IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING, HECKLING, AND DRESSING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tongue, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
COMBING, HECKLING, AND DRESSING FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 26th December 1861, and dated the 21st September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
September 1861.
I, WILLIAM TONGUE, of Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer, do
5 hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI-
NERY FOR COMBING, HECKLING, AND DRESSING FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as
follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to improvements in a machine known
as "Noble's machine." This machine is so constructed that a sliver of fibrous
O material is pressed into two circular combs (one circle within the other) at the
point where the two circular combs touch one another, and by the revolution
of the combs they travel away from each other, so that the ends of the fibres are
drawn through the two circles, those held by one circle being drawn through
the other circle. After the circular combs have separated a sufficient distance
5 to allow the fringe of fibres carried by each circle to be completely drawn
through the opposite circular comb, the fibres projecting from both combs are
A

page_text: taken hold of and drawn out by pairs of drawing rollers, and then delivered
out of the machine in the form of an endless sliver. The slivers of fibrous
material to be operated upon are arranged continuously around, and travel
with the outer circular comb, so that as the inner and outer circular combs
continuously come in contact by the revolving of the two combs the fibrous
material may be continuously pressed into them, and afterwards present a
continuous fringe to the drawing rollers above mentioned. After the fibres
projecting from the ends of the slivers immersed in the outer circular comb
are drawn out, the slivers are lifted out of the circular comb by a series of
lever boxes through which the slivers pass, and at the same time by means of
an instrument known as the "feed plate," they are drawn forward a short
distance, so that a fresh supply of fibrous material may be presented to be
pressed into the circular combs, and so on. The lever boxes, above mentioned,
carry weights which rest on the slivers of fibrous material, so as to increase
the friction on the fibres drawn from under the weights.
My first improvement in this first part of my Invention consists in dis-
pensing with the lever boxes above described, and substituting in their place
a comb, so broad that the fibres immersed in it shall reach from one side to
the other, or nearly so, or part of the length of the fibres may be immersed
in the comb and part of their length pressed upon by a weight or weights,
and in place of using the "feed plate" to draw the slivers forward I cause the
fibres to be lifted out of the comb by "ploughs" or inclined plates. The
slivers are then lifted up from the face of the comb by a conical revolving ser-
rated or otherwise frictional roller resting on the "ploughs," and by this delivered
between a revolving serrated or otherwise frictional plate and a fixed polished
plate; the revolving plate being set at such an angle to the comb, that by the
revolution of the plate the slivers of fibrous material will be drawn forward a
sufficient distance to form a "feed." As the "Noble's machine," above
described, is at present arranged and worked, the circles are placed within
each other, and the ends of the fringes of fibrous material point from the
.centre of the inner circle and to the centre of the outer circle; and my second
improvement under the first part of my Invention relates to the arranging and
constructing the machine so that the ends of the fringes of fibrous material
may point from the centres of both circular combs. This is accomplished by
placing the circular combs side by side, instead of one within the other; the
slivers of fibrous material to be operated upon being fed from the centre
towards the circumference, instead of from the circumference towards the
centre. The slivers of fibrous material are pressed into the two circles where
they come in contact, and the fibres are cleaned by the separation of the two

page_text: circles as above described; but when the two circles have separated the two
fringes of fibres the ends of these fibres will radiate from the centres of both
circular combs. I prefer to use horizontal rollers to draw out the fibres
presented by the two circular combs, and the fibres may be delivered from the
machine in the form of an endless sliver, or may be allowed to accumulate in
the form of a lap and removed from time to time. In a machine constructed
as above described, I prefer that the fibres to be operated upon be immersed
for their whole length, or nearly so, in the circular comb; but the machine
may be so arranged that the fibrous material may have part of its length
immersed in a comb, and the remaining portion pressed upon by a weight or
weighted surface. The slivers of fibrous material to be operated upon are
fed forward by the knives, rollers, and plate above described.
In the "Noble's machine," as at present constructed, the separation of the
fringes of the fibres is assisted by a wheel armed with teeth, which by its revo-
lution in a vertical plane draws the ends of the fibres through the two combs,
and directs them towards the drawing rollers; and my third improvement,
under the first part of my Invention, relates to an improved arrangement of
this "stroker" or "separator," when combing long stapled fibres. In this
arrangement the separator revolves in a horizontal instead of a vertical plane;
the centre of revolution being within the circular comb, which I will call the
"taking comb," the other circular comb being the "feeding" or "giving
comb," and in place of being armed with fixed teeth it carries round with it a
number of bent wires or rods, which are caused to drop in among the fibres
forming a web between the two combs at their separation, and by reason of
the wires travelling somewhat faster than the "taking comb," they carry the
ends of the fibres forward, and deliver them to the drawing rollers; the wires
are then caused to rise out of the fibres, and continue their revolution so cle-
vated until they arrive at the point where they are caused to drop in among the
fibres again. I would here remark that I find it advantageous to combine the
various improvements, above described, into one machine; and the fourth
improvement, under the first part of my Invention, consists in the general
combination in one machine of the various improvements above described.
The second part of my Invention relates to various improvements in a
machine, for which Letters Patent were granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister
and James Warburton, on or about the Thirteenth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine. In this machine a circular series
of slivers of fibrous material is carried around with a circular comb, the
slivers being pressed into the comb, and the ends of the slivers projecting
beyond the comb. These projecting ends are by the revolution of the

page_text: comb presented to a travelling circular nipper, which takes hold of the ends
so presented and draws out the fibres from among the pins of the circular
comb, the slivers being afterwards lifted out of the circular comb, drawn
forward, and then pressed into the comb again, so as to keep up a continuous
supply to the nipper. The fibres taken by the travelling nipper are presented
to an endless travelling card sheet, or other cleaning, heckling, or dressing
instruments, and after being operated upon by the card sheet are delivered to
a second travelling circular nipper, which takes hold of the ends of the fibres
operated upon by the card sheet, and by its revolution presents the ends of
the fibres previously held within the first nipper to an endless card sheet or
other cleaning, heckling, or dressing instruments, so that the fibres are ope-
rated upon from end to end by endless card sheets or other similar instru-
ments. After the fibres have been so treated, the second nipper by its further
movement carries and delivers the cleaned fibres to a travelling comb, into
which the fibres are pressed, and this travelling comb carries the fringe of
cleaned fibres to one or more pairs of drawing rollers, which draw the cleaned
fibres from the comb in the form of an endless sliver.
In the machine, as shewn and described in the above-mentioned Letters
Patent, the fibres after being carried past the first cleaning card have to be
maintained in a horizontal position, and this has been hitherto accomplished
by the use of currents of air brought to bear upon the fibres, so as to raise
them to and maintain them in a horizontal position; and my first improve-
ment, in the second part of my Invention, consists in so arranging the pipes,
which supply the various currents of air to the above described machine, that
when the machine is brought to a stand any or all of the currents will be cut
off until the machine is set in motion again.
The second improvement under the second part of my Invention consists in
so arranging the machine that the fibres after being carried past the first
cleaning card shall fall into a vertical or pendant position, and remain so
pendant during their delivery to the second nipper, and from that to the
travelling comb, which I prefer to be a chain comb moving in a straight line.
The machine is so constructed that the fibres will maintain the same pendant
position when deposited on the travelling comb, and when being drawn out of
such comb by drawing rollers, by this means avoiding the necessity of raising
or maintaining the fibres in a horizontal position by means of currents of air
or otherwise.
The circular travelling nippers employed in the above machine are con-
structed on the frictional principle described in a Patent granted to Charles
Cowper, on or about the Twenty-third day of February, One thousand

page_text: eight hundred and fifty-two, No. 13,977, one of the nippers being a
moving surface, and the other a stationary smooth surface, the two surfaces
being pressed together, and the moving surface having greater frictional.
power by reason of the material of which it is composed, or by being
serrated or roughed. The result of this arrangement is, that the moving
surface takes hold of the fibrous material and carries it under the fixed sur-
face without affecting the relative position of the fibres to the moving surface,
and in the machine shewn and described in the Letters Patent granted to
Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton above referred to, the stationary
surfaces of both nippers are on the upper side of the revolving nippers; and
my third improvement under the second part of my Invention consists in placing
the stationary surface on the under side of the second nipper, or the nipper
which takes hold of that end of the fibrous material which has been drawn
through the feeding comb, and presented to the endless card sheet. The first
nipper, or that which draws the fibre out of the feeding comb, may be arranged
in the same manner, that is to say, with the stationary surface on the under
side of the nipper, but this forms no part of my improvement, my improve-
ment consisting in arranging the stationary service on the under side of the
second nipper as above described.
In the machine shewn and described in the Letters Patent granted to
Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton above referred to, when the
fibre operated upon exceeds three inches in length, the transference from one
nipper to the other is assisted by a current of air; and the fourth improvement
under the second part of my Invention consists in taking hold of the fringe of
fibres projecting from the first nipper by a revolving plate working against a
smooth surface, and forming a frictional nipper as above described, or by one
or more travelling belts. This revolving plate being set at such an angle, and
so worked that the fringe of fibres will be drawn into such a position that the
second nipper may take hold of them without the employment of a current of
air, whatever length of staple the fibre under operation may have.
In the machine shewn and described in the already referred to Letters
Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, the fringe
of fibres, after being operated upon by card or other cleaning surfaces at
both ends, is at once delivered and pressed into a travelling comb by a dabbing
brush, but in some cases I find it desirable to employ a separate transferring
or carrying instrument, to carry the fringe of fibres after being dressed at both
ends from the nipper to the travelling comb; and the fifth improvement under
the second part of my Invention consists in the use of a separate transferring
or carrying instrument between the nipper and the travelling comb from which

page_text: the cleaned fibres are drawn as above described, such transferring instrument
being formed as a comb, or a nipper, or an endless belt, or otherwise.
In machines constructed on the above described principle, namely, that of
presenting one end of a fringe of fibres held by a circular nipper to cleaning
instruments, and afterwards doing the same with the other end of the fringe
of fibres. My sixth improvement under the second part of my Invention con-
sists in so arranging the machine that one travelling nipper only may be used,
my improvement being restricted to where both the stationary and nipping
surfaces are formed of metal, and with more than one wedge-shaped groove
and rib, the ribs of one surface taking into the grooves of the other surface,
so holding the fibres placed between them as by a series of wedges. In this
sixth improvement I so arrange the machine that the fringe of fibrous mate-
rial is first held by a stationary nipping surface pressing on the upper side of
the travelling nipper, and afterwards by another stationary nipping surface
pressing against the under side of the travelling nipper, the transference from
the upper to the under side of the travelling nipper being aided by a revolving
plate and fixed surface, acting somewhat as a nipper, or a travelling belt or
belts, or other mechanical contrivances may be employed for the same purpose.
In the machine so arranged, the fibrous material will be presented by the
revolution of the circular feeding comb to a circular nipper, having the station-
ary nipping surface on the upper side of the travelling nipper, as shewn and
described in the Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James
Warburton above referred to, but after being operated upon by the endless
card sheet, the fibres are allowed to fall into a pendant position. The fibres
so hanging from the nipper are taken hold of by a revolving circular frictional
plate pressing against a fixed smooth surface, and by it are drawn under the
circular travelling nipper into such a position that the fibres will be carried
by the circular travelling nipper under a stationary nipping surface pressing
against the under side of the circular travelling nipper. The end of the
fringe of fibrous material held by the upper surface of the travelling nipper
is now released, and presented by the movement of the travelling nipper to an
endless sheet card or other cleaning apparatus, so that the fibres may be
operated upon from end to end. The upper and under surfaces of the said
circular travelling nipper, and the stationary surfaces pressing against those
upper and under surfaces being constructed of metal, and having more than
one wedge-shaped groove and rib, such grooves and ribs in the stationary and
travelling surfaces taking into each other, so that the fibres placed between
them will be held by a series of wedges. The circular travelling nipper may
be of such a thickness as will regulate the exact length of fibre to project

