IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIVER CONDUCTORS FOR ROTATORY-GILL AND OTHER APPARATUS USED IN PREPARING JUTE AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Skinner, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Mill Manager, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SLIVER CONDUCTORS FOR ROTATORY-GILL AND OTHER APPARATUS USED
IN PREPARING JUTE AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Skinner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1880.
JAMES SKINNER, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Mill
Manager. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIVER CONDUCTORS FOR ROTATORY-GILL AND
OTHER APPARATUS USED IN PREPARING JUTE AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
This Invention has for its object to improve the construction, arrangement, and
action of sliver conductors which are used for guiding slivers in rotatory-gill and
other apparatus employed for preparing jute and other fibrous materials.
In a modification of the improved sliver conductor suitable for rotatory gill
machines, the conductor made of brass or bronze or other suitable metal or
material, is formed with sides which are connected by a top or cover. The sides
are shaped to rest on the ends of the gill roller close to the gills, or on journals, or
other circular surfaces concentric with the roller, so that the conductor always has
the same concentric position relative to the roller, notwithstanding any adjustment
of it about the common axis. At the entering end of the conductor, and from that
part for some distance round it the inner faces of the sides are formed with annular
convexities, which project inwards so far as to be just over the points of the outer
circular rows of gills, and which prevent the sliver from spreading laterally. From
the part at which the sliver begins to leave the gill roller, the convexities on the
sides of the conductor are gradually curved more inwards so as to contract the
space between them, and thereby laterally compress the sliver and reduce its width
as it enters between the drawing and pressing rollers. The sides of the conductor
are extended as far as conveniently possible into the narrowing space between the
drawing and pressing rollers, and are of shapes fitting or nearly fitting those rollers
and terminating in points. The cover of the conductor does not extend to the

page_text: points of the sides, but is as it were cut away to allow the pressing roller to reach
nearly into contact with the points of the gill roller, and so that the distance
between the gill roller and the drawing and pressing rollers may be as short as
conveniently possible. The bereinbefore described arrangement of the conductor,
so as to be movable about the same axis as the gill roller, allows of sufficient
adjustment of the drawing and pressing rollers in position without interfering
with the proper action of the conductor, and the narrowing of the sliver is of
considerable practical advantage.
By a further improvement one or more rows of steel pins are fixed in the
forward edge of the conductor cover, with the points directed forwards and slightly
downwards. These gills prevent the sliver from rising too soon off the teeth of the
gill roller, and also tend to straighten the fibres as the sliver passes under them.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Skinner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
November 1880.
JAMES SKINNER, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Mill
Manager. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIVER CONDUCTORS FOR ROTATORY GILL AND
OTHER APPARATUS USED IN PREPARING JUTE AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction, arrangement,
and action of sliver conductors which are used for guiding slivers in rotatory-gill
and other apparatus employed for preparing jute and other fibrous materials.
My improved sliver conductor as made for rotatory-gill machines is constructed of
brass or bronze, or other suitable metal or material, and is formed with sides which
are connected by a top or cover. The sides are shaped with semi-circular con-
cavities to rest on the gill roller close to the gills, or on journals or other circular
surfaces concentric with the roller, so that the conductor always has the same
concentric position relatively to the roller, notwithstanding any adjustment of it
about the common axis. At the entering end of the conductor the inner faces of
the sides are formed with convexities which prevent the sliver from spreading
laterally. From the part at which the sliver begins to leave the gill roller the sides
are gradually curved more inwards, so as to contract the space between them, and
thereby laterally compress the sliver and reduce its width as it enters between the
drawing and pressing rollers. The sides of the conductor are extended as far as
conveniently possible into the narrowing space between the drawing and pressing
rollers, and are of shapes fitting or nearly fitting those rollers and terminating in
points, and their effect is whilst narrowing the sliver to keep its sides or edges
straight. The arrangement of the conductor so as to be movable about the same
axis as the gill roller allows of advantageous adjustment of the drawing and
pressing rollers in position, without interfering with the proper action of the
conductor ; and the narrowing and straightening of the sliver is of considerable
practical advantage.
By a further improvement one or two rows of steel pins are fixed in the forward
edge of the conductor cover, with the points directed forwards and slightly
downwards. These pins or gills prevent the sliver from rising too soon off the
teeth of the gill roller, and also tend to straighten the fibres as the sliver passes
under them.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing examples of my improved sliver
conductors.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings are a plan, a vertical
section, and an inverted plan of one modification of my improved sliver conductor ;
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are similar views showing slight modifications in the form of
the sliver conductor, and the application of a row of tail pins to it; Figure 7 is
partly a plan and partly a horizontal section showing conductors applied to gill
rollers, and Figure 8 is a diagram showing the manner in which I prefer to arrange
the sliver conductor and parts in connection with which it is used. In these
Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
The sliver conductor shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, has its sides 9 shaped to rest on
the shaft ends or journals 10 (Figures 7, 8,) of the gill roller 11, whilst those shown
in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, have their sides 9 shaped to rest on the body of the gill
roller 11; in other respects the conductors shown are substantially the same and
may be described together. The sides of each conductor are connected by a
cover 12, which is shaped so as to confine the sliver down upon the gills excepting
just at the entering end. At the entering end the inner faces of the sides are

page_text: formed with convexities 13 forming narrowing guides to lead the sliver properly,
and without lateral spreading upon the gills. At the forward parts the sides are
formed with curved projecting points 14 shaped above and below to fit or nearly
fit the convexities of the pressing and drawing rollers 15, 16 (Figure 8), the
cover 12 ending at the part where the concave shape to fit the pressing roller
commences. At about the part last referred to the inner faces 17 of the sides begin
to bulge further inwards, so as to contract the space between them, and thereby
diminish the breadth of the sliver as it passes from the gill roller 11 to the pressing
and drawing rollers 15, 16, the narrowed sliver at the same time having its edges
rendered straight and even.
In Figures 4, 5, 6, a row of tail gills or pins 18 are shown as fixed in the forward
edge of the conductor cover 12, for the purpose of preventing the sliver from rising
too soon off the teeth of the gill roller, and for straightening the fibres of the
passing sliver.
One of the practical advantages of my improved arrangement of sliver conductor
consists in its admitting of the pressing roller 15 being placed in a more
advantageous position relatively to the drawing roller 16 than that ordinarily
adopted, in which one is vertically over the other. By placing the rollers 15, 16, as
shown in Figure 8, the journals of the pressing roller 15 being in guides which are
somewhat inclined from the vertical towards the gill roller 11, a sufficiently
effective drawing action is obtained with much reduced pressure or weight on the
roller. I also find it advantageous to lead the sliver to the gill roller 11 in the
manner indicated in Figure 8, causing it to proceed from the back conductor 19
over the first retaining roller 20, under the second retaining roller 21, and over the
third retaining roller 22, instead of passing these rollers in the opposite ordinary
directions. This arrangement allows of a longer reach between the holding point
of the retaining rollers and the drawing and pressing rollers 15, 16, and I in some
cases apply a small upper roller 23 which may be adjusted in different positions,
as indicated by the dotted lines at 24, to suit fibrous materials having different
staples.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original,
and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The constructing or shaping of sliver conductors, substantially in the improved
manner herein before described and as shown on the accompanying Drawings.
2. The constructing of a sliver conductor for a rotatory gill so as to be adjustable
concentrically with the gill roller by being supported on the gill roller or its shaft
or journals, or on bearing surfaces concentric therewith, substantially as herein-
before described.
3. The arranging of the pressing and drawing rollers (15, 16,) at an inclination
and in combination with the improved sliver conductor, substantially as herein-
before described.
4. The improved mode of leading the sliver from the back conductor (19) to the
gill roller (11) in combination with the improved sliver conductor, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Skinner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JAMES SKINNER. (L.S.)