IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING, SCUTCHING, CUTTING, HACKLING, DRESSING, COMBING, CARDING, DRAWING, ROVING, AND SPINNING, FLAX, HEMP, Tow, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN UNITING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBINSON, of Leeds, in the County of York, Flax Dresser, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the twenty-third day
of January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Robinson, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas
Robinson, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Robinson, my èxors, adiñňors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING, SCUTCHING, CUTTING,
HACKLING, DRESSING, COMBING, CARDING, DRAWING, ROVING, AND SPINNING, FLAX,
HEMP, Tow, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND IN UNITING
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Thomas Robinson, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be enrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully, and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Robinson, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
theroon, that is to say:-
One part of my Invention consists of improvements in machinery for
breaking and scutching flax and other fibrous materials requiring such
processes.
Figure 1 shews an end view, and Figure 2 a front view, of machinery for
breaking and partly scutching flax and other fibrous material requiring such
processes. The peculiarity of this part of my Invention consists of employing
rising and falling holders, and causing the fibrous material to be beaten and
also partly scutched by a series of bars or projecting surfaces, as shewn in the
.Drawing. The trough a of this machine is similar to thoso heretofore used.in
some hackling machines, such trough receiving and delivering the holders in
succession; and such holders may be similar to those heretofore employed in
hackling machines; or what I prefer is, that the holders should be kept pressed
together by the action of the machinery, in place of depending on being
fastened by screws or otherwise by hand before being introduced into the
machine, as heretofore has been the practice in hackling machines. b, b, are
the holders; they each consist of two parts, and they go together with pins, so
as to keep them correct. c, c, are levers, which are weighted at one of their
ends, their other ends pressing on bars & within the trough a, and the holders
coming between these bars when in the trough they will be closely pressed so
as securely to hold the fibrous materials; and, in order that the holders may be
partially released from pressure when they have to traverse, the levers c, c, are
raised when the traverse is to take place, and the traverse of the holders takes
place when they are at their highest position, and when the lower ends of the
fibres are above the beaters. The holders are raised and lowered in the following
manner is an axis, on which is the cog wheel f, which receives motion
from the.main or driving shaft g, by a train of wheels and pinions, as shewn in
the Drawing. h is a connecting rod, attached at one end by a crank pin to
the wheel f, and at its other end, by means of a strap, to the pulley i, on the

page_text: axis j, the connecting rod being made capable of adjustment in its length by
means of being in two parts, and there being a screw coupling socket. The trough
carrying the holders is carried by straps k, k, which at their upper ends are
affixed to the pullies ¹, k, on the axis j; hence, as the wheel frotates the
holders rise and fall. The Drawing shews the holders to be at their highest
position, at which time they will be caused to traverse. When the holders aro
going up, the levers c, c, will be raised by the straps c³, c³, connected or fixed
at the upper ends to pullics c, c, on the axis j, by which the holders will be
somewhat released from pressure, in order to allow of their being moved more
freely; and this partially releasing the pressure will not be prejudicial, as at
that time the ends of the fibres will be free from the beating bars. I prefer
that the beaters or bars at starting should be in the position shewn at Figure 1;
but they should protrude and enter beyond each other to some extent in the
second stage, and still more in the third stage. By this arrangement the
machinery will effectually beat the flax or other fibrous material, and also
scutch the same to some extent with advantage, the scutching being completed
in the ordinary manner. On the shaft or axis g are excentrics or cranks, which
give motion to the connecting rods 1, which are connected with the levers m,
which carry the series of bars or surfaces for beating the flax or other material,
such lovers m moving on axes m², m¹. Or, in place of cranks or excentrics,
tappets, or other means of giving a quick motion to the beating surfaces, may
be resorted to; and although I prefer bars for beating, as shewn, the beating
surfaces may be varied, so long as a similar mode of action is brought about.
The shaft or axis g receives motion by a strap g', from a steam engine or other
power. The holders are caused to traverse in the trough in the following
manner-u is a rod, with a catch u', which pressing against the last holler
introduced, moves the holders in the trough by means of the weight v, on the
strap v, which after passing over the guide pullies ³, are made fast to the
rod h, so that when the rod is allowed to move by the catch u being raised,
which takes place when the trough is raised, and the rod is brought back by
the crank pin acting in the slotted bar n, which is attached to the rod h by
a strap o, which is carried by the pullies p, p.
Having thus explained the part of my Invention which relates to breaking
and scutching, I would state, that I do not confine myself to the details shewn
and described so long as the peculiar character of the action of this machinery
is retained. But what I claim is the so arranging machinery for breaking
and scutching flax, and other fibrous matters requiring such processes, that
rising and falling holders, combined with opening and closing beaters, such as
are herein described shall be employed.

