Improvements relating to Machines and Appliances for Opening, Spreading, Stretching, and Guiding Woven Fabrics and for like Purposes,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
CALION, SLN NOV., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
Improvements relating to Machines and Appliances for Opening,
Spreading, Stretching, and Guiding Woven Fabrics and for like
Purposes,
I, RICHARD REDFERN ROBERTS, of 15, Bolholt Terrace, Bury, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object the provision of improved means for opening,
smoothing, spreading, and stretching woven fabrics from selvedge to selvedge,
and also for guiding calico, cloth, and the like, in machines such as are used
by bleachers, dyers, calico printers, and others.
In the application of my invention to a scutching or cloth opening machine,
such as described in the Specification No. 4172 of 1887 on which Letters Patent
have been granted to me, or other scutching or cloth opening machines, I dispense
with the angular opening and guiding rollers and instead of the same I employ
curved rods of iron, steel, or other material fitted with flexible tubes or rollers. Such
flexible tubes or rollers are made in one manner from metallic wire coils covered
with india-rubber or other elastic covering, or with discs of paper, wood, or metal.
I also sometimes cover the coil by rolling cloth round it until the desired diameter
is obtained. The surface of the rollers can be roughened if desired by chasing
or cutting spiral or other lines along them or in any other convenient manner.
The flexible tubes or rollers revolve casily on their curved rods as the fabric
passes over them, and in so travelling over the rollers their curvature will cause
the fabric to be differentially stretched from the centre to each selvedge, the
amount of stretch varying with the extent of the curvature, the diameter
of the flexible rollers and the period of contact with the rollers.
For the combined stretching and guiding of the fabric as it passes through the
machine I mount two of the curved rods and rollers hereinbefore described on
a curved bar the whole being balanced and supported on a central pin on which
it can turn freely through a short distance, forwards and backwards, for the
purpose of guiding the cloth and so causing it to pass centrally through the
machine.
'
In the application of my invention for stretching purposes only, I employ a
number of curved rollers such as herein before described according to the extent
of stretching required, arranging them as closely together as possible, in a
vertical, horizontal, or diagonal position, or around a central shaft or standard.
My invention is applicable in any case where the fabric requires stretching
from selvedge to selvedge to increase the width or to take out crimps and creases,
n addition to the purposes herein before referred to.
Dated this 8th dow of Nam
1000

page_text: Improvements relating to Machines and Appliances for Opening,
Spreading, Stretching, and Guiding Woven Fabrics and for like
Purposes.
I, RICHARD REDFERN ROBERTS, of 15, Bolholt Terrace, Bury, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object the provision of improved means for opening,
smoothing, spreading and stretching woven fabrics from selvedge to selvedge,
and also for guiding calico, cloth, and the like, in machines such as are used
by bleachers, dyers, calico printers, and others.
In the application of my invention to a scutching or cloth opening machine,
such as described in the Specification No. 4172 of 1887 on which Letters Patent
have been granted to me, or other scutching or cloth opening machines, I dispense
with the angular opening and guiding rollers and instead of the same I employ
curved rods of iron, steel, or other material fitted with flexible tubes or rollers. Such
flexible tubes or rollers are made in one manner from metallic wire coils covered
with india-rubber or other elastic covering, or with discs of paper, wood, or metal.
I also sometimes cover the coil by rolling cloth round it until the desired diameter
is obtained. The surface of the rollers can be roughened if desired by chasing
or cutting spiral or other lines along them or in any other convenient manner.
The flexible tubes or rollers revolve easily on their curved rods as the fabric
passes over them, and in so travelling over the rollers their curvature will cause
the fabric to be differentially stretched from the centre to each selvedge, the
amount of stretch varying with the extent of the curvature, the diameter
of the flexible rollers and the period of contact with the rollers.
For the combined stretching and guiding of the fabric as it passes through the
machine I mount two of the curved rods and rollers hereinbefore described on
a curved bar or carrier, the whole being balanced and supported on a central pin
or pivot on which it can turn freely through a short distance, forwards and
backwards, in the direction in which the fabric is travelling, for the purpose of
guiding the cloth and so causing it to pass centrally through the machine.
In the application of my invention for stretching purposes only, I employ a
number of curved rollers, such as hereinbefore described, according to the extent
of stretching required, arranging them as closely together as possible, in a
vertical, horizontal, or diagonal position, or around a central shaft or standard.
My invention is applicable in any case where the fabric requires stretching
from selvedge to selvedge to increase the width or to take out crimps and creases,
in addition to the purposes herein before referred to.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings,-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation with part in section, representing a com-
bined stretching and guiding apparatus as constructed and arranged in accordance
with my invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus, to a larger scale, and Figure 3
a section of the curved bar or carrier through the line ab Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section to a still larger scale through one of the curved flexible
rollers.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.—
A pair of flexible rollers as A are mounted upon the curved bar or carrier B
supported by a central pin or pivot C with or upon which the whole can turn
freely. The rollers have each a fixed central stem or part D formed preferably

page_text: from a wrought iron pipe or tube; the roller itself consists of a metallic wire
coil as A', and an outer covering A of dermatine, rubber, or other material. The
extremities of the fixed stem or part D of each curved and flexible roller are
secured by caps E and bolts as F to the cross or T shaped ends of the curved
bar or carrier B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. In machines and appliances for opening, spreading, stretching, and guiding
woven fabrics, and for like purposes, the use of curved rollers, substantially as
described.
2. The construction of curved flexible rollers for machines and appliances such
as herein before referred to, substantially in the manner described and as illus-
trated.
3. In machines and appliances such as herein before referred to, the com-
bination of curved flexible rollers with a curved bar or carrier having a pivotal
support, substantially as described and as illustrated.
Dated this 14th day of July 1899.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
25, Cross Street, Manchester, &
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.