IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Rawson, of Leicester, Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER
FIBRES."
Sealed the 27th July 1860, and dated the 28th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Rawson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th April 1860.
I, HENRY RAWSON, of Leicester, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL
AND OTHER FIBRES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for combing
wool, and other fibres, and the improvements are applicable to the machinery
for which Letters Patent were granted to me on 20th April 1859, N° 996.
One improvement consists in the application of a comb placed above the
comb of the feeding apparatus through and amongst the teeth of which the wool
or other fibre is drawn when the feeding apparatus is moved back from the
comb with which the feeding apparatus works. The object of this upper
comb is to bring or move the wool or other fibres forward in place of the
rollers described in my former Specification. The upper comb has the points

page_text: of its teeth downwards in such manner that when the apparatus lifts the wool
or other fibres out of the comb teeth of the feeding apparatus the fibres may
be lifted into or amongst the teeth of the upper comb so that when that comb
is moved in a horizontal direction it may carry forward the projecting ends
or fringes of the slivers so as to place the fibres over the teeth of the comb
with which the feeding apparatus is working; the forward ends of the slivers
are then pressed from out of the teeth of the upper comb into and amongst
the teeth of the comb of the feeding apparatus as well as into and amongst
the teeth of the comb working with the feeding apparatus as described in my
former Specification.
And another improvement consists in combining nippers or nipping apparatus
with a feeding apparatus, such as is described in my said former Specification,
and also with feeding apparatus, such as above described, in order that tufts
of wool or other fibre may be drawn from the combs of such feeding apparatus
and then, as is well understood, placed into and beyond the teeth of a comb to
be drawn off therefrom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Rawson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
RAWSON, of Leicester, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand cight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Rawson, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Rawson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Rawson, 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 COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Rawson, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their

page_text: hands and seals, 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 I, the said Henry Rawson, 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, that is to say:―
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for combing
wool and other fibres, and the improvements are applicable to the machinery
for which Letters Patent were granted to me on 20th April 1859, No. 996.
One improvement consists in the application of a comb placed above the
comb of the feeding apparatus through and amongst the teeth of which the
wool or other fibre is drawn, when the feeding apparatus is moved back from
the comb with which the feeding apparatus works. The object of this upper
comb is to bring or move the wool or other fibres forward in place of the
rollers described in my former Specification. The upper comb has the points
of its teeth downwards in such manner that when the apparatus lifts the wool
or other fibres out of the comb teeth of the feeding apparatus, the fibres may
be lifted into or amongst the teeth of the upper comb, so that when that
comb is moved in a horizontal direction it may carry forward the projecting
ends or fringes of the slivers, so as to place the fibres over the teeth of the
comb with which the feeding apparatus is working. The forward ends of
the slivers are then pressed from out of the teeth of the upper comb into and
amongst the teeth of the comb of the feeding apparatus, as well as into and
amongst the teeth of the comb working with the feeding apparatus, as described

page_text: which, by another cog wheel g², gives motion to the cog wheel g³ fixed on the
short upright axis g', on which there is a pinion g³, which takes into the teeth
on the interior of the circular or endless comb a, and thus is a continuous
rotatory motion communicated to that comb. In the arrangement shewn, the
wool or other fibrous materials are drawn off by three sets of drawing rollers'
of ordinary kinds, but this may be varied. The longer fibres are drawn off
in a continuous sliver by the horizontal rollers h, h, which receive rotatory
motion from the upright axis e, on which is fixed a bevilled pinion h', which
takes into and drives the wheel h² on the axis of the lower roller h, which at
its other end, by a cog wheel h³, gives motion to an intermediate wheel h*,
which gives notion to the two pressing rollers h, they being geared together
by the wheels ", into one of which the wheel h' gears. The sliver from the
rollers h, h, (which are set to an inclination or tangent to the circumference of
the circular comb a, a,) passes through a fixed bell-mouthed tube i before it
is received between the rollers h³. The next sliver is drawn off by the two
upright drawing rollers j, j, which are interior of the comb a, the axis of
one of which rollers j receives motion from the upright shaft or axis e, on
which there is a cog wheel j', which takes into and drives the intermediate
cog wheel, which takes into and drives the cog wheel j³ on the axis of one
of the drawing rollers j, and the third sliver is drawn off by the two upright
rollers, k, which are outside of the circular comb a, and theso rollers are
put in motion by the cog wheel on the short upright axis, which gives motion
to the comb a, which takes into and drives the cog wheel ¹, fixed on the axis
of one of the drawing rollers k. The Drawing partly shows other details of
the mechanism used with the comb a, for the purpose of conducting or
inclining the fringes of fibres projecting outwardly and inwardly from the
comb a towards the drawing-off rollers, and for conducting off the slivers from
the drawing rollers; but these details aro of the ordinary kind, and are partly
left out in order to prevent confusion in the Drawing, and that other parts
may be seen more clearly. The Drawing does not show how the noil is
removed out of the teeth of the comb after it has passed the drawing-off
rollers ; but the ordinary means may be employed.
I will now proceed to describe the combined mechanism by which the wool
or other fibrous substance is fed into the machine, and by which it is intro-
duced into the circular travelling comb a, or by which it may be similarly
introduced into other forms of travelling combs. On the main or driving
shaft there is a pulley 1, which by an endless band
shaft or axis ² by means of the pulley fixed thereon.
gives motion to the
On the axis or shaft

