IMPROVEMENTS IN HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THE SAME
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Horner, of Falls Road, Belfast, in the County
of Antrim, Ireland, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
THE SAME."
Sealed the 12th August 1859, and dated the 28th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Horner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
February 1859.
I, GEORGE HORNER, of Falls Road, Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND
MACHINERY FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to those machines known as the double vertical sheet
hackling machines, and consists, first, in making the grooves of the top sheet
rollers open to the outer diameter of the rollers on one side of the grooves,
and sunk to the required depth on the outer side of the grooves, the object
being to cause the backle points to enter the pendent strick of fibrous material
nearly at right angles to the vertical line; these rollers may have one, two, or
more grooves, as required.
The second part of my Invention relates to a novel mode of arranging.

page_text: stripper cocks or slot plates of hackling machines, and consists in having the
strippercocks or slot plates detached from the sheets, so that they make, when
at work, one continuous circular or eccentric movement round the bottom
sheet pullies, and being so pitched that the stripper rods throw out close to
the hackles, and take off the tow after the hackles have passed through the
pendent strick of fibrous material. A tow catcher is placed in or about the
centre of the two lines of stripper cocks or slot plates, with pins on the upper
& lower side, made so as to turn half round occasionally, for the purpose of
taking the tow from the stripper rods.
The third part of my Invention relates to another mode of taking the tow
from the hackles of hackling machines, and consists in employing one brush &
one doffer to clean two lines of sheets of hackles, or series of hackles, running
parallel to each other, or nearly so, the brush being placed at the under side of
hackles, on or about the centre of two lines of sheets of hackles or series of
hackles, so that the brush will meet the hackles on one side of and follow the
hackles on the opposite side; the doffer is so placed as to take the tow from
the brush in the usual way.
The objects aimed at in the second and third part of my Invention are to
obtain greater simplicity and efficiency than have hitherto been obtained, and
in modification of the "double vertical sheet hackling machines," of these
machines I also propose to combine two in one, for the purpose of economising
space and expense, and so arranged that about half of the mechanism for
imparting the different motions is saved, and the manual labour reduced in
attending those machines, one side of the machine hackling one end of the
strick of fibrous material while the opposite side of machine is hackling the
other end.
The fourth and last part of my Invention consists in arranging the parts of
such combined machines, so that one trough goes up while the other trough
is coming down, thereby dispensing with balance weights or springs ordinarily
employed, or, if required, the troughs may be arranged, so as to go up and
come down together, but I prefer the former arrangement, as being more
simple. I also propose having the lifting frames in two parts, bolted together,
and furnished with slots, so as to be able to raise the bottom part of lifting
frames from the friction pulley, thereby affording longer time to the pendent
strick of fibrous materials to be hackled.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Horner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HORNER, of Falls Road, Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine,in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
ine, the said George Horner, Her special licence that I, the said George
Horner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said George Horner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
THE SAME, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Horner, 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.
"1
per-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Horner, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of improvements in machinery for hackling flax and other
fibrous materials relates, first, to a mode of mounting hackles or hackle bars
on the belts, straps, sheets, or chains of sheet hackling machines, so that the
hackle points will enter the pendant stick or stricks of fibrous material at
right angles to a vertical line, or nearly so. This is effected by the form of
the grooves in the top sheet rollers, the one side being tangential or in line
with the outside diameter of rollers, while the other side is radial, that is to

page_text: say,
in a direction more or less towards the centre, but this may be modified a
little and according to the form of the bars. The hackle bars are made the proper
form at the ends for working into these grooves, leaving the hackle bars flat for
fastening the hackles thereto between each pair of sheets. The grooves which
have hitherto been made or cut in the top sheet rollers ofthese machines have
always been made or cut to the centre of sheet roller, while other expensive
modes have been adopted for bringing the hackle points nearly at right angles
to a vertical line.
