Improvements in Apparatus for Laying Cloth in Layers and Cutting it into Lengths.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 27th May, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Laying Cloth in Layers and Cutting
it into Lengths.
I, JAMES BERNARD BARTON, of Palace Street, Market Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Clothier, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for laying a number of layers
of cloth evenly one upon another in the manner required for cutting by hand
or band knife in the cutting out of garments.
Upon a suitable frame or carrier is mounted a traversing carriage which is
capable of being moved backwards and forwards any desired distance in accord-
ance with the length of material required for each layer of the material. Upon
the frame is pivoted a reversing lever or other device for reversing the travel of
the carriage. The frame may be suspended from the ceiling or suitable supporting
device above or it may be supported on pillars, legs or the like from below. The
frame is marked with a scale of yards to indicate the length of lay.
The carriage is provided with runners or wheels which rest upon the frame and
is traversed to and fro thereon by chain, band or straps passing over pulleys
or other device. The driving pulley is connected with a reversing motion with
friction wheels or the like which are thrown into and out of gear at the end of
each traverse by the reversing lever pivoted on the frame. The carriage carries
appliances for receiving and feeding forward the cloth, for laying it in position
layer upon layer and for cutting it into the required lengths, and it is also con-
structed so that the laying or spreading portion recedes from the pile of cloth after
each layer is laid thereon.
t
Two rollers are journalled to rotate in the carriage over each of which is passed
an endless band the two bands being placed so that for a considerable portion of
their length they run parallel and adjacent to grip the cloth between them. These
bands pass over two lower rollers placed side by side in an auxiliary frame or
guide and are capable of being traversed from side to side therein to bring the nip
of these rollers from which the cloth is delivered first to one side and then to the
other of the carriage. These rollers are moved or traversed by a chain or band
attached to their bearings passing over a wheel rotated first in one direction and
then in the reverse by bevel wheels from a vertical shaft or spindle driven by suit-
able gearing connected to the actuating part of the machine. The endless bands
which grip and feed forward the cloth are kept tight upon the rollers as the lower
rollers travel from side to side by counterweighted rollers. One or both of the
main rollers are journalled in loose or pivoted arms or brackets to allow for dif-
ferent thicknesses of cloth.
The cloth is carried forward and laid in layers by the endless band and when
the carriage has moved its full distance and the cloth is cut the length between
the delivery rollers and the knife is laid by the independent traversing movement
given to the bottom delivery rollers.

page_text: The knife for cutting the cloth into the desired lengths is preferably circular and
is carried in a saddle capable of sliding to and fro which is brought into operation
to cut the cloth at the required time by an oscillating or reciprocating lever worked
by a crank arm or cam above the carriage or by means of a travelling chain band
or other device. The knife spindle is fitted with a pinion gearing in a rack and
the movement of the knife sliding across the face of the cloth causes it to rotate
rapidly.
The lower frame of the carriage which carries the delivery rollers is capable of
sliding vertically in suitable guides and is counterbalanced by a weight attached
to a chain or band passing over a pulley. The chain or band by which it is sus-
pended (or a rack) engages with a toothed wheel which is rotated part of a revolu-
tion at each traverse raising the carriage frame a distance equal to the thickness
of the cloth. The amount of lift is adjusted by a lever connected to a roller which
lies or rests upon the cloth. This lever is connected to a pivoted lever at its upper
end which is actuated by a cam on a rotating shaft and as the roller is moved
backwards or forwards by the cloth the first lever is moved up or down and the
pivot of the second lever is moved to or from the cam and thus the length of lift
increased or decreased. The free end of the pivoted lever is by a suitable con-
necting rod connected with a pawl which engages a ratchet and rotates the chain
or toothed wheel by which the frame is suspended. The length of lift of the lever
determines the distance the wheel is rotated and consequent thereon the distance
the delivery rollers and frame are lifted.
