Improvements in Machinery for Hackling, Combing, Cleaning, and Carding Flax and like Fibres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Hackling, Combing, Cleaning, and
Carding Flax and like Fibres.
We JOHN BARBOUR MORRISON and ARTHUR WILSON METCALFE both of
Grove Mill Belfast in County Antrim, Flax Spinners do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows
--
This invention relates chiefly to machines applied at the end of hackling
machines for cleaning more perfectly the ends of the fibre. It also relates to
means for applying finer pins to the staves or clothing on the cylinders and rollers
of cards and the like, and to pins for cleaning and clearing fibres.
The machine for cleaning the ends of the fibre after passing through the
hackling machine consists mainly of two cylinders revolving horizontally and
parallel to one another the same being covered with projecting pins.
These, cylinders are placed close to one another so that the pins may almost
touch at the points or may intersect, and are so situated that the material whilst
held in the holder above is lowered down until the ends pass down between the
rollers which are caused to revolve in a downward direction on the side towards
each other.
The material is thus combed or hackled as it passes down between the rollers.
Any fibre or waste adhering to the said cylinders may be cleaned off either by
a brush and doffing cylinder or by a doffing cylinder direct.
The above backling cylinders may be clothed with leather filleting or may
be covered with logs of wood or other material suitable for inserting pins, or
they may be made in one entire cylinder bored and filled with pins from the
inside..
In order to use fine rows of pins without covering the whole circumference with
them we may apply fine rows at intervals around the circumference the intervening
spaces being either plain or filled with coarser rows of pins. Also the fine rows of
pins may project to a greater or less distance than the coarser rows from the
surface and may be of such length as to require a space to be provided in the
opposite cylinder to allow the points to pass round without touching thus causing
better intersection and more severe work upon the fibre. The above fine rows of
pins may be bored in the same material as the coarse ones or may be set on
separately as gills.
The coarse rows are for the purpose of keeping the fibres steady so that the fine
rows of pins may act more efficiently.
The above machine may be so arranged as to be able to admit the fibre to any
desired distance down between the hackling cylinders, and the said cylinders may
be made capable of setting to any desired distance from one another and may be
capable of being swung or moved in relation to one another with or without
altering their distance apart, or moved to one side or other from the vertical centre
where the material is held, whilst in motion and either at will or by automatic
motion from the machine.
In cylinders for carding machines the covering may be arranged with varying
pitches of pins in a similar manner to that above described for hackling cylinders
and they may be covered when great fineness is required with circular rings or
cylinders of brass or other metal bored to receive pins.
In order to act more effectively upon the fibres the pins may be made flat, or
with three or four corners, or half round or fish-backed. The corners or thin
edges being placed opposite each other in the line of the rows in such manner as to

page_text: scrape the fibres in passing through between the pins. The same are applicable to
all machines for cleaning or combing or hackling fibres.
Dated Eighth day of July 1895.
JOHN B. MORRISON.
ARTHUR WILSON METCALFE.
improvements in Machinery for Hackling, Combing, Cleaning, and
Carding Flax and like Fibres.
We JOHN BARBOUR MORRISON and ARTHUR WILSON METCALFE both of
Grove Mill, Belfast in the County Down Flax Spinners do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates chiefly to machines applied at the end of a hackling
machine for cleaning more perfectly the ends of the fibre. It also relates to
means for applying finer pins to the staves, or clothing on the cylinders and rollers
of cards, and the like, and to pins intended for cleaning and clearing fibres.
The machine for cleaning the ends of the fibre after passing through the
hackling machine consists mainly of two cylinders revolving horizontally and
parallel to one another, the same being covered with rows of pins. These are
placed close to one another, so that the pins may almost touch or intersect, and are
so situated that the flax whilst held in the holder is lowered down, until the end
passes down between the rollers which are caused to revolve in a downward
direction on the side, next each other.
The material is thus combed or hackled as it passes down between the rollers.
Any fibre or waste adhering to the said rollers may be cleaned off, either by a
brush and doffer or by a doffing cylinder applied close to the hackling cylinder
upon which it is received as in a carding machine and cleared off by a doffing knife.
