Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Breaking and Opening Waste Textile Fibres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Breaking and Opening
Waste Textile Fibres..
JOHN DANIA TOMLINSON of the Firm of James Tomlinson, of The Soho
Iron Works, Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to machinery or apparatus for breaking and opening
waste textile fibres in the condition of "hard" or "soft" waste such for instance
as cotton cop bottoms, cotton tares, rags and other waste fibres and portions of
fabric commonly worked up for re-spinning and manufacture into sheetings; quilts,
towelling and the like.
t
A common defect in machinery of the usual type employed for this purpose is
that the lap is more thoroughly treated upon one side than upon the other, the
most effectually broken side being that which is next to the breaking cylinder or
cylinders. This does not so much matter in single cylinder apparatus because
there the lap can be turned each time it is submitted to the cylinder. But in the
case of apparatus having several breaking cylinders all revolving in the same
direction as is usual, the lap is carried from cylinder to cylinder without being
turned and is delivered with one side less acted upon than the other.
One of the reasons of this is that the heavier portions of the fibre or flock are
apt to gravitate towards the under side of the lap and to remain there, thus
escaping the full effect of the breaking teeth. I so arrange under my invention
that these heavier portions shall be thrown towards the top as they approach the
cage rollers and so that in passing the compressing rollers these coarser portions
will be on the upper side of the lap. I thus practically turn the lap between each
cylinder and ensure thorough and effective treatment of both sides. The means
whereby I carry my invention into effect are as follows. It must be remembered
that the breaking cylinders by their speed of revolution create a considerable
current of air behind them. Behind each cylinder there is an upwardly sloping
plate and above the same there is a portion usually of glass the two walls forming
a V shaped conduit leading to the cage cylinders through which the air blast
escapes, while the fibre is hurried directly into the nip of the compressing rollers.
Under such circumstances it is natural that the heavier untreated portions of fibre
should gravitate towards the foot of the lap. To intercept and divert this down-
ward gravitation, I arrange a series of smooth and polished spikes or swords
projecting through the lower inclined floor of the V shaped conduit, at such an
angle as will direct the heavier portions of fibre against the upper cage cylinder.
Tlie air passes and escapes freely between the said spikes or swords but the fibre
and especially the heavier portions are diverted in the required direction. The heavy
fibre clings to the upper cage cylinder and is brought round and transferred to a
second smaller pervious cylinder placed beneath the upper cage cylinder and
revolving in the same direction. This smaller pervious cylinder brings the fibré
round and delivers it to the compressing rollers by which the lap is consolidated
and passed on to the nip rollers from which it is torn by the next breaking
cylinder. The finer fibre gets beneath the beavier portions and the consequence is
that the lap is practically turned between each breaking cylinder. The swords or

page_text: spikes are mounted on a cross bar and made adjustable so that they can be advanced,
retracted and set at any angle or pitch found to be most effective. An open grid or
a perforated plate might be used instead of the aforesaid polished spikes or swords
but I consider that the latter are the most suitable for my purposes.
In a machine containing several breaking cylinders the successive throwing of
the partially treated or heavier fibre to the top in the indicated manner results in
the delivery of a lap of a uniform and consistent nature.
My improvements can be fitted to existing machines at comparatively small
cost.
Dated the 07th dor of A tril 1805
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5 John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents."
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Breaking and Opening
Waste Textile Fibres.
I JOHN DANIA TOMLINSON of the Firm of James Tomlinson, of The Soho
Iron Works, Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this 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 :-
My said invention relates to machinery or apparatus for breaking and opening
waste textile fibres in the condition of "hard"
or "soft"
waste such for instance
as cotton cop bottoms, cotton tares, rags and other waste fibres and portions
of fabric commonly worked up for re-spinning and manufacture into sheetings,
quilts, towelling and the like.
A common defect in machinery of the usual type employed for this purpose is
that the lap is more thoroughly treated upon one side than upon the other, the
most effectually broken side being that which is next to the breaking cylinder or
cylinders. This does not so much matter in single cylinder apparatus because
there the lap can be turned each time it is submitted to the cylinder. But in the
case of apparatus baving several breaking cylinders all revolving in the same
direction as is usual, the lap is carried from cylinder to cylinder without being
turned and is delivered with one side less acted upon than the other.
One of the reasons of this is that the heavier portions of the fibre or flock are
apt to gravitate towards the under side of the lap and to remain there, thus
escaping the full effect of the breaking teeth. I so arrange under my invention
that these heavier portions shall be thrown towards the top as they approach, the
cage rollers and so that in passing the compressing rollers these coarser portions
will be on the upper side of the lap. I thus practically turn over or beat up the
lap between each cylinder and ensure thorough and effective treatment of both
Bides.
"To illustrate my invention. I have annexed hereto a sheet of drawings to which
I will now refer.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a breaking machine,
sufficient of the machine being included to show my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1. at about the line A, B, Fig. 1.
"
In the said drawings the toothed breaking cylinders are marked a,
the perforated
cage rollers b, b', the compressing rollers c, and the nip rollers d. When at work
the breaking cylinders a, revolving in the indicated direction, create a considerable
current of air in the direction of their revolution.
'Behind each cylinder there is an upwardly sloping plate e and above the same
there is a division usually of glass, the two walls e and f forming a "V" shaped

page_text: conduit leading at an upward angle to the cage cylinders which are pervious.
and through which the air blast escapes while the fibre is pressed upon, the
cylinders 66 and carried round towards the compressing rollers c. While the
fibre is being carried up the "V" shaped conduit to the cage cylinders, it is natural.
that the heavier untreated portions of fibre should gravitate towards the under-
side of the lap, and if no means are taken to correct this the lap will in the end
become coarser on one side than' on the other.
The means which according to my invention I use to intercept and divert this.
downward gravitation of the heavier portions of fibre consist of a series of smooth
and polished spikes or swords g bolted to a cross stay h and projecting through the
lower inclined floore of the "V" shaped conduit at an angle away from the
breaking cylinder and so as to direct the heavier portions of fibre against the upper
cage cylinder.
The said swords or spikes 9 are set closely together across the full width of the
conduit as shown in Fig. 2.
The air passes freely between the said spikes or swords, but the fibre au 1.
especially the heavier and coarser portions are diverted upward in the require l
direction. The coarser fibre alights upon and is pressed against the upper cage.
cylinder b, and as the said cylinder revolves, the fibre is carried round and
transferred to a second smaller pervious cylinder i, placed beneath the cylinder b
and revolving in the same direction as shown in Fig. 1. The smaller pervious
cylinder i takes the fibre off the cylinder b and carries it round to the compressing
rollers c, where it meets the finer portions of fibre which have drifted through between
the swords g to the lower pervious cylinder 6. Thus it will be seen that the
finer fibre gets beneath the heavier portions so that the lap as it passes between
the compressing rollers has a coarser upper side and a finer under side. The
result is that the lap is practically turned between each breaking cylinder, so
that in a machine containing several breaking cylinders, the successive throwing
of the partially treated or heavier fibre to the top in the indicated manner
results in the delivery of a lap of a uniform and consistent nature throughout..
The cross stay h which carries the swords 9 is carried on side brackets which
are adjustable on their bolts so that the swords 9 can be adjusted to any
suitable angle. I might also make provision for rendering the swords adjustable-
towards and from each other so as to increase or diminish the spaces between
each sword. An open grid or a perforated plate set at an angle might be used.
instead of the swords but I consider that the latter as I have described them are
the most suitable for my purpose. After the lap has passed the compressing
rollers c it next enters between the nip rollers d, from which the lap is torn by the
toothed breaking cylinder a.
Thus by the means hereinbefore described I practically turn over or beat up.
the lap between each cylinder and ensure thorough and effective treatment on
both sides.
My aforesaid improvement may be fitted to existing breaking machines at.
comparatively small cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven™
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is,
1. In apparatus for breaking and opening waste textile fibres, the series of smooth
and polished swords or spikes or in the alternative an open or pervious plate or
deflector interposed at an angle between each breaking cylinder and the succeeding
pervious or cage cylinders, for the purpose of deflecting and throwing upward the
coarser portions of fibre while at the same time allowing the air to pass and the
lighter portion of fibre to drift through on the lower level, for the purposes and,
substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In apparatus of the indicated nature the series of spikes or swords 9 or other
pervious deflecting means set at an angle in combination with the cage cylinders b¿

page_text: and the auxiliary pervious cylinder i, for the purposes and substantially as herein
before described and shown.
Dated the 28th day of January 1806
and the auxiliary pervious cylinder i, for the purposes and substantially as herein.
before described and shown.
Dated the 28th day of January 1006,
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & On.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.
5 John Dalton Street, Manchester, Chartered Patent Agents.