CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBING OF WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
EDMUND DONISTHORPE, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Worsted
Spinner, and HENRY RAWSON, of the same place, Hosier, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Third day of April, in the fifth year of His reign, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said George
Edmund Donisthorpe and Henry Rawson, His especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that we, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe
and Henry Rawson, our exors, adñññors, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said George Edmund Donisthorpe and Henry Rawson, our exors, adiñors,
or 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 law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE COMBING OF WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters.
Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe
and Henry Rawson, or one of us, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be enrolled in His said 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
George Edmund Donisthorpe and Henry Rawson, do hereby declare the

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine constructed according to our Inven-
tion; Figure 2, an end view thereof; and Figure 3 is a plan; in each of
which Figures the same letters of reference indicate similar parts, a, a, being
the framing of the machine, the construction of which will be evident on an
examination of the Drawing; b is the main or driving shaft turning in suit-
able bearings on each side of the machine. This main shaft is to be driven
by strap or band from any first mover. On the main shaft is affixed a
pinion which takes into and drives the toothed wheel c on the shaft c. This
wheel c takes into and drives the toothed wheel d, which is affixed on the
shaft e.
The shaft e and the shaft c turn in suitable bearings on each side of
the machine: On each of the wheels c and d are two projections or studs f,.
which cause the combs g, g, to comb out the wool, as will be fully described
hereafter. h, h, are the tables or carriages of the combs 9, 9. These tables
or carriages are capable of sliding along the upper rails of the framing a, such
upper rails forming parallel guides for the same, as is clearly shown by the
Drawing. Through these tables or carriages h, h, are formed openings or slits
shown by dotted lines. These openings or slits act as guides to the holders i, i,
of the combs g. 9, whereby the holders are capable of movement at right
angles to the course moved through by the carriages or tables h, h. The
combs 9, 9, are retained in the holders i, i, by means of the lever handles j, j,
which move on inclined surfaces, and are consequently made to press on the
surface of the heads of the combs g, g, sufficiently to retain them securely in
their places; and they are further held by studs being affixed to the holders
which pass into the comb heads below the tables; and affixed thereto are
forked projections i, i, which pass through the openings or slits formed in the
tables or carriages h, h. These projections i, i, are worked from side to side
by the frame k, k, which, turning on the axes or shaft l, l, is caused to rock
to and fro by the projecting arm m, which is worked by the excentric groove n
affixed on the shaft e. The carriages or tables h, h, are drawn inwards by the
weights which are suspended on cords or straps o, o, which straps pass over

page_text: .
friction pullics p, p.:: By this means the weights have a constant tendency to
draw..the combs into the centre of the machine so soon as it is released by
the studs passing beyond the projecting arms q on the tables. or carriages h,
as will be more clearly understood when we come to trace the manner of
action of the various parts. On the. shaft c is: affixed a driving tooth or catch
r, which takes into and drives the ratchet wheel's one tooth at every. revolu-
tion of the shaft.c. This ratchet wheel turns on an axis at t. 'To this ratchet
is affixed the pulley v, and on this pulley v is affixed the cord or strap w,
which strap or cord w is also affixed to the pulley a on the shaft y, the shaft y
turning,. in: suitable bearings on each side of the machine; all which is very
clearly shown by the various. Figures in the Drawing. On the shaft y there
are two. other pullies z, z, having cords or straps A, A, affixed thereto, such
cords.or straps A, A, being also affixed to the end of the guage or graduated
plates B:.. These guage or graduated plates, it will bo seen, have graduated
steps, against 'which, the tables or carriages h, h, are drawn at each working
of the .machine.; and in proportion as these guage or graduated plates are
raised, the nearer the carriages or tables h will be able to approach to the
centre of the machine, and consequently the combs 9, 9, will take hold and
comb-additional quantities of the wool or other fibrous material. The guage or
graduated plates Bare guided up by the bars C, which pass through openings
or guides made in the framing a, as is clearly indicated by the various Figures
in the Drawing at. D. .: On to the ratchet wheels is affixed an inclined pro-
jection. E, which, in. the course of the moving round of the ratchet wheel,
comes under the lever F, affixed to the shaft G, which turns in bearings H,
and on. this shaft are also affixed the levers I and J, the lever I being for the
purpose of throwing out the click or catch K from the ratchet wheel, by
which the parts of the machine will be released and returned to positions
suitable to be again started. The lever J is for the purpose of sliding the drum,
on the driving shaft b, out of gear by the forked handle L, when the machine is
to be stopped at the time when it has finished combing a quantity of wool.
The combs. which hold the wool to be operated on, next to be described,
have a motion upwards, in order to take the wool out of the way of the
combs g, g; when those combs are being drawn into the centre of the
machine, the holding combs descending, in order to lay the wool amongst
the points of the combs'g, g. In order to obtain this upward and downward
motion, the.combs M, M, are placed in the frame N, and retained their in a
similar manner to the combs g, g, on the holders i, i. The framing N (the
arrangement of which is clearly shewn in the various Figures) is affixed to
the spindle or bar O, which moves vertically or perpendicularly through open-

