IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL, COTTON, SILK WASTE, TOW, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emile Hubner, of Mulhouse, in France, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL,
COTTON, SILK WASTE, TOW, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 22nd August 1854, and dated the 26th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emile Hubner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
June 1854.
I, EMILE HUBNER, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL, COTTON, SILK WASTE, Tow,
AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The object of the Invention is to lay the fibres of the wool or other fibrous
material in a longitudinal direction, and to convert the fibrous materials into
a long fleece or "lap," or into a band or sliver, in which state it is better
adapted for undergoing the combing or other operations employed in the
manufacture of fibrous materials.
The accompanying Drawing will serve to facilitate the explanation of the
nature of the Invention. The fibrous material is supplied to the machine by
means of a roller or cylinder b, covered with needles or combs, or card wire,
and revolving slowly in contact or in close proximity to a curved plate c; or
any other form of feeding apparatus may be employed. E is a cylinder, covered
with needles or combs or card wire, which revolves upon its axis in the

page_text: direction shewn by the single arrow. This cylinder E is, however,
mounted upon a frame or wheel, which turns in the direction of the double
arrow, carrying the axis of the cylinder E round in a circular path, which
enables its teeth or needles to enter the fibrous material A, hanging down like
a beard from the feeding apparatus, and thus to straighten out its fibres, and
also to charge the teeth of the cylinder E with fibrous material. The velocity
of the two motions of the cylinder E are so arranged that it continually and
gradually recedes a little, and thus presents new surfaces to the feeding appa-
ratus, which thus become charged with fibrous material. The ends of the
fibres which project from the feeding apparatus, which may be called the heads
of the fibres, are thus first straightened out, and they are then carried away by
the cylinder E, from which the opposite ends or tails of the fibres project. The
cylinder E is carried by its motion into close proximity with the cylinder G, which
is also covered with needles or combs, or card wire, and which is constantly
receding, as shewn by. the arrow, but revolves slower than the cylinder E. K
is a bar, carrying a comb, and one side of which carries a surface of leather i,
or other suitable elastic substance. This comb detaches the fibrous substance
B from E, and carries it into the teeth of the cylinder G. The motion of E
being more rapid than that of G; the fibrous: substance which is held by G
and is straightened by the advance of the teeth of E, while that portion of
fibrous substance which is more firmly held by E than by G is straightened,
by being drawn away from among the teeth of G, and again carried away by
E. By this means the opposite ends or tails of the fibres are straightened out,
still being kept in the same direction. The gradual receding of the cylinder E
causes this straightening effect to take place first on the ends of the fibres, and
gradually nearer to their middles, so that the whole of the fibrous substance is
thus straightened out very effectually, and passes away as a fleece or covering
to the cylinder G. From this cylinder it is removed by a comb or drawing
rollers, or any other of the ordinary means, and may either be wound up as a
long fleece or lap, or may be conveyed through a spout or funnel and one or
more pairs of rollers, so as to form it into a band or sliver. The modes of
communicating motion to the various parts may be varied, and two or more of
the cylinders E may be employed, and various modifications may be made,
provided the peculiar character of the Invention be retained, and which may
bo summed up as follows:-
1. The bringing a cylindrical surface E, furnished with needles or cards, in
contact with the head of a layer or mass of fibrous material A, forming a sort
of beard in front of the feeding apparatus.
2. The constant receding of the surface E as it becomes charged with fibrous

