IMPROVEMENTS IN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: THE
LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Smith, of Keighley, in the County of York,
Machine Wool Comber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS "
Sealed the 14th May 1878, and dated the 1st January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st January 1878.
DANIEL SMITH, of Keighley, in the County of York, Machine Wool Comber.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING WOOL OR
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
The object of my Invention is to prepare wool or other fibrous materials used in
the manufacture of cloth before it is submitted to the combing machine in such a
manner that the fibre of the short wool or staple is brought parallel with the staple
of the long wool when the same is being drawn from the preparing box or gill
head.
I accomplish my object in the following manner:-In place of the ordinary
fluted rollers, now in common use for drawing the wool or other fibrous materials
from the fallers, gills, or combs, in the preparing box, I substitute what is commonly
known as the " nip," similar to that used in the ordinary combing machine; the
stroke of the nip is obtained by means of connecting rods at each side of the same,
which are attached to any suitable part of the preparing box gearing, and the nip
is actuated by means of cams or tappets in the usual way. By the application of
the "nip" I am enabled to bring the nip plates almost close to the fallers, gills, or
combs, and thus lay hold of the short staple that is unopened or laying at an angle
with the long staple, and draw the same through the fallers, gills, or combs straight
into line and parallel with the long staple, and thus when the wool or other fibre is
operated upon in the combing machine the short staple will assist to form what is

page_text: commonly known as "top," and will not produce so much noil or waste as is the case
when the fluted drawing-off rollers are used. The wool or other fibre leaves the nip
at an angle with the saine, say, for example, forty-five degrees, which angle may be
more or less, and passes through a funnel which rolls the wool or other fibre into a
sliver of uniform thickness and weight; after it has passed through the before-
named funnel it is conducted through a pair of ordinary pressure rollers into the
eliver can, when it is ready to be manipulated by the combing machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Daniel Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th June
1878.
DANIEL SMITH, of Keighley, in the County of York, Machine Wool Comber.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING WOOL OR
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
The object of this Invention is to prepare wool or other fibrous materials used in the
manufacture of cloth before the same are submitted to the combing machine in such
a manner that the fibre or staple of the short wool is brought parallel and in line with
the staple of the long wool, as the same is being drawn from the preparing box or
gill head.
I accomplish my object in the following manner:-In place of the ordinary
fluted rollers now in common use for drawing the wool or other fibrous materials
from the fallers, gills, or combs, in the preparing box, I substitute what is commonly
known as the "nip," which is so arranged that the "nip" plates are brought close
to the fallers, by which means the said plates are enabled to lay hold of the short
staple that is unopened or laying at an angle to the travel of the wool, and draw
the same into line with the long staple. The stroke of the nip is adjustable, and is
obtained by means of connecting rods at each side of the machine, which are
attached to any suitable part of the preparing box gearing. The nipping plates are
actuated by means of cams and tappets in the usual manner. By the application
of the nip plates to the preparing box I am enabled to bring the nip plates close to
the fallers, gills, or combs, and thus lay hold of the short or unopened staple close
to the fallers, and draw the long staple through the same, and bring the short staple
into line and parallel with the long staple, and when the wool or other fibre is
operated upon in the combing machine the short staple that has been drawn into
line with the long staple will assist to form what is commonly known as "top," and
in proportion to the increased quantity of "top," the comb will give off a less
weight of noil or waste than can be accomplished by preparing wool or other fibrous
materials in drawing the same through the fallers by the ordinary drawing-off
rollers. The wool or other fibre may be drawn from the nip at an angle with the
same, say, for example, forty-five degrees; this angle may be more or less; the fibre
then passes through a funnel which rolls the same into a sliver of uniform thickness

page_text: and weight, and is then conducted through a pair of ordinary pressure roller
into the sliver can, when it is ready to be manipulated upon by the combing
machine.
The wool or other fibre may be drawn from the nip plates in a straight line,
and conducted to the pressure rollers placed parallel to the fallers, gills, or comb.
In order that my Invention may be better understood I have appended Drawings
which illustrate such portions of a preparing box with the " nip" apparatus
attached as are required to ellucidate my Invention, and how the same may be
carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preparing box with my improvement attached,
and the apparatus for drawing the sliver from the nip plates at an angle with the
same; Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of such portions of a preparing box with my improve-
ments attached as are required to ellucidate my Invention, and shews the apparatus
for drawing the sliver or sheet direct from the nip plates in line with the travel of
the fibre through the fallers; Figure 4 is a plan of the same.
In all the Figures similar letters and figures represent similar parts.
The frame of the machine is indicated by the letter A, to which is secured
bracket B that carries the main shaft C, which is driven in the usual manner; D is
a spur pinion secured on main shaft, and gears into the spur wheels E and F ; the
wheel E is mounted on shaft G, which extends across the machine; to the other
end of this shaft is secured wheel E, and in the slot hole E formed in one of the
arms of each of these wheels I fix a stud plate E³, having a projecting stud, on
which I place one end of connecting rods H; on the other ends of these connecting
rods I secure adjustable joints J; by these means I am enabled to regulate the
length of the stroke of the nip to suit the length of the staple that is being operated
upon, and to bring the nip plates the proper distance from the face of the fallers,
gills, or comb, in order to lay hold of the short or unopened staple that is at an
angle with the long staple. The wheel F' is mounted on the cam shaft K, on
which are secured cams K¹; these cams work the nip plates through the pullies K³
and the rods and levers L. The material that is being prepared for the combing
machine is passed through the preparing box from the end M in the direction of
the arrow, through the pressure rollers N and fallers O; these pressure rollers are
the same as used in a common preparing box, and motione is imparted to them in
the usual manner.
By the means before described the stroke of the nip is so arranged that the nip
plates will be brought close to the fallers O at O', so that the said plates will take
hold of any short fibres that are laying at an angle with the staple of the long
fibre, and in the forward stroke of the nip draw the short staple into line with the
long staple, so that the short staple will assist in forming "top" in place of noil, as is
the case when the fibre is drawn off by the ordinary method. After the fibre leaves
the nip plates it is conducted through a revolving funnel P, to which motion is
imparted by means of a strap or cord from pulley R, conducted by guide pullies R¹
to the funnel P; the sliver from the nip plates is thereby rolled to an uniform
thickness, and passess from the funnel between the pressure rollers S to the
sliver can; the pressure rollers receive motion from shaft K or any other suitable
shaft through the bevel wheels T and shafts T¹.
Figures 3 and 4 shew an arrangement by which the sliver is conducted from the
nip plates direct to the pressure rollers S; this is obtained by fixing the pressure
rollers S parallel to the fallers O, and thus the material is delivered from the nip
plates to the said rollers in a straight line. Motion to these rollers is obtained by
means of strap U that is in connection with pulloy W, secured to wheel F and the
pulley W, secured on the end of roller shaft S¹.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is
or may be performed, I have to state that what I believe to be new and original,
and all I claim as my Invention, is the application of the "nip" or nipping jaws to
5

page_text: the preparing box in lieu of drawing-off rollers for drawing the wool or other
fibrous materials from the fallers, gills, or comb.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Smith, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Signed and sealed
in the presence of
JOHN GILL,
Clerk to John Waugh,
Engineer & Patent Agent,
Bradford,
Yorks.
DANIEL SMITH. (L.S.)