IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR TUFTING OR GAUGING OUT BRISTLES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES and in
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR TUFTING OR GAUGING OUT
BRISTLES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES 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 to machines for tufting or gauging out bristles for making
brushes.
The said invention consists in the first place, in the combination, with a hopper
for holding the bristles, of a disc which has a slot in its periphery to receive the
bristles, and a cut-off joined thereto in such a manner that the reciprocating action
of a treadle or other suitable device vibrates the disc, to open the cut-off and fill
the slot with bristles, as the slot is brought into the hopper, and moves the cut-off
to separate the superabundance of bristles from the slot, as the disc is turned in
the opposite direction to carry the tuft of bristles outside of the hopper to be
transferred to the brush stock, as hereinafter fully set forth.
In the second place, the invention consists in the combination, with the said disc,
of a hopper having one side hinged at the bottom, whereby it may be thrown
outward at the top to widen the hopper to receive the bristles, and drawn in after
the hopper has been filled to contract the latter at the top, for the purpose of
causing the body of the bristles to descend readily by gravity, as they are removed.
from the bottom of the hopper.
In the third place, the invention consists of a weighted slide, which rests upon
the bristles in the hopper, to keep them close together, to give greater efficiency to
the operation of the working of the separating device.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine constructed according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a front view partly in section, on the line a, x, of Figure 1.
Fimon 2:
SAAN

page_text: A represents a bench on which is a box B. In this box is placed the vertical
disc C, having a shaft D, which partially turns in bearings a, a, of the box. F is a
hopper, into which the bristles are placed to be divided into tufts of equal size for
insertion into the brush stock,
The rear side of the hopper is hinged, by means of the rod H, for the purpose
of throwing the upper end outward for widening the hopper at top for an easy
reception of the bristles, and then contracting the same at top by drawing the top
of the side d inward, as seen in Figure 1, thus making the bottom of the hopper
relatively wider than the top, to cause an easy descent of the bristles as they are
taken out from the bottom of the hopper in the dividing operation.
In the practical working of the machine I have found it necessary to make the
hopper wider at bottom than at top, to ensure a free downward movement of the
bristles, which are inclined to stick to the sides of the hopper, as they are not of
sufficient weight without such form of the hopper to overcome the tendency to
stick.
Connected with the rear edge of the side d is a slotted arm f, through which a
set-screw passes, into the contiguous side & of the hopper, for securing the side d
in its adjusted position. I is a sheet metal plate which lies against the side d¹ of
the hopper, to close the joint at h when the side d is withdrawn. It has a flange i,
which is fastened, by means of screws or otherwise, to the side d.
The disc C has a slot j in its periphery, into which the bristles crowd, while the
disc is drawn around in the direction of the arrow by the treadle connecting-rod J
before the slot reaches the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. K is a plate,
which is hung on the pivot 7 at one end, which confines it at that point to the disc.
The other end has a pointed projection m for dividing the proper quantity of
bristles to form the tuft, from the main body. From the dividing point of the
inner edge of the slot ; the edge of the disc is cut away, forming an incline n to
admit of the bristles falling into the slot under the overhanging point o. The slot
at this edge is made square across, whereby, in the forward movement of the disc,
the bristles are kept in position at right angles to the sides of the disc with a
sufficient degree of accuracy.
of
The plate K has an arm p, connected with the inner end of the plate L by means
of the joint pin M of the connecting rod J, which arm passes through the slot q
the disc (seen in Figure 3,) and slot q' of the inner end of the plate L, to admit
of the said plates K and L changing their positions on their pivots, and thus
admitting of the movement of the treadle.
The sides d and d of the hopper have vertical slots r in which is a horizontal
bar N, on one end of which is a cross piece O, with which are connected the upper
ends of the vertical rods P. P. To the lower ends of the rods is connected the
weight for drawing the bar N tightly on the bristles, to keep them in a
sufficiently compact form for their division into tufts..
The treadle in its downward movement turns the disc C into the position shown
in Figure 1, and draws the inner end of the plate K from the slot j, as shown by
full lines, which allows the bristles to fill it, and in the upward motion of the
treadle the inner end of the plate is pushed upward, the point of the projection m
separating the surplus bristles from the slot, and closing the latter, as shown by
dotted lines.
The inner end of the plate K, has a curve 8, which is concentric with the centre
of the disc C, and in the same concentric line as the periphery of the disc when the
plate is in this position, so as to pass immediately under the spring R, and thereby
prevent loose bristles being drawn out of the hopper in the reverse movement of
the disc.
S is a spring, the resilient end of which falls into the serrated edge of the disc C
to hold the latter in position, until, by the movement of the cut-off plate K, the
separation of the bristles has been effected, during which time the joint pin M of
the connecting rod J has moved in the slot q of the disc, and when it reaches the
upper end of the slot, the curve u, on the outer end of the plate L, is brought to

page_text: bear against the spring S and pushes it outward; the disc, being thus released, is
carried far enough around by the action of the treadle to bring the tuft of bristles
out of the hopper to be removed by hand to the brush-stock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. The disc C having a slot j and incline n, in combination with the hopper F,
and cut-off plate K having a projection m and curves, the plate being operated by
any suitable mechanism for dividing the bristles, and enclosing them in the slot j,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination of the disc C, plates K and L, connecting rod J, and
spring R, the several parts being constructed and arranged for joint operation,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The hopper F having a hinged side d provided with a closing plate I, in
combination with the disc Chaving a tuft-slot j, substantially as, and for the
purpose, set forth.
Fourth. The weighted bar N, in combination with the hopper F having vertical
slots r, for keeping the bristles compactly together in the hopper while being
divided into tufts, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the plate L having a concentric part u at its outer
end, and the spring S with the disc C, substantially as, and for the purpose, set
forth.