Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
Figure 4* a seperate side view of a cam 19 and truck.
Figure 5 shows a separate left end view of a worm wheel and toothed change
wheels hereafter referred to.
Figure 6 shows in plan portions of a plain blade and its supporting bar.
Figure 7 shows in plan portions of a supporting bar and a number of narrow
blades.
Figure 8 shows a vertical sectional view of the supporting bar and blades looking
from the left end of the machine.
Figure 9 shows a portion of fabric as plaited by a plain edged blade.
Figure 10 shows a portion of fabric as plaited by a series of blades.
The circumference of the various toothed wheels are indicated by dotted circles,
the teeth being of the usual construction are only shown in the edge views.
The corresponding parts in each figure are indicated by the same figures where
necessary.
The improved plaiting machine consists of the following parts.
A bed plate 1 is supported by blocks 2 at a suitable height, two end standards 3
are bolted to the bed plate and form bearings for a cam shaft 4 at the back of the
machine, the left end of the shaft is provided with a loose pulley and a fast driving
pulley round which a belt is passed from a main shaft, the belt may be traversed
by a bar 5 provided with a handle at the right end and sliding in arms 5* secured
to the standards. The standards are slotted vertically at the centre and provided
with bearings for two pressing rollers 6 which are revolved simultaneously being
geared together by toothed wheels 7 secured on the left end of the roller axles.
Both rollers are hollow, the upper one being heated by steam admitted through a
supply pipe 8 at either end and escaping at the other end.
When thick fabrics are to be pleated the lower roller may be supplied with steam
in like manner if requisite.
The upper roller is pressed on to the lower one by a lever 8* at each end the
front end of each lever rocks on a pin in a fork projecting from the ends of a tie
bar 9 secured to the top of each standard, the lever resting on a vertical pin 10
projecting from the top of the roller bearing, the back end of each lever is notched
on its upper edge to receive the upper end of a hooked rod provided at its lower
end with a weight 11 "shown only at Figure 4."
The revolution of the lower roller is effected by toothed gearing shown partly
only at the right end of Figure 2 and at Figure 4 actuated as follows:-The axle
of the roller at the right end is provided with a bevel toothed wheel 12 driven by
a worm wheel 13 secured on a shaft 13* revolving in bearings secured to the right
1

page_text: end standard, the upper end of the shaft 13* carries a mitre toothed wheel 14
gearing into a similar wheel 15 secured to the boss of a straight toothed wheel 16
both revolving on an axle projecting from the standard the wheel 16 engages with
a toothed wheel 17 revolving on an axle carried by an arm 17* secured to the
standard, the wheel 17 engages with a wheel 18 secured on the right end of the
cam shaft 4.
The cam shaft also carries two cams 19 between the end standards "shown only
by dotted lines at Figures 3 and 4" a side view of one cam being shown at
Figure 4*.
Each cam operates a truck bearing lever 20 rocking on an axle projecting from
a bracket 20 secured to the tie bar connecting the standards, the front end of the
lever 20 carries an axle pin on which a link 21 rocks, its lower end being hinged
to a link 22 rocking on an axle projecting from a bracket bearing 23 secured to and
rocking with a shaft 24 carried at each end by the lower end of a bearing arm 25
secured to a tie rod 25 the upper end of the bearing arm is secured to a shaft 26
rocking in bearings in the end standards. The bracket bearings 23 carry a bar 27
the length of the pressing rollers 6, to the top of the bar a single bevel edged
blade 28 the length of the rollers is secured "partly shown in plan at Figure 6,"
the blade 28 is only used when straight plaiting is made across the fabric as shown
at Figure 9. When waved plaiting is required to be made the bar 27 is removed
from the bracket bearings 23 and a bar 27* substituted, this bar is provided across
its whole length with stop bits 29 between and against which narrow bevel pointed
blades 28 are secured "partly shown in plan at Figure 7, and an edge view at
Figure 8," portion of the plaiting being shown at Figure 10. The rocking of the
bracket bearings 23 cause the blade or blades to be alternately lifted clear of the
fabric to be plaited and then pressed on to it.
In addition to the above described movements the blade or blades are moved
towards and from the pressing rollers by the following means:-At the centre of
the machine the shaft 26 has an arm 30 secured on it provided with a curved slot
in which an axle 31 may be adjusted vertically, the axle engages with a link 32
screw threaded at its back end and provided with lock nuts to adjust it in the arm
of an excentric 33 secured on the cam shaft as shown at Figures 1, 2, 3.
The pressure of the blade or blades upon the fabric to be plaited is ensured,
except when lifted by the operation of the cam 19, by coiled springs 23* hooked at
their lower end on to pins projecting from the end bracket bearings 23 and at their
upper end on to the front hooked ends of the truck bearing levers 20 as shown at
Figures 1, 2 and 3.
When fabrics are required to be plaited across their width for portions of their
length alternately with plain unplaited portions, the apparatus employed consists of
a worm wheel 34 secured on the cam shaft and gearing into a toothed wheel 35
"shown at Figures 1 and 5" secured on a short shaft revolving in a bearing
bracket 35* secured to the top of the tie bar 9, the wheel 35 gears into and drives
a toothed wheel 36 secured to the front side of a third toothed wheel 37 engaging
with a wheel 38 secured on the back end of a shaft revolving in bearings projecting
from the tie bar, and provided at its front end with a cam 39 which operates a
truck bearing lever 40 rocking on a stud at its left end projecting from an arm
secured to the tie bar, the right end of the lever is hooked to receive the upper end
of a link 41 the lower end rocking on an axle projecting from an intermediate
bracket bearing 23 secured to and rocking with the shaft 24.
The cam 39 has one half its circumference of greater diameter than the other
half, while the lowest half of the cam 18 under the truck, the spring 23* hold the
blade or blades onto the fabric while it is being plaited, when the highest half of
the cam is under the truck, the blade or blades being held up above the fabric the
pressing rollers 6 pass it between them without it being plaited.
When the fabric is required to be plaited its whole length the link 41 is
unhooked from the lever 40 and hooked on to an arm 41* projecting from the tie
bar 9 thereby preventing the cam 39 from lifting the blade or blades.