The second part of my Invention relates to a novel mode of arranging
stripper cocks or slot plates of hackling machines,at the bottom sheet, pullies
or shafts, being detached from the sheets, and making, when at work, one con-
tinuous circular or excentric motion round the bottom sheet pullies or shafts,
to which they are attached, and so pitched that the stripper rods throw out
nearly close to the hackle points, taking the tow off the hackles at the under
side of the sheet pullies; after the hackles have passed through the pendent
stricks of fibrous material, a tow catcher may be placed, if required, made to
turn half round occasionally, or otherwise, or it may be stationary, for taking
the loose fibres from the stripper rods when any adheres to them. In all sheet
hackling machines where stripper rods are applied for stripping the tow from
the hackles, stripper cocks or slots have always been attached to the sheets,
and consequently have travelled with them in their upward and downward
motion when at work. This mode of attaching the stripper cock answers very
well for the common flat or inclined sheet hackling machines, because a
sufficient length of slot in the stripper cocks can be obtained, which enables
the stripper rods to throw the tow off the hackles after they have passed
through the stricks of fibrous material. In the double vertical sheet hackling
machines, on the other hand, the stripping operation cannot be performed
well by attaching stripper cocks to the sheets with a moderately fine hackle,
as a sufficient length of stripper cock cannot be employed in consequence of
their interference with the intersection of the hackles on the top sheet rollers,
hence arises the expensive mode of stripping with brushes and doffer. In my
arrangement of slots for the stripper rods or stripper rod brackets to work in,
they are cast in the bottom sheet pullies, but they can be made or fixed other-
wise to the bottom sheet,shaft, or pullies, whereby a great range of slot can be
attained, and so as to enable the stripping of the tow from a very fine hackle.
The objects aimed at in this Invention are greater simplicity and efficiency
than has hitherto been attained in any modification of the vertical sheet
hackling machine. I also propose to make these machines double, that is,

page_text: with four sets of sheets or series of hackles, for the purpose of economising
space and cost, and so arranged that about half of the mechanism for imparting
the different motions is saved, or if required they can be made detached, or
they may be single with two sets of sheets or series of hackles, according to
the above-mentioned arrangement.
The third part of my Invention relates to another mode of stripping the tow
from the hackles of an extreme fiueness, which consists in having one brush
and one doffer to clean two lines of sheets of hackles or series of hackles
running parallel to each other, or nearly so; the brush is placed at the under
side of the hackles at or about the centre of the two lines of sheets of hackles
or series of hackles, so that the brush will meet the motion of the hackles on
one side, and follow on the opposite side; the doffer is placed so as to take the
tow from the brush in the usual way; by this plan I can also have four lines
of sheets or series of hackles, which will be a great saving of space and
mechanism. The plan hitherto adopted when stripping with brush and doffer
is as follows: With one brush and one doffer to one line of sheets or series of
hackles, which present more or less inconvenience for combining two machines
into one.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to those machines where two are
combined into one, and consists in arranging the troughs, so that one is going
up while the other is coming down, thereby dispensing with balance weights or
springs, as one trough will balance the other. These machines can be made,
it required, so that both troughs go up together and come down together, but
in that case balance weights or springs will be required. I also make the
lifting frames in two parts bolted together in any convenient place, having slots
for the bolts to nove in, so as to admit of raising the bottom part of the lifting
frame from the friction pulley to afford a louger or shorter rest to the trough
and holders, which grip the stricks of fibrous material while being hackled.