The above hackling cylinders may be clothed with leather filleting or may be
covered with logs of wood or other material convenient for inserting pins, or may
be made in one circular cylinder bored and pinned.
In order to use finer pins, without covering the whole circumference with them
we may apply at one or more places around the circle gills or hackles of a finer
pitch of pins than the rest intervening and the above gills may have the pins of a
different length from the rest. Also they may be of such a length as to require a
space to be provided in the opposite cylinder to allow the points to pass round
without touching, thus causing better intersection and more severe work upon the
fibre. If made in one circle or if the logs are of suitable material, different rows
of pins may be made of different pitches in place of applying the above mentioned
gills separately.
Also a gill may be attached to any one log.
The above machine may be so arranged as to be able to admit the fibre to any
desired extent down between the hackling cylinders, also the said cylinders may be
made capable of setting nearer or farther from each other, and may be capable of
being swung or moved in relation to one another with or without altering their
distance apart, or moved to one side or other from the vertical centre, where the
material is held whilst in motion, either at will or by automatic motion from the
machine.
In the case of carding machines the different pitches of pins may also be applied
in the same manner as upon the hackling cylinders.
In order to act more effectively upon the fibre the pins may be made flat or with
three or four corners or half round or fish backed the corners or edges being
placed opposite each other in the line of rows in such manner as to scrape the fibre

page_text: in passing between the pins. The same are applicable to any machines for cleaning
or combing fibre and the like.
We now describe it more. particularly by aid by the accompanying drawings.
In Fig. 1. A A are two cylinders or circles of any convenient breadth having
set upon them at intervals tools or hackles containing rows of pins or sharp points
and caused simultaneously to revolve in the direction of the arrows so as to hackle
the fibre G which is retained and lowered to and between the pair of rollers A A
by the holder and channel H such as employed on hackling machines.
Any material hackled out and adhering to the pins is brushed off by the
brushes B B which deliver it on to the doffing rollers C C and these are stripped
by the doffing knives D D.
Fig. 2. shews the cylinders A A as referred to in Fig. 1 but covered with rows
of pins more finely set around the circle. These pins may be applied upon the
circle as by staves or tools or by filleting, or the pins may be inserted in the body
of the circle. Any waste material adhering to these pins may be either cleared off
by the same arrangement as that shewn in Fig. 1 or by simply a doffing cylinder C
and doffing knife D.
Fig. 3. shews portions of two rollers A. A as above in which some pins are longer
than the rest and if desirable of different pitch from the rest and these are set upon
one and the other cylinder alternately and a corresponding space without pins is
left in the opposite cylinder to allow them to pass round.
Fig. 4 shews a stave such as may be used in connection with the rollers A A
above and also applicable to the rollers of carding machines by which finer rows of
pins and of finer pitch may be applied in a suitable stock either attached to or beside
staves containing the usual pins.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew an arrangement of the frame as suited to the rollers in
Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, by which the rollers A A may have a movement
imparted to them as from A¹ A¹ to A2 A2 for the purpose of hackling alternately
up one side and then the other of the material G Fig. 1. This is performed by
suporting the frame J so as to swing about a fixed point K whilst at the opposite
extremity motion to and fro is imparted by the cam O pin N, connecting rod M
and stud L.
The position of the points K and L may be varied so as to cause the upper
portion of J with the rollers A A to swing from side to side of the centre or the
frame J may rest upon slides and move in a straight line from side to side.
The cam O or other suitable device for imparting the motion brings the frame J
to rest at the centre as the material G Fig. 1. is drawn in and out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
-
1st. The application to hackling machines of pairs of rollers provided with pins
or sharp points for the purpose of better cleaning the ends of the fibre to be
hackled similar to those described in Figs. 1 and 2.
2nd. The application to such rollers of pins of varying length and fineness of
pitch as in Fig. 3.
3rd. The application of finer pins to the staves used on the above hackling
rollers, also upon carding rollers in the manner set forth in Fig. 4. and for the
same purpose.
4th. The application of swinging or to and fro motion imparted to the hackling
rollers A A for the purpose of hackling each side of the fibre alternately so as to
reduce the strain upon the said fibre in the process.
Dated this 8th day of April 1896.
JOHN B. MORRISON.
ARTHUR W. METCALFE.