IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND COMBING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Charles Eastwood, of Bradford, in the County
of York, Wool Comber, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND COMBING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER
FIBRES."
Sealed the 18th March 1860, and dated the 19th September 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Charles Eastwood
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th September 1859.
I, THOMAS CHARLES EASTWOOD, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Wool Comber, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND COMBING WOOL,
COTTON, AND OTHER FIBRES," to be as follows:-
In connection with a carding engine I apply series of combs, by preference
what are called chain combs, which are caused to travel past and parallel with
the axis of the doffer roller of the carding engine so as to take from such
doffer roller the fibre which the doffer receives from the main cylinder. The
number of rows of teeth, as well as the fineness of them in the comb, will vary
with the length or quality of staple under operation, but I arrange them in
various lengths, the back row or that farthest from the engine being the
longest, the next row shorter, and so on, the front row being the shortest.
The back or longest row or rows pass up to or within the teeth of the doffer,
which, in carrying out these improvements, is caused to travel in the opposite
direction to that usually adopted with the teeth on the doffer meeting those on

page_text: the swift or main cylinder, and so as to lay the fibres thereon on to the passing
combs, and I apply a plate over the frontermost rows to prevent the fibre
being taken by them as delivered by the doffer, and so that it may be laid
only on to the back row or rows. This plate I prefer to be of a curved form
corresponding with that of the doffer, and to lie highest at the point of delivery
of the fibre first from the doffer to the passing comb and progressively lower
to the point of leaving the doffer to admit of accumulation of fibre on the
back row or rows of combs. So soon as the passing combs have passed the
doffer a brush or other suitable instrument will force the fibre taken on to
the back row or rows of combs into the other rows of teeth, in order that
in the drawing off the fibre may be drawn through all the rows of teeth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Thomas Charles Eastwood in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CHARLES EASTWOOD, of Bradford, in the County of York, Wool Comber, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Charles Eastwood, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Charles Eastwood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Thomas Charles Eastwood, 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 MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND COMBING WOOL,
COTTON, AND OTHER FIBRES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Charles Eastwood, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Charles Eastwood, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
In connection with a carding engine I apply series of combs, by preference
what are called chain combs, which are caused to travel past and parallel with
the axis of the doffer roller of the carding engine so as to take from such
doffer roller the fibre which the doffer receives from the main cylinder. The
number of rows of teeth, as well as the fineness of them in the comb, will vary
with the length or quality of staple under operation, but I arrange them in
various lengths, the back row or that farthest from the engine being the
longest, the next row shorter and so on, the front row being the shortest.
The back or longest row or rows pass up to or within the teeth of the doffer,
which in carrying out these improvements is caused to travel in the opposite
direction to that usually adopted with the teeth on the doffer meeting those on
the swift or main cylinder, and so as to lay the fibres thereon on to the passing
combs, and I apply plate over the frontermost rows to prevent the fibre
being taken by them as delivered by the doffer, and so that it may be laid
only on to the back row or rows. This plate I prefer to be of a curved form
corresponding with that of the doffer, and to lie highest at the point of delivery
of the fibre first from the doffer to the passing comb, and progressively lower
to the point of leaving the doffer to admit of accumulation of fibre on the
back row or rows of combs. So soon as the passing combs have passed the
doffer a brush or other suitable instrument will force the fibre taken on to
the back row or rows of combs into the other rows of teeth in order that
in the drawing off the fibre may be drawn through all the rows of teeth.
But that my improvements may be better understood I will, aided by the
accompanying Drawings, proceed to describe the means which I have found
to answer in carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 show two side views, (Figure 2 partly in section) Figure 3,
an end view, and Figure 4 a plan of a earding engine with parts adapted
thereto according to my Invention; Figure 5 shows some of the parts to a
larger scale; in each of the views the same letters indicate like parts wherever
they occur. a, a, is the main framing; b, the main axis, upon which is affixed
the drum or pulley b', which receives motion as is well understood by a strap
or band from a steam engine or other suitable power. Upon this axis b is also
affixed the main cylinder or swift c; e is the feed apron; f, f, the feed rollers;

