IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edmund Donisthorpe, of Leeds, in the
County of York. for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES."
Sealed the 24th April 1866, and dated the 31st October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edmund Donis-
thorpe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 31st October 1865.
1, GEORGE EDMUND DONISTHORPE, of Leeds, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention consists in combining with the circular or
endless travelling combs of combing machines a moveable set of comb teeth,
which point in the opposite direction to the ordinary teeth of the combs, and
which enter between them, so making the combs of a finer gauge. The
moveable set of comb teeth are carried by small segments ranged around the
comb, each of which segments is capable of rising away from the ordinary
fixed comb teeth in order that the teeth carried by the moveable segments
may be withdrawn from between the fixed teeth when the machine is com-
posed of two circular or endless travelling combs, which meet together at a
point of their circumference where the wool or fibre is fed across the teeth of
both combs, and is combed out by the combs travelling onwards and sepa-
rating the one from the other. I arrange the machine in such manner that
the segments carrying the moveable teeth are raised before they come round

page_text: to the point where the combs meet. The wool or fibre is fed across the two
combs at this point, and then the moveable teeth are again pressed down
between the ordinary fixed teeth. After the combs by their revolution have
separated the one from the other, and the combed fringe of fibre has been
drawn from each of them, the moveable teeth are raised from between the
fixed teeth and the same operation is repeated. The moveable teeth need not
be carried by moveable segments ranged around the comb as above described,
but may be otherwise carried, so long as they are capable of being introduced
and withdrawn from between the fixed teeth when required. By constructing
the combs in this manner the teeth of the combs need not be placed so near
together as heretofore. When one of the combs of a machine composed of
travelling combs, as above described, is of larger diameter than the comb or
combs which work with it, and has ranged round it a number of tubes or
troughs carrying slivers of fibre in the manner described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to me on the 25th October 1864, No. 2642, 1 by pre-
ference make the troughs or tubes narrower than heretofore, and form them
of a width equal to the width of the segments of moveable teeth of the smaller
comb or combs. The larger comb I do not in all cases provide with a move-
able set of comb teeth, but only provide the smaller combs which work with it
with these teeth. By forming the troughs or tubes of a width equal to the width
of the moveable segments, the whole of the fringe of fibre projecting from the
end of a trough may simultaneously be pressed into the teeth of two combs at
the point where they meet together by a segment of moveable teeth descending
into the smaller comb, and so pressing the end of the sliver into this comb,
whilst the tube which carries the sliver, and which is formed as described in
the Specification before mentioned, at the same time descends and deposits
the sliver into the larger comb.
In combing machines such as are above described, wherein the fibre is
combed by the separation of two travelling combs, after being placed across
these combs at a point where they meet together, and where the slivers of
fibre to be combed are carried by tubes ranged around one of them, in some
cases combine with each tube a nipping or holding blade or instrument to
hold the fibre into this comb during the time that the fringe of fibre pro-
jecting from the comb is being cleaned by the other comb separating from
it; this latter comb then acts only to clean the projecting fringe of fibre,
and does draw fibre from the comb into which the slivers are held by the
holding instruments. When the cleaned fringe is being drawn off from the
comb which has the nipping or holding instruments combined with it, these
instruments are raised so as no longer to hold the fibre into the comb.

page_text: Another part of this Invention relates to a mode of feeding forward the
slivers of fibre at the required times through the tubes which carry them.
This I do in the following manner:-As each tube is by the revolution of the
comb brought round to the point where the end of the sliver carried by it is
to be drawn forward, the end of the sliver which projects beyond it and lies
in the teeth of the comb is lifted out of the comb by inclines or lifting blades
such as commonly employed, and the projecting end of the sliver is received
on to a flat table or surface above the comb. Above this table is a vertical
axis having ranged around it a number of segments capable of sliding up and
down parallel with the axis. Each segment as it comes round over the fringe
of wool or fibre resting on the surface of the table is pressed down on to the
fibre so as to nip the fibre between itself and the table, and as the axis
revolves the segments in succession recede from the tubes carrying the slivers
and draw the slivers forward: when the slivers have been drawn through to
the extent required the segments rise in succession away from the table. In
place of a number of segments ranged round an axis, other rotating or tra-
velling pressing apparatus may be employed to press the wool on to the table
and draw it forward to the required extent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Edmund Donisthorpe in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EDMUND DONISTHORPE. of Leeds, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Edmund Donisthorpe, Her special licence that 1. the said George
Edmund Donisthorpe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL AND

