IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING BURNS OUT OF WOOL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Hopff, Merchant, of Hamburg, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING BURNS OUT OF WOOL" A
communication from Carl Ulbrich, residing at Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of
Saxony.
Sealed the 10th November 1876, and dated the 13th May 1876.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Hopff at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1876.
ALBERT HOPFF, Merchant, of Hamburg. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REMOVING BURRS OUT OF WOOL." A communication from Carl Ulbrich, residing
at Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony.
The object of this Invention is to remove the burrs contained in wool without
destroying the hairs of the wool. A comb consisting of several rows of needles
and working very fast up and down pierces the wool and lifts the burrs out of it.
The material which has to be cleaned travels through a pair of rollers over a
grooved cylinder, and is pressed against the rough surface of the same by means of
a curved lever. At the same time a lever constructed of a steel bar covered with
short sloping needles receives the wool and guides a part of it towards a pair of
The wool is
rollers having a greater revolving motion than the first rollers.
stretched by this operation and then pressed down on a plate by the steel lever,
which has also an up-and-down motion. The before described comb now pierces
the stretched wool and lifts the burrs out of it. From the top of the needles the
burrs are then taken away by means of a cleaning roller. To remove impurities
which might come between the needles of the comb fixed bars of steel are placed
between the rows of needles. The impurities remain upon these bars and are
carried away by the passing wool. By means of a second apparatus of same
construction which works in reversed direction these parts are also removed from
the wool In most cases the application of two apparatus as described will be
sufficient, but I also use three or more if necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Albert Hopff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th November
1870.
ALBERT HOPFF, Merchant, of Hamburg. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REMOVING BURRS OUT OF WOOL" A communication from Carl Ulbrich, residing
at Chemnitz, in the Kingdom of Saxony.
The purpose of this Invention is to remove the burrs out of wool without
damaging the hairs or fibres of the wool, which is always done by the processes
hitherto used for this purpose.
According to this Invention I employ a comb consisting of several rows of
needles and working very fast up and down, which pierces the wool and pushes
the burrs out of it. The wool which has to be cleaned travels through a pair of
rollers over a grooved cylinder, and is pressed against the rough surface of the
same by means of curved levers. At the same time a lever composed of a steel
bar covered with short sloping needles or points receives the wool and guides part
of it towards a pair of rollers having a greater revolving motion than the first
rollers. The wool is stretched by this operation and then pressed down on a table
plate by the steel lever, which has also an up-and-down motion. The before
described comb now pierces the stretched wool and lifts the burrs out of it. From
the top of the needles the burrs are then taken away by means of a cleaning roller.
To remove impurities which might come between the needles of the comb fixed
bars of steel are placed between the rows of needles. The impurities remain upon
these bars and are taken away by the passing wool. By means of a second
apparatus of similar construction which works in a reversed direction those parts
(burrs) which may have escaped removal by the first operation are then removed
from the wool.
In the annexed Drawing the machine is fully explained. Sheet 1 shows a side
view of same, and Sheet 2 details in full size of the chief parts of the cleaning
apparatus in different positions. On the cast-iron frame Z the bearings of the
shafts and axles of the machine are fastened. B is an endless feeding strap lending
the impure wool to the rollers c, c¹. Froin c, c', the wool is led to the roller D,
against which it is pressed by the curved levers d, which rock upon an axle v.
The pressure of these levers can be regulated by the shaft which is moveable, and
by which the opposite ends of the levers can be pressed more or less against an
india-rubber roller f. From D the wool passes through a second pair of rollers 2,71,
and from here by means of an endless strap to the second cleaning apparatus which
works in the reversed direction. The burrs, or at least the greatest part of same,
are removed out of the wool between the roller D and the pair of rollers, 7, in
the following manner :--On the shaft K are fastened two eccentrics, one of which
moves the comb A vertically up and down, while the other gives an up-and-down
as well as a sideway notion to the seizing lever E. The comb A consists of three
rows of steel needles fastened to a steel bar, the seizing lever E having five or more
rows of short teeth.
Figures 5 and 6, of Sheet 2, show part of the comb in full size. When the
comb A is in its highest position the lever E seizes a lock or tuft of wool close to
the roller D and pulls it towards the rollers 7, 7, pressing it against the plate 1,
which is fastened to the framework of the machine. The comb A in moving down
(see Sheet 1) now pierces the wool which is stretched between roller D and table /
and pushes out nearly all the impurities and most all of the burrs which may be
in it. In its lowest position the points of the comb touch the cleaning roller p,
which takes away the burrs it meets on the points of the needles, while the brushing
roller carries the same away into a receiver. During the time the comb is
moving upwards again the lever E seizes a new lock of wool near D, stretches it,
and presses it against the table. The comb now pierces this wool and goes upwards
again. In this manner one lock of wool after the other is pierced by the comb,

page_text: which makes from 300 to 400 strokes a minute, and cleans it thoroughly. To
prevent burrs which may get between the needles of the comb from damaging the
latter the three rows of needles move between steel bars fastened to tablol. Burrs
which have got between the needles remain on the top of theso bars and are carried.
away by the passing wool to be afterwards removed from the wool when it passes
through the second apparatus. All parts of this second mechanism are identical
with the one before described, only the working direction is reversed, as can be
seen from Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings. The wool after having passed
through the rollers 8, st, of the second apparatus is removed from the machine by
means of the endless strap S. The regular and alternative motion of the comb and
seizing lever is perfectly secured, as both parts are moved from the same shaft. The
chief positions of the comb and the lever during one revolution of the corresponding
axle are shown in Figures 1 to 4, of Sheet 2, of the accompanying Drawings. These
are parts of the second mechanism in full size.
Figure 1 shows the seizing lever E in its lowest position keeping the wool down.
on the table while the comb A moving upwards pierces the wool.
Figure 2. The comb A continues its motion upwards to the cleaning roller p.
while lever E goes at the same time upwards.
Figure 3. The seizing lever E continues its upward motion but moves at the
same time sideways towards the roller D, the comb moving downwards.
Figure 4. The lever E moves downwards, then seizes the wool cleaned by the
comb and draws it down on to the table 1, the comb A having passed through the
steel bars and into its lowest position.
The main shaft i of the machine makes about 100 revolutions a minute, and is
driven from a motor. On this shaft i is fastened the pulley a, which drives by
means of a cord or belt the brushing and cleaning rollers of both apparatus. The
axles of the eccentrics are put in motion by means of gear, as is shown in dotted
lines on Sheet 1.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
sanie is to be performed, I declare that I claim the application of the comb A in
connection with the curved levers and a seizing lever E, and the alternativo
motion of these parts with machines for removing burrs out of wool as fully
described and explained in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Hopff, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
ALBERT HOPFF. (L.S.)