IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sam Hallam at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May 1881.
SAM HALLAM, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS."
My Invention relates to the rollers which are employed to stretch woven fabrics
in the direction of their width. In the formation of such a roller I employ a
number of segments, a set of such segments forming a circle, and a number of such
sets mounted in accordance with my Invention forming the roller. I mount the
said segments upon a shaft or part, which can revolve upon an axis in such a
manner as that as the roller revolves each segment is caused to slide to and fro in
the direction of the length of the roller, the inovement of those segments which are
nearest to the roller ends being greater than the movement of those that are nearer
the centre of the length of the roller. In one arrangement I sustain a number of
rods around the central axis, and I mount each segment to slide upon one or upon
two rods. Upon fulcra arranged around the said axis I mount rocking levers, the
heads or outer ends of the said levers entering recesses in the segments. The said
levers are connected together in straight lines by means of rods or connecting links,
the links on each side of the centre of the arrangement being continuous, or the
levers being linked together in groups which are connected together. The distances
from the fulcra to the centros of connection on the said levers vary in order that
the aforesaid variation in the sliding movement of the segments may be obtained.
The outer ends of the links or of the outer links are jointed or connected with a
ring which is fitted to revolve within a gimbal frame, which can be inclined to an
adjustable extent with respect to the axis of the roller. As the roller revolves the
said links are drawn outwardly and pushed inwardly, whereby the segments during
one half of the revolution are caused to move inwards towards the centre of the

page_text: length of the roller, and during the other half of the revolution to move outwards.
In a modification the said levers are formed with heels which are acted upon by
inclines on sliding bars, the action of the inclines upon the levers varying from the
centre to the ends of the rollers; or the levers may be otherwise acted upon; as,
for example, their fulcra may vary in distance from the central axis, in which
case straight connecting rods or links may be used. The centre section of the
roller may consist of a ring or collar not having a sliding movement. The outer
surfaces of the segments are grooved, toothed, roughened, or made suitable to
prevent the slipping of the fabric. prefer to make the segments break joint, or
overlap. A second part of my Invention relates to rollers composed of pulleys
revolving on axes variously inclined from a straight line, and consists of a method
of varying the said inclination. The said pullies consist of rings which are mounted
to revolve on circular gimbal rings, which are mounted to swivel on axes at right
augles to the axis of the roller. The said gimbal rings can be more or less canted
by means of a sliding rod which carries projections, which act upon the gimbal
rings in such a manner as to cant the outer rings of the series to a greater extent
than the inner rings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sam Hallam in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th November
1881.
SAM HALLAM, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING FABRICS."
My Invention relates to the rollers which are employed to stretch woven
fabrics in the direction of their width. In the formation of such a roller I
employ a number of segments, a set of such segments forming a circle, and a
number of such sets mounted in accordance with my Invention forming the roller.
I mount the said segments upon a shaft or part, which can revolve upon an axis
in such a manner as that as the roller revolves each segment is caused to slide to
and fro in the direction of the length of the roller, the movement of those segments
which are nearest to the roller ends being greater than the movement of those that
are nearer the centre of the length of the roller.
In order that my Invention may be well understood I have attached hereunto a
Sheet of Drawings made to a scale of about three inches to the foot and marked
with letters of reference, which Drawings I will now proceed to describe. Fig. 1
represents the complete roller, being represented partly in section to show the
interior arrangements; Fig. 2 represents a cross section of the roller. In the said
Figs., a is the roller axle or shaft which is mounted to revolve in any suitable
bearings indicated by b, b. The axle carries two six armed ends c, c. One of
these ends is separately represented by Fig. 3. Six pairs of metal bars d, d, extend

page_text: from one end c to the other and connect the two ends together. In the example
the axle is supposed to be cast in one piece with the two ends and the twelve bars,
but as it would be difficult to obtain a good casting of such a form I
practise bolt or attach the bars to the ends, and
may in
may also key or secure the ends
to the axle. The bars are planed to receive sliding carriages e, e, which are formed
with recessed or forked projections which enter between two bars in the pair in
the case of each pair of bars. Each carriage is formed or provided with a headed
stud f. The carriages carry segments g, g, which are outwardly curved, the radius
of curve being half the diameter of the roller. Six of these segments arranged end
to end form a circle. The ends of the segments are cut out or formed to fit
against the studs which constitute the connecting links of the segments and
retain the said segments in position upon the roller. I prefer that the outer
surfaces of the carriages shall be planed or turned, and that the surfaces of the
segments which rest upon the carriages shall be faced. Six other bars h, h, are
fixed at equal distances around the axle, or by an alternative construction are
cast or formed upon the said axle. In these bars are fixed the fulcra of rocking
levers i, i, which are formed with heads which enter the recesses or forks in the
carriages. On examination of Fig. 1 it will be seen that there is a central fixed
ring which is attached to the axle, and that on each side of this central ring
there are six lines of carriages, having nine carriages in each line. The outer
eight carriages in each line are provided with levers, and these levers are connected
together by means of links 1, 1. Each lever is forked, as seen in Fig. 2, and the
links pass between the members of the fork pins passing through the levers and
the links connecting the parts together.
It will be seen that in the case
of the links the joints formed with the levers are situated further from the
central axis, as the levers are situated nearer to the central ring k.
One
end of the link is jointed to the same lever as the end of the link l, but
at a point nearer to the fulcrum of the lever, and the other end of the link /¹
acts directly upon the inner carriage in the series. It will be readily understood
that when the links is drawn outwards, all the carriages in the line are
caused to slide outwards but in different degrees, the outermost carriage moving
to the greatest extent, and the innermost carriage to the least extent, the movements
of each carriage being less in extent, according as it is nearer to the central ring.
The outer ends of the links are connected by jointed links m to a ring n which is
turned to revolve within a gimbal ring o which is formed with trunnions P, P,
which are mounted in bearings in a fixed bracket or part r. The ring o is con-
nected by means of a link 8, with one end of a lever t which is connected at the
other end by means of a link with the end of a screw u. The screw enters a nut
which is fitted to revolve in a bearing, and is provided with a hand wheel. When
the nut is turned the lever is caused to act upon the gimbal wheel to cause it to
swivel in its bearings, whereby it can be inclined to a greater or lesser extent as
may be required from a line which would be at right angles to the axis of the
roller. When the roller is caused to rotate, the ring n is carried around within the
gimbal ring, and the latter being inclined, as indicated in Fig. 1, the links are
drawn out and pushed in during each revolution of the roller, the extent of these
movements of the links being determined by the inclination of the gimbal ring.
The movements of the said links cause the carriages to slide on the supporting bars
in the manner herein before indicated, and as the segments are connected with the
carriages, the segments are caused to move outwards towards the end of the roller
during one half of the revolution, and inwards during the other half, the segments
having a greater movement, according as they are nearer either end of the roller.
The nature of these movements of the segments is indicated on the right hand in
Fig. 1. The half of the roller extending on one side of the central ring is similarly
constructed to the half on the other side of the ring. The outer surfaces of the
segments are grooved, toothed, roughened, or prepared in any ordinary or suitable
manner to "take hold" of the fabric to be stretched. It will be seen that when a
fabric is drawn over the revolving roller, or is carried forwards by the revolving

page_text: roller, the fabric being maintained in contact with the segments during the time or
part of the time when they are moving outwards from the central ring the fabric
will become stretched. Í do not confine myself to the precise details of the
Invention, so long as the segments moving outwardly to a varying degree are
employed; as, for example, I do not confine myself to the forms of the segments nor
to the use of six segments to form a circle, nor to the number of segments arranged
in line, nor to the method of mounting the levers i, nor to the use of the two
links and, as one link or more than two links might be used, nor to the arrange-
ment in connection with the gimbal ring. In my Provisional Specification I
mention a second part of my Invention which I have not included herein, and I
therefore make no claim hereunder in respect of the said second part so mentioned.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, I
would have it to be understood that I claim,―
First. The stretching roller constructed and acting substantially as set forth and
indicated herein before, and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. A stretching roller having a surface composed or partly composed of
segments which are moved in directions outwards and inwards from and towards
the centre of the length of the roller to varying extents, substantially as set forth
and indicated.
Thirdly. A roller having a surface consisting wholly or partly of segments which
have the movements imparted to them, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and indicated.
And, Lastly. The segments acted upon by the levers i and the links, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sam Hallam, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
in the presence of
ARTHUR LEDGER,
Clerk to Edward K. Dutton,
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester,
(Agent for the Patentee).
SAM HALLAM. (L.S.)