page_text: ings in the cross head P, and the cross framing of the machine Q, and from
the top of which is a strap passing over pulleys to which a weight is sus-
pended, the cross head being supported by the two guide rods R affixed to the
cross framing Q, and it is by means of the guide rods R, and the bar or spin-
dle O, that the frame N is constrained to rise and fall vertically or perpendi-
cularly, and the bar or spindle O is caused to rise by the studs f, on the
wheels c and d coming successively under the studs or projections S, on the
spindle or bar O.
Having thus explained the nature of the Invention, and the arrangement
of the parts for giving the requisite motion to the combs according to our
Invention, we will describe the manner of action:-A quantity of wool or
other fibrous material which the machine is capable of combing, is to be placed
on each of the combs g, g, and M, M. The machine being in the position
shewn in the Figure 1, motion being communicated to the main shaft b, will,
by the pinion thereon, communicate motion to the toothed wheel c, and thence
to the other parts of the machine, as has been already described. The first
portion of the motion will cause the combs M, M, to be raised sufficiently
high to remove the wool out of the way of the combs g, g, which will be-drawn
towards the centre of the machine immediately they are released by the
studs passing the projecting arms q, on the tables or carriages h; but the
distance between the combs g, g, and the combs M, M, will depend on
the height to which the guage plates B have been raised. These plates are
raised one step each revolution of the shaft c; the combs g, g, will therefore
be continually approaching more nearly to the combs M, M, till the plates B
are so much raised as to permit the tables h, h, to approach the plates B below
the lowest step or gradation, when the machine will continue to work, and,
notwithstanding the plates B continuing to rise, there being only parallel sur-
faces against which the tables come, the combs g, g, will successively come to
the same position till the inclined projection E, on the ratchet wheels, comes
under the lever F, which will stop the machine. The wool which has been
combed is then to be removed, and a fresh quantity placed in the machine.
It should be remarked, that the combs g, g, are continually moving from side
to side of the machine at the same time that they are combing out the wool.
From the foregoing description it will have become evident that the object
of the Invention is to obtain the peculiar motions to the combs 9, 9, and M, M,
and it will be equally evident to the intelligent mechanic that the details by
which such movements are obtained may be in some degree varied, and yet
obtain the same results. We do not, therefore, confine our Invention to the
precise arrangements of details herein described, though they are the best we

page_text: are acquainted with. But we claim the giving to combs 9, 9, and M, M, the
peculiar motions herein described. Though the principal object of our machine
is to comb wool, it will also be found useful for combing goat hair.
In conclusion we would state, that we do not claim any of the parts sepa-
rately of which the machine is composed, nor in combination otherwise than
when they are to be used for obtaining the object of our Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.