IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest de Pass, of the Office for British and Foreign
Patents, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES." A communication from
abroad by Joseph Imbs, of 17, Boulevart Saint-Martin, Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest de Pass at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th February 1879.
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for British and Foreign Patents, 68, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by Joseph Imbs, of 17, Boulevart Saint-Martin,
Paris, France.
In certain Letters Patent granted to the above named Joseph Imbs, and dated
2nd September 1878, No. 3473, an arrangement is described for opening, closing,
and compressing the nipper which combs the head of the sliver, by means of a
shaft furnished with arms working above this nipper. It is this arrangement
which has now led to the following improvements, and which solves the following
problem-To apply to an Imb's combing machine in view of working certain
textile materials a cylindrical and rotary combing contrivance for the head of the
sliver while retaining all the other principal parts of the machines described in
Patent No. 109 granted to Michael Henry, and in Patent No. 231376 granted to me,
both being communicated by the said Joseph Imbs, as well as the manner of effecting
the feeding by exerting a drawing on the outer end or point of the fleece, and by
drawing the fleece through the head combing nipper.
Now in carrying this Invention into effect a circular and rotary comb is placed
below and quite close to the lower seizing nipper, such comb being constructed by
forming grooves in a shaft and fitting therein small iron bars provided with teeth,
the bars being kept in place by wire bands placed at suitable distances apart. This
rotary comb effects two revolutions for one entire revolution of the machine.
In the space between the head combing. nipper and the seizing nipper is a
supplementary cleaning comb consisting of a blade having at its lower part one,
two, three, or more rows of teeth, and suspended by its two ends to two oscillating
levers resting by friction rollers on eccentrics.
,

page_text: Instead of giving as heretofore a horizontal to and fro movement to the head
combing nipper I mount it in vertical slides which may consist of guides bolted to
the frame of the machine and having two vertical uprights embracing the ends of
the iron block or piece upon which the head combing nippers work; or they may
consist of rods or gudgeons fixed to the ends of the block or piece, and slide vertically-
in sockets fixed-to-the-frame; or else rods or gudgeons are fixed to the frames, and
lugs cast on the iron block or piece pass over these rods and guide the whole of the
head combing nipper. Whatever be the arrangement of these vertical slides the
head combing nipper receives a rectilinear up and down movement in the same
manner-as-in the previous Patents, and is brought alternately opposite the combing
appliance, then opposite the seizing appliance when such seizing appliance approaches
open to seize the point of the sliver. For this purpose I employ, for example, the
oscillating shaft carrying arins and described in-Patent No. 347378 hereinbefore cited,
and give it a sufficient travel or course. A large cam is fixed to the toothed wheel
which drives the shaft on which this large cam is mounted, and a lever provided
with a friction roller imparts to the shaft having the arms an oscillation corres-
ponding with the shape of the large cam, and the arms act on the rods of the head
combing nipper to raise it, either in raising such rods by a head or by a friction
roller placed at the upper end of these rods, or by connecting the arms and the rods
by a chain or by a short connecting rod. Besides, the object of the whole of the
arms is not to raise and hold the nipper, a certain number of these arms acting
either by the rollers, by a chain, or by a connecting rod on boxes or cylinders
resting on the springs of the nipper to compress such springs, and to give, at the
desired moment an additional pressure to the head combing nipper.
I can also effect the reciprocating up and down movement of the head combing
nipper in another way by placing at both ends of the main shaft cams, like the other
or first mentioned one, which would act on friction rollers placed below the vertical.
