IMPROVEMENTS -IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS -IN
MACHINERY FOR COMBING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES." A communication from
abroad by the Firm of Heilmann-Ducominun and Steinlen, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 10th June 1879, and dated the 11th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th February 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES." [A communication from abroad by the Firm of Heilmann-Ducommun
and Steinlen, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery for combing fibrous
substances. In the Joshua Heilmann combing machine the jaw of the stationary
nipper (see A, Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings) is provided with a
projecting lip or finger B which bends the web downwards in order to present it to
the comb.
The first improvement of the present Invention has for its object to render the
lip B movable upon the jaw A instead of being a fixture thereto, as in the former
machine referred to: The lip B is rendered movable, 1st, in the direction of
arrows a, Figures 2, 3; and 4, to enable it to be adjusted as close as possible to the
teeth or periphery of the comb cylinder and maintain constant the distance between
the lip and the axis of the comb cylinder, and preserve the mutual relation of these
two parts whatever may be the point at which the teeth enter the front end of the
web, or however imperfect may be the action of the various parts of the machine ;
and 2nd, in the direction of the arrow b, Figures 2, 3; and 4, the flexibility of the
lip being utilised to render its action more delicate, and enable it to yield and move
away from the teeth should an abnormal amount of work come on it owing to an
excessive entanglement of the fibres at the front end of the web, or in consequence
of an undue rise of the teeth? This mobility is of advantage whether the comb
cylinder attacks the web always at the same distance from the extreme point, as in
Figures 2, 3; and 4, or whether it is raised and lowered in order to comb the front
end of the web progressively from its point, Figure 5; to its base, Figures 6 and 7;
and whether the combing be completed in this position or whether it be finished at
17

page_text: the point, as in Figure 8, by means of fine teeth, brush C, and a rubber D for
smoothing the web and neutralising the electricity generated by the passage of the
teeth. The variable position of the lip B and its more intimate connection with
the points of the teeth present the following advantages:-
-In-the-first-case-(Figures 2, 3,-and-4)-the-line-of-combing-will-be-carried-close-up-
to the root-of-the-lip-B,-which-will allow of the parting asunder of the web being
effected at a point closer to the stationary nipper, and of retaining more of the long
-fibres. In-the-other cases (Figures-5,-6, 7, and 8) the combing of the front end of
the web will be eased and the length or rate of feed may be greater.
E, Eigure 2, is a holder fitted to slide up and down in the direction of the
arrows a; the lip B is hinged or pivoted to it at x, and is held in place by a
spring R. In the event of any undue strain the line of attack o would describe an
arc of a circle b. In Figures 3 and 4 the lip B is made of a very thin spring plate,
flat or corrugated, attached to a slide E¹ or E, and having sufficient flexibility to
bend in the direction of the arrow b, to facilitate which it may be thinned or
perforated along the line at which it should bend.. The operation of the holder E
is adjusted as follows, according as the comb cylinder varies or not in position:
Before commencing to comb the front end of the web the parts occupy the
position Figure 10. The holder E is provided with a stop Ġ whose position
is adjusted by two screw nuts in order to regulate exactly the distance o, p, i.c., the
distance between the line of attack of the comb teeth and the axis around which
the teeth revolve. The spring holds the parts in their position of repose.
On commencing the combing operation the comb cylinder P is presented to the
front end of the web and arm I approaches the stop G.
The regulating nuts are so adjusted that when the points of the teeth just graze
the lip B the arm I will abut against g, and so maintain the distance o, p, constant.
If the parts be so regulated that when arm I abuts against g the spring His slightly
compressed the distance o, p, will be invariable notwithstanding any fluctuations of
the spring due to vibration or irregularity in the working of the machine. Instead
of the arm I abutting against the stop G the latter may be provided with a roller K
(Figure 12) running on a disc L mounted on the comb cylinder axis. If it be
desired to change the line of action of the comb cylinder the cams M and N,
Figure 13, which operate the comb cylinder and holder E respectively should be so
shaped as to present the finger and the periphery of the comb cylinder in the
proper positions. In order to still further ensure the intimate relation between the
teeth and the lip the arrangements, Figures 10 to 12, would be retained, as they
would compensate for any imperfections in the form of the cams. This variable
approach of the web may also be effected by means of a slightly eccentric comb
cylinder, Figure 14, provided with a disc L¹ having a corresponding curvature upon
which the friction roller of stop G travels.
