IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF SPRINGS AND ROLLERS USED IN WRINGING AND MANGLING MACHINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE SPRINGS OR ROLLERS ARE USED
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Firth and Thomas Wolstencroft, both of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF SPRINGS AND ROLLERS USED IN WRINGING AND MANGLING
MACHINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHERE SPRINGS OR ROLLERS ARE USED."
Sealed the 5th June 1877, and dated the 8th December 1870
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Firth and Thomas
Wolstencroft at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December
1876.
EDWIN FIRTH and THOMAS WOLSTENCROFT, both of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS AND ROLLERS
USED IN WRINGING AND MANGLING MACHINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE SPRINGS OR ROLLERS ARE USED.'
"
This Invention relates, firstly, to springs used in wringing and mangling machines,
for the purpose of pressing the upper roller firmly down into the lower roller, so
as to give the pressure required for wringing or mangling; but it will be evident
that the improved springs, either in the same form or slightly modified, are also
applicable for a variety of other useful purposes where a strong and economical
spring is required.
The spring is made from a flat strip or bar of steel bent into a volute form at
each end, and properly tempered. This spring is so arranged that when the
power to be resisted is applied it has a tendency to uncoil or unlap these two
volutes.
The
In the case of a wringing or mangling machine we apply this spring as follows:-'
The spring is attached to the side frame by means of two bolts, one passing through
the innermost coil of each volute, which is free to turn partially on the bolt.
central portion of the spring is bent upwards and carried over the axle of the
upper roller. A screw passes through the centre of this part, and presses upon the
brass or bearing of the upper roller, and hence the face of the spring is brought.
to bear upon the axle, and can be increased or diminished by turning the screw.
In some cases the upper part of the spring may be curved downwards in the centre,.

page_text: and act beneath the bottom roller instead of above the top roller; and where four
rollers are used the spring may be doubled, having four volutes.
In another modification the volutes may be reversed, the spring being somewhat
in the formation of au S, the axis of each roller being carried in the central coil
of one of the volutes, and the act of separating the two rollers having a tendency
to uncoil the top volutes, as in the previously described modification.
The second part of this Invention relates, principally, to the construction of the
rollers of wringing, mangling, or other machines wherein two rollers being geared
together by spur wheels at one end it is required to pass articles of various
thicknesses between them without drawing or forcing the teeth of the spur wheels
out of gear.
The top roller I make solid (say of lignum vitæ) with a shaft driven in through
the centre as usual. The lower roller I make in the form of a tube with its
internal diameter larger than that of the shaft or axle which passes through it.
At the end furthest from the spur wheels the axle is made with an enlarge-
ment or head fitting loosely inside the tubular roller, and through a hole in this
enlargement passes a pin, the end of which are screwed, rivetted, or otherwise fixed
in the tubular roller, so that the latter is compelled to revolve with the axle.
At the end of the rollers, where the spur wheels are mounted, both the axles
pass through holes in the same plate, and therefore it is evident that the two axles
must always be the same distance apart, and hence the wheels will always remain
in gear:
Although it is evident that as there is a space between the inside of the roller
and the axle the rollers can separate to allow different thicknesses of material to
pass through; at the other end the lower axle passes through a hole in the end
frame, and the upper axle passes through a hole in a movable step, so that the two
axles can separate at this end. The upper roller is held down by springs (or
weights), and hence it will be evident that upon any articles of greater or less
thickness passing through the rollers they can give way as required without inter-
fering with the gearing of the teeth of the wheels, and that no other adjustment
will be required.
In making the bottom rollers for these or other wringing machines we flute the
outside of the roller longitudinally, and then cover it with india-rubber com-
position in the ordinary way; and it will be found that by these means india-
rubber covered rollers can be made of much larger diameter than can be made in
the ordinary manner with plain cylindrical rollers without any danger of the india-
rubber becoming loose upon the roller.
This part of our Invention is applicable to all rollers covered with india-rubber
or india-rubber composition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Firth and Thomas Wolstencroft in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th June 1877.
EDWIN FIRTH and THOMAS WOLSTENCROFT, both of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SPRINGS AND ROLLERS
USED IN WRINGING AND MANGLING MACHINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE SPRINGS OR ROLLERS ARE USED."
This Invention relates, firstly, to the springs used in wringing and mangling
machines for the purpose of pressing the upper roller firmly down on to the lower
roller, so as to give the pressure required for wringing or mangling; but it will be
evident that the improved springs, either in the same form or slightly modified, are
also applicable for a variety of other useful purposes where a strong and economical
spring is required.

