IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1852

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighth day of March, in the fifteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exors, adiñors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exors,
adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," being a communication from abroad; in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly
to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby. declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereunto (that is to say):-
This Invention refers to certain mechanical arrangements constituting an
improved machine for combing wool and other fibrous materials. In the
accompanying Drawings, forming part of this my Specification, Fig. 1 repre-
sents the machine in front elevation; Fig. 2 is a left-hand elevation; Fig. 3
a left-hand elevation of the same; and Fig. 3* is a partial cross section taken
in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1. Figures 4 and 5 are sections representing a
modification of the combing apparatus. The same letters indicate like parts in
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 3*.
The chief features of the Invention may be thus enumerated. In this
improved machine the wool to be combed is lapped or deposited on to travel-
ling combs, having one or more rows of teeth attached by short bars to the
links of an endless chain which passes over rollers or wheels mounted at
opposite ends of the machine. In the upper part of their course these combs
are guided so as to move in a straight line to receive the fibres of wool from
a feeding apparatus, and carry it along in front of a combing apparatus, and
thence to a pair of rollers which draw off the combed fibres to form a sliver.
This Invention consists in depositing the wool as it is taken up by the feed
rollers from an apron by giving to the frame which carries the feeding
apparatus, a motion derived from a crank (at or near one end), or the equiva-
lent thereof, and vibrating rods or rockers at or near the other, so that the
feeding apparatus shall gradually move towards the range of comb teeth, and
gradually descend to lay the fibres on the teeth of the main comb, and then
recede therefrom, and again rise preparatory to a repetition of the operation.
The Invention also consists in combining with the feed rollers a rod placed in
front of and parallel therewith, which rod is connected with the feeding
apparatus, and has a motion relatively thereto upwards as the rollers advance
the fibres of wool, to lift them up and downwards to separate the fibres on the
main comb from those in the bite of the feed rollers. The Invention also
consists in giving an intermittent motion to the feed rollers, that between each
action the required quantity of wool may be fed forward, and remain at rest

page_text: during the combing action.
The Invention also consists in combining with
the main comb and condensing apparatus the employment of a vibrating
finger having a motion such as would be given by having one end of the wire
constituting such finger jointed to the edge of an endless belt passing around
two rollers for the purpose of carrying the fibres of wool that have been
combed towards the rollers of the condensing apparatus, and presenting them
properly to the bite of such rollers to ensure the catching of the longest fibres
first. And, finally, the Invention consists in the employment of a rotating
wheel or brush which acts against the front face of the main comb teeth, after
they have passed the combing cylinder, for the purpose of lifting the fibres or
properly loosening them from the base of the teeth.
In the accompanying Drawings a represents a frame adapted to the purpose,
and 6 a feeding apron on which the wool to be combed is placed by an
attendant, and by which it is regularly fed and presented to the bite of a pair
of feed rollers c, c. The feeding apron passes around two rollers, one at each
end, in the usual manner of operating feed aprons, and the forward one of
these rollers, and the feed rollers c, c, are geared together by a train of
cog wheels d, e, f, g, so that they shall move together and with equal
velocity. The feed rollers are on the end of a vibrating frame h, which;
near this end, is suspended to the crank i of a shaft j, the rear end of the
said frame being supported on two rocking arms k, k, so that by the
rotation of the crank the end of the said frame which carries the feed
rollers describes an ellipse in its motion, by means of which the wool that is
carried through by the feed rollers is carried to and laid on to the teeth of
the comb to be presently described. The intermittent feeding motion is
communicated to the apron and feed rollers, whilst the vibrating frame is
advancing towards the comb teeth, by a small crank on the end of the crank
wrist that operates the vibrating frame. This said crank works in the slot
m of a rack bar n, and at right angles to the line of the said rack, which
slides in appropriate boxes attached in the frame. The cogs of the. said rack
engage the cogs of a wheel o that turns freely on the arbor of a ratchet wheel
e, which arbor also carries a cog wheel q in immediate connection with the
train of wheels that drives the feed apron and feed rollers. The cog wheel o
is provided with a spring ratchet hand r, so that when the rack bar is carried
down by the crank, the spring ratchet hand engages the teeth of the ratchet
wheel, and imparts the feed motion, and as the said bar rises the hand is
carried back without moving the ratchet wheel and the parts receiving motion
therefrom. As the wool is moved out by the rollers it is lifted up, to be in a
proper condition to be laid on to the comb teeth, by means of a rod s, parallel