page_text: While the fabric to be plaited is being placed in the machine the blade or blades
are lifted by another link 41 its lower end rocking on an axle projecting from a
the
second intermediate bracket bearing 23 "shown at Figures 2 and 5 upper
end of the link rocks on an axle projecting from a disk 42 secured on a shaft 43
carried by bearings secured to the tie bar, and provided with a handle 44 for use
of the attendant.
When longer and deeper waved plaiting is required the blades 28* are removed
and broader bevel pointed blades are substituted. And when the width of the
plain or waived plaits is required larger than those shown at Figures 9 and 10 the
axle 31 in the slotted arm 30 is adjusted nearer to the shaft 26.
While the cam 39 revolves once the worm wheel 34 and cam shaft revolve
eighteen times making nine plaits on one-half the cam and not plaiting on the
other half of the cam. When a greater or less number of plaits are required in a
given length of fabric it is effected as follows:
The wheels 36 and 37 revolve on an axle projecting from a slotted arm 37"
adjustable on a stud projecting from the upper end of the bearing bracket 35*.
The wheels 36 and 37 being changed for wheels of a smaller diameter for a greater
number of plaits, or for wheels of a larger diameter for a less number of plaits.
Beneath the bracket bearings are three rollers 45 carried by arms 46 secured to
the end standards, the front roller being covered by carding or other suitable rough
anaterial, beneath the central roller is a curved sheet of iron 47 supported by arms
secured to a gas or gas and air supply pipe 48 perforated for jets in the usual way,
the pipe 48 being carried by two hooked brackets secured to the arms 46.
The plaiting is effected as follows:-A piece of calico or linen 49 is dipped in
water and passed between the rollers of a mangle, one end of it is placed under the
kufe or knives and between the pressing rollers 6 the fabric 50 to be plaited being
placed upon it, the calico and fabric as they are drawn to the pressing rollers pass
over the rollers 45 above the gas heated curved plate 47, the heat from which
partly dries the calico, the steam arising from the calico 49 damps the fabric 50
both being folded as the blade 28 or the blades 28* are moved inwards as shown at
Figure 8 until the pressing rollers 6 draw the plaited fabrics clear of the blades as
they are moved outward, the blades being raised during the outward movement and
then pressed onto the fabric ready for the inward movement to make the next
plait.
The drying of the fabrics being completed as they pass through the pressing
rollers.
The four movements of the knives being effected by the combined action of the
two cams 19 and the excentric 33 carried oy the cam shaft.
After the whole length of fabric has been plaited the dried calico is stripped
from the plaited fabric and again wetted and passed between the mangle rollers to
be ready for damping the next length of fabric to be plaited.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction and employment in plaiting machines of two cams 19 truck
bearing levers 20 connected by links 21, 22 to bearing brackets 23 carrying a
bar 27 provided with a series of blades 28*, the two cams causing the blades to
be raised and lowered substantially as described for the purpose specified.
2. The construction and employment in plaiting machines of a shaft 24 provided
with bearing brackets 23 and rocking in arms 25 said arms being secured to and
rocking with a shaft 26 carrying a slotted arm 30 at the centre of its length in
which an axle 31 may be adjusted vertically, the axle engaging with a link 32
adjustable in the arm of an excentric 33, secured on the cam shaft, causing the
blades 28* to be moved to and from pressing rollers substantially as described for
the purpose specified.
3. The construction and employment in plaiting machines of a worm wheel 34

page_text: secured on the cam shaft to drive a train of toothed wheels 35, 36, 37, and 38 for
revolving a cam 39 operating a truck bearing lever 40 carrying a link 41 connected
to a bearing bracket 23, one half of the cam allowing the blades 28* to fall on to
the fabric while it is being plaited, the other half of the cam lifting the blades clear
of the fabric where it is not to be plaited substantially as described for the purpose
specified.
4. The construction and employment in plaiting machines of three rollers 45
carried by arms 46 "the front roller being covered with carding" for supporting
the fabric to be plaited, and a curved sheet of iron 47 heated by gas or gas and air
jets substantially as described for the purpose specified and illustrated in the
drawings annexed.
Dated this Seventeenth day of May 1895.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.