rods, suitably guided. These rods rising to the suitable height carry a half-flat piece
having a sufficient resistance in the vertical direction, and which traversing the
whole machine would work on the hand the whole of the rods provided with a
slide, closed above to support the head combing nipper, and on the other hand the
whole of the boxes or cylinders giving to the springs which correspond with them
the additional compression. In every case the cams must have a portion of their
contour covered by an outer flange corresponding to the moment of the additional
compression. The large cam allows the head combing nipper to descend, which on
arriving at the end of its travel is stopped by a set screw, and the cam still
continuing slightly its downward action operates the additional compression on the
head combing nipper, whilst the rotary comb combs the outer end or point of the
fleece. The large cam continuing its rotation finishes the additional compression,
then raises the whole nipper to the height of the seizing nipper which comes towards
it open to draw the outer end or point between it and to take it. This point being
taken the head combing nipper is at this moment stopped by the upper end of the
slides and abuts against it. But this large cam has not at this moment finished its
upward action, and this action continuing will act solely on the rods which open
one of the bars forming part of the nipper, and effect the half opening while they
are on the circular portion of the cam. At this moment I give to the supplementary
cleaning comb, which till then was held in a slightly elevated position, a falling
movement like that in Heilmann's combing machine, and it is then stopped in a
position where it penetrates the fleece, the seizing operation is then performed in
the manner hereinbefore described in the Patents aforesaid.
The sliver once seized and carried away by the seizing appliance, the cam exerts
a fresh upward action while on the most projecting part of its curve, and effects the
full opening of the nippers. At this moment a second diminution of the eccentrics
on whose axis is the segmental brush effects a fresh lowering of the supplementary
cleaning comb, and as this comb had remained till then engaged in the fleece it
draws by this downward movement the whole of the fleece through the nipper and

page_text: effects the feeding. The head combing nipper now descends and the operations.
recommence.
This manner of drawing the fleece through the head combing nipper by the
lowering of the supplementary cleaning comb is not the only one that can be
employed. The drawing of the fleece can be effected by the seizing appliance itself,
and indeed when this appliance is closed and has taken hold of the point of the
fleece, supposing that at this moment the projecting part of the curve of the cam is
very near the friction roller and consequently placed at the other extremity of the
circular portion which corresponds to the half opening, it will result that the
complete opening of the head combing nipper will be first effected. During this
complete opening and before having caused the supplementary comb to descend by
means of eccentrics mounted on the main driving shaft, the seizing nippers are
caused to effect a first slight movement of separation which will draw a corres-
ponding length of the fleece through the head combing nipper; this nipper will
immediately half close itself, and at the same time the supplementary cleaning comb
will be lowered to enter the fleece and then the seizing operation will commence.
In effecting the feeding in this second manner care must be taken so as not to lose
space to contrive a recess in the upper bar of the seizing nipper, into which a
portion of the thickness of the supplementary cleaning comb lodges itself, when this
comb is raised and the seizing nipper comes nearest to the head combing nipper.
It will be seen that by feeding with the supplementary cleaning comb the feeding
is done after the seizing, while by feeding with the seizing appliance the feeding is
done before the seizing, but either can be employed as desired."
The lower bar of the seizing appliance is concave and grooved so as to better
espouse the leather and india rubber pad which clothes the upper bar.
The grooved bar at the top of the iron block or piece forming part of the combing
nipper and the leather clothing of the outer of the upper bars are made in such
manner that the leather is cut level with such outer bar and passes a little beyond
the grooved bar on the block. By these means I cause the leather to approach
quite near to the teeth of the rotary comb so that such teeth can touch the leather
slightly without difficulty, and I thus ensure the penetration of the teeth into the
whole of the fleece of textile material.
Instead of a rotary comb for combing the head a series of gill-bars with successive
action and working exactly like the gill-boxes of flax or longwool drawing machines
can be employed. In this case the cleaning brush is placed towards the side of
descent of the gill-bars or combing bars.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed.
by the said Ernest de Pass in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August
1879.
"
ERNEST-DE-PASS,-of-the-Office.for_British and Foreign Patents, 68, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBING MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by Joseph Imbs, of 17, Boulevart Saint-Martin,
Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improvements in combing machines, such improve-
_ments_being_particularly applicable to those machines which are described in the
Specification of Letters Patent No. 10, dated 1st January 1869, and granted to
Michael Henry as a communication from the above named Joseph Imbs; in the
Specification of Letters Patent-No. 2313, dated 1st June 1876, and granted to me,
the said Ernest de Pass, as a communication from the said Joseph Imbs; and in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 3473, dated 2nd September 1878, and
granted to Joseph Imbs himself.
