IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tatham, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON, WOOL,
FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 19th May 1863, and dated the 24th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tatham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
November 1862.
I, WILLIAM TATHAM, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON, WOOL,
FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
First, in the machines known as openers and scutchers, I apply a bar with
a concave under surface to the top of the feed roller, between which and the
bar the fibrous materials pass. The edge of the bar near the toothed cylinders
or beaters is nearly level with the centre of the feed roller, so as to hold the
fibrous material more firmly between the bar and feed roller than with the
ordinary upper roller, and thereby enable the material to be more effectually
operated upon than with two feed rollers.

page_text: Secondly, in carding engines, I apply a concave bar above the feed roller
similar to that before described for the opener and scutcher, and also make
the contact surfaces of the taker-in or cylinder and feed roller revolve in one
and the same direction, in order to strip the fibrous material from the feed
roller and concave bar in the same direction as that in which the feed roller
revolves, which system of causing the taker-in or cylinder and feed roller to
revolve in the same direction I apply to those carding engines in which the
bar or plate is beneath the feed roller.
Thirdly, in doubling, drawing, slubbing, roving, and spinning frames, I apply
a clutch box, friction surfaces, or their equivalents, for disconnecting, when
required, the drawing rollers or spindles from the driving power, independent
of and in less time than traversing the driving strap from the fast to the loose
pulley to prevent much waste from broken slivers or rovings.
Fourthly, in doubling, drawing, slubbing, and roving frames, or in throstles,
mules, and other spinning machines where more than two pairs of drawing
rollers are generally used for restraining and drawing the fibres of cotton or
other fibrous material, I apply the following improvements, one part of which
consists in drawing the fibrous material in such machine, between two pairs of
rollers only, which I have discovered, when. properly adjusted and arranged,
are quite sufficient for restraining, drawing, or elongating the fibrous materials
without the assistance of the usual additional drawing rollers and weights,
and the other part in weighting the front rollers only, and in employing an
additional roller in connection with the aforesaid two pairs of drawing rollers,
or using three rollers and bar.
And in order that this division of my Invention may be understood, I annex
the accompanying outline Drawing with the figures and letters of reference
thereon.
In Fig. 1, a and b are the ordinary front rollers, behind which I place only
the two rollers c, d, both of which are fluted, if required, so as to enable me to
-use lighter weights for weighting the top roller than those at present in use.
In Fig. 2, a and b are the two front rollers, but the top roller 6 is enlarged
for the purpose of making it self-weighting, the back rollers c, d, having their
diameters and positions suitable for the purpose, or the back roller d, may be
enlarged instead of the roller b. In Fig. 3. I shew the back pair of rollers c, d,
arranged above the front drawing, rollers. a, b, and pass the fibrous material
partly round the two rollers c, 'd, to the front rollers, as, indicated by the dotted
line; for the purpose of holding and restraining it more firmly on the said
When required, I use an adjustable plate or bar e for guiding and
binding the material f to the lower surface of the roller c. I am also enabled
rollers.

page_text: 9.
by the employment of the plate or bar e to convey the fibrous material, when
required, direct under the roller c, as shewn by the plain line,
without passing
it over the rollers c and d, as named in the first instance. When I employ
the plate or bar e, I use the upper roller d as a weighting roller or not, as
may be required.
In Fig. 4, I represent another arrangement of rollers. a, b, are the front
rollers, behind which I place the roller c with a number of pivot rollers d,
working upon it and driven by contact similar to the ordinary top rollers at
present in use; I enlarge the top roller 6 for the purpose of partly or wholly self-
weighting, and when required I employ a plate or roller beneath the roller c,
similar to the bar shewn in Fig. 3. The material passes under the restraing
roller cover the restraing pivot rollers d, and then between the front rollers a, b.
Or I modify this arrangement by forming the roller d in one continuous or
coupled length, and make it the driving roller, the roller c being divided into
pivot rollers and driven by contact. Or I employ both rollers c and d in one
continuous or coupled length, or change the roller c for a circular or other
shaped restraining bar; a roller may be used on the roller d, if required..
In Fig. 5, the front rollers a, b, are in their ordinary positions, and the
rollers c, d, behind them. On the roller d I place a large additional roller f,
used for partly or wholly self-weighting, the material being coiled round it or
not, as required.
.
In Fig. 6 I represent another arrangement of five rollers; the roller d is a
weighting roller and works upon two rollers c, g, running at the same surface
speed, and over which the material passes to the front drawing rollers a, b.
In Fig. 7, I shew an arrangement of three rollers in connection with an
adjustable bar; a, b, are the front drawing rollers, behind which I place the
roller c and bar h, the under surface of which is made concave to fit or ride
upon or near to the roller c for the purpose of restraining and holding the
material in its passage to the front drawing rollers between the plate or bar h
and the roller c.
In Fig. 8 I shew another arrangement of drawing rollers. a, b, are the
front rollers, and c a roller placed behind them upon or near to a guide plate
or bar d, made to touch or fit near to the roller, between which bar and the
roller c the fibrous material is passed to the front drawing rollers. The roller c
is weighted or not, as required..
In those machines where three or more separate, pairs of rollers are used, I
dispense with the drawing or elongating of the fibrous, material between any
rollers except between the front rollers and the pair behind them.. .U

