CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE DRYING AND FINISHING OF WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MALCOLM
MACFARLANE, of Thistle Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Copper-
smith, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirtieth day of August,
in the thirteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Malcolm Macfarlane, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Malcolm Macfarlane,
my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Malcolm Mac-
farlane, my exors, adiñors, 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, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE DRYING AND
FINISHING OF WOVEN FABRICS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, requiring that I, the said Malcolm Macfarlane, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, shall particularly describe and ascertain the.
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed;
and shall cause the same to be enrolled 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Malcolm Macfarlane, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed; to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by this present instrument in writing, as follows
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters
and figures placed thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists of certain novel arrangements of mechanism or
apparatus intended to effect the drying and finishing of woven fabrics, and in
particular to produce what is well known in the trade as the "elastic finish"
in a superior and more complete manner than has been hitherto accomplished
by existing contrivances.
And in order that my said arrangements may be readily understood and
carried into effect, I shall now proceed to describe the various Figures on the
Sheets of Drawings of my mechanism hereunto attached.
Figure 1, Sheet I., is a complete longitudinal elevation of what I term my
cylinder finishing machine; and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the
same. The framing of this machine consists mainly of two longitudinal side
frames A, A, held together by, transverse bars, and on this framing are placed
the-bearings for the several stretching and angling finishing. cylinders, and the
actuating mechanism of the same. The machine receives its motion from any
prime mover through the cone pulley B, outside the framing., This. pulley is
keyed on the horizontal shaft C, running loose in a bearing on the side frame.
It has upon it a clutch sliding upon a fixed feather on the shaft, and arranged
to, gear with a similar clutch loose on the shaft, and in connection. with the
spur-wheel D, gearing with a second wheel E, which wheel communicates
its-motion to all the stretching and angling finishing cylinders through the
intervention of a series of similar wheels ranged in two rows. To avoid con-
fusion, only one or two of these. wheels are represented in the complete state,
as at F, F, the remainder being indicated by circles in red. The whole of the
series of cylinders G, G, and,H, H, in the upper row, together with the two
end ones in the lower row I, I, are stretching or breadthening cylinders, two
only of which are shewn complete as at H, H,,the whole of the others being of
the same construction. They are each carried on shafts revolving in bearings on
the top-rails of the framing. The cylinders in the lower row, with the excep-
tion of the two end ones I, I, two of which are shewn in full at J, J, are angling
cylinders, employed for angling the warp threads of the fabrics to be passed
over them. The strong blue dotted lines. K, K, represent the passage of the
cloth through the machine ;,,commencing at L, it passes under and over the
two guide rollers M, M¹, respectively, and thence beneath the end stretching
い

page_text: cylinder I, in the lower row. Round this it turns to the end stretcher G of
the upper row, and afterwards proceeds to the first of the angling cylinders at
N, passing round it, and thence round the corresponding stretcher in the upper
row. In this way the fabric is passed throughout the series, passing alter-
nately over a breadthener and an angler, until it emerges beneath the end
stretching cylinder I at the opposite end of the machine. From this point it.
is passed round the guide roller, O, to the upper side of the large.roller P,
revolving loose in bearings carried by the two large projecting brackets Q, Q.
