Improvements in Feed Mechanism for Cloth Finishing, Drying, Tentering, and kindred Machinery.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed Mechanism for Cloth Finishing, Drying,
Tentering, and kindred Machinery.
JOHN EMERY WINDLE, of Worcester, in the State of Massachusetts one
of the United States of America, Manufacturer 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:-
1
In cloth-finishing, drying, tentering, and kindred machines, feeding belts or chains
are provided for feeding the cloth, and in most instances said feeding belts or chains
carry tenter hooks or spurs.
It is intended that these feeding chains shall engage the edge of the web, and as
the web varies slightly in width and as its line of feed to the machine varies, the
said feeding chains must be moved laterally, or transversely to the line of feed, or
they will release their hold on the cloth or will engage the cloth at some distance
from the edge and thereby injure the cloth.
In all instances, so far as I am aware, these feeding chains have been moved
transversely to the line of feed by hand, and require constant watching as well as
very careful manipulation.
This invention has for its object to construct an attachment for cloth-finishing or
kindred machines, whereby the feeding chains or belts are moved transversely to
the line of feed automatically and independently of each other.
Fig. 1 shews in front elevation an attachment for cloth-finishing machines
embodying this invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3, an enlarged cross section of the parts shewn in Fig. 2, taken on the dotted
line X-X; and
Fig. 4, an enlarged detail to be referred to.
The shaft a, having its bearings in the side frames a', a' of the machine, has
loosely mounted upon it two sprocket wheels, as a², which are secured to hubs or
collars a³, provided, as shewn, with circumferential grooves a³.
Feeding chains b, n, are fed over the sprocket wheels a, a², they being herein
shewn as ordinary sprocket chains, provided at one side with tenter hooks i', ';
yet so far as my invention is concerned, any other form of feeding chain may be
employed.
Links c, o, are secured at one end to blocks c', o', and at the other end are formed
as yokes to embrace the hubs a³, suitable spurs or projections, being provided
on the arms of the yokes which enter the circumferential grooves a³.
The blocks c', o are dovetailed, as shewn in Fig. 3, and mounted on and adapted
to slide freely on a stationary frame or board, secured at each end to the side
frames a', a¹.
At or near each end of the stationary frame d, a suitable support is erected,
which furnishes bearings for a rod or bar d², to the ends of which are rigidly
connected short links ³, d³, the outer ends of which are connected by a rod or bar d',
arranged parallel to the rod or bar ď².
The rod or bar d', which serves as a presser-bar, as will be described, is hence
pivotally connected to the supports d', d'.
The rod or bar d' rests upon the extreme edge of two plates e, p, which are
secured by screws 2 or otherwise respectively to the blocks c¹, o, said plates having
curved surfaces, as shewn in Fig. 3, and being each provided with two parallel
slots, extending transversely to the length of the plates.
Two feelers, f¹ are pivotally connected to the block cat 4, the upper ends of

page_text: which are provided with a series of teeth which just protrude through the slots in
the plate e, and arms 5 are formed integral with or secured to the feelers, which
arms are connected by links f, f to one end of a plate, made to represent and
acting as two oppositely-extended pawls ff, pivoted at f.
As herein represented, the pawl has a post or stud on it, to which both the
links f,fare connected.
The plate o is also provided with two feelers, having arms which are connected
by links to a plate, made to act as two oppositely-extended pawls, the same as the
parts ffff³,,, shewn in Fig. 4, and connected to the block c'.
is revolved, the rack-bar g is reciprocated longitudinally.
A rack-bar y is mounted on the stationary frame d, which rack-bar is connected
at one end by a crank arm g¹ to a crank-pin or eccentric stud g², on a shaft g³,
carrying a pulley g*.