page_text: substance. This is described as the receding of the surface, because the points
of the needles are directed in the opposite direction to its motion on its axis,
and because the tails of the fibres with which the surface is charged are
presented by it to the second operation before the heads.
3. The bringing the tails of the fibres into contact with a second needle or
card surface G, against which they are gradually straightened out as they
approach it, begining with the points of the tails and advancing towards
the middle of the fibres. This second surface as it gradually recedes
carries the fibres in their original position, that is to say, with the head s first,
as at A.
4. The detaching, by a comb or other mechanical means, the fibrous sub-
stance on the cylinder E, so as to form a beard B, composed of the tails of the
fibres.
5. The transporting and pressing the beard B against the needle or card
surface G by any mechanical means, so as to attain the two objects of attaching
the fibres of this beard by their tails to the pointed surface G, and drawing
out their heads from among the needles of E if they are not too firmly held
there; and also when they are so firmly held by E, the drawing out the fibres
of the beard B from among the needles of G, so that the fibres are straightened
out by the successive contacts of the surfaces E and G.
6. The new or additional straightening action upon the heads of the fibres
by or against E, when their tails are held by G, on whose surface these
fibres are held or suspended within reach of E, as it constantly continues or
repeats its motion.
It may be remarked, that a fibre or flock of fibrous material may be exposed
for some time to the alternate and successive straightening action of the
surfaces E and G without its position being reversed, because the surface E
always acts upon the heads, while the surface G always acts upon the tails
of the fibres.
5
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Emile Hubner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EMILE
HUBNER, of Mulhouse, in France, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One

page_text: thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Emile Hubner,. Her special licence that I, the said Emile Hubner,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Emile Hubner, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WOOL, COTTON, SILK WASTE, TOW, AND
FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Emile Hubner, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
OTHER
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Emile Hubner, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of the Invention is to lay the fibres of the wool or other fibrous
material in a longitudinal direction, and to convert the fibrous material into a
long fleece or lap, or into a band or sliver, in which state it is better adapted
for undergoing the combing or other operations employed in the manufacture
of fibrous materials. Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing will serve to
facilitate the explanation of the nature of the Invention. The fibrous material
is supplied to the machine by means of a roller or cylinder b, covered with
needles or combs or wire card, and revolving slowly in contact or in close
proximity to a curved plate c; or any other suitable form of feeding apparatus
may be employed. E is a cylinder, covered with needles or combs or wire card,
which revolves upon its axis in the direction shown by the single arrow. This
cylinder E is, however, mounted upon a frame or wheel, which turns in the
direction of the double arrow, carrying the axis of the cylinder E round in a
circular path, which enables its teeth or necilles to enter the fibrous material
A, hanging down like a beard from the feeding apparatus, and thus to
straighten out its fibres, and also to charge the teeth of the cylinder E with
fibrous material. The velocity of the two motions of the cylinder E are so
arranged that it continually and gradually recedes a little, and thus presents

page_text: new surfaces to the feeding apparatus, and becomes charged with fibrous
material. The ends of the fibres which project from the feeding apparatus,
which may be called the heads of the fibres, are thus first straightened out, and
they are then carried away by the cylinder E, from which the opposite ends or
tails of the fibres project. The cylinder E is carried by its motion into close
proximity with the cylinder G, which is also covered with needles or combs or
wire card, and which is constantly receding, as shown by the arrow, but with
a slower motion than that of the cylinder E, indicated by the double arrow.
K is a bar, having a reciprocating motion and carrying a comb, and also a
surface i, of leather or other suitable elastic substance. This comb detaches
the fibrous material B from E, and carries it into the teeth of the cylinder G.
The motion of E being more rapid than that of G, the fibrous material which
is held by G and i is straightened by the advance of the teeth of E, whilo
that portion of fibrous material which is more firmly held by E than by G, is
straightened by being drawn away from among the teeth of G, and again
carried away by E. By this means the opposite ends or tails of the fibres are
straightened out, still being kept in the same direction. The gradual receding
of the cylinder E causes this straightening effect to take place, first on the ends
of the fibres, and gradually nearer to their middles, so that the whole of the
fibrous material is thus straightened out very effectually, and passes away as a
fleece or covering to the cylinder G. From this cylinder it is removed by a
comb or drawing rollers, or any other of the ordinary means, and may either
be wound up as a long fleece or lap, or may be conveyed through a spout or
funnel and one or more pairs of rollers, so as to form it into a band or sliver.
The modes of communicating motion to the various parts may be varied, and
two or more of the cylinders E may be employed, and various modifications
may be made, provided the peculiar character of the Invention be retained,
and which may be summed up as follows:-
First, the bringing a cylindrical surface E, furnished with needles or combs
or cards, in contact with the head of a layer or mass of fibrous material A,
forming a sort of beard in front of the feeding apparatus.
Second, the constant receding of the surface E as it becomes charged
with fibrous material. This is described as the receding of the surface,
because the points of the needles or wires are directed in the opposite
direction to its motion on its axis, and because the tails of the fibres with
which the surface is charged are presented by it to the second operation
before the heads.
Third, the bringing the tails of the fibres into contact with a second needle
or card surface G, against which they are gradually straightened out as they

