IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND CLEANING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Charles Edwards, Engineer, of the Sun
Iron Works, Manchester, and JOHN TAFT, Engineer, of the Sun Iron
Works, Manchester, for the Invention of “ IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
Scaled the 25th July 1873, and dated the 30th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Charles Edwards
and John Taft at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 30th January 1873.
We, JOHN CHARLES EDWARDS, Engineer, of the Sun Iron Works,
Manchester, and JoHN TAFT, Engineer; of the Sun Iron Works,
Manchester, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND CLEANING COTTON OR OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIAL," to be as follows:-
In the use of self-acting regulators to preparing machines as now
applied the strap guides have a tendency to vibrate considerably, and by
that means move the strap about on the speed cones, and so interfere
with the proper regulation of the feed motion. The means at present

page_text: adopted for altering the speed of the feed motion when changing from
onc class of cotton to another is also very inconvenient, and involves
considerable loss of time in effecting the same. In those cases where
.
the roller and shell are at present used the feed roller not being held
well to the surface of the cotton under all the varying circumstances, i
there is a great tendency to what is technically termed "plucking,"
thereby impairing the efficiency and sensitiveness of the same as a means
of regulating and feeding the cotton or other fibrous material under
operation. To remedy theso defects and effect our improvements, we
construct the two strap guides of the regulator as lovers geared together 1
by means of and forming part of two quadrants, cither one of which is
constructed with or has attached a pinion, which pinion takes into and is
actuated by a worm fitted on to a shaft, such shaft being fixed as con-
venience may require. On this shaft is fitted a clutch box o, part of
which is keyed or otherwise made fast to the shaft, and part made
capable of turning loosely thereon when not in gear. This loose part is
formed with a toothed pinion which gears into and is actuated by a
quadrant lever, such lover being attached by a link or other suitable
means to the ordinary moveable levers deriving their motion from the
rise and fall of the feed roller or rollers, according to the varying
thicknesses of cotton or other fibre passing between them. The loose
part of the clutch box is held in gear with the fast portion thereof by
means of a spring, screw, or other suitable appliance at any relative point
of their circumferences, so that by the simple operation of taking the
clutch box out of gear at one point and putting it in at another the speed
of the feed motion will be instantly altered; the amount of alteration
being indicated by means of a dial or other index connected with tho
clutch box or other of the moveable parts.
We construct the roller and shell so that by the use of weighted arms
attached to the bearings at suitable angles the roller will be borne
forwards towards the face of the shell during its rise and fall, thus
keeping the rollers well pressed on to the surface of the cotton or other
fibre as it is being delivered to the beater, thereby preventing what is
technically termed "plucking."
We also construct for feeding and regulating purposes a corrugated
bar or plate with one or more rollers, which bar or plate may be placed
either above or below the roller or rollers. The corrugations of the
roller or rollers taking or working into those of the bar or plate.

page_text: We also construct in the preparing machinery a lubricator for the
bearings of the revolving parts thereof, but this lubricator can be applied
to various other machinery and purposes. On the outer end of a bearing,
and covering the same or a portion thereof, we fix a resorvoir or shell,
which by preference we make conical with an opening or lid, by means
of which the parts can be examined without removing the shell. A
ring or dasher is attached to the shaft outside the bearing and within
the shell for the purpose when in motion of lifting the oil or other
lubricating material to the top of that portion of the bearing covered by
the shell where a passage is made communicating with the shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Charles Edwards and John Taft in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 29th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, JOHN
CHARLES EDWARDS, Engineer, of the Sun Iron Works, Manchester, and
JOHN TAFT, Engineer, of the Sun Iron Works, Manchester, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said John Charles Edwards and
John Taft, Her special licence that we, the said John Charles Edwards
and John Taft, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said John Charles Edwards and John Taft, our 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, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND CLEANING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Charles
Edwards and John Taft, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-

page_text: 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 we, the said John Charles Edwards and John
Taft, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of these improvements are as follows:—
Self-acting regulators in preparing machines as now applied have as
regards the strap guides when in use a tendency to vibrato considerably,
and by that means move the strap about on the speed cones, and so
interfere with the proper regulation of the feed motion. The means at
present adopted for altering the speed of the feed motion when changing
from one class of cotton to another have been found very inconvenient
as involving considerable loss of time in effecting the same. In those
cases where the roller and shell are at present used, the feed roller not
being held well to the surface of the cotton under all circumstances,
there is a great tendency to what is technically termed "plucking,"
thereby impairing the efficiency and sensitiveness of the same as a means
of regulating and feeding the cotton or other fibrous material. For
removing these defects in which our objects consist, and thus carry out
our improvements, we adopt the following arrangements:-We construct
the two strap guides of the regulator as levers geared together by means
of two quadrants containing several small teeth, or it may be one large
tooth and recess only, cither of which quadrants is constructed with or
has attached unto it a pinion, which pinion takes into and is actuated by
a worm fitted on to a shaft, such shaft being fixed as convenience may
require. On this shaft is fitted a clutch box of suitable construction,
part of which is keyed or otherwise made fast to the shaft, and part
made capable of turning loosely thereon when not in gear. This loose
part is formed with a toothed pinion which gears into and is actuated by
a quadrant lever, such lover being attached by a link or other suitable
means to the ordinary moveable weight levers deriving their motion
from the rise and fall of the feed roller or rollers, according to the
varying thickness of cotton or other fibrous material passing between
them. The loose part of the clutch box is held in gear with the fast
portion thereof by means of a spring, screw, or other suitable appliance at
any relative point of their circumference, so that by the simple operation