page_text: from the under side when the fibre is transferred from the upper to the under
side, or the circular travelling nipper may be of greater thickness, and the
under stationary surface may be caused to take up a certain length of fibre
after it bas taken hold of the fibre by means of a "plough" or inclined plate,
or by reason of the grooves and ribs furthest from the circumference of the
nipper being first caused to take hold of the fibres and the successive grooves
and ribs nearer the circumference of the nipper being caused to take hold of
the fibres successively according to the order of their distance from the face of
the nipper, and I would here remark, that the under side of the travelling nipper
may be caused to act as the first nipper, and the upper side as the second, with-
out departing from the nature of this part of my Invention. When the fibres
have been operated upon at both ends in the manner above described, they may
be transferred to a travelling chain or circular comb to be drawn from such comb
by drawing rollers; and my seventh improvement under the second part of my
Invention consists in so transferring the fringe of cleaned fibres to a travelling
comb, and drawing off the fibres from such travelling comb when the nipper is
constructed and worked as described under my sixth improvement.
My eighth improvement in the machine shewn and described in the Letters
Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton above referred
to consists in another arrangement of the machine, by which one travelling
nipper only is employed, the fixed nippers being both on one side of the
travelling nipper, that side being either the under or upper side, as may be
preferred, but I prefer to arrange the stationary surfaces or nippers on the
upper surface of the travelling nipper. In the machine so arranged the fibrous
material will be presented by a circular travelling feed comb to a circular
travelling nipper having a stationary surface pressing upon it, as shewn and
described in the already named Letters Patent of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and
James Warburton; but after the fibres have been operated upon by the
endless card sheet, in place of the fringe of fibres being transferred to another
travelling nipper, the fringe of fibres, after being released from the first sta--
tionary surface, is drawn part into the nipper, so that the part of the fibres
previously held between the travelling nipper and the first stationary surface is
caused to project within the travelling nipper or nipping ring, and when in.
this position is, by the movement of the travelling nipper, carried under
another stationary nipper pressing upon the same side of the travelling nipper
as the first stationary surface. The ends of the fibres projecting within the
travelling nipper or nipping ring are acted upon by the card surfaces or other-
wise cleaned while in that position. The drawing of the fringe of fibres
further within the travelling nipper, so that the uncleaned portion may be

page_text: presented within the travelling nipper or nipping ring, may be accomplished
in various ways, but I prefer the following:-The outer surface or circum-
ference of the travelling nipper is so formed that when a fixed plate is brought
against it by reason of the superior frictional power of the travelling nipper, the
same will carry round with it any fibres placed between it and the fixed plate,
and after the fringe of fibres held by the first stationary surface has passed
over the endless card sheet, and previously to its being drawn further into the
nipper, it is allowed to fall into a pendant position, the first stationary nipper
still retaining its hold on the fibres. While the fibres are in this pendant
position they will rest against the outer circumference of the travelling nipper,
and then the fibres are pressed against the outer circumference of the travel-
ling nipper by the fixed plate above-mentioned. The fibres are then, by the
insertion of a "plough" or inclined plate, drawn up into a loop, such a length
of fibre being looped in this manner as will allow it to be drawn a suitable
distance within the travelling nipper; a further pressure is then put upon the
fibres by the fixed plate around the circumference of the nipper, and while
held in that position the first stationary surface ceases to press upon the fibres.
The looped fringe of fibres is then taken hold of between a frictional revolving
plate and a fixed plate, and by them drawn within the nipper into such a
position that the fibres may, by the further movement of the travelling nipper,
be carried under the second stationary nipping surface and then operated upon
by a card or other cleaning surface working within the travelling nipper or
nipping ring. The moving and stationary nipping surfaces which hold the
fibres while being cleaned in the arrangement of machine above described
being formed of metal, and having more than one wedge-shaped groove and
rib, such grooves and ribs in the stationary and travelling surfaces taking into
each other so that the fibres placed between them will be held by a series of
wedges.
When the fibres have been operated upon at both ends, as above described,
they may be transferred to a travelling chain or circular comb, to be drawn off
from such comb by drawing rollers, and my ninth improvement, under the
second part of my Invention, consists in so transferring the fringe of cleaned
fibres to a travelling comb and drawing off the fibres from such travelling
comb, as above described, when the nipper is constructed and worked as
described under my eighth improvement.
My tenth improvement in the machine shewn and described in the Letters
Patent of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton above referred to,
relates to another arrangement of the machine, by which one travelling nipper
only is employed in place of two. In this arrangement the fibrous material is

page_text: drawn out of the feed comb in the manner shewn and described in the Letters
Patent referred to, the stationary nipping surface being either on the upper or
under side of the travelling nippers, but I prefer it to be arranged on the
upper side; and after the fringe of fibres drawn out of the feed comb has been
carried past the card sheet or other cleaning apparatus it is allowed to fall
into a pendant position, by that means resting against the outer circumference
of the travelling nipper. The outer circumference of the travelling nipper is
grooved and ribbed in the same manner as the upper surface, and while the
fibre is in the pendant position above named it is carried by the movement
of the travelling nipper under a stationary surface pressing against the outer
circumference of the nipper, and is then, by the insertion of a "plough" or
inclined plate drawn up into a loop, such a length of fibres being looped in
this manner as will allow them to project a suitable distance from the nipper.
A further pressure is now applied by the stationary surface to the outer
circumference of the travelling nipper, and by the further movement of this
nipper the fibres are carried from under the stationary surface pressing against
the upper surface of the travelling nipper, and being thus released, the fibres
are presented between the circumference of the travelling nipper and the
stationary nipping surface pressing upon it, so that the ends of the fibres
previously held on the upper surface of the nipper may be operated upon by
card or other cleaning surfaces. The moving and stationary surfaces forming
the nippers which hold the fibres during the cleaning operations in the abovo
described arrangement of machine being constructed of metal and having more
than one wedge-shaped groove and rib, such grooves and ribs in the stationary
and travelling surfaces taking into each other, so that the fibres placed between
them will be held as by a series of wedges.
When the fibres have been operated upon as above described they may be
transferred to a travelling chain or circular comb to be drawn from such comb
by drawing rollers, and my eleventh improvement under the second part of my
Invention consists in so transferring the fringe of cleaned fibres to a travelling
comb and drawing off the fibres from such comb when the nipper is constructed
and worked as described under my tenth improvement.
My twelfth improvement under the second part of my Invention consists in
the application of a stopping motion to machines similar to that shewn
and described in the Letters Patents of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James
When both the stationary and moving nipping
surfaces are formed of metal they are liable to abrasion or "eating" should the
moving and the fixed surfaces come in contact by reason of having no fibrous
material between them, and should this occur it is desirable that the machine
Warburton above referred to.

page_text: be immediately stopped. This I accomplish by an application of the ordinary
stopping motion, such as is well known and in use in cotton drawing frames.
The weighted lever or catch being kept out of action by resting against the
web of fibrous material formed by the separation of the feed comb and the
travelling nipper; but should the comb from any cause cease to give the
supply of fibrous material, or should the nipper cease to take it, the web of
fibrous material will be interrupted and the weighted lever will come into
contact with apparatus for stopping the machine.
My thirteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention consists
in the application of a similar stopping motion to that last described to that
part of the machine where the fringe of fibrous material is transferred from
one nipper to another, or from one part of the same nipper to another part, so
that if the fringe of fibres is by any means removed from the first nipper the
machine will be immediately stopped and further mischief prevented.
My fourteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention relates
to the application of a stopping motion, similar to the one above described, to
the machine acting with a combination of combs, nippers, and cleaning instru-
ments, as above described, and when the fibre is delivered from the machine
in the form of a sliver or slivers, my improvement consisting in applying the
stopping motion or motions to the sliver or slivers in such manner that upon
the breaking of the sliver or slivers the machine is immediately stopped.
My fifteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention relates to
an improved method of pressing into a circular comb a continuous series of
slivers, such as is described and shewn in the Letters Patent of Samuel Cunliffe
Lister and James Warburton above referred to. This improvement consisting
in the prolongation of the fixed "ploughs" or inclined plates which raise the
slivers of fibrous material out of the circular travelling feed comb, the pro-
longed ploughs" or inclined plates being so formed at their ends that they fit
against a conical series of circular revolving frictional plates which descend
between the rows of pins forming the circular travelling comb. The conical
series of circular revolving frictional plates by their revolution take the slivers
of fibrous material between them and the fixed plates or ploughs, and so carry
the fibrous material down among the pins of the circular travelling comb.
The fixed ploughs or plates and the revolving conical frictional plates forming
between them a positive nipper, and they may be grooved so as to take into
one another and so give them greater holding power.
My sixteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention relates
to the arrangement of a reciprocating feeding apparatus to feed the circular
travelling nipper, in place of feeding such circular nipper by a circular comb

page_text: as shewn and described in the already named Letters Patent of Samuel Cun-
liffe Lister and James Warburton, such reciprocating feed apparatus travelling
either in a straight or curved line, and being so arranged as to present at
all times a fringe of fibres to be taken hold of by the circular travelling
nipper.
In the Letters Patent of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton
above referred to, the cleaning or heckling instrument shewn and described
consists of an endless card sheet, from which the fibrous material is removed by
a "fancy" and revolving brush, and deposited by the brush upon a "doffer,"
similar to an ordinary carding engine; and the third part of my Invention
consists in various improvements upon the construction and arrangement of
the endless card sheet cleaner above referred to. In the endless card.
sheet cleaner shewn and described in the Patent above referred to the
endless card sheet is driven only at one end, and my first improvement
under the third part of my Invention consists in driving the endless card
sheet at both ends. In order that the endless card sheet may operate in a
straight line upon the fibres close to the nipper, the roller nearest to the
nipper over which the travelling card sheet passes must be of small diameter;
and in the machine shewn and described in the above referred to Letters
Patent of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, the endless card
sheet, by reason of having only one driving roller, forms a very acute angle in
passing around the small roller nearest to the nipper, thereby causing great
wear and destruction to the endless card sheets employed; and my second
improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in so arranging
and working the rollers driving the endless card sheet at both ends, that the
endless card sheet shall form an obtuse angle in passing over the roller or other
surface nearest to the nipper, instead of forming an acute angle as hitherto.
The small roller above mentioned nearest to the nipper is at present formed
as a cylinder, or nearly so; in some cases it has been slightly "barrelled," or
made larger in diameter in the centre than at the ends, with the intention of
causing the travelling card sheet to maintain its position in relation to the
roller, but the form of the roller has varied little from a cylinder, and when it
has been barrelled it has assumed the form of the "middle frustrum of a
spheroid." The consequence of this cylindrical or "barrelled " form of the
roller is, that as the endless card sheet is set and travels at an angle to the
plane of the nipper, the points of the card sheet only travel in a line parallel
to the line of the fibres at or near one point in the breadth of the endless card
sheet, the card sheet never acting effectively at any other part of its width, and
wearing rapidly at that particular part where all the work falls; and my third

