CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
LORD, of Todmorden, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of February
now last past, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Edward Lord, my exors, adññors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, that I, the said Edward Lord, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Lord, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES;" in which Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me,
the said Edward Lord, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to ascertain and describe the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the said Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Lord, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to consist,―

page_text: First, in the application of machinery or apparatus to blowers, and other
machines of the like nature, used in the preparation of cotton and other fibrous
substances, for weighing and regulating the supply. of such cotton or other
fibrous substances whilst passing through such machines, thereby dispensing
with the previous operation of weighing, which is now usually performed by
hand, and ensuring a more uniform supply of cotton or other fibrous substance
to the blower or other machine of the like nature.
Secondly, in improved machinery or apparatus for guaging the cotton or
other fibrous substances, whether applied to the feed part of the first or either
of the subsequent beaters of blowers or other machines of the like nature, for
the
purpose of regulating the supply of such cotton or other fibrous substances,
thereby dispensing with the previous operation of weighing herein-before
referred to.
Thirdly, in improved machinery or apparatus applicable to carding engines,
drawing frames, and other machines used in the preparation of cotton and
other fibrous substances to which the same may be applied, for the purpose of
distributing and compressing the slivers delivered by such machines into cans
or other receptacles.
And lastly, in the application of a self-acting moveable bottom to the cans
or other receptacles employed for receiving and collecting the slivers delivered
by carding engines, drawing frames, and other machines to which the same
may be applied.
And in further compliance with the said proviso I will now proceed to
describe the three Sheets of Drawings hereto annexed, from which Drawings,
and the following description, it will clearly appear how my said Inventions
may be carried into effect.
The Drawings are made to the scales marked on them, and where corre-
sponding pieces occur in different Drawings they are marked with similar letters
of reference.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents the feeding end of a blowing machine, to
which my improvements are applied; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the above;
Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 1, shewing the construction of the
weighing frame; and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 5 represents the feeding end of a blowing machine to s
which my improved method of gauging the cotton is applied; Fig. 6 is a plan
view of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same. Figs. 8 and 9
are elevations of two other modifications of the improvements shewn in Figs. 5,
6, and 7.

page_text: In Sheet 3, Fig. 10 represents a sectional elevation of part of a drawing
frame, with my improved apparatus for filling the cans into which the slivers of
such frames are delivered; Fig. 11 is a front elevation of Fig. 10, and
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the same. In Figs. 10 and 11 is also shewn one of
my improved modes of constructing the self-acting moveable bottom. of the can
into which the sliver is delivered. Fig. 13 is a plan view in section of a can,
and the self-acting moveable bottom seen from underneath. Fig. 14 is a
sectional elevation of part of a drawing frame, with a modification of my
improved apparatus for filling cans. Fig. 15 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 16 is a front view, and Fig. 17 a plan view, of a modification of the self-
acting moveable bottom for cans generally used in carding engines, drawing
frames, and other machines in which the same may be applied.
In Sheet 1, a represents the beater, and b and c the feed rollers of a blowing
machine; d is a flexible endless belt, which revolves over the rollers d' and d².
