IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING FLAX, Tow, WOOL HAIR AND OTHER VEGETABLE OR ANIMAL WIRRES"
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Garth Marshall, of Leeds, in the County of
York, Flax Spinner, and Peter Fairbairn, of the same place, Machinist,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING FLAX, Tow,
WOOL HAIR AND OTHER VEGETABLE OR ANIMAL WIRRES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Garth Marshall
and Peter Fairbairn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 16th March 1854.
We, JAMES GARTH MARSHALL, of Leeds, in the County of York, Flax
Spinner, and PETER FAIRBAIRN, of the same place, Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING
FLAX, Tow, WOOL, HAIR, AND OTHER VEGETABLE OR ANIMAL FIBRES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to various improvements upon a machine known as
"Heilmann's combing machine," and has for its object the simplification of
the parts, thereby rendering the machine less costly to manufacture, and more
uniform and certain in its operation upon the fibrous material. In consequence
of the improved arrangement and construction of and mode of operating
certain of the working parts, the machine may be driven with less power than
is usually required and at a higher speed, consequently the product will be
greater than can be conveniently obtained with the old machine.

page_text: The first improvement relates to the means of bringing the drawing-off
rollers into action for the purpose of taking up the material from the combs;
second, to the means of driving the drawing-off rollers when brought into
action; and, third, to the employment of a pair of calendering or condensing
In Heilmann's machine,
rollers in addition to the ordinary delivering rollers.
as heretofore constructed, the drawing-off rollers were brought up to their
work by a cam, in conjunction with strong springs and levers heavily weighted.
This arrangement caused the drawing-off rollers to be brought with a
sudden blow against the comb cylinders, and kept them forcibly in contact
therewith, in order that by friction of contact with the comb cylinders they
might be made to rotate and draw the fibres forward. When several combing
heads were combined in one machine, the blow given by the several pairs of
drawing-off rollers striking the comb cylinders simultaneously was very great,
and required considerable power, and also a heavy fly wheel, to. keep the motion
of the machine in any degree, uniform. By our improvements the strong
springs and heavy weights are dispensed with, and the several pairs of levers
or arms on which the drawing-off rollers are mounted are actuated by cam
fixed on one common shaft, but so arranged that the several pairs of drawing-off
rollers may be brought into action in succession instead of simultaneously; by
this means the shock or jar heretofore occasioned by the blow of the drawing-off
rollers striking the comb cylinders is prevented, it being unnecessary, as by our
second improvement we propose to drive the drawing-off rollers by direct
.action; instead of by friction of contact, as heretofore.. In Heilmann's machine,
as heretofore constructed, it was absolutely necessary, to press the drawing-off
rollers with great force by means of heavy weights or other contrivances against
the comb cylinders, so that they might be driven by friction of contact.
Our second improvement. consists in communicating to one or both of the
drawing-off rollers a positive intermittent motion by means of wheels, which
are driven either by a chain or other gearing that receives motion from the
comb cylinder shaft or any other convenient part of the machine. The
advantage of this arrangement is, that the drawing-off rollers may be brought
into contact with the comb cylinders without any shock or jar, and the amount
of rotation of the drawing-off rollers is made certain by the direct gearing
instead of being dependent upon friction of contact, which may vary from
time' to time.
The third improvement relates to the employment of a pair of calendering
or condensing rollers, in addition to and between the ordinary drawing-off
rollers and delivering rollers. The material from the comb cylinders is passed
between these calendering or condensing rollers for the purpose of solidifying

page_text: IONICIS
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions: of the Letters. Patent, filed
by the said James Garth Marshall and Peter Fairbairn in the; Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th September 1854.... +
F
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, *we, JAMES
GARTH MARSHALL, of Leeds, in the County of York, Flax Spinner, and
PETER FAIRBAIRN, of the same place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said James Garth Marshall and Peter Fairbairn, Her special license that we,
the said James Garth Marshall and Peter Fairbairn, our executors, adminis
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Garth Marshall' and
Peter Fairbairn, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY FOR COMBING FLAX, Tow, WOOL, HAIR, AND OTHER VEGETABLE OR ANIMAL
FIBRES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James - Garth
Marshall and Peter Fairbairn, by an instrument in writing under .our hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 Peter Fairbairn, (on behalf of myself
and of the said James Garth Marshall,) do. hereby. declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
'marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The main objects of this Invention are, first, to impart to the drawing-off
rollers of combing machines constructed on Heilmann's principle an intermittent
rotary motion by means of gearing instead of by friction of contact, as here-

page_text: tofore; and, secondly, to apply thereto a means of condensing the combed fibres
into a firm sliver or ribbon. By the addition to Heilmann's machine of these
improvements we propose to increase its working capacity, and materially to
add to its durability.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section,
and Fig. 2, a sectional plan view, of so much of a Heilmann's combing machine
as will serve to shew one mode of applying an intermittent rotary motion to
the drawing-off rollers. A is the comb roller, mounted on an axle B, which
turns in fixed bearings in the main fṛaming. This roller is provided with two
sets of combs a, a, and also with two segment plates b, *, covered with
leather, which 'segment plates have heretofore been employed to drive by
friction of contact the drawing-off rollers c, c, which take up the fibrous
material in small portions near the feeding head, and (after submitting it to
the, action of the comb roller) pass it forward in the form of a continuous
sliver to the ordinary trumpet mouth, whence it is passed out of the machine
by means of delivering rollers. In the present arrangement the plates b, b*,
are used merely for conducting the material to be operated upon from the
.feeding head (not shewn in the Drawing) to the bite of the drawing-off
rollers c, c. These rollers c, c, are mounted in a rocking frame C, which
has for its fulcrum the fixed axle D, on which it is loosely mounted. An
antifriction roller d is carried by the frame C for the purpose of working in
the groove of a face cam E, keyed fast to an axle F, and thereby obtaining the
rocking motion of the frame C. The axles D and F have their bearings in
the main framing. The cam E makes two revolutions for every revolution of
the comb roller, and from its shaft rotary motion is communicated through
suitable gearing to the comb roller. To the axle B of the comb roller a cog
wheel e is keyed for the purpose of driving a cog wheel f affixed to a circular
plate G, which is carried by the fixed axle D. g is a star wheel carried by
the rocking frame C, and intended to receive an intermittent axial motion, and
impart it to a train of gearing, which is also carried by the rocking frame, and
is employed to drive the drawing-off rollers. The circular plate G is provided
on one face with a flange, composed of two concentric portions and two
recesses, which are respectively opposite to each other. Facing the recesses
are two pins h, the distance between which is somewhat greater than the
diameter of the concentric portions of the flange. The star wheel g is pro-
vided with four radial slots, into which the pins h take in turn as they are
brought round into contact with the star wheel, and by that means the star
wheel is driven round a quarter of a revolution at a time. The concentric
portions of the flange of the plate G act as a check to the further rotation of

page_text: the star wheel, and keep it quiescent until it is required to repeat its rotary
movement, at which time a recess will be presented to the wheel. On the boss
of the star wheel a chain wheel g is fixed for the purpose of carrying an
endless chain i, which passes round a second chain wheel 2*, carried by a stud
pin affixed to the rocking frame, and communicates the intermittent axial
motion of the star wheel thereto. This chain wheel, is fixed to the boss of
a cog wheel k, which gears into a cog wheel 1, also carried by a stud pin affixed
to the rocking frame C. A pinion keyed on the axle of the roller c gears
into this wheel 1, and thus rotary motion is communicated to the roller c*, from
which it is transmitted through a pair of pinions m to the roller c. An endless
band of leather n passes over the roller c and over a tension roller o, and
The rotary motion of the comb
forms in effect a covering for the roller c.
roller A (it will be understood) is continuous, and the two sets of combs a, a*,
as they pass under the fibres which hang from the feeding head will comb out
the ends thereof, ready to be received between the bite of the drawing-off
rollers; a segment plate 6 following the set of combs a, which has just acted
upon the fibres pendent from the feeding head, will now come up and conduct
the combed ends of the fibres into the bite of the drawing-off rollers. As the
segment plate carries forward the fibres rotary motion is communicated to
the drawing-off rollers by reason of one of the pins h taking into the star
wheel 9, and so setting the train of wheels above referred to in motion. The
rollers c, c, will thereby be caused to take hold of the combed end of the
fibrous material presented to them, and passed forward until their rotation is
stopped. The cam E will now (by reason of its continuous rotation in the
direction of the arrow, Fig. 1,) rock the frame C, and draw down the drawing-
off rollers to the dotted position. By this means a certain portion of fibrous
material will be drawn away from the feeding head, and this being effected, the
return vibration of the rocking frame will immediately take place, whereby
that end of the fibrous material which had not yet been acted upon by the
comb roller will come into contact with the second set of combs a*, by which
it will be combed out. Another pin h will next present itself to the star wheel,
and acting upon that wheel as before explained, the drawing-off rollers c, c*,
will be again rotated, whereby a further portion of the fibrous material will be
passed forward towards the trumpet mouth p.
A repetition of the above-described movements will now take place (that is
to say), the advancing plate 6* will carry the fibrous material which is pendent
from the feeding head into the bite of the rollers c, c*, (such pendent material
having been combed by the set of combs a prior to their meeting with the
fibres held in the bite of the drawing-off rollers), and rotary motion being com-

page_text: municated to these rollers, they will take up a fresh feed of fibrous material,
which (by reason of the last feed not having left the bite of the rollers)-will be
lapped on to or combined with the straightened fibres of the last feed, and
thereby. a continuous sliver will be produced; the drawing-off rollers will now
'descend to their dotted position, and on their return vibration they will meet
the combs a, which have just passed through a fresh supply of fibrous mate
rial
I pendent from the filling head, and prepared it for being taken up by the
drawing-off rollers. The plate 6 now again coming round will carry the
straightened fibres up to the drawing-off rollers, which, being rotated as before,
will seize the fibrous material, and pass forward that which has been combed.
A continuous sliver is thus passed to the trumpet mouth p, whence it is
delivered out of the machine by the rollers q, q.
In Sheets II. and III. of the Drawings, Fig. 3 shews in longitudinal ver-
tical section, and Fig. 4 in sectional plan, a modification of the above-described
arrangement, whereby a positive intermittent rotary motion is given to the
drawing-off rollers and also to the delivery rollers. In this arrangement A. is
the comb roller, mounted on the axle B, and carrying the combs a, a, and
segment plates 6, 6. The drawing-off roller's shewn at c, c, are mounted in a
rocking frame C, which rocks on a fulcrum D, formed by the axle of the lower
delivery roller. The other extremity of this rocking frame is jointed by a con-
necting bar C¹ to a rocking lever C³, which has its fulcrum at D', and carries
the bowled that works in the groove of a face cam E, keyed to the axle F,
from the rotation of which cam the rocking motion of the frame C is derived.
On the axle of the comb roller is the cog wheel e, which gears into a wheel f
affixed to a circular plate G, which (as in the former arrangement) drives the
star wheel g; the plate G is mounted on a stud attached to the main framing,
and the star wheel is also carried by a stud on the main framing. An inter-
mittent axial motion is communicated to this star wheel by means of two
pins h on the face of the circular plate G, taking alternately into one of the
radial slots of the star wheel, as before described; while that plate is rotating.
This axial motion of the star wheel is transmitted by a cog wheel 9" (affixed
to its boss) through an intermediate wheel h¹ (also carried by the main
framing) to a wheel h²; keyed to the axle D of the lower delivery roller 9. On
this axle a chain wheel is keyed fast, and over this wheel passes an endless
chain i, which passes also over a chain wheel 7, keyed to the boss of the lower
drawing-off roller c; the two drawing-off rollers are geared together, and
caused to move simultaneously, and an endless band of leather n for conducting
the combed fibres .to the delivery rollers passes over the roller c* and over a
tension roller o.

page_text: From the above description it will be understood that when by the rotation
of the circular plate G (which derives its motion from the axle of the comb
roller) an intermittent axial motion is imparted to the star wheel, that motion
will be communicated through the axle D of the lower delivery roller to the
drawing-off rollers, and thus the axial motion of the drawing-off and delivery
rollers will necessarily be simultaneous.
The last part of our Invention, which relates to the condensing of the
combed fibres prior to their discharge from the machine, is shewn in Sheet IV.
of the Drawings; Fig. 5 being a vertical section, and Fig. 6, a plan view, of
so much of the machine as will serve to explain this part of the Invention.
a, a, are the calendering rollers which receive the combed fibres from the end-
less band. In advance of these rollers guides b, b, are fixed, for dividing the
fibres into two slivers, and in the rear of the rollers a, a, a sliver plate c, c, is
provided for lapping the slivers one over the other; they then pass under the
action of the condensing rollers d, d, by which they are condensed into one
firm sliver or ribbon, and delivered out of the machine.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for
Combing Flax, Tow, Wool, Hair, and other Vegetable or Animal Fibres,"
we wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
we claim,―
First, communicating an intermittent rotary motion to the drawing-off
rollers of combing machines, constructed on Heilmann's principle, by means of
a train of gearing carried by the rocking frame in which the drawing-off rollers
are mounted.
And particularly we claim the arrangements of machinery as
described with reference to Sheets I., II., and III. of the Drawings for pro-
ducing the above-named result.
Secondly, we claim the application to combing machines, constructed or
working on Heilmann's principle of apparatus, for condensing the combed
fibres into firm slivers, as above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Fairbairn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of September, in the
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
year
of our
Witness,
JOHN BATLEY, of Leeds.
.
PETER FAIRBAIRN. (L.S.)