IMPROVEMENTS IN REEDS OR COMBS FOR WEAVING OR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Carter Ramsden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
September 1866.
I, JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN, of Bradford, in the County of York; Reed
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REEDS OR COMBS FOR WEAVING OR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist, first, in the application of gutta percha or any
of its compounds in connection with helical springs to the manufacture of reeds
or combs for weaving or other purposes; secondly, in the mode or method of
working or putting such reeds together.
Previous to describing my improvements I will first remark that I am well
aware that gutta percha and spiral springs, separately considered, have
previously been used in the manufacture of reeds, and that I myself have
occasionally substituted small gutta percha cord in place of lead wire in the
manufacture of elastic reeds when constructed in accordance with the Specifi-
cation of a Patent granted to me, and dated the 25th July 1864 (No. 1848),
but in this case the gutta percha was only used as a substitute for the lead
wire, vulcanized rubber forming the groundwork of that Patent.
In manufacturing reeds according to the Specification just named I have
found a great difficulty in obtaining the exact set or fineness required by
reason of the slightest variation in the thickness in either of the two wires
being sufficient to throw the set wrong; this obstacle I purpose to overcome as

page_text: follows: I place two pipes on a table or frame the proper distance apart,
according to the depth of the reed required; these pipes may be heated either
with steam, hot air, or hot water; they are supported at suitable intervals by
small castings; upon these castings alongside each pipe is placed a continuous
comb the particular set or fineness the reed is required to be; I then take
two helical springs, one with the twist or spiral to the right, and the
other to the left, and insert up each a length of gutta percha cord of a
suitable thickness; I lay one spring upon each pipe alongside the combs;
I then insert the dents or flat wires both into the springs and combs, the
dents resting upon the gutta percha placed inside the springs, when I have
inserted a sufficient number of dents I turn into the pipes either steam, hot
air, or hot water, and in a few minutes the gutta percha will be sufficiently
soft; I then press down the dents or flat wires into it, turn off the steam, hot
air, or hot water, whichever it may be, and turn into the same pipes a stream
of cold water, which rapidly cools the gutta percha and sets the dents sufficiently
fast but preserves the elasticity by reason of the heat which is applied not
being sufficient to cause the gutta percha to stick to the dents; I then put
up inside each spiral spring on the top of the dents a length of wire, or pull
up a sufficient quantity of soft fibrous substance to prevent the dents from
coming out of their places; the reed is then lifted off the combs and will be
found to be the correct set; it is then finished off and cased in the usual
manner.