In the Specifications of the before mentioned Letters Patent a combination was
described consisting of two pairs of nippers acting together and separating from
each other successively by means of an opposite reciprocating and alternating.
movement of horizontal translation, the seizing nippers on the other hand coming.
in contact with an exterior superimposing device or organ. Between the two pairs
of nippers a flat comb-holder furnished with several rows of combs was described
as acting vertically to penetrate the fibrous material, and as working at the same
time successively with the seizing nipper to clean the tail and with the head
nipper to comb the new head.
These were with special features and details in the construction of these nippers
and in the respective motions for the purpose before mentioned, what constituted
an Imb's combing machine, and which I will call a "No. 1 Imb's combing-
machine."
The three hereinafter described principal arrangements, modifications, or im-
provements have been devised as three different means of solving the following
problem, viz. To alter or adapt an Imb's combing-machine, or an analogous one, so
that the flat comb-holder shall be employed act only to clean the tail, and so that
an additional and independent appliance shall be put in connection with the head
nipper to effect a repeated, prolonged, and refined combing of the head.
These three different means of solving this problem differ from each other in the
kind of additional appliance for combing the head, and in the respective motions
given to such appliance and to the head nipper to put them in respective con-
nection; but they retain all the principal parts of the machine constituting a No. 1
Imb's combing machine, all the principal motions, and also the method of feeding
the head combing nipper by opening it, and exerting at that time a drawing
In each of these three
action through the nipper on the outer end of the fleece.
arrangements, modifications, or improvements, it will be seen that it was needful
to reverse the flat comb-holder and to make it penetrate the fleece between the two
nippers from the top instead of from the bottom. This flat comb-holder will then
appear to act like a Heilmann's "holding on" comb, but it will be explained in
"comb.
what points it actually differs from an ordinary "holding on
In the first arrangement, modification, or improvement, which I will call a "No.
2 Imb's combing machine," the additional appliance for combing the head of the
fleece is a circular comb-holder revolving around its fixed axis placed under the
seizing nipper; and the head nipper is provided with a vertical rectilinear move-
ment of translation, which brings the outer end of the fleece alternately to such
circular comb-holder and to the seizing nipper.
The second arrangement, modification, or improvement is exactly the same as
the preceding one, only the appliance placed under the seizing nipper consists in

page_text: a gill-box whose gills act succesively to comb the head of the sliver when the head
nipper is lowered.
The third arrangement, modification, or improvement, which I will call a "No. 3
Imb's combing-machine," does not alter the original movement of translation of the
head combing nipper; this movement remains as in the No. 1 combing machine,
a horizontal one. The additional appliance for combing the head of the fleece
consists in a circular comb-holder revolving around its axis; but this axis
placed under the head combing nipper oscillates up and down around a suitable
centre, so that this revolving comb holder coming on the top acts on the head
nipper when being quite backward, and then descends to meet a fixed revolving
cleaning brush, while the head nipper returns forward to meet the seizing nipper.
The other arrangements, modifications, or improvements hereinafter described
relate to several details in the construction of certain parts of the machine.
I proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to describe more par-
ticcularly the said Invention.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, represent on an approximate scale of quarter size a general
view in transverse section, and the details hereinafter described.
Figures 4, 6, and 8, represent on an approximate scale of half size particular
positions of certain parts or details; and Figure 5 shows a special appliance or
organ, about quarter size, for combing the head of the sliver.
Figure 7 represents on a scale of about half size another arrangement for combing
the head.
