IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF TOBACCO, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Porteous, of Edinburgh, and Henry
Gibson, of Musselburgh, both in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF TOBACCO, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Porteous and
Henry Gibson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 4th September 1869.
We, JAMES PORTEOUS, of Edinburgh, and HENRY GIBSON, of
Musselburgh, both in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the forming of tobacco into twist or
cord (which operation is one of those comprised under the general

page_text: designation of "manufacturing tobacco") in a very rapid and effectual
manner, and it is carried into effect by means of mechanism, which
consists in the first place of a curved guide, into or against which the
tobacco is held by the finger or hand of the attendant, and from which it
is gradually drawn away at the speed and in quantity necessary for
forming the twist or cord) by the spinning or twisting mechanism.
The guide in place of being formed curved in section, that is, a portion
of a tubular segment, may consist of one or more rollers carried in a
frame or bearings, and from which the tobacco is drawn away, as in the
case of the curved guide, the guide on whichever plan it is constructed
being so placed relatively with the twisting mechanism that the axis of
the twist of tobacco remains in a straight line.
In the second place the mechanism consists of one or more pairs of
endless travelling bands or pitch chains fitted with pieces of wood or
other material placed over them, and caused to traverse; these bands
being stented or stretched by stretching or guide pulleys. The distance
between the travelling bands is made adjustable according to the
diameter of twist required to. be produced, and they are arranged to be
acted upon by any required pressure.
As the twist or cord of tobacco leaves the twisting or spinning
mechanism it is wound upon a roll or bobbin, which may either revolve
on an axis coaxial with the tobacco, or it may revolve on an axis at
right angles thereto, being carried in a frame and supplied with guide
pulleys for leading the spun or twisted tobacco to it.
SPECIFICATION filed, in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said James
Porteous and Henry Gibson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
PORTEOUS, of Edinburgh, and HENRY GIBSON, of Musselburgh, both
in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the 33rd

page_text: year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors give
and grant unto us, the said James Porteous and Henry Gibson, Her
special license that we, the said James Porteous and Henry Gibson, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
James Porteous and Henry Gibson, our executors, administrators, or
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 THE MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said James Porteous and Henry Gibson, by an
instrument in writing under our 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 on or before the Twenty-ninth day of
March One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Porteous and Henry Gibson,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
Our said Invention has for its object the forming of tobacco into twist
or cord (which operation is one of those comprised under the general
designation of "manufacturing tobacco,") in a very rapid and effectual
manner, and it is carried into effect by means of mechanism which
consists in the first place of a curved guide, into or against which the
tobacco is held by the finger or hand of the attendant, and from which
it is gradually drawn away (at the speed and in the quantity necessary
for forming the twist or cord) by the spinning or twisting mechanism.
The guide in place of being formed curved in section, that is, a portion
of a tubular segment, may consist of one or more rollers carried in a
frame or bearings, and from which the tobacco is drawn away as in the
case of the curved guide, the guide on whichever plan it is constructed
being so placed relatively with the twisting mechanism that the axis of
the twist of tobacco remains in a straight line.

page_text: In the second place the mechanism consists of one or more pairs of
endless travelling bands or pitch chains fitted with pieces of wood or
other material placed over them and caused to traverse, these bands
being stented or stretched by stretching or guide pulleys. The distance
between the travelling bands is made adjustable according to the
diameter of twist required to be produced, and they are arranged to be
acted upon by any required pressure. As the twist or cord of tobacco
leaves the twisting or spinning mechanism it is wound up on a reel or
bobbin, which may either revolve on an axis coaxial with the tobacco, or
it may revolve on an axis at right angles thereto, being carried in a frame
and supplied with guide pulleys for leading the spun or twisted tobacco
to it.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood
we now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or
manner, in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, that is to say:-
..On. Sheet. I of the appended Drawings Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2
an end elevation of one form of the curved feeding guide which con-
stitutes the first part of our Invention.
The guide is formed with the face or front surface A curved or
concave as shown to suit the diameter of tobacco required to be spun,
the tobacco to be spun or twisted by the spinning mechanism herein-
after described being pressed against that portion of the feeding guide
where the wrapper or outside leaf of tobacco is put on the twist, and.
where the "fillers" or internal portions of the twist are fed by the
fingers of the spinner or attendant.. The feed guide is placed on the
spinning table close to and in a straight line with the centre of the
spinning mechanism, and it is fixed to the table by means of adjusting
screws, which screws pass through the openings or holes B in the lugs
or cars C, which lugs or ears form part of the feeding guide. Various.
sizes of twist tobacco may be formed by the guide shown at Figures 1
and 2, and in order that its position on the table may be adjusted for
this purpose. the holes or openings, B through which the screws, are
passed are formed oval or oblong, as shown in plan at Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4 an end elevation of a modification of
the curved feeding guide shown at Figures 1 and 2. At Figure 5.is