and here it is conveyed to a folding machine. The large end roller P receives;
its motion from the last spur wheel of the upper series, which gears with a
smaller spur wheel R on a short stud shaft carrying a bevil pinion S, gearing
with a bevil wheel T on an inclined shaft U, which communicates its motion;
by a pair of bevil pinions to the large roller P. Immediately over each of the
two side frames A, A, a long supporting bar V, V, is carried upon a series of
short pillars, as at W, W. This bar is for the purpose of carrying certain
apparatus which I employ, for the purpose of giving the selvages of the fabric
a sufficient amount of adhesion to the laths or bars of the breadthening or
stretching cylinders. It is not deemed necessary to apply this arrangement to
each. of these cylinders; but where it is used the plan adopted is represented as
for one cylinder at X, X, which are two, upright pillars carried on the bar V, V,
and adapted to support an endless pressing or adhesion strap or belt, shewn in
dotted lines at Y, Y. The pillars are slotted vertically down the centre, to
receive the brass bearings of two transverse rollers Z, Z, which are supported
by counterweights a, a, suspended from chains passing over fixed pulleys in the
tops of the pillars X, X. At b, b, two upright adjustable studs are placed
opposite each other on the bar V. These studs have eyes in their upper
ends; for the reception of the, ends of the slotted guide tube d, d, containing a
right and left screw spindle for the adjustment of the pressure strap to any width
of fabric to be finished. At e, e, two wide eye-pieces project upwards through
longitudinal slots formed in the tube d, d, which thus acts as a guide to retain
the eye-pieces in a vertical position. The pressing strap Y on each side is
passed through its eye-piece e as a guide,; and thence over the two suspended
rollers, Z, Z, passing downwards. from them to, two fixed guide rollers f, f,
the portion of the straps between these points being passed upwards to bear
upon the selvages; of the fabric as it passes over the upper portion of the
stretching, cylinder to which the apparatus is applied. A winch handle
may be adjusted, at g, g, on the right and left, adjusting screw spindle,
for the purpose of turning it so, as to cause the eye-pieces e; e, to advance
towards or recede from each other, and thus carry the straps nearer to

page_text: or further from the centre of the machine as the width of the fabric may
require. During the action of the machine, the pressing straps move along
with the stretching cylinders to which they are applied, running free over the
several rollers, whilst the weights a, a, give them a sufficient pressure to cause
the selvages of the fabric passing over the cylinder beneath them to adhere
closely to the roughened surface of the stretching or breadthening bars.
Having described the general arrangement and action of the machine, I
shall now enter upon an explanation of such of the details as are necessary to
be understood in comprehending the peculiarity of the finishing movements
which I give to the fabrics.
The stretching or breadthening cylinders, as shewn complete at H, H, are
in principle identical with the revolving breadtheners at present extensively
in use in connection with steam drying cylinders and other arrangements; but
in my improved cylinders the movement of the breadthening bars is so con-
trived that the breadthening action is continued throughout five-sixths of the
length of the cylinder's periphery, in place of merely one half, as is usual in
órdinary breadtheners. The body portion of my breadtheners is formed of a
tin cylinder, upon which are fixed catches for guiding the breadthening laths or
bars h, h, in their longitudinal movement along the face of the cylinder. These
bars are similar in shape to those now used; they are made of sheet iron, and
are covered with wire cloth, as at k, k, Figure 2, for the purpose of giving their
surfaces a better hold upon the fabric. The requisite traverse of these bars for
giving the proper breadthening action is obtained by an annular scroll disc 1, 1,
placed at each end of the cylinder, and fixed immoveably to the framing.
In order to explain clearly the details of this movement, I shall now refer to
Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto attached; in which Sheet, Figure 1 is a
side elevation of one of the scroll discs drawn to a larger scale, and Figure 2
is an edge view of the same, corresponding. Commencing at the point m, the
disc is formed as far as the point n like a regular screw thread, having a
pitch of one inch, more or less, as may be deemed necessary, that is, the amount
of advance of the disc rim from the plane of the part m to the angle at n in
a spiral direction is one inch. The circumferential length of the disc included
between these two points is equal to five-sixths of the whole circumference, the
remaining one-sixth being taken up by the straight angular portion o, which
forms the connection between the two ends of the spiral portion. The scrolls
are bolted to the side frames by the bolts p, p, p, p; and the angular portions o
are so set, in reference to the direction of the passage of the fabric, that the
spiral portions from m to n shall give a regular outward traverse to all those bars
comprehended in that portion of the cylinder, over which the fabric passes, and

page_text: the angular parts themselves act so as to contract or give an inward traverse to
the bars at that portion of the cylinder where the fabric is clear from it, as
denoted by the letters m, n, o, in the elevation, Figure 1. The discs commu-
nicate the traverse to the bars through sets of small antifriction pulleys, a
pair of which are carried near the outer end of each bar on two studs set near
together, so as to allow one pulley to bear on each side of the disc and the
bars are further carried upon the surface of the cylinders by small supporting
pulleys. The body portion of these cylinders being made of metal and steam-
tight, facilities are afforded for turning them to use as drying cylinders, by the
introduction into them of steam to act as drying medium during the passage
over them of the goods. A well-known objection attending the use of the
ordinary breadthening cylinders, is the extreme liability of the fabric to slip
during its passage over the breadthening bars in action; and to diminish the
risk of such objectionable slipping, I adopt the arrangement previously
explained in connection with the pillars X, X, carrying the tension band; and
this apparatus I adapt to as many of the breadtheners as practice may shew
to be desirable. In explanation of the action of my finishing or angling
cylinders J, J, I must now refer to the details, Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, on
Sheet II., where Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the angular or scroll
discs 9, q, one of which is set at one end of each of the angling cylinders,
similarly as the scroll discs employed to traverse the breadthening bars;
Figure 4 is a corresponding edge view of the same. Figure 5 is a side view of
one of the revolving discs, forming the ends r, r, of the angling finishing
cylinders and revolving with them; and Figure 6 is a corresponding edge view.
Figure 7 is a side view of one of the finishing bars s, s'; and Figure 8' is a
corresponding edge or top view of the same. The traversing bars s, s, covered
on their upper edges with wire cloth, are passed through radial slots set at
equal distances asunder near the circumference of the end discs, and are thus
guided laterally in their traverse. The undulations or angularities on the
peripheries of the scroll discs q, q, are five-eighths of an inch in depth, and they
are formed at regular intervals throughout a length of two-thirds of the
circumference of the scroll, and are of such a distance asunder as to agree
with the positions of the series of traversing bars s, s. Thus, if one of the
cylinders carries eighteen bars, the scroll wheel will require to have its undula-
tions set out on two-thirds of its periphery, in the proportion of eighteen to the
whole periphery. This is necessary in order to avoid angling the cloth at the
instant when the cylinder receives and delivers it. The remaining one-third of
the disc is quite plain, so that the cylinder receives and delivers the fabric quite
evenly. The traverse due to the depth of the undulations of the discs is

page_text: conveyed to the finishing bars through the medium of an antifriction pulley
arrangement, as in the breadthening cylinders, the edge of the disc being held
between a pair of pulleys on the end of each bar: On the inner sides of the
revolving disc ends r, r, are a series of projections, each carrying a small
pulley, of a diameter equal to the width of the curved slot, formed in the
extremities of the bars at t; t: Thus, in place of resting upon a fixed guide,
the two ends of each bar traverse upon these supporting pulleys with a
slight reciprocating vertical movement, due to the amount of curvature of
the slots, the use of which I shall now explain. The relative positions of
the undulations of the disc q, q, being such that any two adjacent bars are
caused to traverse in directions opposite to each other, so that the warp of the
short length of fabric comprised between each bar is angled or inclined to
alternate sides to the amount due to the combined traverse of the two opposed
undulations of the discs. When, however, the angle is thus given, it is evident
that each pair of the bars will tend to take up or comprise between them a
greater length of fabric than when no angle is given to it. In order then to
give the fabric the full benefit of the angling movement, and to afford compen-
sation for the attempted angular extension of the fabric between each bar, an
arrangement is provided for the purpose of allowing each of the bars to
approach towards the centre of the cylinder, just as the opposite outward
traversing movements are given to them, so that the diameter of the cylinder
taken as a whole is diminished at the proper periods of the traversing move-
ment of the bars to such an extent as to shorten the actual distance between
each bar in the degree required to compensate for the injurious angular
tension before mentioned. The traversing finishing bars s, s, are thin pieces of
metal set edgeways, and strengthened near their lower edges with additional
metal as at u; u. The traversing pulleys, fitting one on each side of the edge
of the actuating scroll discs, are at v; v, at one end of the bars; and as the
traverse is communicated from the scroll discs through these pulleys to the
bars, the latter are made to rise and fall once during each movement by the
action of the curved slots t, t, which run upon the pulleys of the disc r, r.
The amount of curvature given to these slots, or, in other words, the distance
included between the two centre lines 1 and 2, drawn through the longitudinal
centres and the two ends of the slots respectively, is just equal to the amount
of compensating movement required; this distance being the extent of the rise
and fall of each bar at every traverse to the right or left. Referring to the
plan, Figure 2 of Sheet I., it is to be understood that, in accordance with the
traversing movements before described, the warp of the fabric to be finished is
brought to a right line in the direction of the longitudinal centre line of the

page_text: machine, that is to say, once in each period of the traverse the fabric is held
perfectly even and straight from end to end of the portion acted on in the
machine. Thus, the piece of goods is treated by a continued succession of
angles and right lines of the warp, whilst the weft threads are always parallel
with each other and at right angles to the longitudinal centre' of the machine.
The upper guide roller M¹; over which the fabric passes as it enters the
machine, is not in one piece, but is divided into several short lengths, as repre-
sented in the plan, Figure 2, and may be considered as a shaft covered with a
range of loose pulleys. This contrivance is introduced as well to avoid
objectionable friction upon the cloth as to enable the attendant to keep the
weft threads of the fabric: parallel as it enters the machine by holding back
any portion of it which. may be out of square with the piece. The usual fans
as ordinarily applied to drying machines are at w, w, running along beneath
the cylinders, being driven by the pulley arrangements at x, x,' and 'in the
proper direction for sending a current of warm air from the flues from the
centre of the piece towards the selvages. The same general principle of
finishing may be applied so as to break or angle the warp of the fabric in any
suitable plane, either verticially or horizontally.
In Figures 9 and 10, Sheet II., I have given an elevation and plan of the
arrangement, whereby it is adapted to finish on a plane surface. In this machine,
which I call my flat or chain machine, the two side frames 3 and 4, represented
in the elevation. Figure 9, as having. their standards broken away, carry the
finishing mechanism. Each side frame is in two pieces, held together by outside
or overhanging holders 5, 5, so as to leave an endless open slot 6, 6, between the
edges of each piece; the upper portion between each semicircular end being
zig-zag or formed with a succession of angles, whilst the remaining part is a
plain straight slot. An endless metallic or other chain, formed in four
lines; as 7, 7, and 8, 8, extends over. the pulleys or drums 9, 9, 9, 9, which
have a regular rotatory movement given to them to cause the endless chain to
traverse continuously along each of the grooves in the direction of the arrows.
To this chain are linked or attached at regular intervals a set of transverse bars
or rods 10, 10, and near the end of each of these rods a small loose pulley
11, 11, is fitted, to run. along the slots, of the side frames as the chain traverses."
The fabric to be finished is stretched across between the two inner lines of
links +8, 8, to which pins are attached for the purpose of holding the selvages,
and the breaking, angling, or finishing movement is communicated to it by the
action of the fixed zig-zag or angular edge pieces 12,.12, on the outside of the:
side frames. Each bar: 10, 10, is prolonged beyond the part which carries the
traversing pulleys of the grooves in the side frames, and is bent downwards at

page_text: right angles to its axis, such bent portion being fitted with a second loose
pulley, as at 13, 13, bearing upon the angular edges 12, 12. As the chain
carrying the fabric traverses along the grooves, the angular edge pieces 12, 12,
on each side being so set with respect to each other that the apex 14, formed
by any two of the inclines on one side, is opposite the base or inner angle
formed by any two of the inclines on the other or contrary side, it follows
that each bar receives a series of regular transverse movements across the
width of the fabric, such movements being of a duration and length equal to
the pitch and number of the angles used. In this way a movement is given
to the warp threads of the fabric precisely similar to that given by the finishing
bars on the cylinders represented in Sheet I., that is to say,. the warp threads
are treated with a continuous series of angles and right lines, as once during
each traverse of the bars, as represented in the plan, Figure 10, Sheet II., the
fabric is held perfectly straight and with its warp threads in a line with the
longitudinal centre of the machine, whilst the breaking or finishing angles
which are given to it are all made alternately to the right and left of this line.
To produce the compensating movement which, as explained in reference to
the cylinder machine, is required to allow for the tension coming upon the
fabric at each angling movement of the chains or links 8, 8, the upper zig-zag
portions of the slots 6, 6, in which the rods 10, 10, are fitted to traverse with
their pulleys 11,11, are employed. The depth and extent of the angles of these
slots is the same as in the angular edge pieces 12, 12, and during the traversing.
movement of the chains they produce an action upon the fabric precisely similar
to that due to the exterior angles 12, 12, with this exception, that the compen-
sating movement is vertical or at right angles to that caused by the angles 12, 12.