The fifth and last part of my Invention consists in applying a second slide
or catch bar for taking out a strick holder from any gradation of hackles
which may be required, so that the stricks of fibrous material will not get any
more hackled than is sufficient for them. The plan usually adopted for
putting the stricks of fibious material over a less number or gradation of
hackies than the machine was made for, is by taking off as many gradations
of hackles from the machine as will suit the work required to be performed
on the stricks of fibrous material about to be dressed or hackled; this method
takes s up agreat deal of time and is very frequently neglected in consequence,
and a great loss in the yield of dressed flax is the result.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing so
much of a double sheet hackling machine, or two combined in one, as will
explain my Invention, reference being also had to the side elevation Fig. 5,
and to the detail shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Fig. 1, A, A, is the framework
of the machine, upon which is mounted the gearing for driving the sheets of
hackles, and giving motion to lift the troughs, and also moving the holders
from one gradation of hackles to another. B, B₁, are the driving pullies
running on a stud B; B³ is a long socket, on which change pinions are
placed, for giving a variety of speeds to the sheets C, C, C, C, and troughs
D, D; on this socket is also keyed the driving pulley B¹; E, E, E, E, are
wheels for driving the bottom sheet pullies or rollers, which receive their
motion from the back change pinion B' on pulley stud B²; F is a stud wheel
receiving its motion from the front change pinion B³on stud B2; this wheel
F has a pinion cast on it for driving the tappet wheel G, which gives motion
to the lifting frames or troughs D, D; H, H, H, H, are the lower driving
rollers or sheet pullies, iu which slots are cast for the stripper rods or stripper
rod brackets to work in; it will be seen by referring to Fig. 2, that the
stripper rods I, I, lay close to the hackles C¹, C², at a time when it is
required to take a close catch at the tow, and throwing it into the tow box
J, J; and on the contrary, when the stripper rods 13, I, are sliding against
the guards I5, I6, and leaving the hackles C3, C4, they incline from them,
thereby escaping the injuries which frequently occur to the stripper rods and
hackles in such machines, where the stripper rods and cocks are attached to
the sheets, as the stripper rods frequently catch on the back hackles
which follow them; K, K, K, K, are the upper or sustaining rollers, over or
around which the sheets C, C, C, C, of hackles pass, and on which the grooves
K', K³, K³, K, K³, K, K', K³, are made or cut to the periphery of rollers,
as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of striking or throwing in the hackles at
or about a right angle to the pendant strick of fibrous material; it will
be seen on referring again to Fig. 2, that the hackle bars C5, C6, C7, C8, are
made of a peculiar form at the ends, or it may be of the whole length of the
breadth of the sheet, to suit the grooves K', K³, K³, K, K³, K, K', K, in
top sheet rollers, while the part of the bars between the sheets are flat,
in order to fasten the hackles thereto, leaving a space equal to the breadth of
the sheets and guards, where no hackling is performed (see Figs. 4 and 5);
D¹, D, are lifting frames, to which are attached the troughs D, D, at

page_text: the upper end, and supported and motion imparted to them and to the lifting
frames D3, D4, by the rocking levers L, L; on these levers are three friction
runners or bowls L1, L2, I³, one at each end, & one which works in the
grooves of cam wheel G. It will be seen by referring to Figs. 1 and 4, that
as the shaft G¹ revolves, the cam G, after it has passed the resting point, will
actuate the rocking levers L, L, which will push up the lifting frames D³, 14,
and D1, D2, to which the troughs D, D, are attached, and on the other hand
their gravity brings them down again alternately. The lifting frames are
bolted together, and have slots D5, D6, for the bolts to move in, so that by
lifting up the lower part of the lifting frames D'or D', it takes it from the
runners or bolts L', L³, when the troughs or lifting frames are at rest or at
the lowest point. By this means the time of rest afforded to the flax or
fibrous material, while being hackled, can be trebled, or any given rest can be
attained by regulating the distance between the runners L, L³, and the
detached part of the lifting frame, which is marked by Figs. D5, D6, to indicate
the amount of rest desired or required.
In Figs. 1 and 5 on the shaft G¹ is mounted the double cam M, and in the
grooves of this cam work the friction bowl or runner 1; this friction bowl
is mounted upon the lower part of the lever N, the upper end of which lever
is connected to the slides or catch bars 0,0,on which are mounted the catches
or pushing pieces O' for traversing the flax holders through the machine.
As the shaft G¹ revolves and the cam M has passed its point of rest, it actuates
the lever N, and causes the bars O, O, to slide to and fro, and thus to push
the holders into their proper positions when the troughs D, D, are up, and at
the same time to push back the slide or catch bars O, O, when the troughs
are down on the opposite side. When a sufficient rest has been given to the
stricks of fibrous material being hackled, the troughs are pushed up by the
motion of cam 6, and when at the highest point the holders are pushed to.
another gradation of hackles, at the same time the slide or catch bar O, O, is
pulled forward so as to take another catch at the holder when the troughs
D, D, rise, and so on alternately. The cams G and M are so arranged upon
the shaft G¹ that they move the levers N and L, L, at the proper time, that is,
when the troughs are at the highest and lowest points.
