IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ASSORTING AND PREPARING FOR SPINNING SILK AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles de Jongh, of Lautenbach, near Guebwiller,
in the Empire of France, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ASSORTING AND PREPARING FOR SPINNING SILK AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 30th November 1858, and dated the 3rd August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles de Jongh at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1858.
I, CHARLES DE JONGH, of Lautenbach, near Guebwiller, in the Empire of
France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ASSORTING AND PREPARING FOR SPINNING
SILK AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in machinery for assorting and preparing
for spinning silk and other fibrous substances, relates principally to various
improvements upon an Invention previously patented by me, and bearing date
21st May 1856, and consists, first, in dispensing with the use of certain bands
described in the Specification of my former Patent, as being used in combi-
nation with an endless feeding apron for carrying or feeding the fibres to the
travelling chains or holding surfaces.
Instead of these bands I propose to carry the feeding apron further forward
and pass it round a roller of small diameter, which will admit of the apron
being carried over the travelling holding surfaces to the point where it is

page_text: required to deposit the fibres. By thus dispensing with the bands, which in
my former Specification were described as passing down between the travelling
chains or holding surfaces, I am enabled to make each of these chains or
holding surfaces of greater width than before, there being no necessity to leave
so great a space as heretofore between them. By thus increasing the width
of each of the holding surfaces, the number of needles thereon may be
augmented, and the holding power of the surfaces thereby increased.
My next improvement relates to an improved mode of feeding the fibres to
the assorting or preparing machine. In my former machine the stricks of
fibre were laid on the travelling feeding table by hand; but I have found that
the machine is capable of doing more work than can be conveniently supplied
to it by hand.
In order to supply the machine with the required quantity of fibres I propose
to lay the stricks on a. long feeding cloth provided also with.a tape, and then
I roll up the cloth tape and fibres on a shaft, and thus I form them into a roll
of convenient size or diameter; this roll I place on the travelling feeding
table of the machine, the shaft of the roll being placed in vertical guides, so
that when the feed cloth travels forward the roll of fibres may unrol and be
conveyed to the holding surfaces of the machine.
My third improvement relates to the drawing-off apparatus, which I construct
as follows: Instead of the drawing-off rollers being placed vertically, as in
my former Specification, I prefer to place them horizontally and at an angle
to the travelling holders, and in order to make the drawing-off rollers take
hold of the fibres, and draw them out from the ends of the strick, I find it
convenient to employ wipers on each side of the travelling holders, for the
purpose of wiping or directing the ends of the stricks of fibres between the
rollers. When horizontal drawing-off rollers are employed in this manner,
I find that two or three pairs or sets of rollers on each side of the travelling
holding surfaces will be sufficient for most kinds of fibres.
My next improvement consists in the application to the travelling chains or
holding surfaces of certain guide plates which are placed between the chains
near the points where they descend or pass round their rollers: These-guide-
plates are for the purpose of raising and supporting the ends of the fibres, and
preventing them from being carried down by the teeth of the outermost
chains or holding surfaces when the latter descend in turning round their
rollers.
To still further assist in effecting the above object, I apply to the sides of
the outermost chains small horizontal wheels or discs armed with flexible flaps
or fans made of parchment or other suitable substance, and by causing these

