IMPROVEMENTS IN GIG-MILLS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIG-MILLS."
A communication from abroad by Grosselin Père et Fils, of Sedan, in the
Republic of France.
Sealed the 20th January 1880, and dated the 25th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1879.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GIG-MILLS." A communication from abroad by Grosselin Père et Fils, of Sedan,
in the Republic of France.
The Invention consists substantially in constructing a teasing drum with
cylinders or rollers provided with metallic teasels, and arranged round an axis at
equal distances from the same, said cylinders being supported by two discs or
carriers fixed upon the axle of the drum, and having at both ends pulleys over
which pass two belts capable of being stretched at will, one of them being attached
to points fixed to the carrier, and the other to points fixed to the machine frame.
By producing a strong tension in the belt which is fixed to the carrier it acts as a
brake, fixes the small cylinders in the carriers, and the teasing drum works with its
full energy in the ordinary manner; by slackening the said belt the energy of the
teasing drum decreases gradually until the belt has become quite slack, when the
drum acts on the tissue solely by the inertia opposing itself to the backward
motion of the teasel cylinders. Finally, if the other belt whose ends are fixed
outside the drum is stretched, the small cylinders or rollers receive a motion in a
direction opposite to that of the drum, and so roll simply on the fabric and produce
only a feeble effect.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd January 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GIG-MILLS." A communication from abroad by Grosselin Père et Fils, of Sedan,
in the Republic of France.
The Invention consists substantially in constructing a teasing drum with
cylinders or rollers provided with metallic teasels, and arranged round an axis at
equal distances from the same, said cylinders being supported by two discs or
carriers fixed upon the axle of the drum, and having at both ends pulleys over
which pass two belts capable of being stretched at will, one of them being attached
to the carrier nearest it, and the other to the machine frame. By producing a
strong tension in the belt which is fixed to the carrier the belt acts as a brake,
fixing the small cylinders in the carriers, and the teasing drum works with its full
energy in the ordinary manner; by slackening the said belt the energy of the
teasing drum decreases gradually until the belt has become quite slack, when the
drum acts on the fabric solely by the inertia opposing the backward motion of
the teasel cylinders. Finally, if the other belt whose ends are fixed outside the
drum is stretched, the teasel cylinders or rollers receive a motion in a direction
opposite to that of the drum, and so roll simply on the fabric and produce only a
feeble effect. The variable tension of the belts may be produced by attaching one
end to a screw, while the other end is fixed, or otherwise, and the body of the teasel
cylinders is preferably made hollow. In the annexed Drawings which represent
two end views of a machine embodying the Invention, A is the teasing drum,
constructed as follows:-Upon a shaft are keyed two discs provided with five
recesses or bearings for the reception of five rollers. These rollers b', 62, 63, 64, 65, are
of iron hollow and provided with metallic teasels preferably of iron or brass; their
axes are placed at the same distance from the axis of the drum. These rollers carry
at each extremity a flanged pulley c¹, c², c³, c, c³, the diameter of which is equal to
'the external diameter of the rollers.
Over these pulleys passes on one side a belt bearing equally on all the pulleys,
one end of this belt being invariably attached to the disc, and the other to a screw
by which the belt can be more or less stretched as shown.
On the other side of the rollers a second belt passes over the pulleys, also equally
bearing on them, one end of this belt being invariably fixed to the machine frame,
while the other end is attached to a screw by which the tension of the belt can be
diminished or increased, as shown.
The machine comprises further the rollers F made variable (as regards their
position), so as to alter at will the pressure of the fabric on the drum, and the
machine is otherwise constructed like ordinary teasing machines.
G being a roller provided with a brake for increasing or diminishing the tension
of the fabric; H, a feed roller, and I a friction roller. When the machine is set in
motion and the two belts are quite slack, one roller after the other comes into
contact with the fabric and is made to revolve by the resistance of the latter.
By stretching the belt the two extremities of which are fixed outside the drum,
the teasel rollers are caused to revolve in a sense opposite to the motion of the
drum, and with a facility depending on the tension of the belt; they roll on the
fabric without causing a shock or pull on the same, either in the direction of
the warp or of the weft.
This mode of dressing fabrics is especially suitable for light fabrics, such as
merino, cachemere, &c., and other fine articles; it is also suitable for commencing
the dressing of cloth,

page_text: In order to obtain a more energetic teaseling action the driving belt of the teasel
rollers is slackened, and the brake belt on the other side of the drum is stretched.
This belt adheres then to the rollers and opposes the rotary motion of the latter
with a force increasing as the tension of the belt increases, the limit of this action
being reached when the rollers become fixed, and possess the maximum of effect on
the fabric.
The machine comprises thus two independent means of regulation; one placed at
one end of the machine acts as a brake and opposes the rotary motion of the rollers,
while the other placed on the other side of the machine produces or facilitates their
revolving motion.
By this principle of moveable rollers with variable tension which forms the base
of the improvements described and claimed in this Specification, by one machine
and one attachment all degrees of smoothness and energy can be attained which
with other machines could only be reached by changing the metallic or vegetable
teasels and their attachments. This machine solves the difficult question of teaseling
fabrics by metallic teasels; it permits the treatment of extremely light tissues, such
as simple merino, which could not be treated by any other teaseling machine, and
it allows the making of all articles whether strong or light from carded wool, or
combed wool, or wcol and cotton, or silk, &c.
The teaseling by this machine is very quick and regular, the strength of the
fabric is preserved, and the teasels last much longer than those of machines with
fixed teasels.
The resistance instead of being borne entirely by the metallic teasels is trans-
mitted upon the brakes and the belts which surround the same.
Where it is desirable two, three, four, or more teasel drums may be combined
in one machine frame; this teaseling system may further be adapted to other
types of teaseling machines; the number of teasel rollers applied to each drum
may also be altered, and the drums made to revolve in one sense or in the other
in the direction of the nap or against its direction; a differential motion may also
be applied to the machine for accelerating or retarding the revolving motion of the
rollers; it is also contemplated to apply the improvements to any process for
using cards or teasels.
CLAIMS.
1. Revolving teasel rollers with variable tension and the means of producing or
varying their motion and tension, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. The construction of gig-mills or machines for raising, dressing, or finishing
fabrics, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty third day of January, A.D. 1880.
H. J. HADDAN
(1.S)