IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SUBJECTING LAYERS OF WOOL AND OTHER MATERIALS TO PRESSURE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bainbridge Brooker, ofNumber 90, Park Street,
Bootle, in the County of Lancaster, Wool Extracter, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SUBJECTING LAYERS OF WOOL AND
OTHER MATERIALS TO PRESSURE."
d the 13th November 1877, and dated the 8th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bainbridge Brooker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th September 1877.
WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE BROOKER, of Number 90, Park Street, Bootle, in the County
of Lancaster, Wool Extracter. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SUBJECTING
LAYERS OF WOOL AND OTHER MATERIALS TO PRESSURE.”
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for subjecting layers
of wool and other materials to pressure.
For this purpose I employ a pair of rollers one above the other, the uppermost
roller is divided transversely into sections, say, of about three quarters of an inch in
width, so that the top roller is made up of a number of circular discs; the discs are
placed side by side on the top of the lower roller, and are kept there by small guard
rollers, one at the front and another at the back of them.
Above each of the discs is a lever, drawn downwards by a strong spring or weight,
and the lever carries a wheel to bear upon the top of the disc.
The object of the machine is to subject irregular layers of wool (or other substance
requiring to be squeezed or crushed) to a uniform pressure; and if one part of the
layer is thin, to subject it to the same pressure as the thicker parts of the layer
which are at the same time passing between the rollers. This the machine does, as
the discs are quite independent of one another, and one may rise, say, an inch,
wbilst the one next to it may rise only half an inch, just according to the thickness
of the material going through.
The discs are not driven by driving gear, but they revolve by friction on the
lower roller, which may be covered, if necessary, with india-rubber, leather, woollen
warp, or other substance, according to the work required to be performed.

page_text: The machine is specially applicable for squeezing water out of wool, and also for
crushing burrs mixed up with the wool after the burrs have been burnt by acid.
When the machine is used for crushing burrs in wool, I by preference cover the
lower roller with leather.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Bainbridge Brooker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
March 1878.
WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE BROOKER, of Number 90, Park Street, Bootle, in the
County of Lancaster, Wool Extracter. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
SUBJECTING LAYERS OF WOOL AND OTHER MATERIALS TO PRESSURE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for subjecting layers
of wool and other materials to pressure.
For this purpose I employ a pair of rollers one above the other, the uppermost is
divided transversely into sections, say of about 3/4 of an inch in width, so that the
top roller is made up of a number of circular discs; the discs are placed side by side
on the top of the lower roller, and are kept there by small guard rollers, one at the
front and another at the back of them.
Each disc is by a strong spring or weight forced towards the lower roller; the
discs may either be revolved by friction on the lower roller, or they may be separately
driven, as herein-after described.
The object of the machine is to subject irregular layers of wool (or other substance
requiring to be squeezed or crushed) to a uniform pressure, and if one part of the
layer thin, to subject it to the same pressure as the thicker parts of the layer
which are at the same time passing between the rollers. This the machine does, as
the discs are quite independent of one another, and one may rise, say, an inch,
whilst the one next to it may rise only half an inch, just according to the thickness
of the material going through.
In the Drawing hereunto annexed I have shown a machine arranged in the
manner I prefer for carrying out my Invention.
Figure 1 shews a front view of the rollers; and Figure 2 shews separately
one of the discs of which the upper roller is composed.
The centre of each disc is cut away, so that a spiral spring may be interposed
between the outer part of the disc and the axis by which it is carried, and
serve to press the disc forcibly towards the lower roller.
A is the lower roller; B, B, the discs or rings; C, C, spiral springs attached at
their outer ends to the interior of the rings, and at their inner ends to collars D,
which can be slid endwise on to a shaft E; F is a nib on the interior of each collar
to enter a groove in the shaft, so that when the shaft is revolved, the collars and
rings B shall be carried round with it.
The ends of the shaft E and of the axis of the bottom roller pass through slots in
the uprights of the frame G; H, H, are screws by which blocks can be pressed
downwards on to the shaft E, and thereby compress the springs C, and force the
rings B against the lower roller.

page_text: Motion is given to the axis of the lower roller, and from it motion is conveyed to
the shaft E by the toothed wheels I, as shewn. The materials to be squeezed or
crushed may be fed up to the rollers either by an endless band or from a table
mounted in front of them or in other suitable manner.
It is not necessary that the rollers should in all cases be one above the other,
they might be placed horizontally or otherwise.
By revolving the top roller as well as the bottom roller by gearing as above
described, it is not necessary to cover the bottom roller with leather or other
material to give it a roughened surface, whereas, if the discs or rings of which the
upper roller is composed are not driven, but only carried round by friction from the
lower roller, it is generally necessary to employ some covering for the lower roller,
I therefore prefer to drive both rollers as above described, they may then be both
made of metal without any covering.
A side elevation of a machine in which the discs are not driven is shown at
Figure 3; in this machine the discs B are forced downwards by means of friction
rollers K, carried by long lever arms L which are drawn downwards by springs M.
The discs also are kept in position vertically above the lower roller by means of two
guide rollers N, which extend from one side of the machine to the other.
Similar guide rollers are used in the machine, shown at Figure 1, to keep the
rings in position.
Machines such as herein-before described are chiefly applicable for squeezing
water out of wool or other materials, but they may be used in other cases where it
is desired to subject various materials to a squeezing or crushing action.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim the construction of machinery,
substantially in the manner herein-before described for subjecting layers of wool
and other materials to pressure.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bainbridge Brooker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM BAINBRIDGE BROOKER. (LS.)