These rollers are supported in bearings attached to the weighing frame e, which
is accurately balanced on the fulcrum f', and constitute, with the necessary
adjuncts hereafter to be explained, the principal feature of novelty in my im-
provements applicable to blowers and other machines of the like nature. 9 is a
flexible belt, on which the attendant spreads the cotton as it comes from the
opener, and h and i are delivering rollers, which convey the cotton from the
feeding belt g to the weighing belt d. The other portions of the machine are
not shown on the annexed Drawing, as blowing machines are well known to all
persons conversant with machinery for preparing cotton. After the cotton has
becn spread by the attendant on the flexible belt g it is conveyed to the
rollers h, which revolve at a varying speed according to the position of the
strap k on the cones land m; the mechanism for varying the position of the
said strap will be hereafter described. The flexible belt 7 passes over
the rollers g and g², the latter of which is near the roller h; when the cotton
arrives over the roller g² it passes under a guage g³ (seen best in Fig. 4), which
may be set at any convenient height from the top of the flexible belt g, and
facilitates the spreading of the cotton evenly, and to the required depth, over
the surface of the belt g. The roller i revolves at a uniform speed, imparted
to it by the shaft n and the bevel wheels n' (seen in Fig. 2); the end of the
shaft of the roller g² is provided with a can g', which gives a lateral motion to
the sliding bar o by coming in contact with the projections o¹ and o3; the bar o
is supported by two brackets o³ bolted to the frame side, and upon two studs
fixed into the bar o the clicks o' and o" are hinged; these clicks are held at
their proper distance asunder by the piece of fixed to the bearing of the
roller d, and they are so situated that when the cotton continues to pass over

page_text: the weighing belt & at the requisite uniform weight the clicks o* and o pass
over and under the ratchet wheels p and p' without coming in contact with the
teeth of either of them; the ratchet wheels p and p¹ have teeth cut into them in
opposite directions, and they are fast together and to the wheel p², the teeth
of which take into the vertical rack p³, consequently any motion imparted to
the ratchet wheels p and p' by the clicks of and o is communicated to the
rack p³, the lower portion of the rack p³ takes into the wheel q fixed on the
shaft (seen also in Fig. 4); the shaft q' extends from one side of the machine
to the other, and has two wheels q* fixed on it of the same size as the wheel 7,
these wheels take into the racks g, on to the backs of which the strap
guides are fixed. The cone is driven at a uniform velocity by a strap
passing over the pulley ', and by the bevel wheel gearing into the pinion
(clearly shewn in Fig. 4); but the velocity of the cone m varies according
to the position of the strap ke, and the worm m', fixed on the end of the shaft
of the cone m, communicates this varying velocity to the roller g by the
worm m³ gearing into the worm wheel g³ fixed on the shaft of the said roller, as
seen best in the plan view, Fig. 2. The roller h also partakes of this varying
velocity, being turned round by the wheel g' driving the intermediate wheel g°,
the teeth of which take into the pinion fixed on the shaft of the roller h, as
shewn by red lines in Fig. 1. The weighing frame e, with the flexible belt d
and its adjuncts, must be exactly balanced by the weight r, which is suspended
to the end of the balance beam ³, extending from one side of the machine to
the other, and supported by the fulcrums of bolted to the side frames, as seen
in Fig. 4. The weighing frames 7 are stayed by the transverse frame e, seen
in the plan view, and they are retained in their proper position below by the
links e, scen in Figs. 1 and 3. The speed of the flexible belt d is always
uniform, and the motion is communicated to the roller by the pinion c¹ fixed
to the end of the roller c, gearing into the wheel d³, fixed on a short shaft d',
which revolves in a long bush, seen best in Fig. 2. To the end of the shaft d' is
connected the universal link &, the other end of which gives motion to the shaft
ds, on which is fixed a pinion d, gearing into the pinion d³, keyed to the end of
the shaft of the roller d. The fulcrums f and the bearing points f, of the
weighing frame e and weight r, are made with knife or sharp edges, as is cus-
tomary in weighing machines used for ordinary purposes. When this machine is
ready for starting it is necessary to determine what weight of cotton is required
upon a surface equal to the area of the upper portion of the elastic belt d, and
when this weight is determined a corresponding weight must be added to the