page_text: improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in attaching plates
to the stationary nipping surfaces, or otherwise fixing such plates in machines
where both ends of the fibrous material are successively operated upon by card
surfaces. The plates being so arranged relatively to the card sheet that the
fibre is brought into a line parallel to the line of motion of the endless card
sheet.
The small roller above mentioned nearest to the nipper over which the end-
less card sheet passes is formed as previously stated as a cylinder, or nearly so;
and my fourth improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in
so forming this roller that it will be largest in diameter at an equal distance
from both the ends, and decreasing in diameter towards the ends in a hollow
curve suited to the circumference of the nipper, so that one half of the endless
card sheet will be caused to run parallel with the surface of the nipper, and at
the same time parallel with the line of the fibres, so as to give a much greater
cleaning power or surface in action than is at present obtained. The other
half of the width of the endless cleaning card is caused to act upon the fibres
by means of the fixed plate described above, and thus the whole width of the
cleaning surface is brought into operation, instead of only a small portion of it
as at present.
My fifth improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in sub-
stituting a fixed plate in place of the roller nearest to the nipper for the endless
card sheet to pass over, such fixed plate being so formed as to bring the whole
or a portion of the endless card sheet parallel with the circumference of the
nipper as well as parallel with the line of the fibres, such part of the fibres as
are not parallel with the line of motion of the cleaning sheet being brought
into a line parallel with that motion, by means of plates attached to the
stationary nippers or otherwise fixed. When an endless card sheet alone is
employed, it has been found that it is subject to rapid destruction, and leather
has been attached by various means to the back of the endless card sheet, so
as to increase its durability; and my sixth improvement under the third part
of my Invention relates to arranging an endless card sheet with an endless
leather sheet working inside it, so that the endless leather sheet will act as a
protection to the endless card sheet without being attached to it, and this I
accomplish by causing the endless leather sheet and the endless card sheet to
pass over separate tightening rollers, which can be set at any desired angle or
distance, and which are both driven. In the endless card cleaner as at present
constructed, and as shewn and described in the afore-mentioned Letters Patent
granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, the endless card
sheet is tightened by moving the small roller nearest to the nipper still nearer

page_text: to the said nipper and further from the driving roller, by that means necessi-
tating the drawing back and resetting of the whole apparatus in relation to the
nipper whenever the endless card is required to be tightened ; and my seventh
improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in making the
roller or surface nearest to the nipper a fixture, and tightening the endless
card sheet by drawing the driving roller or rollers furthest from the nipper
still further away, and so avoiding the necessity of resetting the roller or plate
nearest to the nipper, and with it the whole cleaning apparatus whenever the
endless card sheet requires to be tightened; by my improvement the roller or
surface nearest to the nipper remaining a fixture at all times.
In the endless card cleaner as at present constructed, and as shewn and
described in the Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James
Warburton above referred to, the "fancy" for raising and the revolving brush
for removing the fibres taken by the endless card sheet, are caused to act
where the endless card sheet is passing round the driving roller; and my
eighth improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in acting
upon the endless card sheet by the "fancy" and brush where the card sheet is
in a straight line between the two driving rollers; by this means the endless
card sheet can be so arranged as to be exposed to view when passing round the
driving rollers; and my ninth improvement under the third part of my Inven-
tion consists in so arranging and constructing the parts that the endless card
sheet may be exposed to view when passing round the driving rollers, instead
of being hidden from view as in the present arrangement.
In the endless card sheet cleaner as constructed and worked, and as shown
and described in the Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and
James Warburton above referred to, the fibres taken from the endless card
sheet by the revolving brush are thrown on to a "doffer," and are removed
from such "doffer" by means of an ordinary crank "doffing knife;" and my
tenth improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in removing
the fibres from the revolving brush by means of a pointed surface travelling at
a higher speed than the revolving brush, and accumulating the fibres so
removed from the revolving brush upon such travelling pointed surface in the
form of a lap, the pointed surface being withdrawn from the brush and stopped
from time to time, and the fibres removed from it in the form of a lap;
another travelling pointed surface may be brought into operation while the
fibres are being removed from the first pointed surface when the first travelling
pointed surface is stopped; but I prefer to introduce a stationary pointed sur-
face against the revolving brush, so arranged and constructed that it catches
and retains all the fibres on the surface of the revolving brush while the fibres

page_text: are being removed from the travelling pointed surface. When the fibres have
been removed from the travelling pointed surface, it is brought into operation
again and the fixed pointed surface is withdrawn. The fibres accumulated by
the fixed pointed surface being removed by hand or by a self-acting arrange-
ment.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in the general combination of the
various improvements described in the second and third parts of my Invention
into one machine, that machine being constructed in the manner described as
my second improvement in the second part of my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TONGUE, of Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Tongue, Her special licence that I, the said William
Tongue, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Tongue, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING, HECKLING, AND DRESSING FIBROUS
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Tongue, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
• NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Tongue, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-

page_text: The first part of my Invention relates to improvements in a machine known
as "Noble's machine." This machine is so constructed that a sliver of fibrous
material is pressed into two circular combs (one circle within the other) at
the point where the two circular combs touch one another, and by the
revolution of the combs they travel away from each other, so that the ends of
the fibres are drawn through the two circles; those held by one circle being
drawn through the other circle. After the circular combs have separated a
sufficient distance to allow the fringe of fibres carried by each circle to be
completely drawn through the opposite circular comb, the fibres projecting from
both combs are taken hold of and drawn out by pairs of drawing rollers, and
then delivered out of the machine in the form of an endless sliver. The slivers
of fibrous material to be operated upon are arranged continuously around, and
travel with the outer circular comb, so that as the inner and outer circular
combs continuously come in contact by the revolving of the two combs, the
fibrous material may be continuously pressed into them, and afterwards present
a continuous fringe to the drawing rollers above-mentioned. After the fibres
projecting from the ends of the slivers immersed in the outer circular comb are
drawn out, the slivers are lifted out of the circular comb by a series of lever
boxes, through which the slivers pass, and at the same time, by means of an
instrument known as the "feed plate," they are drawn forward a short distance,
so that a fresh supply of fibrous material may be presented to be pressed into
the circular combs, and so on. The lever boxes above mentioned carry weights
which rest on the slivers of fibrous material, so as to increase the friction on
the fibres drawn from under the weights.
My first improvement under this first part of my Invention consists in
dispensing with the lever boxes above described, and substituting in their place
a comb, so broad that the fibres immersed in it shall reach from one side to
the other, or nearly so, part of the length of the fibres may be immersed in the
comb, and part of their length pressed upon by a weight or weights, and in
place of using the feed plate to draw the slivers forward, I cause the fibres to
be lifted out of the comb by "ploughs" or inclined plates. The slivers are
then lifted up from the face of the comb by a conical, revolving, serrated, or
otherwise frictional roller resting on the ploughs, and by this delivered between
a revolving, serrated, or otherwise frictional plate, and a fixed polished plate;
the revolving plate being set at such an angle to the comb, that by the
revolution of the plate the sliver of fibrous material will be drawn forward a
sufficient distance to form a feed.

page_text: Figure 1, Sheet 1, shews a plan, and Figure 2, a transverse section of so
much of a "Noble's machine" for combing wool or other fibrous material as
will enable me to describe this part of my improvement.
The other Figures on Sheet 1 of the Drawings shew some of the parts
separately on a larger scale.
a is a circular revolving comb, arranged in this instance to work in combi-
nation with two inner circular revolving combs 6 and 6', the number of which
may be varied according to the size of the circular comb a. The slivers of
fibrous material to be combed are wound upon bobbins c, c, supported as shewn,
and conducted through the guide c' into a position to be deposited amongst
the teeth of the comb a, which by preference is so broad that the fibres im-
mersed in it extend from one side to the other, or nearly so; but when a
comparatively narrow comb a is employed, part of the length of the fibres may
be immersed in the comb and part of their length be pressed upon by a weight
or weights carried by suitable levers, as shewn at Figures 9 and 10, Sheet 4,
the pressure of such weights or weighted levers being relieved by any suitable
contrivance when the slivers of fibrous material are being drawn forward to
form a feed. In this arrangement, in place of using a feed plate, as here-
tofore, to draw or feed the slivers of fibrous material forward, I cause the fibres
to be lifted out from amongst the teeth of the comb a, after the comb a bas
carried the slivers of fibrous material past the drawing rollers a* by means of
"ploughs" or inclines d, shewn clearly on a larger scale in Figures 3 and 4. The
fibrous material, after being thus raised out of the teeth of the comb a, are lifted
off from the face thereof by the revolving conical, serrated, or otherwise frictional
roller e, the frictional surfaces e' of which rest on the ploughs d, d, the fibrous
material being by this means conducted between the revolving serrated or other-
wise frictional roller f and plates f', and the fixed polished plate d¹. The
revolving roller f and plates f¹, are set at such an angle to the comb a, that by
the revolution of the circular plates f¹, the ends of the slivers of fibrous material
will be drawn forward a sufficient distance to form a "feed;" these projecting
fibres being conducted over the surface of the fixed plate g into a position to be
deposited by a brush or other instrument amongst the teeth of the comb bat
the point where the combs a and b come together; a* and 6* are the drawing
off rollers to the combs a and b, all which will be readily understood on
examining the Drawings; plates, bars, or other pressing instruments may be
introduced between the teeth of the combs to press upon the fibres where the
drawing off takes place.

page_text: I have not thought it necessary to shew all the gearing for giving motion to
the several parts, as a competent workman acquainted with this class of
machinery, will readily apply the same, so as to cause the various parts to
rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows.
As the "Noble's machine" above described is at present arranged and
worked, the circles are placed within each other, and the ends of the fringes
of fibrous material point from the centre of the inner circle, and to the centre
of the outer circle.
And my second improvement under the first part of my Invention relates to
the arranging and constructing the machine so that the ends of the fringes of
fibrous material may point from the centres of both circular combs; this is
accomplished by placing the circular combs side by side instead of one within
the other, the slivers of fibrous material to be operated upon being fed from
the centre towards the circumference instead of from the circumference towards
the centre. The slivers of fibrous material are pressed into the two circles
where they come in contact, and the fibres are cleaned by the separation of
the two circles as above described, but when the two circles have separated
the two fringes of fibres, the end of these fibres will radiate from the centres of
both circular combs. I prefer to use horizontal rollers to draw out the fibres
presented by the two circular combs, and the fibres may be delivered from the
machine in the form of an endless sliver, or may be allowed to accumulate in
the form of a lap, and be removed from time to time.
In a machine constructed as above described, I prefer that the fibres to be
operated upon be immersed for their whole length, or nearly so, in the circular
comb, but the machine may be so arranged that the fibrous material may have
part of its length immersed in a comb, and the remaining portion pressed upon
by a weight or weighted surface. The slivers of fibrous material to be operated
upon are fed forward by the knives, rollers, and plate above described.
In the "Noble's machine" as at present constructed, the separation of the
fringes of fibres is assisted by a wheel armed with teeth, which, by its revolu-
tion in a vertical plane draws the ends of the fibres through the two combs,
and directs them towards the drawing rollers; and my third improvement
under the first part of my Invention relates to an improved arrangement of
this stroker or separator when combing long stapled fibres. In this arrange-
ment the separator revolves in a horizontal instead of a vertical plane, the
centre of revolution being within the circular comb, which I will call the
"taking comb," the other circular comb being the "feeding" or "giving
comb," and in place of being armed with fixed teeth, it carries round with it a
number of bent wires or rods, which are caused to drop in among the fibres,
B

page_text: forming a web between the two combs at their separation, and by reason of
the wires travelling somewhat faster than the taking comb, they carry the ends
of the fibres forward and deliver them to the drawing-off rollers; the wires are
then caused to rise out of the fibres and continue their revolution so elevated
until they arrive at the point where they are caused to drop in among the
fibres again.
I would here remark, that I find it advantageous to combine the various
improvements above described into one machine, and the fourth improvement
under the first part of my Invention consists in the general combination in
one machine of the various improvements above described.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS B.
Figures 7 and 8, Sheets 2 and 3, of the Drawings, shew a plan and section
of so much of a machine for combing fibrous materials constructed on the
principal of Noble's Invention as will enable me to describe the second
improvement under the first part of my Invention, in which arrangement of
mechanism it will be seen that the fringes of fibrous material being operated
upon by the circular rotating combs a and b, point or radiate from the
centres of those combs, the combs a and b being placed side by side instead
of one within the other, as heretofore practised in machines working on the
principle of Noble's Invention. It will be seen by this arrangement that
the slivers of fibrous material are fed from the centre of the comb a towards
the circumference thereof by means of the rotating circular holder a¹, the
slivers being conducted from the bobbins c downwards through compartments
formed around the circular holder a', but if desired for convenience the
slivers may be fed upwards from below. The projecting ends of the slivers
of fibrous material are conducted over the fixed plate d into a position to
be deposited amongst the teeth of the combs a and b, where they come
in contact by the brush e, and the fibres are cleaned by the separation of
the two combs, and beyond the point where the two circular combs a and b
have separated the two fringes of fibres, the ends of those fibres will radiate
from the centres of the combs they are carried by. f and f* are the drawing
off rollers which I prefer to arrange in a horizontal position as shewn.
In the arrangement of machinery above described I prefer that the fibres
to be operated upon should be immersed for their whole length or nearly
so in the teeth of the comb a, but the machine may be so arranged that
the fibrous material may have only part of its length immersed in the
comb a, the remaining portion of its length contained in the holder being
pressed upon by a weighted lever or levers g, carried by pin joints upon

