IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING YARNS OR THREADS, PART OF WHICH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE TWISTING OF FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Henderson, of Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Carpet Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING YARNS OR
THREADS, PART OF WHICH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE
TWISTING OF FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 9th July 1861, and dated the 24th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Henderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
January 1861.
I, HENRY HENDERSON, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
5 Britain, Carpet Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING YARNS OR
THREADS, PART OF WHICH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE TWISTING
OF FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improved arrangements of the machinery and
apparatus used for printing yarns, part of which improvements are also
applicable to the doubling or twisting of fibrous materials.
The improvements consist, firstly, in covering the surface of the drum or
cylinder on which the yarn is placed, in order to be printed, with a soft elastic
substance, which may consist of india-rubber or other suitable material of any

page_text: .
required thickness. This covering forms a bed on which the yarn is laid, and
which adapts itself to the shape of the pulley employed for laying on the
coloring matter. This colour pulley is by preference made of hard india-
rubber, (but other substances may be used,) which being impervious to
moisture, and the coloring matter used is not liable to warp or crack, and after
having been used for one colour the pulley may be readily washed and used
for other colours successively. The colour pulley is fitted into the colour
trough in the same manner as those in general use, but instead of a smooth
periphery it is made with a fluted or grooved periphery, which part should be
of such a size as to contain an amount of colouring matter just sufficient to
saturate the yarn as the pulley passes across it. The pulley in its passage
under the drum is pressed upwards by means of springs with just sufficient
force to press the periphery of the pulley into the elastic bed on which the
yarn is laid. The advantage of this improved system of laying on the coloring
matter is that the elastic bed in adapting itself exactly to the shape of the flute
or groove in the periphery of the colour pulley prevents any ridge or surplus
of colouring matter being formed between each strip or layer of colour as it
is laid on by the pulley in its passage across the surface of the drum or
cylinder. The improvements also comprehend a new and more convenient
arrangement of the carriage which carries the colour box and pulley. Instead
of placing the colour box, as is commonly done in a frame supported by
springs, and placed on the main frame of the carriage, so that when the
carriage passes under the drum the colour box, pulley, and upper frame of
the carriage are depressed. The colour pulley alone is placed upon springs,
which are connected with the bearings upon which the ends of the axis of
the colour pulley rests; these springs may be made of india-rubber, steel
wire, or other suitable materials, and are so arranged that when the
carriage passes across under the drum the colour pulley alone is depressed,
while the colour trough and other parts of the carriage have no upward or
downward motion. For the purpose of giving motion to the colour pulley after
it leaves the drum or cylinder a small driving pulley is employed, which is
fixed on one of the axles of the carriage, and by a band or belt motion is com-
municated from this to a larger pulley, which is placed at the extremity of the
axle of the colour pulley and parallel to a pulley fixed in the end of the axle. A
driving belt of india-rubber or other suitable elastic substance is then passed
round the second pulley, and also round a third pulley placed on the opposite
side of the axle of the colour pulley. The axle of the colour pulley lies upon
and is turned either way by the motion of this clastic band or belt, and at the
same time admits of being easily depressed as it passes under the printing

page_text: drum or cylinder. In the process of unwinding the yarns from the bobbins on
to the printing drum or cylinder an arrangement is employed, whereby the
bobbins remain at rest while the yarn is being unwound off them; for this
purpose the bobbins are each placed on a vertical spindle, which is made
somewhat longer than the length of the bobbin, so as to project above the
upper end of the bobbin, and on this projecting part of the pin a throstle is
arranged. At the knee of the throstle a fixed eye is placed, and on the arm
of the throstle there is a moveable eye, which rises or falls with the thread so
as to suit the angle formed between the thread and the bobbin. The thread
is passed through the moveable eye and up through the fixed eye, then through
an eye on the neck of the throstle, and thence on to the drum. Thus when
the thread is pulled upward it will be found that the throstle will revolve
round the bobbin, and consequently unwind the thread from the bobbin as it
passes on to the drum, and by this means a more equal and uniform tension is
given to the thread as it is wound on to the printing cylinder. This arrange-
ment may also be advantageously used in doubling and slightly twisting one
or more threads together, as is now done by the spinners in preparing the
yarns for the printing process. By another arrangement this slight twisting
of the threads together is effected by placing one bobbin above another, and
introducing the thread from the under bobbin through a tube, which serves as
the spindle on which the upper bobbin is placed, each bobbin having a throstle,
as before described. By this means any number of threads may be slightly
twisted together as they are unwound from the bobbins on to the reel at one
and the same time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
.HENDERSON, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Henderson, Her special license that I, the said Henry Henderson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said

