IMPROVEMENTS IN GIG MILLS' EMPLOYED IN THE FINISHING OF WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Kenworthy Dutton, of the Patent Office,
3, Smithy Door, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Con-
sulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIG MILLS'
EMPLOYED IN THE FINISHING OF WOVEN FABRICS."-A communication
from abroad by Adolph Moser, of the Firm of "A. Moser and
Company," of Aix-la-Chapelle, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
Engineers.
Sealed the 4th June 1869, and dated the 5th December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Kenworthy
Dutton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th December 1868.
I, EDWARD KENWORTHY DUTTON, of the Patent Office, 3, Smithy
Door, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GIG MILLS EMPLOYED IN THE FINISHING OF WOVEN FABRICS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the "gig mills" or "raising gigs" employed
in the finishing of woollen or union cloth, or other textile fabrics

page_text: wherein the said cloth is brought into contact with a revolving cylinder,
the circumference of which is formed of or covered with rods, bars, or
teasels, which operate upon the surface of the said cloth to raise.a nap
thereupon, as is well understood. In the gig mills which have been the
most efficient prior to this Invention the cloth has made two contacts
with the circumference of the raising cylinder, or of each raising
cylinder, that is to say, the said cloth has been brought into contact
with the said cylinder, has then passed from the cylinder over guide
rollers, and has been brought into contact with the cylinder a second
time, this arrangement allowing about one-quarter to one-third of the
total number of rods or bars on each cylinder to be in operation at the
same time. In gig mills constructed in accordance with this Invention
the cloth makes three or more contacts.with the raising cylinder or with
each raising cylinder, it being found preferable to make four contacts
therewith, and to carry or lead the cloth around nearly the entire
circumference of the cylinder, whereby it is obtained that two-thirds or
more of the entire number of raising rods or bars arc in operation at
the same time.
The arrangement of mechanism which has been found most suitable
when carrying this Invention into effect is as follows:-On each side of
the centre of the raising cylinder is mounted a frame carrying at one
end a leading roller, the other end swivelling around a centre or fulcrum,
the said frames being fitted with nuts, in which work screw shafts cut
right and left hand, the arrangement being such as that the two frames
may approach cach the other or may recede therefrom according as the
said screw shafts are turned in one direction or the other. An inter-
mediate leading roller is mounted in bearings capable of being moved
towards.or from the centre of the cylinder, and in the direction of the
centre line of the said cylinder or thereabouts, each one of the said
bearings being operated upon by a screw, and the two screws being
connected together by a shaft fitted with bevil wheels gearing with
corresponding wheels fixed to the screws. Each of the aforesaid frames
carries a set of three guide rollers, over which the cloth is passed in
order to break the contact with the cylinder, two other guide rollers
being employed to guide the cloth on to the intermediate leading roller,
cach one of the said guide rollers being mounted upon a pair of links,
one end of each of which said links swivels upon a centre fixed to or
carried by the contiguous swivelling frame, the other end being con-

page_text: nected by means of a link to one of the bearings of the intermediate
leading roller, so that the motion of the said guide rollers is governed
both by the swivelling frames and by the said intermediate leading
roller. As the cloth enters the part of the machine in which it is
operated upon it passes over the leading roller carried by the first
Swivelling frame and is brought into contact with the cylinder, and
after passing around a suitable portion of the circumference thereof is
withdrawn from contact therewith by passing between two of the guide
rollers carried by the said frame, and around the third and back again
between the said two rollers into contact with the cylinder for the
second time, thence over the first guide roller carried by the links
partly around the intermeiliate leading roller over the second guide
roller and into contact with the cylinder for the third time, then between
and over the second set of three guide rollers and into contact with
the cylinder for the fourth time, thence over the leading roller
carried by the second swivelling frame. In the case of two-cylinder
machines the cloth is led from the last-mentioned roller over suitable
guide rollers to a second cylinder, with which cylinder the cloth is
caused to make four contacts in manner as hercin-above described. The
cloth is caused to press against the revolving cylinders by turning thic
screw shafts in the direction which will cause the swivelling frames to
approach each other, and also by causing the intermediate leading roller
to approach the cylinder, the said screw shafts or one or more of them
being fitted with a worm or with worms, each worm gearing with a
worm wheel fitted with an index which indicates on a marked dial the
amount of pressure applied; and also the said pressure is effected by
turning the shaft connecting the screws which act on the bearings of
the intermediate roller in the direction which will cause the said roller
to approach the cylinder. In double mills the afore-mentioned screw
shafts, and in some cases the last-mentioned connecting shaft, are
connected with the corresponding shafts in the other portion of the
machine, in order that the pressure may be simultaneously applied to
both cylinders. If required the two contacts herein-before described as
the first and the fourth contacts, or the two described as the second and
the third contacts, may be prevented, or the duration of the time of
contact be lessened by moving the two swivelling frames or the inter-
mediate leading roller in contrary directions to those herein described
for applying the pressure. The leading rollers are connected together
and actuated by means of a pitch chain, and the whole of them or a

