CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN A MACHINE OR MACHINERY FOR HECKLING, COMBING, OR DRESSING FLAX, HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1825

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
GARSED, of Leeds, in the County of York, Flax Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of May, in the sixth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Garsed, His especial licence that I, the said Edward Garsed,
my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Garsed,
my exors, adiñors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN A MACHINE OR MACHINERY FOR HECKLING, COMBING, OR
DRESSING FLAX, HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Edward Garsed, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Garsed, do hereby declared that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say) :-
First, instead of affixing the heckles or combs to the circumference of a
drum or cylinder, so that their teeth or pins may move and act as radii (either
straight or bended) from the axis of such drum as heretofore has been usual
in heckling machines, whereby such teeth or pins constantly change the angle
or inclination with which they penetrate and act upon the fibres of flax or
other material during the making of each cut or stroke in the operation of
heckling, combing, or dressing the same, I cause the heckles in my improved
machine to move parallel to themselves, and parrallel also (or nearly so) to
the fibres of the flax or other material during each of such cuts or strokes of
the heckles, or whilst the said teeth or pins are employed in penetrating,
separating, and straightening such fibres.
Secondly, instead of the strick or bunch of fibres of flax or other material
under the process of being heckled or combed at the beginning of the opera-
tion being brought to approach the points of the teeth or pins of the heckles
so or in such manner that the said teeth or pins penetrate or pierce the said
strick near to the holder which pinches and sustains the strick, and such
teeth or pins are then drawn or forced a considerable distance longitudinally
through or between the said fibres before reaching their loose ends, as hereto-
fore has been usual in heckling machines, I causo the loose ends of the fibres
composing the strick of flax or other material first to approach the points of
the teeth or pins of my improved heckling machine, and I effect the heckling
or combing of such ends of the fibres at the beginning of the operation, and
then at each succeeding cut or stroke of the heckles I cause the said teeth or
pins to penetrate or pierce the strick at a further and further distance from
the said loose ends (and nearer and nearer to the said holder) until at length
such fibres are cut or split, separated and straightened, to or almost up to the
said holder.
And thirdly, I strip or doff the tow or short flax, or other material which
collects on the teeth or pins of the heckles in a more simple and effectual
manner than bas heretofore been done in heckling machines.
Figure 1 in the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed represents a plan,
and Figure 2 a side elevation of my improved heckling machine, drawn to the
scale which is figured thereon; and the same letters of reference are used on
corresponding parts and things in both of these and in the other Figures, that

page_text: is to say, A, A, is the axis of the driving drum, receiving its motion at the
rate of 60 to 80 turns in a minute from a steam engine or any other adequate
power, communicated thereto, by a strap acting on the rigger or solid pulley B,
at such times as this rigger is in the situation shewn in the Drawing; but
when it may be necessary to stop the motion of the said axis (and the
machine with it) the lever handle .C is pushed outwards or from the machine,
and by means of the hook D entering into the groove, shewn beneath it, the
rigger B is thereby moved outwards and disengaged from a stud in the
smaller rigger E, affixed: on the axis A; and when so disengaged, the
rigger B turns loose on its axis, and it ceases to turn the machine until the
handle C is again restored to the position represented. The main axis A, A,
carries the driving drum F, F, and another axis G, G, parallel thereto, carries
the conducting drum H,H; the latter of these drums receiving motion from the
former by means of a very wide strap or endless sheet I, I, I, I, of leather,
or of any other flexible and fit substance; or, in place of this endless sheet,
two or any fit number. of endless chains passing round the two drums, or
round rims, substituted for such drums, may be employed to turn the con-
ducting drum or rim simultaneously with. the driving drum or rim, and to
carry the heckles and their apparatus, as will be further mentioned herein.
By means of tightening and fastening screws, as shewn in the Figures, the
plummer blocks or bearings of the axis G may be adjusted so as to give the
requisite degree of tension or tightness to the endless sheet or chains. Upon
and across the endless sheet (or the system of chains) I, I, I, I, eight boards
are affixed (called skait boards, and marked K, K, in the Figures) at equal
distances upon its perimeter intended for carrying the apparatus of the heckles,
each of which skait boards is longer than the sheet is wide, and they are
severally furnished at each end with the skaits: or sliders of wood, marked
L in both of the Figures. M, M, are two skait rails of iron, made. very
smooth on the tops, one on each side of the machine, supported on
standards N, N, from the main framing of the machine, and adjustable in
height by means of slots and tightening screws, so as to cause the three upper
ends of these skait boards (which Figure 2 represents) to move horizontally and
parallel to themselves from left to right, whilst the machine is in motion. Upon
each of the eight skait boards (K, K,) other boards (being respectively only half.
the lengths of the said skait boards) called heckle boards (and marked O, O, in the
Figures), are mounted in the inclined positions represented in Figures 2 and 3,
the degree of inclination which these heckle boards make with the skait boards
(K, K,) being adjustable: by means of joints at their foremost edges, and slots
and. tightening screws (or else..screws with double nuts) to the supports of