page_text: Henry Henderson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE 5
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR PRINTING YARNS OR THREADS, PART OP
WHICH MACHINERY OR APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO THE TWISTING OF FIBROUS
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry
Henderson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Henderson, do hereby declaro
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 following
statement:
My said Invention relates to improved arrangements of the machinery and
apparatus used for printing yarns, part of which improvements is also appli-
cable to the doubling or twisting of fibrous materials.
The improvements consist, firstly, in covering the surface of the drum or
cylinder on which the yarn is placed, in order to be printed, with a soft elastic
substance, which may consist of india-rubber or other suitable material of any
required thickness. This covering forms a bed on which the yarn is laid, and
which adapts itself to the shape of the pulley employed for laying on the
colouring matter. This colour pulley is by preference made of hard india-
rubber, (but other substance may be used,) which being impervous to moisture,
and the colouring matter used is not liable to warp or crack, and after having
been used for one colour the pulley may be readily washed and used for other
colours successively. The colour pulley is fitted into the colour trough in the
same manner as those in general use, but instead of a smooth periphery it is
made with a fluted or grooved periphery, which part should be of such a size
as to contain an amount of colouring matter, just sufficient to saturate the
yarn as the pulley passes across it. The pulley in its passage under the drum
is pressed upwards by means of springs with just sufficient force to press the
periphery of the pulley into the elastic bed, on which the yarn is laid. The
advantage of this improved system of laying on the colouring matter is, that
the elastic bed in adapting itself exactly to the shape of the flute or groove in

page_text: the periphery of the colour pulley prevents any ridge or surplus of colouring
matter being formed between each strip or layer of colour as it is laid on by
the pulley in its passage across the surface of the drum or cylinder.
The improvements also comprehend a new and more convenient arrangement
of the carriage which carries the colour box and pulley. Instead of placing
the color box, as is commonly done, in a frame supported by springs and
placed on the main frame of the carriage, so that when the carriage passes
under the drum the colour box, pulley, and upper frame of the carriage are
depressed, the colour pulley alone is placed upon springs, which are con-
nected with the bearings upon which the ends of the axes of the colour pulley
rest; these springs may be made of india-rubber, steel wire, or other suitable
inaterials, and are so arranged that when the carriage passes across under the
drum the colour pulley alone is depressed, while the colour trough and other
parts of the carriage have no upward or downward motion. For the purpose of
giving motion to the colour pulley after it leaves the drum or cylinder, a small
driving pulley is employed, which is fixed on one of the axles of the carriage,
and by a band or belt motion is communicated from this to a larger pulley,
which is placed at the extremity of the axle of the colour pulley, and parallel to
a pulley fixed on the end of the axle. A driving belt of india-rubber or other
suitable elastic substance is then passed round the second pulley, and also round
a third pulley placed on the opposite side of the axle of the colour pulley. The
axle of the colour pulley lies upon and is turned either way by the motion of
the elastic band or belt, and at the same time admits of being easily depressed
as it passes under the printing drum or cylinder. In the process of unwinding
the yarns from the bobbins on to the printing drum or cylinder, an arrange-
ment is employed whereby the bobbins remain at rest while the yarn is being
unwound off them; for this purpose the bobbins are each placed on a vertical
spindle which is made somewhat longer than the length of the bobbin so as to
project above the upper end of the bobbin, and on this projecting part of the
pin a throstle is arranged. At the knee of the throstle a fixed eye is placed,
and on the arm of the throstle there is a moveable eye, which rises or falls
with the thread so as to suit the angle formed between the thread and the
bobbin. The thread is passed through the moveable eye, and up through the
fixed eye, then through an eye in the neck of the throstle, and thence on to
the drum; thus, when the thread is pulled upwards it will be found that the
throstle will revolve round the bobbin, and consequently unwind the thread
from the bobbin as it passes on to the drum, and by this means a more equal and
uniform tension is given to the thread as it is wound on to the printing cylinder.
This arrangement may also be advantageously used in doubling and slightly

page_text: :
twisting one or more threads together, as is now done by the spinners in pre-
paring the yarns for the printing process.
By another arrangement this slight twisting of the threads together is
effected by placing one bobbin above another, and introducing the thread from
the under bobbin through a tube, which serves as the spindle on which the
upper bobbin is placed, each bobbin having a throstle, as before described.
By this means any number of threads may be slightly twisted together as they
are unwound from the bobbins on to the reel at one and the same time.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in machinery or
apparatus for printing yarns or thread may be properly understood, I shall now
proceed to describe in detail certain modifications under which my improve-
ments may be judiciously carried out in practice.
My present Invention has special reference to a system or mode of printing
yarns or threads, for which British Letters Patent were granted to Richard
Whytock, and bearing date on or about the Eighth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
According to this Invention the yarns to be printed were wound tightly
upon a drum or cylinder, and the colours were applied thereto by the workman
who was furnished with a graduated scale to assist him in disposing the colours
correctly both longitudinally and transversely. In subsequent improvements
the colours were placed in troughs in each of which a roller was partially
immersed. Mechanical means were provided for causing these rollers to
revolve in the colour trough and impart the colour to the yarns. As the
carriage on which it was placed traversed to and fro across and under the
drum on which the yarn was wound, the colour roller thus charged with colour
being made to press upwards on the yarn on the surface of the yarn drum. As
the cylinder was turned round intermittently, each traverse of the carriage
coloured a certain portion of the yarn or thread. An arrangement of a
generally similar kind is at present in use, and one part of the present improve-
ments has reference to the yarn drum or cylinder. Instead of winding the
yarn upon a hard inelastic substance the periphery of the drum is covered with
a soft elastic material, vulcanised india-rubber is by preference used for the
purpose. The sheet rubber is formed inte an endless band corresponding to
the size of the drum or cylinder over which it is stretched, the thickness of the
india-rubber being regulated so as to provide a soft elastic or slightly yielding
bed or surface on which the yarn is wound. The object of this addition to the
cylinder is that the flexible surface thus provided shall admit of the yarn
adapting itself to the peripheries of the rollers employed for distributing the
colours. The colour rollers are ordinarily made of wood, but for this purpose