page_text: the outer circumference of the holder as shewn in Figures 9 and 10. The
weighted ends of the levers g carry trucks or rollers g', which are acted
upon by the fixed cam surface h to take off the pressure upon the fibres at
that part of their revolution where the slivers of fibrous material are being
drawn outwards in order to form a fresh "feed." The slivers of fibrous
material are raised out of the comb a by the "ploughs" i, i, and are fed
forward by the conical circular rollers or plates; and as previously described;
and just previous to the slivers being raised out of the teeth by the " 'ploughs"
i, i, I prefer to depress them at the inner circumference of the comb by
means of the lever and plate , to which an up and down motion is given in
order to depress and slacken the sliver at that part so that it may be
more readily drawn out and fed forward by the plates or rollers j and k
into a position to be deposited amongst the teeth of the combs a and b
as before described, and I would remark that the feeding instruments ; and k
will be more particularly described under the fifteenth improvement of the
second part of my Invention. I will now describe the third improvement
under the first part of my Invention, which relates to an improved arrange-
ment of the "stroker" or apparatus for separating the two fringes of fibres
where the two combs a and b separate when combing long stapled fibres.
A plan of this improved "stroker" or separator is shown in position in
Figure 7, Sheet 2; Figure 12, Sheet 3, showing a transverse section of the
same, and Figure 13 shows separate views of one of the arms or strokers m.
In this arrangement the strokers or separating instruments m revolve by
preference in a horizontal instead of a vertical plane as heretofore, and their
cranked ends or fingers are caused to assume the several positions indicated
in Figure 7 in the course of their revolution so as to descend and pass into
the web of unseparated fibres, and in so doing the arms and fingers m
are caused to perform a partial revolution, and as they continue their
revolution the bent fingers or cranked ends of the arms m carry the fibres
forward into a position to be taken by the drawing off rollers where they
are raised, and the cranked ends or fingers return to their former position.
The several movements of the strokers or separators m are effected in the
following manner-m¹ is a hollow axis to which one end of each arm or
stroker m is connected by a pin joint, the pins or axes of which form part
of the collar m*, through which the inner end of the arm m passes and is
capable of partial rotation therein. The hollow axis m³ is mounted upon
and revolves around the fixed axis m³, rotatory motion being communicated
to the hollow axis m¹ by a toothed wheel m³ fixed thereon, and driven in
any convenient manner; m' is a hollow drum or cylinder which is also
0

page_text: fixed on and rotates with the hollow axis m¹. In the circumference of the
drum or cylinder m* vertical slots m³ are formed, through which the arms
of the strokers m pass and are guided up and down therein, and me are
springs attached to the inner circumference of the drum m and to the
arms, the springs me having a tendency at all times to pull the arms m
upwards; m² are trucks or rollers carried by the arms m, which are at all
times borne by the springs me up against the cam surface ms, which is fixed
on the central axis m², the cam surface being so formed as to depress the
arms m and thus cause the strokers to descend amongst and separate the
fibres; mare lever arms or projections fixed on the arms m, the lever
arms m³ enter between pins or projections m10 fixed on the drum or cylinder m
thus causing the arms or strokers m to make a partial revolution on their
own axes in order to place the cranked end or finger of each arm m in
a more vertical position whilst acting to separate the fibres and stroke them
forward towards the drawing off rollers.
The second part of my Invention relates to various improvements in a
machine for which Letters Patent were granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister
and James Warburton on the Thirteenth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine; in this machine a circular series of slivers of
fibrous material is carried around with a circular comb, the slivers being
pressed into the comb and the ends of the slivers projecting beyond the comb.
These projecting ends are by the revolution of the comb presented to a
travelling circular nipper which takes hold of the ends so presented and
draws out the fibres from among the pins of the circular comb, the slivers
being afterwards lifted out of the circular comb, drawn forward, and then
pressed into the comb again so as to keep up a continuous supply to the
nipper. The fibres taken by the travelling nipper are presented to an endless
travelling card sheet or other cleaning, heckling, or dressing instruments, and
after being operated upon by the card sheet are delivered to a second
travelling circular nipper which takes hold of the ends of the fibres operated
upon by the card sheet, and by its revolution presents the ends of the fibres
previously held within the first nipper to an endless card sheet or other
cleaning, heckling, or dressing instruments, so that the fibres are operated
upon from end to end by endless card sheets or other similar instruments.
After the fibres have been so treated the second nipper by its further
movement carries and delivers the cleaned fibres to a travelling comb, into
which the fibres are pressed, and this travelling comb carries the fringe
of cleaned fibres to a pair or pairs of drawing off rollers, which draw the
cleaned fibres from the comb in the form of an endless sliver. In the

page_text: machine as shewn and described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent the
fibres, after being carried past the first cleaning card, have to be maintained
in a horizontal position, and this has been hitherto accomplished by the use
of currents of air brought to bear upon the fibres so as to raise them to and.
maintain them in a horizontal position, and my first improvement in the
second part of my Invention consists in so arranging the pipes which supply
the various currents of air to the above-described machine so that when
the machine is brought to a stand any or all of the currents will be cut
off until the machine is set in motion again. In carrying out this first
improvement under the second part of my Invention I cause the throwing
out lever which is employed for stopping and starting the machine to be
connected with a suitable throttle or other valve in the main air supply
pipe, or with a series of valves in the branch pipes which conduct the currents
of air in the directions required, so that when the machine is stopped for
any purpose the currents of air will be cut off, and by this means much
derangement of the fibrous material will be avoided. The movement of the
lever to set the machine in motion again will cause the air supply valve or
valves to be re-opened. I have not thought it necessary to illustrate this part
of my improvements by a Drawing, as a competent workman, aided by the
previous description, will readily apply the same by very simple means to suit
any arrangement of the pipes and currents of air.
The second improvement under the second part of my Invention consists in
so arranging the machine that the fibres after being carried past the first
cleaning card, shall fall into a vertical or pendant position, and remain so
pendant during their delivery to the second nipper, and from that to the
travelling comb, which I prefer to be a chain comb, moving in a straight line.
The machine is so constructed that the fibres will maintain the same pendant
position when deposited on the travelling comb, and when being drawn out of
such comb by drawing-off rollers, by this means avoiding the necessity of
raising or maintaining the fibres in a horizontal position by means of currents
of air or otherwise.
The circular travelling nippers employed in the above machine are con-
structed on the frictional principle, described in a Patent granted to Charles
Cowper, on the Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, one of the nippers being a moving
surface, and the other a stationary smooth surface, the two surfaces being
pressed together, and the moving surface having greater frictional power by
reason of the material of which it is composed, or by its being serrated or
roughened. The result of this arrangement is, that the moving surface-takes

page_text: hold of the fibrous material, and carries it under the fixed surface without
affecting the relative position of the fibres to the moving surface, and in the
machine shown and described in the Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe
Lister and James Warburton, previously referred to, the stationary surfaces of
both nippers have been in the practical working out of the Invention on
the upper
side of the revolving nippers, and my third improvement under the
second part of my Invention consists in placing the stationary surface on the
under side of the second nipper, or the nipper which takes hold of that end
of the fibrous material which has been drawn through the feeding comb, and
presented to the endless card sheet, such second nipper being so constructed
that the fibres held by it can travel in a pendant position. The first nipper or
that which draws the fibres out of the feeding comb, may be arranged in the
same manner, that is to say, with the stationary nipper on the under side of
the nipper, but this forms no part of my improvement, my improvement
consisting in arranging the stationary surface on the under side of the second
nipper, as above described.
In the machine shewn and described in the Letters Patent granted to
Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, above referred to, when the
fibre operated upon exceeds three inches in length the transference from one
nipper to the other is assisted by a current of air; and the fourth improve-
ment under the second part of my Invention consists in taking hold of the
fringe of fibres projecting from the first nipper by a revolving plate working
against a smooth surface, and forming a frictional nipper, as above described,
or by one or more travelling belts; this revolving plate being set at such au
angle and so worked that the fringe of fibres will be drawn into such position
that the second nipper may take hold of them without the employment of a
current of air, whatever length of staple the fibre under operation may have.
In the machine shewn and described in the already referred to Letters
Patent, granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, the fringe
of fibres after being operated upon by card or other cleaning surfaces at
both ends, is at once delivered and pressed into a travelling comb by a dabbing
brush, but in some cases I find it desirable to employ a separate transferring
or carrying instrument to carry the fringe of fibres after being dressed at both
ends from the nipper to the travelling comb; and the fifth improvement under
the second part of my Invention consists in the use of a separate transferring
or carrying instrument between the nipper and the travelling comb from
which the cleaned fibres are drawn, as above described, such transferring
instrument being formed as a comb or a nipper, or an endless belt, or
otherwise.

page_text: Figure 14 shews a plan, and Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 are vertical
sections, taken through some of the parts of a machine for combing fibrous
materials constructed according to this part of my Invention, these and the
other Figures contained in Drawings C being intended to illustrate the second,
third, fourth, and fifth improvements, previously referred to. As the character
and working of the machinery for combing wool and other fibrous materials to
which these improvements relate was fully described in the Specification of
Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, before referred to, it will not
be necessary for me to describe all the mechanical parts shown in the Drawings,
except so far as they relate to my present improvements. The slivers of
fibrous material to be combed are fed or supplied to the circular rotating comb
a by means of the circular rotating holder a', and the slivers are raised out of
the teeth of the comb a, and drawn forward to form a "feed" of projecting
ends in the manner described for this purpose in the first part of my Invention.
The slivers are again deposited amongst the teeth of the comb a by the
brush a², and the projecting ends of the fibres are carried by the comb a into
a position to be taken hold of and drawn out of the comb a by the nipping
surfaces b, the upper surface of which in the arrangement shown being the
moving surface which carries forward the fringe of fibres into a position to be
operated upon, and cleaned by the travelling endless band of card teeth or
"card cleaner," or other cleaning instrument B, which I prefer should be of
the construction and character hereafter described constituting the third part
of my Invention. The fibres, after passing the "card cleaner" B, are allowed
to fall or be brought into a pendant position by a current of air, or by any
other suitable contrivance, at or about the point (1) in the plan, Figure 14, a
section of which taken at this part of the nipper 6 on a larger scale is shewn
in the sectional diagram Number 1 in Sheet 8. The pendent fibres as they
travel onwards are guided between the smooth surface of the plate c', fixed on
the second stationary nipper c, and the revolving circular frictional plate, the
edge of which plate c² presses very lightly upon the fibres, whilst they are still
held firmly by the nipper b, which nipper b in its revolution draws the fibres
upwards over the upper surface of the plate c', and as the fibres pass onwards.
they are conducted by the plate c' within the inner surface of the bottom
stationary nipper c, the upper moving surface of which closes upon and takes
hold of the fibres, the uncleaned ends being at the same time gradually
released from the holding surfaces of the nipper b, thus leaving them in a
position to be presented to the cleaning operation of the card cleaning appa-