page_text: the hinder edges of the said heckle boards; only those four of the heckle boards
(and their surmounting heckles) which are nearest to the eye are represented
in Fig. 2 for avoiding confusion in the Drawing, and the end of one of these
beckle boards O is shewn separately on a larger or double scale in Figure 3.
P is the back board, one of which is affixed perpendicular to the hinder edge
of each of the heckle boards (O), by means of supports, with slots and tightning
screws for adjusting the heights of the top edges of these back boards. Near
to the corners of the foremost edge of each of the eight heckle boards (0)
supports Q are affixed, and are made adjustable in height by means of slots
and tightning screws, and the top of each pair of these supports carry a lash
board R'affixed to them'; these lash boards (R), and also the back boards (P),
being intended for bearing up the strick of flax (6), and preventing its fibres
from entering too deeply between the teeth of the heckles. Each of the lash
board supports (Q) carries an arm S, adjustablo. as to length by means of two
nuts upon the same screw (or instead thereof these arms may rise up from and
be adjustably attached to the heckle board O), and to the other ends of these
arms (S) are loosely jointed the levers T (called the stripper levers), and each
pair of these stripper levers has attached to the ends of them the strippers or
doffers U. The upper edges of these strippers (U) may, when used with the
coarser kinds of heckles or tools, be made straight and nearly smooth, but when
used with the finer kinds of heckles or tools, their top edges may be serrated
or furnished with fine teeth, the more effectually to strip or doff the tow from
the heckle pins; and this stripping or doffing my improved strippers (U)
perform by falling out of the position between the heckle pins and the back
board (P, in which this stripper U is seen to rest in the three upper heckles in
Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3), by the mere action of its own weight, into the position
which this stripper (U) is seen to have in the lower heckle in Figure 2. Upon
each of the eight heckle boards (0) the stock V, V, of a heckle is attached by
means of a thumb screw or nut screw at-each-of-its-ends, as is shewn in
Figures 2 and 3. W, W, represents the standards or uprights of the holder
frame, rising from and being firmly bolted to the main frame on each side of
the machine, one of which standards is shewn in Fig. 2; and X, X, in Fig. 1,
is the cap or cross piece of the holder frame, this cap (X) being longer than
the distance of the tops of the standards (W), and is furnished with four
pulleys, one at each of its extremities and two others near to its middle, the
uses of which pulleys will be herein-after mentioned. The upper and straight
parts of the holder standards (W) have rebates or grooves in their inner.sides,
'as represented by the dotted lines in Figure 2, and the sides.of.these rebates
are made very smooth, to facilitate tho free.sliding up.and down therein of the