page_text: OTHER FIBRES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Edmund Donisthorpe, my executors or administrators. by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 calendar months next and im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:--
This Invention has for its object improvements in that class of machinery
for combing wool and other fibres in which the combing is performed by
two circular or endless travelling combs meeting together at a point of their
circumference where the fibre is fed into the teeth of both combs, and is
combed out by the combs travelling onwards, and so separating the one from
the other.
The improvements relate principally to machines of this description in
which circular combs are used, one of the combs being of larger diameter
than the comb or combs which work with it, and in which the larger comb
has ranged around it a number of troughs or tubes carrying slivers of fibre
as is described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me on the
Twenty-fifth of October 1864 (No. 2642).
a
The first improvement consists in combining with the smaller combs
moveable set of comb teeth, which are carried by segments ranged around
these combs. Each segment is made capable of rising away from the ordinary
fixed teeth of the comb in order that the teeth carried by the segments may
be withdrawn from between the fixed teeth. The segments I make of a
width equal to the width of the troughs or tubes around the larger comb, in
order that when the fringe of fibre projecting from a trough has been laid
across the teeth of the large comb, and also of one of the smaller combs at the
point where they meet together, the whole fringe of fibre projecting from this
trough may simultaneously be pressed into the teeth of both combs by a
segment of moveable teeth descending into the smaller comb, and thits pressing
the end of the sliver into this comb, whilst at the same time the tube carrying
the sliver descends and deposits it into the teeth of the larger comb. The
segments of moveable teeth, in addition to thus acting to carry down the fibre
into the ordinary fixed teeth of the comb, also by entering between the teeth
of this comb render the comb finer; the teeth of the combs need not therefore

page_text: be placed so near together as heretofore. In place of segments of moveable
teeth being only combined with the smaller combs, similar segments may be
also combined with the larger comb. Similar segments of comb teeth may
also be combined with the circular or endless travelling combs of other combing
machines in which the combing is performed by the combs meeting at a point
as above described, and may be also arranged in such manner that after the
fibre has been fed across the teeth of the combs at the point where they
meet together, the segments by descending press the fibre in between the
ordinary fixed teeth of the combs, and then after the combs by their revolution
have separated the one from the other, and the combed fringe of fibre has
been drawn from each of them. the moveable teeth carried by the segments
are raised from between the ordinary fixed teeth, and the same operation
repeated.
Another improvement relates to combing machines of the description above
mentioned in which the slivers of fibre to be combed are carried by troughs
or tubes ranged around one of the combs, and consists in combining with each
tube or trough a nipping or holding blade, or instrument to hold the fibre into
the teeth of this comb during the time that the fringe of fibre projecting from
it is cleaned by the other travelling comb, this latter comb then acts only to
clean the projecting fringe of fibre, and does not draw fibre from the comb
into which the slivers are held by the holding instruments. When the cleaned
fringe of fibre is being drawn off from the comb which has the nipping or
holding instruments combined with it, these instruments are raised so as no
longer to hold the fibre into the comb.
Another part of this Invention relates to a mode of feeding forward the
slivers of fibre.at the required times through the tubes which carry them;
this I do in the following manner: As each tube is by the revolution of the
comb brought round to the point where the end of the sliver carried by it is
to be drawn forward, the end of the sliver which projects beyond it and lies
in the teeth of the comb is lifted out of the comb by inclines or lifting blades,
such as commonly employed, and the projecting end of the sliver is received
on to a flat table or surface above the comb; above this table is a vertical axis.
having ranged around it a number of segments capable of sliding up and down
parallel with the axis. Each segment as it comes round over the fringe of
wool or fibre resting on the surface of the table is pressed down on to the
fibre, so as to nip the fibre between itself and the table, and as the axis
revolves the segments in succession recede from the tubes carrying the slivers
and draw the slivers forward. When the slivers have been drawn through to
the extent required the segments rise in succession away from the table.

