IM- DRAREMENTS IN THE MODE OR CURLING HORSE HAIR AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Nightingale, of Wardour Street, Soho, in the
County of Middlesex, Bedding Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
DRAREMENTS IN THE MODE OR CURLING HORSE HAIR AND OTHER MATERIALS".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Nightingale at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
March 1854.
I, CHARLES NIGHTINGALE, of Wardour Street, Soho, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Bedding Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF CURLING HORSE HAIR AND OTHER
MATERIALS to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in combining the two processes of spinning and
"buttoning," (which together constitute that of curling,) in such a manner as
to admit of the "buttoning" being carried on without stopping the spinning,
instead of the usual practice of spinning and "buttoning" alternately. And
the means by which this effect is produced consists of a spindle mounted
within a wheel, to which rotary motion is imparted; the material to be spun
being wound round the spindle, and the end carried to a revolving reel or
other suitable contrivance, so that as the material is supplied to the spindle at
one side of the revolving wheel it becomes spun, and is delivered from the
spindle at the other side in a spun state, and as it is so delivered becomes

page_text: further twisted or "buttoned" by means of the separate revolution imparted to
the reel or other contrivance on which it is wound or to which it is attached.
The material to be spun may be supplied to the spindle either by hand or by
any well-known mechanical means, and the motion may be imparted to the
revolving wheel, as well as that to the reel or other contrivance for "buttoning,"
either by manual labour or by mechanical power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Nightingale in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th September 1854.
'
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
NIGHTINGALE, of Wardour Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Bedding
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Nightingale, Her special license that I, the said Charles Nightingale,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Nightingale, my executors, administrators, 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 THE MODE OF
CURLING HORSE HAIR AND OTHER MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Nightingale, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Nightingale, 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,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Mode of Curling Horse Hair and
other Materials," has for its object the substitution of mechanical means for

page_text: carrying on the operation which has hitherto been conducted by hand, and
consists in combining the two processes of spinning and "buttoning," (which
together constitute that of curling,) in such a manner as to admit of the
"buttoning" being carried on without stopping the spinning, instead of the
usual practice of spinning and " buttoning" alternately. And the means
by which this effect is produced consists of a spindle mounted within a
wheel or pulley, to which rotary motion is imparted; the material to be
spun being wound round the spindle, and the end carried to a revolving
reel or other suitable contrivance, so that as the material is supplied to the
spindle at one side of the revolving wheel or pulley it becomes spun, and is
delivered from the spindle in a spun state, and as it is so delivered becomes
further twisted or "buttoned" by means of the separate revolution imparted
to the reel or other contrivance on which it is wound or to which it is
attached.
"
These essential portions of the mechanism employed for spinning and
buttoning" may be differently combined with other portions subsidiary
thereto, for the purpose of regulating the varying speeds required to be given
to the former, so as to ensure the proper delivery of the material as it is spun,
and also its further twisting or "buttoning," and winding on the reel in a
curled state. The material to be spun may be supplied to the spindle either
by hand or by any well-known mechanical means, and the motion may be
imparted to the revolving wheel or pulley, as well as to the reel or other con-
trivance for "buttoning," either by manual labor or by mechanical power.
In order, however, that my Invention may be fully understood, I will
proceed to describe an arrangement of mechanism and mode by which it
may be readily carried into effect, referring for the purpose to the accom-
panying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevation of such mechanism;
Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal and transverse sections in the lines A... B,
and C... D, of Fig. 4 respectively. Fig. 4 is a plan or horizontal view
of the same, some of the parts being removed. Fig. 5 represents de-
tached on a larger scale a portion of the mechanism, partly in section,
so as to exhibit with more clearness the course of the material under
operation. In all these Figures the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts. a is the framework or standards of the machine;
6 is the driving shaft, with its ordinary fast and loose pullies c, c*. On
this shaft is mounted a pulley d, a strap from which drives the pulley e,
and thereby gives motion to the weighted feed rollers f, f, through the bevil
wheels g and spur wheels g*. On the shaft b is mounted another pulley h,
which with its strap drives the smaller pulley i, and thereby gives motion to

page_text: the spindle j, round which the material proceeding from the rollers f, f, is
passed. I have shewn in the Drawing the pullies h and i, in the proportion
of three to one, but this proportion may be varied. On the shaft b is also
mounted another pulley k, which with its strap drives the smaller pulley 7. The
proportion between the pullies k and 7 is shewn as six to one, so that the pulley
I will be driven at twice the velocity of the pulley i, but this may be varied.
The pullies i and I are shewn as mounted upon the same hollow shaft m; but
it is to be observed that the pulley i turns loosely thereon, while the pulley is
keyed firmly thereto, so as to give motion to the said shaft. On the end of this
shaft m is mounted a frame n, in which are contained three sheaves or pulleys
0, 0, 0, over which is passed the material under operation as it proceeds from
the spindle along the hollow shaft m. The frame n has a pivot n on its
further end from the shaft m, which turns in bearings in the framework, so
that the said frame receives rotary motion from the shaft m, and further twists
the material as it comes from the spindle. The material is taken up from the
sheaves.or pullies o, o, and wound upon the reel q, to which the end of the same
has been attached.
This reel is screwed on the end of a hollow shaft r, passing through the pivot
of the frame n, and its rotary motion is retarded as required for the winding
on of the material by means of the friction clutch s, or, if preferred, the reel
may be separately driven by regulating speed pullies from the driving shaft b, so
as to receive therefrom its required motion relatively to the frame n. The reel
turns loosely upon the horizontal rod t, fixed in its position by the set screw u,
such rod being withdrawn after unscrewing the screw u, when it is required to
remove the reel.
vis a pulley on the shaft b, through which motion is given to the pulley w
and shaft x, carrying the worm y, which by taking into the worm wheel z, gives
motion to the shaft 1. On this shaft is mounted the wheel 2, having teeth on
a portion of its circumference, as shewn, which teeth take into the pair of racks
3, working between guides in the frame. By means of this arrangement the
reel is worked slowly backwards and forwards, the teeth on the wheel 2
taking into the upper and lower racks alternately. The friction clutch s is
fixed, as shewn, to the rack frame.
The continuous process of spinning and "buttoning" may be carried on by.
means of this mechanism in the following manner:-A roving of the material
being supplied from the can of a roving machine to the feed rollers f, f, or it
being spun or delivered to the spindle j by hand, is spun by the revolution of
the spindle, and passing on therefrom is further twisted or "buttoned" by the
more rapid rotation of the frame n, and wound upon the reel q, in the manner

page_text: described; the velocity of the reel being lessened, and a slow backward and
forward motion being imparted to it for the purpose. Hence, it will be seen,
that the material (which I prefer to be in the form of a roving), by being sup-
plied to the spindle becomes spun, and as it is delivered therefrom "buttoned"
and wound on the reel in a curled state by one continuous mechanical opera-
tion. As soon as the reel becomes filled it is removed, and an empty one
substituted.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not mean
or intend to confine myself to the precise forms and arrangements of the
portions of mechanism represented and described, neither do I claim as of my
Invention any of such portions otherwise than as combined with the spindle
and "buttoning" apparatus, for the purpose of producing the continuous
spinning and "buttoning," as described; but what I do claim as of my
Invention is,
First, the curling of horse hair and other materials by combining the
ordinary processes of spinning and "buttoning" in one continuous mechanical
operation.
And, secondly, the use of the spindle and "buttoning" apparatus for the
purpose, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Nightingale, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
5 Witness,
WILLIAM SPENce,
50, Chancery Lane.
CHARLES NIGHTINGALE. (L.S.)