AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING HIDES OR SKINS INTO FILLETS, STRIPS, OR SHREDS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PICKERS TO BE USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Fielden, jun., of Walsden, in the County of
Lancaster, Picker Manufacturer, and Thomas Fielden, of the same Place,
also Picker Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING HIDES OR SKINS INTO FILLETS,
STRIPS, OR SHREDS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PICKERS TO BE USED IN
LOOMS FOR WEAVING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 27th July 1860, and dated the 3rd February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Fielden, junior,,
and Thomas Fielden at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd February 1860.
We, ROBERT FIELDEN, jun., of Walsden, in the County of Lancaster,
Picker Manufacturer, and THOMAS FIELDEN, of the same Place, also Picker
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING HIDES OR SKINS INTO
FILLETS, STRIPS, OR SHREDS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PICKERS TO BE
USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be fs,
follows:.

page_text: The first part of our Invention consist in the application and adaptation of
certain machinery or apparatus to the purpose of cutting the material (viz., the
hide or skin) into fillets (for the formation of pickers) or strips or shreds, as
may be required. We fix a knife of a proper construction to a lever turning
on a centre, and a vibratory motion is given to the lever by means of a cam or
eccentric. The material is fed up to the knife by means of rollers, which are
put in motion at intervals by means of mechanism, which gives an intermittent
motion to the rollers, and which motion can be varied so as to produce the
fillet or strip or shred of the width required.
The second part of our Invention consists in the application and adaptation
of certain machinery or apparatus to the purpose of giving a proper shape or
form and consistence to the picker, after the materials have been combined
together in the previous process of manufacture. We employ, first, certain
dies or blocks of metal of a proper form for giving the shape to the sides of the
picker; when in use these dies or blocks of metal are pressed towards each
other by means of inclined planes, wedges, screws, levers, cams, or eccentrics, or
similar appliances. Second, we employ a plate or block of metal to press on
the top of the picker, whilst the foot is retained by a smaller plate or block.
A drift or piece of metal of an oblong section being inserted in the filbow or
open part at the top of the picker, and the whole being placed betwixt the
dies and plates before mentioned; these last are closed forcibly by means of
the inclined planes, cams, or other appliances, and its finished shape is given
to the picker.
The third part of our Invention consists in the application and adaptation
of certain machines or mechanism for the purpose of punching, cutting, or
drilling the appertures required in the manufacture of pickers. We place the
picker on to a rest or bearer, and then perforate it in the manner required by
means of punches or drills, and afterwards finish the foot of the picker by
means of cutters or punches adapted to machinery, to be acted upon by a lever,
cam, screw, or eccentric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Fielden junior, and Thomas Fielden, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 2nd August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
FIELDEN, junior, of Walsden, in the County of Lancaster, Picker Manu-
facturer, and THOMAS FIELDEN, of the same Place, also Picker Manufacturer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year of our Lord:
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Robert Fielden, junior, and Thomas Fielden, Her special licence that
we, the said Robert Fielden, junior, and Thomas Fielden, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others that we, the said Robert Fielding,
junior, and Thomas Fielden, our 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 "AN IM-
PROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR CUTTING HIDES OR SKINS INTO
FILLETS, STRIPS, OR SHREDS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PICKERS TO BE
USED IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Robert Fielden, junior, and
Thomas Fielden, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calender months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Fielden, junior, and Thomas
Fielden, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and:
ascertained in and by the following statement and the accompanying Drawing
(that is to say):
The first part of our Invention consists in the application and adaptation of
certain machinery or apparatus to the purpose of cutting the material (namely,
the hide or skin) into fillets (for the formation of pickers), or strips or shreds,..
as may be required.
The second part of our Invention consists in the application and adaptation
of certain machinery or apparatus to the purpose of giving a proper shape or
form and consistence to the picker after the materials have been combined
together in the previous process of manufacture.
And the third part of our Invention consists in the application and adaptation
of certain machines or mechanism for the purpose of punching, cutting, or
drilling the appertures required in the manufacture of pickers.

