IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPAratus FOR PICKING AND CLEANING 'OAKUM," AND FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING THE SAME FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALKING SHIPS OF VESSELS."
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Ellis, of Bangor, in the County of Caernarvon,
Ship Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPAratus
FOR PICKING AND CLEANING 'OAKUM," AND FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING THE
SAME FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALKING SHIPS OF VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Ellis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1861.
I, EDWARD ELLIS, of Bangor, in the County of Caernarvon, Ship Builder,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR PICKING AND CLEANING 'OAKUM,' AND FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING
THE SAME FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALKING SHIPS OR VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates, first, to the picking and cleaning of certain well-
known fibrous substances called "oakum," and consists in an arrangement of
mechanism adapted to such purpose, wherein a cylinder or drum baving a series
of pointed projections, or pegs, or pins, arranged around its periphery rotates
within a circular or semicircular casing, also having its interior surface furnished
with pointed .pegs or pins placed in alternate positions in such a manner that
the series of pegs on the cylinder as it rotates may pass those on the interior
of the casing. The "oakum" to be cleaned is fed into the cylinder by an

page_text: endless cloth, and after having been subjected to the tearing, opening, or
separating action of the pegs for a time, it passes out at the lower part of the
machine, either to a second machine of a similar kind, or to the apparatus in
connection therewith, which constitutes the second part of my Invention, and
is described as follows:-
The apparatus for spinning or twisting the "oakum" thus cleaned, consists
in an outer cylinder or chamber and an inner cylinder or drum, both being
mounted upon a central shaft, and of such dimensions as to leave an annular
space between them, the surfaces of the cylinder and its internal drum intended
to twist the "oakum" being furnished with a spiral rib or band of india-
rubber. By means of spur gearing, the cylinders are caused to rotate in
opposite directions, so that when the "oakum " is introduced from the cleaning
machine into the annular space between the cylinders, the combined effect of
the spiral bands of india-rubber, and the contrary direction of the cylinders
produces a rubbing and twisting action upon the "oakum," causing it to issue
from the lower end of the machine in a twisted state or soft "sliver or
roving" ready for use in calking vessels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
ELLIS, of Bangor, in the County of Caenarvon, Ship Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Ellis, Her special license that I, the said Edward Ellis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Ellis, my 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR PICKING AND CLEANING 'OARUM,' AND FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING THE SAME
FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALKING SHIPS OR VESSELS," upon the condition, amongst
others, that I, the said Edward Ellis, by an instrument in writing under iny

page_text: 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 Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Ellis, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention relates, first, to the picking and cleaning of certain well-.
known fibrous substances called "oakum," and consists in an arrangement of
mechanism adapted to such purpose, wherein a cylinder or drum baving a
series of pointed projections, or pegs, or pins, arranged around its periphery,
rotates within a circular or semicircular casings, also having its interior surface
furnished with pointed pegs or pins placed in alternate positions in such a
manner that the series of pegs on the cylinder as it rotates may pass those on
the interior of the casing. The "oakum" to be cleaned is fed on to the
cylinder by an endless cloth, and after having been subjected to the tearing.
opening, or separating action of the pegs for a time, it passes out at the lower
part of the machine, either to a second machine of a similar kind, or to the
apparatus in connection therewith, which constitutes the second part of my
Invention, and is described as follows:-
The apparatus for spinning or twisting the "oakum" thus cleaned consists
in an outer cylinder or chamber and an inner cylinder or drum, both being
mounted upon a central shaft, and of such dimensions as to leave an annular
space between them; the surfaces of the cylinder and its internal drum
intended to twist the "oakum" being furnished with a spiral rib or band of
india-rubber. By means of spur gearing, these cylinders are caused to rotate
in opposite directions, so that when the "oakum is introduced from the
cleaning machine into the annular space between the cylinders, the combined
effect of the spiral bands of india-rubber, and the contrary direction of the
cylinders produces a rubbing and twisting action upon the "oakum," causing
it to issue from the lower end of the machine in a twisted state or soft "sliver"
or "roving."
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about one and a half inches to the foot, and having similar letter of reference
marked upon corresponding parts of the mechanism.
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the cleaning and rubbing apparatus, shewing
the pegged cylinders and casings for "heckling" the "oakum," and the

page_text: method of supplying the same and taking it from the machine to the rubbing
cylinders; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, shewing the method of driving the
various parts; and Fig. 3 is a front view of the rubbing and twisting part of
the machine.
In Fig. 1, a, a, is the exterior casing or framing, and b, b, the "beckling
cylinders, the oakum being fed to the upper cylinder by the endless travelling
cloth or belt c, and after having been operated upon by the upper series of
pegs or points, it is conducted down to the lower cylinder; when sufficiently
separated, it is taken by the travelling cloth d to the rubbing cylinders or
bowls e, e, which are here shewn as a modification of the rubbing apparatus
before mentioned, and from practical experience has been found more efficient.
The oakum passes between the bowls or rollers e, e, and also between the small
delivery rollers f, f, which hold it firmly whilst the operation of twisting is
performed by the bowls. The bowls e, e, are caused to partake of a transverse
lateral reciprocating motion by means of the crank g (Fig. 3), and the con-
necting bar h, which is attached to the rocking lever i, the opposite ends of
which, moving in opposite directions, communicate such motion to the bowls
by means of the connecting rods k, k, which are jointed to the "swivels " 7 on
the shafts of the bowls which are interposed to admit of the revolution of the
bowls, and by this means a rubbing action is imparted to them, which "twists"
the oakum as it passes between their surfaces, whence it issues in a "sliver,"
and in condition for caulking or other purposes, for which it may be available.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim the novel and peculiar construction and arrangement
of mechanism for picking or cleaning, and spinning or twisting "oakum," as
herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Ellis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
EDWARD ELLIS. (L.S.)