IMPROVEMENTS IN PLAITING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN PLAITING MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by William Duffus, of the City of Syracuse, in
the State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th January 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PLAITING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by William Duffus,
of the City of Syracuse, in the State of New York, United States of America.
The Invention relates to a new construction and arrangement of a plaiting
machine having a continuous feed, and which consists of two revolving drums
situated at the two ends of a machine frame, and carrying an endless belt to which
the grate bars attached two standards or guide bars, each being attached to one
side of the machine frame, and forming the guides for a reciprocating plaiting
knife (movable perpendicularly to the surface of the belt). The centre of the plaiting
knife is provided with a bar extending vertically upward and passing through a
socket in a horizontal transverse beam provided with sleeves guided by the above
named standards. Each end of the transverse beam forms the fulcrum of a con-
necting rod or pitman, the lower end of which is attached to and moved by a
crankshaft, which may be driven by hand.
The vertical bar of the said plaiting knife may be fixed in the socket of the
transverse beam at the desired height by set screws, and the crankshaft carries an
eccentric which moves the short arm of a double armed lever, the longer arm of
which carries at a variable radius the fulcrum of a pawl moving a ratchet wheel
mounted on the shaft of one of the said drums, and thereby imparting to the endless
belt an intermittent rotary motion, corresponding to the motion of the reciprocating
plaiting knife. The depth of the plaiting is regulated by setting the knife at a
greater or smaller distance from the grate. A metal plate serving as ironer for
pressing the plaits is held by springs against the underside of the grate, and can be
inserted or removed through side slots in the machine frame. Under the said
ironer is placed a lamp for heating the same, and also a cylindrical vessel containing
water and communicating with an open trough placed vertically under the plaiting
knife. The steam generated in the said vessel issues into the trough and inoistens
the plaits of the fabric as the knife forces them down into the trough preparatory
to passing the plaits over the heated ironer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th July 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PLAITING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by William Duffus,
of the City of Syracuse, in the State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a novel construction and arrangement of a plaiting
machine having a continuous feed, and provided with a device for pressing the
plates as soon as formed, and which is simple, convenient, efficient, and adjustable
in its operation.
The Invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, wherein Fig. 1
is a side elevation of the improved plaiting machine; Fig. 2, a longitudinal
section; and Fig. 3, an end view of same. A represents the frame of the machine,
formed of two side-plates, secured to each other by cross-ties, and provided at their
respective extremities with suitable bearings for the rotating drums B, which carry
the endless belts F, to which the grate-bars are attached. To each side of the
machine is secured a standard G, forming the guide for the reciprocating plaiting
knife Q, which has on its ends sleeves a embracing the standards. Above the
knife Q is a bar C extended across the machine, and having sleeves a¹ by which it
slides on the standards G.
The centre of the plaiting knife is provided with an upward projecting
stem which passes through the socket in the bar C, and is clamped in its position
by a set screw e passing through the socket. The plaiting knife is thus carried
by the bar C, to the extremities of which is connected a pitinan E, which at
its lower end is connected with a crank shaft b extending across the machine
and journaled in the sides of same. By a hand crank M attached to the shaft b
the latter is revolved, and by the medium of the pitman E caused to impart a
reciprocating motion to the cross bar C which carries the plaiting_knife through
the interstices of the grate. The spindle of the rear drum B is made to
project at the outside of the machine, and to the projecting portion thereof is
secured a ratchet-wheel H. Between the pitman E and ratchet-wheel H is a
lever I fulcrumed on the side of the machine, and having one end pivoted to a
link c connected with an eccentric on the crank shaft b. The other and long end
of the lever I is provided with a series of holes, to one of which is pivoted a pawl J
which engages the ratchet wheel H. The rotation of the crank shaft imparts an
oscillating motion to the lever I by the medium of its eccentric and the connecting
arm c. By the pawl J, connected with the said oscillating lever, the drum B
receives an intermittent rotary motion synchronous with the movement of the
reciprocating plaiting knife Q, thereby rendering the passage of the latter through
the interstices of the grate positive and preventing the collision of said knife with
the grate bars. The series of pivotal holes in the lever I allows the pawl J to be
connected thereto at a greater or less distance from its fulcrum, thereby varying
the motion of the pawl so as to move the grate the distance of one or more of its
bars, and thus permitting the plaits of cloth to be made of the desired width. A
dog d pivoted to the side of the machine below the crank-shaft and engaging the
ratchet wheel H prevents the retrograde movement of said wheel. The depth of
the plaiting is regulated by setting the knife Q at a greater or less elevation from
the grate, which is accomplished by loosening the set screw e, and after raising or
lowering the knife Q' the desired distance again clamping it in its position by the
aforesaid set-screw. A metal plate K is held yieldingly against the under side of
the upper section of the grate by a frame L, supported by spiral springs f, which
plate serves as an ironer for pressing the plaits. The side of the machine is provided

page_text: with a longitudinal slot g, through which to insert or remove the aforesaid ironing
plate when desired. Underneath the ironer K is a platform upon which a lamp is
placed for heating the said ironer, and also for heating a drum M, which is charged
with water and has a series of tubes communicating with a trough N directly
under the plaiting knife. The steam generated in the drum M issues through the
tubes, and impinges and moisteus the plaits of the fabric as the knife forces the
same down into the trough preparatory to passing the plaits over the heated
ironer K.
1. In combination with the reciprocating, knife Q, the endless plaiting grate F,
actuated by suitable mechanism, substantially as herein described and for the
purpose set forth.
2. The endless plaiting grate F in combination with the ironer K, sustained and
operated as herein specified and set forth.
3. The endless plaiting grate F, in combination with the knife Q and steaming
trough N, substantially as herein specified and set forth.
4. The endless plaiting grate F, in combination with the steaming trough N,
steam-drum M, and ironer K, as herein specified and set forth.
5. The endless plaiting grate F, in combination with the knife Q, steaming
trough N, ironer K, and a lamp provided with burners for heating drum M and
ironer K, substantially as described and set forth.
6. The endless plaiting grate carried by drums B, B, in combination with the
ratchet wheel H, pawl J, and lever I, substantially as described.
7. The endless plaiting grate, in combination with the vertically reciprocating
knife Q, link c, operated by an eccentric or crank shaft b, lever I, pawl J, ratchet
wheel H, and dog d, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
8. The knife Q, provided with an upward projecting stem passing through a
socket in the cross bar C, and clamped therein by set-screw e, in combination with
the cross bar C sliding on standards G, and operated by pitman E and crank-shaft b,
substantially in the manner described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, A.D. 1880.