page_text: In order to make our Invention more clearly understood we have hereunto
annexed a Sheet of Drawings, to which, and to the letters and figures of
reference .marked thereon, the following description relates, the same letters
of reference (or letters and figures conjoined) indicating in all cases the same
parts of the machinery or apparatus.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 relate to the first part of our Invention. Fig. 1, a
view of one end of the machine or apparatus; Fig. 2, a view of the opposite
end; Fig. 3, a side view; and Fig. 4, a plan of the same. A, A, main
framework of the machine; A 1, A 1, stands or fixtures by which the moving
parts are supported; B, B, first motion shaft; B 1, pair of pulleys on the first
motion shaft B, on which the driving strap operates; B 2, fly wheel; B 3, cam
or eccentric on the shaft B; C, large vibrating lever, which turns on the
centre C 1, and receives motion from the shaft B by means of the cam B 3,
which plays in an elongated slot or filbow at the end of the lever C; C2, a
knife attached to the lever C, and which operates against another knife or
surface C 3, fixed to one of the stands A 1, the two together cutting the material
in the sane manner as a pair of shears; B 4, bevil wheel, which drives another
bevil wheel wheel D, attached to which is the toothed sector or partially,
toothed wheel D 1, which drives the wheel D 2, to which it consequently com-
municates an intermittent motion. On the axis of the wheel D 2 is the change
pinion D 3, which gives motion to the train of wheels D 4, which again actuate
the feed rollers D 5, and also the endless feed cloth or apron D 6, on which the
hide or skin or other material to be cut is placed by the attendant. An inter-
mittent motion is therefore communicated to the feed cloth D 6 and feed
rollers D 5, which intermittent motion is so regulated, by means of the sector
D1 and change pinion D 3, that during the time the lever is raised, a cer-
tain breadth of the material to form the fillet or strip or shred required is
passed between the cutting surfaces C 2 and C 3, which breadth of material, at
the next descent of the lever C, is detached, and cut to the breadth required.
In describing the second part of our improvements, Fig. 5 represents a
view of one end of an apparatus adapted to the above purpose; Fig. 6, a
section of the same; Fig. 7, a side view; and Fig. 8, a plan of the interior,
the upper part being removed to shew the internal construction. E, E, frame-
work of the machine; E 1, recessed plate, in the interior of which is contained
various sliding pieces, by the action of which the effect is produced; F, first
motion shaft; F 1, fast and loose pulleys, on which the driving strap operates;
F2, spur pinion on the shaft F, which gives motion to the shaft F 4 by means
of the spur wheel F3. From the shaft F 4 motion is communicated to the

page_text: vertical shaft F 7 by the bevils F 5 and F6. On the shaft F 7 is the cam or
eccentric F 8, which plays in an elongated slot or filbow formed in the slide G,
to which a vibratory motion is consequently communicated. Moving with the
slide G is an inclined plane or wedge a, which acts upon another inclined
plane or wedge b, to which it consequently gives a lateral motion.
c, a die
or block of metal, one side of which corresponds in form to one side of the
picker, and which is acted upon by the incline b; d, another block, the form
of which corresponds to the other side of the picker; e, flat block attached to
the slide G, and consequently partaking of the same motion; f, small block,
the form of which corresponds to the foot of the picker; g, a picker inserted
betwixt the blocks c, d, e, and f; h, a plate of metal laid on the picker,
which is acted upon by the inclined surface of an arm F 9 on the vertical
shaft F7; the action of the cam F 8 is, therefore, to compress the picker g
edgeways in every direction by means of the blocks c, d, e, and f, whilst the
arm F 9 acting on the plate h compresses the picker vertically at the same
time. i, screw, by which the pressure of the cam F8 on the picker is
regulated. On the other side of the slide G is another series of inclined
planes and blocks of metal a¹, b, c, d, e, &c., corresponding to the former,
so that at each revolution of the vertical shaft F7 two pickers are compressed;
and during the compression of one picker the other one (previously com-
pressed) is removed, and a fresh one inserted in its place betwixt the blocks
c, d, e, and f, or c, d, e, and f', as the case may be, previous to which a
drift or oblong piece of metal is inserted in the filbow or opening at the top
of the picker. We do not confine ourselves to the precise construction and
arrangement of the parts as here shewn, as these may be varied by combining
screws, levers, wedges, or other appliances. Also, in some cases we dispense
with the shafts F, F, and F7, and substitute in their place a lever or other
appliance, to be actuated by manual labor or mechanical power, as may be
found convenient.
The third part of our Invention will be understood from the following
description.
Fig. 9, a view of one end of the machine or apparatus; Fig. 10, a plan;
and Fig. 11, a view of one side; Figs. 12, 13, and 14, representing detached
parts. H, main framework; H', plate on which the moving parts act, a
separate view of which is shewn in Fig. 12. H, upper part of the framework;
I, first motion shaft, which receives motion from the strap pulley I 1 by means
of the catch box 12; 13, pinion on the shaft I, which, by acting on the wheel K',
gives motion to the shaft K; K', a cam consisting of two discs, on which are

