IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Spencer, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 10th August 1855, and dated the 15th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Spencer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th February 1855.
I, HENRY SPENCER, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES"
to be as follows:-
The first part of these improvements relates to machinery for preparing
cotton and other fibrous substances, and consists in an improved mode of
grinding the surface of the teeth of the cards of carding engines, whereby a
more generally uniform surface of the cards is produced, & by which they
effect the stretching of the cotton, &c. more evenly and perfectly than hereto-
fore; and this I effect by so forming a "strickle" as that it covers the whole
surface of the width of the cards, said strickle having a traversing movement
imparted thereto, for effecting the grinding of the points of the cards.

page_text: And as regards the second part of these improvements, it relates to throstles
employed in spinning cotton and other fibrous substances, and is designed for
the purpose of gaining a lift or traverse, and laying more yarn on the bobbin
than heretofore, and this I effect by constructing the bobbin and flyer of a
concave and convex form respectively, also by working the socket of the said
flyer inside the bush of the bobbin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Spencer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
SPENCER, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Spencer, Her especial license that I, the said Henry Spencer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Spencer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PREPARING AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Spencer, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Spencer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My first improvement refers to the carding engine, and consists in a
method of applying and using a "strickle," for the purpose of grinding the
cards.

page_text: Fig. 1 shows this improvement in elevation, and Fig. 2 in plan view. A
portion of the main cylinder is shewn at a, and the doffer cylinder at b. To the
axis of the former is adapted a strap c, driving a pulley d, mounted loosely upon
a fixed shaft e, which is placed in bearings f when it is desired to effect the
in
grinding operation. Upon the boss of the pulley d is a bevil pinion g, gear
with another h, carried by an arm attached to the shaft e. The boss of the
pinion h is furnished with a crank i, to the pin of which is connected a rod j,
jointed at its other end to a bar k. To this bar are fixed. spring rods l, m, the
former of which are attached to a "strickle" n, resting upon the surface of
the cylinder a, and the latter are in like manner connected to a second
"strickle" o, resting upon the doffer cylinder 6, which strickles are wider than
the whole breadth of the cylinders. The other ends of the rods l, m, are
attached to bosses mounted upon the shaft e, so as to be capable of sliding
thereon. Upon rotatory motion being communicated to the pulley d, the crank i
will cause the bark to move to and fro transversely, thereby imparting a travers-
ing motion to the "strickles" n, o, which, bearing by their spring rods l, m,
upon the surfaces of the cylinders, will effect the grinding, the said cylinders
being caused to revolve in the ordinary manner, and I so apply and form the
"strickles," that their length shall be sufficient to keep them constantly in
contact with the cards for their entire width.
I have shewn and described the grinding of both cylinders simultaneously;
I do not, however, confine myself to that combination, as the apparatus may
be applied to one only at a time, if desired.
Another part of my improvements relates to the throstle, and is shewn at
Fig. 3, which is a sectional view of the bobbin and flyer, constructed according
to my Invention. The bobbin a, at its upper end, is of a concave form, suited
for the reception of the flyer, which I bend inwards at its upper end b. When,
therefore, the bobbin is at the top of the lift, it has passed beyond the usual
point, which it is enabled to do by its concave recess admitting the convex part
of the flyer. In this position the curls c will, as shewn in the Drawing, be
situate below the top of the bottom flange of the bobbin, and the effect is,
that with the same lift I am enabled to lay on more yarn. 1 also accomplish
the same object by forming a recess in the bobbin, for the reception of the
boss d of the flyer. I have shewn the two combined; but the last-mentioned
provision may be made when flyers of the ordinary construction are used.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that I claim as secured to me,-
Firstly, the use of "strickles "so constructed and adapted to carding engines

page_text: that in their traversing motion they shall remain in contact with the whole
width of cards.
Secondly, bending the upper ends of throstle flyers inward, and providing
the bobbin with a recess to receive such bent part, also providing the bobbin
with a recess for admitting the boss of the flyer.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Spencer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
HENRY SPENCER. (L.s.)