IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Holden, of the Firm of Isaac Holden and Sons,
Machine Wool Combers, of Bradford, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN COMBING WOOL AND OTHER
FIBRES."
Sealed the 29th August 1879, and dated the 3rd March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Holden at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd March 1879.
ISAAC HOLDEN, of the Firm of Isaac Holden and Sons, Machine Wool Combers,
of Bradford, in the County of York. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES."
"
The improvements relate to means for operating the keeping plate or plates used
for holding on to the surface of the fibre under operation whilst such fibre is being
acted upon by working combs.
Heretofore when using "square motion combs" as working combs the pressing
motion to such keeping plate has been effected by connection with the lifting
motion to such gill working combs, and I have found that considerable advantage
in working is obtained by an independent motion to the rising and falling bar,
which by rocking arms gives the desired pressure at the times desired to the
keeping plate. For this purpose the opposite ends of this rising and falling bar are
provided with connecting rods operated by cams applied to a shaft separate from
though geared with the main shaft of the apparatus.
Springs are provided capable of adjustment so as to afford facility for adjustable
elastic pressure exerted by the keeping plate.

page_text: By these means the time and duration of action of the keeping plate may be
readily varied to the time of action of the working combs.
The lifting of the keeping plate is effected by springs as heretofore.
As the parts are at present arranged, owing to the lower ends of the rocking
arms, connecting the rising and falling bar for operating the keeping plate forming
arcs the pressure exerted by the keeping plate is greater in the middle of its
respective traverses than at the beginning or end thereof, which is objectionable.
To remedy this objection I form the acting surfaces of the cams operating the
rising and falling bar with variations in extent of curvature to the extent desired
to insure the pressure exerted by the keeping plate being uniform during such
traverses.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Isaac Holden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd September
1879.
"
ISAAC HOLDEN, of the Firm of Isaac Holden and Sons, Machine Wool Combers,
of Bradford, in the County of York. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES."
The improvements relate to means for operating the keeping plate, or plate used
for holding on to the surface of the fibre under operation whilst such fibre is being
acted upon by working combs.
Heretofore when using square motion combs as working combs the pressing
motion to such keeping plate has been effected by connection with the lifting
motion to such gill working combs, and I have found that considerable advantage
in working is obtained by an independent motion to the rising and falling bar,
which by rocking arms gives the desired pressure at the time desired to the keeping
plate. For this purpose the opposite ends of this rising and falling bar are provided
with connecting rods operated by cams applied to a shaft separate from though
geared with the main shaft of the apparatus.
Springs are provided capable of adjustment so as to afford facility for adjustable
elastic pressure exerted by the keeping plate.
By these means the time and duration of action of the keeping plate may be
readily varied to the time of action of the working combs.
As the parts are at present arranged owing to the lower ends of the rocking arms
connecting the rising and falling bar for operating the keeping plate forming arcs,
the pressure exerted by the keeping plate is greater in the middle of its respective
traverses than at the beginning or end thereof, which is objectionable. To remedy
this objection I form the acting surfaces of the cams operating the rising and
falling bar with variations in extent of curvature to the extent desired to
insure the pressure exerted by the keeping plate being uniform during such
traverses.
But that the Invention may be the better understood I will, by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, proceed to describe means pursued by me in carrying the
come ints offent
Figures 1 and 2 show two opposite side views, and Figure 3 a back view of parts
of wool combing apparatus with adaptations thereof, according to my present
improvements; Figure 4 shows parts in detail. In each of the Figures the same
letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts; a, a, represents in outline
that portion of the framing for carrying the square motion gill combs, but as these
combs, and the means for operating them form no part of the present improvements,
I have not thought it desirable to introduce them into these Drawings; b represents
a portion of the revolving circle of holding combs, and 6' the teeth thereof; c is the
keeping plate or plate for holding on to the surface of the fibre under operation
whilst such fibre is being held in the teeth of the holding combs b¹, and whilst its
projecting edge or fringe is being operated upon by the teeth of the gill working
combs. The plate c is, as usual, formed with sockets c¹ to receive each, the ball
formed at one end of the respective connecting rods d, d, the opposite ends of
which are formed with similar balls to be received into corresponding sockets e¹, e¹,
applied to the bar e; and this bar e is formed at its ends e² to move in the openings
formed for them in the upper end of the frame a, and these ends e² are also formed
with sockets e³ to receive the upper ends of connecting rods e, e, the lower ends of
which are connected by pin joints with arms e³, e, from the rocking shaft e6, and

page_text: this shaft is supported to rock in bearings carried by the frame a. The shaft e
is also provided with another arm e' carrying a pair of bowls es, es, embracing the
cam shaped rim f1 of the cam wheel, by which the requisite up and down motion
is given to the bar c, and thence to the keeping plate c. It will be observed that
although the opposite sides of this rim f' appear to be simply segmental, struck
from the centre of the axis f³, such is not the fact, as the centre of each segment is
slightly out of the centre of such axis or centre of the wheel; thus the shortest
radii of this rim is at the centres of these segments, and the length of those radii
progressively increases to about the points f, f, and the object of these variations
is that the amount of nip or pressure exerted by the nipping plate c during its
intermittent traverses with the circle of holding combs may remain as equal as
possible, notwithstanding the segmental motions of the connecting rods d.
The parts of the cam course f¹ are for effecting the lifting of the keeping
plate c.
The cam wheelf is affixed to the shaft or axis f³, which is supported to revolve
in suitable bearings carried by the main framing a, and this shaft 3 is driven from
the main axle g by means of the tooth wheel g₁ affixed on that shaft, by the teeth
of such wheel g¹ taking into the teeth of the wheel h. This wheel h is supported
to revolve on a fixed stud h¹, and on it is also formed or affixed the tooth wheel h²,
the teeth of which take into the teeth of the intermediate wheel h³ to drive the
wheel affixed on the shaft or axis fs. These tooth wheels are indicated by
dotted lines. By these means, with the form of cam course f' indicated, one action
of the keeping plate c is effected to two strokes of the working gill or square
motion combs, but the relation of these movements to each other may be varied by
varying the form of cam course adopted, and the relative speed of shaft carrying
such cam. Facility is also given to enable the pressing plate to be pushed down
before the working comb effects its stroke, as well as for retaining that plate
uniformly pressing on the fibre carried by the holding combs until after the
completion of the stroke of the working combs.
The upper ends of the connecting rods e carry springs e with set nuts e¹0, e¹º, by
which the extent of the elastic bearing on the bar e, and thence to the keeping
plate c, is adjustable; i, i, are springs between the fixed bar a¹ and the keeping
plate c, to aid as usual in holding the keeping plate o up to the ends of the rods d;
and is a spring acting through the crank lever and connecting rod, to bring
back the keeping plate after each partial traverse of it with the holding combs; c
is an arm projecting upwards from the keeping plate c, and passing through the
slotted opening to aid in preserving the vertical position of the keeping plate c;
and, are stops to limit the extent of motion of the arm c², and consequently of
the keeping plate c.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details shown and described, as the same may be varied without departing
from the peculiar character of my Invention, but what I do claim is, the arranging
or combining parts of apparatus employed in combing wool and other fibres,
whereby facility is afforded for effecting variations in the operations of the keeping
plate on the fibre, substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Holden, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.