CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON MACHINERY FOR DRAWING, ROVING, AND SPINNING HEMP, FLAX, AND WASTE SILK
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIP
CHELL, of Earls Court, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of His United Kingdom, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of February, 1828, in the fourth
year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Philip Chell, my exors,
adiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Philip Chell, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, during
the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON MACHINERY FOR DRAWING,
ROVING, AND SPINNING HEMP, FLAX, AND WASTE SILK;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, the said Philip Chell, shall not
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be iurolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all
liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly coase, deter-
nine, and become void, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Philip Chell, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):-
In Drawing No. 1, Fig. 1 is an end view of a machine or frame for draw-
ing or preparing hemp, flax, or waste silk for the roving frame. Fig. 2 is a
plan or bird's-eye view of the same. The same letters and figs. refer to the
same parts in each Figure. A, A, &c. is the principal frame which supports
the other parts of the machine, one end of the frame A, A, &c. in Fig. 2
is represented as broken off'; it may be made to support one or more of the
drawing frames (but only one is shewn). On the upper side of the
frame A, A, &c. is fixed a frame or carriage B, B, &c.; it consists of two
parallel iron bars, with an upright cross-piece at one end of each; the lower
ends of these cross pieces are fixed to the front rail of the frame A, A, &c., and
the other ends of the bars B, B, &c. to the back rail of the frame A, A, &c.;
the two bars B, B, are fixed parallel to each other, and have two sliding
heads C, C, and D, D, which support the rollers; these heads may be fixed at
a proper distance from each other by the set screws a, a, so as to suit the
length of the fibres of the hemp, flax, or silk to be worked; in the upper ends
of the sliding heads C, C, and D, D, are made gaps or slits to receive the
necks or pivots of the rollers b, c, d, and e, and allow them to turn therein;
the upright cross pieces have likewise similar gaps in them to receive the necks
or pivots of the rollers f, g, h, and i. To the front rail of the frame A, A, are
fixed the brackets E, E, in a line with the parallel bars B, B, &c., and having
gaps in their upper ends to receive the necks or pivots of the rollers j and k
F, F, F, is a frame affixed to the frame A, A, &c., and having at the outer
end, of it two sliding pieces G, G, secured by screws; these pieces have
holes in them to receive the pivots of the rollers 7; around the rollers 7 and ban
endless feeding cloth revolves, on which is spread the hemp, flax, or silk, to be
drawn or worked. H, H, is an axis or shaft, the pivots of which turn in holes
made in the two brackets I, I, affixed to the frame A, A. J, J, is an hori-
zontal shaft supported in plummer blocks at each end of the frame A, A, one
of which is shewn at K., L is a band wheel or rigger, which receives motion
from the first mover of the machinery, and having two studs m, m, affixed on
one side of it, which act against the clutch n, when the rigger is slided into con
tact with it, by means of a forked lever acting in a groove o made in a metal
collar affixed to the rigger. On the shaft J, J, is also affixed another rigger M,
which communicates motion by means of a band p, p, to the rigger and clutch
box N upon the axis of the roller f; upon this axis is fixed another rigger O,
which, by means of a strap or band 9, gives motion to another rigger P affixed

page_text: ⚫upon the axis of the roller j; on the other endof the axis of the rollerf is fixed a
bevel pinion 7, which works into a bevel wheels affixed upon the axis H, H, which
has also another bevel pinion t affixed upon it, which acts in a bevel wheel u
⚫upon the end of the axis of the rollers d; on the other end of this axis is
affixed a band whcel v, which communicates-motion by the band w to another
'band wheel affixed upon the axis of the roller b; y, y, are two hooks, the
upper ends of which hang upon necks made in the ends of the axis of the
'roller 9, whilst the lower ends are affixed to the levers z, z, one end of each of
which turn upon the fulcrum or rail 1, which can be raised or lowered by means
of the slit in the frame B and secured by screwed nuts. To the other ends of
the levers z, z, are hung the weights 2, 2, which can be slided along the
levers to regulate the pressure upon the roller g. 3, 3, are two other looks,
which are hung upon the necks made near to the ends of the axis of the
'roller e; to the lower ends of these hooks are hung the weights 4, 4. 5, 5, are
similar hooks hung upon necks made in the axis of the roller c, and having
the weights 6, 6, hooked to them. 7 is a metal conductor or funnel to lead
or guide the hemp, flax, or silk from the rollers f, g, to the front rollers j, k.