R and R' (Figure 1) are two bars forming the seizing nippers, and mounted on
levers X oscillating around the point a by means of eccentrics X'. B is a segmental
brush, which draws the seized sliver out of the seizing nipper; D is the doffer
oscillating on its axis, on which the segmental brush B reconstitutes a continuous
fleece by the superposition of successive slivers. The working of these parts need
not be here described, and all that relate to the opening and closing of the nipper
R, R', and the pressures it receives to the horizontal to and fro movement imparted
to it, and to that relating to the rotary movement of the brush B, and to the move-
ment of oscillation of the doffer D, or to an oscillating movement given to a circular
brush to receive and superimpose directly the successive slivers, all having been
already described in the Specifications of the various Patents herein before cited.
H and H are also the two bars which act on the cast-iron block or piece P to
form the head combing nipper, which remains the same as before, and which in
reality is not a feeding nipper, as it does not possess any feeding organ or device.
As described in the Specifications of the above cited Patents, the bar H forms the
nipper, and the bar H¹ the counter nipper or retaining nipper during the seizing
operation. The manner of imparting pressure also remains the same, and the working
of these bars is effected as usual, the bar H being alone raised a little at a suitable
time to form the half opening during the seizing, and the full and simultaneous
rising of the two bars H and H' at an other suitable time to form the full opening
while the feeding is being done.
The said rising is, as usual, effected by the rods T placed at the ends, and at will
at intermediate points. Some of the springs S, which exert pressure at several
points of the length of the nipper are at will endowed with a constant tension to
ensure the closing of the nipper, and others are only pressed down at a certain
suitable moment to give at this moment an additional pressure to the closed
nipper.
This being stated a circular and rotary comb A is placed below and quite near
the lower seizing nipper R¹, and is made by forming slots a, a, a, in a solid shaft
(see Fig. 4), and placing therein small sheet-iron or thin brass bars furnished with
needle points, the said bars being kept in place by suitably distanced wire wrappings
or whippings" a¹, a¹, fixed in the helicoidal grooves cut in the shaft, so that the
hole made in the needles of each bar to place the wire through belongs to a different
transverse section. This arrangement allows of an easy taking to pieces, so as to
readily repair those bars injured by the work. This circular and rotary comb A
"

page_text: effects exactly one, two, or three revolutions for one entire revolution of the
machine. A revolving circular brush of any kind whatever clears' the circular comb
as usual.
On the other hand in the space existing between the head combing nipper
H-H, P.-and-the-seizing nipper R, R., when these two organs or pieces are face_to_
face at their shortest distance apart, a supplementary comb E, which is in reality
only the flat comb-holder, previously employed, but reversed, is placed, and is com-
posed-of-a-blade-having-at-its-lower-part-one, two, three, or more rows of teeth,
needles, or wires. This comb-E-is-fixed-by-its-two-ends-to-two-arms-EL-oscillating-
around fixed points e, and resting by friction rollers c¹ on the eccentrics E".
In short, instead of giving to the head combing nipper H, HP, a-horizontal-
reciprocating or to and fro movement, as heretofore, it is now mounted in any suitable
arrangement of vertical slides. These slides can be formed by guides K-bolted to
the framework, and having two vertical uprights embracing the extremities of the
cast iron block P; or else by gudgeons G fixed to the ends of the iron block or
piece P, and sliding vertically in sockets G¹ fixed to the framework; or else by
fixing to the framework rods I, passing through lugs i, i¹, cast on the iron block P,
and which guide the whole of the nipper; or, better still, the rods T may be
lengthened under the nipper and slide in suitable sockets fixed to the frame.
Whatever be the arrangement of these vertical slides, the whole of the nipper
H, H³, P, receives an alternating up and down rectilinear movement, which brings
it alternately opposite the combing organ or appliance, then opposite the seizing
nipper, when this latter approaches open to take the point or outer end of the sliver,
and this movement is effected in the same manner as the opening and the closing of
the nipper was effected before, that is to say, by the top of the rods T.