Fig. 5 shows slides or catch bars for pulling out a holder at the fifth or
Sixth gradation of hackles while the troughs are at the highest point, so that
four, five, or six tooled work can be obtained with the least possible trouble.
P is a catch fitted with a stud to catch bar P¹; this catch has an incline
so that as the pin O2 on the catch bar O comes on the incline of catch P,

page_text: it is lifted up sufficiently to liberate it from a fixed pin P2 on one side of the
trough D; Q is a weight to which a chain is attached going over the pulley
Q; P³ is a catch or pushing piece; P4 is a loose pin iu trough D. It will be
seen when the inclined catch P is lifted up from the pin P2, the weight Q will
pull downward, the catch bar P¹ bringing the holder D7 over the fifth and
sixth tools while the trough D is up, thereby performing on the fibrous
material only four-tooled work. If five tools or gradations of hackles are
required to dress or hackle the fibrous material, by pushing the loose pin P+
on trough D, the pushing catch P3 is lifted up, and will ride over or miss the
holder D7 on the fifth tool pulling out the holder, which hangs over the sixth
tool while the troughs are up, thus producing five-tooled work. Should six-
tooled work be required, by turning over the catch P³on pin P5, its action ceases,
and six-tooled work will be performed, as shewn on the catch P³, where six-
tooled work is going on, thus showing that five or six-tooled work can be
going on at one side of the machine, while four tools only are at work on the
other side. The small weight Q can be lifted off the chain, then also the
catch bar will cease to work, as shown, where six-tooled work is taking place;
R,R, are brackets bolted to the framework A, A, so that when the catch bar P¹
has pulled a holder from the fifth or sixth tools, the bowl Po(which is fixed by
a stud on catch bar P¹, and when the trough D descends) comes on the
inclined brackets R, R, and carries back the catch bar P', the inclined
catch P then hooks on the fixed pin P2 and remains there until the trough is
lifted up, and the pin 03 on catch bar O comes forward and lifts it up again,
when the holders are pulled out as before described. These slides or catch bars
can be actuated by other mechanical motions, such as tappets, levers, or
springs, or the slide or catch bar is applicable to those sheet hackling machines
in which the rollers for the sheets are made to approach and recede from
each other, as also the machines where the sheets are made to oscillate, and
to circular machines also.
Fig. 3 is a plan or bird's-eye view showing hackles, stipper rods,stripper rod
brackets, and bottom sheet pullies; H, H, are the sheet pullies; 15, 1",
stripper rods; C, C", sheet bars; C¹¹, C, the hackles; 17, 18, are the stripper
rod brackets, to which the stripper rods are attached by rivets or screws. Thus
Fig. 3 is drawn to a scale of one and a half inches to the foot, as also
Figs. 1, 4, and 5, while Fig. 2 is drawn to a scale of three inches to the foot.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manuer of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―

page_text: First, the arrangements and means hereiu described for causing the hackle
points to enter the fibrous material at right angles or nearly so to the vertical
line of the strick.
Secondly, I claim the arrangements herein-before described of stripping with
rods on sheet hackling machines, the stripper cocks or slots being detached
from the sheets, all as hereiu-before described.
Thirdly, I claim the mode and application of one brush and one doffer
to the cleaning or stripping two sheets or series of hackles, all as herein-
before described.
Fourthly, I claim the application of the troughs to hackling machines, so
that one trough is ascending while the other is coming down in such
machines where the parts of two machines are combined in one, as herein-
before described.
Fifthly, I claim the application of a second slide or catch bar in hackling
machines for taking or bringing out a strick holder to vary the backling
operation according to the number or gradations of hackles required to
be in operation in the machine at one time, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Horner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
GEORGE HORNER.
