IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING TOBACCO, AND OTHERWISE PREPARING IT FOR SALE
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Ward, of the North of England Adver-
tiser Office, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING TOBACCO, AND OTHERWISE
PREPARING IT FOR SALE."
Sealed the 29th December 1868, and dated the 1st July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Ward at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st July 1868.
I, ROBERT WARD, of the North of England Advertiser Office, New-
5 castle-upon-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING TOBACCO, AND
OTHERWISE PREPARING IT FOR SALE," to be as follows:-
In place of the present methods of running the tobacco on to the
reel to be afterwards taken off and formed into rolls I run the tobacco
on to the reel in the roll form as required for sale. For this purpose
I employ such an arrangement of the ends and spindle of the reel and

page_text: of other parts of the machine as will permit of the roll being taken from
the reel without it being necessary to resort to the second process of
rolling as now required.
For tobacco intended to be put into the press for conversion into black
roll I use two round plates or boards for the ends of the reel, with holes
in the centres to admit the spindle of the machine. For the spindle of
the reel I use two tubes made to work one within the other, so as to
lengthen or shorten the reel as required. The reel is placed on the
spindle of the machine with the ends drawn at least as far apart as
will permit of the pressure of the roll press, the reel being put into
the press with the roll. The ends of the reel thus form the top and
bottom of the roll, which they preserve from dirt whilst in the press, and
they may also be employed to print or impress upon the roll any
inscription desirable to the maker. When the tobacco has been pressed
the reel is drawn from the roll, which operation may be assisted by
the use of pieces of woollen cloth or other fabric placed between the
reel ends and the roll before the tobacco is run on to the reel.
Instead of placing ropes round the circumference of the roll before
placing it in the press two bands, tubes, or cylinders of suitable length
or size may be used to work one within the other in the same way as
the centre tubes above described, or one tube may be employed with one
or two boards or plates of suitable thickness placed inside of the tube
to permit of the requisite pressure. The former plan may be con-
veniently carried out by adding tops or bottoms to the bands, tubes, or
cylinders, the effect of which is to form a sort of box into which the
reel is put.
For brown twist I make the ends of the reel loose and of a wheel
fashion so as to afford greater facility for the insertion (if so desired) of
pegs or ties to hold the tobacco more securely together. The spindle
may be dispensed with, but I prefer a loose spindle of suitable length, or
a spindle made, as before described, of tubes, so as to shorten or lengthen
as required. Tobacco rolled on a reel constructed with a spindle of a
fixed length may, when required, be pressed between two metallic or
wooden plates or boards, with holes in the centre of one or both, into
which the end or ends of the spindle will be pressed when the pressure
is applied; but this will not be necessary when no spindle is employed
or when tubes are used, and the roll may also be placed in the reel
previously described and so pressed.

page_text: The tobacco may be run on to the reel by the hand, or by the following
plan: The reel is placed on the spindle of the machine loose. The
tobacco is received from the hands of the spinner through a hole or tube
at one end of the spindle, and is guided on to the reel by a pulley or
other suitable contrivance attached to an arm or flyer. The tobacco
is wound on to the reel by the unequal speed at which the flyer and
the reel are made to revolve. This unequal speed may be obtained in
several ways, but I prefer an application of the principle of gravita-
tion. To one end of the reel I apply a weight easily moveable from
the centre to the circumference, or in the reverse direction. The
tendency of the weight is to check or stop the motion of the reel;
and by adjusting the weight the tobacco is drawn on to the reel with
any desired force, so that the spinner may, as circumstances require,
allow the tobacco to run on to the reel or to stop it, or he may easily
draw it off the reel again by pulling it with a slight force. By this
arrangement a short table may be used, and I prefer to make the top
with a gutter round one or more sides to save the leaf tobacco from
falling on the floor.
I prefer to roll by a separate process when the tobacco is run on to
the reel by the plan last described, and this may be done as follows:-
The tobacco as spun, having been run on to a reel of ordinary construc-
tion is when full placed on a framework on which is also placed a reel
constructed as before described to permit of the tobacco being pressed on
the reel or taken off in a roll form. It is drawn on to the latter reel by
hand or other power, the operation being assisted, though not necessarily
so, by a weight or suitably shaped instrument moving in slides or other-
wise suitably directed, which by a slight blow or pressure imparts more
regularity to the form of the roll in the process of making. A modified
arrangement of this instrument may be also used to assist the formation
of the roll on the spinning machine.
The use of ties fixed in the ordinary way may be altogether dispensed
with by the following process:-A suitable number of ties, tapes, or
cords are placed at intervals round the spindle of the reel in a longitu-
dinal direction when commencing to run the tobacco on to the reel,
the ends of the cords being stretched up the sides of the reel ends, or
slits may be made in the reel ends to receive them. When the required
quantity of tobacco has been run on to the reel the
ends of each cord
are tied together, and the tobacco is readily drawn off the reel. To.