page_text: approach it, beginning with the points of the tails, and advancing towards the
middle of the fibres. This second surface as it gradually recedes carries
the fibres in their original position, that is to say, with the heads first, as
at A.
Fourth, the detaching by a comb or other mechanical means the fibrous
material on the cylinder E, so as to form a beard B, composed of the tails of
the fibres.
Fifth, the transporting and pressing the beard B against the needle or card
surface G by any mechanical means, so as to attain the two objects of attach-
ing the fibres of this beard by their tails to the pointed surface G, and
drawing out their heads from among the needles of E, if they are not too
firmly held there; and also when they are so firmly held by E, the drawing
out the fibres of the beard B from among the needles of G, so that the fibres
are straightened out by the successive contacts of the surfaces E and G.
Sixth, the new or additional straightening action upon the heads of the
fibres by or against E, when their tails are held by G, on whose surface these
fibres are held or suspended within reach of E, as it constantly continues or
repeats its motion.
In Figure 2 I have shewn a section of a machine constructed according to
my Invention.
a is an endless web or cloth, on which is placed the fibrous
substance, either in a rough state or as a lap previously prepared. b, c, d, is
a feeding apparatus, consisting of a roller or cylinder b, covered with teeth or
wire cards, which revolves slowly under a curved plate c, and thus conveys the
wool or other fibrous substance into the machine in the form of a beard. The
ends of the filaments thus presented to the operation of the machine may be
distinguished as the heads of the filaments, while the opposite ends of the
filaments may be called the tails. The roller d is similar to b, and revolves in
the same direction, and serves to strip it from adhering fibrous substance,
which is returned into the machine. Any other suitable feeding apparatus
may be substituted for that shewn in the Drawing. f is a shaft or spindle,
carrying two parallel discs, one of which, h, is shewn in the Drawing, and
which revolves in the direction of the double arrows. c, e, are two cylinders,
which are mounted between the discs h, and are capable of revolving upon
their axes.
These cylinders are covered with needles, mounted on gills, or
with points or combs or wire cards. One, two, three, or more of these
cylinders may be employed. For each revolution of the discs h, in the direction
of the double arrow, the cylinders e, e, make one revolution and a fraction in
their bearings, as, for example, one-fiftieth part of a revolution, or more or less,
in the opposite direction, so that each cylinder on returning to the feeding

page_text: apparatus will have receded one-fiftieth of a revolution, or more or less, and
will thus present a fresh surface for the reception of the fibrous substance.
In operating upon long and tender fibrous substances, the speed of the
cylinders e, e, may be increased to two revolutions and one-fiftieth part of a
revolution, or such other proportion as may be desired. This augmentation of
speed has the effect of producing less strain upon the filaments, in consequence
of the needles altering their relative position with regard to them.
The cylinders e, c, are driven in the following manner:-The shaft f turns
in two sockets or bearings, fixed to the framing of the machine, which carries a
fixed pulley b' concentric with the shaft f. c', c', are pulleys fixed on the
spindles of the cylinders e, e. d', d', d', are guide pulleys, supported on pins on
the disc h; a strap or band e" is carried round the pulleys b', c', d¹, as shown
in the Drawing. The cylinders e, e, are thus caused to revolve in the opposite
direction to that of the discs h. The same effect may be obtained by substituting
toothed wheels for the pulleys
and c', and connecting them by intermediate
wheels, in lieu of the strap e¹ and guide pulleys d'.
K is a bar extending the whole length of the cylinders c. Its upper part is
covered with a band of leather e', and to its lower side is fixed a comb g'. This
bar K carries at each extremity a pin p, which pins turn in holes or sockets at
the ends of the guide levers 7, one only of which is shown in the Drawing. lis
a connecting rod, attached to the bar K, and jointed at q to the end of a slotted
lever m, which receives a reciprocating motion from a pin or rollern, mounted
on the disc O. The course of the bar K is indicated by dotted lines. a' is a
spring, which may be employed to render the motion more easy. When two
cylinders e, e, are employed, as shown in the Drawing, the disc O is made to
perform two revolutions for each revolution of the discs h.
3
g is a cylinder, covered with needles or points or wire card, which revolves
very slowly in the direction of the arrow. It is against this cylinder that the
filaments brought round by the cylinders e, e, are discharged, and carded
or straightened. As each of the cylinders e passes the cylinder g, the comb
of the bar K, moving with a greater velocity than the cylinder e, overtakes it,
and detaches from it a certain length of the lap of filaments attached to it, so
as to form a sort of beard, which is pressed by the leather band e¹ against the
surface of the cylinder g. This action of the bar K produces two effects;
firstly, the attaching to the needles or cards of g those filaments which are not
too strongly held by the cylinder e; and, secondly, the causing the filaments,
which are strongly held by e, to enter among the needles or cards of g, so as to
be carded and straightened by them when again drawn out by the motion of e.
As the cylinder e recedes in the direction of the single arrow one-fiftieth of a

