Improvements in or relating to the Flax Holders employed in Heckling Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1898-Accepted, 8th Oct.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Flax Holders employed in
Heckling Machines.
I, HENRY MERCER GIRDWOOD, of Broughton Flax Mills, Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, Flax Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
My invention relates to improvements in or relating to the flax holders employed
in heckling machines and the objects of my improvements are to screw and
unscrew the locking nuts in less time and also to reduce the friction between the
nut and the top plate of the holder.
At the present time the bolt and nut for securing the top and bottom plates
of a flax holder together are provided with a single thread and to tighten and
slacken the nut it is necessary to turn it a comparatively long distance which
is a slow operation.
According to my improvements I employ a double thread on the bolt and nut
the result of which is that the nut can be screwed up and released in much less
time.
To reduce friction between the nut and the top plate, which applies to every
kind of bolts and nuts for flax holders, I propose to make a boss on the top plate
where the bolt passes through it, or if more convenient to secure a boss to the
top plate and after drilling the hole for the bolt in the top plate I bore or otherwise
form a concave recess round the hole and in this recess I fit a washer or collar
in which is an enlarged hole for the bolt to pass through, and with its lower portion
turned convex to fit into the recess, the nut bears upon the washer, and I secure
to the top plate any convenient clips or their equivalents to allow freedom of
movement to the washer and yet prevent it from falling off and being lost.
My improvements, either separately or combined, can be applied to bolts and
nuts for flax holders actuated by hand or by mechanical power.
Dated this 7th day of December 1897.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Flax Holders employed in
Heckling Machines.
I, HENRY MERCER GIRDWOOD, of Broughton Flax Mills, Salford, in the County
f Lancaster, Flax Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
[Price 8d.1

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in or relating to the flax holders employed
in heckling machines and the objects of my improvements are to screw and
unscrew the locking nuts in less time and also to reduce the friction between the
nut and the top plate of the holder.
At the present time the bolt and nut for securing the top and bottom plates
of a flax holder together are provided with a single thread and to tighten and
slacken the nut it is necessary to turn it a comparatively long distance which
is a slow operation.
According to my improvements I employ a double thread on the bolt and nut
the result of which is that the nut can be screwed up and released in much less
time.
To reduce friction between the nut and the top plate, which applies to every
kind of bolts and nuts for flax holders, propose to make a boss on the top plate
where the bolt passes through it, or if more convenient to secure a boss to the
top plate and after drilling the hole for the bolt in the top plate I bore or otherwise
form a concave recess round the hole and in this recess I fit a washer or collar
in which is an enlarged hole for the bolt to pass through and with its lower portion
turned convex to fit into the recess, the nut bears upon the washer, and I secure
to the top plate any convenient clips or their equivalents to allow freedom of
movement to the washer and yet prevent it from falling off and being lost.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings--
Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a flax holder to which my improvements
are applied and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the complete holder shown in section in
Fig. 1.
Th, flax holder is composed of a top plate a, made of any suitable metal, and
a bottom plate b, to which are secured guide studs for the top plate; near the
centre of the bottom plate is secured a bolt d by a nut e or its equivalent. The
top plate fits over this bolt and is secured by a nut f and in the ordinary practice
the bolt and nut have a single thread cut upon them, but in order to economise
time in the screwing on and unscrewing the nut when filling the holders with
flax and emptying them I form a double thread on the bolt and nut and this
enables the nut to be released and removed and again replaced in less time.
93
The drawings represent a boss g secured to the top plate through which the bolt
passes and in a concave recess turned in this boss is fitted a washer or collar h
with a convex lower portion which fits into the recess in the boss
bears upon this washer which, fitting in the boss is free to adapt itself to the
the nut f
pressure exerted by the nut and so reduce triction and allow the nut to be more
readily screwed up and released. The washer / is held on to the boss g by a cover
or plate i secured to the top plate.
The special washer h with a convex surface fitted into a recess made to receive
it in the top plate of a flax holder may be employed with an ordinary single
threaded nut and bolt.
My improvements, either separately or combined, can be applied to bolts and 4
nuts for flax holders actuated by hand or by mechanical power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a flax holder of a heckling machine the use and application of a bolt
and nut with a double thread substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In a flax holder of a heckling machine the use and application of a washer
provided with a convex surface fitted into a corresponding concave surface in
the top plate substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a flax holder of a heckling machine, a holding down bolt and nut pro-

page_text: vided with a double thread in combination with the special washer having a convex
surface fitted into a concavity on the top plate substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
Dated this First date of Cantamhan 1000
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicant,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.