CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE PREPARATION AND MANUFACTURE OF COTTON, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Crighton, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist and Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE PREPARATION AND
MANUFACTURE OF COTTON, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 14th May 1867, and dated the 1st December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crighton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
1st December 1866.
I, WILLIAM CRIGHTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE PREPARATION
AND MANUFACTURE OF COTTON, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to
be as follows:-'
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel method of obtaining or
producing, and also to a novel arrangement of apparatus for applying a
variable motion as a substitute for and instead of conical pulleys and straps or
other similar variable motions which are commonly used to obtain a regu-
lation or variation of speed. This improved method and mechanism being
applicable to all descriptions of machinery used in the preparation and manu-

page_text: facture of cotton, silk, wool, flax, and other fibrous substances wherein variable
motions are required, and which have hitherto been or may be accomplished
by other methods and means, but it is particularly applicable where the speed
of rollers or other mechanism requires regulation according to the variation in
the supply or feeding of material to machinery.
2
The improvements consist, first, in the application and use of a variable or
moveable fulcrum which is capable of sliding or moving on a lever so as to
lengthen or shorten the vibration thereof at either side of the fulcrum, so that
when the fulcrum is in the centre of the lever the vibration or movement of
the lever is equal at each side of the fulcrum, and as the fulcrum is caused to
approach either end the movement of the lever at that end is shortened, and
vice versa. This lever and fulcrum is to be applied or interposed as a
regulator between the mechanism requiring regulation (one end of the lever
being connected therewith), and any convenient prime mover, such as a crank
or excentric, to which the other end of the lever is connected, and from which
it receives a regular reciprocating motion. The fulcrum may be moved along
the lever 'by any well-known mechanical means, as by screw or toothed
quadrant and rack, the governing or regulating end of the lever always being
connected to the part requiring regulation; the mechanical means employed
to connect them and to give motion to the part will vary according to the
character of such part. For example, if it is required to regulate the speed of
"feed rollers" in preparation machinery of any description it may be effected
by placing a ratchet disc or toothed wheel on the roller shaft and connecting
the pawls or pinions actuating the same to the regulating end of the lever,
and connecting the said shaft with the fulcrum, so that as the roller rises or
falls it moves the fulcrum, and lengthens or shortens the "throw" ог
vibration of this end of the lever, and increases or diminishes the speed or
revolution of the roller.
The second part of the Invention relates to such machines as are used in
preparing fibrous materials wherein a curved plate or "shell" is used in
combination with rollers to effect the "feed" or supply of the material; and
this part of the Invention consists in the use and application of serrated or
uneven edges to such plates or "shells" over which the fibrous material
passes in contradistinction to such edges being made plain and even as
hitherto.

page_text: L
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Crighton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CRIGHTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist and
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Crighton, Her special license that I, the said William Crighton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Crighton, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE PREPARATION AND MANUFACTURE OF
COTTON, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Crighton, 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 Crighton, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 accompanying, Drawings (that is to say) :-
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel method of obtaining or
producing and also to a novel arrangement of apparatus for applying a variable
motion as a substitute for and instead of conical pulleys and straps or other
similar variable motions which are commonly used to obtain a regulation
or variation of speed. This improved method and mechanism being
applicable to all descriptions of machinery used in the preparation and
manufacture of cotton, silk, wool, flax, and other fibrous substances wherein
variable motions are required, and which have hitherto been or may be

page_text: accomplished by other methods and means; but it is particularly applicable
where the speed of rollers or other mechanism requires regulation according
to the variation in the supply or feeding of material to machinery.
.
The improvements consist, first, in the application and use of a self-acting
variable or moveable fulcrum or fulera capable of sliding or moving on a lever
or levers so as to lengthen or shorten the vibration thereof at either side of
the fulerum or fulcra, so that when the fulcrum is in the centre of the
lever or levers the vibration or movement of the lever is equal at each side
of the fulcrum, and as the fulcrum is caused to approach either end the
movement of the lever at that end is shortened, and vice versa. This lever
and fulcrum is to be applied or interposed as a regulator between the
n.echanism requiring regulation (one end of the lever or levers being connected
therewith) and any convenient prime mover, such as a crank or eccentric, to
which the other end of the lever or levers is connected either directly or with
the interposition of another lever or levers or other equivalent by which and
from which it receives a regular reciprocating motion. The fulcrum or fulcra
may be moved along the lever or levers by any well-known mechanical means,
as by screw or toothed quadrant and rack, the governing or regulating end
of the lever or levers always being connected to the part requiring regulation;
the mechanical means employed to connect them and to give motion to the
part will vary according to character of such part. For example, if it is
required to regulate the speed of "feed rollers" in preparation machinery of
any description it may be effected by placing a ratchet disc or toothed wheel
on the roller shaft and connecting the pawls or pinions actuating the same to
the regulating end of the lever or levers and connecting the said shaft with
the fulcrum so that as the roller rises or falls it moves the fulcrum and
lengthens or shortens the "throw" or vibration of this end of the lever or
levers and increases or diminishes the speed or revolution of the roller.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about one inch to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked upon
corresponding parts of the apparatus.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the apparatus attached to the framing
of a "lap machine," which is one of the machines used for preparing fibrous
substances, and to which the Invention is applicable, and Fig. 2 represents
a plan view of the same.
In Figs. 1 and 2, a, a, is the framing of the machine; b, the ordinary bottom
fluted roller and its shaft; and c, the upper fluted roller between which the sheet
of fibrous material passes, and which deliver to the beaters the sheet of cotton

