IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINERY OR APPARATUS, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR COMBING SHORT FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Guy, of the Central British and Foreign Patent
Office, 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, London, Patent Agent's Clerk, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINERY OR APPARATUS, MORE
ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR COMBING SHORT FIBROUS MATERIALS."
munication from abroad by Eugène Mahicu, of Paris, France.
A com-
Sealed the 25th April 1879, and dated the 29th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Guy at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1878.
RICHARD GUY, of the Central British and Foreign Patent Office, 6, St. Paul's
Churchyard, London, Patent Agent's Clerk. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR COMBING SHORT
FIBROUS MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Eugène Mahieu, of Paris,
France.
This Invention relates to apparatus for combing fibres, and particularly to render
it possible to comb short fibrous material, and the object of the improvement is as
follows: Given a sliver of very short fibrous substance carded and difficult to be
combed (as for instance silk waste), to nip the head of sliver so as that only a short
fringe shall extend out from the nip; to comb such fringe by combing apparatus
working progressively, and to pull out the head across or through a clearing comb
by means of apparatus coming in immediate contact with the nip, that is, working
close up to the nip. With all the fibres thus drawn out superposed to form a sheet
or sliver of uniform thickness.
It will be understood that in carrying this proposition into effect it is necessary
that all devices which produce spaces or distance, that is, takes up room, such as
drawing rollers, will be suppressed, and there has been constructed in carrying out
Duins 17

page_text: this Invention two modifications or equivalent combinations based upon the same
principle.
-In-each of these combinations the slivers of carded fibre forms a fringe at the end
of a nip. The progressive combing-apparatus or ribbons of card clean the fringe,
and are freed of the noil in-the ordinary manner. Then-the-fringe.is_brought in
the face of a second nip similar to the first, which draws the said fringe out through
a clearing comb, which is presented at the moment of the drawing-out action of the
fringe by the second nip. This second nip in its revolution presents the drawn out
fringe to combing-apparatus similar to the first, and it is then liberated or delivered
to apparatus which conveys it to the previously treated fibres, and so makes up a
_solid and regular completed sliver.
The first arrangement-is-a-drum_turning upon an axis carrying axes on which
are mounted the bobbins of fibrous material in the form-of-a-sliver.
The head of each sliver is introduced between the jaws of a Heilmann's box, and
passes between two movable nipping jaws, whereof the opening and closing is
determined by the rotation of the drum itself by means of suitable transmission
gearing.
A small oscillating comb is arranged so as to fall in front of the movable jaws of
the nip and across the projecting fringe of the sliver.
Now suppose the fringes be taken into the feed boxes, it will be understood that
if from a given point the nipping jaws are closed the fringes may be carried around
whilst being firmly held to the combing apparatus so as to clean the fringe. Again
if at a second given point the nipping jaws open, and at the same time the oscil-
lating comb is lowered, it will suffice that a second nip or set of nipping jaws shall
come close against the first set and close upon the fringe, and at the same time
draw it away to produce the tearing away of the tuft, and consequently a combing
of it.
This result is obtained by means of a second drum turning in immediate contact
with the first. This drum is furnished with movable parts destined to form a set
of nipping jaws, and corresponding exactly to those above described, but the opening
and closing movement whereof, caused by the rotation of the second drum, is
governed so as that the nippers are automatically closed at the moment when the
previous set of nippers release the tuft.
It will be understood that the second drum continuing to revolve will draw the
exterior fringe across the clearing comb, and nipping it tightly will present it to.
the progressive carding apparatus (ribbons of card or otherwise), which will complete
the process of combing. The second drum continuing its revolution its nipping jaws
will open above a gill in the needles, in which will be deposited the combed tuft. It
will be sufficient to govern the speed of the gill to obtain a greater or less super-
position of the detached pieces or tufts, and to form a bat more or less thick, which
can be transformed into a sliver by means of a funnel or be collected in any other
manner.
The feeding of the fringe on the first drum is produced by the nipping jaws of the
second drum. In effect it is clear that if nothing obstructs the unrolling of the
feeding bobbin the nip dragging the sliver would entirely unwind it; but if after
that it is slightly unrolled the Heilmann's box and the clearing comb stop the
advance of the sliver, it will be possible to govern and regulate the length of fringe
on which the second nip will close, and which will also determine the length of
tuft to be combed.
As it is seen this machine avoids loss of space, the second set of nippers working
one against the other without any distance between them, so that the shortest fibres
are worked and remain in the combed sliver, instead of going to the noil as pre-
viously has been the case.
According to a modification of this Invention the slivers placed on bobbins are
arranged on two bobbin carriers fixed on a vertical shaft, as in Hubner's combing
machine, and are unrolled by the saine process, as before described. The head or
fringe of all the slivers forming the bat is taken between the auxiliary nippers,

