Improvements in Machines for Combing Wool, Flax, Tow, and other like Fibrous Material.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Combing Wool, Flax, Tow, and other
like Fibrous Material.
We GEORGE EDMUND DONISTHORPE of 12 Oat Lane in the City of
London Merchant and TAYLOR BURROWS of 88 Upper Kennington Lane
London in the County of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for combing wool, flax tow,
and other like or analogous fibrous material and has for its object to produce a
simple and effective machine so as to readily eliminate the short fibres and
impurities from the slivers of wool flax tow or such like more or less coarse fibrous
material.
For these purposes we proceed as follows:-
Our nachine or apparatus has a feed head or feeding part having a movable
plate (advantageously flat) covered with pins or projections or equivalents thereof
(or instead of a flat plate one or more porcupine rollers covered with pins).
The aforesaid pin plates have a short vertical reciprocating motion given same
by which the pins thereon are moved through a kind of grid or perforated plate or
surface so that the said pins are caused to project through said perforated plate
and engage and hold the material as it is being fed to the machine and then these.
pins are withdrawn through or into the said perforated plate et cetera and the
material being fed is left free to be moved forward and thereafter the pins are
again caused to engage and hold the material and so on.
If the porcupine rollers are used-these rollers work in hollow dishes and the pins
of each roller pass close to each other and serve to keep each other clean and all
revolve together in the same direction the material being fed behind the first roller
is gradually advanced to the front.
This feed head or feed part is fixed on a slide and is made to advance and recede
by suitable mechanical means-as and for the purposes hereinafter explained or
this feed head or feed part may be fixed and the gripping device (hereinafter
explained) made to advance and recede.
(We may if desired use a gill feed head.)
When the feed part engages and holds the material to be combed- -a certain
length or tuft of such material overlaps or extends outside of such feed part at the
opposite end to the feed inlet.
When the aforesaid feed part is made stationary a suitable nip jaw or gripping
device (composed of two corrugated rollers to one or both of which a partial
revolution is given at the required moment or other equivalent gripping device)
is caused to advance towards the feed head or feeding part from which a tuft or
length of material projects as aforesaid and this nip jaw or gripping device nips or
grips and firmly holds the tuft of material-the pins on the pin plate at that
moment are withdrawn from the material and the nip jaw then retires and draws
all the fibrous material with it a short distance whereupon the pin plate is again
caused to engage with the fibrous material on the feed, and firmly hold same and
about the same moment a comb such as that known as a "Nactur" comb may be
caused to enter also into the fibre and assist to produce finér combing if desired or
same may be dispensed with.
The nip jaw now retires still further from the feed head and draws out and tears
away a certain quantity of the fibrous material leaving a tuft of said material
projecting from the feed head as before ready for the next advance of the nip jaw.
The nip jaw then releases the quantity of material held therein and a dabbing
brush or other equivalent or suitable device operates to press or force down the

page_text: fibrous material onto a pin carrier band or bands or other carrier forming and
constituting a comb or combing device such as hereinafter described viz.:
This combined carrier comb consists of a horizontally revolving endless band or
bands (advantageously of steel after the manner of a band saw) which has upwardly
projecting pins or projections formed or mounted therein or thereon so as to retain
and carry the fibrous material along therewith and several of such bands, may be
used or such band combs may be arranged otherwise than horizontally and the
projections or comb teeth may also be arranged otherwise than exactly vertical.
Ör an endless chain or other equivalent device having pins to form combs or the
like thereon may be used if desired but we find an endless steel band or bands with
the necessary projections pins or teeth (cut out or formed out of the substance of
such band or attached thereto by rivetting or otherwise) to answer our purpose
very well.
When the porcupine rollers are used and made to move or slide as above set
forth and the feed head is advanced a part turn is given to the rollers and a tuft of
material is presented outside the front dish and carried forward under the nip jaw
or gripping device aforesaid (which may be fixed or movable) and which closes on
it and holds it. The feed head now retiring leaves behind the tuft held by the nip
jaw and a dabbing brush or equivalent device falling on it near the nip which
opens as the brush et cetera descends the material is forced down on the travelling
carrier comb aforesaid.
A second tuft is deposited in a similar manner on the said carrier comb or
traveller and so on continuously.
Each band comb or carrier comb aforesaid revolves around a pulley at each end
of the machine and these pulleys are about 5 feet apart or more or less as desired
and between them the said carrier comb slides over an even horizontal bearing
plate and may advantageously pass under vertical pressing plates. These plates
are fixed if desired or may be mounted in suitable spring bearings so that each
one can rise and yield to the pressure of the fibrous material on the said band comb
or carrier comb.