page_text: ratus C. The surface speed of the revolving frictional plate c² is about the
same as that of the nippers b and c, and this frictional surface c² may be of
leather or other suitable material, or a brush may be employed for this
purpose.
The position of the several parts just described at the points 2 and 3 in the
plan, Figure 14, are clearly indicated by the sectional diagrams numbered (2)
and (3) in Sheets 8 and 9, and by Figure 19, Sheet 6, of Drawings C. After
passing the card cleaner C, the fibres are brushed upwards by the circular
brush at the point 4, as indicated by the sectional diagram, Number (4),
Sheet 8, and in the plan at Figure 20. The vertical ends of the fibres as they
travel onwards are conducted between the serrated or frictional edge of the
revolving nipper c and the stationary plate e (which is pressed against it by a
spring), the stationary surface of the nipper c ceasing to retain its hold upon
the fibres at this point, which will then fall into a vertical line, or may be
caused to do so by a current of air, or by other means to bring them into the
position indicated by the diagram Number 5. The frictional edge of the
nipper c and the plate e conduct the fibres into a position to be taken between
the endless band f and the curved stationary surface g (as shown in plan at
Figure 20, and in the sectional diagram Number 6), which band f conducts
the fibres into a position to be transferred by the brush h to the teeth of the
endless travelling comb i, as shown in plan at Figure 20, and by the sectional
diagram Number 7, from which the combed fibres are drawn off by suitable
drawing-off rollers and apparatus, as clearly shown in the vertical section of
the machine, at Figure 15, Sheet 6. Any noil or refuse remaining in the
teeth of the receiving comb i, may be readily removed by a brush or any of
the well known means employed for this purpose.
Figures 21 and 22 show a modification of the frictional surface employed for
transferring the fibres from the nipper b to the nipper c, the frictional surface c³
in this arrangement being an endless band, which is caused to travel in
contact with the plate c', fixed' on the under stationary nipper c, as clearly
shown in these Figures.
Figure 24 shows a mode of transferring the cleaned fibres, after being
operated upon by the endless card cleaner C, to a circular or endless travelling
comb D, by the brush D', which deposits the fibres amongst the teeth of the
comb D as they pass out of and are released from the nipping surfaces c. The
comb D carries the fibres away into a position to be drawn off therefrom,
as is well understood.
Figure 25 shows another mode of transferring the vertical ends of the
cleaned fibres held between the edge of the nipper c and the plate e. This is

page_text: accomplished in this arrangement by means of a brush f¹, which deposits the
fibres amongst the teeth of the endless travelling card or pointed surface f,
which carries the fibres into a position to be transferred by the brush h into
the teeth of the travelling comb i, to be carried away and drawn off, as
described in the previous arrangement.
In machines constructed on the above described principle, namely, that of
presenting one end of a fringe of fibres held by a circular nipper to cleaning
instruments, and afterwards presenting the other ends of the fringe of fibres
thereto.
My sixth improvement under the second part of my Invention consists in so
arranging the machine that one travelling nipper only may be used, my
improvement being restricted to where both the stationary and nipping
surfaces are formed of metal, and with more than one wedge-shaped groove
and rib, the ribs of one surface taking into the grooves of the other surface so
holding the fibre placed between them as by a series of wedges. In this sixth
improvement I so arrange the machine that the fringe of fibrous material is
first held by a stationary nipping surface pressing on the upper side of the
travelling nipper, and afterwards by another stationary nipping surface pressing
against the under side of the travelling nipper, the transference from the
upper to the under side of the travelling nipper being aided by a revolving
plate and fixed surface, acting somewhat as a nipper or a travelling belt or
belts, or other mechanical contrivances may be employed for the same purpose.
In the machine so arranged the fibrous material will be presented by the
revolution of the circular feeding comb to a circular nipper, having the
stationary nipping surface on the upper side of the travelling nipper, and after
being operated upon by the endless card sheet, the fibres are allowed to fall
into a pendant position. The fibres so hanging from the nipper are taken hold
of by a revolving circular frictional plate pressing against a fixed smooth
surface, and by it are drawn under the circular travelling nipper into such a
position that the fibres by the circular travelling nipper will be carried under a
stationary nipping surface pressing against the under side of the circular
travelling nipper; the end of the fringe of fibrous material held by the
upper surface of the travelling nipper is now released, and presented by the
movement of the travelling nipper to an endless sheet, card, or other cleaning
apparatus, so that the fibres may be operated upon from end to end. The
upper and under surfaces of the said circular travelling nipper and the
stationary surfaces pressing against those upper and under surfaces, are con-
structed of metal, and have more than one wedge-shaped groove and rib, such
grooves and ribs in the stationary and travelling surfaces taking into each

page_text: other, so that the fibres placed between them will be held by a series of
wedges. The circular travelling nipper may be of such a thickness as will
regulate the exact length of fibre intended to project from the under side
thereof, when the fibre is transferred from the upper to the under side of such
nipper; or the circular travelling nipper may be of greater thickness, and the
under stationary surface may be caused to take up a certain length of fibre
after it has taken hold of the fibre by means of a "plough" or inclined plate;
or by reason of the grooves and ribs furthest from the circumference of the
nipper being first caused to take hold of the fibres, and the successive grooves
and ribs nearer the circumference of the nipper being caused to take hold of
the fibres successively, according to the order of their distance from the face of
the nipper; and I would here remark that the under side of the travelling
nipper may be caused to act as the first nipper, and the upper side as
the second nipper without departing from the nature of this part of my
Invention.
When the fibres have been operated upon at both ends in the manner
above described, they may be transferred to a travelling chain or circular
comb, to be drawn from such comb by drawing-off rollers.
And my seventh improvement under the second part of my Invention
consists in so transferring the fringe of cleaned fibres to a travelling comb, and
drawing off the fibres from such travelling comb when the nipper is con-
structed and worked as described under my sixth improvement.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS D.
Figure 26 shows a machine for combing fibrous materials constructed
according to the sixth and seventh improvements under the second part of:
my Invention.
a is a circular feed comb, arranged with a circular holder a', and apparatus
for raising up and feeding forward the ends of the slivers of fibrous materials,
as previously described in other parts of my Invention. The fringe of fibres
projecting from the comb a is first taken hold of and held by the stationary
metal nipping surface 6', which is pressed down upon the upper surface of the
travelling metal nipper 6 by springs, as shewn in the sectional Diagram No. 1,
Sheet II. The separation of the travelling nipper 6 from the circular revolving
comb a by their revolution in opposite directions, causes the fibres held by the
nipping surfaces 6 and 6' to be drawn out of the teeth of the comb a. The s
fringe of fibres thus drawn out is maintained in position by currents of air or
by other convenient means, in a suitable position for being presented to and
operated upon by the endless travelling card cleaner B at the point (1), as

page_text: shown in the Diagram Number 1 before referred to. After travelling past
the card cleaner B the fibres are allowed to fall into a pendant position, as
shown by the Diagram Number (2), in which position they are taken hold of
by the circular revolving brush c (or a plate or other friction alsurface may be:
employed for this purpose) travelling at about the same surface speed of the:
nipper. The brush c presses the fibres against the fixed smooth surface d, (as:
shewn by the Diagram Number 3), the inner edge d' of which conducts or
draws the fibres under the circular travelling nipper b into such a position that
they may be taken hold of by the stationary nipping surface e, and pressed
up against the under side of the travelling nipper b (as shown by Diagram
Number (4). The upper nipper or pressing surface b' then terminates, and
the uncleaned ends of the fibres are blown or otherwise moved off the upper
surface of the travelling nipper 6 into a position to be cleaned or operated
upon by the endless card or other suitable cleaning apparatus C, as shown by the.
Diagram Number (5). The cleaned ends of the fibres, after passing the cleaner
C in their onward progress are operated upon by the circular revolving brush f,
which raises them into a vertical position ready to pass between the edge of
the revolving nipper 6 and the fixed plate g, so as to conduct them into a
position to be taken by the endless bands h (or other transferring instrument),
to be transferred thereby to the teeth of the travelling comb i, so as to be
drawn off therefrom in the manner previously fully described in reference to
Drawings C. The duplicate parts in Figures 14 and 26, marked with corre-
sponding letters of reference to similar parts in those Figures, are intended to
show that two sets of such parts may be arranged to work as one machine, the
cleaned fibres being transferred to the same travelling comb i. The fibres in
place of being conducted by the transferring apparatus to the travelling comb i
may be at once transferred to a travelling comb after passing the last cleaning
apparatus, as before described in reference to Figure 24. The circular
travelling nipper 6 may be of such a thickness as will regulate the exact
length of fibres intended to project from the under side thereof, when the
fibres are transferred from the upper to the under side of such nipper b.
The Diagrams A, B, C, and D, together with the Figures 27, 28, 29, and
30, show an arrangement of the nipping surfaces in which the circular
travelling nipper b is of greater thickness than the length of fibre which is
required to project from the under nipping surfaces, when it is transferred
from the upper to the under side of the revolving nipper b; and the object of
this arrangement is to cause the under stationary nipper e to take up a certain
length of fibre after it has taken hold thereof. This is accomplished by
causing the fibres whilst held by the stationary nipper 6¹ to be conducted by

page_text: the inner surface d' of the inclined plate d under the revolving nipper b, where
it is pressed and held against the edge of the plate d by the revolving brush c
(or other suitable instrument) travelling at or about the same surface speed of
the nipper, as shown by the Diagram A, Sheet 11. At this point the upper
stationary nipper b₁ gradually releases its hold on the fibres, and the elongated
rib or surface e', forming part of the under stationary nipper e, begins to press
upon and hold the fibres against the under surface of the revolving nipper b
as shown by Diagram B. About this point the upper nipper b₁ terminates,
and the fibres are slightly pressed down upon the upper surface of the revolving
nipper by the spring pressing plate 62, which, if preferred, may be arranged
to act on the outer edge of the nipper b; at the same time the upper edge of the
elongated rib plough or inclined plate e², on the under stationary nipper e, rises
into the deep groove 6* formed on the under side of the nipper b, as shown by
the Diagram C. The fibres being firmly held at this time by the rib e', the
ends thereof are drawn from under the pressing plate 62 in consequence of
their being tucked or looped up into the groove 6* by the elevated rib or
inclined plate on the under stationary nipper e. The other ribs on the under
nipper e then commence to press upon and hold the ends thus reduced in
length against the under surface of the revolving nipper b, ready to be
operated upon and cleaned by the endless card or other cleaning apparatus.
In place of the previous arrangement of the grooves, ribs, or inclined plates,
the grooves and ribs furthest from the circumference of the nipper may be
first caused to take hold of the fibres, and the successive grooves and ribs
nearer to the circumference of the nipper may be caused to press upon and
take hold of the fibres successively according to the order of their distance
from the face of the nipper.
My eighth improvement in the machine shewn and described in the Letters
Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, above
referred to, consists in another arrangement of the machine by which one
travelling nipper only is employed, the fixed nippers being both on one side of
the travelling nipper, that side being either the under or upper side, as may
be preferred; but I prefer to arrange the stationary surfaces or nippers on the
upper surface of the travelling nipper. In the machine so arranged the
fibrous material will be presented by a circular travelling feed comb to a
circular travelling nipper, having a stationary surface pressing upon it, as
practically carried out under the already named Letters Patent of Samuel
Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, but after the fibres have been operated
upon by the endless card sheet, in place of the fringe of fibres being transferred
to another travelling nipper, the fringe of fibres after being released from the

