A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE TO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRYING PILE AND OTHER WOVEN, AND FELTED FABRICS
Year: 1884

page_text: OF ECIFICATION.
I, HENRY LISTER of Ashbrow Mills, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE
TO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRYING PILE AND OTHER WOVEN, AND FELTED FABRICS,"
to be as follows :—
J
The object of my Invention is the construction and arrangement of a certain
new machine to be employed in drying pile and other woven and felted fabrics.
For the purpose of carrying out my Invention; two discs or face plates are,
employed mounted upon a hollow or solid shaft which forms their axis, the
distance at which the discs are placed apart being determined by the width of the
fabric to be dryed.
On the inner surface of the discs, I form spiral ledges or grooves for purposes
hereinafter mentioned, of the two methods I prefer grooves in which to place
bands, or narrow strips of metal, one end of which commences at a point near the
centre of the discs, and the bands themselves wound round and round in the
grooves until the other extremities finish at a point as close to the outer edge of the
discs as is convenient in such manner that the space between each groove on the
discs is about equa distant apart.
From end to end of each coiled band is fixed a suitable number of pins or tenter-
hooks for the purpose of penetrating and holding the selvedge of each side of the
fabric intended to be dried.
If the coils with their pins or tenter-books thereon projected beyond the surfaco
of the discs there would be some difficulty in getting the cloth onto the pins, or
tenter-hooks as the end of the cloth is first attached to the pins or tenter books
near the centre of the discs; in order therefore to overcome that difficulty I arrange
at the back or outer surface of the discs a coiled band, corresponding to the one on
the inner surface but without pins, and at certain distances apart in the spiral
grooves, holes are formed through which are passed metal studs employed for the
purpose of connecting together the outer and inner coiled bands.
I also employ shafts or rods, the lower onds of which fit into grooves formed on
the bosses of the discs allowing the shafts or rods to stand in a radial line from the
centre.

page_text: On these rods I place rollers or flanged pulleys, which run in contact with and
along the spiral coils projecting from the outside of the discs, and as the pulleys
are placed loosely on the rods, it follows that the pulleys will slip up and down
these rods as the discs rotate, which action presses out the inner coils causing a
short length thereof to protrude beyond the surface of the discs so that the cloth
can be hooked onto the hooks, but when the pressure of the pulley is taken off the
coils, a spiral spring on the studs carrying the back coil draws the said coils back
again into the grooves, by these means only a short length of coil is exposed nt
onco, and fabrics thus connected are extended in a spiral form with a passage or
opening from one end to the other, commencing in or about the middle of the discs,
and extending to the outer helix of the discs."
In order to stretch the fabric to the desired width after it has been placed on
the pins I cause one of the said discs to slide laterally upon its axis by means
of a screw whereby the distance between the inner surfaces of the discs is
extended and the fabric stretched thereby.
^
When the shafts or axis of the discs are made hollow they are placed in
connection with a heater and fan, the latter being employed to force air through
the heater into the hollow shaft and out through one or more openings therein,
such hot air entering the passage formed by the spirally coiled cloth at its smallest
diameter, and passing through the spaco or spiral passage of the coiled cloth until
it reaches the end of the spiral passage where it escapes.
Instead of hot air being forced through the machine it may be drawn through.
While the fabrio is being attached to the coils, the discs' are made to revolve
slowly and when the whole length of fabric is connected to the pins, the machine
is made to revolve more quickly, whilst at the same time the heated air. is being
drawn or forced through the spiral passage formed by the fabric, afterwards the
machine is made to revolve quickly, in the opposite direction until perfectly dried
when the speed is slackened and the piece stripped off.
An enclosing cylinder or jacket may be placed around the machine, in order. to
prevent the radiation of heat, whereby a saving of fuel is effected.
11
When it is desired to do without the heater and fan, a solid shaft may be
employed and the heat may be produced by steam pipes being placed in convenient
positions within the enclosed cylinder or jacket.
"
i
When a hollow shaft is used without heater, the steam escapes through the
openings that have been made for the insertion of hot air.

