AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND FOR THE CON- STRUCTING, MAKING, WORKING, AND USING OF COMBS AND MACHINES FOR COMBING OF WOOL
Year: 1798

page_text: .
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PEARCE the. younger, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Millwright,
, send greeting.
.
I
WHEREAS His, present Majesty King George the Third, by His Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing.date at Westminster,
the Thirtieth day of June last past, hath given and granted unto me, the, said
John Pearce, my exors, admors, and assigns,-special licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, to make, use, exercise, and, vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; during the term of years
therein expressed, my.. Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN AND FOR THE CON-
STRUCTING, MAKING, WORKING, AND USING OF COMBS AND MACHINES FOR COMBING
OF WOOL;" in which said Letters' Patent there is contained a proviso. of obliging
me, the said John. Pearce, by an instrument in-writing under my hand; and
seal, to cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be. performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within one' calendar month next after the date of the
said recited Letters Patent, as, in and by the same (relation being there-
unto had) may more fully and at large appear.
W
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Pearce, in compliance with the
said proviso, do hereby declare that the Plan or Drawings hereunto annexed
and the following, description is and do contain a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed
(that is to say)
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my combing machine. Figure 2 is an

page_text: elevation of one side of it. Figure 3, an elevation of the other side, in
which last several of the inside parts are exhibited as though seen through
the frame.
:
In all these three Figures the same references denote parts either the
same or such as exactly correspond in nature and use, but placed on opposite
sides of the machine. To prevent confusion, only one mark of reference is in
general used in the description to denote parts which in the Drawings are
pointed out by repetions of the reference..
Figure 4 is a plan and profile of the comb in my improved form; another
view of it is seen at S in Figure 1. In Figure 4, a, b, c, is the comb head,
which has a brass or iron plate on each side. The part betwixt the plates is
of wood. b, c, is the front edge of the comb head, which edge should project
no more towards b, c (see the profile), than is requisite for holding the teeth
fast. At b is a rib on the plate a, b, next the wood, to secure strength in that
part, and to admit of the angle at b being bevelled off quite within the front
row of teeth.
This form of the coinb head is adopted, that when the combs
are in work the teeth of the opposite comb may pass from 6 to c and still on
in that direction, even at the time each of the two combs has its front teeth
coinciding with the front teeth of the other, comb. In the view of the comb
at S in Figure 1, are seen the means by which the comb is attached to its
carriage in my combing machine, namely, two strong studs in the carriage
fitting into holes, one near each end of the comb head, with a horn screw, the
head of which is seen coming through a hole in the middle of the comb head.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is the frame of the machine.B (in Figure 1), the
main spindle to be worked by hand, water, steam, or any other moving power,
and to be set in motion or stopped by a bayonet, or in any other way by which
motion is communicated or stopped. C, in Figure 1, a weight on the spindle
B to balance the other movements on that spindle. This weight is not repre-
sented in Figure 3, as it would there obscure other parts more necessary to
appear. D, in Figures 1, 2, and 3: two irregular wheels or arms fast on the
spindle B on opposite sides of the machine, but alike in every other respect.
The use of these arms is to raise the front of the carriage T by acting on the
rollers W. E, in Figure 1 and 2': a crank fast on the end of the spindle B,
"which crank by its 'own rotation in the direction el, e2,-e3, gives an
alternate motion by the rod F to the arm G. F, in Figures 1-and 2: a rod
connecting the crank E with the arm G. G, in Figure 2: an arm connected
by a loose joint to the rod F, but fast on a spindle, which is not shewn at
length, but passes across the frame from the part marked g in Figure 2 to-g in
Figure 3. On this spindle are fixed, within the frame and between the side

page_text: rails of the carriage, T, the two arms H and the two arms I. H, in Figures
2 and 3: two arms fast on the spindle of the arm G on opposite sides within
the frame; alike in every other respect. Their use is to move forwards the
carriage T by acting on the spindle of the rollers V. Each of these arms is
5 bent towards the end into the arch of a circle, whose center is that of its
motion. I, in Figures 2 and 3: two other arms fast on the spindle of G,
within the frame, on opposite sides, but otherwise alike. Their use is to move
backwards the carriage T by acting on the spindle of the rollers V. K,
Figure 1 a nut wheel, fast on the spindle B, driving by intermediate wheels
the spur wheel L in a direction opposite to its own, and through one revolu-
tion for about sixteen of its own. These intermediate wheels are omitted in-
the Drawing to avoid crouding it unnecessarily. L, Figures 1 and 3: a spur
wheel fast on the spindle M, receiving its motion by intermediate wheels from
the nut wheel K. M, Figure 1: a spindle moved round by the spur wheel L
and carrying the two spiral wheels N. N, Figure 1, 2, and 3: two wheels
fast on the spindle M towards opposite sides of the machine, but otherwise
alike, their form being an irregular spiral. The use of these wheels N is, by
turning round in the direction n 1, n 2, to raise gradually the carriage P.
O, Figures 1, 2, and 3: two friction rollers, by which the carriage P rests on
the spirals N. P, Figures 1: the carriage to which the lower comb is fastened
by the horn screw (part of which is seen in the Figure coming through a hole
in the carriage), and steadied at each end of the comb head by a stud fixed
in the carriage. This carriage moves perpendicularly in the grooves R. R,
Figure 1: two perpendicular groves in the frame, in which grooves the
carriage P rises and falls. S. Figure 1: the upper comb fastened in a recess
at the front of the carriage T; its teeth ranging with the bottom of the rail
to which it is attached, and projecting horizontally at the front of the frame.
The lower comb does not appear in the Figure, but can readily be conceived
as fastened on the other side of the carriage P, its teeth ranging with
the top of the carriage P, and pointing horizontally to the back of the
frame. When the combs are thus fixed, the clear horizontal distance
between their heads is about three inches. T, in Figures 1, 2, and
3: the carriage of the upper comb moving on 4 collars U, V. U.
Figures 1, 2, and 3: two roller, one on each side of the carriage T, near
its front, confined to move in the two irregular grooves u. v, Figures
2 and 3: the two back rollers of the carriage. T confined to move in the two
horizontal grooves v. The spindle. of these, rollers is not, shewn at length;
but is to be conceived as passing across the carriage T, from one side rail to