page_text: irst stationary surface is drawn further into the nipper, so that the part of the
ibre previously held between the travelling nipper and the first stationary
surface is caused to project within the travelling nipper or nipping ring, and
when in this position is by the movement of the travelling nipper carried under
another stationary nipper pressing upon the same side of the travelling nipper
as the first stationary surface. The ends of the fibres projecting within the
travelling nipper or nipping ring are acted upon by card surfaces, or otherwise
cleaned while in that position. The drawing of the fringe of fibres further
within the travelling nipper, so that the uncleaned portion may be presented
within the travelling nipper or nipping ring, may be accomplished in various
ways, but I prefer the following:-The outer surface or circumference of the
travelling nipper is so formed that when a fixed plate is brought against it by
reason of the superior frictional power of the travelling nipper, the same will
carry round with it any fibres placed between it and the fixed plate, and after
the fringe of fibres held by the first stationary surface has passed over the endless
card sheet, and previously to its being drawn further into the nipper, it is
allowed to fall into a pendant position, the first stationary nipper still retaining
its hold on the fibres. While the fibres are in this pendant position, they will
rest against the outer circumference of the travelling nipper, and then the
fibres are pressed against the outer circumference of the travelling nipper by
the fixed plate above mentioned. The fibres are then by the insertion of a
'plough" or inclined plate drawn up into a loop, such a length of fibre being
looped in this manner as will allow it to be drawn a suitable distance within
the travelling nipper; a further pressure is then put upon the fibres by the fixed
plate around the circumference of the nipper, and while held in that position the
first stationary surface ceases to press upon the fibre. The looped fringe of
fibres is then taken hold of between a frictional revolving plate and a fixed
plate, and by them drawn within the nipper into such a position that the
fibres may by the further movement of the travelling nipper be carried under
the second stationary nipping surface, and then operated upon by a card or
other cleaning surface working within the travelling nipper or nipping ring.
The moving and stationary nipping surfaces which hold the fibre while being
cleaned in the arrangement of machine above described, are by preference
formed of metal, and have more than one wedge-shaped groove and rib, such
groove and rib in the stationary and travelling surfaces taking into each
other, so that the fibres placed between them will be held by a series of
wedges. When the fibres have been operated upon at both ends, as above
described, they may be transferred to a travelling chain or circular comb, to
be drawn off from such comb by drawing-off rollers; and my ninth improve-
66

page_text: ment, under the second part of my Invention, consists in so transferring the
fringe of cleaned fibres to a travelling comb, and drawing off the fibres
from such travelling comb, as above described, when the nipper is constructed
and worked as described under my eighth improvement.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS E.
The Drawings E are intended to illustrate (aided by the following description)
the eighth and ninth improvements under the second part of my Invention;
and I would here remark that I have not thought it necessary to shew any
general views of the arrangement of this machine, as the same mode is
employed of supplying the slivers of fibrous material by means of a revolving
circular holder a¹ to a revolving circular comb a, and raising them out of the
teeth thereof, and feeding the ends of the fibres forward to be taken hold of
by the circular revolving nipper b, as described in the previous arrangements.
The Diagrams numbered from (1) to (11), Sheet 13, shew the several
positions of the nipping surfaces and other parts, and these numbers corre-
spond with the same numbers marked on corresponding parts in the plan and
side views of part of the machine shewn by Figures 31 and 32. 6 is a circular
revolving nipper, which in this arrangement I prefer to be in the form of a
ring, in place of being mounted on an axis, as described in previous arrange-
ments. The Diagram number (1) shews the fibrous material held between the
surfaces of the revolving nipper 6 and the stationary nipper b', the projecting
ends of the fibres having been previously drawn out from amongst the teeth of
a revolving circular feed comb a, as described in the previous arrangements. In
this position the fibres are presented to the action of the endless card or other
pointed surface or cleaning apparatus B, after passing which they fall or are
forced in any convenient manner into a pendant position over the upper edge
of the curved plate or instrument c, as shewn at Diagram (2). As the fibres
travel onwards, they are conducted between the fixed curved plate d and the
outer circumference of the revolving nipper b, a slight frictional pressure being
put upon the fibres by the plate d, as shewn at Diagram number (3). In their
onward movement the fibres are carried under the edge of the revolving
frictional disc or other frictional surface e, as shewn at Diagram (4), which
travels at about the same surface speed as the nipper b. The upper edge of
the plate or surface c at this point assumes or follows a corresponding curve to
that of the outer circumference of the frictional revolving plate e, by which
arrangement the fibres are raised or drawn up from between the plate d and
nipper 6 over the upper edge of the plate c, the ends of the fibres being still
held by the end of the fixed nipping surface b', as shewn by Diagram (5). The

page_text: fixed nipper b¹ now terminates, and the ends of the fibres are pressed upon the
upper surface of the revolving nipper 6 by the spring pressing plate f; at the
same time the fibres are taken and held against the outer circumference of the
nipper 6 by the stationary spring nipping surface d', as shewn by Diagram (6.)
The pressing plate f gradually terminates here, and the frictional revolving
plate or other frictional surface g now comes into operation to draw the ends
of the fibres forward over the inuer extended surface c¹ of the plate c. The
elevated vertical edge of the plate c gradually descends at this point to a level
with the flat surface c¹ of the plate c, to allow the loop previously formed in
the fibres to be drawn towards the inner circumference of the revolving
nipper b, as clearly shewn by the position of the parts in Diagrams 7 and 8.
The surface speed of the plate g is about the same as that of the revolving
nipper b. The ends of the fibres thus held between the under surface of the
revolving plate g and the upper surface c¹ of the fixed plate c, are in a suitable
position for being taken hold of by the second stationary nipper h, as shewn by
Diagram (9,) ready to be presented to the cleaning operation of an endless card
or pointed surface C, arranged within the inner circumference of the revolving
nipper b, as shewn by Diagram (10). The cleaned ends of the fibres after.
passing the cleaning apparatus C may be raised into a vertical position, as
shewn at Diagram (11), by currents of air, or by a brush, or other suitable
means, ready to be conducted by a transferring instrument and deposited
amongst the teeth of a travelling comb, as before described and shewn in
several of the previously described arrangements. Or the ends of the cleaned
fibrous material may be deposited by a brush amongst the teeth of a travelling
comb, as described in reference to Figure 24 of the Drawings.
My tenth improvement in the machine shewn and described in the Letters
Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, above
referred to, relates to another arrangement of the machine by which one tra-
velling nipper only is employed in place of two. In this arrangement the fibrous
material is drawn out of the feed comb in the manner shewn and described
in the Letters Patent above referred to, the stationary nipping surface being
either on the upper or under side of the travelling nipper, but I prefer it to be
arranged on the upper side, and after the fringe of fibres drawn out of the
feed comb has been carried past the card sheet or other cleaning appara-
tus it is allowed to fall into a pendant position, by that means resting
against the outer circumference of the travelling nipper. The outer circum-
ference of the travelling nipper is grooved, and ribbed in the same manner
as the upper surface, and while the fibre is in the pendant position above-
named it is carried by the movement of the travelling nipper under a stationary

page_text: surface pressing against the outer circumference of the nipper, and is then
by the insertion of a "plough," or inclined plate, drawn up into a loop, such
a length of fibres being looped in this manner as will allow them to project
a suitable distance from the nipper. A further pressure is now applied by
the stationary surface to the outer circumference of the travelling nipper, and
by the further movement of this nipper the fibres are carried from under the
stationary surface pressing against the upper surface of the travelling nipper,
and being thus released the fibres are presented between the circumference
of the travelling nipper and the stationary nipping surface pressing upon it, so
that the ends of the fibres previously held on the upper surface of the nipper
may be operated upon by card or other cleaning surfaces. The moving and
stationary surfaces forming the nippers which hold the fibres during the
cleaning operations in the above described arrangement of machine being
constructed of metal, and having more than one wedge-shaped groove and rib,
such grooves and ribs in the stationary and travelling surfaces taking into
each other, so that the fibre placed between them will be held as by a series
of wedges. When the fibres have been operated upon as above-described
they may be transferred to a travelling chain or circular comb, to be drawn
from such comb by drawing off rollers; and my eleventh improvement under
the second part of my Invention consists in so transferring the fringe of cleaned
fibres to a travelling comb, and drawing off the fibres from such comb when the
nipper is constructed and worked as described under my tenth improvement.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS F.
The Drawings F will serve to illustrate the tenth and eleventh improve-
ments under the second part of my Invention, and I may here remark that
the same description applies to this arrangement of machinery for combing
fibrous materials as that given in reference to Drawings E, so far as relates to
the feeding of the slivers by means of a circular travelling comb a, and drawing
out a fringe of fibres by means of the circular travelling nipper b and stationary
nipper 6, ready to be presented to the operation of the card cleaner or other
combing or cleaning apparatus B, as shewn by the sectional Diagram number
(1), in Sheet 15 of the Drawings F.
The Diagrams numbered from (2) to (7) in this Sheet together with the
Figures 33 and 34 shew sections and parts of a plan and side view of a
machine constructed according to this part of my Invention, the correspond-
ing parts being marked with corresponding numbers where the sections are
taken, and with similar letters of reference. 6 is the circular revolving nipper,
and 6¹ the stationary nipping surface which holds the fringe of fibres and

page_text: presents them to the action of the combing or cleaning apparatus B, as seen at.
Diagram (1); after passing the cleaning apparatus B, the cleaned ends of the
fringe of fibres are allowed or are caused to fall into a pendant position over
the edge of the curved wire or narrow plate c, as shown by Diagram (2).
The fibres are then conducted between the curved frictional pressing plate
or instrument d, which presses them slightly against the outer circumference
of the nipper b, as shewn by Diagram (3). The upper surface of the plate c is
inclined upwards so as to draw up or raise the fibres from between the plate d,
and the circumference of the nipper b, as shewn by Diagram (4). The positive
stationary nipper d', now comes into operation to hold the fibres firmly against
the circumference of the nipper b, as shewn by Diagram (5); the stationary
nipper, terminates here, and the plate c assumes the forms shewn at c¹
Figures 33 and 34, so as to turn up the ends of the fibres off the upper
surface of the nipper b, into a position to be operated upon and cleaned by
the endless card or other pointed cleaning instrument or apparatus C, as
shewn by Diagram (6). When the fibres have been operated upon and cleaned
as above described they may be raised into a vertical position, and transferred
to the teeth of a travelling comb or to a circular comb to be drawn off there-
from, as shewn by Diagram (7), or in the manner fully described in reference
to previous parts of my improvements. It may be desirable to remark here
that in the arrangements of machinery previously described as constituting
my improvements in machinery for combing fibrous materials under the second
part of my Invention the framing of such machinery is so arranged and
constructed as to admit of the free passage of the fibres, whilst hanging from
the nipping surfaces in a pendant position, and that though the nipping
surfaces shewn and described are formed with more than one groove and rib,
as being the best form with which I am acquainted for this purpose, I do
not confine myself thereto as nipping surfaces such as described in the Patents
before referred to may be employed for the purpose of carrying out my
Invention.
My twelfth improvement under the second part of my Invention consists
in the application of a stopping motion to machines similar to that shewn
and described in the Letters Patent of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James
Warburton above referred to. When both the stationary and moving
nipping surfaces are formed of metal they are liable to abrasion or "eating,"
should the moving and the fixed surfaces conie in contact by reason of having
no fibrous material between them, and should this occur it is desirable that
the machine be immediately stopped; this I accomplish by an application of