page_text: there is a toothed wheel, which takes into and drives the cog wheel on the
axis, which by two cranks give motion to the sliding table m by the two
connecting rods m', m', such sliding table m being guided by fixed rails m², m³,
on which the table m moves to and fro. The table carries the fixed comb =,
which I have called the reciprocating comb, it simply being caused to move
up to and away from the travelling comb a. And I would state that the uso
of such comb, together with other means of moving forward the fibrous
material in combination with a travelling comb, was described in the Specifi-
cation of my said former Patent. In the arrangement shown the teeth of the
comb are set in concentric curves with those in the comb a, but if another
form of travelling comb a were used, and it presented straight rows of teeth
to the comb, then the rows of teeth of the combs would be fixed in straight
parallel rows, but whatever be the shape of the combs a and 3, their manner
of action is respectively to remain substantially the same, that is, the comb a
is to be moved past the comb, and the comb is to be moved up to and
away from the comb a, and in such manner that when they come together the
wool or other fibrous material which immediately before the coming together
of the two combs a and has been out from amongst the teeth of the combs =
and a, shall be introduced amongst the teeth of those combs when they are
together, and when they are for a time as if they were onc comb. The slivers
of wool or other fibrous material requiring to be combed are introduced
through holes in the plate u; they then pass between the grooved rollers o, o,
which receive motion from the shaft or axis l³, means of the train of wheels
o', 0, 0, 0, and o, the cog wheel o³ being fixed to the axis of one of the
grooved rollers o. The slivers of wool or of other fibrous material rest on the
axis P, between the two projections or guides p¹ fixed thereto, such axis p
being situated between the rollers o and the comb =, and it is carried by the
moving table of the comb. On the axis p there is an arm p², the lower end
of which is constantly drawn by a spring towards the front of the machine, and
it is stopped from coming too far by the fixed projection or stop p³. On the
axis p there are also two arms p, p, the upper ends of which have slotted
openings through them to receive the projecting pins p³, p³, of the sliding
bolts g of the comb q, the sliding bolts 2' sliding in sockets 7 at the upper
parts of the uprights ³ fixed to the table which carries the comb =; by these
means the comb q has a to-and-fro motion communicated to it independent of
the motion of the table, though partly caused by the movement of that table
to and from the comb a. For although the comb q is carried to and fro by
the movement of the sliding table, the comb 9 is caused to move towards tho
9

