IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING, PREPARING, AND HECKLING OF FLAX, Tow, HEMP, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR THE LUBRICATION OF THE SAME AND OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILKS LORD, of Leeds, in the County of York, Flax and Tow Machine
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Tenth day of
June, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the fifteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Wilks Lord, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege, and authority, that I, the said Thomas
Wilks Lord, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Wilks Lord, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING, PREPARING, AND
HECKLING OF FLAX, Tow, HEMP, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND
FOR THE LUBRICATION OF THE SAME AND OTHER MACHINERY," communicated to
me by a certain foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that I, the said Thomas Wilks Lord, should cause a par-
ticular description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing, under my hand and
seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Wilks Lord, have ascertained and set forth the nature of the Inven-
tion and the manner of carrying the same into effect, in and by the following
description thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, observing that where two or more
representations of one object are given, the same letters indicate the same parts
in each Figure.
The first improvement in machinery for preparing flax, tow, and similar
fibrous substances consists in a mode of covering the periphery of metallic or
other rollers with leather, gutta-percha, or india-rubber, or other suitable sub-
stances to serve as substitutes for the wooden or other rollers now employed
for preparing and spinning flax, tow, &c., and other fibrous substances; and
also, in combination with such covered rollers, the application of a circular
brush revolving in a contrary direction to the roller, for the purpose of cleaning
off the gummy substance of the flax, &c., from the rollers.
"
Figures 1 and 2 represent this part of my Invention. a is the metallic
roller, having a dovetailed groove cut in the periphery, as shown in section,
Figure 1; and b, the band' or 'strip of leather, gutta percha, or india-rubber
inserted in the groove and secured at the ends in any convenient manner; cis.
the circular brush, thechairs in which may be ranged in parallel rows or in a
continuous spiral.
The next improvement is in scutching flax by machinery, and cleaning it
from the straw, as well as stricking up flax already scutched, and consists in
the application of cylinders arranged upon a similar principle to those shewn
in Figures 3 and 4, and hereafter described, the hackles being replaced by a
series of bars of wood, iron, or steel; set at proper distances round the cylinder,
acting as beaters and brushes, being placed at intervals between the beaters,
and projecting beyond them.
The improvements in heckling tow, flax, hemp, &c., consist in ranging the
carding cylinders horizontally, and. drawing the flax over them in holders
carried by an endless chain or belt; running on each side of the cylinders.
These cylinders may be of the same or various diameters, and revolving the
same or contrary ways; if the strick of flax is dressed on one side complete
before turning the strick, the cylinders will revolve all one way; but if the
strick is roughed on each side and then finished, the cylinders will revolve
in opposite directions. Figures 3 to 8 represent an arrangement of this
description.

page_text: The principal points are the two drums T, T', carrying the combs or heckles,
marked a, a, Figures 4 and 5. The drum T, which is driven by any suitable
prime mover, drives the drum T', but in an opposite direction, by means of
the toothed gearing B', shewn by red circles in Fig. 3. The extremities of
the points of the combs or heckles of the two drums meet upon the same right
line, which causes the filaments of the material brought between these.combs
to be divided. The material is brought forward by the holder, Figure 8, which
is inserted in the openings 6 of the links of the two endless chains H, H, which'
gear with, and are conducted by, the wheels I, I', and the two guides J, J,
which have grooves along which the chains slide; the wheels I, I', are driven
by the endless screw K, which is driven by the toothed wheel Z, fixed upon
the axis of the drum T¹.
Figure 3 represents an elevation of the machine; and Figure 4, a plan, a
portion being in section, in order to show the disposition of the parts of the
drum T, and also the plan of one of the fans. A, A¹, is the frame; B', toothed
wheels (shewn by red circles in Fig. 3), fixed upon the axes of the drums;
C, C, (shewn also by red lines,) intermediate wheels, driving the fans D; I, I,
chain wheels, conducting the endless chains H, H', which move in the grooves
in the piece J, as shewn in Figure 5.
