IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Mirfield, of Montserrat Mills, Holme Lane, near
Bradford, Worsted-top Maker, and John Scott, of the same Place, Manager, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING
WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 23rd May 1876, and dated the 5th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Mirfield and John
Scott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February
1876.
MATTHEW MIRFIELD, of Montserrat Mills, Holme Lane, near Bradford, Worsted-
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
top Maker, and JOHN SCOTT, of the same Place, Manager.
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
This Invention relates to circular or ring combs, and the improvements
consist :-
Firstly. In the case of machines where one or two small circles or ring combs
rotate within a large circle or ring comb we propose to make a new arrangement in
the building up of the machine, whereby instead of having the pillars placed within
the small circles as at present we place them outside of the said small circles, in
order that they may be removed for repairs or renewal without removing any other
part of the machine, as is now required to be done with machines of that kind,
also we are enabled thereby to gear the machine much more simply and effectively
than can be done in the present construction.
Secondly. The improvements consist in increasing the size or diameter of the
inner circles above that of those now in use, whether the pillars are placed within
or without the circles, which is for the purpose of effecting a more gradual separation
of the fibres and facilitating the dabbing of the wool on to the teeth of the circles,
by which an increased quantity of work can be produced.
Thirdly. The Invention consists in constructing and arranging this class of
circular combing machines and apparatus in connection therewith in such manner
that the same may be fed with detached tufts of wool or other fibres from gill head
or feeding head instead of being fed with slivers of the fibres, as at present is the
case with this class of combing machine. The effect of this improved method of
feeding is that the wool or fibre receives a double process of combing. For this
[Price 8d.1

page_text: purposo the large circle is made wide enough in the teeth or pins to receive the
whole length of the tuft, which is then partly transferred to the small circle at the
tangent point or the point of nearest contact of the large and small combs, and is
then operated upon by the divergency of the two combs and drawn off by rollers in
the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Matthew Mirfield and John Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th August 1876.
MATTHEW MIRFIELD, of Montserrat Mills, Holine Lane, near Bradford, Worsted-
top Maker, and JOHN SCOTT, of the same Place, Manager. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
This Invention relates to circular or ring combs, and the improvements
consist :-
Firstly. In the case of machines where one or two small circles or ring combs
rotate within a large circle or ring comb, we purpose to make a new arrangement in
the building up of the machine, whereby instead of having the pillars placed within
the small circles as at present we place them outside of the said small circles, in
order that they may be removed for repairs or renewal without removing any other
part of the machine, as is now required to be done with machines of that kind,
also we are enabled thereby to gear the machine much more simply and effectively
than can be done by the present construction of machine.
Secondly. The improvements consist in increasing the size or diameter of the
inner circles above that of those now in use, whether the pillars are placed within
or without the circles, which is for the purpose of effecting a more gradual separation
of the fibres and in facilitating, in the manner herein-after described, the dabbing of
the wool on to the teeth of the circles, by which an increased quantity of work can
be produced.
Thirdly. The Invention consists in constructing and arranging this class of
circular combing machine and apparatus in connection therewith in such manner
that the same may be fed with detached tufts of wool or other fibres from gill head
or feeding head instead of being fed with slivers of the fibres, as at present is the
case with this class of combing machine. The effect of this improved method of
feeding is that the wool or fibre receives a double process of combing. For this
purpose the large circle is made wide enough in the teeth or pins to receive the
whole length of the tuft, which is then partly transferred to the small circle at the
tangent point or the point of nearest contact of the large and small combs, and is
then operated upon by the divergency of the two combs and drawn off by rollers in
the usual manner.
The first part of our Juvention has reference to that class of combing machines
where one or two small combs or circles rotate within a large comb or circle, and
the improvements consist in making a new arrangement in the constructing and
building up of the machine, so as to enable the said small circles to be more easily
removed for repairs or renewals.
And in order that the Invention may be more readily understood we herein give
reference to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan of a
circular or ring comb, and Fig. 2 is a cross section of same. A is the circular comb;
B, the smaller or inner combs rotating therein so far, constructed after the manner
of a "Noble's" machine; C are the pillars placed outside the smaller circles, but
within the larger circle; D is the main driving shaft, communicating motion to the
upright shaft E by bevel wheel F, and also to the horizontal shaft G, which by
means of face plate H and connecting rod I give an upward and downward move-
ment to the "dabbing brushes" J. A spur wheel on the upright shaft K rotating
within the pillar C imparts motion to a train of gearing M and to the drawing-off'
rollers N for taking away the fibre from the combs in the usual manner.

