IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Pettitt, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 21st March 1871, and dated the 22nd September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Pettitt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd September 1870.
I, EDWIN PETTITT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improved mechanism for feeding, carding,
combing, and preparing cotton and other fibrous substances, and to
certain parts of machines for spinning the fibrous substances when
prepared.
For the purpose of feeding cotton or other fibres to the opening,
scutching, carding, or combing mechanism, either in the form of a lap,
bat, sliver, or assemblage of slivers, I construct and use two or more
rollers having teeth or points (preferably of steel) projecting from their

page_text: surface of such a length and pitch as may be suitable for the purpose
required. These toothed rollers each rotate in a rigid semicircular case
or concentric box, and work close to its inner surface. The cotton or
other fibre to be operated upon is drawn into the case by the rotation of
the first toothed roller, and delivered to the second roller of the series
over the bridge formed by the two adjoined edges of the first and second
case; the second case in like manner passes it forward to the second
bridge, over which it is taken by the third roller, and so on until it is
delivered over the edge of the last case to the beater of the opener or
scutcher, to the taker-in roller of a carding engine, to the combs or
nippers of a combing machine, or to any other mechanism to which it
is desirable or useful to feed it. A sufficient body or bulk of the fibrous
substance is presented to each roller of the series to fill the interstices of
the teeth and case with some pressure or concentration of the mass, so
that a firm hold or grip of it shall be had at the point of delivery from
the case.
A more elastic grip, due to some extent to this compression,
results, and a less destruction of fibre by tearing, cutting, and grinding
than when the hold is obtained by immediate contact of metallic surfaces
or the points of pins or teeth therewith acting merely as carriers forward
of the fibrous substance. The second roller of the series is caused to
rotate at a greater speed than the first, and the third at a greater speed
than the second, and so on to the end of the series, for the purpose of
drawing out, disentangling, and straightening the fibres as they pass
over the bridges. As, however, each roller has a smaller mass of fibres
to deal with at cach revolution, I somewhat reduce the length of its
teeth, and place them at a somewhat finer pitch if necessary according
to the kind of work to be done.
A series of toothed rollers working in semicircular cases, as described,
may be substituted for the drawing heads of drawing, slubbing, roving,
and other frames, but the dimensions and details and speeds must be
arranged to suit the purpose required, as is well understood.
Another part of my Invention relates to the construction of a combing
or carding machine, which performs two operations; first, the separation
of the long fibres from the stock, and the delivery of them in a clean
state from the machine; and, secondly, the extraction of the short fibres,
waste, and dirt, and their delivery from the machine. The fibrous sub-
stance is fed either in the form of a lap or sliver or group of slivers
through the feeding mechanism above described, and is presented to the

page_text: main cylinder; which has affixed upon its surface at intervals combs or
eards. Alternately with the comb or card surface are grippers, which
take hold of the previously combed or carded ends of the fibres presented
by the feed roller, and detach or pull out a portion of them as they are
released over the edge of the last case; continuing its revolution the
gripper presents the uncombed or uncarded ends of these detached fibres
to the action of other card or comb. teeth on the periphery of a
roller revolving in contact or nearly so with the working points of
the main cylinder and the grippers, where the fibres are again carded,.
combed, or cleaned, and delivered by the opening of the grippers at
another part of the revolution of the main cylinder to a taker-off card
roller, which transfers the fibres to a doffing roller, from whence they
are separated and passed forward through calender or drawing rollers.
to a coiler, or converted into slubbing, roving, or yarn by well-known
mechanism if desired..
The main cylinder is constructed as follows, if it is desired to have
only two sets of grippers (which for all practical purposes are sufficient) :
Enough space being kept for the grippers on cach side of the cylinder
the remaining outer surface of the cylinder may be covered with comb
or card teeth. In the intervals of its surface not so covered an iron or
steel bar is affixed in any convenient manner, and which forms one part
of the gripper. Upon the axle of the main cylinder is pivotted a radial
lever at each side of the cylinder, the arms of which extend to the
periphery of the cylinder; to each of these arms an iron or steel bar is
affixed at both ends, which is shaped and brought into close contact
with the bar affixed to the cylinder itself, and these two bars form
together the gripper. The movable half of the gripper is attached to or
in contact with a spring or springs, which keep the two gripper bars in
contact, which is their normal state when at rest. During the revolution
of the main cylinder, and at or about the moment when the gripper bars
arrive at the point where the fibrous substance is presented by the-feed
roller, a blow is struck upon some part of the movable or spring gripper
bar, or upon one or both of the radial arms, which while it has the effect
of opening the gripper to seize a portion of fibrous substance causes
the opposite gripper also to open and release the previously combed or
carded fibres held by it to the taker-off roller. Instead of a positive*
blow being used to open the gripper some part of the radial arm or
movable gripper bar may be pressed upon by a revolving axle, having:

