IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COTTON FROM DEEDS.
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Higgins, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COTTON FROM DEEDS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Higgins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
: 21st July 1864.
I, JAMES HIGGINS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COTTON FROM SEEDS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to that machinery for cleaning cotton from seeds com-
monly called the MacCarthay gin, and consists, firstly, in allowing the roller to
move by pressure from the stationary blade, for which purpose I cause the
said roller to be pressed towards the blade by means of a spring or weight, and
I apply a stop to prevent it being so pressed forward beyond a certain distance;
secondly, I apply a revolving excentric or similar mechanism to the said roller
or to the blade, whereby it is caused to move to and fro longitudinally during
the working of the machine.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Higgins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HIGGINS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Higgins, Her special license that I, the said James Higgins, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Higgins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time 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 MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COTTON FROM SEEDS," upon the condition, amongst
others, that I, the said James Higgins, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same 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 James Higgins, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to that machinery for cleaning cotton from seeds which
is, usually called the MacCarthay gin, and consists, firstly, in allowing the
roller to move from the blade, for which purpose I cause the said roller to be
pressed towards the blade by means of a spring or weight, and I apply a stop to
prevent it from being pressed forward beyond a certain distance; secondly, I
apply a revolving eccentric or similar mechanism to the said roller, whereby
it is caused to move to and fro longitudinally during the working of the
machine.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a portion of a MacCarthay
gin constructed according to my improvements in sectional elevation, and
Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.

page_text: The general outline of the machine is that for which Letters Patent were
granted to Henry Higgins bearing date Fourteenth April, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four, Number 941. At a is the fixed blade, and at 6 the
vibrating blade. The usual roller acting in conjunction with the blades is
shewn at c, but in this instance it is mounted at each end in bell-crank levers d,
capable of turning freely upon the driving shaft e. The ends d* of the above
mentioned levers are drawn downward by springs f, so that the roller c is carried
by their tension towards the blades a, b, but its extent of motion in that direction
is determined by adjustable stops g. Should any obstruction occur to the passage
of the cotton between the roller and the blades then the pressure upon the
former will overcome the tension of the springs f, and it will turn backward to
allow the said cotton to pass. The stops g being adjustable, admit of any
desired position of the roller in reference to the blades.
The next part of my improvements is also shewn in the Figs. above referred
to. Upon the lever d is mounted a fixed pin h, which projects into a grooved
cam i, mounted fast upon the axis of the roller c, as therefore the said roller
revolves it is caused to move to and fro in a longitudinal direction.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part recited
Letters Patent,
Firstly, mounting the roller c so as to render it capable of moving from the
blades by undue pressure, and also rendering it adjustable in reference to the
said blades.
Secondly, imparting motion to the said roller in the direction of its axis.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Higgins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JAMES HIGGINS. (L.S.)