page_text: holder rail Y, Y, represented by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. This holder
rail carries four holder cocks Z, Z, Z, Z, containing grooves as shewn in Fig. 1,
fitted for receiving the ends of the holders or hands a, a, which ends sliding
in these grooves admit of the holders being attached to the holder rail and
detached therefrom by merely lifting out these holders as often as may be
required. The holders a, a, consist of two bars of iron (shewn in Figure 1),
between which, by means of two screws, the strick or bunch of flax or other
material b is tightly pinched, and held in such a manner that about two thirds of
the whole length of fibres of flax composing the strick are left loose and free
for receiving the operation of heckling, and when this heckling has been
performed (according to one mode) the holder screws are loosened, and the
unheckled part of the strick is then drawn through the holder bars until
about two thirds of its whole length is loose and free, and then the holder
screws being tightened, this other end of the strick is prepared for commencing
the operation of heckling it, such as has already been performed on the end of
the strick, which now will be pinched and held between the bars of the holder;
but according to another and better mode (as depending less on tho skill and
care of the attendants), when one end of a strick of flax has been sufficiently
heckled, another pair of holder bars is fastened on to the heckled part of the
flax, at about one third of the whole length of the fibres from the loose and
heckled ends, before unscrewing and removing the holder bars which before had
been used. c, c, is the regulating bar, adjustably screwed (by means of slots) to
the standards (W) of the holder frame, against which regulating bar the strick
of flax slides down whilst being lowered and heckled, as will be further men-
tioned herein. The weight of the holder rail, with the holder cocks and the
holders, is very nearly, or in a sufficient degree, counterpoised by a metal weight
suspended under the pulley d (in Fig. 1), attached to a cord or small chain,
the other end of which cord or chain is fastened to the middle of the holder
rail; to the middle also of this holder rail (Y) another and longer cord or small
chain is attached, called the lowering cord (or chain), by means of which last-
mentioned cord (or chain) the said holder rail is drawn up, and again lowered
by slow degrees, during part of the process of heckling the flax or other material
held fast between the holder bars, as will be further described herein. This
lowering cord (or chain) passes over the pulleys e and f, and has its other
end tied (or hooked) upon the middle of a short pin of iron, called the lowering
pin, the end of which lowering pin, marked 9, is seen in Figure 2, lying loose in
one of the hollows between the teeth of the lowering wheel h, h. This lowering
wheel (h) has two setts of corresponding teeth in its edges, as is seen in
Figure 1, the shape of which teeth is immaterial, and they may, if desired, be

page_text: merely pegs driven into the said lowering wheel, if the same be made of wood,
because the only office of these teeth is to receive and hold the lowering pin (g),
and thereby to hold the lowering cord tied thereto. The lowering wheel
standard i rises from and is firmly bolted to the main frame of the machine,
and a stud fixed therein serves as the axis of the lowering wheel (h), and also
as the axis of the rigger or solid pulley 1, 1, which is attached to and always
moves with the lowering wheel; this lowering wheel rigger (1) being actuated
or put in motion by the endless and crossing strap, shewn in Figure 2 as
working on the rigger m, m, affixed to the toothed stud wheel n, n. The toothed
wheel (n,,) works in the pinion o attached to the wheel 9; this latter whcel
works in the pinion r attached to the wheel t, and this latter wheel works in the
pinion U fastened on the main axis A (of the driving drum F), which actuates
or sets in motion the whole machine. The effect of the strap and train of
wheels just now mentioned is such that about 61 turns of the main axis (A)
causes one turn or revolution of the lowering wheel h; but in case that a
greater or a lesser number of turns of the axis A to one turn of the wheel h
should be found requisite, either a smaller or a larger pinion U must be substi-
tuted upon the axis A, and the several stud wheels t, q, and n, must be cor-
respondingly raised or lowered by means of the slots and tightning screws
provided for their several studs, as shewn by dotts in Figure 2; and by like
means may the stud k, or the lowering wheel's axis be lowered or raised for
the tightning when requisite of the strap which moves it. The lowering
wheel standard (i, see Figures 1 and 4,) has attached to it by a tightning
screw a circular rim v, v, of iron, having therein a circular open groove or
long slot, and in this groove, by means of tightning screws, are affixed in an
adjustable manner the three following appendages to the lowering wheel, that
is to say: 1st, the catch w, terminating in two hooks, which are seen in
Fig. 1, and are intended for holding or retaining the lowering pin (g) at such
times as the cord (or chain) attached to it has drawn up the holder (a) to its
highest position, as marked by its outline in fine dots in Figure 2. 2nd, the
regulator or guard a terminating in a circularly bent plate of iron, which covers
a certain number of the spaces between the two sets of teeth of the lowering
wheel (h), into which covered spaces it is intended that the said lowering
pin (9) shall not fall or be placed by the attendant on the machine; and, 3rd,
the pin catchery, the curved bar of which (shewn in Figs. 2 and 4) termi-
nates in a thin plate of metal standing nearly vertical, and having a wide and
deep notch in the middle of its top edge, and from which plate there returns
or projects towards the lowering wheel another curved bar (shewn in Fig. 1),
which is parallel to the said curved bar that carries this plate; these bars and

