An Improved Machine for Automatically Cutting the Float Threads in Figured Net, Lace, and similar Fabrics.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CYRILLE SOURMAIS, 9, Rue de Florence, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
An Improved Machine for Automatically Cutting the Float Threads
in Figured Net, Lace, and similar Fabrics.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Fabrics such as figured nets and lace which have float threads connecting the
various flowers leaves plumes and other ornamental parts of the fabric, are
subjected to a final manipulation which consists, after finishing, in removing the
float threads by hand.
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus by means of which the threads
may be automatically raised and severed preparatory to their removal by ordinary
shearing or cropping machines, so that by the use of this machine the slow and
laborious process of removal by hand is superseded.
In a machine constructed according to this invention the fabric is caused to pass
over a grooved cylinder and is pressed into the grooves by means of suitably curved
rods and springs. As the float threads are not incorporated into the fabric they
remain above the grooves as the fabric passes over the cylinder and may be easily
raised by means of a brush. The raised float threads are severed by suitable
shears or knives, and the severed ends are finally removed in a shearing machine.
Dated this 15th day of May A.D. 1890.
WILLIAM E. HEYS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Automatically Cutting the Float Threads
in Figured Net, Lace, and similar Fabrics.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Fabrics such as figured nets and lace which have float threads connecting the
various spots flowers leaves plumes and other ornamental parts of the fabric, are
subjected to a final manipulation which consists after finishing, in removing the
float threads by hand.
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus by means of which the threads
may be automatically raised and severed preparatory to their removal by ordinary
shearing or cropping machines, so that by the use of this machine or apparatus, the
slow and laborious process of removal by hand is superseded.
I will more particularly describe my said invention with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in the various figures of which, similar letters are employed to
denote similar parts.
"
In a machine constructed according to these improvements, the fabric T which
is to be operated on, is caused to pass over a grooved cylinder C rotated in the
direction of travel of the fabric. Above the cylinder there is arranged a series of
curved rods f one of which is pressed into each of the grooves of the cylinder by
means of the springs F. These curved rods thus force the fabric to take the forms
of the grooves in the periphery of the cylinder and, the float threads not being

page_text: incorporated with the fabric, they remain above the grooves and are lifted there-
from by the rotary brush I. By the motion of the fabric over the cylinder, the
raised float threads are brought to the shears k by which they are severed. The
number of these shears is equal to the number of grooves in the cylinder and of the
curved rods, and they are so arranged that their points enter the grooves sufficiently
to hook or engage the raised threads in their passage.
The driving shaft A Figure 1 rotates the cylinder C by means of the toothed
gearing indicated by the dotted lines or by other equivalent means, and it also
drives the excentric E, the function of which is to open and close the blades of the
shears for the purpose of cutting the raised threads.
The cylinder C may be constructed of wood, bronze, or other suitable material,
and the grooves may be formed upon the whole or upon a part only of the periphery
as may be decided in each case. The grooves may have the form represented in
Figure 3 on an enlarged scale or other suitable form, and the threads may be cut in
passing the fabric once or more than once through the machine.
The arcs of the curved rods are preferably formed upon the springs F by means
of which they are pressed into the grooves of the cylinder, and the springs are
secured to a fixed part such as the horizontal bar B. These springs may con-
veniently be formed of strips or of flattened wire, and they may be provided at their
ends with hooked parts to engage with the bar B. The system of springs and
rods Fis arranged to turn upon the axis J, so that when it is required to insert
the fabric into the grooves, the hooks may be disengaged from the bar B when all
the curved rods will lift, and leave between them and the cylinder a clear opening
through which the fabric may be passed. The springs are then re-arranged with
the bar, when the curved rods will consequently be depressed and force the fabric
into the grooves of the cylinder. To obviate the lifting of the curved rods, leading
and tail cloths may be employed as is well understood, and the insertion of the
cloth into and its passage through the machine may be facilitated by drawing
rollers.
The brush I, instead of being rotary as hereinbefore described, may be fixed, or
it may be replaced by other suitable and equivalent device.
The float threads, instead of being severed by the shears as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figure 1, may be cut by any suitable kind of knife. The shears
represented in Figures 1 and 2 are drawn to a larger scale in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
Figures 7 and 8 represent rotary knives which may be employed in substitution for
the shears as hereinbefore described.
The shears k are constructed with spring bows which tend constantly to separate
the blades in a vertical direction and to close them against each other in a hori
zontal direction. The excèntric roller E is in contact with the back of the upper
blade of each of the shears and thus by its rotation gives a cutting action to the
blade. The backs of these blades near the points are preferably sharpened so as to
sever any thread which may rise above the openings of the shears.
Each of the shears is mounted with its lower blade in a kind of channel K which
maintains it in its proper position relatively to its groove in the cylinder. All
these channels are secured to a horizontal bar G which is held in supports D
arranged to permit the adjustment of the bar. This adjustment is conveniently
effected by means of a curved slot in each of the supports D and by bolts passing
through these slots into the ends of the bar. If desired, the system of shears
channels and channel supports may be made movable as for example by means of
screws, slides, or of a parallel motion.
The shears k may be mounted and secured in their channels K by the pins or
cotters or in any other suitable manner which will permit them to be readily
removed for sharpening.
Rotary cutters to be used in substitution for the shears are represented in plan in
Figure 7 and in side view in Figure 8. In this arrangement, a series of curved
channels V is mounted upon a support U which permits their position to be
adjusted in front of the cylinder grooves. The points of these channel hooks

page_text: engage with the raised threads in the same manner as hereinbefore described with
reference to the shears, and the threads are cut by the rapidly rotating knives N,
one of which rotates in each of the channels and all of which are carried upon the
common axis O and driven by the pulley X.
After the fabric has been taken from the machine, it is removed to a shearing
or cropping machine which removes the raised and severed ends of the float
threads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. A machine for automatically cutting the float threads in figured net lace and
similar fabrics, constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for automatically cutting the float threads in figured net lace
and similar fabrics, the combination and arrangement with a grooved cylinder, of
the curved rods facted upon by springs; substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a machine for automatically cutting the float threads in figured net lace
and similar fabrics, the combination and arrangement with a grooved cylinder, of
curved rods pressed into the grooves of the cylinder, and a system of shears or
knives operating to cut the float threads substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of March A.D. 1891.
WILLIAM E. HEYS.