page_text: shown a plan, and at Figure 6 an end elevation of another form of the
curved feeding guide, which in this example consists of a piece of metal
or other suitable material curved or bent to the required form, as shown
more particularly in end elevation at Figure 6, the guide being attached
to the spinning table by screws passed through the holes or openings a
formed in the lower part of the guide to receive them. In lieu of
employing any of the curved feeding guides shown by the Figures
herein-before described, a feeding guide constructed as shown in plan at
Figure 7 and in end elevation at Figure 8 may be employed; the
portion D of this guide which leads the tobacco to the spinning
mechanism is formed semi-tubular or approximately so, as seen more
particularly in end elevation at Figure 8, a space or opening being left
between the edge of the guide and the table as shown at b, through
which the wrapper or outer leaf of tobacco is introduced.
The feeding
guide is attached to a plate L fixed on the spinning table by means of
hinges E so that it may be lifted up from the table when required, or a
spring may be used in lieu of the hinges. In order to facilitate the
passage of the tobacco through the feeding guide a groove is formed in
the spinning table, as shown particularly at. Figure 8. In lieu of a
curved feeding guide, that is, a portion of a tubular segment being em-
ployed to lead the tobacco to the spinning or twisting mechanism herein-
after described, two parallel rollers such as shown in side elevation at
Figure 9, and in end elevation at Figure 10, and marked F and G
respectively may be used. The under roller G is supported by the
spinning table H, grooves being formed in the table to receive the
bearings of the roller, and the upper roller F is carried on the spinning
table H by brackets I, as shown; or the rollers F and G may be supported
in any other suitable manner. The tobacco to be spun is pressed against
the rollers F and G at x by the spinner or attendant, and it is drawn
away from thence by the spinning mechanism.
Figure 11 is a plan, and Figure 12 an end elevation of a feeding.
guide, which may also be employed to guide the tobacco to the spinning.
or twisting mechanism in lieu of either of the curved or tubular feeding,
guides herein-before described, and it consists of a piece of metal
or other suitable material bent at right angles and screwed to the
spinning table by means of screws passing down through the holes or
openings e formed in the lower part of the guide, as shown in plan at

page_text: Figure 11, or any other suitable feed guide may be employed, such as a
plain groove formed in the spinning table.
2
On Sheet 2 of the appended Drawings Figure I is a longitudinal
section, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a transverse section on the
ine a, a, Figure 1, of our improved tobacco spinning or twisting
machine. On the different Figures corresponding parts are indicated by
the same letters of reference. The machine consists of a main
framing A, which supports the spinning table B, to which table is
attached the feed guide C (which may be of the form shown on Sheet 2,
or any of those shown at Sheet 1) and rollers D and E, which
rollers actuate the spinning or twisting bands b, b. The framing A
also carries the various other pieces of mechanism employed in the
machine. This mechanism consists of a main shaft F, at one end of
which is placed a loose pulley G, over which pulley driving belt is
situated. On the other end of the shaft F a bevil pinion I is fixed,
which pinion gears into a corresponding pinion N attached to the lower
end of the vertical shaft J. The upper end of the shaft J is provided
with a tangent screw K, as shown, which screw communicates motion
to the under spinning band 6 through the intervention of the driving
roller E, wheel L, and shaft M. The bevil pinion N situated at the
lower end of the vertical shaft J, also gears into an intermediate
wheel O, shown by the red circle on the plan Figure 2, by which
intermediate wheel O motion is imparted to the bevil pinion fixed to
the lower end of the other vertical shaft P, which shaft imparts motion
to the upper spinning band 6 by means of the driving roller D, tangent
screw R, wheel S, and shaft T, as herein-before described. By means
of the system of wheels now set forth the same motion is imparted to
each of the rollers D and E, which rollers cause the spinning or
twisting bands b, b', to revolve in opposite directions, and are set at
angles to each other and also to the line of tobacco, the degree of the
angle being varied from 50 to 80 degrees according to the thickness
of the twist required to be spun. The bands 6, 6', after twisting the
tobacco leaves, advance the spun tobacco in a finished state to the
opening c formed in the hollow spindle U, whence it is carried in
the direction of and wound on the reel V. The roller D carried by
the framing W, which framing is hinged at X and bolted to the table B,
as shown at S, Figure 2, is made adjustable, so that the distance