As the pulley
The pawls on each block e¹, o¹, are adapted to engage and disengage the
rack-bar and when in engagement the said rack operates to move the blocks;
and hence the rack, reciprocated continuously as shewn, constitutes a power-driven
operating mechanism for moving the blocks, while the pawls and feelers serve as
connections between the blocks c', o', and the rack.
g,
The cloth is fed forward over the rod d² and under the rod, so that the edges
will follow along over the feelers and be engaged by the tenter hooks or other
feeding chains.
When the edge of the cloth engages the feeler fonly the pawls f, are held
out of engagement with the reciprocating rack g; but if the edge of the cloth
should be worked or moved over on to the feeler f¹, the pawl f* will be lifted so
high as to throw the pawl into engagement with the rack, and, as the said rack
reciprocates, the block e' will be moved toward the end frame a' until the cloth
leaves the feeler and covers only the feeler f; and if the cloth should work or move
off of the feeler f, the pawl will fall into engagement with the rack g, and, as the
said rack reciprocates, the block c' will be moved in the opposite direction or away
from the end frame a¹.
Hence it will be seen that the feelers are controlled by the moving cloth, and
serve as the devices which determine when the blocks shall be moved, and in which
direction.
The operation of the feelers connected to the block o' is the same.
It will be observed that the blocks cand o are thus moved automatically and
entirely independently of each other, and the feeding chains connected therewith
will be correspondingly moved, which movement is transverse to the line of feed.
. I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction shewn of the
connecting mechanism between the feeding chains and blocks, nor between the
blocks and power-driven mechanism; nor, in fact, do I desire to limit my invention
to any particular construction by which automatic and independent motion
transversely to the line of feed may be given to the feeding chains.
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:-The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of a feeding chain the carrier of
which is movable transversely to the line of feed, and mechanism to move said
carrier transversely, and devices controlled by the cloth which determine when said
carrier shall move and in which direction, substantially as described.
2: The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of a feeding chain the carrier
of which is movable transversely to the line of feed, mechanism to move said carrier,
and an intermediate connection controlled by the cloth between said mechanism
and carrier, substantially as described.
3: The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of two feeding chains,
independent carriers for said chains movable transversely to the line of feed,
mechanism to move said carriers independently, and intermediate connections

page_text: controlled by the cloth between said mechanism and each carrier, substantially as
described.
4: The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of two feeding chains,
independent supports therefor, power-driven operating mechanism comprising a
reciprocating bar and independent connections between said bar and chains to move
one or both of them with the bar transversely to the line of feed, substantially as
described.
5: The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of two feeding chains,
independent carriers therefor movable separately and transversely to the line of
feed, a power-driven mechanism to move the carriers, and connections intermediate
said mechanism and each carrier, controlled by and partially supporting the cloth,
substantially as described.
6: The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of a cloth-feeding chain, a
transversely-movable block with which said chain is connected, and a power-driven
operating mechanism, and two feelers controlled by the cloth carried by said block
intermediate it and the power-driven operating mechanism, and adapted to
automatically engage and disengage the said power-driven operating mechanism
when the cloth contacts with both or only one of the feelers, substantially as
described.
7 :—The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of two cloth feeding chains,
and blocks with which they are connected, and a power-driven operating mechanism,
and two feelers controlled by the cloth and carried by each block intermediate
it and the operating mechanism, and adapted to automatically engage and disengage
the said power-driven mechanism when the cloth contacts with both or only one of
said feelers respectively, substantially as described.
8: The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of two feeding chains,
blocks with which they are connected, a cloth supporting plate on each block, a
presser, and power-driven mechanism for moving said blocks, and two feelers carried
by each block and controlled by the cloth, which control the connection of the
blocks with the power-driven mechanism, substantially as described.
9:-The use in a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, of two cloth-feeding chains,
blocks to which they are connected, two feelers carried by each block and controlled
by the cloth, and two oppositely-extended pawls also carried by each block with
which the pair of feelers is connected, and a reciprocating rack with which the said
pawls co-operate and by which the blocks are moved, substantially as described.
Dated the 4th day of April 1892.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.