page_text: facilitate this object the spindle may be made in two halves either
divided transversely or longitudinally. If the former, each half may be
made, though not necessarily of a conical form; if the latter, the circle
of the spindle must be diminished to the extent of about one quarter of
an inch thus
When placed upon the spindle of the machine the two halves of the
spindle of the reel may be held in their places by means of an india-
rubber band or string; rolls or balls of brown twist thus formed may, as
required, be placed in a box thus constructed. In the centre of the box
is a shaft or spindle in an upright position to receive the roll of twist by
means of the hole in its centre made by the spindle of the reel. This
shaft may be longer than the thickness of the roll, so that it may receive
a lid with a hole in its centre of suitable diameter. The height of the
box and the diameter of the lid are so regulated as to allow the tobacco
to be easily withdrawn from the circumference as wanted.
Another plan is to put the tobacco into a box similar to those used
for holding cord or twine, with or without a lid, in which case the
tobacco may be drawn from the centre of the ball. In each case the
tobacco is to be put into the box before the ends are removed. When
the tobacco is drawn from the centre of the roll I prefer a lid with a
hole at the top of sufficient size to permit of the hand being inserted for
the purpose of more conveniently obtaining a hold of the end of the
tobacco when a supply is required, and the edge of this opening should
be rounded so that the tobacco will not be injured in the process of
withdrawing. Similar boxes may be used for black twist. The reel
described for black twist may also be used for brown twist. A roll or
rolls of any construction may be pressed without cords by means of
bands, tubes, or cylinders made to work one within the other with or
without tops or bottoms, or by means of one band, tube, or cylinder with
suitable boards or plates to allow of the required pressure. And other

page_text: modifications in the arrangement of the ends and spindle of the reel for
permitting the tobacco to be run on to or taken off the reel in the roll
form after or before pressure has been applied, and otherwise preparing
it for sale may be used.
In place of the present mode of oiling the tobacco I propose to use a
contrivance similar in principle to that by which water is supplied to
bird cages, a bottle so reversed in a shallow vessel as only to allow a
small quantity of oil to escape as used, or a bottle with one or more
apertures at the side or bottom to allow a limited supply of oil to escape
into a vessel or cup formed for the purpose, the oil to be applied by a
brush or other suitable means to the tobacco as run on to the reel. I
apply a brake to overcome the impetus which would otherwise cause the
flyer to revolve after the motive power was withdrawn.
The machine is placed under the control of the spinner by means of
cones connected by a belt or band, one of the cones being provided with
a loose sheave or sheaves, and the belt being operated upon by an arm
or handle. In place of the usual mode of shafting I propose to arrange
the tables singly in parallel lines, with the reels or machines in the usual
position at the end of each. The machines are thus all brought together
in a row. With each set of machines I provide one with a driving wheel
placed in a suitable position for being moved by hand or other power.
Instead of the ordinary pulley driven from a shafting I attach two
pulleys to the spindle of the driving cone of each machine, or one pulley
of extra width, and by preference with a division or rim round the centre
of the periphery. I link all the machines together by belts so that the
driving wheel acting upon one puts in motion the whole set. The
arrangement of the two pulleys and belts or bands for connecting and
working the set of machines may be varied as circumstances require.
30
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WARD, of the North of England Advertiser Office, Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Robert Ward, Her special licence that I,
the said Robert Ward, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Ward, 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 FOR SPINNING
OR TWISTING TOBACCO, AND OTHERWISE PREPARING IT FOR SALE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Ward, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be perforined, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar monthis next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent,
NOW KNOW YF, that I, the said Robert Ward, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
In forming rolls of tobacco twist I employ reels so constructed that
when the roll of tobacco twist has been formed upon it the reel may
be taken apart and the roll removed from it in the form required for
sale.
In the case of brown twist or twist which does not require to be
pressed provision is made for tieing and securing the roll before
removing the reel, and in the case of black twist requiring to be pressed
the reel is adapted to admit of the twist being pressed whilst upon the
reel, the ends of the reel being capable of yielding to the pressure
and moving inwards or towards each other as the twist between them is
consolidated. The end of the reel may have letters or a pattern recessed
into it in order to mark in a similar way the roll which is pressed upon
the reel.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section of a
reel intended to receive twist tobacco for conversion into black roll.
a, a, are the plates or boards which form the ends of the reel; b, b, are
the two tubes which form the spindle of the reel and which work one
within the other so as to permit of the pressure of the roll press.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the inner tube showing a number of
grooves for permitting the juice of the tobacco to be pressed into the
tubes if desired.
Figure 3 is a plan of one of the ends of the reel seen from the inside.
The words "Patent roll" show how the ends of the reel may be used
to print or impress upon the roll any inscription desirable to the maker.
Figure 4 shows another arrangement of the ends and spindle of the
reel [placed on the spindle d of a machine of ordinary construction.
a, a, are the ends of the reel; b, b, is a round piece of woollen cloth or
other fabric with a hole in the centre for the reel spindle to be fixed, as
shown, on both ends of the reel before the tobacco is run on to the reel,
so that the twist when it has been pressed may readily separate from
the ends of the reel; c is the spindle of the reel.
Figure 5 is a plan of one of the aforesaid reel ends seen from the
outside.
Figure 6 is a view partly in section of a reel for forming the tobacco
into a roll to be removed from the reel by the aid of ties or strings
before pressure.
a, a, Figure 6, is the spindle in two halves, divided
transversely, and held on the spindle d, d, of the machine by means of
the band b; c, c, are sectional views of the ends of this reel, and
Figure 7 is a plan of the same, which shows the slits a, a, for more
conveniently placing the strings in a longitudinal direction round the
spindle of the reel before commencing to run the tobacco on to it.
Figure 8 is a sectional view of the reel spindle.
Figure 9 is a sectional view of another mode of constructing the reel,
the spindle being divided transversely. In order to press the roll of
tobacco twist in place of passing cords around it to sustain it under the
pressure as is now usual I place it in a box-like case or mould of
cylindrical form. The top and bottom of the case or mould are caused
by the pressure to approach each other whilst the sides support the roll
around its circumference. I prefer that the ends of the reel should form.
the moveable top and bottom of the case or mould.