Near the end of the axis of the roller & is affixed a band wheel 8, which, by means
of the band 9, gives motion to another band wheel 10, affixed upon the end of
the axis of the roller h. The material to be operated upon, either hemp, flax,
or silk, is to be continually and uniformly spread over and upon the upper
surface of the feeding cloth L, c, whilst the machine is at work, and will be
seized between the rollers b, c, it is then guided between the rollers d, e, which
are at such a distance from the rollers b, c, as to allow the fibres to draw or
slide a little alongside of each other; it is then guided between the rollers h, i,
which confine the fibres and conduct them between the rollers f, g, which move
with four times the velocity of the rollers d, e, and draw out, reduce, or extend
the material proportionably; from thence it is conducted by the funnel 7
between the rollers j, k, which deliver it into the receiving can 11. The course
taken by the material in its passage through the machine is indicated by the
red line. The rollers b, c, l, h, and i, are plain cylinders covered with wood;
d'and fare fluted iron rollers; j and k are plain iron rollers; the rollers e and
are formed of a number of circular pieces of leather, with holes in their centros,
fitted upon their arbors, between a fixed shoulder or plate at one end of each
arbor and a moveable washer with a tightening screw behind it at the other
end, so as bind them closely together, and enable them to be turned truly
ylindrical; after which I immerse them in boiled linseed oil, which coats
hem with a varnish, rendering them much more compact and durable.
In Drawing No. 1, Fig. 3 is an end view of a roving frame for the farther

page_text: preparing of hemp, flax, or silk; and Fig. 4 a bird's-eye view or plan or
the same; the same letters and figs. referring to the same parts of this
machine as well as to the former one. This machine differs from that already
described in having no feeding cloth, three, four, or more of the cans 11, Figs.
1 and 2, with rovings in them from the former machine, being substituted
in place thereof. A tin conductor Q, affixed upon the back rail of the frame
A, A, receives the rovings from the cans which pass between studs or pins
fixed across the front of the conductor Q to prevent them from crossing or
riding upon each other; the rollers b and c are also driven by an additional
bevel pinion 12 and wheel. 13, the diameters of which are to each other as
four to one.
Instead of being driven by a band and band wheels, as in the
former machine, the lower roller b is of fluted iron, and the upper one of
leather, made as before described; the rollers & and e are similar to those
in the former machine, and are driven by a similar pinion and wheel. The
roller is a fluted iron one, with a rigger and a bevel pinion upon its axis,
as in the former machine. 14 is a wooden roller supported in the two sliding
heads 15, 15, capable of being adjusted and secured by screws. Around this
wooden roller and the roller f, a broad endless strap 16 revolves, and upon
this strap and the roller fanother fluited iron roller g is placed and pressed
down by levers and weights similar to those in the former machine; another
wooden roller 17 is placed behind the roller g, and is guided in gaps made in
the upper part of the carriage B, B, and also rests upon the endless strap 16,
which gives motion to it. The use of this endless strap is to support and
conduct the loosely adhering fibres of the hemp, flax, or silk from the
rollers d, e, to and between the rollers f and g, and the office of the roller 17
is to lay the loose fibres smooth previous to their entering the rollers fand g.
The course taken by the material in its passage through this machine is, as in
the formor case, indicated by a red line.
In Drawing No. 2, Fig. 5 is an end view of another roving or jack frame,
and Fig. 6 a plan or bird's-eye view of it. This differs from that last described
in Figs. 3 and 4, in the rollers being shorter, so that each axis carries two
rollers or bosses instead of one only, the rovings being considerably reduced in
width and. thickness by the action of the two former machines upon them;
the drawing power is the same as in the former machine, and as there are
two sets of bosses or rollers, and two rovings, so also there must be two
endless straps instead of onc. This machine also twists the rovings by means
of the spindles 18, 18, and flyers 19, 19, which are driven by bands 20, 20,
passing round the band wheels 21, 21, affixed upon the shaft J, J, and the
worls 22, 22, upon the spindles. The bobbins 23, 23, rest upon the rail 24.