page_text: The second part of this Invention relates principally to the construction of the
roller of wringing, mangling, or other machines, wherein two rollers being geared
together by spur wheels at one end it is required to pass articles of various thick-
nesses between them without drawing or forcing the teeth of the spur wheels out
of gear.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention, we will now proceed
to describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
we have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in
the following explanation thereof :-
In the annexed Drawing Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a transverse
section of a wringing machine, showing the adaptation of our Invention thereto.
The spring a, a, is made from a flat strip or bar of steel bent into a volute form
at each end, a*, ux, and properly tempered, as these springs may be made round or
of other suitable section. This spring is so arranged that when the power to be
résisted is applied it has a tendency to uncoil or unlap these two volutes.
In the case of a wringing or mangling machine we apply this spring as follows:-
The spring a, a, is attached to the side frame b, b, by means of two bolts c, c, one
passing through the innermost coil of each volute a*, ax, which is free to turn par-
tially on the bolt c, c. The central portion a of the spring is bent upwards and
carried over the axle d, d, of the upper roller c, e, and presses on the brass step f. f.
A screw may be passed through the centre of this part, and presses upon the brass
or bearing ff, of the upper roller, and hence the force of the spring a, a, is brought
to bear upon the axle, and can be increased or diminished by turning the screw; or
the spring may bear direct upon the brass, as shown. In some cases the upper part
of the spring may be curved downwards in the centre, and act beneath the bottom
roller instead of above the top roller, as shown at Fig. 3; and where four rollers
are used the spring may be doubled, having four volutes, as shown at Fig. 4.
In another modification the volutes may be reversed, the spring being somewhat
in the form of an S, as seen at Fig. 5, the axis of each roller being carried in the
central coil of one of the volutes, and the act of separating the two rollers having a
tendency to uncoil both volutes, as in the previously described modification; and in
some cases we make a single spring, as at Fig. 6.
One roller g, g, we make solid (say of lignum vitæ) with a shaft j, j, driven in
through the centre as usual. The other roller we make in the form of a tube e¹, e¹,
with its internal diameter larger than that of the shaft or axle d, d, which passes
through it; or in some cases both the top & bottom rollers may be made
hollow.
At the end furthest from the spur wheels h, h, the axle d, d, is made with an
enlargement or head i, i, fitting loosely inside the tubular roller c, c, and through a
hole in this enlargement passes a pin k, l, the ends of which are screwed, rivetted, or
otherwise fixed in the tubular roller e, e, so that the latter is compelled to revolve
with the axle d, d.
We may here remark that in some cases we make this enlargement i, i, at or
near the centre of the roller instead of at one end.
At the end of the rollers, where the spur wheels h, h, are mounted, both the
axles d and pass through holes in the same plate or through fixed bearings, and
therefore it is evident that that the two axles must always be the same distance
apart, and hence the wheels h, h, will always remain in gear.
Although it is evident that as there is a space between the inside of the roller
e, e, and the axle d, d, the rollers can separate to allow different thicknesses of
material to pass through; at the other end the lower axle j, j, passes through a hole
in the end frame, and the upper axle d, d, passes through a hole in a movable
step f', so that the two axles can separate at this end. The upper roller is held
down by a spring a, a, (or by weights) bearing, not upon the axle, but upon the
tubular roller; and hence it will be evident that upon any articles of greater or less

page_text: thickness passing through the rollers they can give way as required without inter-
fering with the gearing of the teeth of the wheels h, k, and that no other adjustment
will be required.
In making india-rubber covered rollers for these or other wringing machines we
flute the outside of the roller longitudinally, and then cover it with india-rubber
composition in the ordinary way; and it will be found that by these means india-
rubber covered rollers can be made of much larger diameter than can be made in the
ordinary manner with plain cylindrical rollers without any danger of the india-
rubber becoming loose upon the roller.
This part of our Invention is applicable to all rollers covered with india-rubber
or india-rubber composition.
We prefer to make the rollers of different diameters, as shown in the Drawings,
instead of making them both of the same diameter as usual.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into prac-
tical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention,-
First. The manufacture of volute springs for such purposes, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Secondly. We claim the construction and arrangement of rollers, substantially as
herein described, so that the rollers themselves can separate whilst their axles
remain at the same distance apart and the gearing wheels remain in gear.
And, Thirdly. We claim fluting or grooving rollers longitudinally previously to
covering them with india-rubber or with india-rubber composition for the purposes
above set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edwin Firth and Thomas Wolstencroft, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day of June in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.