page_text: TWO CHECK I wou proceed to deserve the Drawings nertumo annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings is shewn so much of a combing machine as is
necessary for shewing clearly the manner in which I prefer to carry out the
first improvement above described.
Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 a vertical section of one of the
smaller combs. and also of the larger comb with which it works, the section
being taken through the point where the two combs meet together.
in Fig. 2.
a is the smaller comb, carrying comb teeth a'; this comb is carried by and
revolves round the steam chest b; this steam chest is supported by the table or
plate c, which is carried by standards d, as is usual; the table c carries, as is
also usual, another circular steam chest e. around which the larger comb f re-
volves. The comb ƒ is in addition supported by wheels g carried by the standards
d. as is now commonly the case: h, h, are the segments ranged around the
smaller comb a these segments are carried by a cylinder bolted to the
comb a, so that it revolves with it. Each segment is capable of rising and
falling in guides carried by this cylinder, in order that the comb teeth carried
at its lower end may be raised out from between the comb teeth a'; each seg-
ment also by preference carries a row of teeth, which comes on the outer
circumference of the comb á, so as to come between the teeth of the combs a
and at the point where they meet together. in the manner described in the
Provisional Specification lodged by me on the 21st day of April 1866
(No. 1138). One only of the segments his shewn
The slivers of
fibre to be combed are carried by tubes or troughs
the Specification of a Patent granted to me on
(No. 2642), in such manner that they can lower or
by them into or out of the comb teeth of the larger comb f.
and are, as is usual, caused to revolve at an equal speed by pinions, not shown
in the Drawing, gearing into the teeth a² and f, formed respectively around
the combs. As the circumferences of the combs travel towards each other
the slivers of fibre are at that time out of the teeth of the larger comb, the
troughs having then been raised up by the lower ends of the rods 11 projecting
down from the troughs coming on to and travelling along the slides m, m: the
segments have also been raised by their upper bent ends coming on to and
travelling along the curved bar or slide n. At the point where the combs
meet together each segment and the trough which is then opposite to it simul-
.ianeously descend, they then having travelled past the ends of the slides #
formed as
is described in
the 25th
October 1864
raise the
slivers carried
The combs a

page_text: and m respectively. The end of the sliver carried by the trough is thus simul-
taneously deposited into the teeth of both combs. In order to ensure the
segments descending a blade or spring o is carried by the bar n; this blade
when the segments come to the end of the bar, presses on the segments and
ensures their descending; or in place of this a plunger, having a quick vertical
to-and-fro motion given to it, may be caused to act in succession on the seg-
ments so as to ensure their descending at the proper time. After the circum-
ferences of the combs have separated the one from the other, the clean fringe,
of fibre projecting from each is drawn from them. Each trough around the
larger comb is in succession then again raised by inclines or slides m, so that
the sliver carried by it may be again drawn forward ready to be again placed
over the teeth of two combs where they meet together. After the clean
fringe of fibre has been drawn from the smaller comb the segments are
raised by the incline of the bar n, so as to withdraw the teeth carried by
them from between the teeth a', and the noil is then removed from the teeth a'
in the ordinary manner. The bar a is carried from the pillar p, as is shewn in
the plan view, Figure 1. On Sheet 2 of the Drawings I have shewn a mode
of combining a nipping or holding blade or instrument with the troughs which
carry the slivers of fibre to be combed; other modes of combining, nipping,
or holding blades or instruments with these troughs may, however, be resorted
Figure 3 shows a section of a trough and also of the comb around which
the troughs are placed; Figure 4 shows a plan view of the trough. In these
Figures is the lid of the trough, turning on a pin at '; this lid at its outer end
carries a slide, from which descend nipping blades F; these blades, when
forced down in between the teeth of the comb, nip the fibre between their
lower ends and the bed in which the teeth of the comb are set. When the
slide is required thus to nip or hold the fibre, the upper ends of the rods l'
of the slide come under an incline r, which forces them down into the position
shewn at Figure 3. At other times, when the slide is not thus held down,
the blades carried by it are raised from between the rows of teeth of the
comb by the springs F around the rods 1. At Figures 5 and 6 is shown an
arrangement for carrying out the last part of my Invention, which relates to
drawing forward the slivers of fibre at the required times through the tubes
which carry them. Figure 5 is a vertical section, and Figure 6 a plan view
of the apparatus. In these Figures a, a, are the lifting blades which have
lifted the fringe of fibre out of the teeth f of the comb f; the fringe of fibre
then rests on the upper surface of these blades and on the flat surface of a
curved bar b; c, c, are segments of a circle fitting closely together, and each
capable of rising and falling independently of the others. Each segment is
10.

page_text: carried at the lower end of a rod d, which passes through holes in two circular
plates e, which are carried by a cylinder g, capable of revolving around the
pillar h. The cylinder g is caused to revolve at a speed such that its circum-
ference shall travel at the same speed as the inner circumference of the comb f.
As the cylinder g revolves the segments c, as they come to the point nearest
to the comb f, are in succession pressed down on to the plate by means of
the spiral springs around the rods which carry them, and thus nip the fibre
between themselves and the plate b; the segments remain so pressed down
until the the slivers have been drawn forward to the required extent (by the
cylinder y continuing to revolve and the segments thus caused to recede from
the comb ); the rods are then in succession caused to raise the segments c
by their bent upper ends then coming on to an incline at the end of a fixed
curved bar, the segments are held up by this bar until they come in suc-
cession to the point where they are required again to be pressed on to the
bar b; the ends of the rods d then pass beyond the end of the curved bar k,
and the segments are cach in turn pressed down by their springs, and then
again again to draw forward the fibre.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edmund Donisthorpe, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
G. E. DONISTHORPE. (L.S.)