For this several arrangements can be employed. By preference the oscillating
shaft M, furnished with the arms m previously mentioned is employed, a sufficient
travel being given to it, and a large cam N of suitable shape is fixed to the plate of
the toothed wheel which drives the shaft o¹. A lever Q furnished with a friction
roller q imparts to the shaft M an oscillation corresponding with the outline of the
cam N, and the arms m act on the rods T' to raise the nipper, either in raising them
by a head or by a friction roller g placed at the top of the rods T", or by connecting
them with these rods by a chain y (Fig. 3), or better yet by a short connecting rod;
but the object of all the arms m may be not only to raise and support the nipper,
for a portion of them, when the nipper descends and stops upon the set screws,
can then act on boxes or cylinders 6 resting on some of the springs S to compress
them, and to give at the desired moment the additional compression to the nipper
H, H, P, by means of friction rollers g, or by a falling chain y¹, or by a connecting
rod. The driving of the shaft M by the cams N and levers Q can be effected either
on one end or at both ends.
The rectilinear vertical movement of the head combing nipper H, H', P, can be
driven in another manner by placing at the two ends of the shaft o cams like the
cam N. These cams would act on friction rollers g" (Figure 2) placed at the
bottom-of-the-vertical-rods-6-suitably-guided,-and-these-rods-6-rising-to-the-
proper height, would carry a half-flat piece V, having sufficient resistance in the
vertical direction. This piece V extending across the whole machine would work,
on the one hand, all the rods T, furnished with a slide closed at top to support the
nipper H, H, P, and, on the other hand, all the boxes b, giving to the springs S,
.which correspond with them, the additional compression. In every case the cams N
should have a portion of their contour enveloped by an outer flange N¹ corresponding
to the moment of the additional compression.
This described, the new working of the head combing nipper H, H¹, P, will be
readily understood.
the nipper arrives at
This cam N can still
curve, and effect the
The cam N allows the nipper H, H¹, P, to descend, and as
the end of its travel it is stopped by the regulating screw 2.
'continue slightly its downward action in the portion N₁ of its
additional compression on the nipper H, H¹, P, whilst the rotary comb A combs the

page_text: outer end or point of the fleece. The cam N, continuing its rotation, puts a stop to
the additional compression, then raises the entire nipper to the height of the seizing
nipper, which approaches open to lay hold of the outer end or point, and to take it.
This outer end or point being taken, the nipper H, H', P, is at this moment stopped,
as well as below, by the upper end of the slides, and abuts against this end. But
the cam N has not at this moment finished its rising effort, which, continuing, acts
then solely on the rods T, which then open the bar H and effect the half-opening on
the circular portion n', n', of the cam N. At this moment a lowering movement
similar to that of the holding-on comb in Heilmann's combing-machine, is given to
the flat comb-holder E, which till then was held in a position somewhat raised, and
it stops in a position where the rows of combs penetrate or pass through the fleece ;
this is the position shown in the Drawings, and determined by the notch e¹ of the
eccentrics . The seizing is thus done under the conditions that have always
The sliver once seized and carried away by the seizing appliance or organ, the
cam N makes a fresh rising effort on the most prominent part n of its curve, and
effects the full opening of the two nippers H and H³. At this moment a second
diminutione in the eccentrics E" effects a fresh lowering of the flat comb-holder E,
and as the combs had remained until then engaged in the fleece they draw, by this
downward movement, the entire fleece through the nipper, and effects the feeding.
Therefore it is seen that the comb-holder E, effecting the combing of the tail and
the feeding, is working quite differently from an ordinary holding-on comb. Then
the head combing nipper H, H, P, redescends, and the operations recommence.
been effected previously.
This manner of drawing the fleece through the head combing nipper H, H', P, by
the lowering of the flat comb-holder E is not the only one that has been devised
and used, because the drawing through of the fleece can be effected by the seizing
appliance itself. Indeed, when this appliance has arrived in the position seen in
Figure 1 it is closed, and it has laid hold of the point or outer end of the fleece, and
if it be supposed that the projecting part n" of the curve of the cam is at this
moment quite near the friction roller, and therefore placed at the other extremity
of the circular part n', n¹, which corresponds to the half opening, it will result that
the full opening of the head combing nipper H, H', P, will be effected the first.
