IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND COMBING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Sharp Bailey, Wool Comber, and William
Henry Bailey, Mechanic, both of Keighley, in the County of York, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND
COMBING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Sharp Bailey and
William Henry Bailey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 12th May 1858.
We, JOSEPH SHARP BAILEY, Wool Comber, and WILLIAM HENRY BAILEY,
Mechanic, both of Keighley, in the County of York, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING
AND COMBING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in apparatus or machinery for preparing wool and other
fibrous materials relates to a peculiar combination of circular or endless
guides, grooves, or channels, with rotatory comb frames, for the purpose of
controlling the motion of the taking combs or instruments on their own axes
or points of motion. The guides, grooves, or channels, are mounted on an
axis eccentric to the comb frame, but with which they rotate and perform an
equal number of revolutions; crank pins project from the lever arms fixed
on the axes of the combs or taking instruments, which pins are received in
the grooves or channels before mentioned; stops are placed in the grooves or
channels, one for each crank pin. The crank pins coming in contact with
the stops carry the grooves or guides round with them, but which, by reason,

page_text: of their eccentricity, control the lever arms fixed to the comb axes, and causo
them to assume the different positions required.
Secondly, our Invention relates to combing wool and other fibrous materials
by operating on the wool or other fibrous materials by means of taking
instruments individually or in combination with other instruments, whereby
the fibrous material is taken from the feeding apparatus and transferred to
the receiving comb, in such manner that the end of the wool or other fibrous
material which is last in leaving the feeding apparatus shall become the first
end when delivered on to the receiving comb, that is to say, the wool or other
fibrous material leaving the feeding apparatus shall be delivered in such
manner that the teeth of the receiving comb shall receive or come in contact
with the end of the fibrous material which was last on leaving the feeding
apparatus, in contradistinction to the practice heretofore adopted in transferring
wool or other fibrous material from a feeding apparatus to a receiving comb.
This is effected by either of the following methods :-
We mount a taking instrument upon a revolving frame, which instrument
has rotary motion upon its own axis. This instrument takes the wool or
other fibrous material from a feeding apparatus, and deposits that part of the
fibrous material which was last to leave the feeding apparatus upon the teeth
of the receiving comb.
According to another arrangement, we mount a taking instrument upon a
revolving frame, which takes the fibrous material from the feeding apparatus;
from this instrument the fibrous material is transferred to another instrument
(which has rotary motion upon its own axis), which said other instrument
deposits the fibrous material in such manner that the end of the detached
portion of fibrous material which was last in leaving the feeding apparatus shall
be the part in contact with the teeth of the receiving comb when deposited
thereon.
According to a third arrangement we mount a taking instrument upon an
oscillating frame; this instrument has rotary motion upon its axis, and takes
the fibrous material from the feeding apparatus, and deposits it in such
manner that the end of the detached portion of fibrous material which was
last in leaving the feeding apparatus shall be the part in contact with the
teeth of the receiving comb when deposited thereon.
Another part of our Invention relates to the application of a pressing
surface to exert a pressure on card surfaces employed in carding or combing
machinery, which has a tendency to bend the wires to their original form
after they have been straightened or partially straightened by contact with
the receiving comb or surface or the material thereon.

page_text: We also apply emery or other grinding material on such surface for the
purpose of sharpening the card teeth, which is effected by rubbing contact
therewith.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Sharp Bailey and William Henry Bailey in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPHI
SHARP BAILEY, Wool Comber, and WILLIAM HENRY BAILEY, Mechanic, both
of Keighley, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Пer heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Joseph Sharp Bailey and William Henry Bailey, Her special licence, that we,
the said Joseph Sharp Bailey and William Henry Bailey, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Sharp Bailey
and William Henry Bailey, our 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND COMBING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Joseph Sharp Bailey and William Henry Bailey, our executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our or their, or ono
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 Joseph Sharp Bailey, do hereby
declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being bad to the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
Our Invention of improvements in apparatus or machinery for preparing
wool and other fibrous materials relates to a peculiar combination of circular