In order to maintain the distance between the nip of the delivery rollers and
the receiving rollers constant the endless bands pass over a pair of rollers which
are gradually moved inwards by an inclined plane or pair of cranked arms, as the
lower frame is raised causing the endless bands to take a zig-zag path and thus
always contain the same length of cloth enclosed between them.
Improvements in Apparatus for Laying Cloth in Layers and Cutting
it into Lengths.
I, JAMES BERNARD BARTON, of Palace Street, Market Street, Manchester, Clothier,
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:—
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for laying a number of layers
of cloth evenly one upon another in the manner required for cutting by hand
or band knife in the cutting out of garments.
Upon a suitable frame or carrier is mounted a traversing carriage which is
capable of being moved backwards and forwards any desired distance in accord-
ance with the length of material required for each layer of the material. Upon
the frame is pivotted a reversing lever or other device for reversing the travel of
the carriage.
The frame may be suspended from the ceiling or suitable supporting device
above, or it may be supported on pillars, legs or the like from below. The frame
is marked with a scale of yards or other measure to indicate the length of lay.
The carriage is provided with runners or wheels, which rest upon the frame, and

page_text: is traversed to and fro thereon by chain, band or straps passing over pulleys
or other device.
The driving pulley is connected with a reversing motion with geared or friction
wheels or the like, which are thrown into and out of gear at the end of each
traverse by the reversing lever pivoted on the frame.
The carriage carries appliances for receiving and feeding forward the cloth,
for laying it in position layer upon layer, and for cutting it into the required
lengths, and it is also constructed so that the laying or spreading portion recedes
from the pile of cloth after each layer is laid thereon. Two rollers are journalled
to rotate in the carriage, over each of which is passed an endless band, or set of
bands, the two bands, or sets of bands being placed so that for a considerable por-
tion of their length they run parallel and adjacent to grip the cloth between them.
These bands pass over two lower rollers placed side by side in an auxiliary frame
or guide and are capable of being traversed from side to side therein to bring the
nip of these rollers from which the cloth is delivered first to one side and then to
the other of the carriage. These rollers are moved or traversed by a chain or
chains or band or bands attached to their bearings passing over a wheel or wheels
rotated first in one direction and then in the reverse by bevel wheels from a
vertical shaft or shafts or spindles driven by suitable gearing connected to the
actuating part of the machine. The endless bands which grip and feed forward
the cloth are kept tight upon the rollers as the lower rollers travel from side to
side, by counterweighted or other rollers. One or both of the main rollers are
journalled in loose or pivoted arms or brackets to allow for different thicknesses
of cloth. The cloth is carried forward and laid in lavers by the endless bands,
and when the carriage has moved its full distance and the cloth is cut, the length
between the delivery rollers and the knife is laid by the independent traversing
movement given to the bottom delivery rollers.
The knife for cutting the cloth into the desired lengths is preferably circular,
and is carried in a saddle capable of sliding to and fro which is brought into
operation to cut the cloth at the required time by an oscillating or reciprocating
lever worked by a crank arm or cam above the carriage, or by means of a travel-
ling chain band or other device. The knife spindle is fitted with a pinion gearing
in a rack and the movement of the knife sliding across the face of the cloth causes
it to rotate rapidly.
The lower frame of the carriage which carries the delivery rollers is capable of
sliding vertically in suitable guides, and is counterbalanced by a weight or weights
attached to a chain or chains or bands passing over pulleys. The chain or band
by which it is suspended, or it may be a rack, engages with a toothed wheel which
is rotated part of a revolution at each traverse raising the carriage frame, a dis-
tance equal to the thickness of the cloth. The amount of lift is adjusted by a
lever connected to a roller which lies or rests upon the cloth. This lever is con-
nected to a pivoted lever at its upper end which is actuated by a cam on a rotating
shaft, and as the roller is moved backwards or forwards by the cloth the first lever
is moved up or down, and the pivot of the second lever is moved to or from the
cam and thus the length of lift increased or decreased. The free end of the pivoted
lever is by a suitable connecting rod connected with a pawl which engages a
ratchet and rotates the chain or toothed wheel by which the frame is suspended.