page_text: I will now describe another part of my Invention, which has for its object
improvements in the machinery used for cutting flax, and other fibrous
substance requiring this process. Heretofore this class of machinery has been
worked and caused to cut the flax or other fibrous substance whilst such
substance has been held by hand. Now this part of my Invention consists of
employing feeding aprons or cloths, in combination with such cutting machinery,
so that the flax or other fibrous material may be carried into and from the
machinery by such aprons or cloths. Figure 3 shews a plan, and Figure 4 an
elevation of a machine similar to those now in use for cutting flax and other
fibrous material requiring that process; but in other machinery there are no
feeding aprons which carry the fibrous substance to the machine. a, a, are
the feeding aprons which are carried by the rollers b, b, and c, c, there being
an intermediate strap or carrier a¹ between each pair of feeding aprons a, a, by
which the middle portions of the stricks of flax or fibrous material are sup-
ported, such straps being carried by the pullies d, d, as shewn. e, e, are two
pairs of what I will call the holding and delivering aprons; they are carried
by the rollers or drums f. f. These aprons e pass partly around the rollers or
drums c, c, then round the drums 9, 9, then down under the rollers or
drums h, h, to the rollers or drums f, f, such aprons being made endless, as is
also the case with the others, by the ends of the respective aprons being con-
nected together. By this arrangement the stricks or handsfull of flax or other
fibrous material are fed on to the aprons a, a, and a', a¹, and they are carried
inwards to the cutter, where the centre portion of the fibrous material will no
longer be supported, but the holding will be by means of the ordinary holding
apparatus, whilst the ends are retained between the aprons or cloths a, a, and e, e,
when the cut is being made, and then the severed or cut stricks will be
delivered at the points g, g. I would remark, that if it be desired to cut the
lengths of the stricks into more than two parts by more than one cutter, then
more than one cutter may be employed, and the number of feeding and holding
aprons increased accordingly. I do not make any claim to the cutting appa-
ratus shewn, and the same may be varied without departing from my Invention;
neither do I confine myself to the details shewn for working the aprons, so long
as the machinery is suitably arranged with aprons for feeding and holding the
stricks in place of holding them to the cutters by hand as heretofore.
And I claim in respect to this part of my Invention the so arranging cutting
machinery, that the same may be fed, and the stricks of flax or other fibrous
substance held, by means of aprons or feeding cloths, in place of holding such
fibrous materials by hand.
I will now describe those parts of my Invention which relate to hackling

page_text: flax and other fibrous substances requiring that process. Figures 5 and 6
shew two end views of hackling machines having part of my improvements
applied thereto. These two views are alike, excepting so far as the means of
doffing the tow from tlie hackles and the mode of communicating motion
from the first mover, and therefore the same description will apply to both
except in those particulars. These machines work with endless bands of
liackles, so arranged that they shall stand off from one another and work at an
angle when the flax or fibrous material is introduced between them, so that
the hackles on either side may only act on the ends; and then the sheets
of hackles will come to a parallel position, and penetrate and work the flax or
other fibrous substance nearly up to the holders, which, in these machines, will
not require to rise and fall, but will simply require to be moved in the trough
from one set of endless hackles to tho next, when tho sheets are opened out to
their widest position. In Figure 5 the hackles are shewn working in their
parallel position, and in Figure 6 they are shewn opened out to. an angular
position, so that the flax in the latter case will ouly begin to be acted on at its
ends. a in Figure 5 is the main or driving shaft or axis which receives
motion by the strap 6 from a steam engine or other power; and there is a cog
wheel on the axis or shaft a, which takes into and gives motion to the cog
wheel d, which takes into and gives motion to the cog wheel e, and which
takes into and gives motion to the cog wheel f on the axis g, the axes a and g
giving motion to the endless bands of hackles in like manner to what has
heretofore been the case with similar endless bands of hackles, the difference
being in this machine that the straps or bands of hackles in place of con-
tinuing to move parallel commence in the flax or fibrous matter when they
are at an angle to cach other, as shown at Figure 6; and this is accomplished
by the axes of the upper rollers of the endless bands of hackles being carried
by frames h, which, at their lower ends, move on the axes a and g, so that they
may at their upper ends move to and from each other, and thus cause the
sheets of hackles to move to and from each other; and movement is commu-
nicated to such frames by means of an alternating motion given to the axis i,
which, by means of wheels or pulleys j, and chains 7, give motion to the pro-
jections or arms k, k, affixed to the frames h, the frames h and sheets of
hackles being brought back by means of weighted straps l, l. It will not be
necessary for me to enter into any description of the parts for moving the
holders in the trough, such parts being the same as heretofore used in like
machinery, and are well known. In order to enable the hackles to enter the
flax or fibrous material nearly up to the holder I cause the hackle bars or
stocks to be moved by links m, m, in place of having them fixed to the endless