page_text: or endless guides, grooves, or channels, with rotatory comb frames, for the
purpose of controlling the motion of the taking combs or instruments on their
own axes or points of motion. The guides, grooves, or channels are mounted on
an axis eccentric to the comb frame, but with which they rotate and perform an
equal number of revolutions. Crank pins project from the lever armis fixed
on the axes of the combs or taking instruments, which pins are received in the
grooves or channels before mentioned. Stops are placed in the grooves or
channels; the crank pins coming in contact with the stops carry the grooves
or guides round with them, but which by reason of their eccentricity control
the lever arms fixed to the comb axes, and cause them to assume the different
positions required.
Secondly, our Invention relates to combing wool and other fibrous materials
by operating on the wool or other fibrous materials by means of taking instru-
ments individually or in combination with other instruments, whereby the
fibrous material is taken from the feeding apparatus and transferred to the
receiving comb in such manner that the end of the wool or other fibrous
material which is last in leaving the feeding apparatus shall become the first
end when delivered on to the receiving comb, that is to say, the wool or other
fibrous material leaving the feeding apparatus shall be delivered in such
manner that the teeth of the receiving comb shall receive or come in contact
with the end of the fibrous material which was last in leaving the feeding
apparatus, in contradistinction to the practice heretofore adopted (in trans-
ferring wool or other fibrous material from a feeding apparatus to a receiving
comb.
This is effected by either of the following methods :-
We mount a taking instrument upon a revolving frame, which instrument
has rotary motion upon its own axis. This instrument takes the wool or
other fibrous material from a feeding apparatus and deposits that part of the
fibrous material which was last to leave the feeding apparatus upon the teeth
of the receiving comb.
According to another arrangement we mount a taking instrument upon a
revolving frame, which takes the fibrous material from the feeding apparatus;
from this instrument the fibrous material is transferred to another instru-
ment (which has rotary (motion upon its axis), which said other instrument
deposits the fibrous material in such manner that the end of the detached
portion of fibrous material which was last in leaving the feeding apparatus
shall be the part in contact with the teeth of the receiving comb when
deposited thereon.
According to a third arrangement we mount a taking instrument upon an

page_text: a rotating comb frame, in which the combs are mounted and arranged for the
purpose of preparing wool and other fibrous material, and in which the combs
are controlled in their position during the rotation of the comb frame by endless
guides, grooves, or channels, into which the crank pins of crank or lever arms
fixed on the comb bars or axes enter. The purpose of and the effect on the
combs is precisely similar to the rotating preparer or comb frame described in
the Specification of a Patent granted to one of us (Joseph Sharp Bailey) and
to Isaac Bailey, and bearing date the Twentieth day of November One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one, but in which the guide groove or controlling
channel was a fixture, whereas in this machine it revolves in the same direction.
as the comb frame. a, a, is the rotating comb frame, mounted on and driven
by its shaft b, as usual; on the periphery of a are mounted a number of comb.
bars, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c., free to rotate in their bearings. All the odd numbers
1, 3, 5, &c., have arms c, c, fixed thereon at one side of the revolving frame d,
while all the even numbers 2, 4, 6, &c., have like arms fitted to the opposite
ends, so that one half of these arms are distributed on one side of the revolving
frame, while the other half are disposed on the other side of the frame. d, d, is
the guide race, in which the pins e, e, of arms c enter. This guide race is.
mounted on arms f, f, united to an inner ring or boss g, which is fitted on an
eccentrich, fixed to the framework of the machine; i is a pin or stop-piece,
of which there may be more, in order to keep the guide race in the same
relative position, or nearly so, with regard to the revolving frame. The centre
ring of the guide, race being properly lubricated, revolves freely on the.

page_text: eccentric h, and in unison with the motion of the revolving frame, by reason of
the eccentricity of the guide race, the crank arms c and pins c are so acted on
as to control and dispose the comb teeth as represented at the different points
in the revolution, whereby they take wool or other fibrous material from the
feed head c, and deliver it to the drawing-off rollers D, and as well under-
stood.
It will be observed that the feed head and drawing-off rollers are adapted to
enter between the revolving side frames a, a. It is not absolutely essential to
introduce the stop pins i, as this arrangement of gear will perform all necessary
functions without such stop-pins. By this arrangement of gear much less
wear and tear results, as the inner rings and g are the only parts subject
thereto, besides which the machine works much smoother and more equally
than with such guide races in fixed positions, according to the Specification of
the Patent herein-before referred to.
It is almost unnecessary to add that there is a guide race d on either side of
the machine, the one acting on the even numbers 2, 4, 6, &c., the other
acting on the odd numbers, 1, 3, 5, &c.
Figure 2, Sheet B, represents a lateral section of a machine for combing
wool and other fibrous materials, in which a frame k revolving on a shaft / has
mounted upon it two taking instruments, consisting of card cylinders or other
pointed surfaces m, m, which have a rotatory motion on their own axes n, n,
simultaneously with the motion of the frame k; p is the driving shaft, on
which a pinion q is fixed, this pinion gears with two intermediate stud wheels
r, r, which transmit the motion to a wheel s fixed on the shaft ; this wheel
has four times the number of teeth as the pinion q. t is a ring of eighteen
teeth, fixed to the framework of the machine, which gears with two wheels o, o,
each of twenty teeth, one fixed on each axis n, n; the gearing may be varied
according to the purpose intended. E is the feed head, and F the receiving
comb, both as usual in combing machinery. The red circles represent
the pitch lines of gear for driving the feeding head, and also for com- S
municating motion to a cylindrical card or pointed surface w mounted in
journals or brackets u; v is a brush, or it may be a stiff pointed doffing
surface, which being mounted on shaft p, performs four revolutions for cach
revoluting of frame k.
The action of the machine is this:-The cards or other pointed cylindrical s
instruments m, m, take wool or other fibrous materials from the feed head E,
which, according to the tension upon it, embeds itself more or less in the teeth
of the card, and is further assisted in this by the wool, &c., passing between
m, m, and the cylinder w, which also has the effect of partially combing or