page_text: as in Hubner's machine, and they are brought round by the revolution of the system
in face of the progressive combing apparatus. The nip is supported on a circular
plate turning longitudinally with a ring, on which is carried a ring-shaped nip
mounted with springs. Around the plate is a clearing comb provided with seg-
ments, which are raised and lowered by means of an inclined plane and by rollers.
These segments are elevated to a tangent point at the moment when the fringe has
become engaged under the plate. The two circles turning on themselves the fringe
is drawn across the clearer, and there is formed on the exterior of the nip a con-
verging flange of fibres partially combed. The first circle carries it before the
combing apparatus, which completes the combing process.
The combing process being finished the nip is taken off; the tufts are raised either
by cylinders or by gills, which form them into a sliver.

page_text: SPECIFICATION_in_pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Guy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th April
1879.
RICHARD GUY, of the Central British and Foreign Patent Office, 6, St. Paul's
IN
"IMPROVEMENTS
COMBING
Churchyard, London, Patent Agent's Clerk.
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR COMBING SHORT
FIBROUS MATERIALS." A communication.from abroad by Eugéne Mahieu, of Paris,
France.
This Invention relates-to-apparatus for combing fibres, and particularly to render
it possible to comb short fibrous materials, and the object-of-the-improvement is as
follows: Given a sliver of very short fibrous substance carded and difficult to be
combed (as for instance silk waste), to nip the head of the sliver so as that only a
short fringe shall extend out from the nip; to comb such fringe by combing appa-
ratus working progressively, and to pull out the head across or through a clearing
comb by means of apparatus coming in immediate contact with the nip, that is,
working close up to the nip; with all the fibres thus drawn out superposed to form
a sheet or sliver of uniform thickness.
It will be understood that in carrying this proposition into effect it is necessary
that all devices. which produce spaces or distance, that is takes up room, such as
drawing rollers, will be suppressed, and there has been constructed in carrying out
this Invention two modifications or equivalent combinations based upon the same
principle. In each of these combinations the slivers of carded fibre form a fringe at
the end of a nip. The progressive combing apparatus or ribbons of card clean the
fringe, and are freed of the noil in the ordinary manner. Then the fringe is brought
in face of a second nip similar to the first, which draws the said fringe out through
a clearing comb, which is presented at the moment of the drawing-out action of the
fringe by the second nip. This second nip in its revolution presents the drawn out
fringe to combing apparatus similar to the first, and it is then liberated or delivered
to apparatus which conveys it to the previously treated fibres, and so makes up a
solid and regular completed sliver.
In Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings is represented in vertical projection
the first arrangement of apparatus. A is a drum turning upon an axis B carrying
axes C, C, C, on which are mounted the bobbins of fibrous material in the form of a
sliver.
The head of each sliver is introduced between the jaws d, d, of a Heilmann's box
E, E, E, and passes between two movable nipping jaws F, F, whereof the opening
and closing is determined by the rotation of the drum itself by means of suitable
transmission gearing.
A small oscillating comb G is arranged so as to fall in front of the movable jaws
of the nip F, F, and across the projecting fringe of the sliver.
Now suppose the three fringes be taken into the feed boxes E, it will be under-
stood that if from a given point, and for example the nipping jaws are closed, the
fringes may be carried around whilst being firmly held to the combing apparatus
G, H, which are arranged in greater or less number; these combing organs will be
cleaned by a brush 1 and doffer J coming in contact with a comb K, or in any
other suitable manner so as to clean the fringes. Again if at a second given point S
the nipping jaws F, F, open, and at the same time the oscillating comb G falls, it
will suffice that a second nip or set of nipping jaws shall come close against the first
set F, F, and close upon the fringe, and at the same time draw it away to produce
the tearing away of the tuft, and consequently a combing of it.
This result is obtained by means of a second drum L turning on the shaft L' in
immediate contact with the first drum A. This drum is furnished with movable
parts F, F, destined to form a set of nipping jaws, and corresponding exactly to