The said carrier comb carries along the fibrous material therein and next presents
the combed or cleaned ends of the material (i.e. the ends last leaving the feed part
and not the ends held by the nipping jaw or gripping device aforesaid) to the
action of drawing off rollers or similar appliance arranged horizontally or
vertically which seize the said clean ends of the fibrous material and draw the
opposite ends of same through the teeth on the comb band and thus finishes the
combing and cleaning of the whole length of such material and thereafter deliver
same (combed and cleaned of impurities) into any suitable receptacle or as desired.
The short fibres and impurities remaining on the travelling band comb are
carried on by same and removed at any convenient point by any suitable appliance
such as a slide or brush or both and the band comb is thus cleaned and goes on
round.
Thus the band comb is always clean at the point where the material is dabbed
on to it and the operation is continuous.
Any well known or suitable construction of "drawing off" rollers or equivalent
drawing off appliance may be used as aforesaid for drawing the material out of the
teeth of the travelling comb carrying said material.
The cleaned ends may be pushed forward and presented to the drawing off
rollers with the assistance of a suitable stroking arrangement so that the material
is thus drawn off in a continuous sliver.
The feed head hereinbefore described may be varied or equivalent devices used
so long as the desired object as hereinbefore set forth is obtained.
Dated this 25th day of November 1891.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton, Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentees.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Combing Wool, Flax, Tow, and other
like Fibrous Material.
We, GEORGE EDMUND DONISTHORPE of 12 Oat Lane in the City of
London, Merchant, and TAYLOR BURROWS of 88 Upper Kennington Lane,
London in the County of Surrey, Engineer, 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 to improvements in machines for combing or cleaning
wool flax tow and other like or analogous fibrous material and has for its object to
produce a simple and effective machine so as to readily eliminate the short fibres and
impurities from wool flax tow or such like more or less coarse fibrous material.
For these purposes we proceed as follows:-
Our machine or apparatus has a feed head or feeding part having a movable
plate (advantageously flat) covered with pins or projections or equivalents thereof
(or instead of a flat plate one or more porcupine rollers covered with pins).
The aforesaid pin plates have a short vertical reciprocating motion given same
by which the pins thereon are moved through a kind of grid or perforated plate or
surface so that the said pins are caused to project through said perforated plate
and engage and hold the material as it is being fed to the machine and then these
pins are withdrawn from the said perforated plate et cetera and the material being
fed is left free to be moved forward and thereafter the pins are again moved
through the fibrous material and caused to engage and hold the material and
so on.
If the porcupine rollers are used-these rollers work in hollow dishes and the pins
of each roller pass close to each other and serve to keep each other clean and all the
material being fed behind the first roller is gradually advanced to the front.
This feed head or feed part is fixed on a slide and is made to advance and recede
by suitable mechanical means-as and for the purposes hereinafter explained or
this feed head or feed part may be fixed and the gripping device (hereinafter
explained) made to advance and recede.
(We may if desired use a gill feed head.)
When the feed part engages and holds the material to be combed-a certain
length or tuft of such material overlaps or extends outside of such feed part at the
opposite end thereof to the feed inlet.
When the aforesaid feed part is made stationary a suitable nip jaw or gripping
device (composed of two nipping jaws to one or both of which an opening and
closing movement is given at the required moment or other equivalent or suitable
gripping device) is caused to advance towards the feed head or feeding part from
which a tuft or length of material projects as aforesaid and this nip jaw or gripping
device nips or grips and firmly holds the tuft of material the pins on the pin plate
at that moment are withdrawn from the fibrous material and the nip jaw then
retires and draws all the fibrous material with it a short distance say an inch
whereupon the pin plate is again caused to engage with the fibrous material on the
feed and firmly hold same and about the same moment a comb such as that known
as a "Nacteur" comb is caused to enter also into the fibrous material between the nip
jaw and the feed head and assist to produce finer combing.
The nip jaw now retires still further from the feed head and draws out and tears
away a certain quantity of the fibrous material leaving a tuft of said material
projecting from the feed head as before ready for the next advance of the
nip jaw.
The nip jaw then releases the quantity of material held therein and a dabbing
brush or other equivalent or suitable device operates to press or force down such

page_text: fibrous material into the teeth or pins on a carrier comb forming and constituting
a comb or combing device such as hereinafter described, viz. :-
This combined carrier comb consists of a series of three or more horizontally
travelling endless bands (advantageously made of steel after the manner of a band
saw) which have upwardly projecting pins or projections formed out of the
substance of such bands so as to retain and carry the fibrous material along
therewith.
