Improvements in Combing Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by LA SOCIÉTÉ ALSACIENNE DE CONSTRUCTIONS
MÉCANIQUES of Mulhouse, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Combing Machines.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in an arrangement of special parts constituting a new
combing machine.
As in most combing machines actually in use, the present machine contains a
nipper, a fixed comb, drawing rollers, and a rotary comb or combing drum, but these
parts are arranged, adjusted, and operated in a different and special manner.
The nipper is formed of two jaws, the one fixed to a carrier mounted on a shaft,
This carrier is
the other to a lever pivotted to a bracket or arm of the said carrier.
keyed on the said shaft, which is journalled in the frame of the machine, receiving
an alternative rocking motion by means of a lever and excentric.
On the carrier are arranged two shafts, the first having relation to the operating of
the nippers, the second to the operating of the fixed comb.
The first shaft carries a bell-crank lever, one arm of which is pivotted to a lever or
arin mounted on another shaft, which is journalled in the frame of the machine,
while the other arm is attached to a connecting rod mounted on an axle secured to
the lower jaw of the nipper. On the same axle are mounted rods onto which are
threaded eyes or sockets of the branches of a stirrup, the transverse part of which is
in the form of a knife edge, and rests or presses on the second arm of the bell-crank
lever.
Springs are threaded on the said rods, and bear at one end on the eyes of the
branches of the stirrup, and at the other end against nuts screwed to the ends of
the rods.
It may be here remarked, that the bell-crank need not necessarily be attached to
the connecting rod, but may be provided with a bush or socket, which is simply
placed over the rod, and arranged to rest, at a given moment, against nuts screwed
onto the end of the rod.
The opening and closing movements of the nipper are caused by the oscillation of
the carrier, and by the relative play of the above-named parts (bell crank lever
connected to a fixed point and to the lever rods provided with springs, and the stirrup
pressing on the bell crank).
In one position, the socket of the bell-crank does not touch the nuts of the rod,
and, under these conditions, the said rod does not sustain the pressure of the springs
threaded on the rods. The pressure being thus entirely transferred, on the one hand,
to the nipping point, aud, on the other hand, to the pivot of the lower jaw, there will
result a tight closing of the jaws, so that the nipper will resist perfectly the combing
action of the circular comb or combing drum on the tuft of fibre.

page_text: On the lower jaw of the nipper is arranged a feeding roller, the office of which is to
propel, towards the said nipper, the fibre to be combed, and which is conducted to the
roller by conveniently arranged tables or boards.
This feeding roller has its axes in blocks sliding on rods which serve to guide the
blocks, and which are controlled by springs. This roller turns in a kind of trough,
the bottom of which is formed by the "Tower jaw, and the back by a sliding fillet or
board, which is subjected to the action of springs having their abutment against a
stop fixed to the jaw of the nipper.
The mechanism for feeding the fibre, in the form of a fleece or lap, to the nipper,
thus lends itself perfectly to the inequalities in thickness of the material being fed.
On the axle of the feed roller, at one end, is keyed a pinion which gears with a
rack forming part of a rod pivotted to the end of a lever or arın keyed on a shaft
carried by the carrier.
The comb, which is termed fixe:l, in contradistinction to the rotating comb or
drum, is situated in front of, and parallel with, the nipper, and is fixed to the ends of
the bars, which are pivotted to arins or levers keyed on the last-named shaft. This
shaft. or axle also carries an arm or lever, which is connected by a connecting rod to a
lever or arm carried by a shaft which has its bearings in the frame of the machine.
The bars are hung, at one end, by rods from arms keyed on a shaft which is
journalled in the frame of the machine, and receives an alternative axial movement
in the ordinary manner by means of an excentric.
Under the influence of the alternative rocking movement of the carrier, the "fixed"
comb will receive an up and down movement, and also a rearward movement in
relation to the position of the drawing rollers.
These rollers are arranged in front of the nipper; they are fluted, and between
them passes an endless leather apron, one drawing roller acting as one of the carrying
rollers, for one end of the apron; the other end being carried by an adjustable
roller.