page_text: two inclined surfaces, arranged to act in a contrary direction one to the other.
Between the two discs plays a finger k¹ on the vertical shaft k, to which conse-
quently a vibratory motion is communicated, which motion is again conveyed
to the slide by the finger k', at the lower end of the vertical shaft k. The
.other end of this slide terminates in a drift (of an oblong section), which
passes through the filbow or open space at the top of the picker; an adjusting
screw, at the end of which is an aperture which receives the end of the drift at
the extremity of the slide k³. The picker being placed in its position by the
attendant, the drift is forced through the filbow at the upper end of the picker,
which is consequently held firm in its position whilst it undergoes the process
of punctrng, cutting, or drilling, so as to finish or prepare it ready for use in
the loom, which operations are performed as follows:-On the shaft K is the
cam L, which acts upon and depresses the slide L', a top view of which is
shewn in Fig. 13, and a side view in Fig. 14. This slide carries the following
parts: First, l, an adjusting screw perforated through its length, the lower end
of which terminates in a hollow punch; second, a rod 1', which acts on one end
of the lever 12; 13, another hollow punch actuated by the lever 12; this punch l³
is placed just below the punch l, and acts in a contrary direction, that is, when
the punch is depressed the punch 13 rises and the contrary; the action of these
punches being to form the guide holes in each side of the picker for the
passage of the picking spindle. Third, m, inclined plane attached to the slide L',
which passes through an oblong slot in the punch m², which slides horizontally,
the effect of which is, that as the slide L' rises or falls, a corresponding
horizontal motion is given to the punch m². The form of the cutting edge
of this punch is such as to cut an oblong hole in the top of the picker for the
purpose of attaching the picking strap. Fourth, n, an adjusting screw moving
with the slide L', the lower end of which terminates in a cutting edge or
punch which cuts out or finishes the heel of the picker. The slide L' moves
in V's attached to the framework H³, and has also two rods o, o, connected
with it, which slide through two holes in the plate H (Fig. 12). The effect
of these appliances is to steady the slide L' when in motion. On the rods o, o,
are two worm springs o', o', which are compressed by the descent of the slide
L'; when the cam L by its rotation ceases to act on the slide L', the springs
o', o', reacting, raise it to its first position. The operation of the mechanism
is as follows: A picker being placed in its position by the attendant, it is
secured by the drift on the slide k passing through the filbow at the upper
end, which is performed by the action of one of the inclined surfaces on the
cam K, as above described; the slide L' then descends by the action of the

page_text: cam L, which puts into operation at the same time the two punches 1 and 1³
(which cut the guide holes for the picking spindles), the oblong punch m², which
cuts the hole for the attachment of the picking strap, and lastly, the cutting
tool attached to the screw n, which shapes the heel of the picker; this com-
pletes the picker ready for use in the loom. The slide L' then rises by the
action of the springs o¹, o¹, which motion at the same time time withdraws the
punches or cutting tools from the picker. The other inclined surface on the
cam K³ next comes in action, which moves the slide in the opposite
direction, and withdraws the drift from the filbow in the picker. The picker
is now removed by the attendant, another one substituted in its place, and
the operation repeated as described. Note. The punches when in operation
cut against the drift, which makes it necessary that the drift, whilst sufficiently
strong to resist the pressure, should be of some material (such as copper, horn,
&c.) sufficiently soft as not to destroy the cutting edges of the punches: We
do not confine ourselves to the details as here described, as these may be
varied, as, for instance, instead of the single cam L, a double one may be used
so as to raise as well as to depress the slide L, by which means the springs
o', o', may be dispensed with; also, instead of the punches and cutting surfaces,
drills may be used to remove the superfluous material. Other variations
may also be made, both in the construction and arrangement of the parts,
without departing from the general principle and mode of action of our
Invention.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as
new and of our Invention is as follows:-
First, we claim the arrangement, adaptation, and combination of parts
constituting the machine for cutting the material into fillets, shreds, or strips,
as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, and herein described.
Second, we claim the arrangement, adaptation, and combination of parts
constituting the apparatus for giving the form and consistence to pickers, as
shewn in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, and herein described, including also any varied
form, arrangement, and construction of the same.
Third, we also claim the arrangement, adaptation, and combinating of parts
constituting the apparatus for punching, cutting, or drilling the apertures or
recesses in pickers, in order to complete them ready for use in the loom, as
shewn in Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, and herein described, including also
any varied form or construction of the several parts arranged and combined
together for the purpose of producing the result, namely, the punching, cutting,

page_text: or drilling the apertures or recesses in pickers, or for the purpose of producing
only a part of the said result, as may be required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Fielden, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty..
Witness,
JOHN POTTER, C.E.,
9, Corporation Street,
Manchester.
THOMAS FIELDEN. (L.S.)