IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING, COMBING, OR "" OTHERWISE PREPARING WOOL, OR SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL A communication from 1 11. DL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co. Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING, COMBING, OR
""
OTHERWISE
PREPARING WOOL, OR SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL A communication from
1
11
.
DL 1
T11 TI
ALL
L
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd May 1882
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING,
COMBING, OR
OTHERWISE PREPARING WOOL OR SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL
"
A communication from abroad by Charles Fletcher, of Providence, Rhode Island,
United States of America.
This Invention relates to machinery for drawing, combing, or otherwise
preparing wool or similar fibrous material and consists essentially in the employ-
ment of an apron made in one continuous endless fabric without joint or seani
transversely across it.
Heretofore, in machines for combing and preparing woollen and similar fibres,
an apron has been used to form an endless cushion traversing between the surfaces
of the front draft-rolls or similar draft-rolls of such machines, and with the said
rolls. The purpose of this apron is to give an elastic hold or grip upon the fibre
passing between its surface and one of said rolls and thus draw the fibres out
evenly and certainly without tearing or breaking them as would be the case if the
rollers were used without such elastic cushion-apron, auxiliary to them. Such
aprons have heretofore been made of leather, and are principally so made, the
leather being joined together at the two ends to form the endless apron. They are
made of this material because it affords protection to the cement or other adhesive
substance used in forming the joining of the ends, against the grease and oily
substances contained in the wool fibre, and all attempts to use aprons made of a

page_text: woven fabric and consequently more elastic than leather, have heretofore been
unsuccessful practically because of the fabric being penetrated by the greasy
substances above mentioned and the joining of the ends of the fabric being thus
speedily destroyed.
Where the ends of such aprons have been heretofore joined together the joint
must be made of the same thickness as the remainder of the apron, and without
rivets or other hard substances which would interfere with its passing between the
rollers and cause their pressure to cut the apron away around such fastenings if
used. It has further been found practically impossible to make such joining of the
ends of substantially the same softness and elasticity as the remainder of the apron,
and the consequence has been an uneven draft or drawing out of the sliver where
the joint continually pressed between the draft-rolls, and to overcome this difficulty
as much as possible a heavy pressure has been found necessary to be applied to the
top draft-roll, thus requiring a greater amount of power to drive the rolls and
causing increased wear of the running parts of the machine. By forming these
aprons of an endless piece of material there are no ends to be joined, and if desired
I can thus use woven fabrics of two, three, or more ply and of more elastic material
than leather, and material which takes a more even hold upon the sliver in drawing
it out. These aprons may be woven of two, three or more ply or they may be
formed of one or more thicknesses of endless woven material of single ply slipped
within each other, and sewed together.
These aprons are applied in different ways to various machines for preparing
wool fibre containing draft rolls, and accomplish the purposes of my invention.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide an endless apron without
joint or seam transversely, as described, passing between the draft rolls and around
the tension roller below and to one side of the draft-rolls. There is an apron for
conveying the wool, passing around rollers, and screws and hand-wheels for applying
pressure to one of the draft-rolls.
The tension-roller may be placed vertically below the draft-rolls and the endless
seamless apron traverses vertically around it and the lower draft-roll.
In a double machine the tension-roller is placed above the draft-rolls and my
endless seamless apron passes around it and vertically downward around the top
draft-roll, each roller being made double to receive two such aprons.
By my Invention I am enabled to attain a perfectly even draft upon the fibre
and to use an endless apron with the draft rolls, which forms a much more elastic
cushion and gives a better grasp upon the fibre with less tendency to injure or
break it.
I am also enabled to operate the machines with much less pressure upon the
draft-rolls thereby effecting a considerable saving in the power required and the
wear of the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING,
COMBING, OR
OTHERWISE PREPARING WOOL OR SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIAL.
"
A communication from abroad by Charles Fletcher, of Providence, Rhode Island,
United States of America
This invention relates to machinery for drawing, combing, or otherwise
preparing wool or similar fibrous material, and consists essentially in the employ-
ment of an apron made in one continuous or endless fabric without a transverse
joint or seam upon it.