page_text: the said plate being intended for catching and holding the lowering pin (9),
when the same falls out of the teeth of the lowering wheel, occasioned by the
slow revolution of this wheel from left to right. Z, Z, Z, is the tow cloth,
being an endless sheet to which a slow motion is given by a strap from the
rigger E, on the main axis A, in order to turn out or discharge at the end of
the machine the tow stripped or doffed from the heckles, and falling upon this
tow cloth.
or,
Having thus described all the essential or material parts of my said improved
heckling machine, I will now describe the manner of its operation, commencing
with a bunch or bundle of flax in the state in which it is purchased by the flax
dresser, such flax not having undergone the previous operation of roughing,
that is, the first heckling process on a very course heckle or tool by the hands
of a flax dresser, as heretofore has usually been necessary, in order to prepare
and render stricks of flax fit for the heckling machines that are in use; but
for my improved machines, I take, from a bundle of unroughed flax, the
proper quantity of fibres to form a strick, and this I spread and fix between the
bars of one of the holders (a) in the manner which has been mentioned herein,
if desirable, I take a strick of already roughed flax, and in like manner fix
it in a holder; I then drop or slide this holder (containing the strick of flax)
into the cocks (Z) of the holder rail (Y), such holder rail being at this time of
putting in the holder retained in its highest situation (shewn by fine dots in
Fig. 2) by the lowering pin (9), being then held in the catch (w). During
this placing of the holder (charged with flax) in the machine, the same may
either be standing still or may be moving at its usual rate. I sometimes use
heckles of two different degrees of fineness on the different sides of my machine,
or otherwise I use two or more machines having all the heckles on each machine
of the same degree of fineness, passing the partly heckled flax from one of such
machines to the next. During the time that the lowering pin (g) lies in the
catch (w), and by means of its attached cord or chain retains the holder (a) of
the strick of flax in its highest situation (as herein-before is mentioned), and
whilst the loose ends of such flax hang clear of the passing heckles or very nearly
so (supposing the machine to be in motion), the circumference of the lowering
wheel (h) slips under the lowering cord or small chain without giving motion
to such cord or chain; then, in order to commence the heckling, the attendant
(or minder, as he or she is often called) grasps the ends of the lowering
pin (g) in his hands, and lifting the said pin out of the catch (w) he moves the
said pin forwards parallel to itself, bringing it to rest on the regulator or guard
plate (), upon which plate he still pushes forward the said pin, until, when
arrived at the edge of the said plate, he lets the
the same fall into the cor-
responding hollow between the teeth of the lowering wheel (2), as shewn in
.:

page_text: Fig. 2, as has already been mentioned herein, and there he leaves the said pin
to be slowly carried forwards by the revolution of the st. lowering wheel until
at length that pair of teeth of the said lowering wheel which are immediately
before the said lowering pin become horizontal or incline so much downwards
that the said lowering pin drops out from between the said teeth into the pin
catcher (y), as will be further mentioned presently preparatory to commencing
the heckling process, which has just now been briefly mentioned herein. The
place of the regulator plate (x) and the length of the lowering cord (or
chain) reaching from the lowering pin (g) to the holder rail (Y) should each
have been so adjusted that at the same instant of time that the said lowering
pin (g) falls, or is conducted by the hands of the attendant from the front edge
of the said regulator plate (a) into the hollow between a pair of teeth of the
lowering wheel transversely thereto, the holder (a) and its contained. flax (6)
shall at such instant of time have been just so much lowered (by means of the
said lowering cord or chain) that the heckle pins may at such iustant. begin to
enter and heckle the extreme loose ends of the flax or.other material (such
being the positions that are represented in the Drawing), and then as the said
lowering wheel (h) slowly carries forwards the said lowering pin (9), and gives
out the said cord or chain, which is tied (or hooked) thereto, such giving
out of the said cord or chain will permit the holder (a) and the strick of
flax (b) held therein to descend (its fibres sliding against the regulating bar c)
during a given period, and occasion each successive cut or stroke of the heckle
pins to enter the flax or other material further and further from its loose. ends
(and nearer and nearer to the said holder) during 13 to 20 of such cuts or
strokes made in this period of time (or any other fit number of such cuts on
the moving flax in such period, according to the nature and state of the flax or
other material operated upon), and at the end of such period of time the
holder rail (Y) will have gained its lowest situation, and will have come to rest
upon the stops provided in the grooves wherein the ends of such holder rail
slides, such stops being previously adjusted as to height by means of the slots
and tightning screws shewn in Figure 2, for the purpose of limiting the greatest
descent of the said holder rail. After the holder (a) and the strick of flax (6)
held therein shall have become stationary (by the holder rail having reached
its stops, as is already mentioned), and the strick of flax being properly held
down by the regulating bar (e), the heckle pins will continue to give 10 to 15
cuts or strokes on the stationary flax (or any other fit.number of such cuts,
according to the nature and state of the flax or other material operated upon),
whilst the lowering wheel (still continuing to turn) carries forwards the lowering
pin.(g) to that point of the wheel's circumference. where; it, drops of itself. out
of the teeth into the pin.catcher (y),, just at the time when the, above-men-