This Invention also relates to feeding by means of a gill box, as shown in
Figure 20. B, B', represent the fixed and movable jaws of the stationary nipper;
C, lever operated by a cam for opening and closing the jaws of stationary nipper;
-D, bottom-of-gill-box-having-longitudinal grooves to receive the points of the
gills e which penetrate the web at intervals; E, E, bars forming a grating to
facilitate the withdrawal of the gills from the web, the said bars being connected
together at their ends, and also to the part D by cheek plates G oscillating on a
centre h; F, bar carrying the gills; it is raised and lowered by the lever H at
same time that its position relatively to bars E is maintained by a slide f working
in a groove in part G. In order to clean the gills the joint pin h' is removed and
bar lifted by hand until the slide is out of the groove when the bar is free to
turn on its journal in lever H. This lever is made in two parts, both jointed to the
same point of G and pivoted at h¹. The lever is operated by cam H¹ for causing
the gills to penetrate and withdraw from the web. I, L, L1, L2, M, M², connecting
rods, bell cranks, slotted levers, and cams for producing the forward and backward
motions of the gill box, that is to say, the feed movement. The length of the feed
is regulated by the point of attachment of lever L in the slot 7 of lever L!.

page_text: The following is the action of the apparatus :-Figure 20 represents the position
after the feed movement is completed, the parts being at rest during the parting
asunder of the web and until the stationary nipper is closed for combing the front
end. The cams H¹, M, M', are so keyed on their shaft m that H' will move lever H
in one direction to withdraw the gills e, e, from the web, while one of the dwells
or circular parts of cams M, M³, still holds stationary the parts producing the back-
ward and forward movements. Immediately the gills are withdrawn the backward
motion takes place, and the web being held beneath the stationary nipper is drawn
between D and E until the next dwell on cams M, M¹, is reached, when the bar F
is brought down by a movement of lever H in the contrary direction and the gills
penetrate the web. This movement terminated, the nipper B' opens, the combing
of the front end of the web being finished at this moment, and the whole apparatus
advances by the movement in the opposite direction of the cams M, M¹.
The action of the apparatus is thus divided into four movements :-1st. Use of
the bar F to withdraw the gills from the web. 2nd. Withdrawal of the gill box
open. 3rd. Descent of the bar F to cause the gills to re-enter the web. 4th.
Advance of the gill box closed.
The Invention relates further to the application of a broad nipper immediately
in rear of the extremity of the fibres presented for parting asunder. In the
Joshua Heilmann machine for short filaments the feed apparatus either consists of a
porcupine or a pair of rollers (see Figures 15 and 16) which arrangements have the
disadvantage of placing the line at which the web is held too far from the parting
line, thus causing an imperfect parting, and the collection in rear of the finishing
comb with the waste of fibres, which are of sufficient length to be retained. To
avoid this objection a nipper is introduced to compress the web immediately in rear
of the ends of the fibres presented for parting asunder. This arrangement is
shown in Figure 17. The bar 2 or, according to the length of the fibres to be
combed, any other of the bars of the gill box, is made movable vertically, and at
the moment the gill box closes to cause the teeth to penetrate the web, and after-
wards present the front end of the web to be parted; the upper part of the gill
box F brings down the movable bar 2 and causes it to nip the web between it and
the bottom D, one of which surfaces may be faced with leather; when the gill
holder rises to withdraw the teeth from the web the bar 2 is raised to its original
position by spring r. Moreover, by making the first bar 1 act as a nipper the web,
if the filaments are of such a length as to require it, may be'nipped close up to the
stationary nipper, so that the distance (an inch or more) left in other combing
machines is reduced to zero. Another improvement relates to a lip to be applied
to the parting nipper to prevent the fibres of the front of the web adhering to the
jaw of the nipper when it opens. Figure 18 represents the parting nipper closed;
on its opening the plate L, which is pressed down by a spring H, holds down the
front end parted from the web upon the tail end left by the previous parting, and
so detaches it in case of need from the jaw S.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
-11th-August-1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE-CLARK, of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. _ "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES." A communication_from_abroad_by_the Firm of Heilmann-Ducommun
and Steinlen, of Paris, France.