page_text: 25 is one of two bars affixed at each end of the frame A, A. 26 is one of
two bent levers turning upon studs, one of which is shewn at 27 affixed
in the bars 25. At the longer ends of the levers is suspended the rail
24, which raises and lowers the bobbins 28. To the shorter ends of the
levers 26 are affixed friction rollers (one of which is shewn at 28), which act
against two heart wheels (one of which is shewn at 29), affixed upon a
horizontal shaft 30, which turns upon two pivots in holes made in the
bars 25, and by the greater or lesser excentricity of these heart wheels
the shorter ends of the bent levers 26 are pressed forwards, and the longer
ends raised, together with the rail 24 and bobbins 28, their own weight
causing them to descend again, following the courses of the heart wheels.
Upon the shaft 30 is also affixed the toothed wheel 31, into which
works a pinion 32, upon the horizontal shaft J, J, and gives motion to it.
The rovings are brought in cans from the last-described machine and led
by conductors between the rollers b and c, from whence they pass between
the rollers & and e, and are then received upon the endless strap 16, 16, which
convey them underneath the roller 17, and between the front rollers f and g,
from whence they are passed through the eyes of the flyers 19, 19, and thence
down one of the hollow arms of the flyers to the bobbins 23, 23. This
course of the material is indicated by red lines. Fig. 7 is an end view of a
double spinning frame, and Fig. 8 a plan or bird's-eye view of one end of
it. The right-hand side of it is adapted for frame spinning, or by means of
spindles and flyers. This part of the machine is nearly similar to the machine
last described, but its parts are smaller. I shall now proceed to point out the
differences between them :-33 is one of a number of small cisterns to contain
water; each of these are supported upon two small rails 34, 34, the ends
of which are affixed on the front and back rails of the frame A, A. R, R,
are sliding heads affixed upon the bars B, B, and secured by the binding
screws a, a; in the upper part of these heads are gaps for the necks or
pivots of the rollers 35 and 36 to act in; the bosses of the roller 35 are
made of brass, and their lower parts revolve in a small quantity of water,
placed in the cisterns 33. 36 arc wooden rollers which rest upon the upper
parts, of the brass rollers 35. To one end of the axis of the rollers 35 is
affixed a small band wheel 37, which receives motion from a band 38, passing
around the band wheel 39, and which is affixed upon the axis of the rollers
b. J, J, is a horizontal shaft, one end of which is supported by and turns
in a plummer block S affixed upon the opposite end of the frame A, A,
whilst the other end is supported in a plummer block fixed in a bracket
resting upon and secured to the floor near the frame A, A. T is a toothed

page_text: .
