IMPROVEMENTS IN CROP- WARDING.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Craig, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CROP-
WARDING.
"
Sealed the 16th November 1860, and dated the 21st May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Craig at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st May
1860.
I, JAMES CRAIG, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CROPPING AND CLIPPING MACHINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF WOVEN
FABRICS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for cropping the pro-
jecting fibres off the surface of woven fabrics, being also applicable to machines
for clipping the loose threads off lappets and similar fabrics.
In cropping machines of the class to which the present Invention applies,
the cropping action is effected by means of a stationary knife edge and revolving
roller, having spiral cutting blades mounted upon it, and the Invention consists
principally in arranging in one machine two or more spiral cutting rollers,
each with its stationary knife in such a way that the fabric can be easily seen
on its passage from one to the other, and that the several parts appertaining
to each roller can be easily got at and adjusted when necessary. To these ends
the second spiral cutting roller with its accompanying details is placed a suffi-

page_text: cient distance behind the first, and at a somewhat higher level, and in like manner
a third or fourth may be similarly arranged with reference to the second or
third. In practically carrying out this arrangement, according to one modifica-
tion, the framing is formed with steps to carry the details appertaining to the
respective rollers, these details being by preference alike for all the cutting
rollers, and the stationary knives and guides for the fabric being by preference
arranged immediately beneath the several cutting rollers as in the ordinary
single cropping machine.
In clipping machines the same general arrangement is adopted, the sub-
sidiary parts being of course modified to suit the operation as in ordinary
machines.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Craig in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CRAIG, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Craig, Her special licence that I, the said James Craig,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Craig, 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
CROPPING AND CLIPPING MACHINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF WOVEN FABRICS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Craig, 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
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Craig, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to improvements in machines for cropping the
projecting fibres off the surface of woven fabrics, being also applicable to
machines for clipping the loose threads off lappets and similar fabrics.
In cropping machines of the class to which the present Invention applies,
the cropping action is effected by means of a stationary knife edge and
revolving roller having spiral cutting blades mounted upon it. And the
Invention consists principally in arranging in one machine two or more spiral
cutting rollers, each with its stationary knife, in such a way that the fabric can
be easily seen on its passage from one to the other, and that the several parts
appertaining to each roller can be easily got at and adjusted when necessary.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood and
carried into effect, I have delineated upon the accompanying Sheet of expla-
natory Drawings, and will describe a modification of cropping machine
embodying the improvements.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the machine; and Figure 2 is
a corresponding right-hand end elevation. Many of the details in this machine
being the same as in ordinary machines will not be referred to herein further
than may be necessary for the explanation of my improvements. The end
frame standards A are shaped so as to present two horizontal steps or stages B
and C, each carrying a cropping roller D, D¹, with its respective details, the
back stage C being situated as much above the level of the front stage B as
will permit the attendant to conveniently see the cloth on its way to the back
roller D', and the details appertaining to that roller over the details apper-
taining to the front roller D. The details appertaining to the cropping rollers
are by preference alike for both rollers D, D¹. The stationary knives E, E¹, and
the beds or guides F, F¹, are both by preference, arranged immediately beneath
their respective rollers D, D'. The chopping rollers are as usual arranged
so as to be easily and quickly lifted off the bed guides F, F¹, being carried in
brackets G, G¹, capable of adjustment in various directions, and of turning up
on fulcrum pins in brackets g, g', upon the stages B, C, of the side standards.
The front cropping roller D is lifted by means of hand levers H jointed to the
brackets G, and formed with cam-shaped heads, which act upon stationary
rollers I, whilst the back cropping roller D¹ is lifted by means of treadle
levers J, connected by rods K to the brackets G¹. The course of the fabric

page_text: through the machine is shown by the red line in Figure 2; it first passes
through, or over, and under a series of smoothing or stretching bars L carried
by brackets in frout of the machine, thence under a guide roller M, and up to
the bed guidé F of the first cropping roller, next under an intermediate guide
roller N, and up to the bed guide F¹ of the second cropping roller; and,
finally, to the take-up rollers O, by means of which it is drawn through the
machine.
If found desirable, the machine may be made with a third, and even
fourth cropping roller, arranged each with its accompanying details at a higher
level, or the machine may be used as a single cropping machine, the driving
belt being simply thrown off one of the cropping rollers, and the fabric being
carried directly across to the take-up roller without passing over both bed
guides as is required in ordinary double-cropping machines. In clipping
machines the same general arrangement is adopted, the subsidiary parts being
of course modified to suit the operation as in ordinary machines.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I have to state that
I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein described or delineated,
and that I do not claim to have invented every separate detail herein described
and delineated; but that what I consider to be novel and original, and claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is, the arranging of the sets of details of cropping and clipping
machines in separate stages, or so that each set is conveniently and completely
under the observation and control of the attendant, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Craig, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT, Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
JAMES CRAIG. (LS.)