page_text: Figure 10 are two bands or tubes working one within the other to be
used in place of ropes round the circumference of the tobacco when in
the press.
Figure 11 shows another mode of accomplishing the same object by
means of one tube or cylinder. a, a, is a sectional view of the cylinder,
a plan of which is seen in Figure 12; b, b, b, b, and d show a reel placed
inside of it; c, c, is a board or plate (a plan of which is given in
Figure 13) upon which the roll press operates upon the tobacco placed
inside by forcing down the upper reel end. Figure 14 shews more
clearly the construction of the spindle of this reel. The tube a, a, forms
the spindle; b, b, is a sort of bush which is fastened to one end of it,
and c, c, is another bush fixed to the other end by means of a screw.
When the tobacco has been pressed the latter is unscrewed and the
spindle forced out of the hole of the roll; the ends of the reel are
then easily removed. The square hole in the bush c corresponds with
a portion of the spindle of the machine which causes the reel to revolve.
In order to spin the tobacco and to wind it up I employ the following
arrangement:-The tobacco is received from the hands of the spinner
through a hole or tube at one end of the revolving spindle and is guided
on to the reel by a pulley or other suitable contrivance attached to an
arm or flyer. The tobacco is wound on to the reel by the unequal speed
at which the flyer and the reel are made to revolve. This unequal speed
is obtained by an application of the principle of gravitation. To one
end of the reel I apply a weight easily moveable from the centre to the
circumference or in the reverse direction. The tendency of the weight
is to check or stop the motion of the reel, and by adjusting the weight
the tobacco is drawn on to the reel with any desired force so that the
spinner may as circumstances require allow the tobacco to run on to
the reel or to stop it, or he may easily draw it off the reel again by
pulling it with a slight force. By this arrangement a short table may
be used, and I prefer to make the top with a gutter round one or more
sides to save the leaf tobacco from falling on the floor. I apply a brake
to overcome the impetus which would otherwise cause the flyer to
revolve after the motive power was withdrawn.
Figure 15 is an elevation partly in section, Figure 16 an end view,
and Figure 17 a plan of a spinning machine constructed in accordance
with this Invention. E is a reel of ordinary construction, not being
provided with the arrangements for rolling the tobacco; it is placed

