IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FLOCKING WOOLLEN OR OTHER WOVEN OR FELTED FABRICS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Rhodes and Thomas Brown Rhodes,
both of Armley, near Leeds, in the County of York, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FLOCKING WOOLLEN OR
OTHER WOVEN OR FELTED FABRICS."
Scaled the 22nd June 1875, and dated the 1st January 1875.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Rhodes
and Thomas Brown Rhodes at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 1st January 1875.
We, BENJAMIN RHODES and THOMAS BROWN RHODES, both of
Armley, near Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FLOCKING
WOOLLEN OR OTHER WOVEN OR FELTED FABRICS," to be as follows :-
Our Invention has reference to machines known as "milling machines,”
employed for flocking woollen or other woven or felted fabrics, and is as
hereafter described.
The milling machine is similar to those of ordinary construction,
but we make the "confining spout" much shorter, and bring thereby

page_text: that part of the material passing from the "confining spout” to the
"throat” in a much less space; and in order to keep the heat in the
material during the operation we enclose it within suitable partitions,
which are brought close to the material, and also serve to conduct it
from the " confining spout" to the "throat." By keeping the heat in
the material not only is the milling operation better done, but also
the material is better prepared for receiving the flocks.
In combination with the herein-before described arrangement we
provide an apparatus for distributing the flocks on to the material
during the operation. This apparatus is placed in such a position that
the flocks, by preference, though not necessarily, are deposited on the
material just at the point of its entering the "throat," at which point
the flocks are better received and with less waste than when thrown on
in the ordinary manner. For this purpose we fix a hopper on or within
the framework, provided with a perforated or sieve-like bottom. Within
the hopper is fitted in suitable bearings a spiked roller, brush, or
equivalent teazer. This being caused to revolve has the effect of shaking
the pulverized or small flocks through the perforated or sieve-like bottom
on to the material previous to its entering the "throat," the required
motion being given to the spiked roller, brush, or equivalent teazer from
suitable motive power. In this operation the "long flocks" remain in
the hopper and clog up the spiked roller, brush, or equivalent teazer;
and in order to get these "long flocks" out without stopping the spiked
roller, brush, or equivalent teazer, we arrange a door at the side of the
hopper in such a position that when opened the spiked roller, brush, or
The flock distributing
equivalent teazer throws out the "long flocks."
apparatus may be placed in any convenient position on or within the
framework.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Rhodes and Thomas Brown Rhodes .3
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June 1875.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Benjamin Rhodes and
Thomas Brown Rhodes, Her special licence that we, the said Benjamin
Rhodes and Thomas Brown Rhodes, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Benjamin Rhodes and Thomas
Brown Rhodes, our 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FLOCKING WOOLLEN OR OTHER.
},
WOVEN OR FELTED FABRICS,' upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Benjamin Rhodes and Thomas Brown Rhodes, our exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Benjamin Rhodes and Thomas
Brown Rhodes, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters of reference
marked thereon, that is to say :—
Our Invention has reference to machines known as "milling machines"
employed for flocking woollen or other woven or felted fabrics, and is as
hereafter described.
And in order that our Invention may be completely understood, we
annex a Sheet of Drawings of apparatus constructed according to our
Invention, in which Fig. 1 is a transverse section through A, B, Fig. 2'; .
and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section through C, D, Fig. 1.
The "milling machine" is similar to those of ordinary construction,
andon to neat the minching into lass woom
ΠΡΟ

page_text: make the "confining spout" a much shorter, and bring thereby that
part of the material passing from the "confining spout" a to the
"throat" through a much less space; and in order to keep the heat in
the material during the operation we contract the inside of the machine
by providing therein suitable partitions c, shewn in dotted lines, which
also serve to conduct it from the "confining spout" a to the "throat" b.
By keeping the heat in the material not only is the milling operation
better done, but also the material is better prepared for receiving the
flocks.
In combination with the herein-before described arrangement we
provide an apparatus for distributing the flocks on to the material during
the operation. This apparatus is placed in such a position that the
flocks, by preference, though not necessarily so, are deposited on the
material just at the point of its entering the throat b, at which point the
flocks are better received and with less waste than when thrown on in
the ordinary manner. For this purpose we fix a hopper d on or within the.
framework e, provided with a perforated or sieve-like bottom f. Within
the hopper d is fitted in suitable bearings a spiked roller g, brush, or equi-
valent teazer. This spiked roller g, brush, or equivalent teazer is caused to
revolve by means of a pulley / on the top roller shaft i, through belt j
and pulley k on the spiked roller shaft 7, having the effect of shaking the
pulverized or small flocks through the perforated or seive-like bottom f
on to the material previous to its entering the throat b. In this operation
the "long flock's " remain in the hopper, and have a tendency to clog up
the spiked roller g, brush, or equivalent teazer; and in order to get these
"long flocks'
out without stopping the spiked roller 9, brush, or
equivalent teazer, we arrange a door mat the side of the hopper & in
such a position that when opened the spiked roller g, brush, or equivalent
teazer throws out the "long flocks." The flock distributing apparatus
may be placed in any convenient position on or within the frame-
work.
"
In order to prevent the flocks that drop from the material from accu-
mulating in the corner n we provide an additional partition o, whereby
any flocks that fall from the material during the operation are conducted
to the centre of the machine and taken up again by the material. This
partition o prevents the waste that ordinarily occurs in flocking machines,
at the same time acts with the partition c for the purpose of keeping the
heat in.

page_text: Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and shewn
by Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, we would have
it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact limits, details,
or configuration of the various parts we have explained and shewn, as
the same may be varied or modified without departing from the nature
of our Invention, but what we do claim and desire to be secured to us
by Letters Patent is,―
•
Firstly. The arrangement, construction, and application of flock dis-
tributing apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Secondly. The arrangement and application of partitions cand o in
combination with the various parts forming the machine for flocking
woollen or other woven or felted fabrics, substantially as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Brown Rhodes, for myself
and on behalf of the said Benjamin Rhodes, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.