(L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Horner, of Falls Road; Belfast, in the County:
of Antrim, Ireland, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS'IN
HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
THE SAME."
Sealed the 12th August 1859, and dated the 28th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Horner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th'
February 1859.
I, GEORGE HORNER, of Falls Road, Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN
MACHINERY FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to those machines known as the double vertical sheet.
hackling machines, and consists, first, in making the grooves of the top sheet.
rollers open to the outer diameter of the rollers on one side of the grooves,
and sunk to the required depth on the outer side of the grooves, the object
being to cause the hackle points to enter the pendent strick of fibrous material
nearly at right angles to the vertical line; these rollers may have one, two, or
more grooves, as required.
The second part of my Invention relates to a novel mode of arranging

page_text: stripper cocks or slot plates of hackling machines, and consists in having the
stripper cocks or slot plates detached from the sheets, so that they make, when
at work, one continuous circular or eccentric movement round the bottom
sheet pullies, and being so pitched that the stripper rods throw out close to
the hackles, and take off the tow after the hackles have passed through the
pendent strick of fibrous material. A tow catcher is placed in or about the
centre of the two lines of stripper cocks or slot plates, with pins on the upper
& lower side, made so as to turn half round occasionally, for the purpose of
taking the tow from the stripper rods.
The third part of my Invention relates to another mode of taking the tow
from the hackles of hackling machines, and consists in employing one brush &
one doffer to clean two lines of sheets of hackles, or series of hackles, running
parallel to each other, or nearly so, the brush being placed at the under side of
hackles, on or about the centre of two lines of sheets of hackles or series of
hackles, so that the brush will meet the hackles on one side of and follow the
hackles on the opposite side; the doffer is so placed as to take the tow from
the brush in the usual way.
The objects aimed at in the second and third part of my Invention are to
obtain greater simplicity and efficiency than have hitherto been obtained, and
in modification of the "double vertical sheet backling machines," of these
machines I also propose to combine two in one, for the purpose of economising
space and expense, and so arranged that about half of the mechanism for
imparting the different motions is saved, and the manual labour reduced in
attending those machines, one side of the machine hackling one end of the
strick of fibrous material while the opposite side of machine is hackling the
other end.
The fourth and last part of my Invention consists in arranging the parts of
such combined machines, so that one trough goes up while the other trough
is coming down, thereby dispensing with balance weights or springs ordinarily
employed, or, if required, the troughs may be arranged, so as to go up and
come down together, but I prefer the former arrangement, as being more
simple. I also propose having the lifting frames in two parts, bolted together,
and furnished with slots, so as to be able to raise the bottom part of lifting
frames from the friction pulley, thereby affording longer time to the pendent
atrick of fibrous materials to be hackled.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Horner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
27th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, George
HORNER, of Falls Road, Belfast, iu the County of Antrim, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine,in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Horner, Her special licence that I, the said George
Horner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said George Horner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and venl, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HACKLING FLAX AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Horner, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Horner, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of improvements in machinery for hackling flax and other
fibrous materials relates, first, to a mode of mounting hackles or hackle bars
on the belts, straps, sheets, or chains of sheet hackling machines, so that the
hackle points will enter the pendant stick or stricks of fibrous material at
right angles to a vertical line, or nearly so. This is effected by the form of
the grooves in the top sheet rollers, the one side being tangential or in line
with the outside diameter of rollers, while the other side is radial, that is to

page_text: say, in a direction more or less towards the centre, but this may be modified a
little and according to the form of the bars. The hackle bars are made the proper
form at theends for working into these grooves, leaving the hackle bars flat for
fastening the hackles thereto between each pair of sheets. The grooves which
have hitherto been made or cut in the top sheet rollers of these machines have
always been made or cut to the centre of sheet roller, while other expensive
modes have been adopted for bringing the hackle points nearly at right angles
to a vertical line.