page_text: front of the machine faster than the sliding table, and the comb q is also
caused to move faster than the sliding table as they both go towards the
comb a. The object of these movements in respect to the comb 9 is that
the comb may advance the wool or other fibrous material towards the comb a
during the time that those materials are out from amongst the teeth of the
comb in such manner that the cleaned or combed out ends of the slivers
may project beyond the teeth of the comb a, whilst the noil contained in the
parts of the fibres where they were previously amongst the teeth of the comb
are brought over the teeth of the comb a, so that when pressed down amongst
the teeth of the comb a the noil will be amongst the teeth of the comb a.
Between the rows of teeth of the comb there are plates or bars r, r, and
above these plates or bars r there is a brush s. The object of these arrange-
ments is that the plates or bars should raise the wool or other fibrous
materials out from amongst the teeth of the comb =, and support such fibres
whilst the plates or bars r and the comb 9 go towards the comb a, and allow
of the comb 9 advancing the fibres whilst they are resting on the bars or
plates r. would state that it is not new to arrange combs with plates or
bars between the rows of teeth in such manner that the fibres may be lifted
out from amongst the teeth of the comb, or the teeth of the comb may go
away
from amongst the fibres whilst they are supported by the bars or plates,
various arrangements of such bars or plates and combs having been before
used; I do not therefore claim the same. The bars or plates " and the
brush s are caused to move up and down at the same time by their being
carried by two upright slides s', which move between guides or guide rollers s².
The upright slides s' have horizontal bars a fixed to them at their lower ends,
and these bars constantly rest on the cams & on the axis s, which receives
motion as hereafter described, by which means the bars or plates r and the
brush s are caused to ascend when the comb arrives at the front end of the
machine, and goes towards the comb a, so that the fibres-may be out of
the comb when the comb 7 moves faster than the comb . The brush s and
plates or bars descend when the brush t descends, in order that the wool or
other fibrous material may be pressed into the teeth of the
immediately before the comb moves away from the comb a.
or axis so and the brush t receive motion in the following manner :-On the
shaft or axis there is a cog wheel which takes into and drives the inter-
mediate wheel t', which gives motion to the cog wheel on the axis s, and on
that axis is a cog wheel t, which takes into and drives the intermediate
wheel, which takes into and drives the wheel t' on the axis of the cam t³,
combs a and
The cam shaft

page_text: which gives motion to the arm to on the axis t, and the axis by an arm t
and connecting rod t gives motion to the brush t, which is mounted on a
lever, as shewn.
vis a bent blade, which descends on to and presses the
fibres downwards which are being combed out between the combs a and,
such blade v being caused to descend to such an extent as to insure that there
shall be no fibre held by the comb and the comb a; at the time the comb =
begins to approach towards the comb a this bent blade is actuated from the
cam shaft by means of the cog wheel v' on the axis taking into and being
driven by a cog wheel on the cam axis. The bent blade v is connected to
two crank arms on the axis by two connecting rods v.
Another improvement consists in combining nippers or nipping apparatus
with a feeding apparatus such as is described in my said former Specification,
and also with feeding apparatus such as above described, in order that tufts of
wool or other fibre may be drawn from the combs of such feeding apparatus,
and then as is well understood place into and beyond the teeth of a comb to be
drawn off therefrom. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a machine in
which nippers or nipping apparatus is thus combined with feeding apparatus.
similar to that described in the Specification of the Patent granted to me on the
20th April 1859, No. 996, and also similar to that above described. The
machine resembles that described in the Specification of the Patent granted to
Samuel Cunliffe Lister, and dated February 24th 1851, No. 18,532, the screw
gill feeding apparatus of that machine being removed, and the improved
feeding apparatus substituted for it. a, a, is the framing; b is the driving
shaft which is driven by means of a suitable band from a steam engine or
other power acting upon the drum b'. Upon this shaft bis fixed the pinion 6³
which takes into and drives the toothed wheel c on the shaft or axis c', upon
which is fixed the bevilled pinion c, which takes into and drives a bevilled.
pinion on an intermediate axis, which by another bevilled pinion drives the
axis d. The wool or fibre is fed into the comb e through the feed rollers f,f;
the comb e is stationary, and the plate in which the teeth are fixed is bolted to
a plate a passing across the machine from one side frame to the other; the
teeth however do not pass the whole distance from side to side of the machine,"
but occupy about the space of the gill combs heretofore employed in machines.
of this description. The lower feed roller f is driven by a ratchet wheel fon
its axis, which is actuated by a driver worked by an excentric on the axis c';
these rollers feed forward the wool or fibre as fast as it is taken by the nipping
instruments. Between the rows of teeth of the comb e thin blades e' are
arranged; they are hold together in a frame or bar on each side, and these are

