IMPROVE- MENTS IN WOOLEN AND OTHER YARN OR TWISTED STRANDS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TREATING THE SAME
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WOOLEN AND OTHER YARN OR TWISTED STRANDS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TREATING THE SAME."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Edward Tucker Cooper Lutton, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st May 1867, and dated the 27th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th November 1866.
i
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WOOLEN AND OTHER YARN OR TWISTED STRANDS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TREATING THE SAME," a communication
to me from abroad by Edward Tucker Cooper, Lutton, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improvement in yarn, and consists in
the production of yarn from which the superfluous, projecting. fibres are.
removed, and which is thereby rendered equal in appearance to the finest
German zephyr; and, secondly, to certain machinery or apparatus whereby
the projecting fibres of yarn may be shorn off.

page_text: has a
It is well known that the fine German yarn termed "zephyr"
peculiar silky and smooth finish which renders it of much greater value for
knitting, embroidery, and manufacturing purposes than other and coarser
Jarns; this may be attributed in a great measure to the quality of the wool
used in Germany, the finest Saxony staples being employed in the manufacture
of Berlin zephyr, which is also prepared in such a manner that the fibres are
laid evenly. Where wool inferior in quality to that of the German or Spanish
wool is used the yarn spun from it is much coarser, owing for the most part
to the innumerable fibres which project from the twisted strands, and which
do not appear so prominently in the German yarn. It has been found that
by cutting off these fibres close to the twisted portion or body of comparatively
coarse yarn the latter may be rendered equal as regards smoothness and
appearance to the finest German zephyr.
Although various devices may be employed for removing these superfluous
fibres from the yarn it is preferred to use the arrangement herein-after
described as forming the second part of this Invention.
To a suitable table or base is secured a frame from which projects a
bracket, and in the latter turns a vertical tubular spindle provided at the top
with a small pulley, and beneath the bracket with a hub from which project
four or any other desired number of radial blades or knives. A stationary
knife is secured in such a position to the frame that the under surfaces of the
radial blades shall revolve in close contact with the upper surface of the fixed
knife without bearing hard on the same; both the revolving and the stationary
To the
blades are beveled, and each is thus reduced to a sharp cutting edge.
rear of the frame is secured a plate having an inclined slot for the ready
introduction of the yarn or thread to be shorn, which traverses in a direction
parallel or nearly so with the edge of the stationary knife, and very slightly
below the cutting edge of the same. The yarn passes upwards through the
tubular spindle and through an eye formed by a wire secured to the pulley a
short distance from the centre of the same, the yarn passing from this eye to
a suitable reel round which it is wound. Prior to reaching the guiding plate
the yarn passes from an adjacent reel or "swift" round a pin on a cross bar
secured to the base of the machine, and between the rounded top of this bar
and the under side of a cup which is loaded with shot or other small heavy
particles, and which has a spindle turning in the said cross bar. The shearing
of the yarn is accomplished rapidly and effectually by the above-described
mechanism. The tubular spindle is caused to revolve very rapidly while the
thread is drawn forwards slowly in the course described above. Owing to the