page_text: carding and cleansing the wool or other fibrous material. In this way by the
repeated passing of the cylinders m, m, they become partially enveloped in a
coating of the wool or fibrous material taken up from the feed head, those
cylinders presenting a different part of their surface thereto at each revolution
of the revolving frame, by reason of the slow revolving motion on their own
axes n, n, induced by the gearing t and o, o. Having become so coated with
the fibrous material at each revolution, they now deposit a part of such coating
of fibrous material on the receiving comb F at each revolution of the frame,
that comb slightly penetrating the card surfaces m, m, for that purpose; at this
point also the parts of the surfaces of m, m, presented to the receiving comb,
are being continually and slowly changed. This change of surface takes place
in a retrograde direction by reason of the wheel t being smaller than the
wheels o, o.
The action of the doffer is so timed that it arrives at the
comb F simultaneously, or nearly so, with each of the card surfaces m, m, and
by its superior velocity assists in stripping a portion of the fibrous material
from the cylinders m, in, and depositing it on the receiving comb F. The
doffer, if a stiff pointed surface, enters the card surfaces m, m, and draws out
the ends of the fibres in its doffing action.
Figure 3, Sheet B, is a lateral vertical section of a revolving frame, in
which the wool or fibrous material, instead of being taken from the feeding
head by the cylindrical card or pointed surfaces, as in the machine last herein
described, is taken by taking combs from the feed head and transferred to
card or pointed surfaces, or instruments which deliver it to the receiving
comb.
Figure 4, Sheet B, represents a lateral section on the same plane as
Figure 3, but shewing the opposite end of the machine.
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet A, represent partial sections one of either end of
the revolving frame in line with the shaft M thereof; G, G, are the sides of
the revolving frame, on which the taking combs y are mounted, the comb bars
being fixed on arms a, a, which arms are fitted on axes. These axes have
each a spur wheel j, j, fixed thereto, gearing with intermediate stud wheels
jj, mounted on the arms of the frame G; these intermediate wheels all
gearing with a central fixed ring of teeth II, having the same number of teeth
as the wheels j. By this arrangement of gearing the combs perform no
revolving motion on their own axes, but by the motion of the revolving frame
are each caused to pass in close proximity, or in contact with one of the
cylindrical card or pointed surfaces J, I. The action of the combs y, y, is to
take a tuft of wool or other fibrous material from the feeding head E at cach
time of passing, and delivering it on to the card or pointed cylinder working

page_text: in connection therewith, which it does at the position marked 1'. The card or
pointed surfaces or instruments I, I, have a slow rotary motion on their own
axes, as will be herein after explained, whereby a different part of their
surface is presented to the combs y, y, to receive the fibrous material at each
revolution of the revolving frame, which it takes up on its surface, and
which fibrous material envelopes or coats it thoroughly at one part of its
circumference after performing a certain number of revolutions, the continued
motion maintaining the accumulation of the fibrous material on the cylindrical
surfaces I, I. The surfaces I, I, deliver a portion of the fibrous material so
taken up to the receiving comb F at each revoluting of the frame, but by
reason of the slow motion of I, I, on their own axes before mentioned, a
change in those parts of the surfaces of I, I, takes place at each time they are
presented to the receiving comb F, which slightly penetrates those surfaces
and removes a portion of wool or other fibrous material therefrom. The
section, Figure 6, represents the arrangement of differential gearing for
giving the slow rotary motion to the cylindrical or other pointed instruments
or surfaces on their own axes; 31 is a pinion (the numerals indicate the
number of teeth in each pinion) keyed on the shaft of the revolving frame;
this pinion gears into a stud pinion 32 (the stud L being fixed and stationary),
which pinion 32 is of a piece with pinion 31, which pinion 31ª gears with another
pinion 30 placed loose on the shaft M; this latter pinion 32 is of a piece
with another pinion 24 which is in gear with the intermediate wheels N, N,
mounted on studs fixed in the arms of the revolving frame. The intermediate
wheels are also in gear with the pinions R mounted on the axes P of the card
or pointed surfaces 1, I, whereby those surfaces receive and are controlled in
their motion.
We prefer that the change of that part of the card or pointed surfaces
of I, I, presented to the receiving comb should be in a retrograde direction,
that is to say, in a direction contrary to the revolution of the machine, but
they may have motion communicated to them in an advance direction, which is
effected by varying the relative sizes of pinions R and 24.
Figure 7, Sheet B, represents in lateral vertical section another arrangement
of machinery for combing wool and other fibrous materials, according to our
Invention. In this case only one card or other pointed cylindrical surface S is
employed. It is mounted on an axis supported by the pendant arms T, T
(one on either side of the machine). Rotary motion is communicated to the
cylinder or instrument S by means of a spur wheel keyed on its axis S'. of
which the red circle U shews the pitch line; this gears with a wheel V
mounted on shaft W, from which the arms T depend; another wheel W