page_text: dises or wheels to continually rotate, the flaps or fans will wipe against the
outermost needles or pins of the holding surfaces, and slightly raise and
support the ends of the fibres at the proper point.
My next improvement relates to the mode of keeping or retaining the
fibres between the points of the holding surfaces, when required, and prevent-
ing them from rising up above the points of the needles. This object is
effected by means of a board placed above the travelling chains, and provided
with a number of thin metal plates or bars, which are made to enter between
the chains, and prevent the fibres from rising as they are carried along.
Another mode of effecting the object consists in the application of a number
of endless straps or bands armed with bristles or brushes, which are placed
immediately above the chains and travel therewith, the bristles being made to
enter between the teeth or points of the holding surfaces.
The last improvement relates to the mode of operating upon stricks of fibres
which from their nature are short, and cannot be conveniently operated upon
in the machine above described. Instead of having holding surfaces composed
of several chains placed side by side, as in the former machine, I employ one.
chain only which should be armed or provided with teeth or points of fine
gauze. The stricks of fibres to be operated upon are fed on to these holding
surfaces, as in the former machine, and the longer fibres of the strick are
drawn out by drawing-off rollers or nippers placed at one side of the travelling
holding surfaces, the tail end of the strick on the opposite side being supported
by a travelling endless band which may be armed with bristles or brushes, or
otherwise roughened on its surface, so as to hold the strick and prevent the
fibres which are not seized by the nippers or drawing-off rollers from being
curled or drawn up with the others. Above this band is a similar one, armed
also, if required, with bristles or brushes, and as both these bands travel with
and at the same speed as the holding surface, the strick of fibres will be
supported and held while the fibres are being drawn out at one end.
.
It will of course be understood that a similar arrangement of drawing-off
apparatus is applied to the other side of the holding surfaces, so that fibres
may be drawn out from both ends of the strick.
I would observe that for drawing off the fibres from the strick in these
machines, either drawing-off rollers, nippers, or clasps may be employed; the
choice of the particular form or arrangement of drawing-off apparatus
depending upon the nature of the material to be operated upon.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles de Jough in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DE JONGH, of Lautenbach, near Guebwiller, in the Empire of France, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles de
Jongh, Her special license that I, the said Charles de Jongh, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles de Jongh;
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR ASSORTING AND PREPARING FOR SPINNING SILK AND OTHER FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
de Jongh, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles de Jongh, do hereby declare
the nature of iny said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for Assorting and Pre-
paring for Spinning Silk and other Fibrous Substances," relates principally to
various improvements upon an Invention previously patented by me, and
bearing date Twenty-first May, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six,
and consists, first, in dispensing with the use of certain bands described in the
Specification of my former Patent as being used in combination with an
endless feeding apron for carrying or feeding the fibres to the travelling
chains or holding surfaces. Instead of these bands I propose to carry the
feeding apron further forward and pass it round a roller of small diameter,

page_text: which will admit of the apron being carried over the travelling holding
surfaces to the point where it is required to deposit the fibres. By thus -
dispensing with the bands which in my former Specification were described as
passing down between the travelling chains or holding surfaces, I am enabled
to make each of these chains or holding surfaces of greater width than before,
there being no necessity to leave so great a space as heretofore between
them. By thus increasing the width of each of the holding surfaces, the
number of needles, pins, or other similar contrivance thereon may be
augmented, and the holding power of the surfaces thereby increased.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation, and Fig. 2
a partial plan view, of an assorting machine with this part of my improvements
adapted thereto. The endless cloth or apron is shewn at a, a; this cloth is
divided longitudinally, as shewn in the plan view, Fig. 2, into two parts, for-
a reason that will be presently explained, and it is passed round two rollers.
and b, the latter of which is situated over the travelling holding surfaces
The roller is made of much smaller diameter than its fellow one b, in
order to allow of the feeding cloth being brought further forward than here-
tofore. The feeding cloth a is actuated by this small roller *, on the axle of
which is a pinion 1, which gears into and is driven by a wheel 2; the latter
is fixed on the boss of another pinion 3, which is driven by a toothed wheel 4.
on the axle of the chain drum.
C, C.
My next improvement relates to an improved mode of feeding the fibres to
the assorting or preparing machine. In my former machine the stricks.
of fibre were laid on the travelling feeding table by hand, but I have found.
that the machine is capable of doing more work than can be conveniently
supplied to it by hand, and in order to supply the machine with the required:
quantity of fibres, I propose to lay the stricks across a long feeding cloth,
provided also with a tape, and then I roll up the cloth, tape, and fibres on a
shaft, and thus form them into a roll of convenient size or diameter; this roll
I place on the travelling feeding table of the machine, the shaft of the roll
being placed in vertical guides, so that when the feed cloth travels forward
the roll of fibres may unroll and be conveyed to the holding surfaces of the
machine.
This improvement is shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, and also in Figures 3 and 4,
which represent side and front elevations of the table and apparatus whereby
the roll of fibres is prepared ready for putting into the assorting machine
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. A roller d, Figures 3 and 4, is provided with a long
cloth, which is attached at one end to the roller d while the other end is