page_text: with and just in front of the feed rollers. This rod is attached to an arm t
that vibrates on the stud of the ratchet wheel p, and which is operated by
being connected with the rack bar n, so that as the feed rollers carry the wool
forward, the rod rises to lift it up, and as the wool is carried down to the
comb teeth by the downward motion of the vibrating frame, to lay it on to
the comb teeth, this rod descends to separate the fibres deposited on the
teeth of the main comb from those remaining in the bite of the feed rollers.
Another object of lifting up the wool by the rod s is to hold it whilst the teeth
of a vibrating comb u are carried down through it. This comb is placed
between the rods and the feed rollers, and is attached to the outer ends of
arms, v, v, on a rock shaft w, hung in the vibrating frame h, the said rock
shaft being provided with another arm that has a wrist pin fitted to a cam
groove (represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2) in a cam wheel y on the crank
pin, which vibrates the frame h. This cam groove is formed so as to cause
the comb u to descend and engage the wool as it is being lapped on to the
main comb teeth that during the back movement of the vibrating frame with
the feed rollers the fibres of wool may be partially combed, and those lapped
on to the teeth of the main comb effectually separated from those still in the
bite of the feed rollers. The main comb a' is composed of two rows of paral-
lel teeth (more or less) secured to a series of bars b', which are attached at
about the middle of their length to the links of a chain c', which passes around
two wheels d', e¹, provided with side flanches that embrace the chain. The
wheel d¹ turns freely, and the other e' is keyed to a shaft f, which carries a
bevil cog wheel g', that receives motion from a pinion h' on a shaft i¹, that in
turn receives motion by a cog wheel j, pinion k¹, and band wheel from the
main driving shaft m¹. The bars 6' that carry the comb teeth are maintained
in a straight line along the upper part of their course by sliding on and against
a bar n of the frame, which is rebated for that purpose, and which extends
from the wheel d¹ to the wheel e¹. The inner face of this bar, as also the face
of the bars b', are properly bevelled or chamfered to leave a smooth surface.
The bar n¹ is also grooved to receive and guide the chain which carries the
bars 6 of the comb. The chain of combs below is guided by a wheel o¹, the
shaft of which is mounted in hangers p¹ that are adjustable, for the purpose of
keeping the chain properly distended. The wool which is lapped on to the
teeth of the main comb is gradually carried by the forward motion of the
chain to and in front of a combing cylinder q', provided with bars r³, that carry
tangential combs s', by which the wool is properly combed. This cylinder
receives motion by a strap t¹ from a pulley on the main shaft. The shaft u of
this combing cylinder communicates motion by a train of cog wheels v¹, w', x',

page_text: to the shaft j, that carries the crank that vibrates the frame h of the feeding
apparatus. The combing cylinder is provided with rotating brushes, or card
rollers y', in the usual manner, for clearing the teeth of the combs as the
cylinder rotates. After the fibres of wool which hang on the main comb
teeth have passed the combing cylinder, they are carried towards a pair of
vertical fluted rollers a, a, which are placed near to the main comb. The
shaft of one of these rollers runs in fixed boxes, and carries a pulley b³, which
receives motion by a band ca from a pulley on the main driving shaft, and tho
shaft of the other roller runs in moveable boxes provided with helical springs
d', d, the tension of which keeps the two rollers properly in contact, to bite
the fibres of wool. The hanging fibres of wool, as the chain of combs moves
along, are caught by these rollers, and are stripped off from the comb teeth;
but it is important to the proper operation of this part of the machine that
the rollers should catch the outer ends of the fibres first, and for this purpose
there is a wire finger e³ jointed near its lower end to an endless strap or chain fº,
that passes around two rollers g², g, one of which is a guide roller and the
other a driving roller, which latter is on a shaft h³, provided with a band wheel
2, which receives motion by a band ja from a pulley on the main driving shaft.
The upper end of this wire e³ slides freely in a swivel ², so that as the endless
band that carries this wire travels around at a greater velocity than the chain
of combs, the wire carried by it catches the fibres of wool, and carries the
loose ends that hang from the comb teeth forward towards the bite of the
rollers, so that the longest ends are first caught by the rollers, and drawn from
the comb teeth; and so in succession all the fibres of sufficient length are
drawn off in the form of a sliver, and delivered by the rollers to a condensing
tube, which receives motion by a band m³ from a pulley on the shaft h² of
the roller, which carries the band for operating the wire finger. The con-
densing tube delivers the sliver to a pair of fluted rollers n³, n³, which receive
motion from the main driving shaft by a strap 02. The boxes of the rollers
a², a², are attached to a frame or plate p*, which slides vertically in ways ², so
that the frame and its rollers are free to move up and down, and this frame or
plate is provided with an arm, the end of which rests on the periphery of a
cam s³, attached to a cog wheel t³, which receives motion from a worm u³ on the
shaft, through which motion is communicated to the chain of combs. The form of
this cam is represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the object is to give a slow
up and down motion to the rollers, as they draw the fibres from the teeth of the
main comb, to insure the catching of all the fibres which are of sufficient length.
As the fibres are passing along in front of the wire finger which presents them
to the rollers, it is important that they should be lifted up from the base of the