weight r. Previous to starting the machine this weight must be balanced by
the cotton, spread evenly over the flexible belt d. When the machine is started

page_text: the attendant feeds the cotton on to the flexible belt g in the usual manner,
and the cone strap k must be placed in the position shewn in the Drawing
(that is to say), in the centre of the length of the cones and m. The
cam by acting on the projections o¹ and o³, causes the sliding bar o to
move backward and forward in the manner before described. So long as
the attendant puts the required quantity of cotton on the flexible belt I
the weighing frame e remains balanced, and the clicks o' and o continue
to pass over and under the ratchet wheels p and p' without coming in contact
with them; but if the attendant does not supply sufficient cotton, to the
belt g, the weight of cotton on the flexible belt d, not being sufficient to
counterbalance the weight r, allows the said weight to descend slightly, at
the same time elevating the weighing frame e with its adjuncts. By this
means the catch 05 is allowed to rise, because the piece o rises with the
roller d³ and the weighted end of the catch os overcomes the weight of the end
which takes hold of the ratchet wheel p', consequently the next move of the
sliding bar o, in the direction of the arrow shown upon it, causes the catch o
to move the ratchet wheel p through a small portion of a revolution, and at
the same time the wheel 2 clevates the rack p³, the racks are depressed
to the same amount by means of the wheels 7 and q³ before mentioned, and
the strap k is move lower down on the cones and m; ands, as the cone
is the driver, it is evident, on referring to Fig. 4, that the speed of the
cone m will be increased. The worm m², by taking into the worm wheel 95,
increases the speed of the roller 92, and consequently supplies the cotton
faster to the flexible belt d, thereby increasing the weight of cotton upon
it until the equilibrium is re-established. In like manner, when the attendant
puts too much cotton on the belt g, and the weight delivered on the belt d
is greater than required, the weighing frame e is depressed,. and the catch o'
comes in contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel p, thereby moving it
through a small portion of a revolution at each move of the sliding bar o
in the direction of the arrow. The motion of the ratchet wheel p.depresses
the rack p and elevates the racks ', thereby raising the strap k and
diminishing the speed of the cone m, by which means the speed of the
rollers h and is also diminished, and less cotton is delivered to the belt d,
until the weighing frame e is again balanced by the weight r. The rack p
is provided with two feelers p' and p, the object of which is to disengage
the clicks and 0 from acting on the ratchet wheels p and p', if, owing
to the neglect of the attendant, the cotton should continue to be supplied
in either too great or too small quantities. If too much cotton were sup-
plied, the catch of would continue to act on the ratchet wheel p at every

page_text: .
move of the sliding bar o, until the feeler p' came in contact with the
weighted end of the catch o'; and, by depressing it, would prevent the catch o*
from acting on the teeth of the ratchet wheel p. In the same way the feeler p³
would act on the catch o if too little cotton were supplied.
It is necessary
to remark that as the dust from the cotton would interfere with the accurate
working of the weighing frame e, I intend to glue or otherwise fix a piece of
calico or other material to the inside of the laths of which the flexible belt d is
composed, to prevent the dust from passing between the said laths and falling
upon the transverse frame e¹ and hinges. The circumference of the rollers
c and i, and the surface of the flexible belt d, must be made to move at the
same speed; and the roller h, when moving at its greatest speed, must not
exceed the speed of the roller i; consequently, when the roller h moves slower
than the roller i, a slight draught of the cotton will take place between them.
The rollers h and i may also be entirely dispensed with, and the cotton deli-
vered from the roller direct to the belt d, by bringing the roller g² nearer to
the roller d³. In this caso it would be necessary to mount a light top roller
over the roller g, and the relative speeds of the flexible belts g and d would
have to be so arranged that the slowest motion of the belt g should never be
less than the uniform speed of the belt d; by this means the varying speed of
the belt 9, when delivering the cotton faster than the speed of the belt d,
would cause the cotton to accumulate on the said belt, and the supply would
then be diminished by the agency of the click o*, and the other parts acting
in connexion therewith, as herein-before described.