page_text: the ordinary stopping motion such as is well known, and in use in cotton
drawing frames, the weighted lever or catch being kept out of action by
resting against the web of fibrous material formed by the separation of the
feed comb and the travelling nipper; but should the comb from any cause
cease to give the supply of fibrous material, or should the nipper cease to take
it, the web of fibrous material will be interrupted, and the weighted lever
will come into contact with apparatus for stopping the machine.
My thirteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention consists
in the application of a similar stopping motion to that last-described, to that
part of the machine where the fringe of fibrous material is transferred from one
nipper to another, or from one part of the same nipper to another part, so that
if the fringe of fibres is by any means removed from the first nipper, the
machine will be immediately stopped, and further mischief prevented.
My fourteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention relates
to the application of a stopping motion similar to the one above-described
to the machine acting with a combination of combs, nippers, and cleaning
instruments as above-described, and when the fibre is delivered from the machine
in the form of a sliver or slivers, my improvement consisting in applying the
stopping motion or motions to the sliver or slivers in such manner that
upon the breaking of the sliver or slivers the machine is immediately stopped.
In carrying out the several improvements previously stated as constituting
the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth improvements under the second part
of my Invention, I would remark that the arrangement and character of the
mechanical contrivances ordinarily known as "stop motions," for stopping
machines of various descriptions (wherein it is necessary to indicate the
breaking or derangement of a sliver or thread of fibrous material, and at
the same time cause the machine to be immediately stopped,) being so well
known and practiced, I have not thought it necessary to illustrate this
part of my Invention by Drawings to shew its application to the several
classes of machinery for combing fibrous materials before referred to, as a
competent workman acquainted with the nature and operation of ordinary
"stop motions," and with the several arrangements and working of machinery
before described for combing fibrous materials will readily arrange and apply
such "stop motions" in a suitable manner to produce the results required in
a variety of ways for carrying out this part of my Invention, and it will only
be necessary to state further that in the application of a "stop motion," in
accordance with my twelfth improvement, I prefer to employ a delicately
balanced lever or catch, which is kept out of action whilst resting against the

page_text: web of fibrous materials formed by the separation of a revolving or other feed
comb, and a travelling nipper; but should the web of fibres from any cause
discontinue to be formed between such instruments the balanced lever will
assume a different position, and by coming in contact with and being acted
upon by a reciprocating or revolving finger will be caused to release a catch
and set at liberty a spring or weight so arranged as to act on the throwing
out rod or lever, and thus stop the machine, as is well understood. A similar
arrangement of the balanced lever in accordance with my thirteenth
improvement may be readily adapted so as to rest against a fringe or other
portion of the fibrous material which is being transferred from one nipper to
another, or from one part of the same nipper to another part thereof, so that
should the fringe or other part of the fibres against which its rests be discon-
tinued from any cause, the position of the balanced lever would change and
cause the machine to be thrown out of action as previously described. A series
of such balanced levers may be applied so as to press in several parts of the
same machine on the fibrous material, each of such balanced levers being
caused to act upon the same spring catch or weighted lever which throws
the machine out of action. The application of this part of my Invention, in
accordance with the fourteenth improvement under the second part of my
Invention, is by preference similar in character to the arrangements of stopping
apparatus before described, except that the balanced lever is caused to rest
against the sliver or slivers of fibrous materials, so that should either of the
slivers which are being drawn off by the drawing off rollers break the machine
will be immediately stopped.
My fifteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention relates to
an improved method of pressing into a circular comb a continuous series of
slivers such as is described and shewn in the Letters Patent of Samuel Cun-
liffe Lister and James Warburton above referred to, this improvement con-
sisting in the prolongation of the fixed ploughs or inclined plates which raise
the slivers of fibrous material out of the circular travelling feed combs, the
prolonged ploughs or inclined plates being so formed at their ends that they
fit against a conical series of circular revolving frictional plates, which descend
between the rows of pins forming the circular travelling comb. The conical
series of circular revolving frictional plates, by their revolution take the slivers
of fibrous material between them and the fixed plates or ploughs, and so carry
the fibrous material down among the pins of the circular travelling comb. The
fixed ploughs or plates, and the revolving conical frictional plates forming
between them a positive nipper, and they may be grooved so as to take into
one another, and so give them greater holding power.

page_text: Figure 35, Sheet 17, shews a plan, and Figure 36 a vertical section of a
circular revolving feed comb, having apparatus applied thereto for pressing a
continuous series of slivers of fibrous material into and amongst the teeth
thereof in accordance with the fifteenth improvement under the second part of
my Invention; Figure 37, shews a plan separately of a series of "ploughs" or
inclined plates a*, a*, fixed between the circular rows of teeth on the circular
travelling feed comb a to raise the slivers of fibrous material out of the comb a.
The plates a fit against the under surface of the circular revolving frictional
plates b, which press upon the fibres, and conduct them on to the upper sur-
face a of the fixed plate into a position to be taken hold of by the under
frictional surface of the revolving plate c, which is set at such an angle as will
cause it to draw out and feed the slivers of fibrous materials forward a
sufficient distance to form a fringe of fibres suitable for being taken hold of by
a circular travelling nipper or comb when presented thereto. The fibres, after
being drawn forward, are again deposited amongst the teeth of the comb a by
the series of conical circular revolving frictional plates d, which take the
slivers of fibrous material between their under surfaces and the fixed prolon-
gations or plates a² on the back of the "ploughs" a*, so as to carry the fibrous
material down amongst the teeth of the comb a. Figure 38 is an end eleva-
tion or diagram of the revolving and stationary plates.
My sixteenth improvement under the second part of my Invention relates
to the arrangement of a reciprocating feeding apparatus to feed the circular
travelling nipper in place of feeding such circular nipper by a circular comb,
as shewn and described in the already named Letters Patent of Samuel
Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton, such reciprocating feed apparatus
travelling either in a straight or curved line, and being so arranged as to
present at all times a fringe of fibres to be taken hold of by the circular
travelling nipper.
In carrying out this part of my Invention the ends of a series of slivers of
fibrous material laid side by side, and carried by a suitable holder or pointed
surface, in which the fibres are immersed, are presented (by commencing at one
edge of such series of ends of slivers) to a circular travelling nipper so as to be
taken hold of in succession thereby, and drawn out of the teeth of the holding
instrument. As the ends of this series of slivers advance to be presented in
succession to the action of the circular travelling nipper, another similar series
of slivers contained in another pointed surface or holder are brought into posi-
tion, and are caused to present their ends successively in a similar manner to

page_text: the action of the nipper, and when the last of the first series of slivers have
passed the nipper, the holder is caused to rise or to descend, and to pass over
or under the second series of slivers so as to return to its original position, the
ends of the fibres being fed forward, or caused to project in the form of a
fringe by any convenient means, ready to be again presented in succession to.
the action of the circular travelling nipper. The mode of actuating the reci-
procating holders containing the series of slivers, together with the mode of
feeding forward the ends of the slivers may be greatly varied, but I prefer to
actuate such holders in a similar manner to that practiced in actuating the
successive bars of screw gill apparatus, only that the movement of such holders
would be in a transverse direction to the fibres in place of in the direction of
their length. The ends of the series of slivers may be fed forward from time
to time by being raised out of the teeth of the holder then fed forward, and
redeposited therein, or by other means such as is well understood in feeding
forward the ends of the fibres in other arrangements of machinery for this
purpose. The reciprocating feeding apparatus may be arranged to move
either in straight or curved lines as may be found most convenient.
"
In the Letters Patent of Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James Warburton.
above referred to, the cleaning or heckling instrument shewn and described,
consists of an endless card sheet, from which the fibrous material is removed
by a "fancy" and revolving brush, and deposited by the brush upon a "doffer'
similarly to an ordinary carding engine; and the third part of my Invention.
consists in various improvements upon the construction and arrangement of the
endless card sheet cleaner above referred to. In the endless card sheet
cleaner shewn and described in the Patent above referred to, the endless
card sheet is driven only at one end, and my first improvement under the
third part of my Invention consists in driving the endless card sheet at both.
These Drawings shew several views (the nature of which will be herein-
after described), of the endless card sheet cleaner constructed and arranged
according to the various improvements constituting the third part of my
Invention, and the first improvement therein consists in driving or giving
motion to the endless card sheet at both ends thereof. Figures 39. and
40 shew vertical sections; and Figures 41, 42, 43, and 44, shew side
views on a smaller scale of two arrangements of endless card cleaning appa-
ratus constructed according to this part of my Invention, and by reference
to Figures 39, 41, and 42, I shall be able to describe my first improvement

page_text: for the purpose of giving motion to or driving the endless card or pointed
surface A. a is the driving pulley, around which an endless driving band a
passes in the direction of the arrows over the driving pulley, and from thence
around the pulley a³, on the axis of which a toothed pinion is fixed, which
takes into and drives the intermediate toothed wheel a', taking into the toothed
wheel a fixed on the axis af of the roller a', which gives motion to the end-
less band of card teeth A at the end nearest to the nipper. The endless
driving band a', after passing around the pulley a³, is conducted around the
pulley a³, on the axis of which a toothed pinion is fixed, which takes into and
drives the toothed wheel a', fixed on the axis a¹ of the roller a¹¹, over and
around which in the arrangement now being described the other end of the
endless card sheet A travels, so as to give motion to and drive the other end
of the endless card cleaner or pointed surface A, thus shewing that it is
driven at each end in accordance with the first improvement under the third
part of my Invention. In order that the endless card sheet may operate in a
straight line upon the fibres close to the nippers, the roller nearest to the
nipper over which the travelling card sheet passes must be of small diameter,
and in the machine shewn and described in the above referred to Letters
Patent. The endless card sheet, by reason of having only one driving roller,
forms a very acute angle in passing around the small roller nearest to the
nipper, thereby causing great wear and destruction to the endless card sheets
employed; and my second improvement under the third part of my Invention
consists in so arranging and working the rollers which give motion to and
drive the endless card sheet at both ends, that the endless card sheet shall form
an obtuse angle in passing over the roller or other surface nearest to the nipper,
instead of forming an acute angle as hitherto. By reference to Figure 39,
Sheet 18, Drawings H, it will be seen that the endless card sheet or pointed
surface A forms an obtuse angle in its passage from the driving roller a over
the fixed plate or surface A¹, (for which a small roller may be substituted if
desired) in place of forming an acute angle as hitherto. This arrangement of
the endless card sheet cleaner, nearest to the nipper, constitutes the second
improvement under the third part of my Invention. The small roller above
mentioned nearest to the nipper, is at present formed as a cylinder or nearly
so, in some cases it has been slightly "barrelled," or made larger in diameter
in the centre than at the ends, with the intention of causing the travelling card
sheet to maintain its position in relation to the roller, but the form of the
roller has varied little from a cylinder, and when it has been "barrelled " it has
assumed the form of the "middle frustrum of a spheroid." The consequence
of this cylindrical or "barrelled" form of the roller is, that as the endless card

page_text: sheet is set and travels at an angle to the plane of the nipper, the points of
the card sheet only travel in a line parallel to the line of the fibres at or near
one point in the breadth of the endless card sheet, the card sheet never acting
effectively at any other part of its width, and wearing rapidly at that particular
part where all the work falls; and my third improvement under the third part
of my Invention consists in attaching plates to the stationary nipping surface,
or otherwise fixing such plates in machines where both ends of the fibrous
material are successively operated upon by card surfaces. The positions of the
plates are so arranged in relation to the card sheet, that the fibre is brought
into a line parallel to the line of motion of the endless card sheet.
This third improvement under the third part of my Invention will be readily
understood by reference to Figures 45, 46, 46*, and 47, Sheet 21, of the
Drawings H, which shews so much of a plan, two sections, and front view of
apparatus arranged according to this part of my Invention as will enable me
readily to describe the same.
A is part of the endless card cleaning surface, which, by passing around the
roller b, works as near as possible up to the nipping surfaces B, B'; B² is a
plate fixed or attached to the stationary nipping surface B', which by its
relative position to the card sheet A, causes the fibres under operation to be
brought into a line parallel to the line of motion of the endless card sheet.
The small roller above mentioned, nearest to the nipper over which the endless
card sheet passes is formed, as previously stated, as a cylinder or nearly so;
and my fourth improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in so
forming this roller that it will be largest in diameter at an equal distance from
both the ends, and decreasing in diameter towards the ends in a hollow curve
suited to the circumference of the nipper, so that one half of the endless card
sheet will be caused to run parallel with the surface of the nipper, and at the
same time parallel with the line of the fibres, so as to give a much greater
cleaning power or surface in action than is at present obtained. The other
half of the width of the endless cleaning card is caused to act upon the fibres
by means of the fixed plate above described, and thus the whole width
of the cleaning surface is brought into operation instead of only a small portion
of it as at present.
The fourth improvement under the third part of my Invention is clearly
shown by reference to Figures 48, 49, 50, and 51, in which the small roller b',
nearest to the nipping surfaces B, B', is shown to be of the form previously
described, that is, largest in diameter at an equal distance from each end, and
decreasing in diameter towards the ends in the form of a hollow curve suited
to the circumference of the nipping surfaces B,.B', as shown, so that one half

