Improvements in Hackling Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hackling Machines.
I, GEORGE LOWRY of Tiffin, Ohio, U.S.A., Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the improved hackling machines there are as heretofore, two endless hackling
sheets armed with hackle pins which strike from opposite sides into the stricks of
fibre submitted to their action; such stricks being clamped in holders which are
gradually lowered between the hackling sheets; the fibres being thus combed out
first at their lower ends and progressively upwards towards the cheeks of the
holder.
Each hackle sheet passes around an upper and a lower roller; there is a driving.
pulley upon one of the lower rollers and at the other end of the machine these
rollers are geared together with a pair of equal toothed wheels. The hackle
sheets consist of leather belts at convenient distances apart carrying the hackle bar
with hackle stocks and pins connected across the belts. The arrangement of these
bars and the parts in connection with them is an important feature of my invention.
Each bar consists of two main parts, a metal frame of trough sectional form and a
bar on which the hackle stock is mounted.
The hackle pins range along oue edge of the rail and this I shall call the upper
edge as it is so whilst the points penetrate amongst the fibre. The rail is moveable
within the frame as if hinged at its lower edge and as the bar passes over the top
roller the upper edge of the rail is thrown forward by centrifugal force and so the
pins are made to strike into the fibre.
The top of the trough-like frame is immediately above the upper edge of the
hackle bar and by means of slots and pins it limits the motion of the hackle bar.
The upper edge of the trough has a smooth edge which rubs against the fibre
immediately after the pins have passed through it and by this rubbing action the
fibre is softened and burrs or shives are removed.
Sometimes a tumbler is provided which falls behind the hackle bars to keep
these up to the flax when coming over the top roller and it falls away when leaving
the bottom roller of the carrying sheets.
The lower rollers carrying the hackle sheets have to be adjusted from time to
I do this in a
time to compensate for the stretching of the sheets whilst in use.
very simple manner at each end of the machine I arrange a bar and in this bar
two bearings for the necks or axes of the lower rollers. These bearings are
permanently fixed at the proper distance apart whilst the bar itself is moveable up
and down on the main frame and it is clamped in any position required to maintain
a suitable tension upon the leather bands of the hackle sheet.
At the front and back of the machine on the outer side of each hackle sheet
I provide a tow doffer consisting of a board extending along the machine from end
to end. The doffer board is pivotted at its ends to the framing and along its
lower edge it is armed with pins. The pivots are set above the pins so that a
rocking movement imparted to the doffer board causes the doffing pins alternately
to advance towards the hacking sheet and receive the tow and to retire carrying
off the tow upon them. The delivery of the tow to the doffing pins is much
facilitated by the edge of the trough like frame to which reference has before
been made for this operates to bring the tow to the points of the hackle pins.

page_text: The doffer board is contained in a casing which is V form in section but with a
slit at the bottom through which the lower edge of the doffer board projects.
This casing also is pivotted to the framing and the pivots are not concentric with
those of the doffer board; hence it happens that as the doffing pins recede from
the hackle sheet they retire within the casing dropping the tow on the outside
convenient for removal.
The tow catchers receive their movement from chains connecting them with the
holder carrier.
Another improvement which I have made consists in arranging on the top or
head of the machine the whole of the mechanism requisite to pass the flax holders
through the machine and to lift and to lower them at appropriate times. I drive
this mechanism off the lower roller of one of the hackle sheets by an endless cord,
an arrangement which admits of the speed of the upper mechanism being varied
simply by shifting the endless cord from groove to groove of the cone pulleys
around which it runs. The upper cone pulley is upon a shaft having a worm upon
it which engages with a worm wheel upon a transverse horizontal shaft upon the
head of the machine. On the last mentioned shaft there are two cranks one to
impart the vertical and the other the horizontal movement to the flax holders.
By these movements the fibre is as usual caused to be acted on successively by
the different sections of the hackling sheets. In such sections the hackle pins are
set progressively to finer and finer gauges.
