and Cleaning Cotton and other Fibrous Materials.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
RESERVE CO
and Cleaning Cotton and other Fibrous Materials.
I, WILLIAM SEWARD ARCHER, of 50 Ackers Street, Oxford Road, Manchester,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to machinery for opening, separating and cleaning cotton and
other fibrous materials, and is chiefly designed to improve the construction and increase
the efficiency of machines of the kind or class described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 23rd June A.D. 1885 No. 7650 and in
the Specification filed with my application for Letters Patent dated 26th August
A.D. 1887 No. 11441.
The object of my present improvements is to so construct a machine that it
will free and clean the cotton from refuse, such as seed, leaf, sand, and dirt in a more
efficient manner and will cause less waste of the staple than machines as heretoforo
constructed, and will not be liable to injure the staple; and so that the cotton will,
in its passage through the machine, go straight or point towards the lap and will be
discharged in a very favourable condition for carding.
By my improvements, therefore, I provide for the production of cotton very free
from "nits
"and with the staple uninjured, thus ensuring better spinning and more
uniform and stronger yarn than heretofore.
An important feature of my said invention is the use, in combination with a beater
having one or more arms, of toothed bars having one or more rows of teeth inclined
or pointing obliquely in the direction in which the stock travels; between which
teeth and the beater the stock will be opened and cleaned in a very efficient
manner.
Another important feature of my said invention is the provision above the platform
for conveying the material from the beater to the cylinders of teeth inclined or
pointing obliquely in the direction in which the stock travels.
In my improved machine I use either a toothed face beater or a plain face
beater; with some kinds of stock, I prefer to use a toothed face beater to first open
the stock
"

page_text: By my present improvements I obviate the difficulties heretofore experienced in the
use of arm-beaters having teeth in the face thereof, and provide for the successful use
thereof in combination with the toothed boards, grates or grills described in my said
former Specification No. 7650.
When I employ a toothed face beater, I prefer that each tooth should be round with
a flat face, the length of the tooth being varied according to the nature of the stock
and the result desired. The teeth on the face of the arm-beater are arranged radially
or inclined or pointing obliquely in the reverse direction to that in which the beater
or stock travels. according to the nature of the stock and the result desired.
I also provide toothed grates or grills consisting of a series of wood or metal bars
each having one or more rows of pins or teeth and adjustable metal or other stops
which extend below the toothed grutes or grills to prevent back currents of air which
are liable to carry the refuse back into the machine. These toothed bars are narrower
and more numerous than those of the grates or grills heretofore used and the openings
between them are wider than heretofore, therefore a large amount of air will be drawn
in by the beater and will carry the stock to the cylinders very effectually, the suction
in the cylinders being required only to prevent clogging. The openings between the
toothed bars can be adjusted or variod in size to allow ample space for the leaf, sand, dirt,
dust and other refuse to descend through these openings to the floor or into the dust-
box. By varying the angle of the teeth in the toothed bars 1 can make the said teeth
extend partly or completely over these openings, thus preventing the stock from
dropping with the refuse, the refuse being heavier than the stock. I provide a series
of the said toothed bars beneath the beater and another series to serve as the platform
for conveying the material from the beaters to the cylinders. These bars are as above
stated made narrower than heretofore and are cut away at their forward upper edges
so as to facilitate the passage of the dirt or other refuse through the openings between
the said bars.
I provide, moreover, for varying the width of the said openings so that the short
stock will drop with the leaf, dirt and dust into the dust-box as the fibres pass over the
toothed bars to the cylinders, thereby relieving the fibres of the said short stock at
this point, which is very desirable in the manufacture of cotton,-as-it saves or-dimin-
ishes the work of the cards in carding this short stock out, and enables the cards to do
more work than heretofore. By the incline of the pins or teeth. I am enabled to
have larger openings between the toothed bars than in the machines heretofore
constructed.
I provide interchangeable bars having teeth of different length or differently
inclined, so that I can, by changing these bars, adapt the machine for the working or
separating and cleaning of long or short staple cotton.
In this manner I avoid the great waste of the long staples, which, in machines as
heretofore constructed, drop with the seed, leaf, and dirt or other refuse on to the
floor or into the dust-box.
