IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING THE DUST FROM RAG MACHINES AND OTHER MACHINES OF A SIMILAR DESCRIPTION
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Seth Joy, of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Manager to William Shuttleworth, Shoddy and Flock
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REMOVING THE DUST FROM RAG MACHINES AND OTHER MACHINES OF A SIMILAR
DESCRIPTION"
Sealed the 3rd December 1869, and dated the 24th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Seth Joy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th June 1869.
I, SETH JOY, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manager to
William Shuttleworth, Shoddy and Flock Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR REMOVING THE DUST FROM RAG MACHINES AND OTHER MACHINES OF A SIMILAR'
DESCRIPTION," to be as follows:-
In machines for tearing up cotton and woollen rags, commonly called
rag machines and shake woolleys, a great quantity of dust is loosened,

page_text: and hitherto it has been found very difficult if not impossible to remove
this dust from the room in which the machinery is at work, to the
great injury and inconvenience of the operatives. Now my Invention
consists in an improved apparatus applicable to the said machines
by which the dust is carried away from the upper part of the casing
of the machine and blown into the chimney, thereby not only keeping
the air in the room free from dust but increasing the draught in the
chimney.
In performing my Invention I make use of an exhausting fan con-
nected by a double trunk to the inside of the casing of the machine;
this fan is made to draw the air and dust in at each side, and it forces
the air aud dust through another trunk into the chimney, a box
. being placed between the fan and the chimney to collect the heavier
portions of the dust.
Another part of my Invention consists in making the cover of
the inain cylinder of the machine of finely perforated zinc or other sheet
metal
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Seth Joy in the great. Seal Patent Office on
the 24th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SETH
Joy, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manager to William
Shuttleworth, Shoddy and Flock Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date tho Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Seth Joy, Her special licence that
I, the said Seth Joy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Seth Joy, 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 APPARATUS FOR

page_text: REMOVING THE DUST FROM RAG MACHINES AND OTHER MACHINES OP A LIKE
DESCRIPTION," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Seth Joy, 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 Seth Joy, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
:-
In machines for tearing up cotton and woollen rags, commonly called
rag machines and shake woolleys, a great quantity of dust is loosened,
and hitherto it has been found very difficult if not impossible to reinove
this dust from the room in which the machinery is at work, to the
great injury and inconvenience of the operatives. Now my Invention
consists in an improved apparatus applicable to the said machines
by which the dust is carried away from the upper part of the casing
of the machine and blown into the chimney, thereby not only keeping
the air in the room free from dust but increasing the draught in the
chimney.
In performing my Invention I make use of an exhausting fan con-
nected by a double trunk to the inside of the casing of the machine;
this fan is made to draw the air and dust in at each side, and it forces
the air aud dust through another trunk into the chimney, a box being
placed between the fan and the chimney to collect the heavier portions
of the dust.
Another part of my Invention consists in making the cover of
the main cylinder of the machine of finely perforated zinc or other sheet
metal.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I will
proceed to describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings.
On Sheet I have shewn an elevation in outline of an ordinary
rag machine to which my improvements are applied. a represents
the apron or creeper on which the rags to be operated upon are

page_text: strap
spread by hand in the usual manner; b, b, are the feed rollers; and c
is the main cylinder which opens and tears the rags presented th
it by the feed rollers in the ordinary manner. The cylinder c is partly
surrounded by the cover d and partly by the finely perforated zinc
or other sheet metal cover e, through which the dust is drawn by
the partial vacuum formed by the fan f. The fibres and partially
torn up pieces of fabric are thrown off the cylinder c and delivered
into a receptacle under the creeper a as usual: To the upper part
of the casing are connected the lower ends of the double trüök g,
the upper ends of which open on each side into the casing of the
crossed
fan consequently, when the fan which is driven by a
from the pulley on the axle of the cylinder c, or in any other con-
venient manner is revolving, the partial vacuum caused by the fan
draws the air and dust from the interior of the casing and forces
it through the pipe h into the chimney i, or into a flue, or into the
open air. By this means tlie atmosphere of the room in which the rag
machine is working is not only kept free from dust, and is consequently
not injurious to the workpeople, but the draught in the chimney is
increased by the loose flyings of fibres being ignited by the heat
in the chimney and by the extra quantity of air forced into it. The
box is placed in any convenient position between the fan and
the chimney or other place in which it is discharged to collect tlie
heavier portions of the dust; the contents of this box can be removed af
intervals.
On Sheet 21 have shewn an elevation in outline of a machine
commonly called a "sbake woolley," to which my improvements are
applied. The dirty fibres to be operated upon are thrown into the
casing at a as usual, and they are operated upon by the toothed
drum c and the working rollers el in the ordinary manner. The air
and dust are exhausted from the casing by the fan f and blown by it
through the pipe to the chimney i; or other discharge opening as
before described..
From the foregoing description it will be seen that my improvements
not only prevent the vitiation of the air in the workroom, but that
the dust and' impurities instead of being discharged into the open
air where they create a nuisance are blown into the chimney or into
a flue leading to, the chimney, where they are ignited and pass off as-
smoke.
5
:

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described two
convenient modes of performing the same, I wish it to be understood
that I do not limit myself to the details given as my improvements
may be modified and applied to other descriptions of rag machines
and other machines of a similar description; and I declare that I
claim,―
First. The improved mode of connecting rag machines, shake woolleys,
and other machines of the like nature direct to the chimney, or to a flue,
or into the open air.
And, secondly. The perforated sheet metal cover e when applied to
rag machines and other machines of the like nature.
In witness whereof, I, the said Seth Joy, have hereto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of December One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
SETH JOY. (L.S.)