Such endless travelling bands forming such carrier comb may be arranged other-
wise than horizontally and the projections or comb teeth may also be formed
otherwise than exactly vertical thereon.
When the porcupine rollers are used and made to move or slide as above set
forth and the feed head is advanced a part turn is given to the rollers and a tuft of
material is presented outside the front dish and carried forward under the nip jaw
or gripping device aforesaid (which may be fixed or movable) and which closes on
it and holds it. The feed head now. retiring leaves behind the. tuft held by the
nip jaw and a dabbing brush or equivalent device falling on it near the nip which
opens as the brush et cetera descends the material is forced down on the travelling
carrier comb aforesaid.
A second tuft is deposited in a similar manner on the said carrier comb or
traveller and so on continuously.
.The carrier comb aforesaid revolves around a pulley or drum at each end of the
machine and these pulleys are about 5 feet apart or more or less as desired and
between them the said carrier comb slides over an even horizontal bearing plate
and may advantageously pass under vertical pressing plates. These latter plates
are fixed if desired or may be mounted in suitable spring bearings so that each one
can rise and yield to the pressure of the fibrous material on the said band comb or
carrier comb.
The said carrier comb carries along the fibrous material therein and next presents
the combed or cleaned ends of the material (i.e. the ends last leaving the feed part
and not the ends which were held by the nipping jaw or gripping device aforesaid)
to the action of suitable drawing off rollers or similar appliance arranged
horizontally or vertically which seize the said clean ends of the fibrous material
and draw the opposite and uncleaned ends of' same through the teeth or pins on the
comb band or carrier comb and thus finishes the combing and cleaning of the whole
length of such tufts or lengths of fibrous material and thereafter deliver same
(combed and cleaned of impurities) into any suitable receptacle or otherwise either
in a continuous length or as desired.
The short fibres and impurities et cetera thus combed out of the fibrous material
remain on the travelling band comb and are carried on by same and removed at
any convenient point by any suitable appliance such as an incline or brush or both
and the carrier comb or band comb is thus cleaned and goes on round.
Thus the band comb is always clean at the point where the fibrous material is
dabbed on to it and the operation is continuous-as the carrier comb is always
cleaning at one point while combing at another.
Any well known or suitable construction of "drawing off" rollers or equivalent
drawing off appliance may be used as aforesaid for drawing the material out of
(ie. through and between) the teeth of the travelling comb carrying said material.
The cleaned ends may be pushed forward and presented to the drawing off roller
with the assistance of a suitable stroking appliance so that the material is thus
drawn off in a continuous sliver.
The feed head hereinbefore described may be varied or equivalent devices
substituted so long as the desired object (as hereinbefore set forth) is obtained
i.e. to pull out tufts of fibrous material and comb or clean one end thereof at the
same time and then deposit such fibrous material on the travelling carrier comb in
such a manner that only cleaned or combed fibre projects from the carrier on that
side where the fibre is drawn off so that the combing of the whole length is
completed as it is drawn off.

page_text: And in order that our present invention may be easily understood and readily
carried into practice we will proceed to further describe same with reference to the
drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: the fibrous material left projecting from the pin plate D ready for the next advance
of the nip jaw.
t is an arm or blade fixed on f extending below the brush and serving to part
the fibrous material as the jaw É recedes.
ii are driven rollers for drawing the sliver out of the trough I.
kkare a pair-of driven rollers for drawing the impurities (or residuum) out of the
teeth of the endless carrier comb A. and thus cleaning same on its way round to the
feed head.
is a shoot down which the refuse etc. is guided into a can or vessel y to receive
same.
m is a crank for actuating the stroking appliance o.
p is the pressing plate for keeping the fibrous material pressed into the teeth of
the carrier comb A and ensure the fibre being drawn through the teeth thereof.
The endless travelling carrier comb A is composed of three metal bands a
(advantageously thin bands or ribbons of steel similar to band saws) travelling in a
horizontal plane and having teeth or pins formed thereon integrally therewith and
in the case illustrated we have shown this travelling endless carrier comb A
composed of three such bands a see Figure 4-but we would remark that we do
not limit ourselves to the number of such bands a composing the carrier comb A.
The operation is as follows:-
-
The carrier comb A is caused to travel round in a horizontal plane by passing
round the drums or pulleys B which are revolved by any suitable train of wheels or.
mechanism actuated from the main driving shaft C.
