Improvements in Devices for Beating Silk Cocoons.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 3rd June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd June, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Beating Silk Cocoons.
We, THE SERRELL AUTOMATIC SILK REELING COMPANY, LIMITED, of Paris, France,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to an improved brush for beating silk cocoons.
It is more
particularly designed for use in machines of the kind described in the specification of
Letters Patent dated November 8th, 1886, No. 14367, but it can be used for beating
Cocoons by hand.
The said brush is adapted to be employed for beating the cocoons with the aid of
currents of water produced in a basin of hot water by an oscillatory or vertical to and
fro movement of the brush.
The brushes hitherto employed for beating silk cocoons by means of the pro-
duction of currents of water in the manner described in the above named patent
No. 14387 of 1888, have been made of twigs of heather andropogon, ischaemun,
and the like, and in order that they should work properly, it has been necessary for
the various twigs to have a certain rigidity, without which they yield too much, and
produce spirting of the water instead of the currents desired.
This rigidity of the twigs is open to objection for the reason that cocoons which
accidentally come in contact with them are more or less injured, and furthermore
slight differences in the degree to which the cocoons are cooked cause great differences
in the result when they are touched by such rigid twigs. From these two causes great
losses and difficulties ensue which will be readily understood by persons acquainted
with the reeling of silk.
By the use of brushes according to this invention these drawbacks are obviated and
in the manufacture of such brushes we can use filaments of the greatest fineness and
flexibility, such for example, as fine strings, vegetable or animal hairs etc.
The new
brush consists of a rigid cylindrical part having at its lower extremity a tuft or brush
formed of fine flexible filaments; if the brush is to be operated by machinery its
upper part is provided with suitable means for attaching it to such machinery.
Fig. 1 shews a brush according to this invention the operation of which will be
readily understood from Figs. 2, 3, and 4.
A is a cylindrical part of metal, hardened caoutchouc, or any composition capable of
resisting the action of boiling water. We prefer that this part should be hollow, in
order to reduce the weight as much as possible.
B is a tuft of fine flexible filaments secured to the part A in any suitable manner.
In Fig. 2 the apparatus is shewn as having commenced descending in the water:
the level of the water being indicated at N. When this descending movement
commences, the flexible filaments B spread out and offer a considerable resistance to
he water..

page_text: Thence it results that a circular current of water is produced. The separation of
the filaments caused by the resistance of the water increases as the brush descends
and when it is in its lowest position, it assumes the position shewn in Fig. 3.
When the ascending movement commences, the filaments move back toward one
another, and the apparatus assuming the form shewn in Fig. 4, offers only a slight
resistance to the movement of the water, and does not arrest the currents caused by
the descent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. A brush for beating silk cocoons consisting of a rigid part. A and a flexible
part B, substantially as described.
2. Our improved brush for beating silk cocoons arranged and operating as shewn
in and described with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1890.
THE SERRELL AUTOMATIC SILK REELING Co., LIMITED.
Per L. W.