page_text: portion thereof are by preference constructed on the principle of the
extending or stretching rollers which have been heretofore used in
gig mills.
;
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, EDWARD
KENWORTHY DUTTON, of the Patent Office, 3, Smithy Door, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton, Her special license
that I, the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton, 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
GIG MILLS EMPLOYED IN THE FINISHING OF WOVEN FABRICS," (communicated
to me from abroad by Adolph Mozer, of the Firm of A. Mozer and
Company, of Aix-la-Chapelle, in the Kingdom of Prussia,) upon the
condition, amongst others, that I, the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton, 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:

page_text: in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
This Invention relates to the gig mills or raising gigs employed in
the finishing of woollen or union cloth or other textile fabrics wherein
the said cloth is brought into contact with a revolving cylinder, the
circumference of which is formed of or covered with rods, bars, or
teascls, which operate upon the surface of the said cloth to raise a nap
thereupon, as is well understood. In the gig mills which have been the
most efficient prior to this Invention the cloth has made two contacts
with the circumference of the raising cylinder, or of each raising
cylinder, that is to say, the said cloth has been brought into contact
with the said cylinder, has then passed from the cylinder over guide
rollers, and has been brought into contact with the cylinder a second
time, this arrangement allowing about one-quarter to one-third of the
total number of rods or bars on each cylinder to be in operation at the
same time. In gig mills constructed in accordance with this Invention
the cloth makes four or more contacts with the raising cylinder or with
each raising cylinder, it being found preferable to make four contacts.
therewith, and to carry or lead the cloth around nearly the entire
circumference of the cylinders, whereby it is obtained that two-thirds or
more of the entire number of raising rods are in operation at the same
time.
The arrangement of mechanism which has been found most suitable
when carrying this Invention into effect is as follows:-On each side of
the centre of the raising cylinder is mounted a frame carrying at one
end a leading roller, the other end swivelling around a centre or fulcrum,
the said frames being fitted with nuts, in which work screw shafts cut
right and left hand, the arrangement being such as that the two frames
may approach each the other or may recede therefrom according as the
said screw shafts are turned in one direction or the other. An inter-
mediate leading roller is mounted in bearings capable of being moved
towards or from the centre of the cylinder, and in the direction of the
centre line of the said cylinder or thereabouts, each one of the said
bearings being operated upon by a screw, and the two screws being
connected together by a shaft fitted with bevil wheels gearing with
corresponding wheels fixed to the screws. Each of the aforesaid frames
carries a set of three guide rollers, over which the cloth is passed in order
to break the contact with the cylinder, two other guide rollers being

