AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR TAKING OFF THE FIBRE FROM COTTON SEED AND CLEANING IT
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Cope, of 15, Bostock St., St.
George's in the East, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR TAKING OFF THE FIBRE FROM
COTTON SEED AND CLEANING IT."
Sealed the 15th May 1866, and dated the 17th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Cope at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th November 1865.
I, WILLIAM HENRY COPE, of 15, Bostock St., St. George's in the East,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR TAKING OFF THE FIBRE FROM
COTTON SEED AND CLEANING IT," to be as follows:-
I employ a grinding stone similar to those at present in use for grinding
This stone being mounted on a spindle is made to revolve rapidly,
with the face at a slight distance from a bed formed of some elastic
material, such as india-rubber or leather; the seed being fed in thro' the
eye of the stone is recieved on the elastic bed, and then subjected to the action
of the stone, which cuts or grinds off the cotton fibre adhering to the seed,

page_text: the seed when sufficiently clean passing out thro' a spout as in an ordinary
mill.
The machine is composed of a strong wood or iron frame or table, with a
disc upon it of the same diameter as the stone; on this is fastened the sheet
of india-rubber or other elastic material; the disc is provided with adjusting
screws to level and hold it in its place. Passing up thro' the centre of the
machine is a wrought-iron spindle carrying the stone, mounted and cut in the
same manner as a stone for grinding corn. I prefer a thick Peak stone about
three and a half feet diameter, drove at a high speed by cog wheels or a
leather strap from an engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Cope in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY COPE, of 15, Bostock St., St. George's in the East, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Henry Cope, Her special licence that I, the said
William Henry Cope, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Henry Cope, 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 "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR TAKING OFF THE FIBRE FROM COTTON
SEED AND CLEANING IT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Henry Cope, 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 William Henry Cope, do hereby

page_text: 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 :-
For the purpose of cleaning this seed I employ a grinding stone similar to
those at present in use for grinding corn. This stone being mounted on a
spindle is made to revolve rapidly with the face at a slight distance from a
bed formed of some elastic material, such as india-rubber or leather; the
seed being fed in through the eye of the stone as in an ordinary mill is
received on the elastic bed, and is there subjected to the action of the stone,
which cuts or grinds off the cotton fibre adhering to the seed, the seed when
sufficiently clean passing out through a spout as in an ordinary grinding
mill.
The machine is composed of a strong wood or iron frame or table, with
a disc upon it the same diameter as the stone; on this disc is stretched the
sheet of india-rubber or other elastic material; the disc is provided with
adjusting screws to level and hold it in its place. Passing up through the
centre of the machine is a wrought-iron spindle carrying a grinding stone
mounted and cut in the same manner as a stone for grinding flour. I prefer
a stone about three and a half feet diameter, and drove at a high speed either
by cog wheels or a leather strap from an engine.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Cope, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
WILLIAM HENRY COPE.
L.S.