IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHEARING THE NAP OR PILE OFF WOOLLEN OR OTHER WOVEN OR FELTED FABRICS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Louis Edwin Broadbent at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th March 1871.
I, LOUIS EDWIN BROADBENT, of Dewsbury, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR SHEARING THE NAP OR PILE OFF WOOLLEN OR OTHER
WOVEN OR FELTED FABRICS," to be as follows:-
:
The Invention relates to machinery for cutting or shearing the nap
or pile off woollen or other woven or felted fabrics, whereby a great
saving of labour and time is produced, and the improvements are as
follows On suitable framework I mount a traversing frame which is
provided by preference with two cylindrical cutters of ordinary con-
struction and running in suitable bearings within the traversing frame.
The traversing frame is made open at the sides through one opening,
the fabric is brought under the cutters without being previously placed

page_text: on a roller as hitherto done on the machine known as the "Lewis
machine." The fabric is drawn through the machine by means of a
suitable roller or rollers, and drag rollers are provided for the purpose
of giving the required tension lengthwise of the piece. The drawing
rollers revolve continuously whilst the revolving cylindrical cutters are
in operation and being conveyed by the traversing frame in the direction
from centre to list, or from list to centre. When only one cylindrical
cutter is employed it is traversed from list to list. When required an
intermittent motion instead of a continuous motion is given to the
fabric, in this case the fabric remains stationary during the operation of
cutting or shearing.
For stretching the fabric from list to list I employ a self-acting
motion, which consists of two endless straps or chains, these are made
to traverse horizontally by being passed over strap or chain pulleys.
These pulleys are mounted in bearings on the tension frames. The
supports for the fabric under the cylindrical cutters are attached to the
traversing frame. Each endless strap or chain has attached to it a
number of hooks at a suitable distance apart, these are so arranged
as to hook into the edge or list of the fabric as they come in contact
with it. The chains or straps containing the hooks are supported and
conducted across the machine by grooved conductors along which the
chains or straps pass. This arrangement dispenses with the hooking
on hitherto done by the attendants. To the tension frames are attached
levers and weights, whereby the tension of the fabric from list to list
is regulated.
I also provide a self-acting reversing motion for the traversing frame,
whereby it is reversed at any required point according to the varying
widths of material. For this purpose I mount a rack on the traversing
frame which gears into a pinion imparting to it a rotary motion, the
pinion acting as a nut to a bar thereby giving it a reciprocating motion.
Springs are attached to the bar which are made to act alternately on
a lever which actuates a clutch or other reversing motion. To the
traversing frame one or more levers are attached which are arranged so
as to come in contact with stops provided on the tension frames, causing
at the same time the retaining catches which hold the reversing lever
in the required position to be released, allowing it thereby to be brought
into operation. At the side of the machine at which the fabric enters

page_text: I provide when required a brushing or setting up roller of ordinary
construction for the purpose of raising the nap or pile previous to the
operation of cutting or shearing. Motion is given to the machine.
through driving pulleys and gearing.