page_text: :
straps or bands n, and I employ guides o, o, so that the hackles or points do
not radiate as from a centre when at the upper part of the machine, but come
into position and enter the flax just under the holder, as shown at Figure 5.
The frames h, h, are controlled as to the extent of their motion by means of the
slotted bolts p, p, there being studs or projections q, q, fixed to the frames h, h,
which enter such slots. The parts of the holders 7, 7, in place of being fixed by
screws or otherwise with the stricks of material between them, as heretofore in
hackling machines, simply go together by studs which enter holes, so as to keep
them correctly together, and yet allow of their being separated and put together
with less effort and time when out of the machine; and the machine is so
arranged that the requisite pressure for retaining the parts of the holders
together is obtained by means of the machine itself whilst the holders are
passing through the trough; and for this purpose I apply weighted levers s, s,
such levers carrying the axes of the rollers t which press on the sides of the
holders r, and thus keep them closed, the rotation of the rollers allowing of
the holders r being forced along the trough or in place of rollers and weights
other means may be resorted to for pressing the parts of the holders together
at the time that fibrous materials held thereby are being hackled, so long as
the pressure is by the act of the machine in place of the parts of the holders
being fixed together out of the machine, so as to require no further pressure
when in the machine.
In Figure 5 the doffing of the tow is done by bars as heretofore, and in
Figure 6 the doffing is done by brushes as shewn, and the tow is removed by
a cylinder with points. The mode of communicating power from a steam
engine to the axes a and g of Figure 6 is clearly shown in the Drawing, and
will not require description.
Having explained these improvements in hackling machinery, I wish it to be
understood in respect thereto that I do not confine myself to the details as
shewn. But what I claim is the so arranging continuous sheets of hackles, that
they may be enabled to commence working on the ends of the fibres, and then
come more parallel, thus progressively to act nearer and nearer to the
holders. And I also claim the governing the hackles worked by continuous sheets,
so that they may enter near to the holders. And I also claim the applying
of the requisite pressure to the parts of the holders as they pass through hackling
machines, whether such hackling machines be such as shewn or otherwise.
I will now describe other parts of my Invention relating to the hackling by
endless sheets of hackles, and these improvements apply to that class of
machines where the sheets move in opposite directions, as was described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to me, in conjunction with John Lawson, of

page_text: Leeds, and this part of my improvements consists of so arranging such
descriptions of machines that the endless bands of hackles may be caused to
work in an inclined position in place of horizontal.
Figuro 7 shews an end view, and Figure 8 a front view of a machine,
arranged according to this part of my Invention, there being four bands or
sheets of hackles; a, a, are two endless bands of hackles working in an inclined
position and in one direction, and b, b, is a middle endless band of hackles of
two hackles broad, which also work in an inclined position, and their direction
of motion is the reverse of that of a, a. These endless bands of hackles are
carried by the axes c and d, those marked a, a, being carried by the axis c,
and those marked b and carried by the axis d, which axes are caused to turn in
opposite directions, and therefore the sheets of hackles will be moved thereby
in opposite directions; e is the upper axis of the endless bands a, a, and fis
the upper axis of the band b, b; the upper axis of the endless band of hackles
a, a, is carried by the framings g,y, as shewn; and in order to adjust the position
or angle of working of the endless bands a, b, apparatus is applied thereto;
h is a fixed angular plate having fixed thereto the perforated arc i, and j is an
arm or handle fixed to the axis which turns in bearings k, k¹, and on this
axis are cranks with crank pins m coming under the frame which carries the
endless band of hackles: hence, according as the arm or handle-j is retained
opposite one or other of the perforations in the arc i by a pin, so will be the
position in which the upper part of the endless band of hackles will be held;
and, as cach of the frames carrying endless bands of hackles has a similar
apparatus, the several frames with their sheets or bands of hackles can be
adjusted at their upper parts to the position required. Motion is communi-
cated to the axes c and d in the following manner:-On the axis d is a drum
or pulley o, which receives motion by a strap or band o¹ from a steam engine or
other power, and motion is communicated to the axis c by a train of wheels as
shewn, so that the axis d may cause the endless bands of hackles 6 to be
moved in an opposite direction to the others a. In this machine the trough
for the holders and the means of moving the holders in the trough are similar
to those heretofore in use, and as they are clearly shewn in the Drawing it will
not be necessary to describe the same; but the holders in this case are pressed
together when in the machine as herein-before described and claimed by me as
part of my Invention: the means, however, of applying such pressure are
somewhat modified from what was before explained, for in this instance there are
no rollers used, and the holders have to rise and fall with the trough; p,p, are
two pressing levers weighted at their outer ends, and their cranked ends press
against the links p', which are suspended on pins or axes carried by the