At one end of the axle of the drawing roller, is keyed a toothed pinion and a
ratchet wheel, connected together by the sleeve, each having the same number of
teeth. Another pinion is mounted loosely on the sleeve, and has a number of teeth
equal to that of the ratchet pinion. The loose pinion is solid with a dise provided
with a pawl in gear with the teeth of the ratchet. The loose pinion also gears with
a rocking toothed sector connected to a rod, the collar or strap of which embraces an
excentric keyed on the motor shaft.
To the toothed sector is attached a small toothed seginent, the teeth of which
correspond to the teeth at the extreme end of the sector, so that the segment teeth
can gear with those of the pinion.
The result of this arrangement is, that under the influence of the excentric, the
sector receives a to and fro movement. When moving from left to right, the sector
acts on the pinion, and, by means of the pawl and ratchet, causes the drawing roller
to turn, so as to move the apron in one direction.
Towards the end of this inovement of the sector, the teeth of the segment engage
with those of the pinion. During the return movement, that is to say, from right to
left, the segment engages with the pinion, and turns the drawing roller, and
consequently moves the apron in the opposite direction.
Directly the return movement is produced, the pawl and ratchet action is thrown
out, and the pinion and the disc turn without having any effect on the drawing roller.
This arrangement obviates the necessity for clutches, and assures an absolutely smooth
and regular working.
At the back end of, and above the apron, are arranged two horizontal discs, resting,
for one half of their under surface, on the apron above the tension roller. These
discs turn freely on journals fixed at any desired distance apart on an axle loosely
mounted.
They possess each one a toothed portion or crown in gear with mitre pinions keyed
on the said axle, which carries at one end a pulley which receives a driving band
coming from the axle of the drawing roller,

page_text: The discs thus receive an intermittent rotary motion corresponding to, but in a
contrary sense to, that of the advance and return of the apron.
Their mission is to form into a ribbon or sliver, the filaments spread in a thin layer
or sheet on the apron.
These discs can be provided, at their edges, with tufts of silk intended to sweep
the apron, and detach any of the filaments which may adhere thereto.
In this way, it is possible to utilize aprons, even when they have been used some
time, cr become rough or hairy, or greasy, that is to say, when they will not readily
give up the fibres of the lap or fleece.
Between the drawing rollers and the nipper will be found a kind of tension bar,
consisting of a blade or bar fixed by its ends to curved arms keyed to a shaft actuated
by an excentric, and parallel with this shaft is an air channel, in communication
with an air compressor or fan, and intended to throw an air jet at a given
moment.
Lastly, the combing drum is furnished with teeth or pins in the ordinary manner,
and is driven as in all combing machines actually in use.
Dated this 19th day of September 1896.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in an arrangement of special parts constituting a new
combing-machine.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the combing machine in question.
Fig. 2 shews, in section, the details of nipper mechanism, with a feeding roller.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same parts.
Fig. 4 is a plan view, with certain parts supposed to be broken away horizontally.
Fig. 5 is a partial sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6, showing
the inode of driving the drawing rollers, and of what may be termed condensing
dises.
Fig. 6 is a plan of these parts in partial section, taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 5.
Figs. 7 and 8 are figures of a somewhat diagrammatic nature, showing the relative
positions of various parts during two different periods of the working, and which, in
conjunction with Fig. 1, show three positions taken up by the parts during a cycle of
operations.
As in most combing machines actually in use, the present machine contains a
nipper A A', a fixed comb B, drawing rollers C, C, and a rotary comb or combing
drum D, but these parts are arranged, adjusted, and operated in a different and special
manner.
The nipper is formed (Fig. 1) of two jaws A and A', the one, A, fixed to a carrier a
mounted on a shaft O; the other, A1, to a lever a¹ pivotted at a² to a bracket or arm
of the said carrier a.