page_text: position of the eye as regards the centre of the tubular spindle a twist is
imparted to the yarn between the eye and the cross bar, three objects being
attained by this twist, first, the yarn is turned round, so that every part of it
is subjected to the action of the knives; second, the twisting has a tendency
to condense and stiffen the yarn as it passes within the range of the revolving
blades which remove the projecting fibres, only the twisting and stiffened
portions remaining entire; third, the twisting has a tendency to make the
superfluous projecting fibres more prominent, and consequently in the best
condition to be severed. It should be understood that the twist imparted to
the yarn between the eye and cross bar is but temporary, the strands being
restored to their original condition on passing between the said eye and the
winding reel. It is important that an uniform tension should be imparted to
the yarn as it passes in front of the knife, and this tension should be delicately
adjusted to accord with yarn of different qualities or numbers; this tension
is imparted by the cup, the weight of which may be regulated by removing or
adding to the contents. The upper end of a pin secured to the frame projects
into an annular recess in the under, side of the hub of the knife.. The yarn
does not actually bear against this pin, otherwise the latter would interfere
with the temporary twisting of the yarn, the pin merely serving as a
guard to prevent the body of the yarn from being caught by the knives and
severed, which might otherwise take place where any irregularity occurs in
the yarn.
14
According to another modification the pulley turns on the upper end of a
tube which is adjustable vertically in the frame and has a recess in the side of
the same; to the top of the pulley is secured a rod in which is an eye, and in
the centre of the pulley is an adjustable tube, the latter being maintained in its
place by a set screw. A set screw passes also through a slot in the guide plate
and into the frame, so that the plate may be adjusted vertically and secured
after adjustment. The thread to be sheared or shorn passes through the slot
in the guide plate, through the recess in the vertically adjustable tube, through
the inner tube and eye, and is shorn between the knives in the same manner
as in the machine first described; in this machine, however, the position of
the yarn in respect to the knives may be regulated with the greatest nicety, by
adjusting the tubes:and the guide plate. A number of shearing knives with
their adjuncts may be arranged on one machine, so that a number of threads
may be operated on simultaneously..
: Although certain mechanism for shearing yarn has been, described, it will
be evident that these devices may be altered, modified, and other devices

page_text: substituted for the same without departing from the main features of the
Invention; for instance, a single revolving knife or a vibrating knife may be
substituted. for the rotary blades, both the upper and lower knives may be
made to rotate or vibrate, or a spiral knife may be used in a manner somewhat
similar to that employed in cloth-shearing machines, in all cases, however, the
turning of the yarn and the guiding of the same are essential. Woolen yarn
has hitherto been alluded to as the material to be shorn, but it will be evident
that other twisted fibrous strands, even cordage, may be sheared by mechanism
equivalent to that described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex;
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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
WOOLLEN AND OTHER YARN OR TWISTED STRANDS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED IN TREATING THE SAME," a communication to me from abroad
by Edward Tucker Cooper Lutton, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to an improvement in yarn, and consists in
the production of yarn from which the superfluous projecting fibres are
removed, and which is thereby rendered equal in appearance to the finest
German zepbyr; and, secondly, to certain machinery or apparatus whereby
the projecting fibres of yarn may be shorn off.
It is well known that the fine German yarn termed "zephyr" has a peculiar
silky and smooth finish, which renders it of much greater value for knitting,
embroidery, and manufacturing purposes than other and coarser yarns; this
may be attributed in a great measure to the quality of the wool used in
Germany, the finest Saxony staples being employed in the manufacture of
Berlin zephyr which is also prepared in such a manner that the fibres are
laid evenly. Where wool inferior in quality to that of the German or Spanish
wool is used, the yarn spun from it is much coarser, owing for the most part'
to the innumerable fibres which project from the twisted stands and which
do not appear so prominently in the German yarn. It has been found that
by cutting off these fibres close to the twisted portion or body of comparatively
coarse yarn the latter may be rendered equal as regards smoothness and
appearance to the finest German zephyr.
Although various devices may be employed for removing these superfluous
fibres from the yarn it is preferred to use the arrangements herein-after
described, and forming the second part of this Invention.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a longitudinal section of one form of machine
for shearing the strands or threads of wool or other fibrous material; Figure 2
is a plan view; Figure 3, a section on the line 1, 2, (Figure 1); Figure 4, an
enlarged sectional view of the shearing knives; Figure 5, a view showing a
modified form of machine; and Figure 6 a view, partly in section, of part of
the machine illustrated in Figure 5.
To a suitable table or base A is secured a frame B, from which projects a
bracket D, and in the latter turns a vertical tubular spindle E provided at

