HENTS IN PREPARING OR DRESSING THREADS AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1857

page_text: HENTS IN PREPARING OR DRESSING THREADS AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS,
AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN.-A communication from;
E. C. T. Croutelle.
Sealed the 28th July 1857, and dated the 6th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th February 1857.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING OR DRESSING THREADS AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," (communication from
E. C. T. Croutelle, a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements on an Invention for which
the said E. C. T. Croutelle obtained Letters Patent in England, bearing date
on or about Third of February, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two;
and it comprises improvements in and connected with the rollers and frame-
work, and an improved mode of drying the fibrous materials.
The improvements, consist, first, in clothing the pressing rollers (which
work in the vessel holding the dressing materials) with gutta percha, vulcanized
caoutchouc, or other similar gummy or resinous substance.

page_text: Secondly, in employing a fourth pressing roller in the vessel containing the
dressing material, so that the thread, after having been pressed between the
first upper and under roller, may be brought through the liquid round the
second under roller, and then between the two upper rollers as it leaves
the vessel.
.
Thirdly, in actuating the cylinders by gearing instead of the frictional
contact or draught of 'the thread, and in such manner that the rotation of the
two small rollers' nearest the warp-beam-may-be the same, and contrived so
that the thread may be duly stretched, in order to be wound on the beam on
leaving these two last rollers, without such tension, affecting the thread on its
leaving the bath, and thence impairing its elasticity. A stretching roller is
placed between these rollers and-the-warp-beam.
Fourthly, in a new arrangement of the framework, whereby warps of any
width may be treated by mounting the parts of the machinery in three separate
frames, each of the dressing material vessels, with their respective pressing
rollers, being on a separate frame, while. on another or third frame, between
them, are mounted the tension rollers and warp beam, the, thread or other
fibrous material being carried up in a vertical direction on leaving the dressing
material vessel over reels to any desired height, and brought down again round
the tension rollers to the warp beam.
Fifth, in drying the fibrous materials after they leave the dressing material
vessel by simple exposure to the air, that is to say, by carrying them up for
some distance before they are brought into contact with combs or other dis-
turbing portion of the apparatus. In this arrangement no fan is required, or
the fibres may be carried upward through a shaft leading into the, air, in
which the draught is regulated by a damper, and the top covered over by a
cap, if desired.
In the downward passage of the fibrous material to the warp beam, just
before they come to the tension rollers, they are carried through a vertical
comb or perforated plate.
.7
+

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Archibald Broomán, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors; administrators, and assigns; or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to timo
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, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING OR DRESSING THREADS AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication from
E. C. T. Croutelle, a foreigner residing abroad; upon the: condition. (amongst
others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors or, admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their; or one of their
hands and seals; should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the saine 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 I, the said Richard, Archibald Brooman; do hereby
declare tlie nature of the said Invention, and in what manner: the same is to
be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in, and by, tho
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings bercunto
annexed; that is to say:
This Invention consists in certain improvements on another Invention, for
which the said E. C. T. Croutelle obtained Letters Patent in England, bearing
date on or about 3rd February 1852,, and it comprises improvements, in and
connected with the rollers and framework, described in the Specification of
'the said previous Invention, and also an improved method of drying the
fibres.
These improvements consist, first, in covering the pressing rollers which
work in the vessel holding the dressing material with vulcanized: caoutchouc
(or other similar gummy or resinous substance), instead of the cloth or other
5 covering ordinarily used, which, when employed in dressing wool with warm
gelatine dressing, has the property of becoming hard, by cooling during any
occasional stopping of the apparatus, and of not readily reassuming the proper
softness and suppleness when the.machine is again, set in motion. From this

page_text: cause generally arise irregularities in the dressing of the fibres, which can
hardly be prevented by the greatest care. The vulcanized caoutchouc, as used
by the present Inventor, has the property of preserving its suppleness and
elasticity constant and uniform under varying temperatures, and as it is im-
pervious to moisture, its elasticity does not suffer by any cooling action which
it may undergo. The impervious nature of the caoutchouc also prevents the
dressing material from remaining on the surface of the fibres, and they are
thus, after dressing, of a softer. and more flexible nature, and better adapted
for the various purposes to which they are applied.
Second, in the employment of a fourth pressing roller in the vessel con-
taining the dressing material, and an improved arrangement of the pressing
rollers, so that the fibres, after liaving passed between one pair of pressing
rollers and round a third' roller, pass between a second pair of pressing rollers,
being all the time immersed in the dressing bath. This mode of dressing
with two compressions causes the dressing material more effectually to
penetrate the fibres, and at the same time is better adapted to remove any
excess of dressing material from the surface of the fibres than the methods
previously used.
Thirdly, in actuating the rollers or cylinders by means of gearing instead of
by the frictional contact or draught of the threads. The gearing is so arranged
that the surface velocity of all the rollers should be the same, and in the same
direction at their lines of contact. Again, this gearing is so ordered that the
threads are wound on the reel under a proper tension, without this tension
being permitted to act on that part of the threads which is still damp with
the moisture of the dressing material. This last precaution is necessary,
because drying the threads under any considerable tensión destroys their
elasticity.
Fourth, in a new arrangement of the framework, whereby warps of any
width may be treated by mounting the parts of the machinery on three separate
frames.
Fifth, in drying the fibres after they leave the bath by simple exposure to
the air. For this purpose the fibres, after they leave the bath and pressing
rollers, are made to pass in a vertical, horizontal, or other 'direction through
a considerable distance without coming in contact with any part of the
machinery, or any other substance except the air. This method enables the
Inventor to dispense with the fan or other ventilating apparatus, and prevents
the injurious effects of the common drying process. The same method
may, however, be used with a partial or regulated system of ventilation.