This carrier a is keyed on the shaft O, which is journalled in the frame of the
machine, receiving an alternative rocking motion by means of a lever and excentric,
not shown, because they present no novel feature,

page_text: On the carrier a are arranged two shafts, o and o', the first, o, having relation to
the operating of the nipper, the second, o, to the operating of the fixed.
comb B.
The shaft o carries a bell-crank lever b, one arm of which is pivotted to a lever or
arm b¹ mounted on the shaft 01, which is jornalled in the frame of the machine,
while the other arm is attached to a connecting-rod 62 mounted on an axle & secured
to the lower jaw A1 of the nipper. On the same axle bare mounted the rods c and c¹
(Figs. 1 and 4) onto which are threaded eyes or sockets of the branches e and e¹ of a
stirrup E, the transverse part e of which is in the form of a knife edge, and rests or
presses on the second arm of the bell-crank lever b, which is connected to the
rod b².
Springs and are threaded on the rods e and e, and bear, at one end, on the
eyes of the branches e and e¹ of the stirrup E, and, at the other end, against nuts
screwed to the ends of the rods.
It may be here remarked, that the bell-crank b need not necessarily be attached to
the connecting rod 6, but may be provided with a bush or socket 4, which is simply
placed over the rod b, and arranged to rest at a given moment against nuts &, screwed
onto the end of the rod b².
The opening and closing movements of the nipper A A' are caused by the
oscillation of the carrier a, and by the relative play of the above-named parts
(bell-crank lever b, connected to the fixed paint 0 and to the lever a, rods c, e,
provided with springs r and 4, and the stirrup E pressing on the bell crank).
of
Three different relative positions of these parts are shown in Figs. 1, 7, and 8.
In Fig. 8 (representing more particularly the nipper at the moment of closing), it
will be seen that the parts in question occupy such a position that the socket
the bell-crank b does not touch the nuts 65 of the rod b', and that, under these
conditions, the said rod does not sustain the pressure of the springs r, v, threaded on
the rods c c¹.
The pressure being thus entirely transferred, on the one hand, to the nipping point,
and, on the other hand, to the pivot as, there will result a tight closing of the
jaws A and A, so that the nipper will resist perfectly the combing nction of the
circular comb or combing drum D on the tuft of fibre."
This action will be referred to again, when describing the general working of the
machine.
On the lower jaw A¹ of the nipper is armnged a feeding roller F, the office of
which is to propel towards the said nipper the fibre to be combed, and which is
conducted to the roller by conveniently arranged tables or boards, as shown in
Figs. 1, 7, and 8.1
This feeding roller F has its axes in blocks f,, sliding on rods which serve to
guide the blocks, and which are controlled by springs (Figs. 2, 3, and 4). This roller
turns in a kind of trough, the bottom of which is formed by the jaw A', and the
back by a sliding fillet or board F, which is subjected to the action of springs
having their abutment against a stop f fixed to the jaw A¹ of the nipper.
The mechanism for feeding the fibre, in the form of a fleece or lap, to the nipper,
thus lends itself perfectly to the inequalities in thickness of the material being fed.
On the axle of the feed roller F, at one end, is keyed (Figs. 3, 4, 7, and 8) a
pinion g, which gears with the rack g', forming part of a rod g pivotted to, or
mounted on, the end of a lever or arm h keyed on the shaft o¹ carried by the
carrier a (Figs. 1, 3, 7, and 8).
The rack g¹ is being continually pushed upwards by a spring or a counterweight
(not shown in the drawings in order to avoid complication).
When the nipper is closed, the head of screw g, fixed to the piece g, which is
firmly attached to the upper jaw of the nipper, pushes the rack downwards, and
holds it disengaged from the pinion g (Fig. 8).
When, on the contrary, the nipper opens, the screw head is withdrawn from contact
with the rack g¹, which then yields to the action of the spring, and is drawn or
pushed up into gear with the pinion g.

page_text: A pawl g2 engages with the teeth of the pinion g, and holds this latter stationary
when the rack is disengaged.