page_text: employed to guide the cloth on to the intermediate leading roller, each
one of the said guide rollers being mounted upon a pair of links, one
end of each of which swivels upon a centre fixed to or carried by the
contiguous swivelling frame, the other end being connected by means of
a link to one of the bearings of the intermediate leading roller, so that
the motion of the said guide roller is governed both by the swivelling
frames and by the said intermediate leading roller. As the cloth enters
the part of the machine in which it is operated upon it passes over the
leading roller carried by the first swivelling frame and is brought into
contact with the cylinder, and after passing around a suitable portion
of the circumference thereof is withdrawn from contact therewith by
passing between two of the guide rollers carried by the said frame, and
around the third and back again between the said two rollers into
contact with the cylinder for the second time, thence over the first guide
roller carried by the links partly around the intermediate leading
roller over the second guide roller, and into contact with the cylinder
for-the-third-time, then between and over the second set of three guide
rollers and into contact with the cylinder for the fourth time, thence
over the leading roller carried by the second swivelling frame. In the
case of two-cylinder machines the cloth is led from the last-mentioned
roller over suitable guide rollers to a second cylinder, with which the
cloth is caused to make four contacts in manner as herein above
described. The cloth is caused to press against the revolving cylinders
by turning the screw shafts in the direction which will cause the
swivelling frames to approach each other, and also by causing the
intermediate leading roller to approach the cylinder, the said screw
shafts or one or more of them being fitted with a worm or with worms,
cach worm gearing with a worm wheel fitted with an index, which
indicates on a marked dial the amount of pressure applied; and also the
said pressure is effected by turning the shaft connecting the screws
which act on the bearings of the intermediate roller in the direction
which will cause the said roller to approach the cylinder. In double
mills the afore-mentioned screw shafts, and in some cases the last-
inentioned connecting shaft, are connected with the corresponding shafts
in the other portion of the machine, in order that the pressure may be
simultaneously applied to both cylinders. If required the two contacts
herein-before described as the first and the fourth contact, or the two
described as the second and the third contacts, may be prevented, or
the duration of the time of contact be lessened by moving the two

page_text: swivelling frames or the intermediate leading roller in contrary
directions to those hercin described for applying the pressure. The
leading rollers are connected together and actuated by means of a pitch
chain, and the whole of them or a portion thereof arc by preference
constructed on the principle of the extending or stretching rollers, which
have been heretofore used in gig mills.
In order that the said Invention may be readily understood I have
attached hereunto a Sheet of Drawings made about one-eighth of the
full size, and having similar letters of reference marked upon corre-
sponding parts in the various Figures.
Referring here to the said Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of
a double cylinder gig mill of the improved construction, the raising
cylinders not being represented in the said view to avoid confusion;
Fig. 2 is a front clevation of the said mill, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation illus-
trating a modification in the arrangements shewn in the former
Figures.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A, A', are the two raising cylinders, upon the
circumference of which the "gig rods" holding the teasels are
fastened in the usual or any suitable manner. The shafts of the said
cylinders revolve in suitable bearings fixed to the side frames of the
machine B, B, and one of the cylinders is driven by means of a strap
acting on the fast and loose pulleys a, a, a spur wheel a' fixed on the
other end of the shaft of the said cylinder setting in motion the other
cylinder by means of the intermediate spur wheels b, b, when the
cylinders are required to revolve in opposite directions, as, for example,
when "raising," but on the contrary when both cylinders are required
to revolve in the same direction the said intermediate wheels are
removed, and a single intermediate wheel is employed to transmit the
motion, as indicated by the pitch circle 6', in Fig. 3, studs being fixed
to the framing in suitable positions to receive the said wheels. On the
shaft of the cylinder A is also fixed a chain wheel c, which com-
municates a revolving motion to the chain wheel c¹ by means of the
pitch chain 5, a spur pinion d fixed to the said wheel c¹ gearing with
the wheel d', which is mounted on one of the journals of the roller C,
the said roller being the last one of the leading rollers which conduct
the fabric through the machine. On the axle of the said roller C is.
mounted a chain wheel, which by means of the pitch chain 6 gives

