AN IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Auguste Deverte, (of the Firm Deverte
and Charles Eck,) of Argenteuil, near Paris, in the Empire of
France, and of 16, Castle Street, Holborn, London, for the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Auguste
Deverte at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th May 1853.
I, LOUIS AUGUSTE DEVERTE, (of the firm Deverte and Charles Eck,)
of Argenteuil, near Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 16, Castle
Street, Holborn, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL" to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of a new machine for combing wool; for
this purpose we employ two machines connected with one another; the
one we call a feeding machine, the other we term a combing machine;
they have a simultaneous motion, and may be worked by steam or

page_text: hydraulic power, or by any other motive power. By these apparati
the wool is not broken.
First machine called feeding machine. Sheet 1, a plan; A, A, arc
two cast iron frames supporting the different parts of the machine.
This framework has a wooden tables, with two rollers B, covered with
an endless band receiving the wool to be combed, and conducting it to
the four feeding cylinders C, C, C, C, of grooved iron, furnished with
their pinions superposed one on the other, and by the rotary motion
given by them by the gearing wheel D, set in motion by the pinion m,
compress, at certain intervals, in their turn, the wool by the assistance
of two weights, and bring it afterwards within the holds of the four wool
furnisters of bronze, hollow in the interior, first heated by steam, and
furnished with a number of needles Z, of steel, and of different lengths.
These four wool furnishers are fixed on three large wheels F, F, F,
receives in the four projecting boxes G, G, G, G, which are of a piece
with it; the four wool feeders E, E, E, E, are kept fixed by pressing
screws I, II, H, H; they are set in motion by the iron shaft I, which
gives them motion by the aid of two moving pulleys J, J, fixed and
loosed. The pinion K, sets in motion the gearing wheels L, mounted
on the fixed pinion M, communicates the motion to the gearing
wheel D, in contact with the feeding cylinders C, C, C, C.
Working of the machine:-The wool, first cleansed and fit to be
submitted to the combing process, is first placed on the tube B, which
has an endless band, then passing between the feeding cylinders e, c, c, e
and is seized at the point of contact of the latter with each of the wool
feeders E. E, E, E, by the needles Z, in which they engage by the
rotary metion of the three wheels F, F, F; when the wool feeders
are sufficiently furnished with wool the motion of the machine is
stopped, the wool supplies are taken out and are then submitted
to the action of heat, after which they are fixed on the combing
machine, of which a description is given hereafter.
Sheet 4, A, A, two cast iron frames to support the different parts of
the machine; at the middle of their height (Sheet 5,) rests the shaft B,
having two moving pulleys", c, one fixed and the other loose, giving
the motion to the whole machine; the shaft B, has also two giving

page_text: wheels D, D, see elevation and section, Sheet 3, which act on two other
gearing wheels E, E, but larger, and fixed on a shaft F, clevated
above the shaft B, which has at each end and beyond the frames A, A,
an iron crank G, whose rotary motion gives a to and fro motion to
each of the two balance beams H, H. The centre of the apparatus
formed by the two frames A, A, supports a shaft I, serving as guide
to a double crank J, J, which by its semicircular motion to and fro,
through the action of the crank G, (see Sheet 5,) gives the motion
indicated by the arrows K, to the end L, of each balance beam H, H,
at the place where the wool furnisher M, having needles Z, is fixed.
Two counter weights N, N, are fixed on the shaft I, so as to regulate
the motion; the ends of the balance beams II, H, are connected by a
cast iron corner channel with bolts, and having two pressing screws 0, 0,
(Sheet 5,) and serves as a support to the wool supplier M. P, a small
horizontal shaft furnished with a crank handle, an operated on by an
endless screw which is fitted on the shaft B, with a pinion Q, at one
end, another pinion R, gearing with the angle wheel S, which in its
turn sets in motion the shaft T, the ends of which are furnished with two
pinions V, V, gearing with the ratchets V, V, which set in motion the
car V, with double effect, receiving the lower wool furnisher Y, at the
end of the machine. On the side of the cranks G, is a lever X, which
makes the pinion Q, gear with the endless screw fitted on the shaft B,
when the combing operations begins afresh. The different parts of the
machine rest on cast iron or bronze chains, which themselves rest on
the framework A, A. The sections shown in the lines 1 and 2, and
3 and 4, indicate by corresponding letters the relatives position of the
differents parts of the machine. The wool furnishers filled with wool,
after having been taken from the feeding machine, and first heated by
steam, are placed one in the corner channel at the extremity L, of the
balance beam II, the other on the car V, with double effect, and
serving as a resting point to it. When the two wool furnishers are
in their respective positions the car V 1, brings back from it arriving
point b, to its starting point a, by means of the crank handle (worked
by hand), the shaft P. It is then that the lever X, is raised and the
machine is worked. The motion of each balance beam (in its elipoid