The comb B, which is termed "fixed," in contradistinction to the rotating comb or
drum D, is situated in front of, and parallel with, the nipper A A', and is fixed to the
ends of the hars I, which are pivotted to the arms or levers i (one of them might be
confounded with that à spoken of above) keyed on the axle o'. This axle also carries
an arm or lever j, which is connected by a connecting rod to a lever or arm (the
the rod, and the lever are represented by dotted lines in the figures)
carried by a shaft J, which has its bearings in the frame of the machine.
The bars I are hung, at one end, by rods i, from arms keyed on the shaft 1,
which is journalled on the frine of the machine, and receives an alternative axial or
rocking movement in the ordinary manner by means of an excentric, not shown.
Under the influence of the alternative rocking movement of the carrier a, the
axle o' describes the arc of a circle around the shaft O, and, by reason of its
connection with the shaft J, and to the suspension from the shaft 1, the "fixed"
comb will receive an up and down movement, and also a rearward movement, in
relation to the position of the drawing rollers C and C¹.
These rollers C and C1 are arranged in front of the nipper A A'. They are fluted,
and between them passes an endless leather apron H, the roller C acting as one of
the carrying rollers for one end of the apron, the other end being carried by an
adjustable roller ¹.
At one end of the axle of the roller C is keyed (Figs. 5 and 6) a toothed pinion d
and a ratchet wheel d', connected together by the sleeve d³, each having the same
number of tecth. A pinion is mounted loose on the sleeve d², and has a number
of teeth equal to that of the pinion d. The pinion is solid with a disc l, provided.
with a pawl in gear with the teeth of the ratchet d'. The pinion & also gears with
a toothed sector 1 rocking on the point k, and connected to the rod m, the collar of
which embraces an excentric m¹ keyed on the motor shaft M.
To the toothed sector L is attached a small toothed segment L', the teeth of
which correspond to the teeth at the extreme end of the sector L, so that the
segment teeth can gear with those of the pinion d.
The result of this arrangement is, that, under the influence of the excentric m³,
the sector L receives a to and fro movement. When moving from left to right, the
sector acts on the pinion l, and, by means of the pawl and ratchet 12, d², causes the
roller C to turn, so as to move the apron H in the direction of the arrow of
Fig. 5.
Towards the end of this movement of the sector, the teeth of the segment L'
engage with those of the pinion d. During the return movement, that is to say,
from right to left, the segment 1 engages with the pinion d, and turns the roller C,
and consequently moves the apron H'in the opposite direction.
Directly the return movement is produced, the pawl and ratchet action is thrown
out, and the pinion and the dise l' turn without having any effect on the drawing
roller C.
This arrangement obviates the necessity for clutches, and assures an absolutely
smooth and regular working.
At the back end of, and above the apron H, are arranged (Figs. 1, 5, and 6) two
horizontal dises, N and N', resting for one half of their under surface, on the apron
above the tension roller . These discs turn freely on journals n, n', fixed at any
desired distance apart on an axle at, loosely mounted.
They possess, each one, a toothed portion or crown, in gear with mitre
piniens p and p, keyed on the axle n', which carries, at one end, a pulley P, which
receives a driving band coming from the axle of the roller C.
The discs N and N¹ thus receive an intermittent rotary motion corresponding to,
but in a contrary sense to, that of the advance and return of the apron H.
Their mission is to form into a ribbon or sliver the filaments spread in a thin layer
on the apron.

page_text: These discs can be provided, at their edges, with tufts of silk, intended to sweep
the apron, and detach any of the filaments which may adhere thereto.
In this way it is possible to utilize aprons even when they have been used some-
time, or become rough or hairy or greasy, that is to say, when they will not readily
give up the fibres of the lap or fleece.
Between the drawing rollers C, C and the nipper A, A', will be found
(Figs. 1, 7, and 8) a kind of tension bar, consisting of a blade or bar y fixed by
its ends to curved arms q', keyed to a shaft Q, actuated by an excentric, not shown in
the drawing, and parallel with this shaft is a fixed air channel K, in communication
with an air compressor or fan, which is operated in any convenient manner from the
main shaft or any other suitable part of the machine, to throw an air jet at a given
moment, for a purpose to be presently explained:
Lastly the combing drum D is furnished with teeth or pins in the ordinary manner,
and is driven as in all combing machines actually in use.