page_text: attached in like manner to another roller c. In the Figs. 3 and 4 the cloth
is shewn as wound on to the roller e, and is passed therefrom over the guide
roller and horizontal table g, as indicated and shewn in red, the other cloth
roller d having been placed in a vertical slot or guides, and a crank handle
applied to the axle of the said roller for the purpose of turning the same. It
should be understood that the crank handle is removable, being merely fitted
on the square end of the axle of the roller d, which latter is always maintained
in a perfectly horizontal position by means of two hooked bars i, i, which are
jointed at their lower ends to the levers j, j, which are keyed on to the
horizontal shaft k. From this it will be evident that as the levers j, j, must
rise together, the roller d must necessarily rise perfectly horizontally in its
vertical guides, and the long cloth will therefore be wound on to the roller d
in a proper manner. In combination with the long cloth and of the same
length as the said cloth, there is a tape, shewn in blue in the Drawing Fig. 3;
this tape is wound on to a bobbin or roller l, but is not attached thereto.
The roller is provided with a grooved pulley and weighted cord (as seen in
Fig. 4), for the purpose of creating such an amount of friction as will cause
the tape when drawn off the roller to be kept at proper tension. The tape
from the roller passes up over the guide roller f, and rests on the surface of
the long cloth, and is passed along to the roller d. The stricks of silk or other
fibre to be operated upon are laid by hand upon and across the long cloth and
tape in such a manner that the middle of such stricks corresponds with and is
laid over the tape. It will now be understood that as the fibres are supplied
to and laid on the long cloth by hand, the latter is rolled up round the
roller d by simply turning the handle, the tape being also wound up therewith.
When the whole of the long cloth has been transferred from the roller e to
the roller d, the two rollers with the long cloth, silk, and tape are removed
from the table and placed on the machine, shewn in Figures 1 and 2. The
roller d with the long cloth and silk wound round it is placed in the vertical
guides of the standards m, m, while the empty roller e is placed in similar
vertical guides in the standards n, n. Upon referring to Fig. 1 it will be
seen that the roller d rests upon the endless travelling feed cloths or aprons
-a, a, and that the empty roller e rests upon a drum o covered with cloth or
leather, and to which rotary motion is communicated by means of a train
of wheels or suitable gearing connected with the shaft of the chain drum, as
indicated by red lines in Figure 1. The empty tape bobbin of Fig. 3 is
removed from the table and placed in the machine shewn in Fig. 1 on a stud
pin carried in the weighted bell-crauk lever p. By means of this weighted

page_text: lever the bobbin is pressed against the fluted surface of the revolving disc q,
which is driven by a train of wheels connected with the axle of the chain
drum, as shewn by red lines in Fig. 1.
It will now be understood that as the endless feeding cloths a, a, advance,
they will cause the roller d to rotate and unwind the long cloth which will be
wound back again on to the roller e below, while the tape supports the silk,
and carries it forward on to the endless feeding cloths a, a. The end of the
said tape then passes down and between the feed cloths, and is wound on to the
bobbin l, while the feed cloths a, a, carry the fibres forward, and deposit them
on the holding surfaces c, c, into the points or needles of which the fibres will
be pressed by the rotating discs t, t, to which motion is communicated from
the shaft of the chain drum by means of a train of wheels, as indicated by red
lines in Fig. 1.
My third improvement relates to the drawing-off apparatus, which I con-
struct as follows:-Instead of the drawing-off rollers being placed vertically
as in my former Specification, I prefer to place them horizontally and at an
angle to the travelling holders; and in order to make the drawing-off rollers
take hold of the fibres, and draw them out from the ends of the strick, I find
it convenient to employ wipers on each side of the travelling holders, for the
purpose of wiping or directing the ends of the stricks of fibres between the
rollers. When horizontal drawing-off rollers are employed in this manner, I
find that two or three pairs or sets of rollers on each side of the travelling
holding surfaces will be sufficient for most kinds of fibres.
This part of my improvements is shewn in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that
there are three sets of drawing-off rollers adapted to each side of the machine,
of which one is shewn in plan and portions of the others. The rollers are set
at an angle to the central line of the machine, and are actuated by means of
suitable gearing driven by bevil wheels on the horizontal shafts u, u, on each
side of the machine. These shafts carry at their outer ends toothed wheels
, u, which are driven by a train of wheels at the end of the machine, and
connected with the main shaft, as is described and shewn in the Specification
of my former Patent of Twenty-first May, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six. The arrangement of the drawing-off rollers and their accessories
will be best understood by referring to the detached sectional view Fig. 5, the
detached front view Fig. 6, and the plan Fig. 6*; but I do not mean to
confine myself to any particular arrangement of these parts, nor to the mode
of actuating the same, merely remarking that the drawing-off rollers are to be
placed horizontally or nearly so, and set at an angle to the line in which the fibres
travel through the machine. In order to guide and direct the fibres into