page_text: motion to the six leading rollers marked D and E, and to the leading
roller F, the said pitch chain gearing with chain wheels fixed to the
axles of the said rollers, a revolving motion being thus communicated
to all of the said leading rollers. The chain wheels on the axles of the
rollers C and F are not in this example fixed to the said axles, but
communicate motion thereto by means of pawls which gear with the
ratchet wheels e, e, fixed to the said axles, the effect of this arrangement
being that the attendant can accellerate the motion of either of the
said rollers whenever required in order to regulate the tension of the
cloth. The rollers D and E are formed as expanding or distending
rollers, the outward ends of the laths of which the circumference of
each of the said rollers is composed being provided with hooks which
travel on the rim of the discs ff, the said discs being fixed at an angle
with the axis of the rolier, so that the laths during one-half of their
revolution around the axis of the roller are drawn outwards in eacli
direction from the centre of the machine, and thus tend to extend the
cloth in the direction of its breadth. The laths forming-each-roller-are-
retained in position radially by means of the discs f, metal ribs or
retaining pieces sliding in holes or grooves formed around the said discs.
Each of the rollers D is mounted on the upper end of a frame or of a
pair of arms g, each frame or arm being capable of being swivelled to
some-extent-around a fixed-centre gl, for which purpose cach arm is
fitted with a nut h, and the two arms on one side of each cylinder are
connected together by means of a pair of screw shafts i, i, which have a
right-hand thread formed on one end, and a left-hand thread on the
other end, and. which work in the said nuts, each screw shaft being fitted
with a bevil wheel gearing with a corresponding wheel j fixed on the
cross shaft k, the said cross shaft thus connecting together the whole
of the screw shafts, so that on turning the winch handle each frame
will approach its cylinder or will recede therefrom according as the
handle is turned in one direction or the other. In order that the frames
used in connection with one cylinder may be adjusted seperately from
the frames connected with the other clutch boxes are fitted to the screw
shafts, the said clutches being operated upon by means of forked levers
mounted on the cross shafts m, m, which are fitted with hand levers.
m³, m³, so that either pair of screw shafts may be readily disconnected
from the shaft k. In order to facilitate the regulation of the degree of
contact the number of turns of the screw shafts is indicated by the
indices u, u, which are actuated by worms on the said shafts. The

page_text: frames also carry the sets of intermediate rollers 1, 11, over and around
which the cloth passes in order that the contact with the cylinders may
be broken. The journals of the rollers E, E, revolve in bearings fitted
to slide towards or from the cylinders, this motion being effected in
each case by turning the hand wheel o fixed to the end of the shaft o',
which by means of bevil wheels gives motion to the screws o³, o, which
are connected with the aforesaid sliding bearings. The said bearings
are connected by links p, p, with the arms q, q, which are jointed to the
arms g, g, the said arms q, q, carrying each an intermediate roller 7,
over which the cloth passes, so that each pair of rollers ", ", together
with the corresponding roller E are moved simultaneously when the
hand wheel o is rotated. The cloth to be operated upon is first passed
through the break s, and then over or partly around the leading and
intermediate rollers, as shown by the dotted lines, and in the direction.
indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, and falls into the curved through t,
the two ends being then sewn together as is usual. The pressure of
the cloth upon the cylinders or the amount of contact may be readily
adjusted during the operation of the machine by turning the handles
or o in manner as aforesaid. It is necessary that the cloth shall be
kept constantly and equally extended during the operation, and to this
end it is advisable that the surface speed of all the leading rollers be
uniform, or that there be a slight and gradual increase in the said
speed as the cloth travels towards the back of the machine.
In Fig. 4 is illustrated a modification of the arrangement herein..
before described, in which the swivelling frames and two of the leading
rollers are dispensed with. The intermediate rollers are carried by
frames which are mounted on the right and left hand screw shafts v, v,
each pair of shafts being coupled together by means of a cross shaft 20,
which is fitted with worms gearing with worm wheels fixed to the
screw shafts, so that the amount of contact may be regulated by
turning one or both of the said shafts w, wo, in the required direction.
The rollers E, E, and 1, r, are shewn as lowered, so as to cause the
cloth to make two contacts only with each cylinder, as herein previously
mentioned.
Single cylinder machines may be constructed the same in principle as
herein described and illustrated in the Drawings, the arrangements of

page_text: Having now described the nature of the said Iuvention, and means for
carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details as herein described
and as illustrated in the attached Drawings, nor do I lay claim to the
employment of any of the parts seperately, nor to the construction or
employment of "gigs" wherein the cloth is caused to make three
contacts only with the cylinder or with each cylinder, notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in my Provisional Specification; but
that I claim,-
First. The construction and employment of raising gigs wherein the
cloth is caused to make four or more contacts with the raising cylinder
or with each raising cylinder.
Secondly. In relation to gigs of the description claimed herein the
employment of two or more distending rollers in a single cylinder gig,
and four or more of the said rollers in a double cylinder gig.
And, lastly. The general arrangements and combination of apparatus,-
as illustrated in the attached Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Kenworthy Dutton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.