page_text: comb teeth, as the action of the combing cylinder tends to draw them down
and causes them to accumulate and sometimes clog in the teeth, so that
the rollers could not draw them off without breaking. To loosen them there
is a wheel (a brush may be used instead), the periphery of which is covered
with leather, or its equivalent, and runs in contact, or nearly so, with the base
of the comb teeth, and, acting on the fibres, forces them up from the base of
the comb teeth. This wheel or brush receives motion through a cog wheel w
and pinion from the cog wheel j¹ on the shaft that communicates motion to
the chain of combs. Instead of employing the combing cylinder for combing
the wool as it passes along from the feeding to the condensing apparatus, a
vibrating comb, operated in manner substantially the same as the comb con-
nected with the feeding or lapping apparatus, may be used. This comb may
be constructed in the following manner (see Figures 4 and 5):-The comb
teeth a³ are arranged on a bar 63, attached to the arms c³, c³, of a rock shaft d³,
jointed to two rocking arms e³, e³, that vibrate on fixed studs f³, f. And this
rock shaft is provided with another arm g³, that takes hold of a crank pin h³
on a shaft 3, which receives the required motion from any appropriate part of
the machine. The dotted line, Fig. 5, represents the curve, generated by
the points of the comb teeth as they are carried back from the main comb,
from which it will be seen that the combing action, after the teeth have
entered the wool, is more direct than with a combing cylinder. This comb
may be attached to the vibrating frame of the feeding apparatus, from which
it will receive the required motion. It may be remembered that the use of
the feed apron is not indispensable, as the wool can be presented to the feed
rollers without the apron. And it should also be understood, that the required
heat can be applied to this machine in any appropriate way, by means of
steam pipes or by making some parts of the machine hollow for the passage
of steam.
Having thus described the Invention, as communicated to me by my Foreign
Correspondent, I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, I claim the general arrangement of machinery, as above
described, for combing wool and other fibrous materials; and particularly I
claim,―
First, giving to the feeding apparatus the motion, substantially as specified,
for depositing the fibres of wool on to the teeth of the main comb, as specified.
Secondly, I claim, in combination with the feed rollers, operated substan-
tially as specified, the employment of the lifting rod for lifting the fibres pre-
paratory to depositing them on the main comb, as described.
Thirdly, I claim, in combination with the feed rollers and lifting rod, sub-

page_text: stantially as specified, the employment of a vibrating comb, as described, for
the purpose of effectually separating the fibres held by the feed rollers from
those deposited on to the teeth of the main comb, as specified.
Fourthly, I claim, in combination with the endless chain of comb teeth
constituting the main comb, the vibrating finger, operated substantially as
specified, to direct the fibres of wood (after they have been combed) to the
draw-off rollers, which deliver them to the condensing apparatus, as described.
Fifthly, I claim giving to the feeding rollers an intermittent motion, sub-
stantially as specified, that the required quantity may be fed forward, and
remain at rest during the combing action, as specified.
And, finally, I claim giving to the draw-off rollers, which strip the fibres of
wool from the teeth of the main comb, a slow motion in the direction of their
axes, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
(L.S.) A. V. NEWTON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighth day of September, in