The jaws E open and advance towards the pin plate D and receive the protruding
ends of the fibrous material and snap hold of same (see Fig. 6) close up to the
pin plate D and at that moment the said plate D is in the raised position and the
pins T clear of the fibrous material-while the "Nacteur comb is also raised up
clear and out of the way of the jaws E.
"
The jaws E then begin to recede from D and draw the whole body of fibrous
material through the grid S about an inch or thereabouts-whereupon the plate D
suddenly descends and pins T pass through the fibrous material--and (at the same
moment the pin plate D drops down) the " Nacteur" comb R also descends into.
the fibrous material just clear of the pin plate D and close up to same-as in
Figure 7.
•
The jaws E continuing to retire they now commence to tear out the tuft of
fibrous material one end being pulled through the comb R and then the blade t
falls across the path of the fibrous material and helps to part the tuft from the main
body and the jaws still retiring the nip-blade y then falls and holds the combed
end of the tuft see Figure 8-or the nip-blade g may be dispensed with.
The jaws E finally retire quite clear of the carrier comb A and then open and
the dabbing plates (or devices) d fall and dab the tuft right down into the teeth
of the travelling carrier comb A and it
passes along.
The arm U is then rapidly raised and as it returns carries up with it the arm e
and nip blade g thereon-while the brush brushes up the end ready to be seized
by the jaws E on their next advance-the pin plate D is then raised and thereby
raises the comb R as in Figure 6 and the jaws E again advance and snap hold of z
and pull out (and thereby comb one end of) another tuft and so on continuously.
The action of the "Nacteur" comb or fine comb R descending into and through
the fibre between the jaw E and the holding plate D-immediately before the
jaw E begins to pull out the tuft of fibre from the body of the fibre held by D-
ensures that the jaw E draws the end (not held in said jaw) through this "Nacteur"
or fine comb R and thus combs said free end and then deposits this tuft upon the
teeth of the travelling carrier comb A (and so on) with the impurities etc. and
uncombed part on one side of the said carrier and the cleaned ends on the opposite
and drawing off side.
The introduction of the "Nacteur" comb in the manner and for the purposes
described is a very important and essential point in our present invention.

page_text: The tufts of fibre thus laid in the teeth of the carrier comb A. are carried along
by said carrier in the direction of the arrows X-e being the now uncombed end
and the combed end-until the combed end bis seized at the point F by the
drawing off endless apron or band H (revolved from the main shaft C in the
direction of the arrows h) and the uncombed part c of the fibre is forcibly drawn
through the teeth or fine pins on the carrier comb A thereby completing the
combing or cleaning of the respective tufts or lengths of fibrous material and the
resulting clean fibre or sliver is led across the machine in the guide trough I having
power rollers i at the end thereof and a shoot K to deliver the combed fibre into
the sliver can L or other suitable receptacle.
The addition of a stroking appliance is very beneficial and advantageous and we
have illustrated an appliance suitable for our purpose niz.:-
A crank arm m is revolved by a suitable train of mechanism and this crank
arm m has loosely pivotted thereto one end of a long arm o which passes through a
loose guide or moves in a slot so that the revolving of the said crank arm m causes
the free end of this arm o to stroke the combed ends of the fibre in the carrier
band A. in the same direction as said fibre is travelling-thus presenting the said
combed ends ready to be seized by the drawing off appliance.
The tow or waste fibre or residuum left in or on the carrier comb A (after
passing the point F) is lifted out or removed therefrom in any suitable manner for
instance by inclines or ploughs arranged closely alongside and between the bands a
composing the carrier comb A or rollers such as k or a brush or both may be used to
clean the carrier comb A after the fibre has been drawn off at the point F and
between that point and the point where fibre is again fed on-thus the carrier
comb is always thoroughly clean as it arrives under the feeding device.
p is a compressor plate or device fixed over the carrier comb A and fitting down
closely thereon or therein-between to prevent the fibre from rising out over the top
of the teeth of the carrier comb A while same is being stroked and especially while
being drawn off.
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 :-
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts consisting of the pin
plate D of the Nacteur" comb R of the nip jaws E of the carrier comb A and of
the drawing off apparatus all operating for the purpose of combing fibre substan-
tially as described and illustrated.
2. The endless travelling comb A operating in conjunction with the drawing off
apparatus for the purpose of combing cleaning and separating the fibre substan-
tially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated.
3. The arrangement and combination of the pin plate D with the "Nacteur "
comb R and the nip jaws E whereby the refuse and short fibre is constantly
brought to the end where the nip jaws grasp it and is consequently always placed
on the outer side of the travelling comb A.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.