page_text: of taking the clutch box out of gear at one point and putting it in at
another the speed of the feed motion is altered immediately. The
amount of alteration being indicated by means of a dial or other index
connected with the clutch box or forming part of the same or other of
the moveable parts.
We construct the roller and shell in such a manner that by the use
of weighted arms attached to moveable bearings at suitable angles the
roller will be borne forwards towards the face of the shell during its rise
and fall, thus keeping the roller well pressed on to the surface of the
cotton or other fibre as it is being delivered to the beater, thereby
preventing what is technically termed "plucking."
We also construct as another improved arrangement for feeding and
regulating purposes a corrugated bar or plate with one or more rollers,
which bar or plate may be placed either above or below the roller or
rollers. The corrugations of the plate taking or working into those of
the roller. This corrugated bar may be so constructed that one or both
edges only shall be corrugated or serated; or its corrugations may extend
transversally the entire width.
We also construct as a further improvement in preparing machinery a
lubricator for the bearings of the revolving parts thereof, but this lubri-
cator can be applied to various other machinery and purposes. On the
outer end of a bearing we fix a reservoir or shell, which by preference
wo make conical, with an opening or lid, by means of which the parts
can be examined without removing the shell. A ring or dasher is fixed
on the shaft outside the bearing and within the shell for the purpose
when in motion of lifting the oil or other lubricating material to the top
of that part of the bearing covered by the shell, wherein a passage is
made communicating with the shaft.
But that the Invention may be fully understood, we will by the aid
of the accompanying Drawings procced to describe means pursued by us
for carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
•

page_text: roller; Fig. 6, an end view of a portion of the same; Fig. 7, an end
view; and Fig. 8, a longitudinal section of the lubricator attachment. In
each of these views the same letters indicate corresponding parts
wherever they occur.
A, A, indicates portions of the framing; B, B, are the two strap
guides of the regulator geared together by means of pinion quadrants b', b',
one of which takes into the worm C on the shaft c'. On this shaft is
fixed the clutch box D; part of which d' is capable of turning loosely on
the shaft c¹, and part slides on the key c³ made fast to the said shaft c',
and is held in gear at any suitable point d by means of the spring c³.
In this arrangement the index is formed on the circumference of the
clutch box. The loose part of the clutch box is formed with the toothed
pinion d³ which gears into the quadrant lever E, the opposite end of
which lever is attached by link F, and the cross bar G to one of
the ordinary moveable weight levers 7' deriving its motion from the
rise and fall of the feed rollers. I, II, is the bearing carrying the
roller ' which is made to press forward towards the shell I by a weight
suspended by the link ³ from the arm. This bearing is carried on a
shaft K which is capable of rising and falling in the slot with the
varying thickness of fibre passing through between the feed roller ' and
the shell I. L is the corrugated plate into which the corrugated roller
M works. This arrangement shews the plate or bar corrugated entirely
from one edge to the other, but it may be corrugated or scrated on one
or both edges only without departing from the nature of our Invention.
N, N, is the bearing of the feed roller prepared for the lubricating
attachment; O is the conical shell; P is the ring or dasher made
fast to the shaft, which ring or dasher when in motion lifts the
oil out of the reservoir formed by the space R on to the upper surface of
the bearing, where passages n', n', are made communicating with tho
shaft. S is the lid which is formed with a projecting plate s' for the
purpose of obstructing the oil in the circular motion given to it by the
ring or dasher revolving with the shaft.
Having thus described our improvements, and means which we adopt
in carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the exact details shown and described, as
variations may be made in them without departing from the peculiar
character of our Invention, but what we claim is,—
First. The employment in self-acting regulators of strap guides geared

page_text: up by means of quadrants or pinions to a worm on a shaft carrying a
clutch box in communication with the feed motion, and capable of being
readily taken in and out of gear, so that a change of its relative position
will alter the speed of the feed motion (such alteration being shown by
means of an index or not), in manner substantially as described.
Second. The employment of weighted arms or their equivalents
attached to the feed roller bearings, in such manner as will incline the
roller to the face of the shell during delivery, in manner substantially as
described.
Third. The employment of a corrugated plate or bar in conjunction
with a roller or rollers, in manner substantially as described.
And, lastly. The employment of a lubricator for the bearings of such
and various other machines formed of a ring or dasher fixed to the shaft
outside the bearing, and lifting the lubricant therewith during motion to
the top of the bearing, and enclosed in a shell or reservoir which also
covers the whole or a part of the bearing, in manner substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, wc, the said John Charles Edwards and Jolin
Taft, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Twenty-fourth
day of July in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-three.
Witness.
5
WILLIAM GADD,
JOHN CHARLES EDWARDS. (L.S.)
JOHN TAFT.
(L.S.)
Consulting Engincer,
Agent to the Patentees,
1, Corporation Street,
Manchester.