In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, of Sheet 2, I have represented my improved ma-
chinery for regulating the supply of cotton to a blower by means of a pair
of gauging rollers acting in conjunction with certain mechanism for varying
the position of the driving strap on a pair of cones. In these views a, b, and c
represent the beater and feed rollers, as herein-before described in reference
to the Figures on Sheet 1. g is the flexible belt supported by the rollers
g' and 9. is the driving cone, which in this instance is placed horizontally,
and revolves at a uniform velocity, being driven by a strap passing over the
pulley l', seen in Figs. 6 and 7. m is the cone driven by the strap k, and
communicating a varying velocity to the feed rollers c, by means of the bevil
'pinion m', which gears into the wheel y, fixed on the diagonal shaft y', near
the upper end of which is fixed the worm y, taking into the worm wheel c',
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, keyed to the end of the roller c. The
gauging rollers are placed near the feed rollers c, and they are made to
regulate the position of the strap on the cones and m, according to
the thickness of cotton that is passing between them by means of the

page_text: hooks, which are suspended from above by the bearing of the top gauging
roller z, and are attached below to the levers 2, as seen in Fig. 5. The
levers are hinged at each side of the machine to the studs 23, and they are
united together by the cross stay 2, to the centre of which is hinged the
vertical rack 2. This rack is guided by the bracket, and it is necessary to
remark that the fork in the rack, which takes on to the stay ', must be
wide enough to allow for the arc of the segment through which the levers 2"
traverse when put in motion by top gauging roller z. The rack 26 gears into
the pinion fixed on the horizontal shaft, near the other extremity of
which is fixed the wheel 28, which gears into the horizontal rack ' attached
to the same piece as the strap guides k³, and the rack ³, the object of which
will be explained hereafter. When this machine is set to work it is necessary
to determine what weight of cotton is required to supply the machine, and as
this may vary according to circumstances, the hooks are each made of two
pieces, the upper pieces having left-handed threads at their lower extremities,
and the lower pieces having right-hand threads; these threads are screwed
into the double nuts 2º, and by turning theso nuts round the hooks z' may
be shortened or lengthened at pleasure. By this means, before the machine
is started, the attendant is enabled to regulate the length of the hooks ', so
that when the cotton is botween the guaging rollers the driving strap k
I₁
shall be in the centre of the concs when the gauging rollers are at the proper
distance apart, this distance being determined by the amount of cotton
required. So long as the attendant feeds the cotton on to the flexible belt g
in the required quantities the gauging rollers remain at their proper distance
apart, and the driving strap k remains in the position now shown in Figs.
6 and 7; but if the attendant puts too much cotton on the belt
the top
gauging roller becomes elevated and raises the levers 3, thereby elevating the
rack and causing it to move the pinion 2 partly round in the direction of
the arrow in Fig. 7; the wheel will then move the rack and strap guides
, for a short distance in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6, thereby dimi-
nishing the speed of the cone m, and of the feed rollers c, through the agency
of the diagonal shaft y', before mentioned. The feed rollers b, the velocity of
which is uniform and equal to the greatest speed ever given to the roller c,
will consequently draw the cotton as it comes from the rollers c, and thereby
equalise the quantity of cotton delivered to the beater a. If, on the other
hand, the attendant should not supply sufficient cotton on to the flexible
belt 9. the top gauging roller z would allow the ends of the levers 2 to be
depressed, and, consequently, the driving strap k to be moved to the contrary
direction on the cones, thereby increasing the speed of the cone m, and feed

page_text: rollers c, and diminishing the amount of draught between the rollers b and c
by this arrangement the inequalities in supplying the flexible belt g with
cotton are compensated, and the quantity of cotton operated upon by the
blower is always uniform, or sufficiently so for practical purposes, without the
operation of weighing which has hitherto been generally adopted for that
purpose. I also propose to make use of the gradnated bar x, seen best to the
left-hand side of Fig. 7, as an assistant to the attendant who supplies the
flexible belt with cotton; this bar terminates below in a rack a³, which gears
into the broad pinion a, one half of which takes into gear with the rack k
before referred to. When the strap guides are moving in the direction of
the arrow on Fig. 6 the pinion a³ will be moved in the direction of the arrow
on Fig, 7, and consequently depress the bar a, which, being graduated in both
directions, will indicate at a glance the state of the cotton passing between the
gauging rollers, and the attendant will therefore be able to regulate the
supply of cotton accordingly. The gauge ruler marked g³, in Figs. 1, 2, and 4
of Sheet 1, may also be advantageously applied to this machine, and in some
instances the graduated bar, and the gauge roller g³, may be found
sufficient to enable the attendant to supply the blower with a uniform supply
of cotton without the aid of the cones, and the other parts in connexion with
them.
Fig. 8 represents a modification of my improved machinery for regulating
the supply of cotton to blowers by gauging rollers. In this machine I propose
to have two pair of gauging rollers, and to combine the action of both in the
following manner :-The dotted line marked a represents the beater, and b,
the feed rollers. is the first pair of gauging rollers, and w the second pair.
g is one end of the flexible belt, and g the roller over which it passes. The
top gauging roller is connected to the levers by the hooks ', in the
manner before described, and the bottom gauging roller w is connected to
the lever by the rod w', which is guided above through a hole in the roller
bearing, and below by the bearing w². As the cotton passes through the
gauging rollers it elevates the top roller, and depresses the lower roller w,
and as both these rollers are united to the lever it is evident that the
combined action of both pair of gauging rollers is exerted on the levers z³,
and as the levers are supposed to be furnished with a cross stay 2* and
rack, with the cones and m before described, it is evident that the action
on the driving strap will be more accurately indicated than by the arrange-
ment previously described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, and 7.