The carrier which supports the flax holders whilst in the machine I make tubular
but with a longitudinal slit or opening at the lower part. The carrier receives the
flax holders within it but with the under side of the holder projecting through the
slit. From this part of the holder the fibre hangs in a downward direction. One
of the advantages presented by this tubular carrier is that when there is cleaned
fibre projecting from the holder on the upper side, this fibre is protected and is
not liable to be disarranged or soiled. The carrier rises and falls in guides in the
end framings of the machine, and, to provide for this movement, it is suspended
near its ends by two cords or chains; these both pass to a transverse drum on the
head of the machine and they are wound on and unwound from this drum. On
the same axis with the drum there is another drum which may be eccentric and a
chain wound upon this second drum is connected with one of the cranks already
mentioned. To the same crank a chain is also connected and a counterweight is
suspended by it. Mounted upon the outside of the carrier there is a sliding bar
carrying latches set at distances apart from end to end. The latch bar receives a
movement to and fro directly from the second crank on the crank shaft and with
this crank the latch bar is directly connected by a connecting rod.
The latches
engage with holes in or it may be projections upon the flax holders and impart to
them a forward movement along the carrier at the time when the carrier is raised
and the fibre is clear of the hackle sheets. The latches release themselves and
return whilst the carrier makes its vertical movements which brings the fibre
within range of the pins on the hackle sheets.
Dated this 27th day of June 1894
GEORGE LOWRY.
Improvements in Hackling Machines.
I, GEORGE LOWRY, of Tiffin, Ohio, U.S.A. Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
In the improved hackling machines there are as heretofore two endless hackling

page_text: sheets armed with hackle pins, which strike from opposite sides into the stricks of
fibre submitted to their action, such stricks being clamped in holders, which are
gradually lowered between the hackling sheets; the fibres being thus combed out
first at their lower ends and progressively upwards towards the cheeks of the
holder.
The improved machine is represented by the drawings annexed.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 are end elevations. Figure 3 is a front elevation with
parts removed and Figure 4 is a transverse section of a portion of the machine
drawn to a larger scale.
Each hackle sheet A passes around an upper roller B and a lower roller C.
D is a driving pulley actuating one of the lower rollers and the rollers are also
geared together with a pair of equal toothed wheels E. The hackle sheets consist
of leather belts A' at convenient distances apart carrying the hackle bar with
hackle stocks and pins connected across the belts. The arrangement of these bars
and the parts in connection with them is an important feature of my invention.
Each hackle bar consists of two main parts-a metal frame F of trough sectional
form and a rail G on which the hackle stock is mounted.
The hackle pius range along one edge of the rail and this I shall call the upper
edge as it is so whilst the points penetrate amongst the fibre. The rail G is
movable within the frame F as if hinged at its lower edge, and as the bar passes
over the top roller, the upper edge of the rail G is thrown forward by centrifugal
force and so the pins are made to strike into the fibre.
The top of the trough like frame F is immediately above the upper edge of the
rail G, and by means of slots and pins H it limits the motion of the rail G. The
upper edge of the trough has a smooth edge which rubs against the fibre immediately
after the pius have passed through it and by this rubbing action the fibre is
softened and burrs or shives are removed.
The lower rollers C carrying the hackle sheets have to be adjusted from time to
time to compensate for the stretching of the sheets whilst in use. I do this in a
very simple manner, at each end of the machine I arrange a bar I and in this bar
two bearings for the necks or axes of the lower rollers. These bearings are
permanently fixed at the proper distance apart whilst the bar itself is movable up
and down on the main frame, and it is clamped in any position required to maintain
a suitable tension upon the leather bands of the hackle sheet.
At the front and back of the machine on the outer side of each hackle sheet,
1 provide a tow doffer consisting of a board J extending along the machine from
end to end. The doffer board is pivotted at its ends to the framing at K and along
its lower edge it is armed with pins L. The pivots are so set that a rocking
movement imparted to the doffer board causes the doffing pins alternately to
advance towards the hackling sheet and receive the tow and to retire carrying off
the tow upon them. The delivery of the tow to the doffing pins L is much facilitated
by the edge of the trough like frame F to which reference has before been made,
for this operates to bring the tow above the points of the hackle pins.
The doffer board J is contained in a casing M which is V form in section, but
with a slot N at the bottom through which the lower edge of the doffer board
projects. This casing also is pivotted to the framing and the pivots O are not
concentric with those of the doffer board hence it happens that as the doffing pins L
recede from the hackle sheet they retire within the casing M dropping the tow on
the outside convenient for removal.
The tow catches receive their movement from chains P connecting them with the
holder carrier V.
It will be seen that the tow doffer acts upon the tow whilst laying loose upon the
upper edge of the trough or frame F and so the tow is not damaged or torn apart
or smaller; it is removed by the doffing pins and simply dropped into the box.
receiver.