-This-Invention-relates to improvements in machinery for combing fibrous
substances.
In the Joshua Heilmann combing machine the jaw of the stationary nipper (see
A, Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings) is provided with a projecting lip or
The
finger B, which bends the web downwards in order to present it to the comb.
first improvement of the present Invention consists in making the lip B movable
upon the jaw A instead of a fixture thereto, as in the former machine referred to.
The lip B is rendered movable, 1st, in the direction of arrows a, Figures 2, 3,
and 4, to enable it to be adjusted as close as possible to the teeth or periphery of
the comb cylinder, and maintain constant the distance between the lip and the axis of
the comb cylinder, and preserve the mutual relation of these two parts whatever may
be the point at which the teeth enter the front end of the web, or however imperfect
may be the action of the various parts of the machine; and 2nd, in the direction
of the arrow b, Figures 2, 3, 4, and 20, the flexibility of the lip being utilized to
render its action more delicate and enable it to yield and move away from the
teeth should an abnormal amount of work come on it, owing to an excessive en-
tanglement of the fibres at the front end of the web, or in consequence of an
undue rise of the teeth.
This mobility is of advantage, whether the comb cylinder attacks the web
always at the same distance from the extreme point, as in Figures 2, 3, and 4, or
whether it is raised and lowered in order to comb the front end of the web pro-
gressively from its point, Figure 5, to its base, Figures 6 and 7, and whether the
combing be completed in this position, or whether it be finished at the point, as
in Figure 8, by means of fine teeth, a brush C, and a rubber D for smoothing the
web and neutralising the clectricity generated by the passage of the teeth. The
variable position of the lip B and its more intimate connection with the points of
the teeth present the following advantages:-In the first case (Figures 2, 3, and 4)
the line of combing will be carried close up to the root of the lip B, which will
allow of the parting asunder of the web being effected at a point closer to the
stationary nipper, and of retaining more of the long fibres in the web. In the
other cases (Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8,) the combing of the front end of the web will be
eased, and the length or rate of feed may be greater. E, Figure 2, is a holder
fitted to slide up and down in the direction of the arrows a; the lip B is hinged or
_ pivoted to it.at.x,-and-is-held-in-place-by-a-spring-R.--In-the-event-of-any-undue-
strain the line of attack o would describe an arc of a circle b. In Figures 3 and 4
the lip B is made of a very thin spring plate, flat or corrugated, attached to a slide
E or E2, and having sufficient flexibility to bend in the direction of the arrow b,
to facilitate which it may be thinned or perforated along the line at which it should
bend.
The operation of the holder E is adjusted as follows, according as the comb
cylinder varies or not in position :-Before commencing to comb the front end of
the web the parts occupy the position Figure 10. The holder E is provided with
a stop G, whose position is adjusted by two screw nuts in order to regulate exactly
the distance o, p; i.e., the distance between the line of attack of the comb teeth
and the axis around which the teeth revolve. The spring H holds the parts in
their position of repose. On commencing the combing operation the comb
cylinder P is presented to the front end of the web, and arm I approaches the.

page_text: stop G. The regulating nuts are so adjusted that when the points of the teeth just
clear the lip B the arm 1 will abut against g, and so maintain the distance o, p,
constant. If the parts be so regulated that when arm I abuts against G the
spring His slightly compressed, the distance o, p, will be invariable notwith-
standing any fluctuations of the spring due to vibration or irregularity in the
working of the machine. Instead of the arm I abutting against the stop G the
latter may be provided with a roller K. (Figure 12) running on a disc L mounted
on the comb cylinder axis. If it be desired to change the line of action of the
comb cylinder the cams M and N, Figure 13, which operate the comb cylinder and
holder E respectively should be so shaped as to. present the lip and the periphery
of the comb cylinder in the proper positions. In order to still further ensure the
intimate relation between the teeth and the lip the arrangements, Figures 10 to
12, would be retained, as they would compensate for any imperfections in the form
of the cams.