page_text: fixed on same shaft, gears with an intermediate stud wheel W, which receives
motion from a pinion W on the driving shaft X. The speed of shaft X is
two revolutions for one of W, and the gearing of shafts W and S' is such, that
S performs rather less than one revolution for two revolutions of W, the
wheels having, say, the one twenty and the other forty-two teeth. The other
red circles shew the pitch lines of wheels for communicating motion to the
feed head, there being, two, one double and one single stud wheel inter-.
mediate of the wheel V and the feeding head. The shaft W is furnished with
cranks Y, Y, one at either end, which crauks are connected by rods Y¹ to the
upper ends of oscillating levers Y", mounted on fixed fulcra at Y; the lower
ends of levers are connected by rods T with the lower ends of arms T,
thereby imparting an oscillating motion to arms T, T, as indicated by the dotted
positions shewn, causing the cylinder S to approach the feeding head E and the
receiving comb F alternately, at the same time that it receives rotary motion.
The action of this machine upon the wool and other fibrous material is some-
what similar to that of the machines herein-before described. The card or
pointed surface of the cylinder S, when it approaches the feeding head,.
takes hold of a portion of the fibrous material by reason of its rotation, and
continues to do so at each oscillation until it becomes partially coated or
enveloped in it. At each time the cylinder S approaches the receiving.
comb F, it delivers a portion of the fibrous material thereto, and this soon
after the machine is first put in motion, but no regular and uniform quantity
passes to the receiving comb until an uniform coating has been taken up by S
on part of its surface, as shown, which is also the case in the machinery
herein-before described. The teeth of the receiving comb penetrate into the
card surface, and detach a portion of the wool or fibrous material therefrom,
in which it is assisted by a doffing brush or pointed instrument K, as before
mentioned with reference to Figure 2, which being mounted on and rotating
with the driving shaft X, has a comparatively quick motion, and assists in
stripping off the portion of wool or fibrous material from the surface S, and
depositing it upon the receiving comb F. In this machine we also mount a
card or other pointed pressing surface Z, which receives a slow motion from
the feeding head, as seen by the red circles representing the pitch lines of the
gearing. The card or other pressing or pointed surface Z is mounted on an
axis in suitable brackets on the main framing, and held in such position that
the cylinder S rotates in close proximity or contact therewith while it is taking
the fibrous material from the feeding head, which surface Z, pressing on the
surface of S, forces the fibres into its teeth, and at the same time partially
combs the fibrous material. Instead of a card cylinder, it may be a brush

page_text: or other surface rotating on its axis, or may be simply a fixed pressing
surface. If a rotating comb or card surface Z is employed, we further add a
stationary or other stripper Z', which strips any fibres from cylinder Z that
may collect thercon.
The last part of our Invention relates to a pressing surface, which acts
upon the card surfaces employed in acting on the wool or fibrous material, as
described. For this purpose we prefer to employ a roller J, which is repre-
sented in Figures 3 & 4, mounted on the comb frame, in such position as to
bear hard against the card teeth, and so tend to bend them in the proper
direction to keep them of their original form. This roller may either be
fixed and turned occasionally as it wears, or it may have slow rotary motion
on its axis from the motion of the revolving frame by gearing, in manner
similar to that adopted in driving the card surfaces in Figures 2, 3, and 4, or
in any other suitable manner. This roller may be simply of hard steel, or it
may be faced with emery or other grinding material, so as to sharpen the card
teeth, at the same time as it exerts the bending action. One of these pressing
surfaces or rollers are applied to each card surface it is desired to act on
in this way.
In all these combing machines, Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7, tho
wool or other fibrous material is cleansed by the instruments m, I, & S, at
the time & after it is deposited by them on the receiving comb F.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Sharp Bailey, on behalf of
myself and the said William Henry Bailey, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
WILLIAM CLARK,
Patent Agent,
JOSEPH SHARP BAILEY. (L.S.)
53, Chancery Lane, London.