IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SIZING AND DRESSING YARNS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lancaster, of Canstadt, in the Kingdom
of Wurtemburg, Empire of Germany, at present residing in
Accrington, and John Bullough, Machine Maker, also of Accring
ton, Lancashire, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR SIZING AND DRESSING YARNS."
Sealed the 26th April 1872, and dated the 6th March 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Lancaster and
John Bullough at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition and Declaration, on the 6th March 1872,
pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act,
1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
LANCASTER, of Canstadt, in the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, Empire of
Germany, at present residing in Accrington, and JOHN BULLOUGH,
Machine Maker, also of Accrington, Lancashire, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR SIZING AND DRESSING YARNS," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto us, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that we are the true and first Inventors thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Lancaster and John
Bullough, do hereby declare that the following Complete Specifica-
tion, under our hands and seals, fully describes and ascertains the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, in and by the following statement:-
The object contemplated by our Invention is not new, but in former
apparatus for effecting the object the yarn has been differently arranged
and the method of drying has been very distinct from the method we
propose. Thus in nearly all the yarn has been led in a single layer or
web, and the drying air could act upon such a layer efficiently only once.
And in more recent improvements the apparatus by which the air is
heated and forced into a current for the purpose of impinging upon the
yarn as in the Specification of a Patent granted to Colin Mather, of
Salford, on the Thirtieth May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy,
numbered 1575, is placed altogether outside the sizing machine, the air
being conveyed to the yarn through a confined channel.
By our improvements the yarn is led in numerous layers extending
from the sizing rollers to the weaver's beam, for which purpose we place
conducting rollers driven by the yarn, or driven independently so as to
aid in carrying it forward, but driven at a different speed from the yarn,
faster by preference, these rollers being so placed as to have a layer of
yarn in line with both top and bottom surfaces, and we set those on the
top of the machine at such distance from those guiding the layers of
yarn near the floor that sufficient space is left for placing a series of
revolving fans between the layers. These fans draw the air to them or
blow it from them; in either case the air passes through the layers of
yarn both above and below, and within the layers of yarn we also place
clusters of pipes heated with steam, or chests so heated for the purpose
of drying and heating the air on its passage to the layers of yarn.
We also modify this Invention by placing two large swifts or recls.
driven at the same rate as the conducting rollers and for the same reason,
round which the yarn is passed, and within these swifts or reels a

page_text: circular row of stationary steam pipes, and within the space inclosed by
the steam pipes a fan. We lead the yarn from the last of the swifts or
reels around a series of rollers as before described, with fans and steam
chests inclosed within the layers of yarns.
The part of the machine commonly called the headstock we arrange
much the same whichever form is adopted.
We also apply a pressure roller to the weaver's beam, varying in
length according to the length of the weaver's beam between the flanges.
This roller receives its pressure from a weighted lever, carrying at the
end supporting the roller before mentioned antifriction rollers. When
changing the weaver beam the weight is prevented falling by a catch
and ratchet wheel. We also employ a series of different sized wheels,
cast or otherwise, attached together, so that by sliding them on end the
speed of the machine can be varied without stopping.
Resting upon and receiving motion from the lower squeezing roller,
we apply a flannel covered roller rubbing upon the yarn; likewise a
brush independently driven contrary to the direction of the yarn. By
the joint action of these two instruments the yarn is better dressed than
hitherto. And for the purpose of aiding the squeezing rollers in
throwing back the size into the size box we place a flannel covered
bar resting upon either of the squeezing rollers. The bar is carried
by two arms supported by the arbor of the immersion roller.
And in order that our Invention may be more thoroughly understood
and more readily carried into effect, we will now proceed to describe the
same, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation in a plane taken through thé
middle of the sizing machine; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
In the above-named Drawings the yarn in the course of its passage
through the machine is represented by the letter y, which shows its
method of distribution in various layers, the method in which conducted,
and the distances apart. y¹, y³, are the squeezing rollers by which the
size is expressed from the yarn y³, y*, y³, yº, y', y³, yº, y, and y", leading
rollers driven by the yarn, or when driven independently aiding to drive
or draw the yarn forward, being driven at a different rate of speed from
the yarn, faster by preference. x¹, x³, x3, x, x³, x², and x³, a series of
steam chests by which the air is dried or heated before being thrown
upon the yarn; x³ is the steam pipe leading to the series of steam