page_text: 9, g', and h are the workers, strippers, and the "fancy," all which are of the
ordinary kind, and the fibre under operation is thus far treated as is the
ordinary practice in carding engines; i, i, are the combs for receiving the fibre
according to my improvements, as it is brought round by the swift or main
cylinder c, and after it has been operated thereon by the various working and
stripping rollers and the "fancy;" j is a doffer roller to take the fibre from
the main cylinder or swift and lay it on to the teeth of the combs i, and this
doffer roller in carrying out my improvements is caused to revolve in an
opposite direction to that usually adopted, and with its teeth meeting those
on the swift or main cylinder c, to facilitate the taking of the fibres from the
main cylinder or swift, and the laying of them on to the teeth of the combs i, i,
and these combs i, I prefer to be what are called chain combs formed by links
connected together by the pins ', and they are drawn forward by being passed
over the wheel, aided by the similar wheel 3, which acts as a guide roller.
Whilst receiving fibre from the doffer the combs are supported and held
correctly by passing through the trough or guide *. The teeth of the combs i
are arranged in various lengths, the back row or rows, or those farthest from
the engine being the longest, the next shorter, and so on. The points of the
back or longest row pass up to or between the teeth of the doffer j, and there
is a plate k between the points of the other rows of teeth and the doffer to
prevent the fibre being taken by any but the back row or rows, and so soon as
the passing combs bave, with the fibre on them, passed the doffer a brush 1,
or it may be other suitable instrument, operates to push the fibre down into
the other rows of teeth i, in order that when the fibre comes up to the drawing
off rollers m, to be drawn off thereby, it may have to be drawn through all the
rows of teeth in the comb i for the cleansing thereof; and this plate k I prefer
to be highest (as shewn) at the point of delivery of the fibre first from the
doffer to the passing comb, and progressively lower to the point of leaving
the doffer to admit of accumulation of fibre on the back row or rows of combs.
I have not shewn noil rollers, but they may be applied, if desired, as is well
understood; or the noil may be removed by hand. Motion is given to the
wheel is in the following manner:-Upon the main axis 6 is affixed the bevilled
pinion n, which takes into and drives the bevilled pinion n¹ upon the axis n³,
which is affixed the bevilled pinion n³, which takes into and gives motion
to the bevilled pinion n', upon the axis n³, upon which is affixed the bevilled
pinion n', which takes into and drives the bevilled pinion n' upon the axis n³,
upon which is affixed the pinion n° (shewn by red lines), which by means of
the intermediate wheels 10 gives motion to the toothed wheel n" upon the
axis of the wheel. Upon the axis n³ is also affixed the pinion n¹², which by
upon

page_text: means of the intermediate wheels n¹s gives motion to the wheel n¹s upon the
axis of one of the drawing-off rollers m.
Figures 6 and 7 represent a modification of my improvements, in which a
series of four doffing rollers (but other numbers may be employed) are
adapted to be used in place of the one roller j; they are supported in
frames affixed to the axis j, so as to revolve with that axis, whilst they also
revolve with their own axes j³ in the frames j³, so as to bring fresh portions of
their surfaces progressively in contact with the teeth of the cylinder c, and
then with the points of the comb teeth i. Motion is given to the respective
rollers in this arrangement by means of the worm wheel j affixed to the
bearing j*, and through which passes freely the axis, and this worm wheel j
takes into the teeth of the wheels affixed to axes capable of revolving in
bearings carried by the plates j', and upon these axes are also affixed bevilled
pinions 7, which take into bevilled pinions j³ on the axes of the respective
rollers j. The brush is carried by one end of a lever o, which turns upon an
axis o¹, and at its other end is operated by the pins o³, carried by the main
axis b, whilst the brush is borne upwards by the spring o*.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the means which
I have found to answer in carrying the same into effect, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details shewn and
described, so long as the peculiar character of the improvements be retained,
substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Charles Eastwood, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
THOMAS CHARLES EASTWOOD. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES WILSON,
Bradford, Yorkshire.