page_text: "
dabbing
Figs. 3 and 4 are plan and sectional views of a machine similar to the ono
just described, but constructed and built up in such a manner as to entirely dispense
with the pillars. . P is the large comb or circle, and Q the small circles, as in the
previous case; R is the main driving shaft placed underneath the machine, having
an eccentric S thereon, which by means of a rod and bell-crank lever T gives an
upward and downward movement to the sliding bars U and to the "
brushes V. The drawing-off rollers W are driven by a train of gearing X and
bevel wheel Y from the main driving shaft R. It will be seen that machines
constructed in the manner above described are not only simplified but the small
circles can be taken off for repairs easily and readily without having to take away
the pillars and the main driving parts of the machine, as is the case in the present
method of constructing this class of machinery, in consequence of the pillars being
placed in the middle of the small or inner circles and the driving shaft carried
thereby.
The second part of this Invention is shewn in Figs. 1 and 3, and the object is to
obtain a more gradual and gentle separation of the fibres, which we effect in the
following manner. We increase the size or diameter of the small or inner circles
above the size now in use in this class of machine, and we also facilitate the
dabbing of the wool into the teeth of the circles. It will be observed on reference
to detail, Fig. 5, that when the ordinary sized circle is employed that the divergence
or separation of the two circles is more rapid and violent than it would be if tho
inner circle was made larger in diameter, as shewn in dotted lines. It is evident
that the increased diameter of the inner circle retains its hold of the fibre for a
longer period of time than would be the case with a circle of less diameter, because
of the tangent or point of contact being slower to leave the larger circle. The
increased breadth of circumference of the two circles which is thus brought together
enables the dabbing brush to be operated more slowly than in the machines as
ordinarily constructed, and a more effective dabbing operation is the result. To
facilitate the dabbing of the fibre the dabbing brush W (Fig. 6) is cut shorter or
made from shorter bristles at the point W than the remaining part of the brush;
the result of this being that the fibre at that point is not pushed into the teeth of
the circles at the first operation or stroke of the brush, but will require, as the circle
travels, say, 2 or 3 operations of the brush before it is thoroughly pressed down
into the teeth. The object of these short bristles is to prevent the wool being
rashly and suddenly pushed into the bottom of the teeth before it is necessary
it to be so. By this gentle and gradual separation or divergence of the two circles
the fibre receives a more "humouring" treatment than can be possibly given to it
by the use of that diameter of inner circle now employed for this purpose; also we
obtain a great saving in the wear and tear of that part of the dabbing brush which
has hitherto been constantly worn and cut away.
for
The third part of our Invention consists in constructing and arranging, substan-
tially as herein described, that class of circular combing machinery and apparatus
in connection therewith in such manner that the same inay be fed with detached
tufts of wool or other fibres from a gill head or other feeding apparatus instead of
being fed with slivers of the fibre, as at present is the case with this class of
combing machine. The manner in which we propose to effect this is illustrated in
Figs. 7, 8, 9.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation, Fig. 8 a plan view, and Fig. 9 is a detail of the parts
detached. A is the circular comb, which is made wider than usual in the teeth or
pins for the purpose of practically receiving the whole length or bulk of the tuft;
B represents the nipping and holding jaws of the feeding apparatus, from which the
tufts are taken by oscillating and transfer comb C and placed upon the circle; the
comb C is formed of a strip of flexible steel provided with teeth, and is attached to
arms D; these arms D slide in pendant guides E mounted on a shaft F to which a
rocking or oscillating motion is imparted by eccentric Con shaft H. In addition
to the rocking motion the comb G has a rising and falling motion imparted to it by
lever J acting on bowls K on the sliding arms D, the lever J being actuated by rod

page_text: from the adjustable cam L. When the comb C is being moved near to the jaws
it is raised in the guide by the spring a, so as to be clear of the ends of the tuft;
as soon as it is directly over the said ends it is caused to descend and penetrate the
same, the nipping jaws at the same time releasing their hold of the tuft and
allowing the tuft to be carried away by the comb C, which oscillates towards the
wide circular comb. A brush M operated in one direction by cam N on the shaft H
acting on the bowl b, and in the other direction by a spiral spring c, descends and
removes the tuft from the teeth of the transfer combs C, when the dabbing brush O
actuated by levers P and Q presses the tuft into the teeth of the wide circular
comb. It will be observed that the jaws B are straight, and the tuft of wool
received therefrom has to be curved so as to accommodate itself to the shape of the
circular comb; this is effected by the transfer comb C bending itself at the end of
its movement against the face of the plate R (see Fig. 8), which is of the same
curvature as the circular comb. The wool thus deposited in the wide circular comb
has undergone one process of combing, and it is carried forward on the circle until
it reaches the lifting knives S, which lift the wool out of the teeth of the wide
circular comb when it is caught by the teeth in the travelling belt T, by which the
noil end of the tuft is placed in the teeth of the inner circle U, the remainder of
the fibres lying over the teeth of the wide circle. The fibres are then "dabbed"
into the teeth of the two circles by the brush O at the tangent point, and as the
two circles diverge a sliver is drawn from cách, leaving the noil in the small circle,
which is removed in the ordinary way. Any portion of the fibre left in the wide
circle passes on until it again reaches the knives S, when it is lifted out along with
the additional tufts received in the course of the comb's travel, when the ends are
again "thrown over" and pressed into the teeth of the two circles at the tangent
point. The belt T receives its motion from the bevel wheels W, but it may be
driven from any convenient source of power.
Having thus described the nature and object of this our said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same may be performed or carried into practical
effect, we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise
details herein shewn and described, as the same may be varied without essentially
departing from our Invention; but what we believe to be new and therefore claim
as our Invention is,―
Firstly. The improved mode of constructing and arranging the supports used for
supporting the inner comb in the class of machinery above referred to, substantially
as herein described and shewn in the Drawings.
Secondly. The use of inner circular combs of diameters larger than those hitherto
used, resulting in and combined with the improved dabbing operation, whereby a
more gradual separation of the fibre and increased case in dabbing is effected, in the
manner substantially as described and shewn in the Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination and arrangement, substantially as herein described, of
the parts used for feeding and combing detached tufts, wherein an outer circular
comb is employed of suflicient width to practically receive and hold the entire
length of a detached tuft of wool or other fibre, so that a double process of combing
is thereby effected.
In witness whereof, we, the said Matthew Mirfield and John Scott, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
M. MIRFIELD. (..s.)
J. SCOTT.
(L.S.)