdly, the peculiar form of cam plate which operates the foregoing
movements, and also its application to any description of combing machines.
And, fourthly, the improved machinery or apparatus for preparing fibrous
materials to be combed or carded, as all such improvements are herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Billington, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Edward Billington,
in the presence of
EDWARD BILLINGTON. (L.S.)
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.