The length of lift of the lever determines the distance the wheel is rotated, and
consequent thereon the distance the delivery rollers and frame are lifted.
order to maintain the distance between the nip of the delivery rollers and the
receiving rollers constant, the endless bands pass over a pair of rollers which are
gradually moved inwards by an inclined plane or pair of cranked arms as the
Tower frame is raised, causing the endless bands to take a zig-zag path and thus
always contain the same length of cloth enclosed between them.
In
But that the improvements may be better understood, I will, with the aid of the
accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a general view in side elevation of apparatus arranged in accordance
with my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of such apparatus,
while Fig. 3 is an end view of the reversing mechanism."
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the travelling carriage and Fig. 5 a side section of
the same; while Figs. 6 and 7 are a front elevation and cross section respectively
of such carriage. For the sake of clearness, some parts of apparatus have been
omitted from certain views, in cases where such parts are shown in other views.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a is the main frame or carrier, which, in the example shown is formed with
vertical rails supported from the ceiling by hangers a¹. B is the travelling carriage
and 6 the wheels or runners which rest upon the frame a and enable the car-
riage B to be traversed to and fro by the chains a² a³ passing over pullies a³, a³, at
each end of the apparatus. Reversing is accomplished, in the case shown, through
the bevel gearing a and clutch a', which latter is operated in manner following:-
At one side of the frame a is a bar as mounted between anti-friction bowls a⁹,
and provided with a fixed stop a¹ and an adjustable stop a". With one of these
stops a projection 62 on the carriage B comes in contact at each extremity of travel,
and thereby moves the bar a8. This bar thereupon actuates the bell crank lever a¹³,
which in turn moves the bar a¹³, and so pulls or pushes over the pivoted lever a¹¹,
which actuates the clutch a', as shown in Fig. 3. The stop. all may be temporarily
fixed at any point in the length of the bar a8, by which means the extent of
traverse of the carriage B may be varied as required, to give longer or shorter
folds to the cloth; and such adjustable stop a¹¹ may be provided with a pointer,
as shown, to correspond with any scale marked on the frame a.
c is the cloth, and d is a table receiving the same.
The
b is the carriage framing suspended from the wheels 6', upon which framing are
mounted the rollers 63, 64, 6, 6 which feed forward the cloth c after the same has
passed from the supply roll over the small conducting roller b. The rollers 6+ 66
are journalled in loose or pivoted arms or brackets 686 to allow for different thick-
nesses of cloth. Over the rollers 65 66 are passed the sets of bands de¹, which also
pass round the bottom feed rollers de, and about the guide rollers f g g'. These
bands run parallel and adjacent between the rollers 6566 and d e so as to grip the
cloth, which is delivered through the guide or shoot 2 on to table d³
rollers de are mounted in bearings d, which are pivoted at d to a block (5,
which block is capable of sliding to and fro within a slot h³ in the auxilliary
framing h. The block belonging to each bearing is actuated by a chain connected
thereto and passing over the chain wheels h¹h, the latter of which receives motion
first in one direction and then in the reverse, through the gearing, j, vertical
shafts k k and gearing 1, from the horizontal shaft m at the top of the carriage,
which shaft m is operated in manner to be hereinafter described.
When the blocks d are pulled across the framing h, they carry with them the
bearings do and their rollers de. During this movement, the extensions e² of the
bearings come in contact with projections * on the frame h, whereby the bearings
and rollers are thrown over upon the pivot d', and assume the requisite position
for trailing the cloth during the next ensuing traverse of the carriage. The
endless bands del are kept tight upon their rollers, as the rollers de are moved
from side to side, by means of the loose arms f¹ carrying the weighted rollers f,
which tend to assume a more vertical position when the bands de slacken at any
part.
