IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton, and Robert
Thornton, of Elland, in the County of York, Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING
WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 29th August 1868, and dated the 5th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin
Thornton, and Robert Thornton at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th March 1863.
We, THOMAS THORNTON, EDWIN THORNTON, and ROBERT THORNTON, of
Elland, in the County of York, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR PREPARING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," to be as
follows:-
The first part of our Invention consists in having the machine called
"scribler" provided with cards similar to the carding engine, so as to produce
cardings therefrom, also in the application thereto of ordinary piecing appa-
ratus, so arranged that the cardings may be delivered or fed thereby to the
creeper or feed apron of the carding engine, and also in giving a traverse

page_text: movement to the apparatus employed for tipping the troughs of the piecing
apparatus, so as to equalize the feed, and thereby produce more
cardings.
The second part of the Invention relates to means or apparatus for
producing a draught on the cardings as they issue from the piecing appa-
ratus of the carding engine, by which the ordinary machine called "billy" is
superseded.
The apparatus consists of a pair of fluted rollers geared together in a box
which is mounted on axes in suitable bearings to allow it to rotate. The axes
of the rollers are at right angles to the axes of the box. On one axis or end
of the box is fixed a pulley, and on the other end is another pulley which
is attached to a bevil wheel capable of running loose thereon; this bevil
wheel gears into another bevil wheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers.
This apparatus is placed and arranged so that whilst the rollers are drawing
the cardings they are also twisting the same more or less, according as speed is
given to the two pulleys by cords, straps, or gear. Nipping rollers are also
employed for holding the cardings whilst being drawn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton, and Robert Thornton
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
THORNTON, EDWIN THORNTON, and ROBERT THORNTON, of Elland, in the County
of York, Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton, and Robert Thornton, Her special
licence that we, the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton, and Robert
Thornton, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton, and Robert Thornton, our execu-
tors, 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 OR APPARATUS FOR

page_text: PREPARING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton, and
Robert Thornton, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or 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 we, the said Thomas Thornton, Edwin Thornton,
and Robert Thornton, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and the accompanying two
Sheets of Drawings, that is to say:―
The first part of our Invention consists in having the machine called
"scribler" provided with cards similar to the carding engine, so as to pro-
duce cardings therefrom, also in the application thereto of ordinary piecing
apparatus, so arranged that the cardings may be delivered or fed thereby
to the creeper or feed apron of the carding engine, and also in giving a
traverse movement to the apparatus employed for tipping the troughs of the
piecing apparatus, so as to equalize the feed, and thereby produce more even
cardings.
The second part of the Invention relates to means or apparatus for pro-
ducing a draught on the cardings as they issue from the piecing apparatus
of the carding engine, by which the ordinary machine called "billy" is
superseded.
The apparatus consists of a pair of fluted rollers geared together in a box
which is mounted on axes in suitable bearings to allow it to rotate. The axes
of the rollers are at right angles to the axes of the box. On one axis or end of
the box is fixed a pulley, and on the other end is another pulley which is
attached to a bevil wheel capable of running loose thereon; this bevil wheel
gears into another bevil wheel fixed on the axis of one of the rollers. This
apparatus is placed and arranged so that whilst the rollers are drawing the.
cardings they are also twisting the same more or less, according as speed
is given to the two pullies by cords, straps, or gear. Nipping rollers are also
employed for holding the cardings whilst being drawn.
In further explanation of the first part of our Invention, we would observe
that it is well understood by those conversant with the processes of carding
wool or other fibres that the machine called "scribler" or first carder does
not produce regular cardings, the cards not being suitably provided for that

page_text: purpose, nor is the carding roller and dish or shell applied thereto so as to
properly form the cardings, but the carded wool or other fibre is "doffed" into
bing or vessel in a mass, from which it is taken and spread by hand on the
feeding apron of the second carder or carding engine, but which cannot be
spread sufficiently even.
a
Now, according to this Invention, the cards on the scribler are to be the same
as on the carder, that is, the "scribler" has regular card surfaces and proper
spaces betwixt, with carding roller and dish or shell attached or applied thereto
for forming cardings, the same as the carding engine; and we apply the ordinary
travelling troughs of a piecing apparatus to receive the cardings therefrom, and
deposit them on the feed apron or lattice sheet of the carder in regular order, as
herein-after described.
The apparatus which is employed for tipping the troughs, instead of always
acting upon them when they are passing over the same place on the feed apron
or lattice sheet, a traverse or sliding motion is given to it, so as to act upon
and cause the troughs to tip a little sooner each time for a series of times
in succession, or before arriving at the same place, and thereby laying the
cardings side by side on the apron, covering the whole surface of the apron,
and in two or more layers, the relative speeds of the apron and troughs being
regulated for the purpose. After the prescribed series of tippings have been
made, the said bar is drawn back to its original place by cord and weight or
by a spring.
And in order that this Invention may be clearly understood, we have given
reference to two Sheets of Drawings, illustrating such parts of the machinery
or apparatus as is necessary to explain our improvements.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a piecing apparatus constructed and arranged
according to this Invention; Fig. 2 is the front part of a plan of the same;
Fig. 3 is part of a longitudinal and vertical section, and Fig. 4 is a plan of
the same, and intended to shew how the traverse of the tipping apparatus is
effected.
A is the endless chain of troughs a, passing over carrying rollers B, which
are operated in the usual manner, so as to have a continuous circulating move-
ment in the direction indicated by the arrows; C is the usual endless travelling
apron or lattice sheet, supported on rollers D, and which is also operated as
usual in the direction of the arrow, as seen in Fig. 4; E is the rod with pins
e or projections for tipping the troughs a, which is connected by cross bars
to another rod or rocking shaft F, hinged in bearings to the framing and
actuated in the ordinary manner. These rods are capable of sliding endwise in
the following manner:-A pin wheel G is hinged on a stud fixed to the framing,