page_text: preference is given to "vulcanite." or hard vulcanised india-rubber, or in lieu of
this, gutta percha or other suitable material may be used. Colour rollers
made of vulcanite or generally similar substance are not liable to warp or crack.
The improved colour rollers are also readily cleansed from colour by simple
washing, and may be used in succession for any number of colours. These
rollers are arranged in the colour troughs in the usual way, and they are
pressed upwards by means of springs. Instead of making these rollers flat on
the periphery in the ordinary way, I make this part of the roller concave, that
is to say, the periphery forms a flute or groove. The depth of the groove is
made so that it will contain a sufficient quantity of colouring matter to
saturate the yarn as it passes across under the yarn cylinder. The carriage
containing the colour trough being impelled across beneath the yarn cylinder by
the mechanical means ordinarily used for the purpose. The springs press the
colouring rollers up against the yarn with a sufficient degree of force to cause
the yarn to be pressed into the groove and absorb the colouring matter. A
highly important advantage attending this mode of constructing the colour
rollers is, that it prevents the escape of colour in a lateral direction. With
the ordinary colour rollers, on account of the flat periphery, a ridge of colouring
matter is left on each side as the roller passes over the yarn, and it becomes
necessary to scrape, rub, or roll down these ridges of colouring matters, in order
that the colours may be uniformly distributed over the surface. But with
these improvements the inconvenience here referred to is entirely obviated, the
flexible covering on the yarn cylinder admits of the yarn adapting itself exactly
to the grooved periphery of the color rollers, whilst the sharp edges of the
latter prevent any escape of colour in a lateral direction. In this way all the
subsequent operation of reducing the ridges of colour is avoided, and the
printing is effected in a superior manner because the outline of each colour is
preserved in a much more distinct and correct manner. In the ordinary way
the colour boxes are placed in a frame which is supported by springs and
placed on the main frame of the carriage, so that the colour box, the roller,
and the upper frame of the carriage are depressed simultaneously. In order
to simplify this arrangement I arrange the colour roller alone upon springs
which are connected with the bearings of the axle of the colour roller. These
springs may be formed of india-rubber, steel wire, or other suitable material,
and they are arranged so that when the carriage passes beneath the drum the
colour roller alone is depressed whilst the other parts of the carriage remain
stationary. In order to give motion to the colour roller after it has passed
the yarn cylinder a small driving pulley is fitted on the extremity of one of the
axles of the carriage. This pulley by means of an endless band gives motion

page_text: to a larger pulley arranged on the carriage of the colour box, and on the axle
of the colour roller is also another fixed pulley of smaller diameter. In a
horizontal line with this smaller pulley are fitted two others; round these
pullies is passed an endless belt of india-rubber, which is carried under the
pulley on the axle of the colour roller. As the pulley on the axle of the colour
roller rests upon this elastic band, it follows that the roller will be readily
depressed when passing under the yarn cylinder, at the same time the roller is
capable of turning in either direction when it quits the yarn cylinder. With
these several improvements the process of printing yarn is greatly improved
as well as rendered more exact, uniform, and effective than heretofore.
Having now. described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the covering of the drum or cylinder on which the thread or yarn is
wound for printing with vulcanised india-rubber or other suitable flexible
material for the purpose of forming a soft and yielding surface on which the
yarn is wound as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of forming the colour rollers of yarn printing
machinery or apparatus of vulcanite, gutta percha, or other suitable material;
also forming the peripheries of the rollers with a flute, groove, or channel for
the purpose of containing the colouring matter, and preventing its escape
laterally during the printing operation as here-before described.
Third, the system or mode of arranging and constructing the mechanical
details of the colour troughs and carriage of yarn printing machinery as herein-
before described, or any mere equivalent therefor.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Henderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.
HENRY HENDERSON. (LS.)