CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR HACK- LING, DRESSING, OR COMBING, FLAX, HEMP, TOW, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1828

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
TAYLOR, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster, Flax Dresser, send
grecting.
WHEREAS IIis most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-ninth day of
March, in the ninth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said
Peter Taylor, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, His special licence and authority
that I, the said Peter Taylor, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, should and
lawfully might, during the term of fourteen years therein mentioned, make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, a certain Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR HACK-
LING, DRESSING, OR COMBING, FLAX, HEMP, TOW, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;"
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, the
Peter Taylor, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in which manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months then next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent,
that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages thereby
granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the
same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Peter Taylor, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed and carried into effect, is
described and clearly shewn by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the
following description.
In the annexed Drawings the same letters and figures in the different views
and sections represent the same parts throughout, and the scale to which the
several sections and views are drawn is marked on each Sheet.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, of the annexed Drawings, represents a side view of
a hackling machine constructed with my improvements in machinery for
hackling, dressing, or combing, flax, hemp, tow, and other fibrous materials.
And these improvements consist of certain arrangements of machinery in
which the flax or other fibrous material is submitted to the action of the
hackles. These arrangements or parts of machinery constitute the machine
represented at Figure 1; Figure 2 is a plan of the same machine; Figure 3,
Sheet 2, is a side view seen in the opposite direction to Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is an end view of the same machine. In describing this machine
I shall divide the action of its different parts into four movements,-first, the
movement by which the strick or portion of flax is gradually lowered and
brought in contact with the hackles; secondly, the movement of the hackles;
thirdly, the arrangement of parts or movements by which the hackles are
cleared or freed from the tow collected in them; and, fourthly, the movement
by which the strick of flax is withdrawn from the action of the hackles when
finished. Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, Sheet 2, represent the different parts
of a holder or clamp in which the strick of flax is firmly placed preparatory to
taking it to the machine. Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, are various views of tho
same part of the holder or clamp, and it is across this part that the strick of
flax is regularly spread or divided between the projecting screws a, a, a, a, a.
Figures 11 and 12 are side and end views of a part of the holder or clamp
which fits immediately on to the part 7, receiving the screws a, a, a, a, a,
through the corresponding apertures b, b, b, b, b. Figure 13 represents five
nuts, which are then placed on the screws a, a, a, a, a, in order to hold the
parts 7 and 11 firmly together, the strick of flax being first placed between
them. This part of the operation is performed by boys or others whose business
it is to supply the machine with flax or other material thus placed in holders
or clamps. By reference to Figure 4, the position in which the strick of flax
is placed will be seen at the hooks B, B, where one of the holders marked A
is suspended, and from which the flax bangs down in a perpendicular position.

page_text: In reference to Figures 1 and 2, C, C, are fast and loose pullies, by means of
which the machine is driven by a strap, or otherwise, from any adequate first
moving power, and from the fast pulley power is conveyed by means of the
shaft D to the train of wheels E, F, G, H, I, K, see Figure 3, and through
the perpendicular shaft L, to the bevels M and N, which last is firmly fixed to
the shaft or roller O. This roller O passes across the machine, as seen in
plan, Figure 2, and carries the two pinions P, P, which gear into the racks
Q, Q, see Figure 1 and Figure 4; these racks move freely in a perpendicular
direction, being steadied or held by the friction rollers 7, 9, 9, as seen at
Figures 1, 3, and 5; and it is by means of the action of the pinion P, P, on
the racks Q, Q, that the horizontal bar R to which they are attached is
gradually lowered along with the holder A containing the strick of flax; and
it is this gradual or progressive lowering, effected by the train of movements
herein-before described, which I call the first movement of the machine.
Opposite, and parrallel to the roller O, which revolves along with the pinions
P, P, is a flat bar S, as seen at Figure 2, Sheet 1, placed in an oblique
direction, having its lower edge even with the lower surface of the cylinder O;
and it is between the edge of the part S and the cylinder O that the strick
of flax is gradually drawn by the revolving cylinder O, as it is lowered by the
bar R, as herein-before described. The parts S and O also serve to steady or
hold firm the strick of flax at the time when the hackle is inserted into it, as
will be hercin-after described.
The second movement of this machine, or that by which the hackle is
inserted into the strick of flax and drawn through it for the purpose of
dressing or hackling, is effected in the following manner :-T, T, Figures 1
and 2, represent hackles of the ordinary construction, which are firmly
fixed or attached to the parts U. On reference to the Plan Figure 2,
it will be seen that the part U, U, with the hackles attached to them, are
parallel with the roller O and the part S between which the flax is con-
ducted, and also that they are held in this parallel position by the arms
V, V, V, V, which arms are connected to cranks on the shafts W, W. On
referring to Figure 1, it will also be seen that the arms V, V, V, V, are also
connected to the cranks on the lower shaft D by means of the part X. Now
the shafts W, W, and the shafts D, D, are revolved at an equal and regular
speed by means of the train of wheels marked Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Figures 1
and 2, and it is by the revolution of the cranks placed on the shafts D, D,
that the perpendicular or up and down motion of the hackles for the purpose
of hackling is effected at the same time that the horizontal or back and forth

page_text: motion of the hackles for the purpose of inserting them into the strick of flax
at the commencement of the downward stroke of the hackles, and withdrawing
them at the end or lowest point of the stroke, is effected by means of the
cranks on the shafts W, W. Thus, supposing the wheels Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y,
to revolve in the direction of the arrows on their periphery, it will be seen by
reference to Figure 1, that the hackle on the lower arm V, are in the act of
receding from the strick flax by means of the crank on the shaft W to which
it is attached, while the upper arm V, with the hackle with which it is con-
nected is forced forward towards the strick of the flax by means of the cranks
on the shaft W to which it is attached.
The third movement of this machine, or that by which the hackles are
cleared of the tow which accumulates upon them, is effected by a part shewn
at Figure 14, Sheet 2, in a side view, and in plan at Figure 15. This part is
constructed of thin sheet iron, or other suitable material, and holes being made
through the wood of the hackles and the part U to which they are attached,
the rods c', c', are inserted therein in the position best seen at Figure 4,
where part of the hackle teeth are omitted for the purpose of shewing the
position of the part 14 and 15. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the rod c,
which is attached to the part c' by means of a connecting rod t, see Figure 2,
passes at the back of the hackles, will be seen connected by a small stud at
the opposite end to the rod d, d. This rod d is also attached to the lever V,
and passes at its lower extremity through the loop or guide E; and it will be
seen at Figure 1, that when the part V and the hackles are at their greatest
elevation or the commencement of the stroke, the clearer is by the position of
the rods d, c, held back and placed at the bottom of the hackle pins, leaving
them free to enter the flax; but as soon as the hackles arive at their lowest
position, or the end of the stroke, that the rods c and d become so situated
as to force forward the clearer, and deliver the tow from the hackles. The
tow thus freed from the hackles is allowed to fall through apertures in the
floor, as shewn by red lines, beneath Figure 1.
The fourth or last movement of this machine is that by which the bar R,
which carries the holders along with the flax, is elevated or raised at the
termination of the downward traverse of the racks Q, Q. By reference to
Figures 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that the upper part of the shaft L is
steadied or held by a lever f.f, which vibrates freely on its fulcrum g; and also
that there are bevels placed immediately above and below this vibrating lever,
the lower one of which gears into the bevel N, and produces the downward
motion of the racks Q, Q, as seen in Figure 4, while the upper one marked m

