An Improved Cloth Measuring and Folding Machine.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan.. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cloth Measuring and Folding Machine.
I, WILLIAM HOLLOWAY of Brazil, County of Clay, Indiana, United States of
America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The machine of this invention is composed of four main parts, viz., a base plate,
a reel, a spring measuring drum and a cylinder on which a measuring tape and the
fabric to be measured are wound, the three last mentioned parts being carried in
uprights fixed on the base plate. The reel consists of a hollow rectangular frame fixed
on a crank spindle. In this frame there is enclosed a smaller frame mounted loosely on
the crank spindle. The working of the machine is as follows:-The crank spindle being
removed from the reel frames, the smaller or loose frame is inserted in the fabric in
lieu of the usual board or centre piece and the frames are again placed upon the crank
spindle when the loose end of the fabric is passed over or under the spring measuring
drum being held thereto by a rod, thence it is carried with the measuring tape to
and fixed on pins on a raised portion of the cylinder. By turning the crank spindle
of the cylinder the fabric will be wound on the same and measured by the tape.
The measured part having been cut off the unmeasured part may be rewound upon
The free end of the measured
the remnant by turning round the inner reel frame.
portion is then passed back and attached to pins on a rod of the outer reel frame
which rod may be turned on its end supports so as to bring the pins outwards
or inwards. The inner loose frame is then set at right angles to the outer fixed
frame and the two frames of the reel rotated. As the fabric is taken up, the
measuring tape is wound by a spring upon the measuring drum the spring being
carried in a hollow cylinder upon which the drum is carried. The fabric having
been wound upon the reel the inner frame is turned round into the same plane as
the outer frame thus allowing the fabric to sag and release it from the pins. The
pin rod is then turned inwards, the reel removed from its bearings and the fabric
taken off the same in the folded state.
Dated this 4th day of January 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cloth Measuring and Folding Machine.
I, WILLIAM HOLLOWAY of Brazil, County of Clay, Indiana, United States of
America, Merchant, 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 :-
In the drawing
his invention

page_text: on spindle C. At the opposite end of the base D is a cylinder carried in supports D'
and secured by caps d. Upon the circumference of this cylinder there is formed a
raised part e upon one side of which there is placed a series of sharp pins to engage
the fabric to be measured. F is a crank suitable for turning the cylinder D.
Between the cylinder D and frame A¹ is mounted a measuring tape reel C in
supports E the axle of which reel is spring actuated after the manner of the
ordinary shade roller as shewn in Fig. 2. Beneath the tape reel G and extending
between the supports E is a rod f. The end pieces of the frame A¹ project beyond
the connecting bar on one side and one of the end bars is slotted and the other
perforated as shewn at h, . Into the slot is inserted a rod k which is provided
with sharp pointed pins that are normally turned in upon the frame but which
may be turned outwards when required.
The operation is as follows:-The shaft C being removed from the frames A', C¹, the
frame is inserted in the fabric in lieu of the usual board or centre piece upon which
the cloth is originally wound, and the frames are again placed upon shaft C, when the
loose end of the fabric is passed over rod f, carried forward and attached to the
pins on the raised portion e of the cylinder D. t is a tape (shewn broken off)
attached to the cylinder D in any suitable manner. Upon turning crank F both
the fabric and the tape will be wound upon cylinder D until the required
measurement has been made when the fabric will be cut and the unmeasured part
rewound upon
the remnant by turning the frame C. The free end of the measured
portion will then be passed back and attached to the pins on rod k which have been
turned outward to engage it. The frame C¹ will then be set at right angles to
frame A¹ and the frames rotated by means of the crank F1, the two frames forming
a reel upon which the fabric is wound from off cylinder D, and as the fabric is
taken up the tape will be wound upon the reel G by means of the spring S (Fig. 2).
When the whole of the fabric has been removed from cylinder D to reel frames A¹, C¹,
the latter will be turned to coincide with A' and cause the fabric to sag thus releasing
it from the pins on rod k which will then be turned to bring the pins towards the
frame. The frame will then be lifted out of its bearings in the supports B and the
fabric removed by withdrawing the frame, which is easily done after the inner
frame has been turned to coincide or be in the same plane as the frame A'. The
frame may then be replaced in its bearings and the operation repeated.
When fabrics such as sacking and other heavy goods are to be measured which
are usually put up without a board or centre piece, or if any is provided, it is a
round pole or rod, then the frame C₁ is dispensed with and the roll of fabric is
placed directly upon the spindle or shaft C and the operation is the same as before
excepting as regards the part performed by the inside frame C. When the
fabric is placed upon the shaft C, collars with side pins may be used in the usual
well known way.
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 the machine described, a reel consisting of two rectangular frames of
unequal size one within the other, both mounted on the same spindle and adapted
to coincide or to be placed at different angles to one another, substantially as described
and shewn.
2. In the machine described the reel referred to in Claim 1 in combination with
a cloth attaching device on the larger frame of the reel and means for rotating the
frames, substantially as described and shewn.
3. The combination of the spring actuated tape wheel and the cylinder D having
a raised part e, with the reel composed of the rectangular frames A', C₁, and
spindle C and means for actuating the same, substantially as described and
shewn.
4. A reel composed of a central shaft and two rectangular frames of unequal

page_text: size, the smaller being adapted to turn within the larger, and means for supporting
and actuating the same, for the purpose specified substantially as described and
shewn.
Dated this 4th day of October 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.