The drums are composed of an axis upon which are fixed the two end plates
P, P', in which are fixed the combs or heckles a, Figures 4 and 5. These end
pieces have grooves in which laths o slide that take the tow off the combs or
heckles. These laths (shewn in red lines in Figure 5) have an eccentric"
movement, which is communicated by the pieces d, d', which have a circular
groove into which the ends of the laths enter. The pieces d and d¹ turn upon
pieces f, f', which are fixed to the frame, and the centre of which is renioved
horizontally the length of a comb or heckle from the centre of the 'drum. The
drums in revolving with the laths draw round the pieces d, d', which, by their
eccentricity, oblige the laths to approach the centre on that side where the
combing or heckling is effected,' and to slide out from the centre on the side of
the fans which drive the tow into the interior of the machine.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section of one of the drums, with the centre
of the end piece P¹ removed, in order to shew, first, the piece f', which forms
the axis upon which the piece d' turns, and also the different position of the
laths; second, the section of one of the fans, the upper part of which, it will
be seen, is covered with sheet iron, leaving no aperture but at the lower part;
third, the plan of the chain wheel I', as also an edge view of the same;
fourth, the piece J, with two portions of the chains, the first in the groove in
J, and the second in its return course.

page_text: Figures 6 and 7 are plans and elevations of the two kinds of link composing
the chains H, H.
Figure 8 is a plan and elevation of a holder. The flax is placed between
the two bars r; r¹, which are tightened at the centre by means of a screw.
The two bars r, r¹, having hinges n, n', the holder can be opened by removing
the screw in the centre.
Figures 9 to 13 represent the improvements in the construction of spiral
drawing, roving, or other machines worked upon the spiral principle.
Figures 9 and 10 show a tow drawing frame to which the improvements are
applied; Figure 9 being a side section, and Figure 10 a back elevation. No. 1
shews the pressing roller; No. 2, the drawing roller; No. 3 and No. 4, the
back or holding rollers; the screws drawn upon this plan represent the
improvement introduced upon this principle. The improvement consists
in altering the form of the common spiral faller or gill bar ends (shewn in
Figure 14), and making them like Figure 11. The distance also through
which the fallers have to be lowered from one screw to the other is reduced,
the upper screws bearing their cams i, i, on the front end, and the two
under screws bearing their cams h, h, upon the fore or front part, and their
cams e, e, upon the back part or end. The fallers are made to travel between
the screws, as shewn by a, a, b, b, Figure 9, that is to say, the fallers a, a, are
made to travel on the low side of the uppermost screw c, c, Figure 9, and the
fallers b, b, for the under part of the travel are carried along the top side of the
lower screw, d. d, Figure 9. This lessens the distance the fallers have to pass
through, as in the old system they have to pass from centre to centre of the
screws. The cams being so placed as e, e, on the fore part of the lower screws
d, d, Figure 9, and working simultaneously with the cams of the upper screw
c, c, Figure 9, stops the rapid fall or drop of the faller, and prevents the
rebounding of the faller, improving the transition from the upper to the lower
screw, and preventing breakages and stoppage of the machine. These screws
are driven by bevil pinions y, y, from the back shaft a, Figure 10, and spur
and bevil t, v, wheels on the end of the screws, with an intermediate spur Z, Z,
wheel between the spur t, t, wheels on the end of the screws.
Figures 15 to 22 represent the improvements in spinning and twisting.
A, A, spindle and fly; B, bobbin, resting on the flange of the regulating tube
C, on which flange are two pins which fit into corresponding holes in the
bobbin, causing both to revolve together; D, tape attached to the spiral
springs E, through a hole in the traverse G. This tape presses against the
periphery of the tube C; F, milled thumb screw, by means of which the
tension of each tape is regulated; G, regulating traverse bar, extending the

page_text: entire length of the bobbin lifter, to which the spiral springs, &c., are attached;
H, ratchet wheel, which works on the end of traverse bar; I, weight, by
means of which the ratchet wheel is drawn round; J, J, pauls, which are dis-
engaged alternately as the bobbin lifter goes up and down, thereby preventing
the ratchet wheel turning more than half a tooth at a time; K, drag weight,
at the opposite end of the traverse bar.
of
It will be obvious that, by turning the thumb screw, it alters the pressure
the tape against the periphery of the tube, and thereby regulates the tension of
each thread. Now, suppose the empty bobbins on the frame ready for
starting; the traverse bar is then drawn up to the position represented by
the dotted lines in Figure 20 by turning the ratchet wheel; the tapes will
then press with maximum force against the periphery of the tubes, giving to the
light empty bobbins the necessary tension. Now, if the tapes were to continue
to press with the same force, it will be obvious that as the bobbins increased
in diameter and weight, the tension would be increased correspondingly, and
ultimately become greater than the yarn would bear, hence breakages. To
counteract this, one of the pauls is disengaged at each alternate rise and fall
of the bobbin lifted, allowing the ratchet wheel to turn half a tooth. As the
wheel turns round, the drag weight K draws the traverse bar along, and
thereby gradually relaxeses the pressure of the tapes on the tubes. In this
way the irregularity due to the varying diameters and weight of the bobbins is
compensated, and an uniform tension maintained throughout.
Figure 21 is an elevation of an improved fly, and Figure 22 a section of
the same, with the bobbin and spindle ; A, A, two cylindrical rods, screwed
or rivetted into the circular discs or plates B, B, and made long enough to
allow the bobbin to traverse within C, C, the eyes of the flyers, fitted into the
side of the rods in the ordinary way; D, D, driving wharves; E, E, collars or
bearings, at each end of the fly; F, bobbin fitted on to G, a notch in the
spindle, causing both to revolve together; H, spindle working in a step, in the
traverse rail or lifter.
Another improvement consists in the adaptation of a machine to clear off
the scale and polish the rings of large dimensions and large flat surfaces, used
in carding, spinning, and other machinery, and which at present is effected by
turning in the usual way. My improved plan consists in the application of
grindstones or glaizers (mounted in a slide rest and running at a great speed)
to surfaces attached to the face plate of a lathe and revolving slowly.
My improvement in machinery for lubricating machinery consists in pro-
longing the fixed bearings in which vertical shafts or spindles revolve below
the part of the machine to which they are attached, and surrounding the

page_text: prolonged part by an oil cup attached to and revolving with the spindle, as
shewn (partly in section) in Figure 23, in which a is the spindle; b, the fixed
bearing, passing through a hole in the rail c'; and d, the revolving oil cup or
reservoir attached to the spin lle; e is a set screw to retain the fixed bearing at
the desired height::
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I claim in respect thereof,-
Firstly, the mode herein-before described of covering the periphery of rollers
for preparing flax, hemp, and similar fibrous substances with leather, gutta
percha, india-rubber, or other suitable substance.
Secondly, the general arrangement of the heckling machine herein-before
described, and also the manner in which the strick is conveyed over the
cylinders by the chain 'so as to suit the curve between the cylinders.
Thirdly, the application of the above-mentioned machine to the scutching
and stricking up of flax previously) to its being heckled; bars or beaters of
wood, steel; or other suitable material being substituted for the heckles with
brushes intermixed," as herein-before described.
Fourthly, in the spiral drawing; roving, and spinning machines herein-before
described, I claim the improved form of the fallers or gill bar, which enables
the said bars to be worked through the screws; also, the causing the upper and
lower screw to 'revolve the same way, by the application of an intermediate
motion; also, the form, number, and mode of applying the cams; also, the
causing the gill bars to travel along the under side of the top screw and the
upper side of the lower screw; and also, the application of a drawing frame
upon this principle, in connection with the carding engine, and driven by the
carding engine.
Fifthly, the improved "drag," herein before described, for spinning and
twisting. machines.
Sixthly, the improved flyer for spinning, twisting, and roving, herein-before
described.
Seventhly, the application of 'circular glaizers or grindstones to the polishing
or removing the scale 'from metal surfaces of carding, preparing and other
machinery, in the manner herein-before described.
Lastly, the mode of lubricating the bearings of upright shafts and spindles
herein before described.
C
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wilks Lord, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
THOMAS WILKS (L.S.) LORD.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Thomas Wilks Lord came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Thomas Wilks Lord came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
Enrolled the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.