page_text: holder trough; and q, q, are projections which pass from the links p, p, into the
trough, and they have bars of wood 7, r, affixed thereto, and which bars r
are caused to press against the sides of the holders which are made as before
described; but as the holders have to be moved in the trough when the trough
rises. to its highest position, the weighted levers pressing the parts of the
holders together require to be raised, and this is done by means of bands or
straps 8, 8, on pulleys t, t, on the axis v, which is put in motion when the holders
and trough are being raised, the pulleys t,t, being of such diameter as to take up
the slack of the bands or straps s, s, which raise the levers so as to lessen their
pressure on the holders, and thus allow of the holder being moved in the
trough as heretofore; u, u, are curved gratings into which the tow from the
hackles is delivered, and the tow in passing along these gratings is cleansed of
impurities which drop through the gratings. These gratings it will be seen
bend round in front of the sheet of hackles, and then pass behind the sheet so
that the tow will be taken in front and carried away to the back of the hackles,
and cleamsed by being beaten against the grating; the peculiarity of these
gratings is, that they take or receive the tow in front, and carry it behind and
deliver the clean tow at the back of the hackles from which the tow comes.
I would state that what I claim in respect of this machine is the so arranging
of sheets of hackles (which move in opposite directions) that they shall work
in inclined positions. And I also claim the mode of constructing and applying
gratings for cleaning the tow.
I will now describe another part of my Invention, which also relates to
hackling machinery, which work with cylinders having hackles thereon. In
the Specification of the said former Patent, granted to me and Mr. John
Lawson, we described a machine in which alternate cylinders on the same axis
or shaft revolved in opposite directions. Now this part of my Invention con-
sists of obtaining a like mode of working when placing the alternate cylinders
on different shafts..
Figure 9 shews so much of an end view, and Figure 10 so much of the
plan of a machine as will enable me to describe this part of my Invention.
In this machine there are four hackling cylinders, two revolving in one
direction and two in the opposite direction; but the number of hackle
cylinders may be varied, so long as they revolve in opposite directions and
are on different axes. The hackles cylinders a and b are on the same
axis and move in the same direction with the axis c, the cylinder 6 being
of a size to receive two sets of hackles. The cylinders d, e, revolve
together, and move in the same direction, but in the opposite direction
to those shewn at a, b, the cylinders d, e, being on the shaft or axis f.

page_text: I have not thought it necessary to show holders and apparatus suitable for
carrying the flax or other fibrous substance through this machine, as the
same are well understood, and will readily be applied; but I have shewn
gratings applied according to the former part of my Invention, in order
that it may be understood that such part of my Invention is applicable to
cylinder machines as well as to sheet hackling machines, g, g, being end views
of two of the gratings, by which it will be seen that the tow is deposited on
them where the hackling is performed, and then the tow is moved thereon and
carried behind the hackling cylinders. In the Drawing I have shewn the
cylinders which move in the same direction to be on the same axis; but this
is not necessary, as each cylinder may, if desired, be on a separate axis, and
have motion applied thereto, so that the alternate cylinders may be caused to
move in opposite directions and thus alternately to act on either side of the
strick of fibrous substance. I would state, in respect to this part of my Inven-
tion, that what I claim is the so arranging cylinder hackling machines, that
that they, working alternately in opposite directions, shall be on separate axes..
I will now describe another part of my Invention, which also relates to
hackling machinery, and consists of a mode of employing endless bands or
sheets of hackles, and whereby the stricks of flax or other fibrous material,
having been acted upon by a suitable series of hackle surfaces, carried by
endless sheets or bands, shall pass back through the machine, and be caused to
be acted on by another series of hackle surfaces or endless bands or sheets, on
the other end thereof; such second endless bands of hackles being caused to
move in an opposite direction to the first series of hackle surfaces on endless
sheets or bands. And I prefer in carrying out this part of my Invention that
the two sets of endless sheets or bands of hackles should incline to each other;
but this is not essential so long as they revolve in opposite directions.
Figure 11 and Figure 12 shew two end views of so much of two machines
as will enable me to describe this part of my Invention, the difference being
in the two cases shewn that the endless shoets or bands are inclined to cach
other in different directions, and they move in opposite directions. I have.
not thought it necessary to shew the troughs and apparatus for carrying the
holders through the machine, first to be acted on at one end by one series, and
then in the return through the machine to be acted on at the other end by
the other series of hackles on endless bands or sheets moving in an opposite
direction, such apparatus and troughs being readily applied, and they do not
form any part of this head of my Invention. I would have it understood that
what I claim in respect to this part of my Invention is the so arranging shoets
or bands of hackles in a machine that stricks of fibrous material may,
in

page_text: passing through the machine, be acted on by a series of hackling surfaces on
endless bands or sheets, and then in passing back through the machine the
stricks shall be acted on by another series of hackles on sheets or bands
moving in an opposite direction.
I will now describe another part of my Invention, which relates to hackling
machines, wherein are used two working barrels, and wherein the hackles are
placed on arms having axes, and are governed in their rotation by eccentrics
or eccentric grooves. In such machines, as heretofore constructed, the
stripping or doffing the tow has been performed by brushes and card-doffing
cylinders, by which the tow is cleansed; but I have found that by applying
gratings to such machines, in the manner before described, the tow will be
cleansed, and that I can greatly improve and simplify such descriptions of
machines by applying strippers or stripping bars, such as have heretofore been
used in sheet hackling machines, and thus am I enabled to dispense with the
use of brushes and card doffers formerly used in this class of machines. What
I claim in respect of this part of my Invention is; combining the use of strippers
or stripping bars with hackles, which aro-mounted on axes and governed in
their rotation by means of eccentrics or eccentric grooves.
Another part of my Invention consists of improvements in. that description
of machinery called the "screw gill." Heretofore in constructing screw gills
it has been usual so to arrange the parts-that-one faller has been raised by
cach revolution of the screws. Now, the object of this part of my Invention
is so to construct or arrange screw gill machinery that more than one faller
shall be lifted for each revolution of the screws, by which improvements a
larger quantity of work can be produced on a screw gill with a given length
of sheet (fallers for the time being in action). And in order that this part of
my Invention may be most fully understood, I will proceed to describe the
Drawing.
Figures 13 and 14 shew, two sections of part of a screw gill, each view
shewing two fallers, one up and the other down. The upper screws a, a, are
formed with two threads, and they have each two cams b, b, in place of the
one heretofore employed. c, c, are the lower screws, which have each two
threads formed thereon, and they also each have two cams in place of one,
the effect of which will be that two fallers will be raised into the sheet of
fallers, and two fallers will descend out of of the sheet of fallers for each revolu-
tion of the screws. And this arrangement I believe to be the best for carrying
out this part of my Invention; but I do not confine myself thereto so long as
more than one faller be raised into action into tho samo sheet of fallers for
each revolution of the screws a, c.

page_text: Figure 15 shews a section of part of a screw gill for drawing, taken from
front to back of the machine, and Figure 16 shews another section, taken in
a similar direction, of a screw gill for roving, in each of which Figures the
construction of the screws a, a, c, c, and their cams, are such as to raise up
two fallers at each revolution, the screws all revolving together as heretoforc.
Figure 17 shews a section of a screw gill of that description where more
than one screw is on the same axis, the different sets of fallers having hackles
or points of different degrees of fineness: such machines in fact may be said to
consist of several machines in one; in other respects such machines in their
parts have consisted of single-threaded screws and single cams, so that one
faller only has been raised into each sheet of fallers for each revolution, of the
axes a, a. But when making this description of machinery according to my
Invention, they may be so arranged as to have more than one faller raised
into each sheet of fallers at cach revolution of the axes a, a, and thus each
sheet of fallers will be worked as in machines where only one sheet of fallers
is employed, as above described. Figure 17 shows the parts arranged for three
sheets or sets of fallers, each axis having three screws; but this number may
be varied, and each screw a, on the axes a, has its two cams; and each screw c,
on its axes c, has its two cams; and the screws a and c are two-threaded
screws, when it is desired to raise and lower two:fallers for each revolution of
the axes a, c, into and from such sheet of fallers in the machine; 'and' such
machines may be made with hackles or points of different degrees of fineness, or
of the same degree of fineness, and with screws of the same or different pitches.
Having thus explained this part of my Invention, I would remark, that I
do not confine myself to the details herein shown and described, so long as
the peculiar character of the improvement be retained; but what I claim is
the so arranging screw gill machinery that more than one faller may be raised
into the same sheet of fallers by each revolution of the screws a,.c.
I will now describe another part of my Invention which relates to putting a
spin or twist in what are called sliver rovings. Figure 18 shows a transverse
section, aud Figure 19 part of a front view of so much of a machine as will
enable me to describe this part of my Invention. a, a, are the sliver rovings,
which pass through a trough of water b, and thence round the drying cylinder
c, all which is similar to that heretofore practised, but in place of the sliver
roving being carried to the next process in this state, I cause a spin or twist
to be put on, as shown by a suitable spindle; in this state, supposing it to be
silk waste, the product may be used for making fringes and other articles; but
if the rovings are to be again drawn and spun as with flax and similar fibres,
then they will be subjected to the same machinery, and be moistened, drawn,

page_text: and spun, as when using the ordinary sliver rovings which have no spin on
them: but it will be found that the subsequent spinning of such rovings will be
benefitted by the circumstance of the sliver rovings having received a spin or
twist on their coming from the drying cylinder. And I claim as this part of
my Invention the putting on a twist or spin on rovings as they come from the
drying cylinder.
I will now describe another part of my Invention, which relates to that
description of machines called sheet gills, and consists of placing the fallers
on axes, the bearings thereof being carried by endless sheets or bands, and
governing the ends of each faller by guides acting on cranked ends of the
fallers, by which the points may be caused to enter and leave the fibres in
more upright positions. Figure 20 shows so much of a sheet gill machine as
will enable me to describe this part of my Invention, and Figure 21 shows two
views of one end of one of the fallers. a, a, are endless bands, straps, or sheets,
having bearings 6 fixed thereto, for the axes of the fallérs c, and the ends of
each faller are cranked, as shown at c¹, and such cranked ends are received
into fixed guides or grooves dat each end of the machine; by this arrange-
ment the points may be caused to enter the fibres in a position more nearly
vertical than when the fallers are fixed to the straps, or in endless links as
heretofore. What I claim as this part of my Invention is, cranked ends
working in guides, as explained, so as to govern-the-points.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.

page_text: the County of York, Flax Dresser, for his Invention of "Improve-
ments in Machinery for Breaking, Scutching, Cutting, Hackling,
Dressing, Combing, Carding, Drawing, Roving, and Spinning Flax,
Hemp, Tow, Wool, Silk, and other Fibrous Substances, and in
uniting Fibrous Substances," bearing date at Westminster, the
Twenty-third day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-nine.
(The words printed in Italics are underlined in the original.)
DISCLAIMER proposed to be entered by Thomas Robinson, with the Clerk of
the Patents of England, pursuant to an Act passed in the fifth and sixth
years of the reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled
"An Act to amend the Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions."
I, the said Thomas Robinson, do declare that since I obtained the said
Letters Patent I have discovered that the Invention which was intended to.
have been described under that part of the title which is contained in the fol-
lowing words "Carding," "and in uniting Fibrous Substances," is not of such
practical utility as would make it desirable to retain it in the said Patent: for
which reason I am desirous to and do hereby disclaim all that part of the title
which is contained in the following words, " Carding," "and in uniting Fibrous
Substances."

page_text: of the reign of His late Majesty King William the 4th, entitled "An Act to
amend the Law touching Letters Patent for Inventions."
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Thomas Robinson came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-ninc.