This variable approach of the web may be also effected by means of
a slightly eccentric comb cylinder, Figure 11, provided with a disc L' having a cor-
responding curvature upon which the friction roller of stop G travels.
The Invention also relates to feeding by means of a gill box, as shown in Figure
20. B, B¹, represent the fixed and moveable jaws of the stationary nipper; C, lever
operated by a cam for opening and closing the jaws of the stationary nipper;
D, bottom of gill box, having longitudinal grooves to receive the points of the
gills e, which penetrate the web at intervals; E, E, bars forming a grating to
facilitate the withdrawal of the gills from the web, the said bars being connected
together at their ends and also to the part D by cheek plates G oscillating on a
centre ; F, bar carrying the gills, it is raised and lowered by the lever H at
same time that its position relatively to bars E is maintained by a slide f working
in a groove in part G. In order to clean the gills the joint pin h¹ is removed and
bar F lifted by hand until the slide is out of the groove, when the bar is free to
turn on its journals in lever H. This lever is made in two parts, both jointed to
the same point of G and pivoted at h¹. The lever is operated by cam H' for
causing the gills to penetrate and withdraw from the web I, L, L', L"; M, M², con-
necting rods, bell cranks, slotted levers, and cams for producing the forward and
backward motions of the gill box, that is to say, the feed. The length of the feed
is regulated by the point of attachment of lever L in the slot of lever L'.
The following is the action of the apparatus:-Figure 20 represents the position
after the feed movement is completed, the parts being at rest during the parting
asunder of the web and until the stationary nipper is closed for combing the front
end. The cams H', M, M', are so keyed on their shaft m that H¹ will move lever H
in one direction to withdraw the gills e, e, from the web, while one of the dwells or
circular parts of cams M, M³, still holds stationary the parts producing the backward
and forward movements. Immediately the gills are withdrawn the backward
motion takes place, and the web being held beneath the stationary nipper is drawn
between D and E until the next dwell on cams M, M', is reached, during which the
bar F is brought down by a movement of lever H in the contrary direction, causing
the gills to penetrate the web. This movement terminated, the nipper B¹ opens,
the combing of the front end of the web being. finished at this moment, and the
whole apparatus. advances by the movement in the opposite direction of the
cams M, M. The action of the apparatus is thus divided into four movements :-
1st. Rise of the bar F to withdraw the gills from the web. 2nd. Withdrawal of
the gill box open. 3rd. Descent of the bar F to cause the gills to re-enter the web.
4th. Advance of the gill box closed.
The Invention relates further to the application of a broad nipper immediately
in rear of the extremity of the fibres presented for parting asunder. In the
Joshua Heilmann machine for short filaments the feed apparatus, which either consists
of a porcupine or comb cylinder, or a pair of rollers (see Figures 15 and 16), which
arrangements have the disadvantage of placing the line at which the web is held
too far from the parting line, thus causing an imperfect parting, and the collection.
in rear of the finishing.comb' with the waste of. fibres which are of sufficient. length

page_text: to be retained in the web. To avoid this objection a nipper is introduced to
compress the web immediately in rear of the ends of the fibres presented for parting
asunder; this arrangement is shown in Figure 17. The bar 2, or according to the
length of the fibres to be combed, any other of the bars of the gill box, is made
movable vertically, and at the moment the gill box closes to cause the teeth to
penetrate the web-and-afterwards-present the front end of the web to be parted,
the upper part of the gill box F brings down the bar 2 and causes it to nip the web
between it and the bottom D, one of which surfaces may be faced with leather.
When the gill holder rises to withdraw the teeth from the web the bar 2. is raised
to its original position by spring. Moreover-by-making-the-first-bar_1_act_as_a_
nipper, the web, if the filaments are of such a length as to require it, may be nipped
close up to the stationary nipper so that the distance (an-inch-or more)-left-in-other-
combing machines is reduced to zero.
-Another improvement relates to a lip to be applied to the parting nipper to
prevent the fibres of the front end of the web adhering to the jaw of the nipper
when it opens. Figure 18 represents the parting nipper closed.
On its opening
the plate L, which is pressed down by a spring H, holds down the front end parted
from the web upon the tail end left by the previous parting, and so detaches it in
case of need from the jaw S.