page_text: the gripe of the drawing-off rollers, I place in front of the latter endless
travelling straps v, v, armed with pieces of wood, which are hollowed out at
the middle, as best seen in Fig. 1. These straps are passed round two small
vertical rollers, and motion is communicated to one of them in the direction of
the arrow by means of a band or cord driven from the pulley w, on the long
horizontal shaft u. I would remark that in practice .I only find it. necessary
to apply these endless travelling straps of wipers or guiders to the first sets of
drawing-off rollers on each side of the machine, and which operate upon the
longest fibres of the strick, but if it be desired a similar arrangement of wipers
or guiders can be adapted to the other sets of drawing-off rollers.
My next improvement consists in the application to the travelling chains
or holding surfaces of certain guide plates, which are placed between the chains
near the points, where they descend or pass round their rollers. These guide
plates are for the purpose of raising and supporting the ends of the fibres, and
preventing them from being carried down by the teeth of the outermost chains,
when the latter descend in turning round their rollers.
This improvement is also shewn in Figures 1 and 2; a, a, are the guide
plates, which support the ends of the fibres of the strick of silk or other fibre.
It will be seen on referring to Fig. 1 that these plates are inclined upwards
at their ends, and therefore, as the fibres are carried forward, they will be
raised up out of the teeth of the travelling holding surfaces at or just before
the point when the outermost chain begins to descend from and leave the
fibres as it turns round its guide roller. To still further assist in effecting the
above object, I apply to the sides of the outermost chains small conical
wheels or discs armed with flexible flaps or fans made of parchment or other
suitable substance. These conical wheels or discs are shewn at y, in Fig. 2;
they are mounted on studs secured to brackets or standards fixed on the table,
and are actuated by means of bands or cords y", which are driven by small
grooved pullies z, z, on the long horizontal shafts u, u, on each side of the
machine. It will now be understood that by causing these discs or wheels
to continually rotate, the flaps or fans will wipe against the outermost needles
or pins of the holding surfaces, and slightly raise and support the ends of the
fibres at the proper point.
The projecting ends of the fibres having been thus raised up by means of
the inclined guide plates x, x, and the revolving conical wheels or discs y,
they will be carried forward by the holders under another set of fixed guiders
a, with inclined under surfaces, whereby the projecting ends will be guided
into the grip of the next set of drawing-off rollers.
My next improvement relates to the mode of keeping or retaining the fibres