Another improvement which I have made consists in arranging on the top or
head of the machine the whole of the mechanism requisite to pass the flax holders

page_text: through the machine, and to lift and to lower them at appropriate times. 1 drive
this mechanism off the lower roller of one of the hackle sheets by an endless cord Q,
an arrangement which admits of the speed of the upper mechanism being varied
simply by shifting the endless cord Q from groove to groove of the cone pulleys R
around which it runs. The upper cone pulley is upon a shaft having a worm S
upon it, which engages with a worm wheel T upon a transverse horizontal shaft
upon the head of the machine. On the last mentioned shaft there are two cranks U U
one to impart the vertical and the other the horizontal movement to the flax
holders.
By these movements the fibre is as usual caused to be acted on successively by
the different sections of the hackling sheets.
In such sections the hackle pins are set progressively to finer and finer gauges.
The carrier V which supports the flax holders I whilst in the machine, I make
tubular but with a longitudinal slit or opening at the lower part. The carrier V
receives the flax holders within it, but with the underside of the holder projecting
through the slit. From this part of the holder the fibre hangs in a downward
direction. One of the advantages presented by this tubular carrier is that when
there is cleaned fibre projecting from the holder on the upper side this fibre is
protected and is not liable to be disarranged or soiled.
The carrier Vrises and falls in guides W in the end framings of the machine and
to provide for this movement it is suspended near its ends by two cords or chains,
these both pass to transverse drums X on the head of the machine and they are
wound on and unwound from these drums. On the same axis with the drum X
there is another drum Y (which may be eccentric) and a chain wound upon this
second drum is connected with one of the cranks U already mentioned.
To the same crank a chain a is also connected and a counterweight is suspended
by it. Mounted upon the outside of the carrier V there is a sliding bar Z carrying
latches Z¹ set at distances apart from end to end.
The latch bar Z receives a movement to and fro directly from the second crank U,
on the crank shaft, and with this crank the latch bar Z is directly connected by a
connecting rod Z2. The latches engage with holes in, or it may be projectious upon
the flax holders, and impart to them a forward movement along the carrier V, at
the time when the carrier is raised, and the fibre is clear of the hackle sheets.
The latches release themselves and return whilst the carrier V, makes its
vertical movements which brings the fibre within range of the pins on the hackle
sheets.
The holders are inserted by hand at one end of the carrier, and are similarly
removed at the other end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The hackle bars each comprising a trough F and a rail G, carrying the hackle
stock and pins and so arranged that in passing around the upper roller the pins are
by centrifugal force thrown forward into a position to penetrate the fibre.
2. The hackle bars so constructed that the edge of the trough like frame F rubs
upon the fibre immediately behind the pins and so aids in dressing the fibre, and
also so constructed that the said edge during the upward travel of the bar lifts the
tow out of the hackle pins.
3. A hackle bar comprising parts F. G. and H arranged substantially as
described.
4. The means for adjusting the tension of the hackle sheets by mounting, the
lower rollers C. C. in bearings formed upon bars I I, which bars are moveable
upon the end frames of the machine and can be clamped fast to the said frames. in
any required position.
5. The tow doffer comprising the board J, to which a rocking motion is imparted
about pivots K K, and which is armed with pins L serving to take the tow from

page_text: the hackle bars on the ascending side of the hackle sheet, and also the casing M,
containing the board J and rocking about other pivots O. O; the whole so
arranged that the doffing pins L, are alternately protruded from and withdrawn
into the casing.
6. The tubular carrier V having a longitudinal slit or opening at the lower part,
and adapted to receive and guide the fibre holders whilst they are passed from end
to end of the machine and to protect from injury the fibre which projects above the
top of the holders.
7. The means for actuating the carrier V, and the latch bar Z, and for regulating
the speed of their movements relatively to those of the hackle sheets, such means
consisting in coupling them with a shaft upon the head of the machine, which
shaft is driven from the rollers Cat the lower part of the machine by the cone
pulleys R R, the endless band Q, the worm S, and the worm wheel T.
8. The apparatus upon the head of the machine consisting of the transverse
shaft with cranks U, U, thereon, one of which cranks by the aid of a chain and
counterweight imparts to and fro rotary motion to a drum, causing it to wind and
unwind cords by which the carrier V is suspended whilst the other crank by means
of a connecting rod gives motion to the latch bar Z.
Dated this 26th day of March 1895.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.