MENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR PREPARING FOR SPINNING HEMP. FLAX, JUTE. MANILLA HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS. AND FOR THE CONVERSION OF ROPES AND OTHER CORDAGE AND TEXTILE FABRICS INTO OAKUM, Tow. AND PAPER STUFF. DRESSING AND CLEANING WASTE Tow. WOOL, HAIR, AND OTHER WASTE' FIBRES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Walker, of 23, Norfolk Street, Strand,
London, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR PREPARING FOR SPINNING HEMP.
FLAX, JUTE. MANILLA HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS. AND FOR THE
CONVERSION OF ROPES AND OTHER CORDAGE AND TEXTILE FABRICS INTO OAKUM,
Tow. AND PAPER STUFF. DRESSING AND CLEANING WASTE Tow. WOOL, HAIR,
AND OTHER WASTE' FIBRES."
Sealed the 11th January 1867, and dated the 11th July 1866
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1866.
I, WILLIAM WALKER, of 23, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR DRESSING OR PREPARING FOR SPINNING,
HEMP, FLAX JUTE, MANILLA HEMP, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND FOR THE
CONVERSION OF ROPES AND OTHER CORDAGE AND TEXTILE FABRICS INTO OAKUM. TOW.
AND PAPER STUFF, DRESSING AND CLEANING 'WASTE' Tow. WOOL. HAIR. AND
OTHER LIKE WASTE FIBRES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in and appa-
ratus for treating flax, hemp, jute, and other like fibrous material, so as
to prepare the same for spinning or other purposes; for "breaking
down" or converting ropes and textile fabrics into oakum, tow, and

page_text: paper stuff; also dressing and cleaning hair, "waste" tow, wool, hair,
and other like "waste" fibres.
An apparatus constructed according to this Invention may consist of
two horizontal shafts placed parallel to and one above the other, mounted
in bearings on suitable framework. Each of these shafts are fitted
with two sets of radial arms, of say, four spokes each, or any other desired
number in each set, which are placed the desired distance apart, and
two pairs of which opposite arms are connected together at their outer
ends by transverse beating bars of wood or other suitable material, and
the other two pairs, say, when four are used, are connected together
by transverse metal plates, which are perforated with holes to receive
gull or heckle teeth, which are fitted into a transverse metal gill bar,
which is connected at the ends to two parallel guide rods, which work
longitudinally in bearings formed in or on the radial arms. These guide
bars are shorter than the fixed radial arms, and are turned outwards at
their lower ends to a right angle, and form an axle carrying an anti-
friction roller, which travels on the inner surface of a circular or nearly
circular ring which encompasses the shafts. The rings which surround
the revolving shaft are fixed to the frame of the machine excentrically
to the revolving shafts they encompass for giving the reciprocating
motion to the gill bars, the tendency of the gill bars by reason of the
centrifugal force having always a tendency to project, and they are
withdrawn at the position required by the antifriction wheels imping-
ing on the inner surface of the stationary rings. The upper and lower
horizontal revolving shafts are fitted exactly alike, but are so set that
the radial arms, with their transverse beaters and reciprocating gills,
intersect each other in their rotation on their axles, being driven in
opposite directions, thus avoiding their coming into contact with each
other. At or nearly in line with the centre of the two shafts, and in
front thereof, there is mounted feed rollers, the first pair of which it
is preferred should be brought as near to the point of contact with the
transverse beater bars and reciprocating gills as practicable for the
purpose of presenting the material to be dressed as near to the beaters
and reciprocating gill bars as possible. The two revolving shafts carry-
ing the radial arms, with their transverse beaters and reciprocating gills,
may be driven in opposite directions by means of a pair of toothed
wheels keyed on to the ends of the shafts, and which gear into one
another, or in any other convenient manner. The drawing or feeding
rollers may be driven by gear from either of the transverse parallel revolv

page_text: ing shafts carrying the beaters and gill teeth, either by toothed or
friction gear, or by pulleys and straps, or in any other convenient
manner. In some cases the whole of the beater bars may be mounted
on one axle, and the whole of the reciprocating gill bars on the other,
in place of alternately as herein-before described; and when the machine
is used for combing or heckling only the reciprocating gills may be sub-
stituted for the beating bars. The material to be operated upon may be
carried to the feed rollers by an endless apron fitted on the front of the
drawing rollers, or it may be fed by hand from a table or platform con-
structed on the frame of the machine on front of the drawing rollers.
Some or all of the radial arms it is preferred should carry flat boards
or plates to generate a current of air, in which case the two transverse
horizontal shafts, with their fittings, are entirely enclosed within a
casing, except at the point opposite the feed rollers, and at the opposite
side of the casing from which the dressed material is thrown, thus form-
ing a fan, which greatly facilitates the operation of dressing and clean-
ing the material. On or near the ground line in front of the discharge
opening is placed a large sieve, riddle, netting, or other open platform
to receive the fibre as it falls from the machine, and at the same time
to allow the "shiv," dust, or other heavy impurities to fall through it,
while the fibre is retained on the top; or the material may be received
in a cylindrical or conical revolving sieve, or other moving openwork
platform, or upon an endless revolving band of network. In using this
apparatus for unmanufactured fibres, upon the machine being set in
motion the material to be dressed is fed to the draw rollers in the
ordinary manner, when it is combed and beaten out by the action of
the reciprocating gills and revolving beaters, and by the current of
air generated within the casing of the machine is thrown off through
the delivery opening on to the grated or perforated receiver in a remark-
ably light and fleecy state. The gills are caused to recede by the lower
ends of the guide rods which travel in the excentric races described,
which are so set that the gill teeth are withdrawn through the holes
in the covering plate through which they work, and thus the fibre
operated upon is not carried round beyond the point desired. When
this apparatus is used for the breaking up or disentegrating of rags, or
other textile fabrics, in some cases it is preferred to substitute a number
of "knife blades" for the gill teeth. In "breaking down" ropes or other
cordage it is preferred to first "unlay" them and form them into strands,
which may be done either by hand alone, or by the aid of the ordinary

page_text: rope-making machinery used for laying, and if preferred the yarns may
have the twist taken out of them either by hand alone, or by the aid of
any of the ordinary spinning machines; in which latter case it may some-
times be desirable to put the untwisted yarns or "slivers on to bobbins,
and in case of tarred yarns the operation of converting the same into
oakum will be greatly facilitated by heating the same previous to being
acted upon by the reciprocating gills and beaters, which may be done
in any convenient manner. The yarns to be converted into tow or
oakum are led through the draw rollers, and acted upon by the beaters
and reciprocating revolving gills in the same manner as that of the
raw fibre; but it may be found of advantage to divide the table or plat-
form on front of the drawing rollers with channels, or grooves, or other
guides to keep the several yarns apart to prevent them being entangled
as they are drawn forward by the feed rollers; or, when an endless
apron is used, a plate of corrugated metal may be used to guide and
keep apart the several yarns as they are carried forward by the endless
apron. When it is desired to dress a short fibre, in some cases the feed
rollers are dispensed with, in lieu of which a reciprocating platform,
with a leaf jointed to an upright on the transverse back of the recipro-
cating trap platform is used as a nipper to hold the fibre and present
it to the revolving reciprocating gills and beaters. The upper leaf may
be formed in several parts, and which upper leaf or leaves are kept
closed by means of stationary rollers on the frame under which it slides;
or the leaves may be kept closed by means of a lever or levers. This
reciprocating nipper it is preferred should run on guide rails, so that
the material held therein may be presented to the gills and beaters
either at once or gradually.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
WALKER, of 23, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHERFAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Walker, Her special licence that I, the said

page_text: William Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Walker, 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 AND APPARATUS FOR DRESSING
OR PREPARING FOR SPINNING HEMP, FLAX, JUTE, MANILLA HEMP. AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS, AND FOR THE CONVERSION OF ROPES AND OTHER CORDAGE AND TEXTILE
FABRICS INTO OAKUM. TOW, AND PAPER STUFF, DRESSING AND CLEANING WASTE TOW.
WOOL, HAIR. AND OTHER LIKE WASTE FIBRES." upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Walker, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE. that I, tl.c said William Walker, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:
This my said Invention has for its object certain improvements in and
apparatus for treating flax, hemp, jute, and other like fibrous materials,
so as to prepare the same for spinning or other purposes; for "breaking
down" or converting ropes and textile fabrics into oakum, tow, and
paper stuff; also dressing and cleaning hair, "waste" tow, wool, and
other like "waste" fibres.
An apparatus constructed according to this my said Invention may
consist of two horizontal shafts placed parallel to and one above the
other, mounted in bearings on suitable framework. Each of these
shafts are fitted with two sets of radial arms, of say, four spokes each,
or any other desired number in each set, which are placed the desired
distance apart, and two pairs of which opposite arms are connected
together at their outer ends by transverse beating bars of wood or other
suitable material, and the other two pairs, say, when four are used,
are connected together by transverse metal plates, which are perforated
with holes to receive gill or heckle teeth, which are fitted into a trans-
verse metal gill bar, which is connected at the ends to two parallel

page_text: guide rods which work longitudinally in bearings formed in or on the
radial arms. These guide bars are shorter than the fixed radial arms,
and are turned outwards at their lower ends to a right angle, and form
an axle carrying an antifriction roller, which travels on the inner
surface of a circular or nearly circular ring which encompass the shafts.
The rings which surround the revolving shafts are fixed to the frame of
the machine excentrically to the revolving shafts they encompass, thus
giving the reciprocating motion to the gill bars; the tendency of the gill
bars by reason of the centrifugal force has always a tendency to project,
and they are withdrawn at the position required by the antifriction
wheels impinging on the inner surface of the stationary rings. The
upper and lower horizontal revolving shafts are fitted exactly alike, but
so set that the radial arms, with their transverse beaters and recipro-
cating gills intersect each other in their rotation on their axies, being
driven in opposite directions, thus avoiding coming into contact with
each other. At or nearly in line with the centre of the two shafts, and
in front thereof, there is mounted feed rollers, the first pair of which
I prefer should be brought as near to the point of contact with the
transverse beater bars and reciprocating gills as practicable for the pur-
pose of presenting the material to be dressed as near to the beaters and
reciprocating gill bars as possible. The two revolving shafts carrying
the radial arms, with their transverse beaters and reciprocating gills,
may be driven in opposite directions by means of a pair of toothed
wheels keyed on to the ends of the shafts gearing into one another, or
in any other convenient manner. In some cases the whole of the beater
bars may be mounted on one axle, and the whole of the reciprocating
gill bars on the other, in place of alternately, as herein-before described,
and when the machine is used for combing or hackling only the recipro-
cating gills may be substituted for the beating bars. The material to
be operated upon may be carried to the feed rollers by an endless apron
fitted on front of the drawing rollers, or it may be fed by hand from
a table or platform constructed on the frame of the machine in front of
the drawing rollers. Some or all of the radial arms it is preferred
should carry flat boards or plates to generate a current of air, in which
case the two transverse horizontal shafts, with their fittings, are entirely
enclosed within a casing, except at the point opposite the feed rollers,
and at the opposite side of the casing from which the dressed material
is thrown, thus forming a fan, which greatly facilitates the operation
of dressing and cleaning the material. On or near the ground line in

page_text: front of the discharge opening is placed a large sieve, riddle, or netting,
or other openwork platform to receive the fibre as it falls from the
machine, and at the same time to allow the "shive," dust, and other
heavy impurities to fall through it, while the fibre is retained on the
top; or the material may be received in a cylindrical or conical revolv
ing seive, or other moving openwork platform, or on an endless revolving
band of network. In using this apparatus for unmanufactured fibres,
upon the machine being set in motion the material to be dressed is fed
to the draw rollers in the ordinary manner, when it is combed and
beaten out by the action of the reciprocating gills and revolving beaters,
and by the current of air generated within the casing of the machine is
thrown off through the delivery opening on to the grated or perforated
receiver in a remarkably light and fleecy state. The gills are caused to
recede by the lower ends of the guide rods which travel in the eccentric
races described, which are so set that the gill teeth are withdrawn
through the holes in the covering plate through which they work, and
thus the fibre operated upon is not carried round beyond the point desired.
When this apparatus is used for the breaking up or the disintegrating
of rags or other textile fabrics, in some cases it is preferred to sub-
stitute a number of "knife blades" for the gill teeth. In breaking
down ropes or other cordage I prefer first to unlay them and form them
into strands, which may be done either by hand alone, or by the aid of
the ordinary rope-making machinery used for laying, and if required the
yarns may have the twist taken out of them either by hand alone, or by
the aid of any of the ordinary spinning machines; in which latter case
it may sometimes be desirable to put the untwisted yarns or slivers on
to bobbins, and in the case of tarred yarns the operation of converting
the same into oakum will be greatly facilitated by heating the same
previous to being acted upon by the reciprocating gills and beaters,
which may be done in any convenient manner. The yarns to be con-
verted into tow or oakum are led through the draw rollers and acted
upon by the beaters and reciprocating revolving gills in the same
manner as that of the raw fibre, but it may be found of advantage to
divide the table or platform on the front of the drawing rollers with
channels, or grooves, or other guides to keep the several yarns apart
to prevent them being entangled as they are drawn forward by the feed
rollers, or when an endless apron is used a plate of corrugated metal may
be used to guide and keep apart the several yarns as they are carried
forward by the endless apron. When it is desirable to dress a short fibre,

page_text: in some cases the feed rollers are dispensed with, in lieu of which a
reciprocating platform, with a leaf jointed to an upright on the trans-
verse back of the reciprocating trap platform is used as a nipper to hold
the fibre and present it to the revolving reciprocating gills and beaters;
the upper leaf may be formed in several parts, and which upper leaf or
leaves are kept closed by means of stationary rollers on the frame under
which it slides, or the leaves may be kept closed by means of a lever or
levers; this reciprocating nipper I prefer should run on guide rails, so
that the material held therein may be presented to the gills and beaters
either at once or gradually.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and under-
stood I have hereunto annexed Drawings illustrating so much of a
machine constructed according to my said Invention as will enable any
ordinary mechanical engineer to carry the same into practical effect.
Like letters marked on the Drawings are used to denote similar parts
throughout the various Figures, of which Figures 1 and 2 are drawn on
a scale of two inches to one foot, and the details six inches to one foot,
as a machine constructed according to these dimensions will be found
a convenient onc, but of course this can be varied.
Figure 1 is a side elevation seen with the back part of the frame (on
which the feed table or endless apron is mounted) broken off, and Figure 2
is a back elevation of the same in partial section; Figure 3 is an enlarged
internal view showing one of the radial arms, guide rods, a gill bar, and
perforated plate seen in section; Figure 4 is a plan of a portion of one of
the perforated plates through which the reciprogating gill or heckle
teeth work, and Figure 5 shows a section of a portion of the perforated
plate, gill teeth, and reciprocating gill bar; Figure 6 is a partial hori-
zontal section of one end of the guide and antifriction roller, and
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same in connexion with a portion of
one of the radial arms on the driving shaft, which is shown partially in
section and broken off; Figure 8 is a side elevation of the feed rollers,
bearings, and weighting lever, and Figure 9 is a plan of the same in
partial section.
A, stationary framework of the machine; B and B', the two driving
shafts on which are mounted C radial arms which carry D beater boards,
which also act to create a fan draught, of which there are two connected
with each shaft; E, guides, which work in slots formed in two of the
arms on each end of the shafts, and the inner ends of which are provided
with F, antifriction rollers which travel within G, stationary circles or

page_text: g,
races of metal attached to the frame of the machine by means of bolts
and nuts, by which the rings are adjusted. The flanges by which these
rings are attached to the frame in this modification are slotted hori-
zontally to receive the attaching bolts, and the stationary frame of the
machine is formed with bolt holes vertically elongated, so as to enable
the rings or races to be readily adjusted. H, perforated plates, through
which the gill or heckle teeth work; K, reciprocating gill bars, which
are backed up by L, a piece of timber; M and M', upper and lower feed
rollers, which are driven by tooth gear, or worm and pinion motion, or
by straps from the shafts B and B', as will be readily understood by those
acquainted with the art, and is therefore not necessary to illustrate in the
Drawings, as it might lead to confusion; or they may be driven from other
source than the shafts B and B¹; N, brasses or bearings in which the
axles of the feed rollers revolve, and are fitted in guides formed in O,
feed rolls pedestals, which are formed with clongated bolt holes for
adjusting the same to the required position, and to which is jointed P,
a lever, having its fulcrum at p, to which is applied the weight acting on
the upper feed roller; Q and Q', a pair of toothed wheels keyed on to the
ends of the driving shafts of the machine, and which wheels gear into
each other, thus causing the shafts when in motion to revolve in the
opposite direction; R and R', fast and loose pulleys for receiving the
driving strap; S is the fibre passing through the machine. The arrows
are used to denote the direction of motion. And in conclusion I would
remark that it is not absolutely necessary that the metal rings which
surround the driving shafts in which the antifriction rollers on the lower
ends of the connecting guides of the gill bars travel should be a true
circle, but I believe that it is the best form for an easy working machine.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my
Invention, and the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the several proportions and relative dimensions of the various
parts of the machine, as it will be readily seen that the same may be
considerably varied without departing from the Invention, but what I
claim is,
די
---| -
First, advancing and receding the gill bars at a right angle to the
axle of the driving shaft, and causing gill pins, or heckle teeth, or knife
blades to work direct through the openings of the perforated plate, and
throwing out the teeth by centrifugal force and controlling the action
of the combing teeth, or knife, or cutting blades mounted on the recipro-

page_text: cating bars by means of the circular or other suitably shaped stationary
races or guides, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described and set forth.
Secondly, combining the beaters and reciprocating gills as arranged
on the two parallel driving shafts, substantially in the manner and for
the purposes herein-before described and set forth.
Thirdly, receiving the fibre as it is discharged from the machine on a
large sieve, riddle, or netting, or other openwork platform, or in a cylin-
drical or conical shaped revolving sieve, or on an endless revolving band
of network, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described and set forth.
Fourthly, dividing the feed table into channels or grooves for pre-
venting the yarns being entangled with each other as they are drawn
through the feed rollers, as herein-before described and set forth.
Fifthly, the use of a plate or slab corrugated on the under side in com-
bination with an endless feed apron for preventing the yarns when being
drawn over the table on the feed apron being entangled, as herein-before
described and set forth.
Sixthly, the application and use of the reciprocating nipper or fibre
holder, constructed, mounted, and operated substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth.
And, lastly, the general system or peculiar arrangement, combination,
and construction of the various parts of the apparatus, the same being
operated substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, the Tenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven