CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND WOOL, AND ALSO FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON, SILK, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ROBERTS, of the Globe Works, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, 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 Eighteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-
four, and in the seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and.
successors; give and grant unto me, the said Richard Roberts, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Richard
Roberts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Richard Roberts, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
timė 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 and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF COTTON AND WOOL, AND ALSO FOR SPINNING
AND DOUBLING COTTON, SILK, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in which
said: Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Richard Roberts,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what.
• manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in. Her 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Roberts, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same. is to be performed, is particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereto annexed, and the
following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
My improvements apply, firstly, to the machinery or apparatus commonly
used in the preparation processes; and, secondly, to the subsequent operations
of spinning and doubling, and are chiefly additions or improvements applied to
well-known -machines, and-also-the...peculiar.construction or arrangement
thereof. In order that these several improvements may be readily explained,
I have attached to these Presents five sheets of Drawings illustrating the
application and use of my improvements, which Drawings are marked with
figures and letters of reference-corresponding-with the following description
thereof, similar letters being placed upon corresponding parts of the mechanism
in the several Figures.wi
Firstly, my improvements apply to the "blowing machine," known also to
cotton manufacturers as the "batting or "scutching machine, the principal-
operation of which is to loosen-thoroughly. the filaments of cotton already
partially loosened and cleaned by the "willow," or otherwise, and to carry off
'the remainder of the dust.
My improvements in the following machine consist in the novel 'arrange-
ment of the apparatus, and in the application and use of feeding rollers of
very small diameter in order to hold or sustain the fibres of cotton, &c. as close
as the length of the fibre will bear without injury to the rotary beater or
scutcher, and in causing the second (and subsequent; if any) of the rotary
beaters to revolve in a contrary direction to those in common use, the cotton
or other fibrous material being carried on by an endless cloth of wire in lieu
of the ordinary travelling grate, and also of the wire-gauze cylinder which
prevents the cotton passing into the flue...
The improvements in the blowing machine" are shown'in Sheet 1 of the
Drawings attached. Fig: I represents a longitudinal section taken vertically
through a blowing machine or "scutcher," with some of the ordinary feeding
and delivering apparatus omitted, as the same is well known-and in-use by per-
sons conversant with such manufactures. Fig. 2 is a 'transverse section taken
through the machine at the dotted line A, B; and Fig. 3 is another transverse
section taken through the machine at the dotted line C, D.; and Fig. 4 is a
diagram representing some of the operative parts of the machine upon a larger
scale. a, b, Fig. 1, are the ordinary feeding rollers of the machine, taking
the material to be operated. upon from the -feeding cloth, as usual; and c,'d

page_text: (Figs. 1 and 4) are my improved feeding rollers, which being too small in"
diameter to sustain (alone) the pressure requisite to be applied to the cotton,^
are supported above and below by the pair of stronger rollerse, e. In the
first compartment of the machine is a rotary, beater of the ordinary con
struction, which acts on the cotton as usual;' and in the second compartment.
of the machine g is another beatér, which is caused to revolve in the opposite
direction to the former; h and i, are light, cylinders, over which-an endless
band of wire cloth j, or other suitable materials, is caused to transverse in the
ordinary manner; k is another light cylinder, which, on its lower side, is
nearly in contact with the endless band, whilst its upper side is a few inches
below the roof of the casing 1; which distance may be varied at the discretion">
of the maker; m' is a roller extending across the machine," and "fits" rather
closely the space between the roller and the roof of the casing of the
machine, to prevent the admission of air from the second compartment, or
from the delivering end of the machine; n, 'n, is a place of metal or other™
material elevated in the middle, as shewn in Fig. 2, for the purpose of carry:
ing off any dirt that may fall through the endless band or sheet above it to
the sides of the machine; from whence it may be removed' through .small'
doors or openings made for that purpose; and o, o, 'is a trough extending
across the machine, and connected at the sides by the tubes p, p, (Fig. 3).with
the common air flue q:
1
.Having now described the general arrangement and construction of my
improved blowing machine, its mode of operation, is as follows:-The cotton *
or other fibrous matérial being placed upon the feeding cloth, as usual, and
the machinc put in motion, the cotton will be carried forward between "the '
rollers a, b, c, d, when, by the rapid rotation of the beater f, the tufts or locks
will be divided into light, fleecy cotton, which will be carried forward' over the
grating r by the current of air produced by the beater f, and by the common
exhausting fan in the air flue, and be deposited upon the traversing belt or
cloth j, immediately over the box: or trough o, o," the cotton then passing
forward to the second beater between the rollers, s, seen best in Fig. 5."
Blowing or scutching machines are usually constructed in two or three com-
partments, and it will be manifest that "the foregoing description of the first
or breaking compartment will be equally applicable to the apparatus of the
second or third chamber without further explanation, with this "exception,
that 'the "rollers s; s; which deliver the cotton from the first to the second
compartment, or second' to third, may be supported or sustained by flat
bars t, t, one edge of which is hollowed out to receive the roller (see detached
Fig. 4) in place of the pair of sustaining rollers ee; as employed in the first

page_text: feeding apparatus. In conclusion, I would remark, that the first and second
compartments also differ as respects the position of the grating r over which
the cotton is blown; the grating in the former or first compartment is con-
structed in any of the ordinary modes, whilst in that in the second chamber
there is a considerable space between the beater and the grating; over which
space the cotton will be blown, thus allowing the heavier extraneous particles
to fall to the floor; after which, by properly regulating the current of air,
most of the dust will fall through the grid and the wire cloth, whilst the
cotton will be blown upon the wire cloth over the trough o, o.
Secondly, my improvements in machinery or apparatus for the preparation
of cotton, wool, and other fibrous substance for spinning, apply to the "carding
engines," and consists in the first place in a new arrangement of apparatus to
be applied to the "doffer," the use of which is to "doff" or strip from the last
carding cylinder in the series the fleece of cotton, wool, or other fibrous
substance as it is deposited on the doffing cylinder from the main carding
cylinder.
Another of my improvements in the carding engine consists in the peculiar
kind of card which I employ, and also in the novel mode of applying the said
card to the main carding cylinder to perform the office heretofore done by
"flats," "top cards," or "rollers," with cards attached.
In the accompanying Drawings Sheet 2, Fig. 1 represents a partial side
elevation of the main and doffing cylinders of a carding engine to which my
improved doffing and carding apparatus are shewn as applied, the ordinary
framework, gearing, and other parts being omitted as unnecessary to the
explanation of my improvements.
Firstly, the "doffing" apparatus. With the doffing apparatus made in the
ordinary way, that is to say with the upper end of the connecting rod sup-
ported by a long link or spring attached to the framing of the engine, the
doffing comb will describe in its action an imperfect oval, as represented in
red lines in the diagram Fig. 2, and, consequently, will strip the cotton off but
a very small portion of the periphery of the cylinder at each stroke of the comb.
My improved doffing apparatus must be adjusted so that the comb on its
descending stroke shall describe a figure similar to that shewn in the diagram
in red lines at Figs. 1 and 3, by which it will be seen that the comb keeps at
an equal distance from the cylinder through nine tenths of its stroke..
Fig. 1 shows one end of a doffing cylinder to which my improved doffing
apparatus is applied. a, a, represent the periphery of the doffing cylinder;
b, the shaft on which it revolves; c, the bearing or pedestal supporting the
same to which is cast the arm d; e is a doffer crank of the ordinary kind,

page_text: and actuated in the usual manner, which gives motion to the doffing.comb f
through the connecting rod g, the upper end of which is guided by the link h,
from, the arm d.; i is a piece of wood to which the doffing comb is attached in
the ordinary way; j. is an arm adjustable at one end on the rod g, and carrying
the doffing comb at the other.
My improvement in the carding apparatus is also exhibited at Fig. 1 as
applied to the main carding cylinder; an enlarged view of the same is also
represented detached at Fig. 4. A, A, is the main cylinder of the carding
engine, around which my improved arrangement of carding apparatus is shewn
applied. B, B, is a narrow endless fillet band, or strip of cards, of which there
are a sufficient number to extend across the entire width of the machine.
These endless fillets (which may be of any convenient width) are passed under
the rollers or cylinders C, C, C, and their carding surfaces thus brought at
intervals into work with the main cylinder and over the lanthorns or
drums D, D, D, and also over the tension rollers E, E, E. It will be seen
in the detached Fig. 4, that the endless fillets of cards are provided with ribs,
pins, or strips of metal F, F, F, attached to the fillet for the purpose of taking
into the corresponding indentations in the ribs G, G, G, of the lanthorns or
guide drums D, D, D, and thus securing the regular progression of the
endless fillets, and thereby prevent the card teeth from coming in contact
with the ribs G, G, G, and are successively brought under the operation of
the rotary brush H to be cleaned. And further, I would remark, the
widths of the fillets of cards thus employed may be varied as desired, and
also that the cards may either be arranged in one endless band, making
many circuits over the main cylinder, and having suitable guide rollers to
direct its return, or in many endless bands, making only one circuit each ;
such arrangements or modifications having a similar effect on the main
cylinder. It will be evident that similar carding rollers may be applied to
the under, side of the main cylinder, and also that the distance from centre
to centre of the carding rollers C, C, C, may be varied.
Thirdly, my improvements apply to that class of machinery known by the
name of the roving" and "slubbing" machines, and the "bobbin-and-
fly" frame; and also to all other machines wherein the speed of the spools
or bobbins is gradually increased as the sliver of cotton or other fibrous
; material accumulates thercon. In ordinary roving, slubbing, and bobbin-and-
fly frames, the successive augmentation of the speed of the bobbin or spool, to
adapt it to the requisite increasing winding-on power of the bobbin, has
generally been accomplished by the intervention of a conical drum driven by a
strap and pulley, or by a disc contact wheel and friction roller, in connection

page_text: with various combinations and arrangements of toothed gearing. My improve-
ments. in such or similar machinery or apparatus for effecting the requisite
variations in the speed of the bobbins or spools consists in the novel application
of a series of two or more expanding pulleys, in place of either the conical
drum, disc wheel, or the like mechanism now in general use.
.. This part of my present Invention is exhibited in Sheet 3 of the Drawings
attached...Fig. 1 represents, an elevation of so much of the driving, end
(taken at the back) "of an ordinary bobbin-and-fly" frame as is necessary to
shew the particular mode of obtaining the required variable motion, by means
of my improved expanding pulleys. Fig. 2 is a section, taken through one of
the expanding pulleys, at the line QR, in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken
through another of these expanding pulleys' at 'the line. S, T, also in Fig. 1,
being somewhat differently, arranged or constructed to Fig. 2.: Figs.-4 and 5
are. side and end views of one of the segments of the pulley, Fig. 2.;1 and
Figs. 6 and 7 are side and end views of one of the segments of the pulley,
Fig: 8. It will be seen that the expanding pulley D' is fixed upon the ordinary
driving shaft of the machine, and is constructed with two side plates, discs, or
flanches, a, a, fixed together upon that shaft, in which side plates are formed
a. series of slots or mortices b,-6, as radial guides for the segmental pieces'c, c,
which form the strap pulley; these segmental pieces are capable of being
slidden outwards and inwards, and thus of expanding or contracting the
diameter of the pulley when operated upon by the oblique bars d; d; or inclined
planes e, e. The application of the above to the mechanism requiring such
variable speed is so evident in Fig. 1 as scarcely to require further explanation.
A, A, is: part of the framing of a.bobbin-and-fly frame; B, B, the drawing
rollers; and C, the driving pully. My improved expanding pullies D³, D³,
and E; E, are mounted upon the shafts F, G, H; sliding upon said shafts
are four pairs of bosses I, I, I, I, each pair supporting a series of oblique
bars d, d, or inclined planes e, e, which: act upon the segments c, c, aforesaid,
and effect the expansion or contraction of the 'pullies, which, it will be seen,
must take place as these bosses I, I, and their inclined bars, are slidden along
their respective shafts by means of the system of bars J; J, being drawn back-
wards or forwards by the operation of the screws K, K, which are worked by
the vertical intermittent shaft L in connection with the copping motion, which
shaft-is-actuated like the corresponding one in the ordinary bobbin-and-fly
frame. The expanding pulley D¹, being fixed on the driving shaft F, com-
municates motion through the pulley E! to the shaft H; and the pulley E²,
which is fixed on that shaft, gives motion to the pulley D' and shaft G, from
which; by the wheels M and N, variable motion is communicated to the

page_text: shaft O, on which is fixed the wheel P, for driving the bobbins in the ordinary
manner. If it should be preferred, the wheel M may be fixed near the end of
the shaft G, and other; expanding pulleys may be employed, without departing
from the principle of my
Invention.
Fourthly, my improvements apply particularly to the preparation processes
used in the worsted and flax manufactures, and consist in the application of a
novel and peculiar arrangement of apparatus for advancing and otherwise
working the series of steel combs used in preparation machines, and well known
by the names of." gills" or "heckles," which is effected in the following
manner:
.
In Sheet 4, Fig. 1 is a plan. or horizontal view of one of my improved
arrangements of gills or heckles, in which the gills are shewn in one of the end
combs only. Fig. 2, another plan. view of part of the same, with all the combs
.omitted except one, that the manner of putting the machine together may be
better understood. Fig. 3 is a side elevation or section of the same, with the
framing of the machine,.&c., omitted. A, A, are shafts, on each of which are
fastened two discs or wheels C, C, C¹, C². D, D, endless chains, which are
kept in a state of tension by the disc wheels C, C, C¹, C¹. B, B, two other
shafts, on the extremity of each of which is another disc wheel E, E., F, F, in
Figs: 1 and 2, represent parts of the framing, which may be connected together
in any.convenient way. G is a cranked bracket attached to the framing piéce F
to carry one end of the shaft A, and there is a similar bracket at the other of
the apparatus to carry the end of the shaft A³. On reference to the Drawings
it will be seen that the pivoted ends of the bars a, a, a, which carry the combs,
serve as joint or hinge pins to the endless chains D, D; and also, by their
gearing into the semicircular notches in the periphery of the disc wheels C, C,
C³, C¹, causes them to be guided and carried forward.by these. wheels. In
order that the. teeth of the combs may preserve the same angle with 'the
horizon throughout their course, cranks b, b, b, &c., are fastened on one side of
each of the bars a, a, a, which cranks, after passing through the endless chain I
(to which they form the joint or hinge pins), pass over the disc wheels E, E,
which being eccentric with reference to the disc wheels C, C, have the desired.
effect of working the gills or heckles in the most suitable manner for operating
upon the "strickle," or upon the sliver, as it passes through the machine. The
shafts A, A¹, may be connected together or not. as shall be thought best, but
one of them should be driven by the machine to which the apparatus is
attached; and the shafts B, B, may be driven by the cranks b, b, or by tooth
gearing. In those cases where short or narrow combs shall be required, the
shafts A; A¹, will be strong enough without, the bearings G. The proportions

page_text: of the above-described apparatus may be varied to adapt it to preparation
machines for worsted, flax, and the like, and for the purpose of heckling hemp
and flax, &c. In many of which cases it may be found desirable to have two
sets of combs working face to face, the teeth of one set of which may be
inserted in the spaces of the other set of combs, and the angle of working. the
combs may also be varied as occasion may require. Fig. 4 represents a
sectional diagram of a modification of my improved arrangement for driving
the gills, in which it will be clearly seen that the action of the excentric discs
will work the gills or hickles in a circle, instead of a horizontal line, the
combs L, L, having their centres of motion in the disc wheel M, and the crank
pins in the disc-wheel N will keep the gills at the same angle throughout the
circle...
"
Fifthly, my improvements consist in the arrangement of the "roller heads,"
of spinning frames or throstles, and of mules for spinning worsted, flax, &c.,
and also in the application of the same to that class. of spinning machinery
which renders the mule what is now called by the name of "self-acting
mule."...
"This present Invention consists in a novel and peculiar arrangement of the
parts forming the bars, stands, and bearers of the ordinary drawing rollers,
and of the auxiliary or carrier rollers, and also in an improved method or
methods of manufacturing the front top rollers employed in spinning worsted,
flax, cotton, &c., and in the mode of weighting the top drawing rollers.
In Sheet 4, Fig. 1. is a front elevation of a sufficient part of the roller beam
and drawing rollers of a mule or throstle, to illustrate the arrangement of my
present improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan or horizontal view of the same, as
seen from above; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same.
a, a, is the
roller beam of the mule, supported by "the Samsons" or upright framings
b, b, as usual, and upon this roller beam are placed the roller bars or. bearers
c, c, which are fixed to the roller beam at intervals throughout the whole
length of the mule, for the purpose of supporting the front drawing rollers d, d,
and the adjustable stands h, h, into notches, in which the secondary bars q, q,
are fitted. These bars have notches in them corresponding with those in the
stands h, h, h, h, those on the three first to guide the intermediate top rollers,
and the last to guide the back top drawing rollers f, f. Between the bars. on
the roller beam are stands r, r, r, r, which, together with the bars c, c, guide
the top front drawing rollers d, d, and the clearers e, e. Now the advantages
of this improved arrangement will be understood by referring to the adjoining
Fig. 4, which is an elevation of the old arrangement of these parts in a
common. worsted. or. flax spinning machine, except that the bar c, c, is, not

page_text: placed at a high angle with the horizon, as usual in those machines, and
comparing the same with that shewn in Fig. 3, noting that similar letters are
marked upon corresponding parts in both arrangements. It will be seen in
Fig. 8, and especially by the detached section of the bar, that the roller bar c, c,
is formed solid, with an angular or Vedge on the top. The carrier roller
stands h, h, are made of a corresponding form, and are secured to the bars c, c,
by the set screws below, instead of having a slot or mortice in the bar for the
adjustable stands to move in, as in the old plan, see Fig. 5, also plan and
section of the bar c, c, detached. The advantages of my improved "roller
head" for worsted and flax spinning consist in its being much more compact,
and also of the spindles being placed nearer to each other than on the old
plan, which circumstance admits of the mule being adapted to spin worsted,
flax, &c. without loss of room.