page_text: fixed to stems, e, which descend down through the plate a' on each side;
at the lower ends of these stems_trucks are mounted which rest on cams d¹ on
the axis d, these cams lift the blades e¹ and so raise the wool or fibre out of the
teeth of the comb just as the nipping apparatus hereinafter described is com-
pleting the drawing a tuft out of the comb; the wool or fibre is then immedi-
ately moved forward, which is effected by the comb g, into which the end of
the sliver is placed when it is lifted by the blades e'; this comb as will be seen
is mounted on levers g¹ capable of rocking on an axis 93, and carrying at their
lower ends trucks g³ which rest against the cams d on the axis & being pressed
towards the same by suitable springs. As soon as the end of the sliver is in
the teeth of the comb g it moves forward, carrying the sliver with it, then
immediately the blades e¹ descend, and the brush e³, which is fixed to the frames
of the blades e', and which is equal in width to the comb e, descends with
them and presses the sliver out of the teeth of the comb g, and into and
amongst the teeth of the combe; the nipping apparatus then takes another
tuft. This nipping apparatus is constructed as follows:-It consists of two bars
or nipping instruments h, i, which separato from each other as they come to
receive the wool or fibre from the teeth, and then close so as to hold a portion
of wool or fibro firmly between them, and draw out as they recede from the
face of the teeth such portion of fibre from the other still held by the combs.
In order to this being done tho instrument h consists of a plate carried by the
bar h¹ which is capable of yielding somewhat when nipping by means of the
springs h*, h*. The lower nipping instrument i is fixed to the upper ends
of the arms,, which are connected together at their lower ends by the boss
and turn freely on the shaft or axis i, and the bar h' is carried by the side
plates h, which are capable of sliding on the arms in order to the instrument
h separating from the instrument i to admit of the fibre being received
between them, and then closing to hold the fibre as described. This move-
ment is obtained by means of the cams h³ affixed to the shaft or axis & acting
The shaft or axis i
on the trucks or rollers h', carried by the side plates h³.
receives motion from the pinion 6, by means of the intermediate wheel h³ taking
into that pinion and into the teeth of the wheel * affixed to the shaft or axis
. The upper ends of the arms are controlled in their movement, so that
when the nip on the fibre has taken place the drawing or detaching may be
effected by means of the connecting rods 2, 1, which at one end receive the
ends of the bar h', and at the other ends are connected to the crank pins ?
from the axis c'. The portion of fibre detached from that in the gill teeth is
brought forward by the instrument h, i, when the comb; comes into operation

page_text: to take the wool from the instrument h, i, (they separating at that time for
that purpose) and lay it on to the comb teeth k, which I have shown to be
of the ordinary kind travelling in a circle, but this may be varied. The combj
is supported by an arm from the axis j' and is controlled in its movement in
the following manner :-The axis is capable of turning in the socket formed
at the end of the lever, but is prevented being loose therein by a spring.
The lever is at its lower end affixed to the crank on the axis i, upon
which is aflixed the toothed wheel ", which receives motion from the toothed
wheel, affixed on the axis i'. The lever is also connected to one end of
the link, the other end of which turns upon a stud carried by the framing
as shown. By this combined action of the crank ³, and connecting link 1,
movement is obtained to the upper end of the lever 1, and the comb j is
further controlled by means of the studs ³, ³ carried by the fixed rod j³,
these studs receiving between them the stem from the axis. The wool
or other fibre as it is received on to the comb k is pressed down by means of
the brush 7, which is supported at the upper end of the rod ', which slides
through the guide, and has up and down motion given to it by means of the
lever P, which turns upon the axis l', and at its other end is connected to
the excentric rod from the excentric by which it is worked.
It is preferred to make the front rows of teeth of the comb e considerably
finer than they are made in the screw gill machine, and to make the back
rows coarser; by this arrangement the combing will be done more perfectly,
while the strain on the fibre, and consequently the breakage will be diminished.
The above arrangement of mechanism is that which I prefer to employ with
feeding apparatus of the kinds above described, and such also as are described
in the Specification of my said former Patent; but the same may be varied with-
out departing from this part of my Invention, so long as the process of causing
tufts of fibrous materials to be removed from a feeding apparatus such as above
mentioned, and placed into a travelling comb to be drawn off is retained; and
I would state, that amongst the variations which may be resorted to is
the use of a comb as one of the nipping or pressing instruments working with
a brush or other instrument for pressing the fibres into such comb so as to
cause the fibres to be held in such manner that when the comb separates from
the feeding apparatus (such as is described above, and in the Specification
of my said former Patent,) tufts of fibre may be drawn from amongst the
teeth of such feeding apparatus, and then placed with the uncombed ends of
such tufts into and amongst the teeth of a comb to be drawn off.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of

page_text: performing the same, I would have it understood, that I make no claim to
any of the mechanical parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details
'herein described, but what I claim is,―
First, the combination of a comb to move forward the slivers when free of
the teeth of the feeding head as herein described.
And secondly, I claim the combining nippers or nipping apparatus with the
feeding heads as herein explained, in order that tufts of wool or other fibres
may be drawn from such feeding heads and placed into and beyond the teeth
of a comb to be drawn off therefrom.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Rawson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.