page_text: and to which motion is given in the direction of the arrow. A finger f is fixed
on the rod F, projecting into contact with the pins 9 on the wheel G. These
parts are shewn more clearly in the details at Figs. 5 and 6, which are half
full size. It will now be seen that the pins g will take on the finger f, and
gradually move the rods E and F in a contrary direction to the travel of the
troughs until the pin g slips off the end of the finger f, when by a cord and
weight H, I, the rods are suddenly drawn back to their original position, when
another pin on the wheel G takes on the finger, and again moves the rod as
before, and so on. The speed given to the wheel G is so adjusted as to tra-
verse the rods equal distance to the thickness of a carding during the interval
betwixt two tippings, so that the series of cardings will be deposited side by
side on the lattice sheet, and the whole extent of the traverse movement is
equal to the distance apart of the troughs, so that all the surface of the lattice
sheet will be covered with the cardings, as shewn on the plan Fig. 4, at J
and J. The forward movement of the lattice sheet or feed apron is regulated
to move the distance of the length of the cardings by the time that a sufficient
number of cardings have been deposited side by side, and one upon another,
according to the quantity or weight of fibre required to be fed to the carding
engine.
The second part of our Invention will be understood by reference to Figs. 1
and 2, in which A is the lattice sheet or travelling apron carried on rollers as
usual, and supported on framing B, motion being given thereto in the ordinary
manner in the direction of the arrow; C are the ordinary rubbing rollers, but
which are removed further from the front of the lattice sheet than usual, to
allow a series of drawing rollers (which are placed in rotating boxes D) to be
placed betwixt in suitable framing or bearings E. Fig. 7 is an elevation of
one of these boxes drawn full size, and Fig. 8 is a section of the same. The
parts marked F are the axes or necks on which they are capable of rotating in
their bearings. G are the two fluted rollers, the axes of which are placed in
bearings of the box with one passing through sufficiently to have a bevil
wheel H fixed thereon, which gears with another bevil wheel I, to the back of
which is a pulley J, fitting to one axis of the box, but capable of running loose
thereon. Another pulley K is fast to the box, and to which box is also fixed a
balance weight L. If motion is given to the pulley J in the direction of the
arrow (Fig. 7), the rollers G will be turned so as to draw in any fibrous sub-
stance in the direction shewn by the arrow in (Fig. 8) and push it out at the
other end of the box, and if motion be given to the pulley K, the box will
rotate upon its axis, carrying the rollers G around therewith.
If the two

page_text: pullies are driven at the same speed and in the same direction there will be
no motion of the rollers G, but if the pulley J be run at a greater speed than
the pulley K there will be a motion of the rollers G in the direction previously
shewn, and in like manner if motion be given to the pullies in the opposite
direction, the pulley K being driven at a higher speed than J, the rollers wil
be moved so as to draw in the fibres, as before shewn. The speed of drawing
in relation to the rotation of the box is regulated according to the difference of
speeds given to the two pullies.
It will now be obvious that by the use of this apparatus a draught may be
produced on the cardings or slivers of wool or other fibrous substances, by
causing them to pass between nipping or holding rollers M, placed at the edge
of the lattice sheet, and by means of the temporary twist that is given thereto
by the rotation of the boxes. The slubbings or rovings thus produced are then
passed between the ordinary rubbing follers, and thence wound on bobbings
ready for spinning, without the employment of the machine called" billy."
N and O are a pair of differential pullies for driving the drawing apparatus by
means of cords P and Q, passing around them and the pullies J and K on the
apparatus.
The relative speeds can be regulated by the change gear R, S. Motion is
communicated thereto by a cord passing over the conical pullies T and V,
which are in gear by intermediate shaft V with the main shaft, on which are
the driving pullies W. The cord Q is for driving the boxes, and the cord P
for driving the fluted rollers.
And instead of the cords and pullies herein shewn and described for driving
this apparatus, gear wheels and shafting may be adapted to the purpose; thus
the whole of the boxes may be connected by spur wheels, as also the whole of
the fluted rollers, and driven by cords from the pullies N and O as now, or
shafting and gear may be adapted to connect them. Also, instead of the conical
pullies and cord, gear wheels may be used with intermediate change gear.
Having thus fully described the nature of this our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed, we would have it under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details as herein set forth;
but what we claim as of our Invention is,-
Firstly, the adaptation of the "scribler" for producing cardings, and the
application thereto of travelling troughs for conducting the same to the carding
engine, also the means or method of laying the cardings thereon in regular
order, as herein described.
Secondly, the construction, combination, and adaptation of apparatus for

page_text: producing a draught on cardings or slivers of wool or other fibrous substances,
substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Thornton, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Thomas Thornton and Robert Thornton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
EDWIN THORNTON. (L.s.)