Application to the Heilmann-Ducommun and Steinlen combing machine of the
movable lip or finger for presenting the front end of the web to be combed.
In Figure 21 E is the finger holder sliding in guides e¹ and operated by lever C
oscillating on d by the action of cam N; R, spring for keeping friction bowl H in
contact with cam N; M, cam by which the upward and downward movement of
the comb cylinder is produced. The form of this cam and its position relatively to
that of cam N by which the lip is operated is such as to enable the front end of the
web to be attacked at any point desired. G, Figure 22, stop adjusted by screws and
nuts e, e, against which abuts the arm D carrying the comb cylinder in order to
render constant the approach of the teeth. Immediately arm D touches stop G the
holder E, owing to the form of the cams, is abandoned by cam N and operated by
cam M.
When the comb cylinder retires, the cam N again operates holder E and
raises it together with the movable jaw of the stationary nipper when the latter
should be opened by means of cam P.
The Invention also relates to the "Application to the Heilmann Ducommun and
Steinlen Machine of the Improved Gill Box Feed." Figures 23 and 24 represent
the application of the improved gill box feed to the said combing machine. P is
the cam for controlling the opening and closing of the jaw of the stationary nipper by
lever C. The remainder of the parts have already been described in the 2nd
paragraph of the Specification.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Constructing the lip B separate from the jaw of the stationary nipper A 50
as to work independently thereof in order that any modification in the working of
the one shall not interfere with that-of-the-other,-as-herein-specified.
2nd. The mobility of the lip B during the combing of the front end of the
web.
(a). In one direction by the elasticity of the lip itself, or of a spring applied to
it as herein specified, to enable the lip to vibrate under the contact of the points of
the teeth or of the circumference of the comb cylinder, and also to yield or
disengage itself in the event of an undue amount of work being thrown
upon it.
(b). In another direction, as herein specified, either to regulate the distance the.
lip can approach the comb.cylinder, or to maintain constant this distance during
the working and preserve the mutual relation of the lip and the comb cylinder so
as to compensate for any imperfection in the working parts of the machine or in
their action which would otherwise have caused variations in the said distance.
-

page_text: 3rd. The conjoint variation of position of the lip and of the circumference of the
comb cylinder, as herein specified, in order to shift the line at which the comb
cylinder enters or attacks the front end of the web.
4th. The various arrangements, substantially as shown and described, for rendering
for rendering the lip movable and preserving its proper position relatively to the
circumference of the comb carrier.
5th. The gill box and its operative mechanism, substantially as described, and
shown in Figure 20.
6th. The novel application, as herein specified, of a nipper with wide or flat
surfaces (whether it be the nipper described or any other) intervening at the moment
of parting the web asunder for the purpose of compressing the web immediately in
rear of the extremity of the fibres presented for parting, it being understood by
nipper any two surfaces capable of compressing the web close up to the stationary
nipper, which is not possible with two cylinders, as their tangent line is too far in
rear of the stationary nipper, and their cylindrical form renders useless the vacant
space between the stationary nipper and the line of contact of the two cylinders.
7th. The mechanical arrangement of the gill box, substantially as described, and
shown in Figure 17, whereby one or more of the bars E, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c., is made
to fulfil the office of a nipper, whether or not gills are applied to operate between
the stationary nipper and the first movable bar serving as a nipper.
8th. The lip, substantially as shewn in Figure 18, for preventing fibres of the
front end of the web adhering to the jaw of the parting nipper.
9th. The arrangement for operating the movable lip, substantially as described,
and shown in Figures 21 and 22.
10th. The operation of the comb cylinder and movable lip in the following
manner, viz. The cam N presents the lip to the comb cylinder in the line of
attack at which the combing is to commence, then the comb cylinder caused by its
cam M to take up at this moment the control of the movable lip, and lastly, the
comb cylinder at the moment it retires again gives over the control of the lip to the
cam N by which the finger is raised at the moment of opening the stationary
nipper.
11th. The improved gill box as applied to the Heilmann-Ducommun and Steinlen
combing machine in the manner shown in Figures 23 and 24.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
AT DI
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)