The second part of my Invention relates to a novel mode of arranging
stripper cocks or slot plates of hackling machines,at the bottom sheet,pullies
or shafts,being detached from the sheets, and making, when at work, one con-
tinuous circular or excentric motion round the bottom sheet pullies or shafts,
to which they are attached, and so pitched that the stripper rods throw out
nearly close to the hackle points, taking the tow off the hackles at the under
side of the sheet pullies; after the hackles have passed through the pendent
stricks of fibrous material, a tow catcher may be placed, if required, made to
turn half round occasionally, or otherwise, or it may be stationary, for taking
the loose fibres from the stripper rods when any adheres to them. In all sheet
backling machines where stripper rods are applied for stripping the tow from
the hackles, stripper cocks or slots have always been attached to the sheets,
and consequently have travelled with them in their upward and downward
motion when at work. This mode of attaching the stripper cock answers very
well for the common flat or inclined sheet hackling machines, because a
sufficient length of slot in the stripper cocks can be obtained, which enables
the stripper rods to throw the tow off the hackles after they have passed
through the stricks of fibrous material. In the double vertical sheet hackling
machines, on the other hand, the stripping operation cannot be performed
well by attaching stripper cocks to the sheets with a moderately fine hackle,
as a sufficient length of stripper cock cannot be employed in consequence of
their interference with the intersection of the hackles on the top sheet rollers,
hence arises the expensive mode of stripping with brushes and doffer. In my
arrangement of slots for the stripper rods or stripper rod brackets to work in,
they are cast in the bottom sheet pullies, but they can be made or fixed other-
wise to the bottom sheet,shaft, or pullies, whereby a great range of slot can be
attained, and so as to enable the stripping of the tow from a very fine hackle.
The objects aimed at in this Invention are greater simplicity and efficiency
than has hitherto been attained in any modification of the vertical sheet
hackling machine. I also propose to make these machines double, that is,

page_text: with four sets of sheets or series of hackles, for the purpose of economising
space and cost, and so arranged that about half of the mechanism for imparting
the different motions is saved, or if required they can be made detached, or
they may be single with two sets of sheets or series of hackles, according to
the above-mentioned arrangement.
.
The third part of my Invention relates to another mode of stripping the tow
from the hackles of an extreme fineness, which consists in having one brush
and one doffer to clean two lines of sheets of hackles or series of hackles
running parallel to each other, or nearly so; the brush is placed at the under
side of the hackles at or about the centre of the two lines of sheets of hackles
or series of hackles, so that the brush will meet the motion of the hackles on
one side, and follow on the opposite side; the doffer is placed so as to take the
tow from the brush in the usual way; by this plan I can also have four lines
of sheets or series of hackles, which will be a great saving of space and
mechanism. The plan hitherto adopted when stripping with brush and doffer
is as follows:-With one brush and one doffer to one line of sheets or series of
hackles, which present more or less inconvenience for combining two machines
into one.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to those machines where two are
combined into one, and consists in arranging the troughs, so that one is going
up while the other is coming down, thereby dispensing with balance weights or
springs, as one trough will balance the other. These machines can be made,
it required, so that both troughs go up together and come down together, but
in that case balance weights or springs will be required. I also make the
lifting frames in two parts bolted together in any convenient place, having slots
for the bolts to move in, so as to admit of raising the bottom part of the lifting
frame from the friction pulley to afford a longer or shorter rest to the trough
and holders, which grip the stricks of fibrous material while being hackled.
The fifth and last part of my Invention consists in applying a second slide
or catch bar for taking out a strick holder from any gradation of hackles
which may be required, so that the stricks of fibrous material will not get any
more hackled than is sufficient for them. The plan usually adopted for
putting the stricks of fibious material over a less number or gradation of
hackies than the machine was made for, is by taking off as many gradations
of hackles from the machine as will suit the work required to be performed
on the stricks of fibrous material about to be dressed or hackled; this method
takes up a great deal of time and is very frequently neglected in consequence,
and a great loss in the yield of dressed flax is the result.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing so
much of a double sheet hackling machine, or two combined in one, as will
explain my Invention, reference being also had to the side elevation Fig. 5,
and to the detail shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Fig. 1, A, A, is the framework
of the machine, upon which is mounted the gearing for driving the sheets of
hackles, and giving motion to lift the troughs, and also moving the holders
from one gradation of hackles to another. B, B', are the driving pullies
running on a stud B3; B³ is a lung socket, on which change pinions are
placed, for giving a variety of speeds to the sheets C, C, C, C, and troughs
D, D; on this socket is also keyed the driving pulley B¹; E, E, E, E, are
wheels for driving the bottom sheet pullies or rollers, which receive their
motion from the back change pinion B* on pulley stud B2; F is a stud wheel
receiving its motion from the front change pinion B³on stud B²; this wheel
F has a pinion cast on it for driving the tappet wheel G, which gives motion
to the lifting frames or troughs D, D; H, H, H, H, are the lower driving
rollers or sheet pullies, in which slots are cast for the stripper rods or stripper
rod brackets to work in; it will be seen by referring to Fig. 2, that the
stripper rods I, I, lay close to the hackles C¹, C², at a time when it is
required to take a close catch at the tow, and throwing it into the tow box
J, J; and on the contrary, when the stripper rods 13, I, are sliding against
the guards I, I, and leaving the hackles C, C, they incline from them,
thereby escaping the injuries which frequently occur to the stripper rods and
hackles in such machines, where the stripper rods and cocks are attached to
the sheets, as the stripper rods frequently catch on the back hackles
which follow them; K, K, K, K, are the upper or sustaining rollers, over or
around which the sheets C, C, C, C, of hackles pass, and on which the grooves
K³, K³, K³, K, K³, K, K², K³, are made or cut to the periphery of rollers,
as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of striking or throwing in the hackles at
or about a right angle to the pendant strick of fibrous material; it will
be seen on referring again to Fig. 2, that the hackle bars C5, C6, C7, C8, are
made of a peculiar form at the ends, or it may be of the whole length of the
breadth of the sheet, to suit the grooves K', K³, K³, K*, K³, K*, K², K³, in
top sheet rollers, while the part of the bars between the sheets are flat,
in order to fasten the hackles thereto, leaving a space equal to the breadth of
the sheets and guards, where no hackling is perforined (see Figs. 4 and 5);
D', D, are lifting frames, to which are attached the troughs D, D, at

page_text: the upper end, and supported and motion imparted to them and to the lifting
frames D3, D4, by the rocking levers L, L; on these levers are three friction
runners or bowls L1, L2, J³, one at each end, & one which works in the
grooves of cam wheel G. It will be seen by referring to Figs. 1 and 4, that
as the shaft G¹ revolves, the cam G, after it has passed the resting point, will
actuate the rocking levers L, L, which will push up the lifting frames D³, D4,
and D1, D2, to which the troughs D, D, are attached, and on the other hand
their gravity brings them down again alternately. The lifting frames are
bolted together, and have slots D5, D6, for the bolts to move in, so that by
lifting up the lower part of the lifting frames D'or D', it takes it from the
runners or bolts L', L2, when the troughs or lifting frames are at rest or at
the lowest point. By this means the time of rest afforded to the flax or
fibrous material, while being hackled, can be trebled, or any given rest can be
attained by regulating the distance between the runners L, L³, and the
detached part of the lifting frame, which is marked by Figs. D5, D6, to indicate
the amount of rest desired or required.
In Figs. 1 and 5 on the shaft G¹ is mounted the double cam M, and in the
grooves of this cam work the friction bowl or runner 1; this friction bow!
is mounted upon the lower part of the lever N, the upper end of which lever
is connected to the slides or catch bars 0,0,on which are mounted the catches
or pushing pieces for traversing the flax holders through the machine.
As the shatt G revolves and the cam M has passed its point of rest, it actuates
the lever N, and causes the bars 0, 0, to slide to and fro, and thus to push
the holders into their proper positions when the troughs D, D, are up, and at
the same time to push back the slide or catch bars O, O, when the troughs
are down on the opposite side. When a sufficient rest has been given to the
stricks of fibrous material being hackled, the troughs are pushed up by the
motion of cam 6, and when at the highest point the holders are pushed to.
another gradation of hackles, at the same time the slide or catch bar O, O, is
pulled forward so as to take another catch at the holder when the troughs
D, D, rise, and so on alternately. The cams G and M are so arranged upon
the shaft G¹ that they move the levers N and L, L, at the proper time, that is,
when the troughs are at the highest and lowest points.
Fig. 5 shows slides or catch bars for pulling out a holder at the fifth or
sixth gradation of hackles while the troughs are at the highest point, so that
four, five, or six tooled work can be obtained with the least possible trouble.
Pis a catch fitted with a stud to catch bar P¹; this catch has an incline
so that as the pin O2 on the catch bar O comes on the incline of catch P,

page_text: it is lifted up sufficiently to liberate it from a fixed pin P2 on one side of the
trough D; Q is a weight to which a chain is attached going over the pulley
Q; P³ is a catch or pushing piece; P4 is a loose pin iu trough D. It will be
seen when the inclined catch P is lifted up from the pin P2, the weight Q will
pull downward, the catch bar P¹ bringing the holder D7 over the fifth and
sixth tools while the trough D is up, thereby performing on the fibrous
material only four-tooled work. If five tools or gradations of hackles are
required to dress or hackle the fibrous material, by pushing the loose pin P+
on trough D, the pushing catch P³ is lifted up, and will ride over or miss the
holder D' on the fifth tool pulling out the holder, which hangs over the sixth
tool while the troughs are up, thus producing five-tooled work. Should six-
tooled work be required,by turning over the catch Pon pin Ps, its action ceases,
and six-tooled work will be performed, as shewn on the catch P, where six-
tooled work is going on, thus showing that five or six-tooled work can be
going on at one side of the machine, while four tools only are at work on the
other side. The small weight Q can be lifted off the chain, then also the
catch bar will cease to work, as shown, where six-tooled work is taking place;
R,R,are brackets bolted to the framework A, A, so that when the catch bar P¹
has pulled a holder from the fifth or sixth tools, the bowl Po(which is fixed by
a stud on catch bar P1, and when the trough D descends) comes on the
inclined brackets R, R, and carries back the catch bar P', the inclined
catch P then hooks on the fixed pin P2 and remains there until the trough is
lifted up,
, and the pin 03 on catch bar O comes forward and lifts it up again,.
when the holders are pulled out as before described. These slides or catch bars
can be actuated by other mechanical motions, such as tappets, levers, or
springs, or the slide or catch bar is applicable to those sheet hackling machines
in which the rollers for the sheets are made to approach and recede from
each other, as also the machines where the sheets are made to oscillate, and
to circular machines also.
Fig. 3 isa plan or bird's-eye view showing hackles, stipper rods,stripper rod
brackets, and bottom sheet pullies; H, H, are the sheet pullies; 15, 1,
stripper rods; C, C", sheet bars; C,C", the hackles; 17, I,are the stripper
rod brackets, to which the stripper rods are attached by rivets or screws. Thus
Fig. 3 is drawn to a scale of one and a half inches to the foot, as also
Figs. 1, 4, and 5, while Fig. 2 is drawn to a scale of three inches to the foot.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manuer of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―

page_text: First, the arrangements and means herein described for causing the hackle
points to enter the fibrous material at right angles or nearly so to the vertical
line of the strick.
Secondly, I claim the arrangements herein-before described of strippingwith
rods on sheet hackling machines, the stripper cocks or slots being detached
from the sheets, all as herein-before described.
Thirdly, I claim the mode and application of one brush and one doffer
to the cleaning or stripping two sheets or series of hackles, all as herein-
before described.
Fourthly, I claim the application of the troughs to hackling machines, so
that one trough is ascending while the other is coming down in such
machines where the parts of two machines are combined in one, as herein-
before described.
Fifthly, I claim the application of a second slide or catch bar in hackling
machines for taking or bringing out a strick holder to vary the hackling
operation according to the number or gradations of hackles required to
be in operation in the machine at one time, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Horner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
GEORGE HORNER. (L.S.)