page_text: or fibrous material as it unrolls from the several laps, to regulate which
delivery and the speed of such rollers in a positive manner according to the
varying thickness of the sheet is the object of the present Invention, cone
pulleys and straps and other unreliable means having been employed for
such purpose hitherto. The bottom delivery roller b is driven by the ratchet
wheel secured on the end of its shaft or stud, and such ratchet wheel is
driven by the double-acting pawls e, one forcing upwards and the other
pulling downwards, being secured on the balance barf the length of action
or "throw of these pawls and consequent number of teeth embraced or
acted upon is determined by the length of the vibrations of the forked lever g
to the end of which the connecting rods h, h, are attached. This lever is
mounted on a fixed fulcrum i and is divaricated or forked at the opposite
end, such forked part being slotted, and embraces one end of a bell crank k
which is caused to vibrate by means of the revolving crank and connecting
rod ; the moving or sliding fulcrum m is attached to and carried by the bar
or plate n which slides on the parallel rods o; the said fulcrum passes through
and slides in the slots in the forked lever and bell crank and is moved to and
fro according to the variation of the thickness of the sheet of cotton by means
of the rod and arrangement of levers and rods marked a, a, which arrangement
is in ordinary use; the action of the apparatus being as follows:-Supposing
the full thickness of fibrous sheet to be passing through the machine and all
the supply laps to be of equal weight. and unrolling evenly, the sliding
fulcrum m will be in the position shewn (about the middle of the slot) and the
throw of the pawls and rotation of the ratchet wheel and the delivery rollers
will be at about their relative and normal speeds, and the finished lap at the
exit end of the machine will be of equal weight and density throughout
provided the other portions of the apparatus for forming the said "lap" are
acting properly. If one of the supply laps become finished or disunited and
cease to supply, or of less thickness, or in any way cause a less thickness of
material to pass between the rollers, the weight of the top roller c bearing on
the vertical rod a forces down the horizontal lever x and by the vertical
connecting rod and lever a forces outwards the slotted lever x² and draws
the sliding fulcrum m nearer the fixed fulcrum i, and so imparts a longer
vibration to the forked lever and longer throw of the pawls, and consequently
an increased speed to the fluted delivery rollers, which deliver a larger length
of cotton from the sheet to compensate for the decreased thickness and to
maintain the delivery of the proper quantity to the beaters; and in like
manner the quantity is regulated by the short throw of the pawls and
diminished speed of the rollers if the top fluted roller be lifted above the

page_text: normal level by an extra thickness of the sheet of cotton passing between the
rollers.
I would here remark that since the filing of the Provisional Specification
for my said Invention I have ascertained that the second part of my Invention
relative to the application of serrated or uneven edges to curved plates or
"shells" is not of such utility as I then considered it to be, such serrated or
uneven edges being injurious to the fibres passing over them, and I therefore
hereby disclaim that portion of the Invention.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim,-
The application, employment, and use of a self-acting variable or moveable.
fulcrum or fulcra sliding or moving on a lever or levers, or in slots or channels.
formed therein, so as to lengthen or shorten the vibration of such lever or
levers at either side of the said sliding fulcrum, and thereby to effect the.
required regulation or adjustment of speed between the feed rollers or parts
requiring regulation and the prime mover in a positive or absolute manner,
whereby the ordinary cone pulleys and straps are dispensed with.
Secondly, the general arrangement, construction, and combination of the
apparatus for regulating or governing the speed of the parts requiring
regulating by self-acting means, as herein-before described, set forth, and fully
illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crighton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our
Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witnessed by
JOHN L. DAVIES, C.E.
Office for Patents,
Manchester.
W. CRIGHTON. (L.S.)