IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Freemantle, of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Cotton Spinner, and John Dugdill, of Moston, in the same County, Card
Room Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES."
Sealed the 9th August 1878, and dated the 30th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Freemantle and John
Dugdi at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March
1878.
GEORGE FREEMANTLE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
and JOHN DUGDILL, of Moston, in the same County, Card Room Manager. “IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES."
Our Invention consists in combing both ends of the fibres by means of cylinder
combs, whereby the whole length of the fibres is equally combed, instead of combing
one end with a cylinder comb and the other by drawing the fibres through a fixed
top comb.
"In carrying out our Invention we make use of an arrangement of hinged jaws,
acted upon by springs and catches fixed on arms working on a shaft; these jaws
close upon a cushion plate, and draw the fibres from a previously prepared lap; they
then present the fibres to a cylinder comb, which combs the front end of the fibres
and delivers the combed ends to other similar jaws, which seize upon the combed
ends and present the hitherto uncombed ends to a second cylinder comb, by which
they are combed. After this the combed fibres are delivered to two pairs of rollers,
so arranged as to form the fibres as they receive them successively into a sliver.
We make the cushion plate of brass, iron, or other metal, and cover the front
portion, on which the movable jaw closes, with leather, cloth, or other material;
this external covering is formed like a tube or glove finger; it is stretched on a
metal plate, and placed between two other metal plates. When these are screwed

page_text: together and tightened, the leather or other cover is firmly stretched over the front
of the cushion plate.
The cushion plate is secured in the fixed jaw by set screws passing through slots,
and a packing of india-rubber is placed between the back of the cushion plate and
the jaw to allow the plate to yield.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Freemantle and John Dugdill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th September 1878.
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IM-
GEORGE FREEMANTLE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
and JOHN DUGDILL, of Moston, in the same County, Card Room Manager.
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES."
Our Invention consists in an improved combination of machinery for combing
both ends of the tufts of fibres as they pass through the combing machine by means
of cylinder combs, whereby both ends of the tufts are equally combed.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of our improved combing machine, the framing of which is
omitted in order that the construction of the parts may be better shown; Fig. 2 is
a plan of the same.
a, a, are corrugated feed rollers, and b, c, are two axles to which the cross arms b¹
and care keyed; at the ends of the cross arms are connected the cushion plates b³
and c, and to them are hinged the movable jaws d and e, which close upon the
cushion plates, and are opened when required, as will be described hereafter. Under
the axles b and c are the comb cylinders fand g, which are made in the ordinary
manner.
The combed fibres are delivered to the two pairs of rollers h, h, and i, i, which arc
so arranged as to form the tufts of fibres into a fleece as usual.
The movable jaws d are hinged to the cross arms b, and to each movable jaw is
fixed a projection d, which is held by the catch d² when the jaw is closed; the
catches are hinged to the arms d, and their shorter ends are acted upon by the
springs the springs are to open the jaws d, when the tuft of fibres is released,
as will be described hereafter.
The cushion plates 6 are made of brass, iron, or other metal, and the front portion,
on which the jaw d closes, is covered with leather, cloth, or other suitable material,
in the form of a tube. The jaw is secured between two metal plates, one of which,
marked b³, is connected by set screws passing through slots in the plate b', which is
cast or fixed to the end of the cross arins b'; between the ends of the plate 63 and
the rib on the plate b* is the spring 65, which allows the cushion plate to yield. The

page_text: jaws e and e on the second shaft c are made in the same manner as those on
shaft b.
The opening and closing of the movable jaws is effected in the following
manner-To the side shafts are fixed four pairs of levers and ²; the levers
are for striking against the outer ends of the catches and e² to unlatch the jaws &
and e, which are then opened by the springs d' and e, and the levers close the
jaws d by striking against their under side.
The side shafts are moved about one-fourth round at the required times by
means of the cam m¹ on the driving shaft m; this cam acts on the lever m²,
which is connected by the adjustable link m³ to the lever fixed to the side shaft.
After the shafts have performed their operations they are drawn back again by a
spring acting on the lever . To the driving shaft m is fixed the pinion m¹,
gearing into the pinion n, to which is cast or fixed the disc ', in which is a pin n
taking into the intermittent wheels o and p. To the intermittent wheel o is fixed
the pinion o', gearing into the wheels b and c, fixed to the axles b and c. The
intermittent wheel p is fixed to the pinion p₁, which by means of two intermediate
pinions gives motion to the wheel on the bottom feed roller a.
Between the feed rollers and the first pair of nippers 62, d, is the guide wire q,
which is moved in the are of a circle to hold up the tuft of fibres by a pin on the
wheels acting on the wire q', as shewn in Fig. 2, and which falls out of the way as
soon as the tuft has been caught by the nippers.
The bottom roller of the front pair of delivering rollers is lowered to allow the
tuft of fibres to pass in the following manner: To the side shaft is fixed the
lever, which is connected by the link to the double lever, the shorter arm of
which is connected by the link to the elbow levers h', in which the bottom roller /
revolves.
The delivery rollers are driven from the shaft m by an intermittent wheel and
carrier pinions, as shewn in Fig. 1.
The mode of operation is as follows: As soon as the end of the prepared lap has
been caught in the nippers b², d, the axle b is turned one-fourth round in the direc-
tion of the arrow to tear off the tuft of fibres from the end of the lap; this tuft is
now combed by the comb cylinder f, and at the same time the wire q is brought
upwards to raise the end of the lap into position for being caught at the next
operation. After the next move of the axle the tuft that had been combed by the
comb cylinder f is caught hold of by the nippers c², e; the nippers b, d, are now
opened to release the tuft, the uncombed end of which is then presented to the
comb cylinder g, and from this point the tuft, being now combed at both ends, is
carried forward to the delivery rollers h, the lower one of which is raised by the
machinery above described to catch hold of the fibres, and present them to the
rollers i. By this means the tufts of combed fibres are formed into a fleece, and
the short fibres and impurities are collected in suitable receptacles under the comb
cylinders f, g.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we make no claim to
combing both ends of the tufts of fibres in combing machines with rotary nippers,
as attempts have been made to accomplish the same object, but what we do
claim is,―
First. The general combination and arrangement of the parts, forming an improved
combing machine. with rotary nippers, as shewn and described.
Secondly. The machinery, shewn and described, for opening and closing the rotary
nippers.
Thirdly. The wire q or its equivalent, for raising and presenting the end of the
lap to the nippers, after which it falls into a position which permits the free action
of the nippers while detaching a tuft, as shewn and described.
Fourthly. The improved mode of constructing the cushion plates, and the mode of
connecting them to their foundation plates, as shewn and described.

page_text: And, lastly. Supporting the bottom roller of the first pair of delivery rollers in
movable bearings, so that it can be moved out of the way to admit the end of
the tuft, and again brought into position for nipping the tuft, as shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Freemantle and John Dugdill, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-seventh day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
GEO. FREEMANTLE. (L.S.)
JOHN DUGDILL.
(L.S.)