IMPROVEMENTS IN PIECING MACHINES, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1854

page_text: Sealed the 22nd May 1855, and dated the 16th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sykes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th December
1854.
I, JOHN SYKES, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Machine Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIECING
MACHINES, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
These piecing machines receive the cardings as they come from the carding
engine, and rub the ends together, so that they can be wound upon a bobbin.
My improvements consist, firstly, in the general arrangement of the machinery.
with a view to convenience and effect.
Secondly, in a mode of regulating the speed of the traversing motion of
the friction drum to accommodate it to the gradually increasing diameter
of the bobbin from the winding upon it of the carding so that one lap may
go by the side of the other, and this portion of my Invention is applicable to

page_text: other machinery in which the traversing motion requires to be regulated to
accommodate the increasing diameter of the bobbin.
Thirdly, in the introduction of an elastic receiver, whereby those cardings
which fall from the carding engine crooked can be stretched without elongating
those which come from the engine straight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Sykes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th June
1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SYKES, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth, year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Sykes, Her special licence that I, the said John Sykes, my
executors, administrators, and assigns,. or such others as I, the said John
Sykes, my 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 PIECING MACHINES,
A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Sykes, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 in compliance with the aforesaid proviso, I have
ascertained the nature of my said Invention, 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, that is to say:-
A, A, A, A, Figure 1, is a front elevation of the machine. A, A, A, A,
Ticure 9 book olovation as viewed from the front A AA A Ficus 2

page_text: a ground plan. A, A, A, Figures 4 and 5, are end elevations or cross
sections.
The shaft marked 2, Figure 3, derives its motion from the carding engine
and by the bevel wheels at a, Figures 1 and 3, gives motion to the shaft
marked 1 in the same Drawings and Figures, and by means of the.bevel
wheels at i, Figure 1, gives motion to the upright shaft K, Figure 1, and
consequently to the bevel wheel 13, Figures 3 and 5, which works with and
communicates motion to the bevel wheel 14, on the boss of which is the spur
wheel p, which carries the motion forward by the
spur wheels and r, the
spur wheel giving motion to the shaft z, o, Figure 4, on the end of which it
is fixed, and consequently to whatever is fixed on the same shaft; namely,
to the spur wheels z, and 62, and roller (13), Figures 4, 2, and 7, therefore, to
the strap w, w, running over it, as also to the pulley 10. Now, the spur
wheel 62, giving motion to the spur wheel 63, must also give motion to the
roller 12, and therefore to the strap passing round it, which strap gives motion
again to the roller 11, which two rollers, namely 11 and 12, together with the
strap enclosing the same, constitute what is called the rubber, which serves
to rub the ends of the cardings together. Figures 2 and 7, number 8,
represent the elastic receiver, so called, first, because it receives the cardings
as they fall from the carding engine; and second, because the moment the
carding falls thereon it is stretched out in the direction Z, Y, on the one
hand, and in the direction X, E, on the other, by which means it straightens
those cardings that are crooked without elongating those that are straight.
It may not be out of place here to say a few words on the structure or make
of the elastic receiver, which is a piece of elastic cloth stretched on a straight
and flat piece of iron, about three inches broad by one quarter of an inch
thick, on which it is made to slide freely; the face view of which, together
with some of its working parts as fitted up, will be seen in Figure 7, number 8.
K represents the elastic cloth or receiver, under which is the piece of iron
before alluded to, and on which it works both longitudinal and rotatory, which
means that it is not only stretched out in length, but revolves on an axis. At
the points a, n, and d, n, a rectangle is cut out of the middle, leaving the two
parts s, a, s, a, on which is a bended piece of metal (whose end view is as scen
in Figure 10,) which is made to slide freely, and which serves to screw the
elastic cloth and one part of the swivel to. The situation of that part of
the above bended piece of metal which lies on the face side is equal and
coincident with a, n, o, and d, n, o. On the top of this is brought the end of
the elastic cloth (part of which is seen at f, Figure 8,) on which is placed a