page_text: of the endless card sheet is caused to run parallel with the nipping surfaces,
and at the same time parallel with the line of the fibres under operation, so as
to give a much greater cleaning power to and bring a larger amount of card
surface into action to operate upon and clean the fibres than heretofore; B² is
the fixed plate arranged as before described, so as to bring the whole width of
card cleaning surface into operation at the same time in place of only a small
portion of the surface thereof as hitherto practised.
My fifth improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in
substituting a fixed plate in place of the roller nearest to the nipper for the
endless card sheet to pass over, such fixed plate being so formed as to bring
the whole or a portion of the endless card sheet parallel with the circumference
of the nipper as well as parallel with the line of the fibres, such part of the
fibres as are not parallel with the line of motion of the cleaning sheet being
brought into a line parallel with that motion by means of plates attached to
the stationary nipper or otherwise fixed.
A', A', Figures 39 and 40, Drawings H, show the position of the fixed plate
over which the endless card sheet A travels in order to bring the pins or teeth
thereof close up to the nipping or holding surfaces b. The surface of the
fixed plate A' is formed as shown by the separate views, Figures 54 and 55,
on Sheet 20. It will be seen by examining these Figures, that the outline of
the plate A' nearest to the nipping surfaces 6 corresponds in form therewith,
and the upper surface of the plate A' is raised or inclined upwards to produce a
similar result on the fibres operated upon by the endless card sheet as that
described in respect to the form of the roller b, shown by Figures 48, Sheet 21,
so as to bring the whole or a portion of the endless card sheet A parallel with
the circumference of the nipper b as well as parallel with the line of the fibres,
such part of the fibres as are not parallel with the line of motion of the endless
cleaning card sheet A being brought into a line parallel with that motion by
means of a fixed plate or plates B² attached to the stationary nipper as before
described.
When an endless card sheet alone is employed it has been found that it is
subject to rapid destruction, and leather has been attached by various means to
the back of the endless card sheet so as to increase its durability, and my sixth
improvement under the third part of my Invention relates to arranging an
endless card sheet with an endless leather sheet working inside it so that the
endless leather sheet will act as a protection to the endless card sheet without
being attached to it, and this I accomplish by causing the endless leather
sheet and the endless card sheet to pass over separate tightening rollers, which
can be set at any desired angle or distance, and which are both driven.

page_text: In the endless card cleaner as at present constructed, and as shown and
described in the afore-mentioned Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe
Lister and James Warburton, the endless card sheet is tightened by moving
the small roller nearest to the nipper still nearer to the said nipper, and further
from the driving roller, by that means necessitating the drawing back and
resetting of the whole apparatus in relation to the nipper, whenever the endless
card requires to be tightened, and my seventh improvement, under the third
part of my Invention consists in making the roller or surface nearest to the
nipper a fixture, and tightening the endless card sheet by drawing the driving
roller or rollers furthest from the nipper still further away, and so avoiding the
necessity of resetting the roller or plate nearest to the nipper, and with it the
whole cleaning apparatus, whenever the endless card sheet requires to be
tightened by my improvement, the roller or surface nearest to the nipper
remaining a fixture at all times.
In the endless card cleaner as at present constructed, and as shown and
described in the Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and James
Warburton above referred to, the "fancy" for raising and the revolving brush
for removing the fibres taken by the endless card sheet are caused to act when
the endless card sheet is passing round the driving roller, and my eighth
improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in acting upon the
endless card sheet by the "fancy" and brush when the card sheet is in a
straight line between the two driving rollers; by this means the endless card
sheet can be so arranged as to be exposed to view when passing round the
driving rollers, and my ninth improvement under the third part of my Inven-
tion consists in so arranging and constructing the parts that the endless card
sheet may be exposed to view when passing round the driving rollers instead of
being hidden from view as in the present arrangement.
In the endless card sheet cleaner as constructed and worked, and as shewn
and described in the Letters Patent granted to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and
James Warburton above referred to, the fibres taken from the endless card
sheet by the revolving brush are thrown on to a "doffer," and are removed
from such doffer by means of an ordinary crank doffing knife, and my tenth
improvement under the third part of my Invention consists in removing the
fibres from the revolving brush by means of a pointed surface travelling at a
higher speed than the revolving brush and accumulating the fibres so removed
from the revolving brush upon such travelling pointed surface in the form of a
lap, the pointed surface being withdrawn from the brush, and stopped from
time to time, and the fibres removed from it in the form of a lap. Another
travelling pointed surface may be brought into operation while the libres are

page_text: being removed from the first printed surface when the first travelling pointed
surface is stopped, but I prefer to introduce a stationary pointed surface
against the revolving brush so arranged and constructed that it catches and
retains all the fibres on the surface of the revolving brush while the fibres are
being removed from the travelling pointed surface. When the fibres
have been removed from the travelling pointed surface it is brought into
operation again, and the fixed pointed surface is withdrawn. The fibres
accumulated by the fixed pointed surface being removed by hand or by a self-
acting arrangement.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in the general combination of the
Invention
into one machine, that machine being constructed in the manner described as
my second improvement in the second part of my Invention.
various improvements described in the second and third parts of my
In place of the endless card sheet A passing around, and being driven at
both ends by the roller a' and the roller a", previously described as consti-
tuting the first improvements under this part of my Invention, I prefer to
arrange the endless card sheet A to work in combination with a separate
endless leather sheet A* working inside the sheet A, the leather sheet A*
passing around, and being driven by the rollers a' and a", as before described,
in respect to the driving of a single endless card sheet by those rollers. In
the arrangement just described, the endless leather sheet A* will act as a
protection to the endless card sheet or pointed surface A, without being
attached to it. The endless card sheet A, in the arrangement shown by the
Drawings, passes around the separate driving and tightening roller a¹³, the
rollers a¹¹ and a¹² being so arranged as to be capable of tightening the endless
sheets A and A* separately in the manner herein-after described. The
driving and tightening roller a¹ receives motion and is driven by the endless
belt a passing from under the pulley a³, and over the pulley as fixed on the
axis of the roller a¹³, so as to give motion thereto. The endless card sheet A,
and the endless leather sheet A*, which pass over and are driven by the
tightening or adjusting rollers a¹¹ and a¹³, are capable of being tightened from
time to time when necessary, or of being set or adjusted to any desired angle
or distance.
Figures 52 and 53 show so much of the apparatus above described as will
enable me to explain the method in which this is accomplished. The axis a¹º
of the roller a", and the axis a" of the roller a¹, are carried by swivel bearings
a, a, moving in a socket formed in the slide pieces d, e; the slide pieces d, e,
are capable of being moved by means of the screws d¹, el passing through nuts
at d³, e³, so as to tighten the leather belt A* and card sheet A, and also to

page_text: place the rollers all and a¹ at any desired angle, so as to cause the belts to
travel correctly. The screw d' passes through the screw e', and by turning
the hand plates d² and e², the screws d¹ and e¹ are caused respectively to act
upon the slide pieces d and e; f is an endless band of india-rubber cloth,
which is driven by the roller a¹³, and to which moisture is applied by the
cloth e, such cloth et obtaining its moisture from the water trough e³ fastened
to the slide piece e. The object of applying moisture to the band f is, that
it may impart such moisture to the fringe of silk or other fibrous material after
it has been acted upon by the endless card sheet A. In some cases I find it
desirable to employ two endless card sheets of different degrees of fineness
working side by side, and as these two endless card sheets require to be
tightened separately from each other, I prefer to mount them on two tightening
rollers so arranged that they can be driven separately and moved by means of
screws independently of each other. g is the revolving "fancy" or roller, the
teeth of which rotate in contact with the under inclined surface of the card
sheet A, which from roller a" to the roller a' travels in a straight line,
by which arrangement the endless card sheet A is exposed to view when
passing round the driving rollers; h is the revolving brush which brushes off
and removes the noil and fibre from the surface of the sheet A, and sweeps or
transfers it on to the pointed surface of the revolving drum i, which travels at
a higher speed than the revolving brush h, so as to accumulate the fibres upon
such revolving pointed surface in the form of a "lap." Motion is communi-
cated to the revolving "fancy" 9 and to the brush h in the following
manner: The endless band a¹ passes from the pulley a¹³ over the pulley a
fixed on the axis of the "fancy" g, from which it passes around the
tightening pulley a¹s, which can be regulated by the screw a¹. The drum i
receives motion from a pulley g¹ fixed on the axis of the brush g at the
opposite side of the apparatus by means of an endless band j passing around
the pulley g¹ and around the guide pullies
band to press on the surface of the pulley
The pointed surface of the drum i is withdrawn from the brush g, and is
stopped from time to time in order to remove the fibres which have accu-
mulated thereon in the form of a lap, and this is accomplished in the following
manner-The bearings, which carry the axes of the drum i, are capable of
sliding to and fro in slots formed in the side framings, and when the drum i
has accumulated a sufficient quantity of fibre to form a lap thereon, the axis i
is caused to perform a partial revolution by turning the shaft or axis i by
means of the handle i. The axis communicates its motion to the axis
by means of the bevil wheels, 20, and on the axis are cams ", which act
and, which cause the endless
fixed on the axis of the drum i.

page_text: upon projections it from the bearings of the roller i, so as to cause the
roller to recede from the brush g. The same movement of the roller *
relieves the pulley 23 from the belt j, and brings the pulley in contact with
the break is, so as to bring the roller i to a stand, when the "lap of fibrous
material it has accumulated from the brush 9 may be removed, the casing
being so formed as to expose the roller i, and thus facilitate the removal of
the "lap." As soon as the lap is removed from the roller i, the handle
is returned to its former position, and retained there by the catch 2, when the
drum will be again brought in contact with the revolving brush 9. When
the axis is caused to partially revolve so as to withdraw the drum i from the
brush 9. the comb m, fastened on the axis i, is brought by the movement of
the axis into the position shewn at Figure 39*, so that the points of the
comb m will catch and retain the fibres carried to it by the brush g whilst
the "lap" is being removed from the drum i, and when, by the partial revo-
lution of the axis 2, the drum i is again brought in contact with the brush g,
the comb m is returned to the position shewn in Figure 39. m' is a sliding
plate which is drawn up to the head of the comb m by means of the spring m²,
when it is in contact with the brush g, but when the comb m is brought to
the position shewn in Figure 39, the plate m is drawn up to the points of the
pins so as to throw off any fibres accumulated upon the comb; this is accom-
plished by the band m³ attached to the plate m³, and to the axis 2" coming in
contact with the stationary pin m', which so acts upon the band m³ as to cause
it to draw the plate m¹ up to the points of the pins of the comb m.
Figures 40, 43, and 44 shew a card-cleaning apparatus constructed according
to this part of my Invention, and arranged to work with a "doffer" and
"doffing crank "n, after the manner of an ordinary carding engine, as is well
understood, the letters on the corresponding parts being the same as those in
Figures 39, 41, and 42.
The several parts of the apparatus, such as the "fancy," the brush, the
drum, or roller i, which require adjustment, together with the position of the
whole apparatus in relation to the nipping surfaces, are capable of being
regulated and adjusted from time to time by suitable screw-adjusting and
regulating apparatus applied to the several parts, and clearly shewn in the
Drawings.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, I would have
it clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
described, so long as the peculiar character of any part of my Invention be
retained; and I hereby reserve to myself the right to combine any or all of

page_text: the improvements herein described with one another, or with other combi-
nations of machinery for this purpose, as may be found to be most suitable
for the purpose of carrying out my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Tongue, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
WILLIAM TONGUE. (L.S.)
34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London, W.C.