Another of my improvements in spinning machinery consists in the applica-
tion of top drawing rollers, the biting or holding surfaces of which are composed
of a series of washers or discs, made of paper, leather, or other suitable
material, which washers, being placed side by side, and highly compressed, are
held together by the metallic or side washers a, b, see Fig. 6, Sheet 4. In
this Fig. the bosses or rollers are made separately, and put in pairs on a small.
shaft, but it is evident that, when the length of shaft will permit it, the bosses
of paper, leather, &c. may be built on the shaft itself, and retained in their
compressed state by nuts screwed on to the shaft end or otherwise.
My improved arrangement for weighting the top rollers is clearly shewn in
Fig. 3, i, i, being the suspending wires connected with the top rollers. 1,1', are
the weight levers, which are made adjustable by the screw nuts k, k, below' the
levers 7, having their fulcra in the front roller beam a, and the levers in the
back bar m. The carriers n, 12, are to guide the levers 7, P, and also to
support them wherever it may be necessary to unscrew the nuts k, k, and the
levers, being notched, admit of the pressure on the rollers being adjusted by
simply removing the weights o, o, to the proper notch.
Lastly, my improvements apply to the machinery or apparatus for spinning
and doubling, and. is more particularly connected with that arrangement
adapted to spinning and doubling silk.
'
My Invention consists in a certain new arrangement of the entire machine,
and also in a novel mode of stopping any individual set of spindles in the
machine on a single thread breaking (without interfering with the ordinary
revolutions of the remainder) by the instant separation of two contact or
friction driving surfaces, and in causing such set of spindles again to revolve
(after the junction of the broken thread) by replacing these driving surfaces in

page_text: contact. I am aware that many simple and efficient contrivances may be
made and put in connection with the thread or yarn as a medium for working
my Invention, and have shewn one in the accompanying Drawings, which I
consider the best for the purpose.
In Sheet 5, Fig. 1. is a transverse section of a machine for spinning and
doubling silk; and Fig. 2 is a plan or horizontal view of part of the same.
a, a, is the side or end framing of the machine carrying the longitudinal rails
b, b, b, for supporting the series of spindles c, c, c, d, d, d, and e, e, e, the latter
being the throwing spindles by which the threads, after being doubled, are
twisted together. These frames also carry other longitudinal rails f. f. f, for
supporting the vertical shafts g, g, g, upon which the tin driving drums h, h, h,
are placed. These drums are banded as usual, and connected with two,
three, or more spindles for giving twist in the first place to the yarn, and with
one or more spindles for throwing or twisting the spun yarns together, as the
quality of the doubling may require, and receive motion from the driving
pullies, i, below.
Now it will be observed, by reference to the enlarged
detached Fig. 3, that the vertical drum shafts 9, 9, are divided, being only
connected by the contact of the two friction surfaces, which may be of any
convenient form. I prefer the conical coupling boxes k, k, which mode of
connecting and disconnecting the upper and lower parts of these drum shafts
9, 9, and the novel arrangement of the machine, constitute the features of novelty
in this part of my improvements. The threads to be doubled are indicated
by red lines proceeding from the spindles c, c, and d, d, through the guides l, l,
over the front bar m, and rollers n, n, under the presser roller o, and from thence
conducted towards the throwing spindles e, e. It will be seen that between the
rollers m and n there is a slight bent lever p, having its fulcrum at q, and one
end bent upwards, touching the thread, or just supporting it, as it passes over.
At the other end of this lever p is a vertical rod or wire r, passing through
horizontal bar or lever s, immediately below which there is a cam t con-
stantly revolving with the shaft u. Now, upon the thread breaking, the lever P
will be relieved from the pressure of the thread, and the other end of the lever
falling will drop the rod r into the way of the revolving cam, and thus cause
the horizontal bars to be slidden in its bearings outwards; and there being an
inclined plane v on the extremity of the lever s, it will cause the upper part of
the vertical drum shaft g, g, to be lifted a little, when the friction surfaces k, k,
being thus disconnected, the spindles in connection with such drum will stop.
It is also necessary at the same time to raise the presser roller o, to prevent
the whole or unbroken thread or threads in connection with the same drum
running waste. This motion is effected by.a second inclined plane u, also upon