page_text: motion) combs the wool engaged in the wool furnisher.. At the same
time the small shaft P, performs its rotary motion, and brings the
cár V 1, with double effect to its arriving point b, point at which thic
teeth Z, of the wool furnishers, being near one another, comb the wool,
and after a few turns the combing apparatus ungears, and then the
operation terminates. This done, the two wool furnishers are with-
drawn, and placed on a car with the usual means are employed for
drawing the wool; this is done each time the machine ungears.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Auguste Deverte in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 25th November 1853.
i
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
LOUIS AUGUSTE DEVERTE, of the firm of Deverte and Charles Eck, of
Argenteuil, near Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 16, Castle
'Street, Holborn, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors;
give and grant unto me, the said Louis Auguste Deverte, Her special
licence that I, the said Louis Auguste Deverte, executors, admi-
inistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Auguste
Deverte, executors, administrators, and 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
AN IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Louis Auguste Deverte, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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

page_text: 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 Louis Auguste Deverte, .do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner?
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement (that is to say): i
m
The new system of wool combing for which I am desirous of having
a Patent granted consists of 'an apparatus comprising two machines,.
one called "Chargeuse," the other "Peigneuse," which work (simul-
taneously, and can be moved by hydraulic or steam-power,.or.even 'by,
a horse mill. The main object of this new system of applied mechanics
is to comb the wool without breaking its fibres, and thus to obtain, by
the different combinations of the two apparati which form the' whole
machine, and each of which has its portion of the work allotted, a
combing process which is undoubtedly the one most in accordance with
hand combing, the process being, however, much superior to the latter,
as its regularity is incontestably more perfect, and its action more
uniform during all the stages of the operation.
Having thus stated the object of the Invention; I proceed to describe;
each in due time, the different combinations of the two machines
which constitute the whole. of my new system of wool combing:
First, in the machine called "Chargeuse," Pl. 1, there are two frame
sides in cast iron A, A, which serve to support the different parts
of the machine which I am going to describe. These frame sides
carry a wooden table with two rollers B, covered by an endless apron,
which receives the wool prepared for combing, and carries it to
the 4-fluted iron feed rollers C; C, C, C,, which carry each its
pinion one above the other. These rollers being turned by the cast
iron wheel D, which is moved by the pinion M, are weighted. by two
weights, and compress periodically, each in its turn, the wool, and
then bring it within the gripe. of 4 brass comb rails E, E, E, E;
these comb rails being hollow in the interior are previously heated by
steam, and are set with a double row of steel needles Z, (pins) of
different lengths. These 4 rows are fixed on three large armed drams
F, F, F, which are parallel with each other; and whose action I
am

