Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1887
Complete Left, 10th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
We GEORGE ASHWORTH and ELIJAH ASHWORTH of the firm of Ashworth Brothers
of the Moss Brook Works, Collyhurst, Manchester in the County of Lancaster,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
we
Our Invention relates to the formation of cotton into laps. In ordinary practice
the cotton is formed into a sheet which is rolled up and in this condition the cotton is
fed to the machinery used in the preparation of the cotton for spinning as is well
understood. It is of great importance that the lap shall be uniforin in thickness and
density throughout its length. As the lap is supplied at a regular rate of feed to the
carding engine any want of uniformity in the thickness or density of the lap
would result in the production of sliver of varying thickness or density and this
variation would effect the regularity of the finished yarn. In the present practice
the desired uniformity in the lap is sought to be obtained by successive treatments in
the scutching machines several laps being fed into a machine together so as to average
the irregularities of the laps. It is generally considered that the staple of the
cotton is injured by excessive beating in the scutchers and this being so
have endeavoured to devise means for obtaining the desired regularity with
less than the ordinary treatment by scutchers or with such ordinary treatment
to obtain increased regularity. In the method which we have devised for the
purpose we feed the loose cotton into the upper end of a vertical trunk and
at the same time withdraw cotton from the lower end of the trunk the height of the
trunk being such as that the cotton at the lower end of the trunk will be compacted
as near as may be to an uniform density by the weight of the cotton above.
delivery mouth of the trunk revolving rollers draw out or receive and compress the
cotton and pass it onward to other rollers which deliver it to the lap rollers.
might employ several pairs of rollers so arranged as that each successive pair would
further compress the cotton and it may be draw out or extend the sheet of cotton
and also so that the sheet would be delivered in a horizontal direction by the last pair.
In formations which we now consider to be suitable to our purpose two opposite sides
of the trunk would be parallel the other two sides being inclined inward from the top
to the bottom or from a point below the top of the trunk to the bottom or nearly to
the bottom. We may arrange for any part of the inner surface of the trunk to
travel in a downward direction. We might make one or both of the two sides which
incline inward adjustable in respect of such inclination and we might arrange for
each or for a portion of each of such sides or of one of them to be vibrated to and
fro upon a fulcrum at its upper end to facilitate the compression of the cotton and
The 1
At the
We

page_text: the descent of the same within the trunk.
The cotton may be fed into the trunk by
hand or by suitable means or one or more cotton openers or beaters may deliver into
the trunk. We do not confine ourselves to the specified formations of the trunk
as the same may be made of such a form and of such proportions as are considered
or found to be advisable.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester,
Agents.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Forming
Laps of Cotton.
We GEORGE ASHWORTH and ELIJAH ASHWORTH of the firm of Ashworth
Brothers of the Moss Brook Works, Collyhurst, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings in
Our Invention relates to the formation of cotton into laps. In ordinary practice
the cotton is formed into a sheet which is rolled up and in this condition the cotton
is fed to the machinery used in the preparation of the cotton for spinning as is well
understood. It is of great importance that the lap shall be uniform in thickness and
density throughout its length. As the lap is supplied at a regular rate of feed to
the carding engine any want of uniformity in the thickness or density of the lap
would result in the production of sliver of varying thickness or density and this
variation would effect the regularity of the finished yarn. In the present practice
the desired uniformity in the lap is sought to be obtained by successive treatments in
the scutching machines several laps being fed into a machine together so as to average
the irregularities of the laps. It is generally considered that the staple of the
cotton is injured by excessive beating in the scutchers and this being so
we have
'endeavoured to devise means for obtaining the desired regularity with less than the
ordinary treatment by scutchers or with such ordinary treatment to obtain increased
regularity. In the method which we have devised for the purpose we feed the loose
cotton into the upper end of a vertical trunk and at the same time withdraw cotton
from the lower end of the trunk the height of the trunk being such as that the cotton

page_text: at the lower end of the trunk will be compacted as near as may be to an uniform
density by the weight of the cotton above. At the delivery mouth of the trunk
revolving rollers draw out or receive and compress the cotton and pass it onward to
other rollers which would deliver it to the lap roller. We might employ several pairs
of rollers so arranged as that each succeesive pair would further compress the cotton
and it may be draw out or extend the sheet of cotton and also so that the sheet would
be delivered in a horizontal direction by the last pair. We might make one or both
of the two sides which incline inward adjustable in respect of such inclination the
parallel ends of the trunk being also made adjustable and we might arrange for each
or for a portion of each of such sides or of one of them to be vibrated to and fro
upon a fulcrum at its upper end to facilitate the compression of the cotton and the
descent of the same within the trunk.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we will
now proceed more particularly to describe the same with reference to the annexed
sheet of drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the compacting trunk and withdrawing rollers.
Fig. 2 is a view of the back of the trunk and roller arrangement..
The trunk consists of a rectangular box or casing a of the proper dimensions.to
form a lap and made of any convenient or suitable material, for example of wood
or of sheet metal. The said casing should be of considerable height and is preferably
made of a tapering form as indicated at Fig. 1. The inclined sides might however
be made parallel or they might be made to incline in a direction opposite to that
shown in the drawing. In the drawing the trunk a is shown as passing up through two
floors of a mill or building but it might be made of the full height of the building or
of any convenient height so long as the column of cotton in the trunk is of sufficient
height and weight to give the desired compacting pressure at the foot of the trunk.
The trunk is filled with cotton from the top by hand or by other suitable means, or it
may be delivered into the trunk from one or more cotton openers or beaters. When
the trunk is full of cotton as shown in the drawing, the cotton is more closely
pressed together at the foot of the trunk than at the top by reason of the weight of the
column of cotton above. The column of cotton is kept at about the same height so
that the weight remains constant, from which it follows that the pressure at the point
of delivery likewise remains always the same. A weight or presser or plunger
actuated automatically might be employed to thrust the freshly fed cotton a short
distance down into the trunk from the top. The cotton is drawn from the foot of the
trunk by an arrangement of drawing and compressing rollers 6 which are of equal
diameter and are geared together to revolve in the direction indicated by the
arrows. The rollers are arranged opposite to each other and successively approach
each other more closely as they recede from the trunk as clearly indicated in the
drawings.
The cotton is led off at right angles to the height of the trunk and is gradually
reduced, extended and compressed into a lap or sheet of about the same width as the
depth of the trunk indicated in Fig. 2, as it passes between the rollers b. It then
passes between the compressing rollers c which are weighted to exert a due amount of
consolidating pressure on the cotton and is finally coiled upon the lap tube or roller d
by the action of the rollers e. A roller rests on the lap as it is coiled and rises as
the coiled lap increases in diameter. When the coiled lap has attained the usual
diameter, the web is cut, the coiled lap removed and a fresh lap tube or roller placed
between the rollers e and f. It will be evident that a greater or it might be a less
number of drawing and compressing rollers might be used than that shown in the
drawings. The rollers might also have successively differential speeds imparted to
them so as to draw out and extend the lap as well as to consolidate and compress it.
Instead of arranging the rollers in such a manner as to divert the withdrawn cotton
lap from a vertical into a horizontal plane as shown, the lower end of the trunk
might be curved as shown at Fig. 3 so that the cotton is diverted into a horizontal
plane before leaving the trunk and entering the rollers, and in some instances the
lap might be extended and coiled without leaving the vertical plane. Instead of

page_text: rollers as described we might use flat or curved surfaces actuated so as to withdraw
and compress the cotton from the trunk. If such an arrangement were found
necessary or advisable we might expedite the delivery of the cotton from the foot of
the trunk by imparting a vibratory motion to the side or sides of the trunk a at the
lower end. For example the portion a¹ of the trunk might be hinged at g and
oscillated by means of a lever h and link i from the rollers or any other convenient
moving part. One or both sides might be so hinged and vibrated. Instead of being
vibrated on a hinge or pivot we might vibrate one or both sides of the trunk in a
vertical plane, causing the said side or sides to slide up and down with the object of
assisting the descent of the cotton in the trunk. With the same object we might
arrange slowly revolving rollers at one or two or more points in the height of the
trunk, as indicated for example in dotted lines at j and k Fig. 1. These rollers by their
frictional contact with the column of cotton would assist its downward passage.
The trunk would be provided at several points with man-hole doors through
which the interior could be reached in case of need. We do not confine ourselves
to the particular form of trunk and arrangements of withrawing roller or other
mechanism specified as these are evidently capable of variation in many respects.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1.) In apparatus for forming cotton laps the employment of a high vertical trunk
or casing with parallel or inclined sides and open at the top and bottom into which
the cotton previously opened or scutched is introduced through the upper end, the
trunk or casing being of sufficient height to cause the lower part of the contained
column of cotton to be compressed with an equable and constant pressure by the
weight of the upper part of the column so as to cause the cotton to be delivered in an
uniform condition of density to the withdrawing and lap forming mechanism,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
(2.) In apparatus for forming cotton laps the vertical trunk or casing a of the
indicated forin or of the modified forms or constructions herein set forth in
combination with the means or mechanism for withdrawing the cotton from the
trunk and forming it into a coiled lap, substantially as herein before described
and shown.
(3.) In apparatus for forming cotton laps, the employment of a vertical trunk or
casing having a portion of one or of both of its sides capable of being vibrated on a
fulcrum or on fulcra or of being slid to and fro in a vertical plane or provided with
rollers to assist the downward progress of the contained column of cotton substantially
as herein before described and shown.
(4.) In apparatus of the indicated description for forming cotton laps the arrange-
ment of withdrawing, lap forming, compressing and coiling rollers and mechanism
substantially as described and shown.