The combing machine thus constituted has, like all other combing machines, the
four following successive operations.
1st. The tuft of fibre, extending beyond the closed nipper A A¹, which holds it, is
presented to the circular comb D.
During this operation, represented in Fig. 8, the jaws of the nipper are tightly
closed by the means above described.
Further, the fixed comb B is situated above the nipper, and the rack g¹ is dis-
engaged from the pinion g belonging to the feeding roller F, and that, by reason of
the arrangement of the points of suspension 0 and 1, and of the system of levers
suspended at these points, and attached to the carrier a, as above described.
The rack g is withdrawn a distance equal to the feeding, in order to occupy the
position that it should have for making the next feed.
The movement of this rack is an inoperative one, that is to say, it takes place while
the mck is disengaged from its pinion."
2nd. The combed tuft or bunch is carried by the nipper A A¹ towards the drawing
rollers C, C1, whilst the said nipper opens. This operation, represented in Fig. 7, is
effected after the teeth or pins of the circular comb D have combed the tuft or bunch
of fibres which are hanging free, or outside the nipper.
The carrier a draws upwards the nipper A A', the jaws of which open progressively,
in virtue of the arrangement described above, as the shaft o of the carrier gets further
away from the fixed shaft 01.
In effect, it results from this movement, that the bell-crank b rocks on the shaft o
in such a manner that the socket 6, previously noved away (Fig. 8) from the nuts 65,
comes and rests on the said nuts. The rod 6 determines, by the intermediary of the
axle, the progressive opening of the jaw A' with reference to that of A.
The rattling or clattering which might be produced by reason of play, or of the
wear of the parts, is avoided by this fact, that the point d'appui or bearing point of
the knife edge of the stirrup E on which the springs r, r act, is taken at about the
middle of the length of the arin of the lever b, which carries the socket b*.
It will be remarked that the nipper, on opening, gradually approaches the drawing
rollers C C¹.
3rd. The "fixed" comb falls, and the drawing rollers C, C', seize the tuft or bunch,
the tail or rear portion of which is caused to pass through the teeth of the said fixed
comb B, and, at the same moment, the feeding rollers feed forward another portion of
the fleece or lap to be combed.
This operation, represented at Fig. 1, commences at the moment when the open
nipper arrives in front of the drawing rollers C, C¹, which then also commence to
work, as above described.
The joining of the forward part or head of the combed tuft or bunch with the
after part or tail of the tuft or bunch previously drawn, is effected by the drawing
rollers, which seize the fresh combed tuft or bunch, and draw it through the fixed
comb B. At the same time, the rack g' gears with the pinion g of the feeding

page_text: roller F, which gradually feeds the fleece or lap towards the nipper, as described
above.
4th. The nipper A A' withdraws from the drawing rollers C, C, to return toward
the combing drum D, whilst the tails of the filaments, not yet entirely disengaged
from the fleece or lap, are disengaged by the aid of the tension bar q and the blast
of air K. At the same time the drawing rollers give back a part of the drawn
filaments, to ensure a better joining of the tail of the combed tuft or bunch with the
head of the following tuft or buneli.
This operation is effected by the return of the carrier a to the combing position.
The nipper closes gradually on the fed fleece or lap, and according to the same
law that caused its opening. At the commencement of the return of the carrier, it
acts to extract the tails of the long fibres nipped at their, heads by the drawing
rollers, and still engaged in the lap or fleece.
This result is obtained by the tension bar q, which is raised (Fig. 7), and thus
pulls from the fleece or lap the tails of the long fibres.
The tension bar occupying its highest position, a jet of air issues at the desired
moment from the air-channel K, so as to withdraw these fibres from above, and cause
them to pass underneath the tension bar (Fig. 8), which then descending, holds then
against the apron H (Fig. 1), in order that they shall not affect the passage of the
following combed tuft or bunch, when this shall be presented by the nipper to the
drawing rollers.