page_text: going to describe. Each of these three large drums with cast iron
arms receives in the four clips G, G, G, G, that are cast on it the four
comb rails E, E, E, E, which are kept in their places by set screws
H, H, H, H. Thus joined together they receive their common motion
from the horizontal wrought iron shaft I, which is turned by two cast
iron fast and loose pulleys J, J.
also the change wheels L, M, and the latter gears into D, which is in
contact with the feed rollers. The said feed rollers, as well as the
horizontal shaft I, run in brass steps fitted in cast iron brackets and
pedestals which are fixed on the frame sides A, A. These frame sides
are joined together at the bottom and at the top by four cross rails, as
shewn in plan, elevation, and section, Plates 1, 2, 3, respectively, the
same letters standing for the same parts in the different views.
The wheel K, on the shaft I, drives
The machine acts as follows:-The wool, previously cleaned and
made ready for combing, is first placed on the table B, with the endless
cloth. It then passes through the 2 sets of feed rollers C, C, C, C;
after which it is seized periodically and continually by the 2 rows of
needles Z, on each of the comb rails, which revolve past the rollers at a
distance of about inch. When, however, the comb rails have
caught a sufficient quantity of wool the machine is stopped, the full
comb rails are taken off and subjected again to the action of heat.
After this they are taken to the "Peigneuse," which I am going to
describe. A, A, Plate 4, is a plan of the two frame sides that support
the different parts of the machine. At one half the total height of the
frame sides, Fig. 5, runs the horizontal shaft B, driven by the fast and
loose pulleys C, C. This shaft, which is the driving shaft of the
machine, carries also two spur wheels D, D, Pl. 5, and 6, which
gear into two larger cast iron wheels E, E, keyed on another horizontal
shaft F, above the shaft B. This shaft has at each end outside the
frame A, A, a cast iron crank G, which give a reciprocating motion
to two long cast iron crank arms H, H, whose action will be explained
hereafter. In the middle of the apparatus, formed by the two frame
sides A, A, there is another horizontal rocking shaft I, carrying at
each end a double crank J, J, which by their semi-rotatory motion, as
produced by the motion of the crank G, causes the extremity L, of

page_text: each crank arm H, H, where the comb rail M, is fixed, to describe the
irregular ellipsoidal path K. To balance the different motions nad
effects produced by the reciprocating motion two weights N, N, are
fixed on the horizontal shaft I, and can be regulated as required. The
extremities of the two crank arms H, I, are tied together by a cast
iron angle iron, Pl. 5, bolted to them. This angle iron carries two clasp-
ing brackets 0, 0, with bolt screws, by which the comb rail is, when
required, fixed down to the angle iron. The small horizontal shaft P,
mounted with a handle winch, and moved by a worm on B, and indi-
cator wheel Q, carries at its other end a bevil wheel R, gearing with
the bevil S, which turns the shaft T. On the extremities of this shaft
arc keyed the two pinions U, U, which move the racks V, V, carrying
the carriage V, upon which the lower comb rail Y, is fixed. At the
extremity of the machine, near the cranks G, there is a lever X, whose
object is to throw the indicator wheel into gear with the worm keyed
on the shaft B, when the combing action begins.
It may be stated, that all the different moving parts of this.machine
move in brass or cast iron steps and brackets fixed on the frame sides,
and that these frame sides are united together at the top and at the
bottom by four iron cross rails, all of which is detailed in the plan, eleva-
tion, and section of the machine. In these Drawings equal letters stand
for the same parts. The machine is used in the following manner:-
The comb rails filled with wool are taken from the "Chargeuse," and,
previously heated by steam, are placed, one on the angle iron at the ex-
tremity I, of the crank arms H, the other on the carriage V. The
two comb rails being placed in their respective position, the carriage is
drawn back by means of the shaft P, and the handle from its final
position b, to its starting position a. The lever X, is then immediately
raised, and all these precautions being taken, the machine may be set
in motion. The motion of each beam in its ellipsoidal path performs the
combing operation upon the wool caught in the two comb rails. At
the same time the small shaft P, turning round brings the carriage V¹,
to its final position ; at this point the needles of the combs, having
come very near each other, comb a few strokes more, and the indicator
throws the "Peigneuse" out of gear at the proper time, since the

page_text: operation is terminated. This being done, the two comb rails are taken
off and put on the carriage, to which is attached a drawing frame,
as usual. The preceding operation is repeated as many times as the
Peigneuse" is thrown out of gear, and as often as is required by the
circumstances.
I claim as my Invention the system of wool combing as performed
by means of the apparatus or machines which are described in the
accompanying description and Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Auguste Deverte, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
L. A. DEVERTE. (L.S.)
L. A. DEVERTE. (L.S.)