IMPROVEMENTS IN NOBLE'S COMBING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Walton Whitohead, of Holbeck, in the Parish of
Leeds, in the County of York, a Partner in the Firm of Taylor, Wordsworth,
& Co., of the same Place, Machine and Tool Makers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN NOBLE'S COMBING MACHINES."
Sealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 4th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Walton Whitehead at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1877.
HENRY WALTON WHITEHEAD, of Holbeck, in the Parish of Leeds, in the County
of York, a Partner in the Firm of Taylor, Wordsworth, & Co., of the same Place,
Machine and Tool Makers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN NOBLE'S COMBING MACHINES,"
Hitherto the fluted pressing roller of the drawing-off rollers has been pressed at
each end by springs, which springs have pressed unequally, thereby destroying the
drawing-off leathers.
My improvements consist in giving pressure to the fluted pressing roller more
equally than heretofore by pressing the pressing roller by means of one spring
pressed between the two necks, and in the centre of the drawing-off rollers, thereby
preserving the drawing-off rollers from being unequally pressed at one end more
than the other, as the drawing-off leathers traverse up and down. By these means
the leathers are found more durable, and by this arrangement, as the pressing
roller can be taken out more roadily, the leathers are more easily changed when
worn out than by the present method in use.
Another improvement consists in dispensing with the dabbing brushes, and in
lieu thereof placing blades so fixed from an oscillating centre as to work always on
the comb or combs at one end, the blades at the feeding end being caused to rise
and fall in and out of the combs, and also when descending to travel with tho
combs during the pressing of the slivers into the combs where the slivers are first
forced into the combs by means of cranks or excentrics. These blades may be
oscillated not only in the spaces of the combs, but also inside and outside of the
combs.
Another part of my Invention consists in placing similar oscillating blades, as
previously stated, inside and outside of the combs, and by brushes rising and falling
within the blades.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Walton Whitehead in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th September 1877.
HENRY WALTON WHITEHEAD, of Holbeck, in the Parish of Leeds, in the County
of York, a Partner in the Firm of Taylor, Wordsworth, and Company, of the
same Place, Machine and Tool Makers. IMPROVEMENTS IN NOBLE'S COMBING
MACHINES."
"
Hitherto the fluted pressing roller of the drawing-off rollers has been pressed at
each end by springs, which springs have pressed unequally, thereby destroying the
drawing-off leathers.
Now the first part of my Invention consists in giving pressure to the fluted
pressing roller more equally than heretofore by pressing the pressing roller by
means of one spring in such manner as to distribute the pressure equally, and
thereby prevent the leathers from being unequally worn. By this arrangement
also the removal of the pressing roller is facilitated, and thus the leathers when
worn out may be readily removed, and replaced by new ones.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 shows in sectional elevation so
much of a Noble's combing machine with my improvements applied thereto as
will serve to explain the nature of the first head of my Invention.
In this Figure A is the large circular comb; B, the rack circle; C, tho steain
chest;
and D, the gearing plate of the machine; E, E, are the drawing off rollers
mounted in the brackets E. These brackets are slotted to receive the ends of
the presser plate F, which bear on the journals of the roller E'; G is a loose cross
head, the ends of which enter the slots in the brackets E², and are held tightly
against the ends of those slots by means of a coiled spring H interposed between
the cross head and the presser plate F. The pressure of the spring H is adjusted
by means of a screw I, which passes through the cross head and bears upon the
end of the coiled spring. By this arrangement it will be understood that the
pressure imparted by the spring to the plate will be transmitted in equal pro-
portions to the journals of the roller E, and thus the unequal wear of the leathers,
above referred to, will be avoided. When the pressure of the adjusting screw is
removed from the spring the cross head and presser plate can be readily unshipped,
thus leaving the roller E¹ free and capable of being removed to change a worn out
leather.
Fig. 2 shows a modification of this improvement, in which a coach spring F is
substituted for the presser plate F and coiled spring H. The adjusting screw I of
the cross bar G in this case bears on the back of the spring F, and determines the
pressure which shall be applied to the rollers.
The second part of my invention relates to the means employed for prossing
the wool as it is delivered to the circuler combs into or between the teeth of the
same.
Hitherto this has been effected by the use of what is known as a dabbing brush,
which consists of a brush that overlies the outer and inner combs at the point where
radius lines of the two combs coincide, and has a simple up-and-down motion
imparted to it.
I now propose, in lieu of this brush, to use dabbing blades, which will have a
compound motion, and be capable of following to a limited extent the motion of
the circular combs, and of rising clear of the comb teeth, not suddenly, like the
ordinary dabbing brush, but gradually, the front end rising first, so there will be no
tendency for the blacies to lift out of the combs any of the fibres which have
been just depressed between the teeth of the combs.
I also propose, in some cases, to use these blades in combination with a brush,
and to give them a motion independent of or varying from that which is given to
the brush, so that the tendency of the brush in rising to lift the fibres will be
neutralized by the retaining action of the blades.