During this full opening, and before the penetrating of the flat comb-holder E
in the fleece, the seizing nipper receives a first slight movement of separation;
by a suitable outline of the eccentrics X¹ (from 4, 5, or 6 or more millimeters);
which will draw a corresponding length of fleece through the opened head combing
nipper. This nipper will-immediately after be half closed, and at the same time,
the flat comb-holder E will be lowered to enter the fleece, and then the seizing,
properly so called, will commence. In effecting the feeding in this second manner;
care must be taken so as not to lose space, to contrive in the bar Ra recess r
(Figure 6), into which a portion of the thickness of the flat combs-places- itself
whilst raised, and whilst the nipper R, R₁, comes the nearest to the head-combing
nipper H, H, P, to take the outer end before feeding. In this second manner of
effecting the feeding, the combs of the flat comb-holder-E do not work like an
ordinary holding-on comb, for an ordinary holding-on comb penetrates only.the
back portion of the previously combed head, so that all the dirt and short fibres
are free to be displaced during the seizing-operation, and to be thrown upon the
said comb. Instead of this the flat combs E penetrate besides several places in all
that part of the fleece delivered by the feeding, just as the dat comb-holder acted in
the No. 1 combing-machine as regards the seizing. Therefore these combs or these
flat comb holders E maintain all the fed portion stationary, obliging the tail of the
sliver to be drawn, not only through the teeth or points of the combs, but also
through the stationary fibrous mass, acting thus like a small gill-box, as regards
the drawing. It will be seen that by feeding with the flat comb holder E, the
feeding is effected after the seizing, whilst by feeding with the seizing appliance;
the feeding is effected before the seizing...
Also, while retaining the horizontal reciprocating movement of the head nipper;

page_text: the rotary comb can be caused to oscillate around the centre of the pinion which
forces this rotary comb to revolve (see Figure 7), so that the said comb is presented
at the desired moment to comb the head of the sliver when the head nipper is
quite backward.
For wool or other long materials, the retaining counter-nipper H' can also be
replaced-by-a-strip-or-plate-having-gill-bars, which-would-penetrate_the_fleece.
through a grid or grating like that generally used for such materials, these gill-bars
coming out of the fleece during the feeding; by the same rising motion as possessed
by the counter nipper H': On the other hand, and moreover for textile materials
of little fineness, the rotary head comb can be constructed by simply mounting-on-
an-axis-a_clothing or a fillet card with suitable points.
In Figure 6, the lower seizing nipper R¹ is of concave form, and is also grooved
_or_fluted, so as to better take the form of the leather and wool or caoutchouc pad
-which clothes the upper bar R.
In Figure 4, the manner in which the grooved bar p is made, and the leather
clothing of the bar H is such that this clothing is cut level with the bar H, and
passes a little beyond the bar p. By these means the leather is brought quite near
to the teeth of the comb A, which can just touch the leather without difficulty, and
thus the penetration of the needles in the whole of the fleece of textile material is
ensured.
A series of gill-bars f, with successive action, and working exactly like the gill-
boxes of flax or long wool drawing machines (see Figure 5), can be employed for
combing the head of the sliver, instead of a circular comb. In this case the cleaning
brush is placed towards the side on which the comb bars or gills descend.
By means of the herein described improved arrangements, these combing
machines can in future be constructed with a contrivance or appliance for combing
the head of the sliver, such contrivance or appliance being either flat, cylindrical, or
furnished with gills.
Another useful improvement consists in constructing the lower part of the
seizing nipper of a cast iron piece, as shewn at Figure 6, as strong as necessary for
any width of nipper, and in forming holes p× in it, so that the air forced back can
find an issue.
A further improvement consists in placing in the last slots of the circular comb
holder, Figure 4, small brushes, instead of combs, these brushes being useful for
completing the refining of the head of the sliver, after the series of combs has acted
upon it and combed it.