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Tatham in the Great Seal Patent Office on.
the 23rd May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TATHAM, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Tatham, Her special license that I, the said William Tatham;
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Tatham, 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 OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX;
AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that. I,
the said William Tatham, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Tatham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
:
First, in the machines known as openers and scutchers, I apply a bar with
à concave under surface to the top of the feed roller, between which and the
bar the fibrous materials pass. The edge of the bar near the toothed cylinders
or beaters is nearly level with the centre of the feed roller, so as to hold the
fibrous material more firmly between the bar and feed roller than with the
ordinary upper roller, and thereby enable the material to be more effectually
operated upon than with two feed rollers.
Secondly, in carding engines, I apply a concave bar above the feed roller
similar to that before described for the opener and scutcher, and also make the

page_text: contact surfaces of the taker-in or cylinder and feed roller revolve in one and
the same direction, in order to strip the fibrous material from the feed roller:
and concave bar in the same direction as that in which the feed roller revolves,
which system of causing the taker-in or cylinder and feed roller to revolve in
the same direction I apply to those carding engines in which the bar or plate:
is beneath the feed roller.
Thirdly, in doubling, drawing, or slubbing and roving frames, or in throstles,
mules, and other spinning machines where drawing rollers are generally used:
for restraining and drawing or elongating the fibres of cotton or other
fibrous material; I apply the following improvements, one part of which consists
in drawing the fibrous material in each machine between two pairs of rollers:
only, which I have discovered, when properly adjusted, are quite sufficient for
restraining, drawing, or elongating the fibrous materials without the assistance
of the usual additional drawing rollers, and the other part in employing an
additional roller in connection with the aforesaid two pairs of drawing rollers,
or using three rollers and bar.
In order that the several parts of my Invention may be clearly defined
and perfectly understood, I annex the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings,
containing such views of the machinery to be employed as will sufficiently
illustrate my Invention, and enable any practical machinist to put the same.
into practical operation; the various details are marked with letters of reference,.
similar letters being employed in corresponding parts of the machinery.
The first part of my Invention relating to the feeding apparatus of opening
and scutching machines, and the second part relating to carding or similar
machines being similar to each other, I include or class these parts together.
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of part of a scutching or lap
making machine, and Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of part of a carding engine.
a, represents the ordinary beater, licker-in, or other toothed cylinder, and b
the feed roller, which roller is caused to revolve and deliver the fibrous
material in the same direction as the beater, licker-in, or cylinder, as indicated
by the arrows, and works in combination with the concave bar or plate c,
placed above it, between which and the said feed roller the fibrous material
marked d passes to the beater, licker-in, or cylinder. Fig. 3 is a front eleva-.
tion of Figs. 1 and 2; b, representing the feed roller, and c the concave bar,
which bar I make in one piece, or any number of pieces secured together,
extending across the machine so as to cover the width of the fibrous material
passing beneath it; e, e, represent suitable bearings placed near the ends of
the bar for supporting it, and in which bearings the said bar c is allowed of