page_text: thin plate of iron, and screwed down to the slide (or bended piece of metal
before alluded to) by the three screws c, c, c. The elastic receiver is made to
pass round that side of the plate (on which it works) next to the conductor
(to prevent it catching the carding), and screwed on the back side at each end,
as seen at H, Figure 11, and between each end it is attached to the front by a
few strings passing over the upper edge at regular distances. Figure 9 is
a side view; and Figure 11, a back view of the same thing. The letter H,
in the Figures 8, 9, 11 and 13, refers to different parts of the same continued
piece of brass work upon which the receiver turns. G, G, G, G, in the
Figures 8, 9, 11 and 12, refer to that part which is connected and works
with the above-mentioned piece of brass work whose end view is seen at
Figure 13. Figure 12 represents a section right through the axis h, and the
two parts of the swivel marked G and H, where I, I, in Figure 13 is equal to
and works upon I, I, in Figure 12; also Q, Q, in Figure 13 is equal to Q, Q,
Figure 12, both being equal to the diameter of the axis on which these parts
work, the part marked G working only longitudinally, while the part marked H
works both longitudinally and rotatory. These two parts are fastened together
by the nut n, u, Figures 8 and 11, being screwed on to the part L, L,
Figure 12.
'I now come to shew how the elastic receiver is made to expand. The
tapet wheel d, d, d, the levers X, C, and Z 1, and rod j, b, together with the
friction pulley c, are the parts employed for this purpose, Figures 2 and 7.
The tapet wheel being brought by the motion of the shaft on which it works
to the points d, d, d, pushes the friction pulley from the position c, into the
position D, by which meaus the lever X, C, is brought into the position E. D;
at the same time the rod j, b, pushes the lever Z 1, into the position Y 1, when
the parts of the swivel n, n, and of course the slide, Figure 10, to which X, Z,
is attached, is made to slide upon the arms 60, 60, and 70, 70, extending the
clastic cloth equally both ways, right and left, the lever X, C, working on
the stud 14, and the lever Z1 on the stud 1, as centres. The position of
the elastic cloth when it receives the carding and during its expansion makes
a considerable angle with the horizon, Figure 6, number 1, but a greater
angle still when it is open, Figure 6, number 2, while the conductor makes a
right angle in the former case, and a less angle in the latter.
Note. The conductor O is a thin straight flat piece of iron, suspended on
a pivot c, at each end, upon which it turns, and serves to keep the carding to
its proper place during the expansion of the receiver, and to conduct it to the
endless strap.

page_text: I now come to shew how the conductor and receiver, when shut as at
number 1, Figure 6, is made to open, and let the carding fall on to the endless
strap, as seen at number 2, Figure 6. The tapet wheel g, n, the lever 4, 6, 4,
the chain e, c, o, and pulley w, n, also the friction pulley 4, and chain n, n, o,
are the parts used for this purpose, see Figures 5 and 6. The tapet wheel
g, n, revolving on the shaft marked 1, Figures 1, 3, and 5, in the direction
indicated by the arrow, when the point n arrives at the friction pulley 4,
pushes it into the position 5, and of course the lever 4, 6, 4, into the position
5, 6, 5, and by means of the chain e, e, o, going round the pulley w, n, to
the aforesaid lever, and the chain n, n, o, connected thereto at the point o,
the conductor is made to turn on its centre c, and the elastic receiver on its
centre.d, when they are brought into the position as indicated at number 2,
Figure 6.
Note. The tapet wheel mentioned above, and the one used in expanding
the receiver, both make a revolution each carding.
I return again to the shaft number 2, the first mover, which gives motion
to the conical drum 30, and by means of the strap M, gives motion to the
conical drum 9, Figure 3, and therefore to the spur wheel b, revolving on the
same shaft; which last again gives motion to the spur wheel c, Figures 1 and 3,
and therefore to the spur wheel f, being on the same shaft; this last giving
motion again to the spur wheel x, and of course to the bevel wheels o, o,
on the same shaft at 10, Figure 3. These two bevel wheels work with and
drive the bevel wheel S, on the shaft 11. They have only a certain number
of teeth each (not quite a semicircle), which are set opposite each other, and
so adapted to one another and the third wheel S (in which they alternately
work and drive), that when one has just run out and cleared, the other is
taking hold, by which means the bevel wheel S, the shaft 11, spur wheel 25,
and rack 28, as well as the friction drum U to which it is fixed, are all made
to move backwards and forwards, giving the drum a traversing motion, see
Figure 3, number 10, and Figure 4. To the boss of the wheel S is attached
the spring 56, which pressing on it keeps it steady at that point of time when
one of the wheels marked o, o, has run out, and the other just at the point of
taking effect.
In Figure 4 is represented one side of the slide sl, sl, on which the friction
drum in its traverse motion slides, with its projections 26, 27. The moveable
lever h, i, with the catch 23, and friction pulley 20 attached thereto; the
lever h, i, and wheel 21, having one common centre, on the end of the
shaft 12, Figure 3, but the lever working loose and in front of the wheel, so