8
"
The upper part or cover of the machine from the cover of the beater to the cylinders
or cages is provided on its underside with pins or teeth pointing in the direction
in which the stock travels. Holes are made in suitable metal plates or wood lagging
and the pins or teeth are driven into the same. The said metal plates or wood lagging
is bolted or otherwise attached to the underside of the upper part or cover of the
machine.
Lagging provided with pins or teeth is provided, which extends from beneath tho
centre of the beater to the "dead plate" so that the material passes over teeth from
the time it enters the machine until it arrives at the cylinders.
My improved machine is so constructed that from the time the stock enters between
the feed-rollers until it reaches the cylinders it is subjected to a continuous opening,
separating and cleaning. process by means of the pins or teeth above and below, which
are all set at an incline pointing in the direction in which the stock travels. The
material, in its. passage through the machine, is thus prevented from catching and
becoming torn and the fibre thereby injured, the incline of the teeth or pins allowing
the stock or material to easily pass over them and at the same time to be loosened. to

page_text: permit the escape of the seed, leaf, sand, and other refuse, and also allowing the short
and undesirable stock to drop into the dust-box. It is obvious, therefore, that, with my
improved machine, the stock is much better cleaned than by the methods heretofore
adopted. There is, moreover, no injury to the staple,, and, the teeth in the toothed
bars all pointing as above stated in the direction in which the stock travels, the cotton
is kept straight in its passage through the machine, thus ensuring that the stock shall
be straight on the lap and in excellent condition for carding; the methods heretofore
adopted of cleaning cotton produce what is called nits" by my improvements I
ensure that the cotton shall be free from these "nits" and will therefore spin better,
making a more uniform yarn than heretofore.
I can use in combination with my improvements any well-known or other suit-
able feed-motion.
A glass door with hinges and a handle is provided so that the stock can be seen on
the cylinders and the door can be opened when desired.
For some kinds of stock I use a beater having one or more arms with teeth inclined
or pointing obliquely in the opposite direction to that in which the beater or stock
travels.
I sometimes provide incans whereby I can adjust the metal plates or wood lagging
above described so as to bring the points of the pins or. teeth thereon closer to or
further from the points of the pins or teeth on the toothed bars, to adapt this
improvement to different makes or styles of machines and to different kinds of stock
to be operated upon.
I sometimes provide sheet iron or other plates extending from the top of one or
more of the toothed bars to the bottom of the dust-box to prevent any currents of
air which might hinder the passage of the leaf or dirt in dropping to the bottom of
the box.
D
1-2 1
T1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Opening, Separating,
and Cleaning Cotton and other Fibrous Materials.
I, WILLIAM SEWARD ARCHER of 50 Ackers Street, Oxford Road, Manchester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to machinery for opening, separating and cleaning cotton
and other fibrous materials, and is chiefly designed to improve the construction
and increase the efficiency of machines of the kind or class described in the Specifica-
tion of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated respectively 23rd June
A.D. 1885 No. 7650, and 22nd August A.D. 1887 No. 11441.
The object of my present improvements is to provide a machine which will free and
clean the cotton or other fibrous material from refuse (such as seed, leaf, sand and dirt)
in a more efficient manner, and will cause-less-waste of the staple, than machines as
heretofore constructed, and will not be liable to injure the staple; and the cotton or
other fibrous material will pass-straight through the machine pointing towards the
lap, so that the said material will be discharged in a very favorable condition for
carding.
By my improvements, therefore, I provide for the production of cotton very free
from "nits" and with the staple uninjured, thus ensuring better spinning and the
production of more uniform and stronger yarn than heretofore.
An important feature of my said invention is the combination of a rotating beater
having one or more arms, of toothed bars having one or more rows of teeth or pins
inclined or pointing obliquely, in the direction in which the stock or material travels,
between which teeth and the said beater the stock will be opened and cleaned in a very
efficient manner.
Another important feature of my said invention is the provision over the platform
for conveying the material from the beater to the cylinders or cages of teeth or pins
inclined or pointing downward obliquely in the direction in which the stock or
material travels.
My said invention, moreover, comprises other improvements hereinafter described.
In my improved machine I use either a toothed face beater or a plain face beater;
with some kinds of stock I prefer to use a toothed face beater to first open the stock.
By my present improvements I obviate the difficulties heretofore experienced in the
use of arm-beaters having teeth or pins in the face thereof and I provide for the
successful use of such beaters in combination with toothed bars or with the toothed
boards and grates or grills described in my said former Specifications.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention can be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section some of the parts being shown in

page_text: ide elevation of part of an opening machine having piy. Improvements appro
thereto.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal central section some of the parts being shown in
side elevation showing a modification hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the feed apron, B, B, are the feed rollers, C is the beater, D, D are the
cylinders or cages, E is the cover or casing of the machine.
a, a are wood or metal bars which are arranged in the arc of a circle beneath
the beater C. Each of these bars has one or more rows of pins or teeth h. Adjustable
stops c of metal or other suitable material are combined with the said toothed bars
and extend below the saine so as to prevent the production of currents of air such as
would be liable to carry the refuse back into the machine. The toothed bars a are
formed narrower than the toothed boards or strips heretofore used so that the
collective area of the openings d between is greater than that of the openings between
the said boards or strips; therefore a larger amount of air than heretofore will
be drawn in by the beater C and will carry the stock to the cylinders or cages D, vory
effectually, the suction in the said cylinders or cages being required only to prevent.
clogging. The toothed bars a, are moreover cut away at a* so as to facilitate the
passage of the dirt or other refuse. The openings d between the toothed bars a can
be varied in width by employing wider or narrower toothed bars, so that ample space
may be allowed for the leaf, sand, dirt, dust and other refuse to pass through.
For this purpose I sometimes provide interchangeable bars of different width or I
make one or more of the bars removable and the other bars adjustable.
In some instances I make the interchangeable bars with pins or teeth of different
lengths or differently inclined so that I can by changing the said bars adapt the
machine for the working or separating and cleaning of long or short staple cotton or
other fibrous material.
In this manner I avoid the great waste of the long staples, which in machines as
heretofore constructed drop with the seed, leaf and dirt or other refuse on to the floor
or into the dust boxes.
By varying the angle of the teeth in the toothed bars a, I can make the said teeth
extend partly or completely over the openings d, thus preventing the stock or material
from dropping through with the refuse, the refuse being heavier than the said stock
or material.
I provide a series of toothed bars a¹ having one or more rows of teeth and
spaces between the same.. These bars serve in place of the grate or grill described
in the said former Specification No. 11441, as the platform for conveying the material
from the beater (to the cylinders or cages D. The toothed bars a¹ are preferably
formed with extensions a² which are triangular in transverse section and which form
stops to prevent back currents or they may be provided witli adjustable stops similar
to those employed on the toothed bars a. The said toothed bars a¹ are cut away or
bevelled at their forward upper edges a* in a similar manner to the bars a so as to
facilitate the passage of the dirt or other refuse, and are also made for adjusting or
changing the bars for the purposes above specified. I sometimes make the width of
the openings & such that the short stock or staple will drop through the saine with the
leaf, dirt and dust, into a dust box d¹ provided for that purpose, as the fibres pass over
the toothed bars a¹ to the cylinders or cages D thereby relieving the fibres of the said
short stock at this point, which is very desirable in the manufacture of cotton, as it
saves or diminishes the work which the cards would otherwise have to perform, that
is to say, it obviates the necessity of carding out this short stock and thus enables the
said cards to do more work than heretofore. d, are partitions intended to prevent
the return of the dirt and other refuse into the machine by back currents of air.
The cover or casing E is provided on its underside between the beater chamber and
the cylinders or cages D with pins or teeth e pointing in the direction in which the
stock or material travels. I prefer to fix the teeth e to suitable metal plates f
by forming suitable holes in the said plates and driving the pins or teeth into the
The said metal plates fare bolted or otherwise attached to the underside of
same.

page_text: the upper part of the cover or casing E of the machine. In some instances I employ
wood lagging instead of the metal plates f
Lagging g provided with pins or teeth is provided, which extends from beneath
the centre of the beater to the "dead plate" which is also provided with pins or
teeth so that the stock or material passes over teeth from the time it enters the machine
until it arrivés at the cylinders or cages D. A partition is morever provided for
the purpose of preventing back currents of air.
jis a glass door provided with hinges k and a handle so that the stock can be seen
on the cylinders E and the said door can be opened when desired.