page_text: between its under surface and the upper surface of the roller E may be
varied according to the thickness of the twist tobacco required to
be spun.
The rollers D and E may be covered with india-rubber,
gutta percha, or other elastic or compressible material, or they may be
covered with a hard material, or they may be left uncovered. Over
each of the rollers D and E an endless travelling band 6 is passed
(shown particularly at Figure 4); these bands b, which constitute the
second part of our Invention, are traversed by means of the rotatory
movement of the rollers. The bands 6 are stented or stretched by
means of the stenting or stretching rollers e (shown particularly at
Figure 4), the distance between the under surface of the endless band
on the roller D and the upper surface of the endless band on the
roller E being regulated by the adjustable roller D. As the twist or
cord of tobacco leaves the twisting or spinning bands 6, 6', it is wound
upon the reel or bobbin V rotated by means of the band d, which
band passes round the pulley f attached to the end of the spindle of
the reel or bobbin V. The required tension is given to the band or
belt d by the action of the loose pulley Y, over which pulley a band
is passed having its ends attached to the lever g (shown in plan at
Figure 2), and the reel or bobbin V is prevented from revolving with too
great circumferential velocity by means of the moveable weight h
attached to the lever g. In order to prevent the spun tobacco from
being untwisted by the action of the bands 6 and 6' after having left
these bands and before being wound on to the reel or bobbin V, the
framing Z. which supports the reel or bobbin is caused to rotate by
means of a band or belt K, which passes over the pulley Q formed on
the end of the framing Z, as shown, and also round the step driving
pulley, the velocity of the rotary motion of the framing. Z being
regulated by the step driving pulley 1, according to the thickness of
twist tobacco being formed...
The tobacco leaves are led into the feeding guide C (more particularly
shown at Figure 5 and at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1 by an attendant
stationed at m, the machine is then set in motion by the spinner (who
is situated at that part of the table marked n) actuating with her or his
foot the lever p, which lever by means of the rod r attached to it, as
shown, presses the driving pulley G against the friction plate or disc X,
thereby communicating motion to the main shaft F, which shaft by
means of the bevil pinion I and other intermediate mechanism herein.
before described causes the rollers D and E, which rollers actuate the

page_text: twisting or spinning bands b, b, to rotate, as herein-before described,
the reel or bobbin V and the framing Z being at the same time caused
to revolve by means of the band or belt & actuated by the step pulley 1.
As soon as the tobacco leaves leave the curved or other feeding guide C,
they are caught by the travelling bands b, b', on the rollers D and E
and rolled, twisted, or spun into the thickness of twist tobacco required,
the endless travelling bands 6 and 6' at the same time advancing the
rolled, twisted, or spun tobacco to the opening C in the hollow spindle U,
through which it is led direct to the reel V and wound thereon by the
action of the bands or belts d and pulleys fand Y.
In lieu of employing the form of curved feeding guide shown
particularly at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, that is, a portion of a tubular
segment, any of the other forms of feed guide shown on Sheet 1 of the
Drawings hereunto appended may be employed to lead the tobacco
leaves to the endless travelling bands 6 and 6, the guide on whichever
plan it is constructed being so placed relatively with the twisting or
spinning mechanism that the axis of the twist tobacco remains in a
straight line.
In lieu of employing one pair of twisting or spinning bands, as shown
on the appended Drawings, any other suitable number of such bands
may be used, it being understood that we do not confine ourselves to
employ any definite number of such bands, or any particular form or
construction of the feeding guide herein-before described and shown,
particularly on Sheet 1 of the appended Drawings, the curved form of
such guide however being that which we prefer, as best fulfilling all the
required conditions.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion
that what we consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the a
Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
First. The various forms of feed guide shown on Sheet 1 of the
appended Drawings, or any mere modification thercof.
Second. The application of such feeding guides, curved or otherwise, g
to tobacco spinning machines, as herein-before described and shown on
Sheet 2 of the appended Drawings.

page_text: Third. The construction of tobacco spinning mechanism, as herein-
before described and shown particularly on Sheet 2 of the Drawings
hereunto appended, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Porteous and Henry
Gibson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
fourth day of March One thousand eight hundred and seventy.