page_text: the top with a small pulley F, and beneath the bracket with a hub G, from
which projects four or any other desired number of radial blades or knives a.
A stationary knife d is secured in such a position to the frame B that the
under surfaces of the radial blades a shall revolve in close contact with the
Both
upper surface of the fixed knife d without bearing hard on the same.
the revolving and the stationary blades are beveled, and each is thus
reduced to a sharp cutting edge, as illustrated in the enlarged view Figure 4.
To the rear of the frame B is secured a plate e having an inclined slot f for
the ready introduction of the yarn or thread a to be shorn, which traverses in
a direction parallel or nearly so with the edge of the stationary knife d, and
very slightly below the cutting edge of the same, as seen in the enlarged view
Figure 4. The yarn passes upwards through the tubular spindle E, and through
an eye h formed by a wire secured to the pulley F, a short distance from the
centre of the same, the yarn passing from this eye to a suitable reel round
which it is wound. Prior to reaching the guiding plate e the yarn passes
from an adjacent reel or "swift" round a pin i on a cross bar H secured to
the base A of the machine, and between the rounded top of this bar and the
under side of a cup I, which is loaded with shot or other small heavy particles
and which has a spindle m turning in the said cross bar. The shearing of the
yarn is accomplished rapidly and effectually by the above-described mechanism.
The tubular spindle E is caused to revolve very rapidly while the thread is
drawn forward slowly in the course described above. Owing to the position
of the eye has regards the centre of the tubular spindle a twist is imparted
to the yarn between the eye and the cross bar H, three objects being attained
by this twist; first, the yarn is turned round so that every part of it is
subjected to the action of the knives; second, the twisting has a tendency to
condense and stiffen the yarn as it passes within the range of the revolving
blades, which remove the projecting fibres only, the twisted and stiffened
portions remaining entire; third, the twisting has a tendency to make the
superfluous projecting fibres more prominent and consequently in the best
condition to be severed. It should be understood that the twist imparted to
the yarn between the eye h and cross bar II is but temporary, the strands
being restored to their original condition on passing between the said eye and
the winding reel. It is important that an uniform tension should be imparted
to the yarn as it passes in front of the knife, and this tension should be delicately
adjusted to accord with yarn of different qualities or numbers. This tension is
imparted to by the cup I, the weight of which may be regulated by removing
or adding to the contents.

page_text: It will be seen on reference to Figure 1 that the upper end of a pin n secured
to the frame B projects into an annular recess in the under side of the bub
of the knife. The yarn does not actually bear against this pin, otherwise
the latter would interfere with the temparary twisting of the yarn, the pin merely
serving as a guard to prevent the body of the yarn from being caught by the
knives and severed, which might otherwise take place where any irregularity
occurs in the yarn.
In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6 the pulley F turns on the
upper end of a tube K which is adjustable vertically in the frame B, and has
a recess t in the side of the same. To the top of the pulley is secured a rod
in which is an eye h, and in the centre of the pulley is an adjustable tube E,
the latter being maintained in its place by a set screw g. A set screw o¹
passes also through a slot w in the guide plate e and into the frame B, so that
the plate may be adjusted vertically and secured after adjustment. The
thread passes through the slot in the guide plate through the recess t, the
tube E, and eye h, and is shorn between the knives in the same manner as in
the machine first described, in this machine, however, the position of the yarn
in respect to the knives may be regulated with the greatest nicety by adjusting
the tubes E, K, and the guide plate e. A number of shearing knives with
their adjuncts may be arranged on one machine, so that a number of threads
may be operated on simultaneously. Although certain mechanism for shearing
yarn
has been described it will be evident that these devices may be altered,
mod
nd other devices substituted for the same without departing from
the man.. 33 of the Invention; for instance, a single revolving knife or a
vibrating knife may be substituted for the rotary blades; both the upper and
lower knives may be made to rotate or vibrate, or a spiral knife may be used
in a manner somewhat similar to that employed in cloth-shearing machines, in
all cases, however, the turning of the yarn and the guiding of the same are
essential. Woolen yarn has hitherto been alluded to as the material to
be shorn, but it will be evident that other twisted fibrous strands, even
cordage, may be sheared by mechanism equivalent to that described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the use of yarn or twisted strands from the entire surface of which
the superfluous projecting fibres have been sheared for the purpose specified.

page_text: turning yarn or twisted strands of fibrous material that the same may be shorn.
by the said knives.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of
May, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)