page_text: that when the friction drum is moved on the slide as before noticed, and the
projections 26 and 27, come in contact with the friction pulley 20, raises the
lever and catch, by which motion is communicated to the shaft 12, Figure 3,
and consequently to the spiral cone 47, near the end of the same shaft, and
by means of the chain Ch, C h, gives motion to the spiral cone 48 (same
Figure still), and therefore to the pulley 3, working on the same shaft, and
henceforwards by means of the chain d, o, a, o, to the strap guider 16,
Figure 3, which moves the strap M on the conical drums, which will be so
regulated by the spiral cones as to accommodate the traverse motion of the
friction drum U, compatible with the, increasing size of the bobbin. At
the beginning of each bobbin, the strap M is brought to the thick end of
the conical drum 30 (and of course to the small end of the conical drum
marked 9) by the chain attached to the weight W, over the pulleys 20 and 15,
to the strap. guider 16,, Figures 1, 2, 3.
What the rubber is has been already explained, and is represented at
11, V, 12, Figure 3. I.now come to explain how its traverse motion in the
direction of its axis is effected. The pulley marked 15, and stud 31, sec
Figures 3 and 5, derives its motion from the carding engine; it revolves on
the axis 32, and is attached by the stud, 31, to the arm 33, to the end of which
at number 1, is attached. the lever 1, 3, 13, working on the centre 3, Figure 5,
by, which the top part of the lever r, s, is made to move from 13 r, to 13 s,
and being attached to the rubber as seen at 13, Figure 3, gives a traverse
motion in the direction of its axis, and thus rubs the ends of the cardings
together. Figure 14 represents, an end. view of the bobbin, and K, in
Figure 2, a side view, and in both cases n, o, n, o, represents the barrel on
which the carding is wound. The barrel, together with the cardings wound
thereon, rest on and are turned by the friction drum U, Figure 2, and as it
increases in diameter, the centre pin or axis o rises in the slit 4 a, 5 a,
Figure 2.
It should be observed that the friction drum U, and endless strap W, move
the length of a carding, minus two inches, in the time each carding falls from
the carding engine, and that the endless strap brings the cardings up to the
friction drum U, and bobbin K, Figure 2, resting thereon, and on which they
are wound. The pulleys marked 17 and 18, through which the cardings pass
on to the endless strap, serve to press the carding ends together (before passing
through the rubber), as well as to keep them in their proper place, and move
by means of the string e, e, e, e, e, and in the direction as indicated by the
arrows, and with the same speed as the endless strap which carries the

page_text: cardings to the friction drum, which moves on its surface with the same
velocity. These pulleys are connected to the yellow brass pulleys 98 and 99
by the shafts B, A; the motion of all which is derived by the before-mentioned
string e, e, e, e, e, e, carried by the shafts B, A, on the grooved boss at 64, see
Figures 3 and 4. Figure 15 is a side view of a section of the strap M, the
strap guider with the two forked parts 36, 37, and 38, and the conical drums,
right through the middle and perpendicular to their axes. 30 and 9 are sections
of the drums noticed above; M, M, M, M, the strap passing round 'them;
40, the centre of the pulley which gives the strap its proper tension, moveable
on the end of the lever 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45, which works on the
point o; as a centre, the weight 45 being made, to slide on 44, 45, according
as circumstances seem to demand.'
In Figures 16, 46, 49 and 50, is a side view of another lever working on
the centre 49, which being pressed down at the end (50), raises the other
end (46), and the end 44, of the above-mentioned lever, Figure 15, on which
is placed the weight 45, when the other end and pulley sinking slackens the
strap M, when it is brought back to the other end of the conical drums by
the weight W, attached to the string running on the pulley 20, Figure 1.
Figure 17 is a ground view of Figure 16, moveable upon the same centre 49.
The cross part 51, 52, at the end of the lever is in the direction of the axes
of the conical drums, and on which the end r of the lever (40, 41, 42, 43, 44,
and 45, Figure 15,) slides, while the strap is moving back into the position
which it had at the commencement of each bobbin. When it quits the end
it falls, and the pulley rises and gives the same tension to the strap as before.
At the time the end (50) of the lever 46, 49 and 50, is pressed down, the two
catches (19, 23, Figure 4), are made to open, and when the strap has got
back to shut again immediately.
I now state what I claim as my Invention:-
And, first, I claim as my Invention the general arrangement and combi-
nation of machinery as herein set forth.
Second, the peculiar mode of regulating the traversing notion of the friction
drum compatible with the increasing size of the bobbin, so that one lap may
be wound by the side of the other, as herein explained. And this portion
of my Invention is applicable to other machinery in which the traversing
motion requires to be regulated to accommodate it to the increasing size of
the bobbin.
Third, the introduction of an elastic receiver for the purpose and in the
manner as herein set forth; and not only so, but for any other elastic receiver,

page_text: that will straighten those cardings that are crooked without elongating those
that are straight.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sykes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witnesses,
T. H. BATTY, Solicitor,
Huddersfield.
W PRINCE, his Clerk.
JOHN SYKES. (L.S.)