Fig. 9 represents another modification of my improved machinery for
regulating the supply of cotton to blowers by gauging rollers. In these

page_text: views the letters a, b, and c denote the beater and feed rollers, and g the end
of the flexible belt passing over the roller g³. The dotted line S is a roller,
which I propose to make with flutes on its circumference; and S¹ are six, or any
convenient number of rollers placed over the roller S, and mounted in bearings
at each side of the machine. A small pulley of the same size as the rollers S¹
is placed at each end of the shaft of each of the said rollers, and a strap
or chain S made fast to the stud S, passed alternately over the pulleys above
mentioned, and under the guide pulleys S, until it is carried downwards and
made fast to the lever . By this arrangement a considerable variation will
be produced in the position of the lever by a very slight variation in the
thickness of cotton supplied, because the cotton on leaving the flexible belt g,
passes under all the rollers S' before it arrives at the feed rollers c; conse-
quently, any deviation from the required thickness of cotton is indicated
twofold for every one of the rollers S', or twelve times in passing through the
whole set. In this case it will also be necessary to connect the lever with
a traversing bar 24, connected to the racks before described for varying the
position of the strap on the cones.
Other modes of applying my improvements in weighing and ganging the
cotton while passing through blowing machines might be shown, but the
foregoing will be sufficient to illustrate this part of my Invention; and I will
therefore proceed to explain the improvements in machinery or apparatus for
filling the cans into which the slivers from the drawing frames are delivered.
premising that the same improvements may be applied to carding engines, and
to other machines, in which cans are employed for collecting the slivers.
In Sheet 3, and in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, 1, 1, represent the drawing rollers
of a drawing frame, and 2, 2, the calendar rollers placed in front of the
drawing rollers; 3 is the roller beam, and 4 the can into which the slivers
are collected. The can is made to traverse laterally by means that will be
hereafter described. The two slivers after passing through the drawing
rollers 1, 1, are united together as seen in Fig. 12, and pass through the
spout 5 before they pass through the calender rollers 2; from thence the
double sliver is conducted over the guide pulley 6, and then descends between
the travelling rollers 7, which deliver it to the can 4. The travelling rollers 7
are fixed upon short shafts, which revolve in bearings in the radial arm 8,
and in the segment 9, which is fixed to the radial arm 8 by the two connecting
studs or pillars 10. The radial arm 8 is provided with a long boss working
in the pillar bearing 11, and the requisite vibrating motion is imparted to it
by the lever 12 fixed to the end of the boss of the radial arm. 8. On the
front drawing roller 1 is fixed the pinion 1*, which gears into the intermediate

page_text: wheel 13; to this wheel is fixed the pinion 14, which drives the wheel 15;
this wheel drives the upper calendar roller 2, and the lover 12 before men-
tioned, by means of the connecting rod 16, as clearly shewn in the Drawing.
The guide pulley 6 is fixed on a stud bolted to a projection from the pillar 11.
The travelling rollers 7 have a rotary motion imparted to them by a small
shaft 19 passing through the boss of the radial arm 8, which is driven round
by a pulley 17 fixed on the lower calendar roller 2, a band or strap from
which passes over the pulley 18 fixed on the small shaft 19 above referred to.
The bevil pinion 20, fixed on the shaft 19, gears into another pinion fixed to
the shaft 21, which revolves in bearings attached to the radial arm 8; near
the lower extremity of this shaft is fixed a spiral pinion 22, which gears into
two other similar pinions fixed to the shafts of the rollers 7. When the
sliver has passed between the rollers 7, it is guided into the can 4 by the
rollers 23 and 24, which revolve in bearings fixed to the plates 25. The
rollers 23 and 24 are made rather longer than the width of the can 4, as
shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 12, and they project a little below the
plates 25, the under surface of which must be polished so that the slivers in
the can 4 may not be injured in passing to and fro with the can. The
traversing motion is given to the can 4 by a worm 26 fixed on the shaft of
the lower-calendar roller 2; this worm gears into a pinion 27 fixed to the
shaft 28, the lower end of which is provided with the mangle pinion 35,
taking into the mangle rack 29, shown best by the dotted lines in Fig. 11.