page_text: chests, the discharge pipe therefrom; 21, 22, ³, z', are a series of
revolving fans driven by cone pulleys 5, 6, 27, 28, 29, 210, (so that the
speed may be easily varied,) by which fans the air is drawn to them or
thrown from them in either direction, passing through the yarn and
aiding to dry it. The action of the rollers and fans is continued up to t
the weaver's beam, the space before the part usually occupied by the
large cylinders (or headstock) being occupied with our drying arrange-
ments.
The position of the nine-inch roller w in front of the machine, as
determined in the Specification of a Patent granted to Henry Bernoulli 1
Barlow on the Eighteenth January, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy, being a communication from William Lancaster, permitting
this portion of the machine to be so utilized.
In the modification shewn on Fig. 3 the yarn y in issuing from
between the squeezing rollers passes round a large swift or recl a 1
turning loosely upon the outside of a closed frame carrying a series
of steam pipes c arranged in a circle, through the centre of which
steam pipe, frame b, we pass the arbor d of a fan e. The yarn leaving
the swift a passes round a conducting roller y", then to the conducting
roller ¹³, thence to 7", and onward to a similar swift a¹, having 2
the same arrangement of steam pipes and fan. Leaving the latter, the
yarn passes round another conducting roller 71, thence to a series of
conducting rollers y¹, y¹, y¹³, y", y, and around the ninc-inch roller w
and to the weaver's beam, as shewn in Figs. 1 & 2.
Within the space enclosed by the layers of yarn in front of the swifts
we place a similar series of steam chests and fans to those shewn in
Figs. 1 & 2, and described in conjunction therewith. vis a pressure
roller accommodated in length to the length between the flanges of the
weaver's beam and held against the weaver's beam by the weighted
lever and antifriction rollers 2, 3, by which presser the yarn is a
pressed against the weaver's beam and so hardened and levelled upon it;
vis a catch taking into the ratchet wheel vs by which the weight v* is
'prevented falling when the beam is being changed. u is a series of
different sized wheels fastened or cast together, so that when shifted on
end in one direction the machine may be driven at a quicker rate or
slowered when moved in a contrary direction, the wheel u¹ being altered
to suit the geering of the wheels by the bell crank lever a secured by
notches in the frame w³. Against the lower size squeezing roller y' we

page_text: place on an inclined rest a roller v³ covered with flannel, which turns in
a direction contrary to the course of the yarn, and also above this
roller and a little in advance thereof a brush v³, penetrating the passing
yarn and brushing it against the direction in which it is being carried.
The flannel covered roller turns by its own action upon the squeezing
roller. The brush is driven independently.
A modification of this is shown on Fig. 3, in which within a shed in
the yarn we place two flannel covered rollers v and vª instead of one
flannel covered roller, and a brush as shewn in Figs. 1 & 2; and instead
of driving the lower one by contact with the squeezing roller we drive
it by geering with the side shaft, and the second we drive by contact
with the first, both acting on the yarn in a manner contrary to its
direction.
By the action of the first of these two instruments we keep the yarn
and squeezing rollers in much cleaner condition, and by both we do
much more effective work in dressing the yarn. We also place at the
back of either squeezing roller a bar s covered with several thicknesses
of flannel pressing upon the surface of either roller and aiding the
action of these rollers in pressing back the size into the size trough and
in laying the fibres adhering to the yarn. This bar is attached by two
arms to the immersion roller in the size box 8', and can thereby be
lifted out of contact or put in contact when desired with the squeezing
rollers.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the
6 manner in which the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim
as secured to us thereby,—
Firstly. The manner described and shewn on Figs. 1 and 2, by which
the yarn is led from the squeezing rollers to the weaver's beam, and the
manner in which it presents multiple layers or thicknesses at each step
) in its progress, and between which layers the drying air is forced
longitudinally. We also claim the reels a and a¹ shewn on Fig. 3.
Secondly. We claim placing a series of revolving fans within the
space enclosed by the yarn, which fans draw in or blow air out through
the layers of yarn and aid in drying it as described.
Thirdly. We claim the arrangement and application of the revolving
presser as shewn and described, whereby we are enabled to accom-

page_text: modate different widths of weaver's beam with the greatest ease and
readiness, it being simply necessary to lift one roller out and put
another in its place according to the width required.
Fourthly. The change wheels for altering the rate of the working of
the machine shewn in reference to the letter u, the brush ve, and flannel
covered roller or rollers v³, vs, & v³, as described, and the flannel covered
bar & resting upon the back of the squeezing roller y¹, as described and
shewn.
Fifthly. We claim the method of driving the conducting rollers and
swifts one or all at a speed faster or slower than the yarn in order to
prevent size adhering to them and to prevent the formation of lappers.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Lancaster and John
Bullough, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day
of March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
WILLIAM LANCASTER. (L.S.)
JOHN BULLOUGH.
(L.S.)