page_text: revolution, more or less, at each revolution of the discs h, it gradually presents
the tails of the filaments to the operation of the cylinder g, to which they are
ultimately transferred by the action of the bar K.
The heads of the filaments, which undergo a certain amount of carding or
straightening by the action of the cylinders e upon them before they are
carried away from the feeding apparatus b, c, d, are again operated upon a
second time by the same cylinders e, after the tails of the filaments have become
attached to the cylinder g, from which the heads project within reach of the
cylinders e. It should be observed that a filament or a flock composed of
several filaments may remain for a considerable time exposed to the action of
the cylinders g and e, being alternately seized by each, and carded or
straightened by the other. Notwithstanding these repeated operations,
however, the direction of the filaments will not be reversed, because the
cylinders e always operate upon the heads of the filaments, while the cylinder
g always operates upon their tails.
The filaments, being thus straightened and laid parallel to each other, are
removed from the cylinder g in the form of a lap or fleece, either by a comb,
having a reciprocating movement, or by two rollers i, j, one of which, i, is
covered with an elastic substance, while the other, j, is fluted. It is advan-
tageous to drive the surface of these rollers at a greater velocity than the
surface of the cylinder g, so as to produce an elongation of the lap, by drawing
the filaments through the teeth of the cylinder g.
The lap may be converted immediately into a ribbon or sliver by passing it
directly through a funnel y and a pair of rollers =. I consider it preferable,
however, to insert a drawing apparatus between the rollers and the rollers
i, j, and this drawing apparatus may vary in construction according to the
nature of the fibrous substance to be operated upon. Thus, for fibrous
substances of short staple, several pairs of drawing rollers may be employed,
each pair consisting of a fluted roller and a pressure roller, covered with leather.
For fibrous substances of long staple, gills may be employed; for fibrous
substances of a medium length of staple, the arrangement shewn in the
Drawing may be employed. s is an apron or curved plate, which receives the
lap from the rollers i, j, and has a curved prolongation concentric with the
circular comb u, and which presses the lap into the teeth or needles of this
comb. The apron s may be pivotted on a pin t, so as to allow it to move away
from the comb u, in the event of its becoming choked with an accumulation of
the fibrous substance. v is a fluted iron roller; and a is a pressure roller,
covered with an elastic material. These two rollers v and a draw the filaments
through the teeth of the comb u, and deliver them to the rollers z. The

page_text: ribbon or sliver issuing from the rollers may be received in a can, or wound
upon bobbins, or passed through a revolving funnel or tube, or twisted by a
bobbin and flyer, or combed or treated by any suitable known process, as may
be required. The cylinders e and g may be heated, if required. The circles
and lines drawn in red ink indicate the wheels and pulleys and straps which
communicate the motions to the different parts of the machine. The construc-
tion of the machine may be varied, as, for example, by making some of the
moveable parts stationary, and vice versa, while still retaining its peculiar
character, as herein-before described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I claim
is, the construction of machinery for preparing wool, cotton, silk waste, tow,
and other fibrous materials, in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emile Hubner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
EMILE HUBNER. (L.S.)