page_text: itself or otherwise to rise and fall to and from the feed roller b, or. made to
slide horizontally to and from the roller, for the purpose of compressing and
accommodating the various thicknesses of lap or fibrous materials which may pass
between it and the roller. The. two handles or projections f..f, are for the
purpose of enabling the operatives readily to remove and replace the bar c,
when required. Although I have described the bar c as being moveable I
may make it a fixture, and cause the feed roller to rise and fall, or slide to
and from the bar c, to compensate for the various thicknesses of the before
named fibrous material.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a modification of. Figs. 1 and 2. In this
arrangement I employ a plate c, instead of the concave bar, and cause the feed
roller 6 and the licker-in cylinder or beater to revolve in the same direction as
in Figs. 1: and 2; and when required I employ another roller g, placed above
the roller b, for assisting in holding and restraining the fibrous material more
effectnally in its passage to the licker-in or cylinder or beater. Although the
plate c is shewn above the roller b, it can also. be employed
roller b and cylinder or beater made to revolve in a contrary direction.
below, and the
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of another modification of Eigs. 1 and 2.
In this arrangement I.cause the feed roller b and the licker-in and cylinder
or beater to revolve in the same direction, as indicated by the arrows, but in a
contrary direction to those shewn at Figs. 1 and 2, and I place, the concave
bar c beneath the feed roller b.
The third part of my Invention relates to any of those preparing and spinning
machines wherein rollers are employed for restraining and drawing or elonga-
ting cotton or other fibrous materials, and consists in several improved
arrangements and applications of rollers for that purpose.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 is a transverse section of two pairs of rollers; a and b
represent the ordinary front drawing pair, and c and d the back or restraining
pair of rollers. In this arrangement of rollers instead of the roller d being
placed as is usual on the top of the roller c, with their two centres vertically
opposite each other, I place or arrange the roller d in contact or nearly so
with the roller c beyond the top, so that its centre shall be at least twenty
degrees from the vertical line or thereabouts, the centre ranging to the hori-
zontal line as may be required. By this arrangement I am. enabled to
bring the centres of the two rollers a and c nearer. together without the
necessity of diminishing the diameter of either of the two rollers 6 and d, as
heretofore customary, and also create a greater amount of restraining surface
over and around the back roller c by causing the fibrous material to be lapped

page_text: partially around it, as shewn by the dotted lines. The said lapping around the
roller c enables the rollers. c and d to restrain and accommodate fibres of various
lengths. as they are being drawn or elongated by the front pair of drawing
rollers in a more efficient manner than by the ordinary arrangement of two
pairs of rollers, the roller d being driven by contact or suitable gearing.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of an arrangement of two pairs of rollers similar
to that shewn in Fig. 1, with this difference, that one or both of the rollers b
and d are larger in diameter, and made wholly or partially self-weighting. It
will be observed that I am enabled to do this by arranging the top roller d
beyond the top of the roller c, the same as in Fig. 1.
:
I would here remark that I do not confine myself to the use of the large
front roller b in this arrangement of rollers only, as the said roller may be
employed in other arrangements of drawing rollers, several of which arrange-
ments will appear in other parts of this Specification and Drawings; but
although I may shew and describe the said roller b as applied to other of my
arrangements of drawing rollers, I wish it to be distinctly understood that
other and smaller rollers may be used if preferred without departing from the
nature of those parts of my Invention, as will be shewn hereafter.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of another arrangement of rollers, in which
the centres of the back restaining rollers c and d are arranged above the top of
the front bottom rollers a, and in order effectually to restrain and accommodate
the fibres of various lengths, the fibrous material is passed over the upper
roller d, thence between it and the roller c, under which it passes to the front
drawing rollers a and b, as indicated by the dotted lines; and when required
I employ a bar or plate e for guiding or binding the fibrous materials to the
lower surface of the roller c, which roller, and also the roller d, may be made
to slide, or rise and fall to and from the plate, for the purpose of compressing
and accommodating the fibrous material in its passage between the said rollers
and plate e.
Or I modify this arrangement by substituting a roller for the
plate e, as shewn by the dotted circle k; or I arrange the roller c with the
roller don that part of the roller k. beyond the top, the same as in Fig. 1,
the rollers c, d, and b, being made self-weighting, or otherwise.
In Fig. 4 I represent a transverse section of another arrangement of rollers for
effectually restraining and accommodating and drawing fibres of various lengths.
a and b are the front drawing rollers, behind which I place the roller c, with the
roller & placed in any convenient position upon it, the top of which roller 'd is
on a level, or nearly so, with the roller a; the course of the fibrous material
is indicated by the dotted line. passing under the roller c, thence between..it