A door m having hinges n and a handle o is moreover provided through which
access can be had to the interior of the passage from the beater to the cylinders or
cages.
s is a dust
Figure 2 shows a modification wherein 1 replace the lagging g by bars having
teeth and spaces r. The bars P have extensions p' similar to the toothed bars a
forming the platform between the beater Cand the cylinders or cages D.
box to catch the dust or refuse that may pass through the spaces ».
partition to prevent back currents of air.
1
t is an additional
From the foregoing description it will be seen that my improved machine is so
constructed that from the time the stock or material enters between the feed-rollers B
until it reaches the cylinders D) it is subjected to a continuous opening, separating and
cleaning process by means of the pins or teeth hereinbefore described which are placed
above and below and which are all set at an incline pointing in the direction in which
the stock or material travels. The catching and tearing of the said stock or material
in its passage through the machine and the consequent injury to the fibre are thus
prevented, the incline of the teeth or pins allowing the stock or material to pass
easily over them and at the same time to be loosened so as to permit the escape of the
seed, leaf, sand and other dirt or refuse and also allowing the short and undesirable
stock to drop through the apertures between the bars provided for that purpose.
obvious therefore that, with my improved machine the stock is very efficiently
cleaned. There is, moreover, no injury to the staple and the teeth or pins-in the
toothed bars all-pointing as above-stated in the direction in which the stock travels,
the cotton or other fibrous material being operated upon is kept straight during
its passage through the machine, thus ensuring that the stock shall be straight on
the lap and in excellent condition for carding. The methods heretofore adopted of
cleaning cotton produce what is called nits" by my improvements I ensure that
the cotton shall be free from these "nits" and will therefore spin better, making a
more uniform yarn than heretofore.
It is
I can use in combination with my improvements any well-known or other suitable
feed motion.
When I employ a toothed face beater I prefer that each tooth should be round with
a flat face, the length of the tooth being varied according to the nature of the stock
and the result desired. The teeth on the face of the arm-beater may be arranged
radially. For some kinds of stock, however, I prefer that they should be inclined
or pointing obliquely in the reverse direction to that in which the beater or stock
travels. The beater may have one or more arms as desired.
1. sometimes provide means whereby I can adjust the metal plates or wood lagging
herein before described so as to bring the points of the pins or teeth thereon closer to
or further from the points of the pins or teeth on the toothed bars, to adapt this
improvement to different makes or styles of machines and to different kinds of stock or
material to be operated upon.
It is obvious moreover that I can somewhat further modify the construction of my
apparatus without departing from the nature of my said invention. For instance. I some-
times vary the position and number of the sheet iron or other plates or partitions extending
from the top of one or more of the toothed bars to the bottom of the dust box or of
the other partitions provided to prevent any currents of air which might hinder the
passage of the leaf or dirt in dropping to the bottom of the said dust box or to the
floor.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 wish it understood that
I claim -
First The employment, in a machine for the purposes above specified, of toothed
bars having their forward upper edges cut away or. bevelled, (with or without the
adjustable stops), substantially us, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second-The combination of a rotating arm-beater and toothed bars arranged with
suitable spaces between them (with or without the adjustable stops), substantially as,
and for the purposes, set forth.
Third-The employment of pins or teeth over the passage between the beater-
chamber and the cylinders or cages substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fourth A beater having one or more arms provided with teeth inclined or pointing
obliquely in the reverse direction to that in which the stock or material travels, for
the purpose above specified.
Fifth The provision for varying the width of the openings for the escape of the
refuse, or for varying the inclination or length of the teetli, by means of interchangeable
toothed bars, substantially as set forth.
Sixth The modification of my invention wherein the toothed bars are so arranged
that the short stock or staple will pass through the spaces between the said bars us,
and for the purpose, specified.
Seventh The provision of suitable means for adjusting one or both of the sets or
series of pins or teeth in the passage between the beater chamber and the cylinders,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Eighth The improved machine consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 or modified as shown in
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawing and operating as, and for the purposes, above
specified.
1000