IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIRROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Rushton and Benjamin Alfred Dobson, of
the Firm of Messieurs Dobson and Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Machine Makers, and William Dobson, of the same Place, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR COMBING COTTON AND
OTHER FIRROUS MATERIALS"
Sealed the 10th October 1879, and dated the 26th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Rushton,
Benjamin Alfred Dobson, and William Dobson at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 26th June 1879.
THOMAS HENRY RUSHTON and BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, of the Firm of
Messieurs Dobson and Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Makers, and WILLIAM DOBSON, of the same Place, Engineer.
MACHINES FOR COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
In performing our Invention we make use of a main shaft extending the full
length of the machine, and to it we fasten one cam to work the top combs, and
two cams to each feed roller; the feed rollers also act as nippers. At one end of
the main shaft is fixed a disc which gives motion to the steel feed roller; on this
disc is a stud connected by a link to a lever on the cylinder shaft which gives it
a rocking motion; fast to this shaft is a segment containing combs; the top edge
of this segment is grooved to receive a roller, which roller with the grooved
segment acts as a nipper; the roller is supported in brackets which work loose on
the cylinder shaft, and is pressed against the grooved segment by means of a
weight. The combs having been passed through the cotton or other fibre, the
brackets carrying the detaching or nipper roller come against a stop and remain
stationary while the segment moves forward; the cotton then springs up, and as
the segment returns, the cotton is caught between it and the roller, and is drawn
through the top combs. The detaching or nipping roller has a rotary motion
communicated to it by a ratchet wheel, which draws the cotton forward (similar
to a disc feeder) and delivers it on an apron carried by a roller immediately under
the nipping roller and geared with it; or it may be delivered on a tin, whence it
is taken to the callender blocks in the usual manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Thomas Henry Rushton,
Benjamin Alfred Dobson, and William Dobson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th January 1880.
THOMAS HENRY RUSHTON and BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, of the Firm of
Messieurs Dobson and Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Makers, and WILLIAM DOBSON, of the same Place, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
.
In performing our Invention we make use of a main shaft extending the full
length of the machine, and to it we fasten one cam to work the top combs, and two
cams to each feed roller; the feed rollers also act as nippers.. At one end of the
main shaft is fixed a disc which gives motion to the steel feed roller. Also on the
main shaft is a cam wheel which gives a rocking motion to the cylinder shaft; fast
to this shaft are segments containing combs; the top edge of these segments are
grooved to receive a roller, which roller with the grooved segment acts as a nipper;
the roller is supported in brackets which work loose on the cylinder shaft, and is
pressed against the grooved segment by means of weights: The combs pass through
the cotton, and the brackets carrying the detaching or nipper roller come against a
stop, and remain stationary whilo the segment moves forward; the cotton then
springs up and as the segment returns the cotton is caught between it and the
roller and is drawn through the top comb. The detaching or nipper roller has
rotary motion communicated to it by a clutch box, and draws the cotton forward
(similar to a disc feeder), and delivers it on an apron carried by a roller imme-.
diately under the nipping roller and geared with it; or it may be delivered on to a
tin, whence it is taken to the callender blocks in the usual manner.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a front view of part of one of our improved combing machines; and
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; a is the driving shaft which gives motion to
the cam shaft b extending the full length of the machine; b' are the cams which
actuate the levers c, and through them raise and lower the roller c', which is thus
caused to act as a feed roller and a nipper by being pressed against the jaw d by
the lever d¹ and spring d; the feed roller e receives motion through the star
wheel e¹ from a disc fixed on the main or cam shaft b. On the off end of the
shaft b is fixed a wheel to which is attached a cam which gives motion to the
top comb; this wheel also drives the coiler and the draw box; these are not
shewn. On the driving end of the shaft b is the wheelf which gives motion
to the rocking shaft f¹ either by the cam lever g and bowl g¹ or by making the
wheelf a grooved cam; attached to the rocking shaft by levers h are the comb
segments h, the top edges of which are grooved to receive the roller i and thus
form nippers; below the roller i is the roller ; both these rollers are supported in
brackets which work loose on the rocking shaft; the rollers are raised and
lowered by the regulating screw ; and the incline on the bearing k, and are pressed
against the grooved segment by means of the weights ³ connected by chains 13; 4
one end of the chain is fast to the segment lever h, the other end being fast to the
bracket f; the brackets f³ come against a stop land remain stationary, while the
segments h¹ move forward and are cleaned by, the brush m; 8 is the top comb.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 shew the nipper and detaching motion. Attached to the stand
of the machine is a segment n in which the wheel n¹ gears. On the side of the
wheel n¹ is the clutch o, and working in it is the clutch o¹ fast on the roller i¹ and

page_text: held in gear by the spiral spring p; q is the tin on to which the cotton is delivered
by the rollers i and .
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The lap is brought down in the usual manner to the feed rollers c¹ and e, the
cams act upon the levers c and raise the leather feed roller c'; about the same
time the feed roller e receives a forward motion from the star wheel e', and feeds
the cotton through; the feed roller c¹ is then lowered on to the jaw d, and pressed
against it by the lever d¹ and spring d² thus forming a nipper; the comb segments
h¹ are then passed through the cotton or other fibre, the loose brackets f³ being
arrested by the stops l, and the segments move forward sufficiently far to allow the
cotton to spring up, and they are then cleaned by the brush m. On the return of
the segment the combed cotton is caught between its grooved edge and the roller i,
and pieced and drawn through the top comb 8. The roller then receives a
forward motion by means of the wheel n³, clutch o', and segment n, which forward
motion it communicates to the roller i and draws the combed cotton forward,
and delivers it on to the tin 9 or other arrangement for conducting it, the callender
blocks.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention and described the manner of
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to
the details given, as the same may be varied or modified, nor do we claim any of
the well known parts shewn, but what we claim is the combination of the parts
shewn and particularly described, and especially the machinery for detaching and
piecing up the fleece.
In witness whereof, we, the said Benjamin Alfred Dobson and William
Dobson, for ourselves and on behalf of the said Thomas Henry Rushton,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty third day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
BEN. ALF. DOBSON. (LA)
WILLIAM DOBSON. (L.S.)