page_text: and the restraining roller d, over which it passes to the front pair of drawing
rollers a and b, the roller 6 being self-weighting when desired. I also employ,
when required, a bar or plate e, or a roller may be used beneath the roller c
for guiding the fibrous material under and around the said roller; the roller c
in this arrangement is allowed to rise and fall, or slide to and from the plate e,
for the purpose of binding and accommodating the various thicknesses of
fibrous materials passing between the plate e or roller and the under surface
of the roller c.
Fig. 5 represents a modification of Fig. 4, with this difference, that I
employ a roller i, placed upon any convenient part of the roller d, for con-
ducting the fibrous materials round the roller d to the front rollers a and b,
the front roller 6 being made of any convenient diameter to accommodate the
position of the roller i, the roller b being partially or entirely self-weighting.
In Fig. 6 I represent another arrangement of rollers. a and b are the
usual front rollers, behind which I place the roller c, which may be fluted, or
otherwise, and driven by suitable gearing; upon the said roller c I also
arrange two other rollers d and d¹ resting upon it, and driven by their contact
surfaces, which rollers d and d' have another holding or restraining roller e¹
placed upon them, between which and the rollers d and d' the fibrous material
is borne down, by which means a greater amount of restraining surface is
obtained under the lower surface of the roller e¹ than if the roller e' were
simply placed on the top of the roller c, the passage of the fibrous material
being indicated by the dotted lines.
Fig. 7 represents a modified arrangement of Fig. 6, the back rollers c, d,
d', and e¹ being arranged higher, and the fibrous material caused to pass
between the roller c and d, d', as shewn by the dotted lines, and although the
top roller e¹ is shewn resting upon and weighting the two rollers d and d³, it
may be made to rest on one roller only, which may be either the roller d or d';.
as found most convenient. Or I modify this arrangement by placing another
roller beneath the roller d', as shewn by the dotted circle r; the course of the
fibrous material is marked s, and I make the roller d' self-weighting, and the
roller d partially so.
Fig. 8. represents another arrangement of rollers. a and b are the front
drawing rollers, 6 being made either wholly or partially self-weighting; behind
the front rollers a and b I shew an ordinary bottom roller c, behind which I
again shew another bottom roller 1 of the ordinary kind, with another roller m
resting upon it, which roller binds and restrains the fibrous material over the
roller c, the roller m being arranged at any convenient distance from the

page_text: roller c for this purpose. I also modify the said arrangement of rollers by
placing another roller in any convenient position on the roller behind the
roller m, as again shewn by the dotted circle n; or I employ the roller m
resting on the roller c, or upon the two rollers c and 7, in combination with the
roller n, the rollers e, l, m, and n being simply restraining rollers, the fibrous
material being elongated or drawn between the rollers a, b, and c, and m.
Fig. 9 represents an arrangement of rollers. in which I make the front
top roller larger than usual, and employ it either wholly or partially self-
weighting.
.)
In Fig. 10 I shew an arrangement of three rollers in connection with an
adjustable bar. a and b represent the front drawing rollers, with the roller c
placed behind them. At the back part of the roller c I place a bar h¹, with a
concave or other suitably shaped surface, for the purpose of binding and
restraining the fibrous material to the surface of the roller c in its passage to
the front drawing rollers.
:
In Fig. 11 I shew a modification of the foregoing arrangement. I place
the roller c with its under surface on a level or thereabouts with the top of the
roller a, and employ a bar h, having a portion of its concave surface under-
neath the roller c, for the purpose of binding and restraining the fibrous
material in its passage to the front drawing rollers. The rollers in the
arrangements before described may be fluted, plain, or covered with leather
or other suitable material, and it will be seen there is no drawing or
elongating action upon the fibrous material, except between the front drawing
rollers and the restraining rollers behind them.
In my Provisional Specification I described the application of a clutch box,
friction surfaces, or their equivalents, to doubling, drawing, slubbing, roving,
and spinning frames, for the purpose of disconnecting, when required, the
drawing rollers or spindles from the driving power, independent of and in less.
time than traversing the driving strap from the fast to the loose pulley. I now
believe this part of my Provisional Specification will not be of great practical
utility, and therefore disclaim its use.
Having thus particularly described my present improvements in the feeding
apparatus of opening, cleaning, scutching, and carding machines, also in the
drawing and restraining rollers of doubling, drawing, slubbing, and roving
frames, or in throstles, mules, and other spinning machines, and the manner
of carrying the same into practical effect, I deem it unnecessary to recapitulate
the several novelties, but desire it to be understood that I claim all such
novel arrangements of mechanism or apparatus as are faithfully dilineated in

page_text: the annexed Drawings, Sheets One and Two, and herein. described with
reference to the several Figures therein contained.
In witness whereof; I, the said William Tatham, have hereunto, set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, "in the year of
our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three."
.S
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named William Tatham, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, .
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
WILLIAM TATHAM: (L.s.)
J:
L
C