A still further improvement consists in a slight modification or alteration of the
oscillatory revolving motion given to the superimposing brush, when such is used
completely circular, without any doffer, so that the brush superimposes the succes-
sive slivers upon itself. In the Specification of the British Letters Patent dated
1st June 1876, No. 2313, this oscillatory motion is shewn as effecting the superpo-
sition under the brush. The improvement consists in effecting the superposition
upon, instead of under the brush, and in another means of effecting the independence
of the brush while the cams and the shaft o act to open and close the seizing
nipper. The continuous sliver is detached either by a comb placed under the
fleece or sliver, such comb being at will either moveable like a doffing comb, or
steadily fixed, as the oscillatory movement of the brush is sufficient, or by two
rollers having the same oscillatory revolving movement as the brush, as seen in
Figure 8, the oscillatory. revolving movement being given to the ratchet wheel K.
This wheel K is fixed on an independent gudgeon which carries inside the frame
a pinion S, acting by other pinions s to drive the two rollers A, and the brush
which is hollow and mounted loose on the shaft o which effects the opening
and closing of the seizing nipper. Therefore, the shaft o having its continuous
revolving movement, the brush can have its own independent oscillatory slow
revolving movement, as shown in Figure 8.
Another detailed improvement (Fig. 9), applicable to a No. 1 Imbs' combing
machine, consists in causing a brush 3₁ set obliquely on a piece B', to act with a

page_text: quick slight horizontal movement upon the needle points of the combs, when the comb
holder E is about finishing its downward travel, and to remove the dirt contained
in these combs, and to throw it on to the rotary brush ẞ. The piece ẞ' moves.
backward immediately afterwards, so as to leave a free passage for the comb-
holder E which then rises.
Having thus described the working of the parts or appliances shewn in the
Drawings, and as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I claim the
following:-
-
First. In an Imbs' combing machine, the combination of arrangements substan-
tially as hereinbefore described, whereby a rotary head comb is applied or adapted
thereto.
Second. The new combination of parts for working the head combing nipper,
such combination effecting successively the rectilinear lowering, the additional
compression, the rectilinear raising, the half opening, the full opening, the closing,
and lastly the lowering afresh of the nipper, substantially as herein described.
Third. Constructing combing machines in such manner that the head combing
nipper and the seizing and superimposing or consolidating appliance, act or work
relatively to each other, substantially as herein set forth, and called a No. 2 Imbs'
combing machine.
Fourth. The employment in a No. 2 Imbs' combing machine of a box with
successive gills, like the gill boxes for flax, in substitution for the action of the
circular and rotary comb on the head of the sliver, substantially as herein described.
Fifth. The employment in combing machines of the mode herein described for
feeding by the action of the tail cleaning comb, or by a first horizontal back motion
of the seizing nipper.
Sixth. The construction of a rotary and circular comb, substantially in the
manner as set forth.
Seventh. Fitting or placing in the last rows of a rotary head combing comb, one
or several rows of brushes instead of combs, for the purpose of refining the combed
head of the sliver, as set forth.
Eighth. Constructing the lower seizing nipper, grooved and concave, substantially
as herein described for the purposes set forth.
Ninth. In Imbs' combing machines, the arrangement whereby the thickness of
the combs of the reversed flat comb-holder is countersunk, either in the seizing
nipper or in the head combing nipper, so that such combs only appear at the
desired moment when the two nippers have separated from each other to effect the
feeding, substantially as herein described.
Tenth. The combination which (while retaining the horizontal reciprocating or
to and fro movement of the head combing nipper) allows of the rotary comb
oscillating around the axis of the pinion which actuates or drives this rotary comb,
so that the said comb is presented at the desired moment to comb the head of the
sliver, substantially as herein described and called a No. Imbs' combing machine.
Eleventh. The modified means producing the direct superposition upon the
oscillatory revolving brush instead of under it, and passing the axis of the cam
freely through the hollow brush, instead of passing the axis of the brush through
the cams as herein described, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest de Pass, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine.
ERNEST DE PASS. (L.S.)