page_text: between the points of the holding surfaces when required, and preventing
them from rising up above the points of the needles. This object is effected
by means of a board placed above the travelling chains, and provided with a
number of thin metal plates or bars of wood, which are made to enter between
the chains, and prevent the fibres from rising as they are carried along. a, a,
(Figures 1 and 2) represents the board which is also shewn detached in sectional
elevation at Fig. 7. It will be seen that the metal plates or bars of wood b*, b*,
which are fixed on the under side of this board, are made to enter a short
distance between the points of the rows of needles, and by that means will
prevent the fibres from rising out above the needles. The board a' extends
over the chains from a little before the point where the drawing-off operation
commences, until the point where the last drawing-off operation ceases. This
board may be supported cither on standards fixed on the table, or it may be
bolted or attached to the framework of the drawing heads. Another mode of
effecting the object consists in the application of a number of endless straps
or bands, armed with bristles or brushes, which are placed immediately above
the chains, and travel therewith, the bristles being made to enter between the
teeth or points of the holding surfaces.
This modification is shewn in Figures 8 and 9, in which the holders are
shown at c, c. The travelling endless straps armed with bristles or brushes are
seen at c', c. They are passed round the pullics d', d', and motion is com-
municated to the straps by the needles or points of the holding surfaces
entering the brushes or tufts of bristles and carrying them forward, the bristles
being thereby made to enter between the points and keep the fibres from rising
up therefrom.
If found desirable, the endless strap c¹ may be kept down by causing it to
pass under two, three, or more horizontal rollers or under a flat board placed
within the strap for the purpose, and if required motion can be communicated
to the strap by means of gearing. adapted to the axle or shaft of one of the
pullies d', in a similar manner to that shewn in Figures 1 and 2, in reference to
the shaft of the discs or wheels t, t, which are employed to push down the
fibres into or between the teeth or points of the holding surfaces.
The last improvement relates to the mode of operating upon stricks of fibres
which from their nature are short and cannot be conveniently operated upon
in the machine above described. Instead of having holding surfaces.composed
of several chains placed side by side, as in the former machine, I employ one
chain only, or one other suitably constructed. holding surface only, which
should be armed or provided with teeth or points of fine gauge. The stricks
of fibres to be operated upon.are fed on to these holding surfaces, as in the

page_text: former machine, and the longer fibres of the strick are drawn out by drawing-
off rollers or nippers placed at one side of the travelling holding surfaces, the
tail end of the strick on the opposite side being supported by a travelling
endless band or bands according to the length of fibre to be operated upon, and
which band or bands may be armed with bristles or brushes, or otherwise
roughened on the surface, so as to hold the strick and prevent the fibres which
are not seized by the nippers or drawing-off rollers from being curled or
drawn up with the others. Above this band or bands are similar ones armed
also, if required, with bristles or brushes, and as these bands travel with and at
the same speed as the holding surfaces, the strick of fibres will be supported
and held while the fibres are being drawn out at one end. It will, of course,
be understood that a similar arrangement of drawing-off apparatus is applied
to the other side of the holding surfaces, so that fibres may be drawn out from
both ends of the strick.
I would observe that for drawing off the fibres from the strick on these
machines, either drawing rollers, nippers, or clasps may be employed, the choice
of the particular form or arrangement of drawing-off apparatus depending upon
the nature of the material to be operated upon.
This modification of the machine is shewn in Figures 8 and 9, which
represent a partial side elevation and plan view of a machine constructed in
the manner above mentioned. a, a, are the endless travelling feeding aprons,
from which the fibres are deposited on the holding surfaces c, as in the former
instance; the projecting ends of the fibres are supported on both sides of thic
holding surfaces by the travelling endless straps or bands e, e', which travel
with and at the same speed as the holding surfaces as they are passed round
a pulley or pullies which are fixed on the same shaft as the chain drum of the
holding surfaces.
When the fibres are carried forward by the holding surfaces c, c, and the
endless bands or straps c¹, c¹, one of their projecting ends is passed or carried
under the upper band or strap f¹, f, so that it may be slightly held between
the straps or bands e¹ and f¹, so that when the other projecting end of the
fibres is carried or guided into the grip of the first set of drawing-off rollers the
other ends niay be prevented from curling up. When the first set of drawing-
off rollers has drawn off all the fibres within its reach, the strick is carried
forward to the second set of drawing-off rollers, which is placed on the opposite
side of the travelling holding surfaces, and the projecting fibres of the opposite
end of the strick within the reach of this set of drawing-off rollers will be
drawn off, all the short fibres of the strick being held by and retained in or
between the needles of the holding surface. The short fibres thus left in the

page_text: holding surfaces are subsequently removed therefrom, either by the attendant
or by mechanical means.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for
Assorting and Preparing for Spinning Silk and other Fibrous Substances,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as
the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the use and appli-
cation for the several purposes herein set forth of the various novel arrange-
ments or combinations above shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles de Jongh, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
C. DE JUNGH.
(L.S.)