page_text: loose upon the spindle H of the machine, being free to revolve upon it
in either direction or to move upon it in a longitudinal direction. a is
a hole or tube through which the tobacco is received from the hands
of the spinner, and it is guided on to the reel by the pulleys b, c,
attached to the arm or flyer F, which latter I prefer to be constructed
partly in the form of a wheel. To one end of the reel I fix the vessel G,
an enlarged sectional view of which and of the reel is given in Figure 18.
E, E, E, is the reel, and G, G, is the vessel. Inside of the vessel I
place a suitable quantity of quicksilver or any other fitting weight.
The weight has an easy motion from one end of the vessel to the other
and is so alternately at the centre or the circumference of the reel in
relation to its motion on the spindle of the machine.
Figure 19 is a sectional side view of another similar vessel, but the
length is adjusted to the spinning of a smaller size of twist requiring
a more rapid rotation. a, Figure 18, is a screw by means of which the
vessel is attached to the end of the reel 6 forming both a bush for the
machine spindle and a catch by which the longitudinal motion of the
reel may be directed, if at any time necessary or desirable to so assist
the disposal of the twist upon the reel. The catch may be operated
upon by any suitable instrument. The length of the vessel is propor-
tioned to the twist to be spun. For thick twist a vessel may be used
which allows the weight a long travel from centre to circumference,
but for thin twist the travel must be proportionately shorter.
Figures 20 and 21 show another mode by which the motion of the
weight may be governed, the guides as indicated by the letters a, a, a, a,
being short to suit the quick revolution of the reel as required in
spinning thin twist.
Figures 22 and 23 are two views of a third mode of governing the
action of the weight. In this illustration two weights are used, which
operate by alternately taking reverse positions at the centre and cir-
cumference. a, a, a, a, are the two weights which move in a shaft d, d.
The length of the travel may be regulated by the means indicated by the
letters b, b, b, b, b, or for thick twist they may be allowed to move to c, c.
In adjusting the weight it is necessary to discover the point from the
centre at which centrifugal force begins to operate in preventing the
retarding effect of the weight upon the reel, and the mechanism indicated
by this illustration is chiefly valuable for this purpose, it being too noisy
for general adoption.

page_text: Figure 24 is a plan of the wheel portion of the flyer F. a is a pulley
over which the tobacco passes to the reel, and 6 is a weight to balance
the wheel, being movable in the slit according to the weight of the
tobacco to be spun. h, h, h, in Figure 17 are brakes to overcome the
impetus which would otherwise cause the flyer of the spinning machine
to revolve after the motive power was withdrawn. When the arm I, I,
moves the driving belt on to any of the loose sheaves of the cone C one
of these wedge-shaped instruments is pressed by means of a spring upon
the rim of the flyer and so causes it to stop more quickly. The machine
is placed under the control of the spinner by means of the cones C and D
and the loose sheaves marked with the letter i, which are connected by
the belt k, and which belt is operated upon by the arm I, 1. The
spinner is directed in the use of the arm by the index in Figure 17.
In Figures 15 and 17 the short table is indicated by the letters B, B, B,
the gutter for saving the fall of the leaf tobacco being marked by the
letter g.
In order to roll the tobacco after it has been spun, the tobacco
as spun having been run on to a reel of ordinary construction, this is,
when full, placed on a framework, on which is also placed a reel con-
structed, as before described, to permit of the tobacco being pressed on
the reel or taken off in a roll form. It is drawn on to the latter reel by
hand or other power, the operation being assisted though not necessarily
so, by a weight or suitably shaped instrument moving in slides or
otherwise suitably directed, which by a slight blow or pressure imparts
more regularity to the form of the roll in the process of making.
Figure 25 is an elevation, and Figure 26 an end view of a machine for
forming the twist into rolls. The full reel having been removed from
the spinning machine by taking out the pin e, in Figure 15, the vessel
containing the weight is unscrewed from one end, and the bush shown in
Figure 27 is substituted. The full reel is now placed on the spindle a
of the rolling machine. Upon another spindle b is placed an empty
reel c constructed as before described to permit of the tobacco being
pressed on the reel or taken off in a roll form. d is a handle to draw
the tobacco on to the latter reel, which operation may be assisted by the
weight or instrument e, e. This weight moves in the slides f, f, and is
acted upon by the treadle g, g. For packing balls or rolls of twist
tobacco and holding it so that lengths may be readily removed from time
to time for sale without exposing the whole ball or roll I employ a box
thus constructed:-In the centre of the box is a shaft or spindle in an