page_text: projections or studs upon it, and timed to come into action properly; or
the action may be effected in any other manner convenient, the object
being to open the gripper quickly during the revolution of the main
cylinder, and to let it go again as quickly, so that the action of the
spring or springs may close the gripper, and enable it to pull out and
retain the portion of fibrous substance in its grip until it has presented
the other ends of the fibres to be combed or carded as before described.
These radial levers may have substituted for them arms of steel extending
from a boss on the axle of the cylinder, or the movable gripper may
have a fulcrum nearer to the circumference of the cylinder, and its
gripping surface be kept in contact with the fixed gripper bar by a
spring or springs, or it may be attached to or be in contact with a steel
spring rivetted or otherwise affixed to the side of the cylinder. At or
about the moment when the gripper acts upon the feed of cotton an
ascending or descending comb may be caused, by suitable mechanism,
to strike into and among the fibres to retard or retain the short fibres
and impurities from being taken forward by the grippers.
The action of this part of the machine is as follows:-The fibrous.
substance is presented by the feed roller, and the ends of the fibres are
combed or carded by the card or comb teeth affixed upon the main
cylinder; they are then taken hold of and detached from the feed roller
over the edge of the case by the gripper bars, which then present the
other ends of the fibres to the action of other card or comb teeth affixed
to a roller suitably placed, where they are combed or carded, and
delivered by the opening of the gripper bars to the taker-off roller at
or about the same moment as the opposite set of gripper bars seizes and
brings forward more of the cotton or fibrous substance to be treated in
like manner.
The other operation performed pari passu with the foregoing is the
separation of the short and waste fibres and dirt from the long staple,
and may be described as follows:-At some convenient point close to
the under surface of the main cylinder is placed a roller covered with
card teeth, or an endless belt of card flats, which by suitable driving is
caused to rotate or travel at a greater surface speed than the cylinder,
and which has its teeth pointed the same way as those upon the cylinder,
so that it strips the cylinder cards of the waste and dirt collected in
them, and also cards the ends of the long fibres held by the grippers on
their way to the taker-off roller. This card roller or belt is itself stripped

page_text: of its waste and dirt before it comes to its point of work on the main
cylinder by another card roller, which throws the waste and refuse upon
a doffing roller, from whence it is detached in the usual manner and
collected in a can by a coiler, as is well understood. If, however, combs
and not cards are used upon the main cylinder, then for the stripping.
and carding roller above mentioned a revolving brush and, in close
proximity thereto, combs placed segmentally upon a roller are sub-
stituted. The revolving brush in this case cleans the comb teeth of the
main cylinder and also those of the segmental roller. The revolving
brush throws the shorts and dirt and waste into and upon the teeth of a
card roller, from whence they are passed forward to the coiler and can as
before described.
The action of the mechanism and machinery described may be extended
to as many heads as may be found desirable, as is well understood, and
each head may have a width suitable to the work to be done. So also
the various details, dimensions, and speeds of the different parts must be
arranged and adapted for the purpose required, and to suit the various
kinds and sorts of fibres to be operated upon.
Instead of the ordinary throstle spindle used for twisting and doubling
the yarns I employ a short tube having a wharve or pulley fixed upon it,
which being driven by a band or strap revolves in bearings on each side
of the wharve, and may be placed either horizontally or at an angle in
front of the drawing rollers. At one end of the tube and fixed thereto
is a ring or projecting arm of any suitable size and form, in which is a
perforation or upon which is a curl or guide for the yarn. The thread
or roving is given to this guide or curl or eye, and being wound round
the ring or arm passes through the tube, the revolution of which puts
in the twist according to the rate of delivery and its own revolution ;
the twisted thread or yarn is received upon a bobbin or reel as may be
convenient and suitable to the required purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edwin Pettitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd March 1871.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edwin Pettitt, Her special licence that I, the
said Edwin Pettitt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edwin Pettitt, 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 MACHINERY FOR
PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Pettitt, 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, the said Edwin Pettitt, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to improved mechanism for feeding, carding,
combing, and preparing cotton and other fibrous substances, and to
certain parts of machines for spinning the fibrous substances when
prepared.
For the purpose of feeding cotton or other fibres to the opening,
scutching, carding, or combing mechanism, either in the form of a lap,
bat, sliver, or assemblage of slivers, I construct and use two or more
rollers having teeth or points (preferably of steel) projecting from their
surface of such a length and pitch as may be suitable for the purpose
required. These toothed rollers each rotate in a rigid semicircular case
or concentric box, and work close to its inner surface.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings represents in vertical section three
toothed rollers A1, A2, A3, each fitted in a rigid semicircular case or con-

page_text: manner,
centric box B', B², B³, and working close to its inner surface, as just
stated. Rotary motion is imparted to one of the rollers in any suitable
and is transmitted to the other two rollers by means of a chain C
which passes over chain wheels D mounted on the axles of the rollers,
which thus all travel in the same direction; or instead of the chain
wheels other suitable gearing may be employed. The cotton or other
fibre to be operated upon is drawn into the first case B' by the rotation
of the first toothed roller A¹, and delivered to the second roller A³ over
the bridge E formed by the two adjoining edges of the first and second
cases B¹, B³; the second case in like manner passes the fibre forward to
the second bridge E', over which it is taken by the third roller A³, and so
on to any number of rollers which may be employed until it is delivered
over the edge of the last case to the beater of the opener or scutcher, to
the taker-in roller of a carding engine, to the combs or nippers of a
combing machine, or to any other mechanism to which it is desirable or
useful to feed it. A sufficient body or bulk of the fibrous substance is
presented to each roller of the series to fill the interstices of the teeth
and case with some pressure or concentration of the mass, so that a firm
hold or grip of it shall be had at the point of delivery from the case. A
more elastic grip due to some extent to this compression results, and a
less destruction of fibre by tearing, cutting, and grinding than when the
hold is obtained by the immediate contact of metallic surfaces or the
points of pins or teeth therewith acting merely as carriers forward of the
fibrous substance. The second roller A² should travel faster than the first
roller A', and the third roller A³ faster than the second roller A³. As
each roller has a smaller mass of fibres to deal with than that preceding
it, I somewhat reduce the length of its teeth, and place them at a some-
what finer pitch if necessary, according to the kind of work to be done,
that is to say, the teeth of the second roller A³ are shorter and placed at
a finer pitch than those of the first roller A³, and those of the third
roller As shorter and placed at a finer pitch than those of the second
roller A.
A series of toothed rollers working in semicircular cases, as described,
may be substituted for the drawing heads of drawing, slubbing, roving,
and other frames, but the dimensions, and details, and speeds must be
arranged to suit the purpose required, as is well understood.

page_text: into a number of heads or segments corresponding to the number of
heads in the drawing frame, and that the cases are brought close up to
the plain portions F of the rollers, so as to keep the portions of fibre
separate from each other. Figure 3 is an elevation, showing a series of
toothed rollers A', A2, A³, and semicircular cases applied to a roving
frame; and Figure 4 is a similar view, showing a like series applied to
feed fibre to an opener.
Another part of my Invention relates to the construction of a carding
or combing machine which performs two operations, first, the separation
of the long fibres from the stock and the delivery of them in a clean
state from the machine; and, secondly, the extraction of the short fibres,
waste, and dirt, and their delivery from the machine. This machine is
The
represented in side view in Figure 5, and in plan in Figure 6.
fibrous substance is fed either in the form of a lap or sliver or group of
slivers through the feeding mechanism, which may be that ordinarily
employed or that herein-before described, or, as shown in Figures 5 and
6, it may consist of a single roller A provided with pins or teeth, and
made to rotate in a semicircular concentric box B. The fibre is
presented over the edge of this box to the main cylinder C, which has
fixed upon its surface at intervals cards or combs D. Alternately with
the card or comb surface are grippers E, which take hold of the pre-
viously carded or combed ends of the fibre presented by the roller A
and detach or pull out a portion of them as they are released over the
edge of the case B. Continuing its revolution, the gripper presents the
uncarded or uncombed ends of these detached fibres to the action of
other card teeth on the periphery of a roller O revolving in contact or
nearly so with the working points of the main cylinder C and the
grippers, where the fibres are again carded, combed or cleaned, and
delivered by the opening of the grippers at another part of the revolution
of the main cylinder to a taker-off card roller F, which transfers the
fibres to a doffing roller H, from which they are separated and passed
forward through calender or drawing rollers I to a coiler, or converted
into slubbing, roving, or yarn by well-known mechanism if desired.
:- -If it is desired to have
The main cylinder C is constructed as follows
only two sets of grippers (which for all practical purposes are sufficient),
enough space being kept for the grippers at diametrically opposite
portions of the cylinder, the remaining outer surface of the cylinder may
be covered with card or comb teeth. In the intervals of its surface not

page_text: During the
so covered an iron or steel bar E is affixed in any convenient manner,
and which forms one part of the gripper. Upon the axle of the
cylinder Care pivotted radial levers K, the arms of these levers extending
to the periphery of the cylinder, as seen in the Figures. To each of
these arms an iron or steel bar L is affixed, which is shaped and brought
into close contact with the bar E, and these two bars E and L together
form the gripper. The movable half L of the gripper is attached to or in
contact with a spring (or springs) M, which keeps the two bars E and L
in contact, which is their normal state when at rest.
revolution of the main cylinder C, and at or about the moment when
the gripper bars arrive at the point where the fibre is presented by the
roller A, a blow is struck upon some part of the moveable or spring
gripper bar or upon one or more of the radial arms K, which while it
has the effect of opening the gripper to seize a portion of fibre causes the
opposite gripper to open and to release the previously carded or combed
fibres held by it, and transfer them to the taker-off roller F. Instead of
a positive blow being used to open the grippers some part of the radial
arm or movable gripper bar may be pressed upon by a revolving axle
having projections or studs upon it, and timed to come into action
properly, or the action may be effected in any other manner convenient,
the object being to open the gripper quickly during the revolution of
the cylinder C, and to let it go as quickly, so that the action of the
spring or springs may close the gripper and enable it to pull out and
retain the portion of fibrous substance until it has presented the other
ends of the fibres to be carded or combed as before described. In the
Figures I have shown an arrangement for opening the grippers by
means of radial arms or levers N on the axle of the roller F, these arms
being timed to strike against and open at the proper times the moveable
bars of the grippers. Instead of having radial levers on the cylinder C
as before described there may be substituted for them arms of steel
extending from a boss on the axle of the cylinder, or the movable portion
of the gripper may have a fulcrum nearer to the circumference of the
cylinder, and its gripping surface be kept in contact with the fixed
gripper bar by a spring or springs, or it may be attached to or be in
contact with a steel spring rivetted or otherwise affixed to the side of
the cylinder. At or about the moment when the gripper acts upon
the feed of fibre an ascending and descending comb may be caused
by suitable mechanism to strike into and among the fibres to retard
or retain the short fibres and impuritics from being taken by the

page_text: grippers. The action of the part of the machine so far described is as
follows:-The fibrous substance is presented by the feed roller A and the
ends of the fibre are carded or combed by the card or comb teeth on the
cylinder C, they are then taken hold of and detached from the roller A
over the edge of the case B by the gripper bars E, which then present
the other ends of the fibre to the action of the roller O where they aro
combed or carded, and they are then delivered by the opening of the
grippers to the taker-off roller F at or about the same moment as the
opposite gripper seizes and brings forward more of the fibre to be treated
in like manner. The other operation performed pari passu with the
foregoing is the separation of the short and waste fibres and dirt from
the long staple and it may be described as follows. The roller O which is
covered with card teeth is caused to rotate at a greater surface speed
than the cylinder C and has its teeth pointed the same way as those upon
the cylinder, so that it strips the cylinder cards of the waste and dirt
collected in them and also cards the ends of the long fibres held by the
grippers on their way to the taker-off roller F as before described..
This card roller is itself stripped of its waste and dirt before it comes to
its point of work on the main cylinder by another card roller P which
throws the waste and refuse upon a doffing roller Q from whence it is
detached in the usual manner and collected in a can by a coiler as is
well understood. Instead of the card roller O an endless belt of card
flats may be used. If however combs are used on the cylinder Cas
shown in Figure 7, and not cards as seen in Figures 5 and 6, then for
the stripping and carding roller O, or endless belt of card flats, I
substitute a revolving brush R, and in close proximity thereto a comb
or combs placed segmentally upon a roller S. The revolving brush R
in this case cleans the comb teeth of the main cylinder C and also those
of the roller S. The revolving brush R throws the shorts and dirt
and waste into and upon the teeth of a card roller from which they are
passed forward to the coiler and can as before described.
The action of the mechanism and machinery may be extended to as
many heads as may be found desirable, as is well understood. The
Drawing Figure 6 shows three heads, and each head may have a width
suitable to the work to be done. So also the various details, dimensions,
and speeds of the different parts must be arranged and adapted for the
purpose required, and to suit the various kinds and sorts of fibres to be
operated upon. For cotton in which it is desirable to separate the long

page_text: from the short fibres, the rate of feed may be th to the of an inch
of stock to every pluck or seizure of the tuft by the grippers, the rate
depending upon the kind of fibre and the degree of separation and
cleanness required. In all cases, whether the material be cotton, wool,
or other fibre, the rate of feed must be so regulated that sufficient length
of the fibre operated upon by the teeth of the cylinder C shall be held
firmly by the feeding mechanism, yet not held so tightly as to prevent
the carded or combed fibres from being drawn out of the stock by the
closing and revolution of the grippers. The rollers O, P, Q, may be
driven by a belt from a pulley on the main shaft Z, to the roller P, from
which the motion is transmitted to the rollers O and Q by gearing.
The roller O should go at a faster surface speed than the cylinder C so
as to clear the cards or combs of the fibres they hold, the roller O is
itself cleared by the more rapid surface speed of the roller P. The
rollers F and I may likewise be driven by a belt from the main shaft Z,
to the roller F, and by gearing to the roller H. The surface speed of
the roller F should be sufficiently fast to enable its card teeth to catch
hold of the carded or combed fibres and throw them upon the teeth of
the roller H. The speed of the roller F must be such as not only to
collect the fibres from the grippers but also that the levers N (of which
there may be one or more) shall lift or open the gripper bars at the right
moment. The moveable and fixed gripper bars may have their acting
surfaces covered with leather or analogous material so as to give them
a better hold of the fibre.
Instead of the ordinary throstle spindle used for twisting and doubling
yarns, I employ a short tube, such as that shown at a, Figure 8, with a
wharve or pulley 6 fixed upon it, and which being driven by a band or
strap revolves in bearings on each side of the wharve and may be placed
either horizontally or at an angle in front of the drawing or delivery
rollers. At one end of the tube a and fixed thereto is a ring or pro-
jecting arm d of any suitable size and form in which is a perforation or
upon which is a curl or guide e for the yarn. The thread (or threads)
or roving is given to this guide or curl, or eye, and being wound round
the ring or arm d passes through the tube a, the revolution of which
puts in the twist according to the rate of delivery, and its own revolu-
tions. In Figure 9 I show this contrivance in combination with the
drawing rollers, the projecting arm and guide here represented are in
the form of several parallel bars, over and under which alternately the

page_text: thread is carried on its way to the tube a; f, f, are rollers by which the
thread is drawn from a reel g; h is a band from the ordinary tin drum i,
for imparting rotary motion to the pulley b. The twisted or doubled
thread or yarn is received upon a bobbin or reel as may be convenient
and suitable to the required purpose.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
"Improvements in Machinery for Preparing and Spinning Cotton and
other Fibrous Substances,"-
First. Arranging two or more rollers provided with teeth or points in
rigid semicircular cases or concentric boxes, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described with reference to
Figure 1.
Second. The construction and employment in carding or combing
machinery of a cylinder provided alternately with card or comb teeth,
and with grippers arranged and acting substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7.
Third. The arrangement or combination of parts of carding or
combing machinery substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described and represented in Figures 5, 6, and 7.
Fourth. The construction and employment for the purpose of twisting
and doubling yarns of apparatus arranged, combined, and acting sub-
stantially as herein-before described with reference to Figures 8 and 9.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Pettitt have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.