bevel wheel fitted upon a cylindrical part of the shaft J, J, this wheel receives
its motion from another bevel wheel which is placed on a vertical shaft,
and is actuated by the first mover of the machinery. U is a hollow locking
cone, fitted upon a square part of the shaft J,,J, so as to slide easily thereon
to and fro, by means of a forked lever acting in a circular groove made in the
back of the locking cone. At the back of the bevel wheel T is formed a solid
locking cone corresponding with the hollow cone U; when these cones are
brought into contact the friction between them communicates motion from the
bevel wheel T to the shaft J, J. V is a bevil pinion fixed on the shaft J, J, which
works into a bevel wheel W fixed upon the lower end of a vertical shaft Y,
which is supported by and turns in a bracket Z affixed to the frame A, A; the
upper end of the shaft Y passes through a pivot hole in the upper end
rail A, A, of the machine, and has a bevil pinion 40 fixed upon it, which acts
in a bevel wheel 41 affixed upon the end of the horizontal shaft H, H, and
communicatès motion to it, instead of it being driven by the band wheels M
and N, as in the former machines described. Another similar vertical shaft Y
and bevel wheels; at the other end of the machine frame, communicate motion
in a similar manner to another horizontal shaft, &c., H, H, which communi-
cates motion to the opposite ends of the rollers, when the machine is extended
to a great length. Upon the upright shaft Y is fixed an endless screw 42,
which works into an endless screw wheel 43 affixed upon an horizontal
shaft 44, the ends of which turn in brackets 45 affixed to the ends of the
frame A, A. Upon the horizontal shaft 44 two heart wheels 46 are affixed;
which act against friction rollers 47, at one end of two levers 48, which
turn upon studs affixed in brackets 49, affixed to the frame A, A; the other
ends of these levers 48 are connected or coupled to the rail 24 on which the
bobbins rest, and which are thereby made to rise and fall, as in the former
machine. Upon the horizontal shaft J, J, is fixed a drum or cylinder 50, equal
in length to the machine, which gives motion by the bands 51 to the
whorls 22 on the spindles 18. The rollers 6 have four or more fluted iron
bosses; on the outer end is a fixed bevil wheel as in the former machine, on
the other end is made a square hole or socket, which receives a solid square
made on the end of the adjoining roller, and by which it is actuated; this
again has a similar socket in its other end to connect it with the next roller,
and so on for as many rollers as the frame requires. The top rollers care
made of wood, covered with leather in the usual manner, and are only half the
length of the roller b, having only' two bosses to each to meet two of the four
bosses of the roller b. In Fig. 8 only one of the top rollers c is shewn, in order
to shew the fluted iron roller 6 below it, on the adjoining side of the frame;

page_text: the lower roller & has four brass fluted bosses upon it; the top rollers & have
two wooden bosses to each, covered with leather and varnished to render them
waterproof; the lower front rollers fare iron fluted; all the lower rollers have
square sockets at one end to receive the squares on the ends of the adjoining
rollers into them, similar to the roller 6 described above; the endless, leather
strap 16, 16, must also be varnished and rendered waterproof; the top rollers g
have also two brass fluted bosses; the top rollers c, e, and g, have all hooks and
weights applied to the middle parts of them. The roller 17 is made of plain
hard wood, and may be varnished if required. The bobbins 23, with the
rovings upon them from the frames last described, are to be placed upon up-
right spindles affixed to a rail 52, supported upon the frame A, A; and the
rovings are to be passed through the rollers to the spindles, as shewn by the
red lines. The left-hand side of the frame in Figs. 7 and 8 is adapted for
mule spinning; here the bottom rollers have eight bosses upon each instead of
four only, as on the right-hand side of the machine; in other respects they are
fitted up in nearly a similar manner.. In Fig. 7, part of the horizontal
shaft H, H, is broken off, and one side of the carriage B, B, sliding heads, &c.,
are removed, in order to shew the rollers more distinctly; the rovings are
passed between the rollers in a similar manner as on the right-hand side of
the machine; but instead of employing spindles with flyers and bobbins, I
substitute a mule machine with spindles as 53, and as shewn on the left-hand
side of Fig. 7; and when I wish to spin finer I use a stretching frame for
to make finer rovings, and which only differs from the mule machine, as
shewn by the left-hand Drawing of Fig. 7, by removal of the cisterns and
the wetting rollers, and by placing the spindles further apart. The various
dimensions of the machines, or parts of the machines, may vary at pleasure,
but those dimensions which I most approve have been shewn in the Drawings
annexd. The different parts may also be made, of various woods, metals, or
other materials, or combinations of either or all of them, as may by experi-
ment be found most suitable, but those substances which I have described are
such as I have adopted and found best to answer the purpose. I do not mean
or intend hereby to claim as my Invention the whole of the machinery herein-
before described, but only those parts herein-after expressly claimed as my
Invention.
And, first, I do hereby claim the invention and application of the adjusting
carriages B, B, for the rollers.
Secondly, the construction of the top rollers with round pieces of leather
mounted upon screwed arbors, which I believe to be entirely new.
Thirdly, the introduction of the endless revolving straps 16, 16, to support