page_text: In Sheet II. of the Drawings Fig. 3 shows in diagram plan an arrangement of
dabbing blades, which I propose to employ as a substitute for the ordinary dabbing
brush. These blades, it will be seen, are curved to suit the circles of comb teeth
between which they are intended to act. This arrangement I propose to use when
combing long wools.
Fig. 4 shows in diagram plan a combination of dabbing blades and brush.
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a modified arrangement of the blades and brush, the
blades in this case being intended to have a motion independent of the brush.
In this example the blades are set inside of the smaller comb, outside of the
larger coinb,and between the two combs. This arrangement is intended specially for
botany wools.
I will now describe the manner of working these dabbers, reference being had to
Sheet III. of the Drawings.
In
Fig. 6 shows in side elevation the mechanism employed for working the com-
pound dabber, that is to say, the dabber constructed of a brush and dabbing blades,
and Fig. 7 is a view of the saine mechanism taken at right angles to Fig. 6.
these Figures, A is the large circular comb; B, the rack circle; C, the steain chest ;
and D, one of the pillars of the machine E is the driving shaft, on the end of
which, projecting through the pillar D, is fixed the excentric E. This excentric
works on the strap of an oscillating rod G, which is passed through a swivel guide
G' attached to a bracket H projecting from the pillar D. This rod G carries at
its lower end the compound' dabber I, and it is made adjustable lengthwise to
regulate the dip of the dabber into the comb teeth. When rotary motion is given
to the can the dabber will be raised and depressed, but owing to the swivel
guide G the rod G will be free to swing under the action of the excentric, and
thereby impart not inerely an up-and-down notion to the dabber, but a rocking
traverso notion, thereby allowing the dabber to follow for a limited distance the
the circular motion of the combs.
This mechanism I employ when all the parts of the dabber, as in Figures 3
and 4, move together; but when the dabber is constructed as indicated at Fig. 5, I
use the arrangement of mechanism shown in Sheet IV.
In this Sheet Fig. 8 shows in sido elevation the mechanisin eruployed for working
the compound dabber illustrated at Fig. 5, that is to say, a dabber provided with
blades having a motion independent of the dabber; and Fig. 9 is a view of the
same mechanism, but in a different position to that shown at Fig. 8. In the latter
Figure the dabber is depressed and in action, while in Fig. 9 it is raised out of action,
and ready to act upon the next succeeding feed of wool.
In these Figures, as in those last described, A is the large circular comb; B, the
rack circle; C, the steam chest; and D, one of the pillars of the machine; E is the
driving shaft carrying the excentric F, which works in the strap of an oscillating
arm G, at the lower end of which a bracket His pivotted. Attached to this
bracket is the dabber I, which is connected at its hinder end with a bracket J;
J' is a bracket inade fast to the pillar D, and pendent from it is a link L, which
connects by a pivot pin with the bracket J; M is a link which connects the
oscillating arm G with the bracket J¹.
This mechanism ensures to the dabber the saine motion as that described with
reference to Sheet III.
The dabbing blades 1 (see also Fig. 5) are supported at their rear ends by the
pivot pin 7, and at their forward ends these blades are connected by a pivot pin k
to a rocking arin K, which is slotted at its upper end to receive a fulcrum pin k
projecting from the oscillating arın G. The blades 12, Fig. 5, which occupy a
space formed to receive them in the rear end of the dabber, are also carried by the
pivot pin l.
By comparing now the two Figures 8 and 9 it will be seen that when the dabber
is in full action the blades I', which take respectively the curve of the inner
periphery of the small comb and the curve of the outer periphery of the large
comb, will be depressed to the level of the dabber; but the dabber, on rising from

page_text: the combs, will move faster than the blades I', thus leaving the latter to clear the
bristles or the blades, of which the dabber is or inay be coin posed, of any fibres that
may adhere thereto. At the same time these blades 11 and also the blades I'
will, together with the dabber I, follow the notion of the combs while rising
therefroin, and thus no interference with the progressive motion of the fibres will
take place.
As the dabbing apparatus is duplicated in the Noble's machine it will be necessary
in applying my improved dabber to drive the duplicate apparatus in opposite
directions. This I effect by introducing at one side of the machine, a bevil wheel,
as shown as S, Fig. 7, and mounting the excentric F on the extended hub of that
wheel instead of on the driving shaft E.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Noble's Combing Machines," and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim,-
Firstly. The means above described for equalizing the pressure on the drawing-off
rollers, and facilitating the removal of the presser roller from its supports.
Secondly. The construction of dabber, as above described.
Thirdly. Imparting an oscillating motion to dabbers in the manner and for the
purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Walton Whitehead, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of cur
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said Henry Walton Whitehead
in the presence of
EDWARD WHITELEY,
Clerk to Mr. Thomas Turner,
Solicitor,
Leeds.
H. W. WHITEHEAD. (L.S.)