page_text: runs free; but as soon as the racks Q, Q, and bar R shall have lowered
sufficiently to hackle the whole of the strick, the stop h, which is fixed by a
set screw on a perpendicular rod connected and moving along with the racks,
strikes a projection / from the forked piece k, k, k, which is vibrated in the
direction shewn by dots at Figure 4, and the end of the lever f,f, already
mentioned, being within the fork of the part k, k, k, is carried in the opposite
direction, and the wheels M and N thrown out of gear. At the same time,
and by the same action of the part k, k, k, on the lever f, f, which throws the
wheels M and N out of gear, the mitre wheels m and n are thrown into gear.
By reference to Figure 6, the parts now being described will be seen on a
larger scale, where the same letters aro retained to indicate the same parts.
Attached to the bevil a, which runs loose on the shaft O, is a pulley, which is
acted on by a weight seen at p, Figures 3 and 4. By means of this weight, the
stop or pin at the back of the pulley, as seen at Figure 6, is held up to or
made constantly to follow a corresponding stop connected with the shaft O.
When the bevels m and n are thrown into gear by the downward traverse of
the racks Q, Q, by the means already described, the wheel n has to make
one entire revolution before the stop at the back of the pulley comes in
contact with the opposite side of the corresponding stop, which it had followed by
means of the weight p; and during the period of the revolution of the wheel n,
the pinion P, along with the racks Q, Q, remain at rest, thereby allowing time
for that part of the strick of flax which is nearest to the holder to be effectually
hackled. As soon as the bevil n has made one revolution, and brought the
pin on the back of the pulley annexed to it to the position seen in Figure 6, it
carrys the shaft O along with it, which, acting by means of the pinions P, P,
on the racks Q, Q, in the manner already described, elevates it to its former
position, when the operator removes the holder A, and replaces them by other
holders containing a fresh portion to be hackled. At this period of the
operation, or when the racks Q, Q, are at their greatest elevation, the position
of the forked piece k is reversed and again placed, as seen at Figure 4, by
means of the stop i, which acts in a similar manner to the stop h, already
described; the wheels m aud n are thrown out of geer, and the wheels
M and N are thrown into geer, which, reversing the motion of the pinion P,
the progressive lowering of the racks Q, Q, is recommenced.
Figure 5, Sheet 2, represents a side view of a machine similar to that
already described, with the exception of the horizontal or back and forth
motion, for the purpose of inserting the hackles into the flax and withdrawing
them at the end of the stroke, which is produced by a different arrangement

page_text: of parts; D is the driving shaft of the machine, from which the various move-
ments are carried, as already described, with the exception of the one of which
I am about to speak. r,, is a lever vibrating freely on its fulcrum a, at the
lower part of which is a slot or opening to admit the projection or pulley.
attached to the crank z. This crank, revolving on the same shaft with the
wheel Y, carries or vibrates the lever r, r, at every revolution-of-the wheel Y.
At the lower extremity of the vibrating lever r, r, will be seen connecting
rods by which it is attached to the levers 16, 16, which vibrate freely on
their fulcrum 17, 17, and are attached to the parts V, V, at their, upper
extremity. Now, supposing the wheels Y, Y, to revolve in the direction of
the arrows marked in their periphery, it is obvious that the consequent vibra-
tion of the lever r, r, would force forward those hackles which are at the
greatest elevation or the commencement of the stroke, at the same time that
it recedes or draws back the opposite hackles, which are at the lowest elevation
or the termination of the stroke; and this same effect may be produced by
attaching the connecting rods direct to the crank Z, without the intervention
of the lever r,r; and by reference to the parts connected with the third move-
ment, or that part of the machine for clearing the hackles of the tow, it
will be seen that their action is similar in all respects to that of the machine
herein-before described.
Having now described a machine constructed with my "Improvements in
"Machinery for Hackling or Dressing Hemp, Flax, and Tow, or other
"Fibrous Materials," I do hereby declare that I do not claim any detached
or separate portions or parts of such machinery, such portions or parts being
well known and in common use. But I do claim such combination or
arrangement of parts as herein-before described, by which the four movements
of the machine are effected.
And, lastly, I declare that the speed of the various parts of my machinery
herein-before described, as well as the method of producing the same, may be
modified and varied at the pleasure of the party superintending the con-
struction or use of the machine; all which variations and modifications
producing the same effects and results, may be attained by any person of
competent skill; and fit to be entrusted with the construction of machinery of
this or a like description.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Taylor, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.
PETER (L.S.) TAYLOR.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fifth day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1828, the aforesaid Peter Taylor came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Indenture
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Indenture aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord