Improved Machinery and Process for Felting Woollen Yarn.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1887
Complete Left, 8th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
Improved Machinery and Process for Felting Woollen Yarn.
I, THIEBAULT TSCHIERET, Engineer, residing at Neuilly (2 Boulevard des Sablons)
Department of the Seine, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of
my said Invention to be as follows:-
.
The object of this invention is to obviate the defects which exist in present
machinery and processes for the production of felted yarn, that is to say, yarn obtained
by felting, instead of by twisting.
The machinery consists of a certain number of felting devices, each of which
consists of a hollow cylinder (suitably heated by steam or otherwise) in combination
with rubbers, which latter are formed of a "muff" or endless band, mounted or
running on rollers, being tightened as desired by means of a third external roller.
In order to avoid the great wear and tear of the cloth which surrounds the felting
rollers, I substitute thin metal bands, fastened round the said rollers, and provided
with traced patterns, or the metal rollers themselves may be engraved. Or bands of
metallic cloth could also be employed, but not with the same advantage.
In order to avoid wear and tear and lateral displacement I provide one rubber, as
already mentioned, to each felting cylinder The "muff," which together with its
rollers constitute the rubber, should be perfectly true, and in order to ensure this, a
tube is woven from thread of flax or other material, and from this.tube the "muffs"
are cut to the length required, and threaded on to the muff-rollers; and by means of
the external roller, which is provided with a regulating screw, the necessary tension
is obtained.
In order to keep the "muff" in its place, the muff-rollers and external roller are
surrounded with metal bands, engraved by "diamond moulding." Where metal
rollers are employed the engraving is produced by means of a plain rose engine. By
this arrangement any displacement of the "muffs" by the rapid backward and forward
movement is avoided.
In order to ensure perfect regularity and high finish of the yarn, a false twisting is
given to it during the stretching and for this purpose a reverse backward and forward
motion is imparted to the felting devices in such manner that the uneven motion of
the hollow cylinders and the even motion of the rubbers from right to left are

page_text: reversed into an even motion of the cylinders and an uneven motion of the rubbers
from left to right, thereby producing a slight false twisting, but sufficient to allow of
regular stretching.
Regularity in the soaking of the yarn-which is of great importance-is effected in
the following way:-The alkaline liquid is introduced into the small pulverizers by
means of a tube provided with a special cock composed of a disc which is moveable on
a vertical axis, and from which the said tube extends into tap-holes of a fixed disc.
By means of these tap-holes a regular automatic regulation of the feeding of the
pulverizers is obtained. The pulverizers consist of two small tubes, the former of
which receives the liquid from the before-mentioned cock, and the air is pumped or
otherwise conveyed through the latter whereby the liquid is broken up and
distributed over the surface of the rubbers.
In order to obtain the beforementioned rapid backward and forward motion the
machine is arranged in two parts, the rotation being controlled from the middle of
the felting devices. Two oscillating levers, one commanding all the even, and the
other all the uneven felting devices, are acted upon by crank plates by means of
suitable connecting rods and levers. As the movements of the oscillating levers are
in opposite directions it follows that the movements of the two felting devices are also
in opposite directions, and thereby the beforementioned false twisting is obtained.
In cases where hollow cylinders are heated by steam, their shafts are hollow, their
ends being provided with suitable steam-joints and regulating cocks, the steam being
introduced into the higher cylinder, and the outlet from the condensed water being
from the Jower one-The cylinders are also provided with scoops or cups for carrying
away the condensed water as it is produced.
The operation is as follows:-The endless slubbings from the card are taken on the
doffing cylinder, the speed of which can be regulated at will, and may be the same as
the felting cylinders. On leaving the doffing cylinder the endless slubbing enters
between the surfaces of the felting devices.."
From the first felting device, the yarn passes into, the second, then into the third,
etcetera, being always maintained by the yarn guide. The yarn thus receives a felting
as well as stretching. On leaving the last felting device, the yarn passes between the
teeth of a moveable comb having a backward and forward movement, and is finally.
rolled up by means of rollers.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery and Process for Felting Woollen Yarn.
I, THIEBAULT TSCHIERET, of 2 Boulevard des Sablons Neuilly in the Department of
Seine, in the Republic of France, 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, reference being had to
the accompanying two sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon:-
The object of this invention is to obviate the defects which exist in present
machinery and processes for the production of felted yarn, that is to say, yarn
obtained by felting instead of by twisting.
The accompanying Drawings represent machinery constructed in accordance with
this invention, in which Figures I, II, III and IV are respectively partial vertical
sections on lines A B, C D, E F, and G H of Figures VI and VII, Figure V being
a partial side elevation-Figure VI is a partial longitudinal section through the
centre of the first cylinder where the yarn enters the machine, and Figure VII is a
partial side elevation.
The machinery comprises a certain number of felting devices, each of which consists
of a hollow revolving cylinder I (suitably heated by steam or otherwise) in combination
with a rubber arrangement which latter consists of a flexible "muff" or endless band
mounted or running on two rollers J, being tightened as desired by means of a third
external roller M. These revolving cylinders I and rubber arrangements J J M have
also imparted to them, simultaneously but in opposite directions an alternating
transverse or backward and forward motion in the direction of their axes, by means of
the crank plates X, levers Y, arms Z, and rocking shafts V, which latter communicate
the necessary transverse motions to the rubbing arrangements J J M by the lugs
and connecting rods b; and to the cylinders I by the lugs v and the connecting
rods 6, as seen clearly in Figures 4, 6 and 7.
ย
In order to avoid the great wear and tear of the cloth which usually surrounds the
felting rollers, I substitute thin metal bands fastened round the said rollers and
provided with traced patterns, or the metal rollers themselves may be engraved. Or
bands of metallic cloth could also be employed, but not with the same advantage.
In order to avoid wear and tear and lateral displacement I provide one rubber, as
already mentioned, to each felting cylinder I. The "muff," which together with the
rollers J constitute the rubber, should be perfectly true, and in order to ensure this, a
tube is woven from thread of flax or other material, and from this tube the "muffs"
are cut to the length required, and threaded on to the muff-rollers J; and by means
of the external roller M, which is provided with a regulating screw as shewn, the
necessary tension is obtained.

page_text: '
Where metal
In order to keep the "muff" in its place, the muff-rollers J and external roller M
are surrounded with metal bands, engraved by "diamond moulding."
rollers are employed the engraving is produced by means of a plain rose engine. By
this arrangement any displacement of the "muffs" by the rapid backward and forward
movement is avoided.
In order to ensure perfect regularity and high finish of the yarn, a false twisting is
given to it during the stretching, partly by means of the beforementioned alternate
backward and forward transverse motion of each cylinder I with its rubbing
arrangement J J M, and partly by reason of every two consecutive cylinders I being
made to move transversely simultaneously in opposite directions. By these means a
slight false twisting is produced sufficient to allow of regular stretching.
Regularity in the soaking of the yarn-which is of great importance-is effected in
the following way:-the alkaline liquid is introduced into the small pulverizers T, by
means of a tube Qprovided with a special cock P. This cock is composed of a disc N,
which is moveable on a vertical axis by means of the handle as shown, and by which
the open end of the said tube Q may be brought opposite to any one of a number of
tap-holes R of varying areas in the fixed disc S. By this means a mathematically
regular feeding of the pulverizers is obtained-The pulverizers consist of two small
tubes T and T. The pipe T receives the liquid from the cock P, and the air is
pumped or forced by the pump U, or is otherwise conveyed through the tube T',
whereby the liquid is broken up and distributed over the surface of the rubbers. The
pulverizers are placed sufficiently near each other to ensure a uniform soaking of the
rubbers, and they are preferably placed only in the front of the first and second felting
cylinders as shown.
In order to obtain the beforementioned rapid backward and forward motion the
machine is arranged in two parts, the rotation being controlled from the middle of the
felting devices as shown in Figs. 6 & 7. Two rocking shafts V as before described,
"one commanding all the even, and the other all the uneven felting devices, are acted
upon by crank plates X, by means of suitable connecting rods Y and levers Z. As
the movements of the rocking shafts V are in opposite directions it follows that the
movements of the two felting devices are also in opposite directions, and thereby the
beforementioned false twisting is obtained-as before explained.
In cases where hollow cylinders are heated by steam their shafts are hollow, their
ends being provided with steam joints or stuffing boxes W, and regulating cocks W¹
as shewn in Figs. 6 & 7. The steam is introduced into one cylinder I and passes
thence into the cylinder I in line therewith the outlet for the condensed water being
from the latter one as also shewn in Figs. 5, 6 & 7.--The cylinders are also provided
with scoops or cups R' (Figs. 3 and 6) for carrying away the condensed water as it is
produced in a manner well understood.
The operation is as follows:-The endless slubbings from the card are taken on the
doffing cylinder 0 (Figure 1) the speed of which. can be regulated at will, and may
be the same as the felting cylinders. On leaving the doffing cylinder the endless
slubbing enters between the surfaces of the felting devices.
From the first felting device the yarn passes into the second, then into the third,
etcetera, being always maintained by the yarn guide. The yarn thus receives a felting
as well as stretching. On leaving the last felting device, the yarn passes between the
teeth of a moveable comb having a backward and forward movement, and is finally
rolled up by means of rollers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
'
First. In machinery for felting yarns the employment of engraved metal felting
and "muff" rollers, or of thin metal bands with traced patterns thereon, or of bands
of metallic cloth surrounding the rollers, as hereinbefore described and for the
purposes specified.
Second. In machinery for felting yarns the rubbing devices consisting of seamless

page_text: woven tubes or "muffs" surrounding the muff rollers J, together with the adjustable
tension rollers M, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and
shewn in the Drawings and for the purposes specified.
Third. In machinery for felting yarns the mechanism for imparting a false twisting
to the yarn, consisting of the oscillating levers V, crank plates X, rods Y and
levers Z, combined, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described,
and shewn in the drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth. The machinery for felting yarn the liquid-pulverizing devices for ensuring
regularity in the soaking of the yarn, consisting of the specially constructed cock P
having moveable and fixed discs N and S, with tap-holes R, liquid and air tubes T
and T, and the pump U, the whole combined, arranged, and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described, and shewn in the drawings hereto annexed.
Fifth. In machinery for felting yarn the employment of hollow cylinders, provided
with hollow shafts and stuffing-boxes, regulating cocks, and scoops or cups for
removing the condensed water, combined, arranged, and operating, as hereinbefore
described, and shewn in the drawings hereto annexed.
Sixth. The machinery for felting yarn consisting of hollow felting cylinders,
preferably heated by steam, and provided with the rubbing and adjustable tension
cylinders to which suitable motion is imparted by which false twisting of the yarn is
obtained, and the liquid pulverizing devices, the whole combined, arranged, and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and shewn in the drawings hereto
annexed.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH,
Crosby Hall Chambers,
Agent to the Applicant.