page_text: upright position to receive the roll of twist by means of the hole in its
centre made by the spindle of the reel. This shaft may be longer than
the thickness of the roll, so that it may receive a lid with a hole in its
centre of suitable diameter. The height of the box and the diameter of
the lid are so regulated as to allow the tobacco to be easily withdrawn
from the circumference as wanted. Another plan is to put the tobacco
into a box in such manner that the tobacco may be drawn from the
centre of the ball. The box has a lid with a hole at the top of sufficient
size to permit of the hand being inserted for the purpose of more con-
veniently obtaining a hold of the end of the tobacco when a supply is
required, and the edge of this opening should be rounded, so that the
tobacco will not be injured in the process of withdrawing.
Figure 28 is a sectional view of a box for holding twist tobacco which
is to be drawn when required from the circumference of the roll. a is
the shaft to receive the roll by means of the hole in its centre made
by the spindle of the reel, and b, b, is the lid.
Figure 29 is a sectional view of a box for holding twist tobacco
which is to be drawn from the centre. In order to oil the tobacco as
it is wound on the reel I use a contrivance similar in principle to that
by which water is supplied to bird cages, a bottle with one or more
apertures at the side or bottom to allow a limited supply of oil to escape
into a vessel or cup formed for the purpose, the oil to be applied as is
usual by a brush or other suitable means to the tobacco as run on
the reel.
Figures 30 and 31 is a vessel for more conveniently holding the
oil and receiving the oiling brush. In filling it the oil must be poured
in at one of the holes whilst the air escapes at the other.
In place of the usual mode of shafting I arrange the tables singly in
parallel lines with the reels or machines in the usual position at the end
of each. The machines are thus all brought together in a row. With
each set of machines instead of using shafting to drive them I provide
one machine with a driving wheel placed in a suitable position for being
moved by hand or other power. I attach two pulleys to the spindle of
the driving cone of each machine, or one pulley of extra width, and by
preference with a division or rim round the centre of the periphery. I
link all the machines together by belts, so that the driving wheel acting
upon one puts in motion the whole set.
The arrangement of the two

page_text: pulleys and belts or bands for connecting and working the set of
machines may be varied as circumstances require.
Figure 32 shows the mode of driving a number or set of machines.
A plan of portions of three machines are here given. The standards are
indicated by the letter A, and the machines are numbered 1, 2, and 3.
K is the driving wheel, and L the main driving sheave or pulley. A
belt is taken from the latter to the pulley a in No. 3 machine. The
letters L, L, L, indicate three double pulleys which are linked together
by the belts b, b, and by which means any number of machines may be
connected. It will thus be seen that the driving wheel acting by means
of the belt upon one will put in motion the whole set. The cones in
Figures 15 and 17, and in machines Nos. 1 and 2 of Figure 32, are
proportioned for spinning second and thick twist. The driving cone in
No. 3 machine is of larger diameter, and in connection with an upper
cone of the size of the driving cones of Nos. 1 and 2 machines would be
suitable for spinning second and thin twist. This arrangement of the
length and diameters of the cones may be modified to any extent, and
different speeds for different machines may also be obtained by altering
the diameters of the double coupling pulleys.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,―
First. The arrangement of the ends and spindle of the reel and of other
parts of the machine which permit of the tobacco being taken off the reel
in the roll form after or before pressure.
Second. The arrangement of the ends and spindle of the reel which
permit of its ends approaching each other, and so of its being used
as a mould or partly as a mould in the manufacture of black twist.
Third. The arranging the reel ends or the mould in such manner
as to impress or print upon the roll any inscription desirable to the
maker.
Fourth. The combining with the reel or with the ends of the moulds
pieces of woollen cloth or fabric to assist in the removal of the pressed
tobacco from the mould.
Fifth. The arrangement of bands, tubes, or cylinders in the place of a
ropes supporting the roll round its circumference when undergoing the
pressure of the roll press.

page_text: Sixth. The combination with the reel of a weight, which being lifted
and allowed to fall by the rotation of the reel checks its motion,
so that the flyer in passing around the reel may wind up the twist
upon it.
Seventh. The combination with the table of a gutter passing round
one or more of its sides so as to save the leaf from falling on the floor.
Eighth. The construction of a rolling machine, as described.
Ninth. The construction of reels as in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 to be used,
though not necessarily exclusively so, in the formation of the twist
tobacco into brown rolls.
Tenth. The construction of boxes shown in Figures 28 and 29 for
holding or preserving the twist tobacco in the course of sale.
Eleventh. The construction of the vessel shewn in Figures 30 and 31
for oiling the tobacco in the process of making it into rolls.
Twelfth. The application of a brake to overcome the impetus which
would otherwise cause the flyer to revolve after the motive power was
withdrawn.
Thirteenth. The mode described of working a number of machines in
a set by linking them together with pulleys or belts.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Ward, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 30th day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.