The shaft 28 works below in a bush 30, which is guided in a slot in the
bracket 31, bolted to the foundation plate 32. The mangle rack 29 is fixed
to the traversing plate 33, which is provided with the antifriction rollers 34
supported by the plate 32; consequently, the rotary motion of the shaft 28
imparts an alternating traversing motion to the plate 33, by the well-known
action of the mangle pinion 35, and rack 29, above described. As it
would be inconvenient to remove the cans 4 from under the plates 25 if they
were supported by the ordinary means, I make use of the moveable plate 36
for supporting the cans, this plate has a small bead all round its upper surface
to prevent the cans from moving sideways, and below it hinges on the
fulcrum 37. Near the front of the plate 36 is a shaft 38, which is
furnished with two excentrics 39, reaching beyond the plate 36 at
each end, as seen in Fig. 11, and supports the plate 36. From the
right-hand end of the shaft 38 projects a treadle 40. When the can 4 is full
of slivers, the attendant, by lifting the treadle 40, causes the shaft 38 to perform
about half a revolution, thereby lowering the front edge of the moveable plate
36, and at the same time bringing the can i into the position shewn by red

page_text: lines in Fig. 10. The full can may then be easily removed, and an empty
one substituted, and the attendant, by again acting on the treadle 40, elevates
the plate 86 into its former position. The rollers 23 and 24 have a rotary
motion given to them by the traversing plate 33, to which is fixed a rack 41,
seen in Fig. 10, gearing into the pinion 42 fixed near the lower.end of the
shaft 43. This shaft is supported above by a bearing fixed to the roller beam,
and has a small mitre pinion 44 attached to it, gearing into a similar pinion
on the shaft of the roller 24. The roller 28 is driven from the roller 24 by
the pinions clearly seen in Figs. 10 and 11. The combined. action of the
traversing of the can, and the vibrations of the radial arm 8 will deliver the
slivers in regular folds into the cans, into which they are gradually compressed,
and from which they can be withdrawn without injury to the fibres of the
cotton.
The other parts of the drawing frame, which aro not shewn in the annexed
Drawing, do not require to be particularly described, as they may be con-
structed according to any of the methods now in use. Instead of the plates
25, I also propose to make use of a series of rollers for pressing the slivers
into the cans, or an endless belt might also be applied for the same purpose if
found more convenient.
In Figs. 14 and 15 I have shewn a modification of my improved machinery
or apparatus for filling cans. As several of the parts are similar to those
described with reference to Figs. 10, 11, and 12, I have marked them with
the same figures of reference. In this apparatus the travelling rollers 7 work
in bearings made in the carriage 43*, and they are turned round by the spiral
wheel 44* fixed on the calendar roller shaft gearing into a similar wheel fixed
on the shaft 45, on which are mounted loosely the bevil. pinions 46. Those
pinions slide on the shaft 45, but are connected to it by a groove and feather,
as seen in Fig. 14, and they gear into similar pinions fixed to the shafts of the
rollers 7. The carriage 43* has a backward and forward motion imparted to
it by the toothed segment at the end of the radial arm 8, which takes into a
rack 46 fixed to the left-hand side of the carriage 48, as seen in Fig. 15.
The radial arm 8 is moved by the connecting rod 16, in the manner already
described with reference to Fig. 10. The guide roller 6 is mounted on a stud,
which forms the joint of the levers 47 and 48; the former of these is hinged
to the bracket 49 bolted to the roller beam 3, and the latter is hinged to the
carriage 43*, consequently moving backward and forward with it, and consti-
tuting an expanding arm, such as is now known, and consequently does not
form part of my improvements. The sliver, after leaving the calender rollers 2,
is guided over the roller 6, and then between the rollers 7, which deliver it to
the rollers 23 and 24, in the manner indicated by the red line in Fig. 14.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe the self-acting moveable bottoms for caus or
other receptacles in which slivers are collected, and which may be applied to
the improved machinery for filling such cans hercin-before described, or to
certain other machinery for the same purpose.