page_text: '
The Drawings which form part of the present Specification exhibit in detail
the best method with which the Inventor is acquainted of carrying his Invention
into effect.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a fibre-dressing machine, having the
Inventor's improvements applied thereto; Figure 2 is a cross section of the
double-bottomed vessel, in the upper and inner chamber of which the dressing
material is placed, and in which the pressing rollers or cylinders are fixed;
Figure 3 is a corresponding section of the rollers or cylinders, shewing the
mode in which the fibres traverse them. In Figure 1 the machine is supposed
symmetrical, though the Drawing is complete on the left side only.
The machine is composed of a first frame A, placed on the left, supporting
the reels of fibres to be dressed. Another such frame, similarly furnished,
must be imagined similarly placed on the right of the Drawing. The frame B,
situated in the centre, supports the cylinder D, on which the dressed fibres are
collected right and left from the two opposite parts of the machine. This
arrangement of separating the machine into three distinct parts, and giving a
vertical circulation to the threads, renders the work so accessible to the person
superintending the machine that warps of any desired breadth may be con-
veniently dressed by its means. The machine itself is also with this arrange-
ment capable of being made of any required dimensions without becoming
unmanageable. In this machine the middle frame B carries on the right and
on the left a vessel V, a section of which is shewn in Figure 3, and in which
are placed the four pressing rollers or cylinders a, b, a, b, (instead of the three
rollers or cylinders of the previous Patent already cited). The threads f, coming
from the reels e, e, pass in the direction of the arrow, Figures 1 and 3; first,
between the two pressing rollers a and b, then round 6, and between a¹ and b',
and, finally, between a and a¹, and so out of the bath. After thus leaving tho
bath the fibres pursue a course of some length, either vertical or in any other
convenient direction; in which they are prevented from coming in contact with
any object whatever. In the Drawing this course is vertical. At the top the
threads are taken over a roller i, on the opposite side of which they descend
and pass round the roller j. After leaving the roller ; the fibres pass through
j
a vertical comb or card h, which replaces the horizontal combs or cards in
common use. The threads next pass between the rollers or cylinders and l',
and are then wound upon the recl or warp beam D. The same process which
has been thus detailed for the left half of the machine must be understood as
simultaneously in progress in the right half of the machine; the fibres from
both sides being collected on the same receiving reel D. The addition of the

page_text: fourth roller has the effect of compressing a second time the threads during
their passage through the bath, and of expressing from them any air which
they may contain after they have left the first pair of pressing rollers; thus
enabling the dressing material the more effectually to penetrate the interior of
the fibres. Besides, by the addition of this fourth roller to the apparatus, the
fibres have a longer course to run through the bath, which contributes to the
success of the operation. The vessel V, in which the dressing material is
placed, has a lower chamber o, which passes under and surrounds the inner
chamber, in which inner chamber the dressing material is placed. This lower
or outer chamber o is filled with water, heated by a steam pipe ŕ. This water,
thus heated, is made to keep the dressing material at a proper temperature.
The chamber o may, if required; be emptied by a discharge pipes, Figure 2:
The bath itself is capable of being discharged at will of the operator by means
of a pipe furnished with a stop-cock. The forco on the pressing cylinders is
regulated by means of levers t, t, on which are placed adjusting counterpoises
u, u. The long course which the fibres are imáde to pursue on their exit from
the bath enables thein to dry without recourse being had either to artificial
heat or artificial ventilation. Though this extended course may be made in
any suitable directions, yet the Inventor prefers that of the vertical, as it puts
the operations of the machine more at the command of the person superin-
tending it.
Although the Inventor can dispense with artificial heat and ventilation for
drying the threads or fibres, yet their drying course may be made in a shaft v;
such as that represented in the Drawing; the draft in which is regulated by a
damper, and the top covered with a cap, if desired. By means of an axle n, or
other such contrivance, the height of the roller i may be regulated and adjusted
at will
:
This mode of drying has, the Inventor says, several advantages over that in
Common use. It is economical as to the dressing material, and does no injury
to the fibres. The products of this machine are superior in quantity and in
quality to those of the common apparatus. -
The driving of the rollers 1, 1, on the right and left of the central reel D, is
effected by means of the gearing a, a, a. This arrangement' is better than
leaving the cylinders to turn under the simple traction of the threads or fibres.
In fact, by this method the Inventor is enabled to wind the fibres on the reel
D under any required degree of tension without the said tension being commu-
nicated to that part of the fibres which is still damp and fresh from the bath.
This is an advantage the want, of which in the ordinary apparatus destroys the

page_text: elasticity of the fibres. In the old system the fibres were subjected to tension
while yet wet; in that of the present Invention it is only the dry part of the
fibres which is subjected to tension, and which is well able to bear it without
injury.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, covering the pressing rollers which work in the vessel holding the
dressing material with vulcanized caoutchouc or other similar substance, instead
of cloth, as herein-before described.
Secondly, the employment of a fourth pressing roller in the vessel containing
the dressing material, and the improved arrangement of pressing rollers, as
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Thirdly, actuating the rollers or cylinders by means of gearing, as herein-
before described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fourthly, the improved arrangement of the framework herein-before
described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fifthly, drying the fibres after they leave the bath by simple exposure to
the air.
Sixthly, the general arrangement and combination of machinery or apparatus
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirty-first day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.