In order to maintain the length of cloth between the receiving rollers 65 66 and
the delivery rollers de constant, the endless bands d¹ e¹ pass over a set of
rollers g, which, as the frame h rises or falls, are moved inwards or outwards by
the cranked arms 92 mounted on the framing b, and acted on by projections on the
framing h, (Fig. 4) the frame 6 being slotted to allow for the lateral motion of
the rollers gl. By this means the bands d'e¹ take a zig-zag path.
n is a saddle, mounted loosely upon two cross-shafts n¹, and capable of sliding

page_text: to and fro thereon n³ is a circular knife, mounted to turn with the pinion n³, which
gears into the rack n'. Thus the movement of the knife across the face of the
cloth will cause such knife to rotate (Figs. 5 & 7). A resistance plate or
"dead-
knife", to enable the knife n2 to effectively operate, is shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
The saddle n is traversed by a reciprocating lever o fulcrumed at o' and connected
by link o to a crank o³ which receives motion through the system of gearing o¹
and "half-wheel" 08 from the shaft o at the top of the carriage, and as hereinafter
to be described.
The framing / carrying the delivery rollers de is capable of sliding vertically
within the carriage framing b, along with the shafts kk, which rise within the
bushes connected to the gearing 1, to which bushes the shafts are at the
same time keyed so as to be capable of turning therewith. A rack upon the said
framing h, engages, at each side of the carriage, with a pinion p (Figs. 5 and 6)
which pinions are rotated part of a revolution at each extremity of the carriage's
traverse, so as to lift the framing ha distance equal to the thickness of the cloth.
The pinions are connected and operated by a shaft p' which carries a ratchet 2³,
operated by pawl 23 from link at the end of the lever p³.
The amount of lift is adjusted by means of a feeler" roller r, which presses
upon the cloth against the carrier roller 67 (Fig. 5). This roller r exerts varying
pressure, through spring spindles r¹, upon levers 7, connected by a cross-shafts,
and an arm of one lever is connected by the link p³ to another lever which,
as a thicker or thinner cloth causes the roller r to exert greater or less pressure
upon the system of levers, forces the cam s¹ more or less along the shaft s against
the spring. The cam s¹ having an inclined surface, it will be seen that, as it is
moved laterally, a greater or less amount of eccentricity will be presented to the
lever p, which rests upon the cam; and such lever, as the cam revolves, will
consequently be lifted to a degree varying with the position of the latter on the
shaft.
The lifting of the lever 25 actuates the link and pawl 23, and thus the
ratchet is operated to a corresponding degree.
Apparatus to counterbalance the framing his indicated in dotted lines at h*,
in Fig. 5.
The shafts has motion given to it, at the proper time, through the gearing s³
and "half-wheel from the shaft o.
"
tu are bands or chains from the shafts o and w respectively, to drive the roller 6³,
and v is a band or chain connecting 63 with the roller b³.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Motion is given to the carriage B by setting the chains a² a³ in action, a stop y
on each chain coming in contact with one extremity of the carriage and drawing
the same along. Thus the chain wheels on the shafts o and m at the top of the
carriage are not operated during traverse. On the other hand the lower chain
wheels w² 3 on the shaft w, are rapidly revolved by the motion of the carriage and
the reverse motion of the chains, combined, and such wheels w³ w³ turn in opposite
directions one to the other, by reason of the chain passing over in one case and
under in the other case.
By means of ratchets w attached to the shaft w, and a pawl w° with each
wheel ww³, neither wheel operates the shaft w except in the direction required to
drive the reed roller 63 through the band u. It will thus be seen that in whatever
direction the carriage B is travelling, one of the wheels 203 20³ will operate the
shaft w,
but whichever wheel is in operation, the direction of such shaft will
remain constant.
When the carriage B arrives at an extremity of travel, and the direction of
the chains a a³ is reversed, the stop y is carried across the carriage before the
latter can again be moved, and thus the chain wheels m², m³ m³ are temporarily set
in motion. These wheels are all loose upon the shaft and the wheels m2 and m³
are each provided with a pin or projection m" which takes into a slot in a disc m³ m6
adjacent to each wheel, and keyed to the shaft m. By this means the pins move

page_text: within the slots for the first half movement of the wheels m² m³, and the shaft is
not revolved. By a similar device the shaft w also remains stationary until the
latter part of this temporary operation, w¹ being the pins and the slot in each
disc w (Figs. 5 and 7).