The respective positions of these two sets of actuating angles in relation to each
other is such that each angle formed by any two inclines on the edge pieces
12, 12, stands opposite to the centres of the inclined portions of the slots 6, 6.
This relation is more clearly shewn by the dotted lines at 15, 15, which, being.
drawn directly up from the angles in the plan, indicate their positions in the
elevation to be exactly midway down the inclines in the slots 6, 6. Thus, when
the fabric is held perfectly straight and even in reference to the angular
horizontal movement of the warp threads, as occurs once in each angle of the
edge pieces 12, 12, and as exhibited in. the position of the angling chains
in the plan, Figure 10, it is in its slackest state, considered in reference to its
longitudinal dimensions; therefore, the positions of the rods 10, 10, in the
slots 6, 6, must. be as represented in the elevation; Figure 9, that is, the
angles in these slots must at this period give their full effect to the rods and
chains in order to take up the slack of the fabric.. Again, as the horizontal:

page_text: angling action comes upon the fabric as the rods 10, 10, approach to the
positions taken up by the dotted rods 16, 16, their positions in the slots 6, 6,
will be reversed accordingly, as at 17, 17, where the rods being midway down
the inclines, the fabric is brought to a plane surface, as all the rods are in one
horizontal plane, and the amount taken up by the horizontal angling of the edge
pieces 12, 12, is allowed for by the removal of the vertical angles. In order
to facilitate the hooking on of the fabric on the entering end of the machine,
the side frames are set so as to expand or widen out from each other slightly
towards the opposite or delivery end, and to allow for the gradual widening of
the distance between the piece holding links 8, 8, as well as to afford facilities
for finishing various widths of fabrics, the transverse rods 10, 10, are made
telescopic, so as to elongate and contract with the varying width between the
chains 8, 8. I may here remark that the general arrangement of this machine
may be made available in the production of what is known as a "common
finish," where no angling is required; the traversing chain and transverse
connecting rods alone being used without the angular guides. It will also be
evident to practical men that the breadthening and angular finishing movements
may be so combined that the effects of both movements may be accomplished
upon one cylinder.
Having now described my various improvements, and the manner in which
the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details of construction or arrangement
of the machinery or apparatus, or of the general process involved in the use of
such machinery or apparatus, which I have herein-before pointed out and
described; but what I do claim is,―
First, the imparting a continuous series of angular and rectilinear move-
ments in the plane of the fabric in course of being finished, in combination with
a compensating movement, whereby an allowance is made for the increased
tension given to the fabric at the periods when it receives the angular finishing
action, as herein-before described.
Second, the peculiar scroll disc and movement employed for giving the
necessary traverse to the finishing bars in the production of the angular
movement referred to in claim 1.
Third, the application or employment of the tension band arrangement for
giving the selvage of the fabric a proper hold upon the bars of the breadthening
cylinders, as described in reference to Sheet I.
Fourth, the use or application of steam or heated vapour to the interior of
the breadthening cylinders.
Fifth, the use or application of a scroll disc or other actuating contrivance,

page_text: whereby the traverse of the breadthening bars is continued for a longer period
of the revolution of such bars than has been previously accomplished, as in
the case I have herein described, up to five-sixths of the whole revolution of
the bars.
Sixth, the use or application of wire cloth or the like surface to the angling
and breadthening bars, for the purpose of giving the same a sufficient hold
upon the fabric.
Seventh, the use or employment of the chain, link, or belt, movement, with
transverse connecting rods adapted either for the production of the angular
finishing movement herein-before described, or simply for a "common finish,"
where no angular movement is required.
Eighth, the use of compound or divided rollers, as described with reference
to the roller marked M' in Sheet I., for the purpose herein-before described.
Ninth, the combination of the angling and breadthening movements or
actions upon the same cylinder.
In witness whereof, I, the said Malcolm Macfarlane, have hereunto set
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty.
my
MALCOLM (L.S.) MACFARLANE:
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the