page_text: tioned or indicated number of cuts or strokes on the stationary flax have been
performed. And this dropping out of the lowering pin I intend to act as a
signal or warning to the attendant of the completion of the necessary heckling
of that end of the strick of flax which has been operating upon, and the atten-
dant now grasps the two ends of the lowering pin in his hands in the manner
which has been already described, and lifts and pulls back the said pin to its
original position in the catch (w), there to remain with the holder (a) drawn
up to its greatest height, whilst the attendant lifts the said holder (and its flax)
out of the holder cocks (Z), and replaces therein another holder, containing a
fresh strick of flax (or else the same strick, with its ends reversed, as already
mentioned herein), on which fresh strick the operations of heckling will be
commenced so soon as the lowering pin (g) is removed from the catch (w)
and placed in the teeth of the lowering wheel (h) in the position where this
pin is represented in Fig. 2, as already has been described herein. After the
holder rail (Y) becomes stationary (by resting on its stops in the manner
already described) the going forwards of the lowering wheel (h) in the manner
already mentioned occasions the lowering cord (or chain) to fall slack, and
hang loose in the notch in the pin catcher plate (y), and between the same
and the pulley ; and in order that the said cord may not when thus slack fall
quite out of the said pulley or guard (which is seen in Figure 2) is provided,
consisting of a stout short wire, which passes horizontally close under the said
pulleys, and retains the said cord in its groove.
Although in the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and in the foregoing
description thereof, my improved heckling machine is represented in Fig. 1 as
having two sets of heckles and their apparatus in the breadth of the machine
(or on the length of the drums), I do not confine myself in this respect, but
intend occasionally to use either one, three, or any fit number of heckles and
their apparatus in the breadth of my machines; so also I intend, instead of
the eight skait boards (K) so represented and described herein, occasionally to
use any lesser or greater fit number of these boards, and to affix one or more
heckle boards (0) on each of such skait boards, as convenience may require.
With respect also to giving of the necessary slow motion to my lowering wheel
(h), I intend occasionally, instead of the train of wheels, pinions, riggers, and
strap interposed between the main axis (A) and the lowering wheel (h), in my
said Drawings and descriptions, to use any other train of wheels with or without
a strap, or to use an endless screw or screws and wheels, or by any other fit
means to produce the required change of velocity.
In the foregoing description, and in the Drawings to which they refer, I
have, for the more clear explanation of my said Invention, and of the manner

page_text: in which the same is to be performed, and my said improvements applied,
mentioned and represented many things which are already well known and in
use, but to which said things, singly or separately, I do not lay any claim of
invention or exclusive use, but only as such things are or may be combined
and applied in the manner I have herein-before described and represented for
the carrying of my said Invention and improvements into effect. And I do
hereby expressly ascertain and limit my claims under the herein-before in part
recited Patent to the following particulars (that is to say) :-
.
First, to the fixing of any required number of heckles or combs and their
apparatus upon a flexible and endless sheet (I) or on a wide strap, or upon a
chain or number of chains, or narrow endless straps, revolving upon two or
more drums or rims.
Secondly, to the lowering wheel (h) and the apparatus combined, and to be
used therewith, for lowering or bringing into action the flax or other material
whilst the same is being heckled or combed, whether such lowering or bringing
into action be effected by a sliding motion in grooves, or by the motion of a
lever or levers carrying the holders (a), provided the motion be given to such
lever or levers by means of the lowering wheel (h), the lowering cord (or
chain), and its lowering pin (9), which are herein-before described.
And, thirdly, to the stripper (U), and the apparatus combined therewith, as
herein-before is mentioned and described, for the stripping or doffing of the tow
from the heckle pins.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Garsed, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.