An Improved Motion for the Hackles of Hackling Machines and for the Hackles or Gills of Machines for Carding Tow, and Apparatus for Producing the Motion, which Apparatus is also applicable to other Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Feb.,
1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Motion for the Hackles of Hackling Machines and for
the Hackles or Gills of Machines for Carding Tow, and Apparatus
for Producing the Motion, which Apparatus is also applicable to
other Machines.
I, HAMILTON SLOAN, of Railway Street, Comber, County Down, Ireland, Flax
Department Overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has principally for its object improvements in hackling machines
whereby a square or rectangular motion is given to the hackles or points that
operate on or remove the tow or the like from the flax, hemp or other long fibre.
Hitherto it has been usual to give a circular motion to the hackles or points of
the said machines. This circular motion necessitates a great number of parts and
my invention is designed with a view to reduce the number of parts and consequently
the cost of the said machines.
My invention can also be applied to machines for carding tow, as hereinafter
explained.
According to my invention I provide circular bosses to which continuous motion
is given from any suitable part of the machine. The circular bosses are provided
with a suitable number of radial guides or ways which receive bars or rods. The
bars or rods carry the hackles or points that remove the tow or the like from the
flax, hemp or other long fibres. The ends of the bars or rods are provided with
square or rectangular pieces which fit into square or rectangular grooves provided
in suitable fixed frames, and the said pieces travel in the square or rectangular
grooves as the circular bosses continuously revolve.
In order to ensure that this square or rectangular motion shall take place I
attach to the fixed frames guide pieces which fit into grooves or guides made in the
As the circular
square or rectangular pieces on the ends of the bars or rods.
bosses revolve the guide pieces enter into the grooves or guides made in the square
or rectangular pieces on the ends of the bars or rods and compel the said pieces to
The
travel in the square or rectangular grooves provided in the fixed frames.
guide pieces release the square or rectangular pieces on the ends of the bars or rods
when the motions of the latter change in direction, that is to say when the bars or
rods commence to move in directions at right angles to those parts of the motions
which have just ceased. Springs are provided at the corners of the fixed frames in
order to prevent the square or rectangular pieces on the ends of the bars or rods
from slipping back and the guides therein from becoming engaged with the guide
pieces when once released therefrom.
By the improved square or rectangular motion given to the hackles the latter
both enter and leave the flax, hemp or other long fibres at right angles to the
length of the same, and the tow or the like removed from the flax, hemp or other
long fibres will drop down by its own weight, thus avoiding the necessity of
providing brushes or other arrangements for removing the tow or the like from the
hackles.
In the application of my invention to a hackling machine I place two of the
above described hackling arrangements opposite to each other. As usual, the
hemp; flax or other long fibre is held or clamped in holders and means are provided
for moving the holders up and down. I employ as many sets of the hackling
arrangements as may be desired, and I provide suitable means for moving the
holders containing or holding the flax or the like from one set to another set of the
hackling arrangements. The hackles or points in the different sets are, as usual, of
varving fineness.

page_text: In machines for carding tow as at present constructed the tow from the card is
first passed through one set of rollers and then through another set, the latter set of
rollers delivering the sliver into a can. Between the two set of rollers what is
known as the rotary head is placed. The rotary head is provided with a number of
hackles or gills and it rotates in a circular direction. Now according to my
invention I impart a rectangular motion to the hackles or gills of the rotary head
in the manner and by the apparatus already described with reference to hackling
machines. By the use of my invention the points of the hackles or gills of the
rotary head when they are in the tow are always level in consequence of the
rectilinear motion imparted to them by the rectangular motion.
I am also enabled
by my invention to approach the hackles or gills nearer to the two sets of rollers.
Consequently the tow will be more evenly "pinned" and it will be delivered more
evenly to the front set of rollers thus producing a more regular sliver.
The apparatus hereinbefore described, for producing a rectangular motion, could
be applied to other machines than those herein mentioned in which such a motion is
desired.
Dated this 1 1
C
1 1000
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Motion for the Hackles of Hackling Machines and for
the Hackles or Gills of Machines for Carding Tow, and Apparatus
for Producing the Motion, which Apparatus is also applicable to
other Machines.
I, HAMILTON SLOAN, of Railway Street, Comber, County Down, Ireland, Flax
Department Overlooker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention has principally for its object improvements in hackling machines
whereby a square or rectangular motion is given to the hackles or points that
operate on or remove the tow or the like from the flax, hemp or other long fibre.
Hitherto it has been usual to give a circular motion to the hackles or points of
the said machines. This circular motion necessitates a great number of parts and
my invention is designed with a view to reduce the number of parts and consequently
the cost of the said machines, whilst the operation of removing the tow or the like
is accomplished in a much more speedy and efficacious manner than formerly.
My invention can also be applied to machines for carding tow as hereinafter
explained, the motion being imparted to the tow carding machines in a similar
manner to that which applies in the case of hackling machines.
In the annexed drawings Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation and Figure 2 a
plan of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Figure 3 is a
vertical transverse section of same taken along the line A. B. Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is an elevational view of the interior of one of the end supports and its
fittings, whilst Figure 5 is a side elevation and Figures 6 and 7 end elevations of
one of the rectangular sliding pieces shown detached and referred to more
particularly hereafter.
In accordance with my invention I make use of circular bosses or discs A which
are mounted on a shaft or spindle S driven from any convenient part of the
machine and supported at each end above the bed of the machine by suitable
uprights or supports D. The circular bosses or discs A are provided with a
suitable number of radial guides or ways a which receive the circular ends of the bars
or rods B carrying the hackles or points that remove the tow or the like from
the flax, hemp or other long fibres. The square ends of the bars or rods B

page_text: fit into corresponding openings Figures 6 and 7 formed in the square or
rectangular sliding pieces C which travel in square or rectangular grooves d
formed in the fixed end supports or bearing frames D. The vertical and
horizontal grooves d may be equal in length or two of the grooves parallel to
one another may be longer than the others in order to present as large a hackling
surface as possible; the said grooves forming the components of either a square,
quadrilateral or rectangular figure and serving as a race or guide within which
the rectangular pieces are caused to move as the circular bosses A. continuously
revolve.
In order to ensure that this square or rectangular motion shall take place
I attach to each of the fixed end frames D four or more guide pieces E which fit
into grooves or between projections formed in or on the square or rectangular
pieces C adapted to the ends of the bars or rods B. As the circular bosses revolve
the guide pieces E enter into the grooves or guides made in the square or rectangular
pieces C. and compel the latter to travel in the grooves d forming the square or
rectangular figure in each of the end frames as aforesaid, whilst, said guide
pieces E release the square or rectangular pieces C when the motions of the latter
change in direction; that is to say, when the rods or bars B commence to move
in directions at right angles to the direction of the motion which has just ceased.
Springs e are adapted to the insides of two or more of the grooves in order to
prevent the sliding pieces C from slipping back and the grooves becoming again
engaged by the guide pieces E when once released therefrom.
By the improved square or rectangular motion given to the hackles >> the latter
both enter and leave the flax, hemp or other long fibres at right angles to the
length or direction of travel of the fibres and the tow or the like removed there-
from will drop down by its own weight. In order to maintain the hackles in
a perfectly smooth and polished state and to remove any stray substances which
might adhere thereto, I provide a convenient arrangement of brushes mounted on
a bar parallel with the hackles which is supported at each end by springs g
secured to the bed of the machine. I attach to the inner side of each disc or boss A
a number of projections which as the shaft S rotates alternately depress the
barf carrying the brushes so that the latter after passing under the hackle rods or
bars B as shown in dotted lines Figure 3 will then rise and clear the hackles b
of any tow or gunmy matter adhering to same. Wedge shaped blocks I adapted
at the ends of the grooves engage with projections on the bars B and facilitate
the change of motion of the latter.
i
In the application of my invention to a hackling machine I place two of the
above described arrangements opposite each other, the hackles of one machine
pointing towards those of the other, the flax hemp or other long fibre passing there-
between. As usual, the hemp flax or the like is held or clamped in holders and
means are provided for moving the holders up and down. I employ as many sets of
the hackling arrangements as may be desired and I provide suitable means for
moving the holders containing the fibre from one set to another set of the hackling
arrangements. The hackles or points in the different sets are, as usual of varying
fineness and arranged the required distances apart.
In machines for carding tow as at present constructed the tow is first passed
through one set of rollers and then through another set the latter set of rollers
delivering the sliver into a can. Between the two sets of rollers is a rotary head
capable of rotary movement and provided with a number of hackles or gills. Now
according to my invention as applied to machines of this description I impart a
rectangular motion to the hackles or gills-instead of the circular motion common
with two carding machines constructed with a rotary head-the motion being
imparted in the manner and by the means already described with reference to
hackling machines, save only, that the hackles or points although standing out
at right angles to the hackle bars are arranged vertically instead of horizontally
to correspond with the direction in which the material under treatment is
travelling.

page_text: By the use of my invention the points of the hackles or gills enter and leave the
material at right angles to its travel, and when they are in the tow they are always
level in consequence of the rectilinear motion imparted to them as aforesaid, whilst
when in action, they engage with a larger surface area of the material than is
possible with a machine having an ordinary rotary head. I am also enabled by my
invention to approach the hackles or gills nearer to the two sets of rollers,
consequently the tow will be more evenly "pinned" and it will be delivered more
evenly to the front set of rollers thus producing a more regular sliver.
The hereinbefore described apparatus for producing a square or rectangular
motion can without deviating from the nature and object of my invention be applied
to other machines or apparatus other than those herein specified wherein it might
be found desirable to produce such a motion.
I am aware that prior to the date of my invention the carding of tow has been
effected by means which result in a rectangular or equivalent motion being imparted
to the gills or hackles and I therefore make no claim generally in respect of said
motion as applied to machines of this description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what.
I claim is :-
First. The apparatus for imparting a square or rectangular motion to the hackles
of hackling machines applicable also to other machines as herein described and
shown.
Second. In apparatus designed for the purpose stated the combination of end
supports D and grooves or guides d arranged in the manner specified, shaft S and
bosses A. with radial slots a, hackle bars B and sliding pieces C, constructed as
shown, with guides E all as herein set forth.
Dated this 20th of Lanna 1901
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.