Improvements in Machinery for "Milling" and "Fulling" Woollen and other Woven or Felted Fabrics.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for "Milling" and "Fulling" Woollen
and other Woven or Felted Fabrics.
I, BENJAMIN PRESTON of Blackeridge Works, West End, Batley near Leeds
in the County of York, Millwright, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows
66
The object of my invention is to combine the operations of "milling" and
fulling "woollen or other woven or felted fabrics, whereby such operations are
facilitated as well as the cost of manufacture of material reduced.
For the above purpose I employ an ordinary milling machine, through which the
material is passed in the ordinary way, but at the end of each spout I employ a
fulling stock.
Between the feet of these stocks and a pliable bed the material is passed, and in
so doing the desired effect is produced similar to that in an ordinary fulling stock,
and this simultaneously with the milling operation.
The feet move in a vertical or diagonal direction in suitable slides provided on
the machine, and are operated by suitable cranks or eccentrics actuated by some
suitable motor.
Dated this 24th day of Woh 1901
J. W. HARDING,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for "Milling" and "Fulling" Woollen
and other Woven or Felted Fabrics.
I, BENJAMIN PRESTON, of Blackeridge Works, West End, Batley, near Leeds,
in the County of York, Millwright do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to combine the operation of "milling
" and
"fulling" woollen or other woven or felted fabrics whereby such operations are
facilitated as well as the cost of manufacture of material reduced.
.
For the above purpose I employ an ordinary milling machine through which the
material is passed in the ordinary way, but at the end of each spout I employ a
fulling stock.
Between the foot or feet of one or more stocks and a pliable bed the material is
passed, and in so doing the desired effect is produced similar to that in an ordinary
fulling stock, and this simultaneously with the milling operation.
The feet reciprocate in a vertical or diagonal direction in suitable slides provided
on the machine, and are operated by suitable cranks or eccentrics actuated by
some suitable motor.
In the drawings hereunto annexed:-
Fig. 1. is a front elevation, Fig. 2. a longitudinal section, Fig. 3. a plan looking
at the top with the covering removed, Fig 4 a transverse section on line
and Fig. 5 an end elevation.
Like parts in all the views are marked with the same letters of reference..
Fig. 2,

page_text: A is the framework of the machine which is lined with wood as shown at a.
B and C are the milling rollers carried in suitable bearings on the framework. To
the milling rollers a rotary motion is imparted from any suitable source of power
through driving pulley D (pulley E being arranged to revolve loosely on the end
of shaft) and spur gearing F. G is a guide roller, and G₁ the knocking off board
mounted on levers y pivoted to the lining and connected with the belt shipping
mechanism H in the ordinary way. I the mouthpiece mounted' in framework i in
front of the milling rollers.
All the above parts of the milling portion of the machine may be of ordinary
construction, and they are mounted or fixed to the framework A. or lining a in the
usual manner.
Instead of making the conducting spout at the rear of the rollers B and C
with sides parallel to each other as is usually done in "milling "machines of
ordinary construction, I preferably though not necessarily so make them to taper
outwards as shown at Fig. 3. to allow the material operated upon to open out
during its passage from the rollers B and C to the "fulling" stocks (to be hereafter
described), thus, presenting a greater surface of material to the action of the
stocks. The bottom of the spout J is armed with a tongue which is made at
one end to fit between the flanges of the roller B, and at the other end to fit
between the sides jj of the spout. Within the spout is also mounted so as to
work freely between its sides ja tapering pressure board or lid. This board j
is attached by a casting to the levers jointed on the shaft e as shown at
Figs. 4 to 5; and the inner surface of its narrow end may be armed with a brass
plate j. When it is required to impart a given amount of pressure to the material
as it passes through the spout, the board
number of weights fixed on a vertical rod
board as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 4.
may be weighted by any desired
jointed to the upper surface of the
The required pressure is imparted to the milling" rollers B and C by the flat.
springs CC in the following manner namely:-Between the ends of the milling
roller shaft and the springs C₁ is inserted a metal bush e as at present, but
instead of connecting both ends of the springs C¹ C₁ to the framework by rods
such as (as is usually done) I fix to the front end of each spring a rack e. Each
rack is made to engage with a spur pinion & mounted on a shaft which is carried
in suitable bearings formed for its reception in the framework of the machine. On
the shaft is also mounted a hand wheel for rotating the said shaft whereby the
pressure of both springs C' C¹ may be adjusted simultaneously.
Below the rear end of the spout J and at a suitable distance, say about two or
more inches therefrom is mounted a pliable and adjustable bed K. The pliable
bed is constructed as follows :-On a horizontal shaft & (carried in fixed or
adjustable bearings mounted on the framework A) is mounted a swinging
wooden board or other bed K which is held up in position, as well as elastically
cushioned by the flat springs 22 mounted on a second horizontal shaft &³ (carried
in fixed or adjustable bearings on the framework A) at a suitable distance-
say about nine inches between the centres-from the first named, shaft k in such a
manner that one of the ends of each spring bears against the inner side of the
bed K as shown at Fig. 3. On one end of the shaft is fixed the lever 5
(provided with a handle ) which works between a perforated guide 7 attached to
the side of the framework A, whereby the bed K may be moved, by the attendant
from the front of the machine, radially nearer to or further from the stock feet as
the material operated upon requires. The handle lever may be held in the
required position in the perforated guide by means of a pin. A weight. may
also be mounted on the lever and fixed in any desired position thereon by
means of a set screw. On the opposite end of shaft is also fixed a short lever
armed with an adjustable weight for aiding in keeping the bed up to its work.
When the shafts are mounted in adjustable bearings on the framework A,
the bed K may be adjusted horizontally as well as radially. Also when the

page_text: bed is made of metal and hollow it may be heated by steam in any convenient
manner.
At the rear of the spout J and at a suitable distance-say about three or four
inches (more or less)-therefrom is arranged the stock feet L L. In the drawings
two stock feet are shown, constructed, that is, stepped-at their lower and inner
ends somewhat similar to the feet of fulling stocks now in use. The stock feet L L
are arranged to reciprocate in a vertical (as shown in the drawings) or diagonal
direction. The stock feet work between the vertical guides (or "shell") which
are made to extend downwards from the top of the framework A till they meet
the inner lining a at a*; and from the back of the machine in a horizontal forward
direction for say about eighteen or twenty inches-that is to say the sides are
about eighteen or twenty inches wide-so as to receive not only the rear end of the
spout J, but also to permit of the bed working freely between the said guides.
The stock feet L L are attached to the guide pieces (which work in the
V slides and are capable of adjustment by means of the loose slips and set
screws) by means of the blocks P A vertical reciprocating motion is
imparted to the guide pieces and stock feet from pulley M on shaft through
belting N, pulley () (on crank shaft carrying at its opposite end a fly wheel p₁),
cranks PP, and connecting rods QQ. When desired instead of the cranks P P
eccentrics or their equivalents may be employed.
The material after leaving the spout Jpasses between the bed K and the stock
feet and in so doing the desired effect on the material is produced similar to that in
an ordinary fuiling stock, and this simultaneously with the milling operation thus
saving not only the time required to remove the material operated upon from
machine to machine, but also permitting of the two operations being performed in
or about the same time as it usually takes to perform the "milling" or "fulling"
operation alone.
After the "milling" and "fulling" operations have been performed, the material
may, when desired, also be scoured before it is removed from the machine, by
providing pipes to convey and admit the water and other scouring materials on to
the material as it passes between the bed K aud the stock feet
Ľ.
I would have it understood that although I have shown two stock feet L L this
number may, when desired, be increased or diminished; also any of the dimensions
herein given may be altered or varied as circumstances require.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvements in machinery for "milling" and "fulling" woollen or other
woven or felted fabrics, which improvements consist essentially in combining with
a milling machine an adjustable and pliable bed and one or more stock feet recipro-
cating in a vertical or diagonal direction at the rear of the spout of the machine
as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The method of "milling" and "fulling" woollen or other woven or felted
fabrics simultaneously in one machine by causing the material after it leaves the
milling rollers to pass over an adjustable and pliable bed for submitting it to the
action of one or more fulling stock feet reciprocating in a vertical or diagonal
direction, substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a combined milling" and "fulling" machine, the use of an adjustable
and pliable bed such as K and parts connected therewith, as and for the purposes
set forth.
4. The combination in a combined " milling" and "fulling" machine of the
milling rollers B and C, spout J and parts connected therewith with an adjustable
and pliable bed K and one or more stock feet L L reciprocating in a vertical or
diagonal direction substantially as herein described and illustrated.
5. The general arrangement and combination of the various parts forming the

page_text: combined machine as a whole for "milling" and "fulling" woollen or other woven
or felted fabrics substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated the Twenty-fourth day of November 1891.
BENJAMIN PRESTON,
By W. Fairburn-Hart,
Agent.