Meanwhile the wheel mt has immediately operated the wheel 6, through
chain m, and, for the first half of the movement operates, through the half-
wheels 38, the corresponding gearing 2 o' which, as has already been described,
operate the raising of the frame and the traverse of the cutting knife ², to cut
the cloth. At the second half of the movement, the half-wheels s3, 08, do not
operate, presenting blanks in lieu of teeth; but the half wheel now comes into
operation and through the bevel gearing o enables the wheel to drive the
band t, which gives to the roller 63 a speed equal to that imparted by the band u
when the carriage is in motion.
Thus the wheel t¹ is turned half a revolution only, whereas the shaft o com-
pletely revolves.
'
In order that the shaft o may turn in one direction only, notwithstanding the
reciprocatory movement of the chain wheel of, the gearing o¹0, and ratchet and
pawl mechanism, o o¹ are employed, whereby one of the pawls oll will operate
upon its ratchet o¹ keyed to the shaft o, whatever may be the direction of the
chain wheel of for the time being; while the other pawl will slip over its ratchet.
It will be readily understood that to effect the foregoing operations from the
movement of the chain-wheel of the half-wheels s07 08 and the ratchets o¹² are
keyed to the shaft o, while the remaining mechanism on such shaft is free to turn
independently.
It will now be seen that when the carriage B stops, at each extremity of its
travel, and the chains a³ a³ operate without drawing the carriage, the cutting of
the cloth and raising of the frame h are first effected, while, during the second part
of the operation, the bands tvare actuated to drive the roller b so as to deliver
the end of the length of cloth that is cut, and at the same time the shaft m is
revolved, along with the gear wheels keyed thereon and consequently, as
described, the rollers de are traversed, whereby the end of cloth still within the
carriage, is laid upon the table.
The band t is employed for auxilliary driving of the rollers 63 65 in lieu of the
band u, for the reason that, while the carriage B is stationary, the lower chain
wheels ww³, and therefore the band u, move at a much slower speed than when the
carriage B is travelling, whereas it is desirable to deliver the cloth at the same
speed throughout. Any excess of speed imparted to the band u during this auxilliary
feeding motion is, however, lost in the slipping of the pawls wo over the ratchets w.
When the carriage B is travelling, the pawl in its turn slips over the revolving
ratchett, which is keyed to the shaft of the roller 63, and thus the band t is not
moved.
The chain stops y having been drawn across the top of the carriage, come in
contact with the opposite extremity thereof and the movement of the chains a² a³
effects the next traverse of the carriage, the entire operation, as herein described
being repeated. The apparatus may be stopped by throwing strap Z on to loose
pulley Zin any known manner.
Variations in the design and material of the different parts may be made with-
out departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In apparatus for laying cloth in layers and cutting it into lengths, the com-
bination of a travelling carriage provided with means for delivering and cutting
the cloth, with mechanism for reversing the direction of travel of such carriage,
substantially as herein set forth.
2. In apparatus for laying cloth in layers and cutting it into lengths, a reci

page_text: procating carriage provided with means for raising the position of the delivery of
the cloth from such carriage, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein
set forth.
3. In apparatus for laying cloth in layers and cutting it into lengths, a reci-
procating carriage provided with means for traversing the position of the delivery
of the cloth from side to side of the carriage, for the purpose and in manner sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
4. In apparatus for laying cloth in layers and cutting it into lengths, a reci-
procating carriage provided with means for delivering and cutting the cloth, in
manner substantially as herein set forth.
5. In apparatus for laying cloth in layers, and cutting it into lengths, the com-
bination of parts for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shown and
described.
7th of Anvil 1900
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.