page_text: F, F, of the drum A above described, but the opening and closing movement
whereof, caused by the rotation of the second drum, is governed so that the nippers
are automatically closed at the moment when the previous set of nippers F, F, release
the tuft.
It will be understood that the second drum L continuing to revolve will draw the
exterior fringe across the clearing comb G, and nipping it tightly will present it to
the progressive carding apparatus M. (ribbons of card or otherwise) which will
complete the process of combing. The second drum L continuing its revolution its
nipping jaws F1, F¹, will open above a gill in the needles, in which will be deposited
the combed tuft. It will be sufficient to govern the speed of the gill to obtain a
greater or less superposition of the detached pieces or tufts, and to form a bat more
or less thick, which can be transformed into a sliver by means of a funnel O, or be
collected in any other manner.
The feeding of the fringe in the first drum A is produced by the nipping jaws F¹, F¹,
of the second drum. In effect it is clear that if nothing obstructs the unrolling of
the feeding bobbin the nip dragging the sliver would entirely unwind it, but if after
that it is slightly unrolled the Heilmann's box and the clearing comb stop the
advance of the sliver, it will be possible to govern and regulate the length of fringe
on which the second nip will close, and which will also determine the length of tuft
to be combed.
As will be seen this machine avoids all loss of space, the sets of nippers F, F',
working one against the other without any distance between them, so that the
shortest fibres are worked and remain in the combed sliver, instead of going to the
noil as previously has been the case. There is not here given the means for regu-
lating the play of the nipping jaws and of the various organs of the machine, as
these various movements may be obtained in various ways.
According to a modification of this Invention, which is represented in Sheet 2 of
the Drawings, the slivers placed on bobbins are arranged on two bobbin carriers J, J,
fixed on a vertical shaft, as in Hübner's combing machine, and are unrolled by the
same process as in this machine or by other equivalent means.
The head or fringe
of all the slivers forming the bat is taken between the annular nippers G, as in
Hübner's machine, and they are brought round by the revolution of the system in
face of the progressive combing apparatus N, cleaned by a brush F and a doffer G
or other equivalent means. The nip G is supported on a circular plate G¹ turning
tangentially with a ring A, ou which is carried an annular nip H mounted with
springs. Around the plate G¹ is a clearing comb provided with segments 1, 2, 3,
which are raised and lowered by means of an inclined plane and by rollers. These
segments are elevated to the tangent point at the moment when the fringe has
become engaged under the plate H. The two circles A and G¹ turning on them-
selves the fringe is drawn across the clearer, and there is formed on the exterior of
the nip H a converging flange of fibres partially combed. The first circle A carries
it before the combing apparatus, which completes the process of combing.
The combing process being finished the nip H is taken off; the tufts are raised
either by cylinders or by gills which form them into a sliver.
The
The same operation is produced twice at each revolution of the circle A.
machine being double, two combed slivers are obtained, which can be re-united and
received either in a central can or on a bobbin, according to the nature of the
combed fibrous material under treatment. It is obvious that all waste of distance
or space is obviated, the nip H, A, and the plate G are tangents, and the shortest
fibres are retained. It would be possible to feed the circle A by a bobbin frame, as
in Noble's machine, and unwind the slivers by boxes or by inclined plane suppressing
the bobbin frame J of the small circles.
In that case the combed slivers should be taken up on small circles instead of the
large circles.
The clearing combs 1; 2, 3, should be in that case fixed inside the large circle
instead of the small circle; however these two are equivalent arrangements.

page_text: These applications are specially suited for the short fibres difficult to be combed,
such as for silk waste.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention in such
wise that any one practically-acquainted with this class of apparatus may readily
carry the same into practical effect, I claim,
The improvements in combing machinery or apparatus for combing fibrous
materials, said machinery being specially designed for combing short fibres, such as
silk waste, and waste generally from the combing of wool, mohair, cotton, and the
like
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Guy, have hereunto "set; my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred-and-seventy-nine.-.
In the presence of
W. H. C. JEROME,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard,
London.
RICHP. GUY. (L.S.)