In Figs. 10, 11, and 13 I have shewn one mode of making the bottom of
the can moveable and self-adjusting, according to the quantity of slivers that
are delivered into it. 50 represents a thin board, fitting easily into the can 4.
In the centre of this board is fixed a stud 51, on to which is mounted loosely
a tin drum 52. This drum has an interior compartment for containing the
spiral spring 58, one end of which is fixed to the stud 51, and the other end
to the interior compartment of the drum 52. The outer circumference of the
drum has four grooves to contain the cords 54. The upper ends of these cords
are fixed to the sides of the can 4, near the top, and the other ends, after
passing under the guide rollers 55, are fixed each into a separate groove
of the drum 52. The spiral spring 53 causes the cords 54 to wind up in
the grooves of the drum 52, and the strength of the spring 53 is so regulated
that the moveable bottom 50, which when the can is empty is near the top
of the can, shall gradually be pressed lower down into the can--by the sub-
stance of the slivers until the tin drum 52 comes in contact with the stationary
bottom of the can.
Another method of-constructing these cans with moveable bottoms is shewn
in Figs. 16 and 17. In these views the tin drum 52 is dispensed with, and I
make use of the cords of vulcanized india rubber, marked--60 and 61, the
cords 60 being attached to the left-hand side of the can; and after passing
under the guide rollers 56 to the right-hand side of the under surface of the
bottom 50, in like manner the cords 61 are fastened to the right-hand
side of the can, and to the left-hand side of the bottom. These flexible cords
are sufficient to hold the can bottom up to its work; but it is better to
furnish the moveable body 50 with squaring bands, similar to those marked 57,
which are fixed to the upper right-hand corners of the bottom 50, and, after
passing over the guide rollers 62, pass down the guide tubes 57* under the
rollers 58, and into the can; they then pass under the guide rollers 59, and
are attached to the under side of the moveable bottom 50. The cords 63 fixed
to the left hand of the bottom 50 are in like manner conducted over and under
guide rollers, and affixed to the under side of the bottom 50, thereby establish-
ing a system of squaring bands, which prevent one side of the moveable bottom
being more depressed than the other. The moveable bottom might also be held
up to its work by cords passing over rollers, and having weights at their ends.
And other modifications of apparatus for effecting the same object might be de-
vised,.but the foregoing will be sufficicut to illustrate this part of
my Invention.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
n which the same is to be performed, I do hereby declare that I claim as of
my Invention the following improvements in machinery or apparatus applicable
to the preparation of cotton and other fibrous substances, and any modifica-
tions of the same, that is to say:-
First, the application to blowers and other machines of the like nature of
machinery or apparatus for weighing and regulating the supply of cotton or
other fibrous substances whilst the same is passing through the machine, one
modification of which improvement is herein-before shewn and described in
reference to Sheet 1 of the Drawings.
Secondly, the improved machinery or apparatus, herein-before shewn and
described in reference to Sheet 2 of the Drawings, for guaging and indicating
the quantity and regulating the supply of cotton or other fibrous substances as
supplied to blowers and other machines of the like nature.
Thirdly, the combination and arrangement of machinery, shewn and
described with reference to Figs. 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15 of Sheet 3, for laying
or folding and compressing slivers into cans and other receptacles, and parti-
cularly the travelling rollers 7, and the revolving rollers 23 and 24, placed at
right angles to the path of the traversing can or receptacle into which the
slivers are compressed, and the shaft 38 and two eccentrics 39, when used for
the purpose herein-before described; and,
Lastly, the application of self-acting moveable bottoms to cans or other
receptacles in which slivers are collected and compressed, whether they be
constructed as shown and described in Figs. 10, 11, 13, 16, and 17 of Sheet
3, or in any other way.
And this my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion
of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to be
my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specifi-
cation doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with
the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained.
Wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to the
said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Lord, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
EDWARD (L.S.) LORD.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Edward Lord came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.