A New or Improved Machine or Apparatus for Testing and Recording the Strengths of Textile Fabrics, Fibrous Materials, Fibres, Leather, and other like Materials or Substances.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine or Apparatus for Testing and
Recording the Strengths of Textile Fabrics, Fibrous Materials,
Fibres, Leather, and other like Materials or Substances.
We, JOHN WILLIAM FAWCETT, of 67, Calton Street, Bradford Road,
Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Engineers Fitter, and WILLIAM SHAMBROOK, of the
same place, Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to a new or improved machine or apparatus for
testing the strengths of textile fabrics, fibrous materials, fibres, leather, paper and
the like, and indicating or registering the breaking strain or fracture thereof.
In carrying out our invention we employ a suitable frame or pedestal adapted, if
need be, to be secured by screws, or by a clamp to a table or other fixture, and on
said frame is formed or secured a bracket or arm provided at its upper end with a
hinged jaw, and supporting at its lower end a barrel or hollow tube in which is
adapted to work backwards and forwards a spindle having a screw thread formed
on its outer end and at the opposite or inner end a collar or shoulder which abuts
against a bush or collar placed loosely on the spindle and held in contact therewith
by a steel spring confined between said loose bush and a shoulder or nut at the
end of the barrel. Corresponding to the above named bracket or arm and pivoted
on a stud projecting from the frame or pedestal is a suitable lever having a hinged
jaw at its upper end and at its lower end a nut through which the aforesaid
screwed spindle is adapted to work and to move the lever on its fulcrum in either
direction to or from the bracket or fixed arm, the said spindle being rotated by
means of a milled disc or wheel and swaife. The spring in the barrel is tested to
resist a pressure or force equal to the maximum number of pounds it is desired the
machine shall register, and a scale is graduated on the barrel or on a dial plate
fixed above the same to represent in pounds, and, if desired in fractions thereof,
from nothing upwards to the maximum, somewhat after the manner of spring steel
yards or balances. If the scale is marked on the barrel, a finger or pointer is
attached to the loose bush on the screwed spindle to indicate the pounds pressure
exerted against the spring in compressing it; or, if a dial plate is used, we
communicate motion from the loose bush by rack and pinion to a vertical shaft, to
which is secured a catch or finger, auch finger, when moved round in one direction
by the said shaft, engaging, and moving with it round the dial plate, a pointer
loosely supported on the shaft, which indicates the pounds pressure exerted.
prefer the latter method of indicating for the reason that when the breaking strain
of the fabric has been reached and the spring in the barrel thereby released, the
pointer, instead of immediately returning to zero will remain opposite the figure
ndicating the breaking strain of the fabric, and consequently no question can arise
s to the reading of the indication. The said method may be varied or other
quivalent methods adopted.
We
The cloth or material, whose strength is to be tested and recorded, is stretched
r laid tightly over the lower balves of the two hinged jaws above referred to, and
then firmly secured by the upper halves of said jaws being screwed down onto
be fabric by thumb or other suitable form of screws or nuts.
o the screwed spindle which actuates the lever and moves the upper end thereof in
Motion is now given
direction away from the fixed jaw, and, if the fabric stretches in doing this, this
D

page_text: screwed spindle and loose bush will remain in their normal positions and no indication
be given; but if the fabric does not stretch, or immediately it has stretched to its
limit, the screwed spindle, by reason of the resistance of the fabric or material, will
be caused to work longitudinally through the nut in the same direction as it is
causing the upper end of the lever to move and to draw the loose bush forward
against the pressure of the spring a distance corresponding or equivalent to the
pounds pressure exerted in the compression of said spring and therefore of the
strength of the fabric up to and including the point of fracture, and the mark
opposite which the pointer has then arrived gives the strength of the fabric.
Suitable spheres of metal are inserted between the collar on the end of the screwed
spindle and the loose bush to reduce friction on the working surfaces, and to
avoid twisting of the said bush in the barrel; or for the latter purpose a feather
and key or a pin. projecting through a slot in the barrel may be employed.
The barrel is preferably hinged to the fixed bracket so that it shall be adapted
to move in unison with the angular movement of the screwed spindle.
Instead of having a fixed hinged jaw, both hinged jaws may be movable to and
from each other by lever or levers or links, or the levers carrying said jaws may be
actuated by right and left hand screws. The jaws can be made flat or rounded, and
either plain fluted or otherwise roughened to afford a better grip on the material to
be tested. An adjustable stop piece may be employed in conjunction with the
screwed spindle to limit, if required, the extent of its return movement.
Dated this 14th day of July 1894.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Agents.
A New or Improved Machine or Apparatus for Testing and
Recording the Strengths of Textile Fabrics, Fibrous Materials,
Fibres, Leather, and other like Materials or Substances.
We, JOHN WILLIAM FAWCETT, of 67, Calton Street, Bradford Road,
Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Engineers Fitter, and WILLIAM SHAMBROOK, of the
same place, Warehouseman, 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 has reference to a new or improved machine or apparatus for
testing the strengths of textile fabrics, fibrous materials, fibres, leather, paper and
the like, and indicating or registering the breaking strain or fracture thereof.
In carrying out our invention we employ a suitable frame or pedestal adapted, if
need be, to be secured by screws or by a clamp to a table or other fixture and on
said frame is formed or secured a bracket or arm provided at its upper end with a
hinged jaw, and supporting at its lower end a pivotted barrel or hollow tube in
which is adapted to rotate and to work backwards and forwards, a spindle having a
screw thread formed on its outer end. The opposite or inner,end of said spindle is
enlarged or has a collar secured or formed thereon with which a bush placed loosely
on the spindle is held in engagement by means of a spiral spring.
Corresponding to the above named bracket or arm and pivotted on a stud
projecting from the pedestal is a suitable lever having a hinged jaw at its upper
end and at its lower end a nut through which the screwed spindle is adapted to work
and to move the lever on its fulcrum in either direction to or from the bracket or
fixed arm.
.
1
The fabric to be tested is stretched and secured between the hinged jaws on the
upper ends of the fixed arm and the lever, and its resistance to the movement of
the lever when actuated by the screwed spindle, causes the spring in the barrel to

page_text: be compressed until the material is broken or torn asunder. The compression of
the spring causes motion to be given to a finger or pointer which moves over or
round a dial plate and indicates in pounds the strength or breaking strain of the
fabric per square inch.
Such being the object and nature of our invention we will now proceed to describe
the same more fully, for which purpose reference is hereinafter had to the drawings
annexed wherein :-
Fig. 1 is elevation of our improved machine for testing the strength of fabrics,
fibres and fibrous materials, and Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively end elevation and
plan view of same.
Fig. 4 is longitudinal section taken on line a, c, of Fig. 1.
The machine or apparatus is mounted or supported by a frame or pedestal a, and
consists of the following parts; namely:-An arm b and a lever c, the former of
which is rigidly secured to the frame, whilst the latter is centred on a stud d on
which it is free to turn. The upper ends of the arm and lever c carry hinged
jaws b and c provided with thumb screws b, c, for closing and releasing same, and
with springs c³ for forcing the hinged jaws apart when released by the thumb
screws. The lower ends of said arm b and lever c are forked to receive respectively
the end of a barrel or hollow tube e and a nut f which are secured therein ou
centres and . Into the barrel e enters a spindle i against the head of which
abuts a bush placed loosely on said spindle and held in contact with the head or
collar by a spiral spring surrounding the spindle and confined between said bush
and a shoulder at the end of the barrel. The spindle i is free to rotate and to move
backwards and forwards or endwise in the barrel and has formed on its outer
end a screw thread corresponding to an internal thread in the nut f, through which
it is adapted to work and to move the lever c on its fulcrum in either direction to
or from the fixed arm b. The spindle is rotated by means of a milled disc, or
wheel and swaife and a stop piece m is formed or secured thereon which when.
engaged with the nut prevents any further movement of the lever c towards the
arm b.
A nut n is screwed into the outer end of the barrel e to prevent the spindle i
being thrust outwards, and antifriction balls o are placed between the head or
collar and the bush j for the purpose of reducing friction between the surfaces
and avoid any tendency of the bush to twist.
The confined spring k in the barrel e, is tested to resist a pressure or force equal
to the maximum number of pounds it is desired the machine shall register and a
scale is graduated on the dial plate p to represent in pounds and, if necessary, in
fractions thereof, from zero upwards, somewhat after the manner of spring steel
yards and balances. To indicate the pounds pressure exerted in compressing the
spring k we secure to the bush j one end of a rack 9 which is enabled to move
end wise with the said bush by means of the longitudinal slot or opening in the
barrel e. Gearing with said rack is a pinion & fast on the lower end of a vertical
shaft & supported in the frame or pedestal a. The upper end of said shaft passes
through an opening in the centre of the dial plate p and has a pointer t placed
loosely thereon with which is adapted to engage when moved rou) _
rection
.
a finger u adjustably secured to a plate u' fitting on the square end of the sta
and secured thereto by screw u³.
C
The cloth or material, whose strength is to be tested and ascertained, is stretched
tightly over the lower fixed halves of the jaws b¹, c¹, when the lever c is in the
position shewn on the drawings, and is then firmly secured by the upper halves of
the jaws being screwed down thereon by the screws 6, c³. In order to allow
for any play required, or to adapt the upper gripping surfaces of the jaws to
assume any angle to suit the thickness or nature of the fabric or material placed
between the jaws, we pivot the said surfaces to the upper halves of the jaws as
shewn, and both the upper and lower gripping surfaces are fluted or otherwise
roughened and may be flat or rounded to afford to surer hold upon the cloth or
material.

page_text: Having secured the fabric, motion is given to the spindle which by means of
nut actuates the lever c and moves the upper end thereof in the direction of the
arrow. If the fabric stretches, the nut will work end wise on the spindle and
leave said spindle and the bush j in their normal positions so that no indication will
therefore be given. But if the fabric does not stretch, or immediately it has
stretched to its full limit, the screwed spindle i, by reason of the resisting strength
of the fabric, will be caused to work longitudinally through nut f in the same
direction as the upper end of the lever c and to draw the loose bush j forward
against the pressure of the spring a distance corresponding or equivalent to the
pounds pressure exerted in the compression of said spring, and this movement being
communicated through rack 9, pinion & and shaft & to the finger u, the pointer t
is carried or forced round the dial plate until the fabric breaks or separates, and
the figure or mark of division at which it has then arrived gives the strength or
breaking strain of the fabric. The spring k, when released, forces the spindle i
and bushj back to their normal positions, and the finger u on the dial plate is
returned to zero, leaving the pointer 't opposite the figure or mark indicating the
breaking strain of the fabric, from whence it is afterwards moved back to zero by
hand.
A spring is placed on the spindle between the barrel e and nut, f which acts as
a cushion to the part when the fabric breaks.
The scale of pounds may be marked upon the barrel instead of on a dial plate,
as shewn and described, and a finger or pointer be attached to the loose bush on
the spindle.
The barrel e being pivotted to the arm b is thereby adapted to move in unison
with the angular movement of the screwed spindle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The construction arrangement and operation of the several parts comprising the
combined apparatus or machine for testing the strength of fabrics, fibres and fibrous
materials or substances and indicating the pressure exerted in breaking or fracturing
same substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 11th day of April 1895.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Patent Agents.