page_text: the other. W, Figures 1, 2, and 3: two rollers to the carriage T, placed'
Helow the front of the carriage. On these rollers the carriage T receives
notion from the arms D. X, Figures 2 and 3: a weight on the back rail of
the carriage T, to lessen the preponderance of the opposite end. d1, d2, in
Figures 2 and 3 different situations of the arm D. e1, e2, e3, Figure 2:
different situations of the crank E. g, Figures 2 and 3: the ends of the
spindle on which are fixed the arms G, H, and I. n 1, n 2, Figure 2: different
points of the wheels N. 1, 2, 3, Figures 2 and 3: two'irregular grooves in
the opposite sides of the frame; alike in other respects. In these grooves.z
move the rollers U. v, Figures 2 and 3: two horizontal grooves in the frame,
in which grooves moves
the rollers V.
The method of using the said-combs and machine is as follows (that is to
say) The combs are heated in stoves or pots and filled in the same manner,"
and in a like-state of dampness in the wool and heat in the combs, as for the
common method of combing by hand. Two coubs being so filled and heated
as for hand combing are to be fixed in the machine, as before described, one
to the carriage P, the other to the carriage T. The spiral wheels N are
supposed now to stand so that the rollers O rest on that part of the spiral
circumference which is nearest the spindle M, and the arms' D to point down-
wards, as represented in the Drawings; the carriage T to be brought quite for-
wards, as shewn in the Figures or Drawings; then the combing machine is put in
motion. The arms D turn upwards towards d 1, and the rollers W, following
the form of the arms D, raise the front of the carriage T, for the rollers U
are confined to move in the grooves u, and cannot draw back along the bottom-
of, those grooves towards w3, as the circular part of the arms H is now
pressing against the spindle of the rollers V. The rollers U, and with them
the front of the carriage, move therefore at first in a perpendicular direction,
then up
the inclined part of the grooves s from 1 towards w2; when the rollers
U are near the summit of the grooves, the 'crank E is at e 2; and forces the
arm I against the spindle of V; by this, the carriage T-being forced back-
wards, the rollers V moving toward &, the front of the carriage is made to
pass the summit at u2, and descends' by its weight down the back of the grooves
to u 3. The armis D being not quite so long as to reach the rollers W at the
time the front of the carriage' is passing the summit at u 2, and the ends of the
arms moving faster than the front of the carriage, the arms there gains the
lead of the rollers W, and arrive at d2 about the time the rollers U are at u 3,
but at this time the crank E is at e 3, and, as it moves to e 1, draws the arms H
against the spindle of V, bringing forwards by this means the carriage T in an

page_text: horizontal line along the grooves, the teeth of each comb piercing into the
wool on the teeth of the other, until the rollers U arrive under the perpendicular
part of the grooves u1; and now the arm H acts again from its circular part
against the spindle of V, while the arm D again lifts the front of the carriages
.seperating the combs from each other and proceeding for another stroke. But
in the meantime the spiral wheels N are moving round in the direction n 1, n 2,
gradually raising the lower comb till, after 11 or 12 strokes of the upper comb,
the spirals N have raised the carriage P into such a position that in the course
of the stroke the teeth of the one comb press close upon the teeth of the
other, and the spirals in the part now supporting the carriage, namely, from n 1
to n 2, being reduced to circles, the lower comb rise no higher. The upper
comb continuing its motion gives the wool a few strokes close up to the teeth
of the combs, till at the end of one revolution of the wheels N, the points n 1
pass the rollers O, and the carriage P falls to its first position, when the
combing machine is to be stopped, the operation being finished. The combs.
are then detached, and the wool may be taken off by hand as it is at
present, done by hand-combers or by the different machines now used for
drawing wool from combs.
By my construction of the comb and combing machine, the following
advantages are obtained :-
First, the motions of the machine are such that the teeth of the one comb
pierce the wool in a direction parallel to the teeth of the other. This, and
the form of the comb' head, enables me to work the combs close up to the
teeth of each other throughout their length, by which means the wool is
compleatly combed, and the tops well separated from the noils.
Secondly, the speed with which the combs are worked by my machine can,
from the nature of the movements employed, be regulated in any part of the
stroke to any degree as power or rapidity is there required, and this independent
of its speed in any other part. When the combs begin to seperate the wool
bis fast in the teeth of both, and they cannot be drawn asunder without con-
siderable power; also the wool will be broke in the staple if the combs are
seperated too rapidly. But the irregular wheel or arm D (see the Drawings),
in lifting the upper comb, acts at first from points near the center of its own
motion, and from a part of its circumference nearly parallel to that motion,
5 both of which circumstances are in favor of the great power and slow motion
there desirable. Afterwards, when little is to be done more than to return the
comb for another stroke, and of course speed is wanting rather than power,
the arm D, as well as the other movements employed for that purpose, acts
from points at greater distances from the center of motion; and from lines

page_text: titis gives the desired
rapidity.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Pearce the younger, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight.