IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING CLOTHS OF WOOL AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JUNIUS
SMITH, of Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twentieth day of October, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Junius
Smith, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Junius Smith, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Junius Smith, 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 expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING CLOTHS OF WOOL AND OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Junius Smith, should cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in
Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and 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
Junius Smith, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to

page_text: the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the Figures and Letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
.
The objects of these Improvements are to be affected by the successive sets
of machinery, the first set of which forms the material into a continuous
sheet or bat. In this first set one common carding machine furnishes the
material to form the warp in a thin continuous layer. A second carding machine,
which stands near to and at right angles with the first, furnishes the material
to form the web or woof in regular successive portions, by means of a grooved
doffer, of a circumference, exclusive of the groove, sufficient to give off the
portions of web of a proper length to form the width of the intended article,
and the warp and web thus furnished by the carding machines is received into
the parts of a machine, which collectively with the carding machine is termed
the forming machine, and in this the materials are so far consolidated, inter-
laced, and formed into a cloth-like fabric, that they can be transferred to a
machine termed the hardening machine, which forms the second of the succes-
sive sets of machines. In this hardening machine the material is so much
further consolidated and interlaced, that it is made fit to undergo the ordinary
process of fulling or milling, and in connection with the fulling or milling
operation the cloth is passed through a machine forming a third of this set,
and termed the overhauling machine, which is intended to be used in the fulling
or milling of cloth manufactured on this or any other mode; the intent of this
overhauling machine being to save a large portion of the hand labor now
required in the fulling or milling of cloth made in any manner. In this the
fabric is equalized and stretched clear of folds and wrinkles, and made fit for
finishing; the length and breadth of all these machines being in the proportion
to the length and breadth of the fabric required, and their heights adjusted to
each other accordingly. The carding machine employed, being those already well
known, are not herein described at length, the only change being in the employ-
ment of a grooved doffer to that carding machine which furnishes the web or woof.
In the Drawing A, the parts figured 5, 6, 7, and 8, represent the four sides
of the forming machine, or that which receives the material from the two
carding machines, and gives form to the fabric, some of the parts being
detached to leave the other portions open, and more easily referred to. Figure
2 represents the grooved doffer that delivers the web. Figure 3, the doffer of
the carding machine that forms the warp. An endless apron or creeper, of
any proper substance that the material will slightly adhere to, is represented in
Figure 4 as passing round the cylinders A, A¹. The lower part a¹ of the apron
passes beneath the table c, Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, which lies in between the
cylinder A, A', so as to underlie and support the upper part a of the apron at
the level of the upper sides of the cylinders A, A¹.

page_text: The callender rollers D, D', allow the material to pass beneath them, pressing
it down on the apron a beneath the cylinders A, A¹; two other small cylinders,
C, C, Figure 4, carry a second apron b, b', made of oiled or painted cloth,
or any substance to which the materials under process will not adhere;
the second apron acts to support the material and make it continue to adhere
to the under portion of the apron a¹; the table c is supported vertically on
the longer arms of four crooked levers X, X, X, X, whose fulcra at d, d', d²,
ds, on the main frame, see Figures 5 and 6, and the shorter arms, are operated
upon by the cams Z, Z, fixed on a shaft e, in a carriage e' on the frame between
the fulcra d, d. On one end of the shaft e is a ratchet wheel Y, with a paul
f; by turning a winch handle on the shaft e, the cams Z are made to operate
on the shorter arms of the levers X, X, X, X, and thus raise or lower the table
according to the thickness of the material, as the manufacture progresses on the
apron a. The table c has an eye on each corner through which a standard
passes, so as to let the table rise and fall without any horizontal motion. The
cylinder A, A¹, c, c', and callender rollers D, D¹, are all to travel at the same
speed on their peripheries as the doffer B, Figure 3 of the carding machine,
which furnishes the warp and the doffer E. Figure 2 of the carding machine,
which furnishes the woof, is to travel at the proportionate speed, exclusive of
the groove S, by the connecting shaft and gear wheels J, Figure 2; and by the
operation of this the material for the web is furnished in intermittent portions
that are to be received and laid on the warp by means now to be described,
only the woof doffer should be about two inches larger than the warp doffer, to
allow for contraction of the weft when laid upon the warp. On one side of the
machine are two chain teeth wheels G, G'; on the opposit eside are two similar
wheels H, H, driven at a proper speed by geer wheels connected with the same
The wheels G and H are
power that drives the doffer and carding machine.
On
connected together by two chain bands or belts I, I, and on these are four
bearings K, K¹, K², K³. Figures 7 and 8 receive the gudgeons of the
carrying combs F, F1, Figures 5 and 6. These combs may be made all of
metal, or part wood and part metal. In their progress across the machine one
comb takes the outer end of the web from the doffer E, and carries it across
the warp. The second comb is timed and set so as to take the next web
piece from the doffer E, when the groove S has come round again.
arriving at the point f, Figure 8, a curved spring attached to the chain at the
bearings K, comes in contact with the pin f, and turns the comb, and releases
the web from the teeth. At this time a pair of delivering combs L, L',
Figures 5 and 6, are elevated from below, and receive one end of the web
piece from the carrying combs F, F1, and the other end from the doffer E, and
lay it on the warps. These combs L, L, arc mounted on the tops of four

page_text: vertical slide rods N, N1, N2, N3, having each a slide piece P, between which
and the rod is entered the longer arms of the levers M, M1, M2, M³, whose
fulcra are at h, on this part of the main frame, see Figures 7 and 8. These
four levers are framed together, and the shorter arms are operated on by the
cam O, on a shaft in the middle of the machine, and having on one end a
bevel wheel connected through a pinion and shaft to the general motive power.
This cam O, on its 'rotations, raises the longer arms of the levers, and with
them the combs L, L'; and the motions being timed to take the web, when the
combs F, F; have carried it across and above the warp, and when the groove
S in the doffer E has intermitted the supply, the reverse motion carries the
comb L down, and leaves the web deposited in place. A thin rib of metal x,
on the tops of the standards, carrying the eyes at the corners of the table c,
see Figures 7 and 8, clears the material from the delivering combs L, L', as
they in their downward progress sink below the rib x. These motions, being
all timed together, are continued until so many layers of warp and web have
been placed as are required to form the thickness of the intended fabric,
when it is to be detached from the apron, and removed to the hardening
machine, which is now to be described.
The hardening machine is represented in Drawing B, wherein Figure 1 is a
side elevation on the side T of Figure 2, which is a cross section of Figure 1
of the part K. Figure 3 is a side clevation on the side V, Figure 2, and
extending only to the length V, V, Figure 1. The same letters designate the
corresponding parts in all the Figures. i is the table mounted on ¹ the frame;
at each end are standards K, K', carrying the reel land cloth to be hardened.
and recl for the cloth that has been operated on. m is a steam chamber,
and m¹ a metal plate above, perforated full of small holes; n, n, are a
fast and loose pulley to connect with the moving power on a shaft O.
The shaft O is fitted with two excentric cams or very short cranks, by
which it is connected to one end of the driver rods p, p. The other end
of each of these is jointed to the lower end of the vertical levers q, q,
mounted on a shaft r, in bracket bearings r¹; the tops of the levers are
connected by double hinge joint links s, s, to the jiggering or hardening plate t,
which overlies and fits down on the face of the fixed plate v.
One or more
pieces of the cloth fabric which is to be hardened being on the reel 1, each
between two linen cloths, are to be wound off and flatted out on the table i,
and carried between the linen cloths over the steam chamber m; so that the
steam coming through the holes in the plate m', shall saturate and set it partly
together; then the plate t is to be raised and the cloth placed beneath it on the
plate v, and power is to be applied to give the fast pulley n a very rapid
motion, which, acting through the shaft O, rods p, leaves q, and joints 5, will

page_text: :
give the plate t an equally rapid jiggering motion on the cloth beneath, which
sets and interlaces the fibres compactly together, and makes the fabric fit to
be fulled or milled; while one portion is being steamed the next can be
jiggered, and as this is completed the finished portion is wound on the reel,
wherein it may be removed for fulling. The plates t and v may be made of
metal or marble, or of any other proper material, as best indicated by practice.
The time required to harden the bat after being steamed.varies according to
the adaptation of the wool and other articles for such a process. Some kinds
of wool, &c., harden sooner than others, but generally six hundred revolutions
of the shaft O, which occupies about one minute, is sufficient. This number of
revolutions is regulated by two stud wheels and a pinion, as shewn in Figures
1 and 3, put in motion a spiral screw upon one end of the shaft O; on one
of the said stud wheels there is a stop, which comes in contact every revolution
with a spring connected with the geer rod, and throws it out of geer. After
having been operated on the hardening machine, and while it is being fulled
or milled in the common way, the fabric is to go through the ovehauling
machine, which is next in order for description, and which is available in the
process of fulling cloth of any kind, whether woven or not, as the machine
being intended generally for saving hand labor in fulling, is equally applicable
to general use in all descriptions of fulling and milling work. In the Drawing,
C, Figure 1, represents the machine seen from the end at which the cloth is
entered. Figure 2 represents the same seen from the end at which the cloth
is delivered. A are the parts forming the main frame of the machine. b, 61, 6,
are the timbers of two sides, and one forming a fixed leaf on the main frame.
c, c, c, are the corresponding parts of a similar frame leaf above, and jointed to
the lower leaf by a pair of strong hinges B, see Figure 1. The shaft C is on
the lower leaf b, 61, 62, and has on one end the drum wheel D, and on the
other end a pulley wheel D₁; both these wheels are besides constructed as
face wheels, and geer into two pinions e, e, not entirely seen in the Drawing,
which pinions are on the opposite ends of the two shafts d, d', seen in Figure
1; these shafts also carry the pinions f, f', Figure 1, and within a double
bracket bearing g, g; on the lower leaf on the same shaft are two
chain tooth wheels not seen, but which carry two chain bands E, E,
which, towards the centre of the machine, pass round the rollers h, h;
the pinions and flock into two other pinions i, i, on shafts
k, k', in two brackets 1, l', on the upper leaf C; and within the brackets are two
chain tooth wheels m, m' (see Figure 2), and towards the centre of the
machine are two more rollers n, n, with two more chain bands E¹; these four
chain bands are all corrugated or ribbed across their width, as shewn in the
Drawing. Instead of pinions, chain geering may be employed, as shewn in the

page_text: detached Figure 3. The chain bands E, E¹, move in grooves, as shewn in a
breach O, Figure 1, and at p, p', Figures 2 and 4, the flat side of the chain being
in the groove at q, q; in the upper and lower leaf are two diagonal blocks forming
bearings for those ends of two diagonal rollers F, which at G have countered
tooth wheels r, r, r, r, geering into each other, and the lower wheel on each
side geering into the bevelled tooth wheels 3, 8, which are fixed on the main
shaft C. A band I, from the pulley wheel D', connects that with a pulley t,
ou the shaft v, which is on the lower leaf, and carries the lower direct roller H,
which has at the opposite end a tooth wheel u that gears into a second
wheel u above, on the upper direct roller H¹, fitted into the upper leaf
frame of the machine. The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The upper leaf of the machine is to be lifted, and the cloth put between
the rubbers E and E¹, and made to overlay the machinery of the lower
leaf; the upper leaf is then to be let down, and the machinery set in
motion. The upper and lower rubbers E and E', by their transverse motion
pulling against each other from the centre across the cloth, will stretch the cloth
widthways, remove the wrinkles, and unroll the selvages; the diagonal roller F
will stretch and smooth it diagonally from the centre, and the delivering
rollers H, H', will stretch and smooth it lengthways. These operations will
remove all wrinkles or lappings caused in the process, and give the fabric a
smooth and regular surface. The geering is calculated for equal motion in all
parts except the cylinders H, H', which should a little exceed the other to keep
the cloth regularly stretched; generally the rollers may be plain, but for heavy
stubborn cloth they may be fluted, and all be used together. For light goods
either the diagonal rollers or the rubbers will be enough; and in using the rollers
only, the machine may operate either forward or backwards. In the progress
and completion of the fulling or milling the cloth will generally have to pass
through the machine more than once, and it will sometimes be needful to lay
weights on the upper leaf of the frame, to keep them in proper contact to over-
haul the fabric.
What I claim as new, and to be secured by the above recited Letters Patent, is:
First. The use of two carding machines working together; the first
to furnish the material for the warp in a continuous layer; the second stand-
ing at right angles with the first, to furnish the material for the web or woof in
intermittent but successive portions, by means of a grooved doffer; these two
machines, so placed and fitted, furnishing the material for the fabric, with the
fibres of each successive layer across the fibres of the layer beneath.
Secondly, The construction and use of a receiving machine, in which the
operation of two endless aprons to receive the material is combined with the
operation of the currier combs F, F', and receiving and depositing combs

page_text: L, L', to carry the successive and intermittent portions of the material for the
web or woof across the warp, and deposit the same therein, such machine being
constructed and operating substantially as herein described.
Thirdly. The combining two carding machines, placed and fitted as above,
with the receiving machine, so as to produce thereby, collectively, a set of
machinery to form materials into cloth, in the manner and for the purposes
above stated.
Fourthly. The mode of constructing a hardening or jiggering machine,
having a perforated steam chamber, combined with a hardening or jiggering
table and plate, constructed and operating substantially as herein described,
when applied to the purposes herein set forth.
Fifthly. The constructing of overhauling machines with transverse rubbers,
combined with diagonal and direct stretching rollers, and the application of
such machines to the purposes of overhauling, stretching, flatting, and smooth-
ing any kind or description of cloth, during the process of fulling or milling;
such machines being constructed and operating as herein described, including
any merely mechanical variations that shall be substantially the same in the
means employed and the effects produced.
In witness whereof, I, the said Junius Smith, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and