IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Fielding Johnson, of Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Spinner, Alfred Staples, of the same Place, Overlooker, and Edward
Barradell, of the same Place, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRE."
Sealed the 6th November 1877, and dated the 3rd September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Fielding Johnson,
Alfred Staples, and Edward Barradell at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 3rd September 1877.
THOMAS FIELDING JOHNSON, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Spinner,
ALFRED STAPLES, of the same Place, Overlooker, and EDWARD BARRADELL, of the
same Place, Manager. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND
OTHER FIBRE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for combing wool
and other fibre.
In combing by means of machines such as are known as Noble's, in which two
circular combs are employed, there is difficulty in preventing knots escaping the
action of the teeth by passing between the combs when the slivers are pressed down
into the teeth at the place where the two combs meet. To obviate this difficulty
we submit the slivers to a preparatory treatment before they are pressed down by a
brush into the teeth of the circular combs, and this treatment consists in cleaning a
narrow portion or transverse band of each sliver at a short distance from its end,
such portion or band being in such a position that when the slivers are patted down
the centre of the band falls at the meeting of the two circular combs.
We effect this object in the following manner :-The ends of the slivers, as they
are brought round by the machine to the meeting point where the brush presses
them down, are supported on a cover plate fixed immediately above the comb teeth.
Upon this cover plate we fix a blade, standing up from the surface of the plate, and
the length of the blade is nearly (but, preferably, not quite) in the direction in
Price Gd 1

page_text: which the slivers travel round. Over this blade we mount a rod, which receives an
up-and-down motion of short stroke, and conveniently it may take its motion by
connection with the brush gear. This bar carries at its lower end two combs, each
a fow inches long; they are placed one on either side of the blade upon the cover
plate, and their points are set as near the one to the other as is consistent with the
blade entering between the combs when the combs descend, but the combs are
inclined the one to the other so that the heads in which the teeth are set are at
some distance apart.
In consequence of the inclined position of the rising and falling combs the teeth,
as they descend, push the knots before them in either direction away from the blade,
and so clean the narrow transverse band which will fall over the meeting of the
circular combs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Fielding Johnson, Alfred Staples, and Edward Barradell in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd March 1878.
THOMAS FIELDING JOHNSON, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Spinner,
ALFRED STAPLES, of the same Place, Overlooker, and EDWARD BARRADELL, of the
same Place, Manager. " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND
OTHER FIBRE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for combing wool
and other fibre.
In combing by means of machines such as are known as Noble's, in which two
circular combs are employed, there is difficulty in preventing knots escaping the
action of the teeth by passing between the combs when the slivers are pressed down
into the teeth at the place where the two combs meet. To obviate this difficulty
we submit the slivers to a preparatory treatment before they are pressed down by
a brush into the teeth of the circular combs, and this treatment consists in cleaning
a narrow portion or transverse band of each sliver at a short distance from its end,
such portion or band being in such a position that when the slivers are patted down
the centre of the band falls at the meeting of the two circular combs.
We effect this object in the following manner :-The ends of the slivers as they
are brought round by the machine to the meeting point where the brush presses
them down are supported on a cover plate fixed immediately above the comb teeth.
Upon this cover plate we fix a blade standing up from the surface of the plate, and
the length of the blade is nearly (but, preferably, not quite) in the direction in which
the slivers travel round. Over this blade we mount a rod which receives an up-and-
down motion of short stroke, and conveniently it may take its motion by connection
with the brush gear. This bar carries at its lower end two combs, each a few inches
long; they are placed one on either side of the blade upon the cover plate, and
their points are set as near the one to the other as is consistent with the blade
entering between the combs when the combs descend, but the combs are inclined the
one to the other, so that the heads in which the teeth are set are at some distance
apart.
In consequence of the inclined position of the rising and falling combs the teeth,
as they descend, push the knots before them in either direction away from the

page_text: In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan showing the general arrangement of a Noble's combing machine
to which we apply our Invention.
A is a large circular comb, and B, B, are two smaller circular combs revolving
within it, and the teeth of the combs A and B meet as nearly as is practicable. The
comb A is filled with the ends of slivers held by a circle of holders arranged around
the comb A, but not shown in this Figure. The combs rotate in the direction
indicated by the arrows, and as the sliver ends in succession approach the stationary
cover plates C, they are lifted by inclined blades entering between the teeth of the
comb A, and the ends pass on to the surface of the plate along which they are
carried, until they pass off at the further end of the plate and descend on to the
teeth just at the meeting of the combs A and B. Here a brush works, which presses
the fibre down into the teeth. The combing is effected by the separation of the
combs, and the combed fibre is drawn off by the rollers D, D, D, D. The slivers are
lifted and advanced, and the noil is cleared out of the teeth of the combs before the
same routine is gone through at the meeting of the comb A with the other comb B.
All this however is well understood, and is referred to only to facilitate the
explanation of the other Figures of the Drawings.
Figure 2 is an elevation, and Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken at the
meeting of the combs A and B. Parts of these combs are seen in the Figures,
indicated by the letters A and B; the cover plate C also appears. E, E, are
brackets fixed to standards rising in the middle of the combs B, B; they serve as
guides for the slide F, to the lower end of which the brush G is fixed; this brush,
in the usual manner, receives a rapid vertical movement from the connecting rod H,
passing to a crank overhead; I is a rod which is able to slide up and down in guide
sockets K, K, fixed upon the brackets E, and it receives its motion by means of a
clip L connecting it with the slide F, and which also furnishes means for adjust-
ment. To the lower guide socket K there is fixed a thin plate M, and to the edges
of this plate the guides M', M', are secured. These guides serve to control the two
short combs N,N, which work up and down with the brush; these parts are shown
full size by the Figures 4 and 5, which correspond to the Figures 2 and 3 respectively.
The teeth of the combs N, N, are inclined, so that their points are only a short
distance apart, but room is left between them for the plate M and also for a blade O,
which we fix upon the top of the cover plate C. One of the combs N is fixed
directly to the lower end of the rod I, and the two combs N are connected by the
coupling pieces P, which are suitably formed to embrace and slide upon the guides
M', M'. It will thus be seen that as the combs N, N, rise and fall rapidly at each
descent, they push the knots which they may meet with away from the blade O.
The blade, by supporting the sliver whilst the teeth descend through it, causes the
fibre to be drawn through the teeth and the knots to be left on their outer sides.
The edge of the plate M serves to prevent the combs N, N, taking the sliver up with
them during the upward movement. The blade and the combs N, N, are some-
what inclined to the rows of teeth upon the comb A, so that knots may not be left
in the middle of the cleaned band. The blade O is so placed, as the Drawing shows,
that the cleaned band is delivered from it at the point of meeting of the combs A
and B. Q, in Figure 3, is one of the ordinary sliver holders.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim,―
First. The combination with combing machines in which slivers are laid into
combs whilst the combs are together, and are combed by the separation of these

page_text: combs, of instruments by which a narrow portion or transverse band of the sliver
is cleaned before it is put into the combs, the whole being so arranged that the
cleaned band then falls at the meeting of the combs, substantially as described.
Second. The means for effecting the cleaning of a narrow portion or transverse
band near the end of the sliver by the use of a blade and a pair of short combs,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Fielding Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
T. FIELDING JOHNSON. (LS.)