CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAP MACHINES OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ashworth, jun', of Turton, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN LAP MACHINES OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 4th July 1856, and dated the 9th January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ashworth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
January 1856.
I, JOHN ASHWORTH, jun", of Turton, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton
Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LAP MACHINES OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING" to be as follows:-
My improvements apply to the machines used in preparing cotton, known as.
"lap machines," and consist in furnishing the rod or axis of the "lap cylin-
der," upon which the lap is wound or formed, with two flanges or plates, one at
cach end of the "lap cylinder," the object of which is to prevent the friction
and drag upon the ends or selvages of the "lap" against the framing of the.
machine; one or both of these flanges may either revolve loosely or be secured
to the axis so as to revolve with it, and the other flange must be capable of.
being detached in order to allow of the removal of the "lap" (when finished)

page_text: from the axis. In order that the "lap" may be formed the full width of the
machine, I form recesses in the framing corresponding in depth with the thick-
ness of the flanges or plates, within which recesses they rise or fall, according
to the progress or increasing diameter of the "lap." Upon the outside of
each of these flanges I fix a small boss, instead of allowing the whole flange
to bear against the framing, for the purpose of diminishing the friction. By
these improvements a more perfect "lap" is ensured, the ends or selvages of
which, being preserved in a smooth and perfect state, and not so liable to
break and fray during the progress of their formation or on their removal
from the machine. These improvements are applicable to any or all machines
in which "laps" are made or formed, whether for the subsequent use of
"combing machines" or "carding engines," as may be required, and are of
course equally applicable to any width of "lap."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Ashworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ASHWORTH, junior, of Turton, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Ashworth, Her especial license that. I, the said John Ashworth, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Ashworth, 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 terin 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 CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN LAP MACHINES OR APPARATUS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," upon the condition, amongst others, that I,
the said John Ashworth, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same

page_text: to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Ashworth, do hereby declare the
nature of my said 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 (that is to say):-
My improvements apply to the machines used in preparing cotton, known as
"lap machines," and consist in furnishing the rod or axis of the lap roller,
upon which the lap is wound or formed, with two flanges or plates, one at each
end of the lap roller, the object of which is to prevent the friction and drag
upon the ends or selvedges of the lap against the framing of the machine;
these flanges or plates revolve along with the "lap roller," one of them being
so attached to the rod or axis as to be removeable for the purpose of taking off
the lap, the other may be either removeable or not upon the rod or axis. In
order that the lap may be formed the full width of the machine, the framing
is recessed equal to the thickness of the flanges or plates, in such a manner as
to allow of the flanges or plates rising as the lap increases in diameter. To
prevent unnecessary friction between the flanges or plates and the framing,
the former have a small boss or swell on the outside at the centre, so as to
reduce the surfaces in contact. By these improvements a lap is obtained
which opens out at the subsequent machines perfectly smooth, and compara-
tively faultless at the selvedges.
These improvements are applicable to all "lap machines," but particularly
so to such as work for "combing machines."
In order that this Invention may be the better understood and explained, I
have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, made upon a scale of about one
and a half inches to a foot, with the exception of Figures 4 and 5, which are
drawn half size. Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a "lap machine,"
to prepare laps for either "carding or combing machines. Figure 2 is an
end view, shewing the recesses in the framing for the above-named flanges or
plates. Figure 3 is a plan view, and Figures 4 and 5 are detached views, of
the "lap roller," and its flanges or plates, similar letters of reference shew
corresponding parts in all the Figures. a is a flange or plate, with its boss or
swell c, to prevent unnecessary friction, being secured upon the rod or axis of
the "lap roller," in such a manner as to revolve with it; b is the other flange
or plate, also with its boss or swell c, made in this case with an bexagonal
opening 6' in its centre, to fit upon a part of the axis of the lap roller corre
sponding in shape, so that both the plates and the rod or axis revolve together;
this flange or plate is capable of being detached so as to allow of the lap being

page_text: removed; d, d, are recesses in the framing for the flanges a, b, to work in,
also for the purpose of enabling laps to be made the full width of the
machine.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
certain improvements in "lap machines," or apparatus used in the preparation
of cotton and other fibrous substances for spinning, together with the manner
in which the same is to be carried into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood, that I claim,―
First, the application, employment, and use of the two flanges a, b, revolving
with the "lap roller."
Secondly, the application of bosses or swells to the said flanges or plates to
prevent unnecessary friction against the framing of the machine.
Thirdly, the recesses in the framing for the reception of the said flanges or
plates. All of which improvements are herein-before set forth and described,
and fully illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ashworth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN ASHWOKIH, JR. (L.S.)