When the tension bar occupies its highest position, the tails being beaten down by
the air-blast, the drawing rollers turn back in order to obtain a longer tail issuing
from, or outside, or behind, the drawing rollers, so as to facilitate the joining of the
two lots of tufts, or bunches of fibre, as above indicated.
No mention will be made here of forming the broad sheet of combed material on
the apron into a ribbon or sliver, which is effected by the discs N, N¹, a description
of which has been given above, and the operation of which is perfectly obvious.
At this moment, the cycle of operations is terminated, a new cycle commencing
and recommencing so long as the machine is at work, and while it is fed with the
fibre, fleece, or lap to be combed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combing machines, the combination of the jaws A, A, of the nipper mounted
on the oscillating carrier a, the lower jaw A¹ being fixed to a lever a pivoted on
the said carrier, with the bell-crank lever b pivoted on the carrier, the connecting
rod 62 pivotted on the lower jaw A¹, and freely connected to the bell-crank, the
rods c el pivoted on the lower jaw A', and connected by springs to a stirrup E,
one part of which, in the form of a knife edge, rests against one arm of the bell
crank b, which is connected to an arm b¹ keyed on the shaft O, the object of the
said combination being to produce, on one hand, the progressive opening and
closing of the nipper by the movement of the carrier, at the same time as it produces
& tight grip, and, on the other hand, to avoid the clattering of the lower jaw,
when the nipper is open, the whole arranged and operating in the manner
specified.
2. In combing machines, the combination of jaws A and A¹ of the nipper mounted
on the oscillating carrier a, with the feeding roller F mounted in sliding spring-
controlled blocks, and the trough also spring-mounted, in order to produce a double
compression, that is to say, of the feeding roller on the lower jaw A', and of the
trough on the feeding roller, and to permit a certain and regular feed of the fleece
or lap, whatever may be the variations in its thickness, as above specified.
3. In combing machines, the combination of jaws A A¹ of the nipper mounted on
the oscillating carrier a, of the feeding roller F, and the trough with a fixed comb B
mounted on arms I pivoted on levers or arms i keyed on the shaft o' of the carrier a,
and connected by the levers or arms j,j,j, to the fixed shaft J, in order to determine

page_text: the movements of the said fixed comb B with relation to the movement of the
nipper, as above described.
4. In combing machines, the combination of jaws A and A' of the nipper mounted
in the carrier a, of the feeding roller F, with its trough F¹, and of the fixed comb B,
arranged according to Claim 3, with the pinion g keyed on the axle of the feed
roller, the rack g capable of gearing with the pinion g, and pivotted to or mounted
on the arm h, keyed on the axle o¹ belonging to the carrier a, for the purpose of
communicating to the feeding roller a proportional feeding movement simultaneously
to that of the fixed comb, which coincides with the movement of the nipper, and
which permits the rack g' returning back, without operating, to its initial position,
as above described.
5. In combing machines, the arrangement of drawing rollers C and C¹ one (C) of
which carries a pawl and ratchet motion d, d', ', l, which motion is actuated by a
toothed sector L, operated by an excentric, and carrying, at one end, a toothed
segment L, the said sector being in gear with the pinion b, and its segment L'
gearing, at the desired moment, with the pinion d, the whole arranged and working
in the manner indicated, for the purpose of producing the forward and backward
rotary motion of the drawing rollers, without the use of clutches, and consequently
without shocks, as above described.
6. In combing machines, the combination of drawing rollers, as mentioned in
Claim 5, and their endless apron H, with the rotary discs N, N¹, pressed against the
apron on which they rest for about half their surface, these discs being provided, or
not, with tufts of silk, and receiving rotary motion in opposite directions, but in the
direction of travel of the apron, for the purpose of condensing the sheet of fibre
covering the apron into a ribbon or sliver as above described.
7. In combing machines, the combined action of a tension bar q and of an air-
blast K, as and for the purpose above described.
8. The combing machine above described, as a whole, and in its details, having
regard to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.