The
Heretofore in machines for combing and preparing wool and similar fibres an
apron has been used to form an endless cushion running between and with the
surfaces of the front drawing rolls or similar drawing rolls of such machines.
object of this apron is to give an elastic hold or grip upon the fibre passing
between its surface and the surface of one of the said rolls, and thus draw the
fibres out evenly and certainly without tearing or breaking them, as would be the
case if the rollers were used without such elastic cushion or apron auxiliary to
them. Such aprons have heretofore been made of leather joined together at the
two ends to form the endless apron, because leather affords protection to the
cement or other adhesive substance used in forming the joint at the ends, against
the grease and oily substances contained in the wool fibre, and all attempts to use
aprons made of a woven fabric, and consequently more elastic than leather, have
heretofore been unsuccessful practically, because of the fabric, being penetrated by
the said greasy substances, whereby the said joint at the ends of the fabric is
speedily destroyed.
When the ends of such aprons are joined together the joint must be of the same
thickness as the other parts of the apron and without rivets or other hard
substances, which would interfere with its passage between the rolls and also cut
the apron around such fastenings. It has further been found practically impossible
to make such joining of the ends of substantially the same softness and elasticity
as the other parts of the apron, and the consequence has been an uneven draught
or drawing out of the sliver where the joint continually passed between the
drawing rolls, and to overcome this difficulty as much as possible it has been found
necessary to apply to the top drawing roll a heavy pressure thus requiring a greater
amount of power to drive the rolls and causing increased wear of the running parts
of the machine.
By constructing aprons of an endless piece of material there are no ends to be
joined and I can use woven fabrics more elastic than leather which fabrics take a
more even hold upon the sliver in drawing it out. The said aprons are woven
with two, or more, plies, or they may be formed of one or more thicknesses
of endless woven material of single ply placed one within another and sewn
together.
Different methods of applying my improved apron to various machines containing
drawing rolls for preparing wool fibre are illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which.
Figure 1. is a section on the line x. y. Figure 2 of a wool preparing machine
provided with an endless apron, constructed according to this invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the oring.

page_text: Figure 3. is a section on the line x. y. Figure 4 of another form of wool preparing
machine provided with my improved apron.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 5 is a section on the line x. y Figure 6 of a double wool preparing
machine provided with my improved apron.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the same.
The machine shown in Figures 1 and 2, which contains a pair of drawing rolls,
and a feed-apron G to carry the wool to the rolls, is arranged as follows, that is to
sayA is the frame of the machine; B. B' are the drawing rolls; D is my
improved endless apron without a transverse joint or seam as herein before described,
passing between the said drawing rolls and around the tension roller C; G is an
apron for conveying the wool passing around the rollers H. H; and K. K. are the
screws and hand wheels for applying pressure to the drawing roll B. I is the
driving pulley of the drawing rolls
In the wool preparing machine shown in Figures 3 and 4, A is the frame,
E. E are the back drawing-rolls, F. represents the faller gills; L L are rolls for
conveying the fibre away from the machine; I is the driving pulley, and K. K. are
the pressure band wheels and screws,
The tension-roller C is placed below the drawing rolls and the endless seamless
apron D. traverses vertically around it and the lower drawing roll B'.
In the double machine represented in Figures 5 and 6, E E are the back drawing
rolls; F represents the faller gills; B B the front drawing rolls; L L rolls for
conveying the fibre away. I the driving pulley attached to roll B¹, and K, K,
pressure screws and hand wheels; the tension rollers C. C. are in this instance
placed above the drawing rolls and the endless seamless aprons D. D. pass around
the said rollers and vertically downward and around the top drawing roll B, each
drawing roll being made double to receive the two aprons.
By my invention I am enabled to attain a perfectly even draught upon the
fibre and to use an endless apron with the drawing rolls, which forms a much
more elastic cushion and gives a better grasp upon the fibre with little tendency
to injure or break it; I am also enabled to operate the machines with much less
pressure upon the drawing rolls than heretofore thereby effecting a considerable
reduction in the power required and in the wear of the machine.
Having thus fully described the said invention as cominunicated to me by my
Foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim.
The combination, with the drawing rolls of a wool-preparing machine, of a
travelling cushion or apron passing between them formed of an endless piece of
material without joint or seam, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Second day of November in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.