page_text: CATIONN
"
I, HENRY LISTER of Ashbrow Mills Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINE
TO BE EMPLOYED FOR DRYING PILE, AND OTHER WOYEN AND FELTED FABRICS
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 the construction and arrangement of a certain
new machine to be employed in drying pile and other woven and felted fabrics."
For the purpose of carrying out my Invention two discs or face plates are
employed mounted upon a hollow or solid shaft which forms their axis, the
distance at which the discs are placed apart being determined by the width of the
fabric to be dried.
•
:
On the inner surface of the disc I form spiral ledges or grooves for purposes
hereinafter mentioned, of the two methods I prefer grooves in which to place bands
or narrow strips of metal, one end of which cominences at a point near the
centre of the discs, and the bands themselves wound round and round in the
grooves until the other extremities finish at a point as close to the outer edge
of the discs as is convenient, in such manner that the space between each groove
on the discs is about equa distant apart.
Such being the nature and object of my Invention, I will now proceed to
describe same more fully, and in order that this may be effected I have annexed
herewith the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein Fig 1 is sectional elevation
of a machine constructed according to my Invention, Fig 2 cross section of same
which illustrates front side of one of the discs, Fig 3 plan view, and Fig 4 details.
This machine is composed of two discs, or face plates A and B, mounted upon
and secured to a hollow shaft C which forms the axis of the face plates. On the
inner surface of each disc I form a spiral groove a which commences near
the centre and terminates near the outer edge of the said discs, as shewn on the
drawings.
At suitable distances apart, all along the spiral groove, holes bare bored, through
cach of which are passed studs c (see detail Fig 5) each ond thereof carrying a
metal strip or band d and e in such manner that the strip d is within the spiral
groove from end to end thereof, but the strip e stands out in a spiral form at the
back of the disc for purposes hereinafter explained.
From end to end of each coiled band is fixed a suitable number of pins, or
tenter hooks for the purpose of penetrating and holding the selvedge of each
side of the fabric intended to be dried.
If the coils with their pins or tenter hooks f projected beyond the surface of
the discs, there would be some difficulty in getting the cloth onto the pins or
tenter hooks, as the end of the cloth is first attached to the pins or tenter hooks
near the centre of the discs; in order therefore to overcome that difficulty I employ
L.

page_text: at each end of the machine a vertical shaft or rod E the lower end of which enters
into a groove formed in the boss of each disc, allowing the said metal shafts or rods
to stand in a radial line from the centre as shown in Fig 4.
On these rods I place a roller or flanged pulley F which runs in contact with
and along the spiral coils e projecting from the outside of the discs, and as the
pulleys are placed loosely on the rods, it follows that the pulleys will slip up and
down the rods E as the discs rotate, which action presses out the inner coil d at
the point of contact, causing a short length thereof to protrude beyond the surface
of the discs as shewn at G, so that the cloth can be fastened onto the hooks, but as
the position of the pulley F on the coil is changing by the rotation of the discs the
point of pressure on the coils is also changing, but a spiral spring g on the studs c
draws the said coils back again into the grooves, by these means only a short
length of coil is exposed at once, and fabrics thus connected are extended in a
spiral form with a passage or opening from one end to the other, commencing in
or about the middle of the discs, and extending to the outer helix of the discs.
In order to stretch the fabric to the desired width after it has been placed on
the pins I cause the disc A to slide laterally upon its axis by means of a screw I
which passes through the hollow shaft and connected to a fork J both sides of
which pass through slots made in the periphery of the hollow shaft, and also
through the boss of the discs A to which it is secured. The front end of this
screw passes through a nut into the top of the bracket K so that by turning the
hand wheel L the screw causes the disc A to move laterally on the hollow shaft,
whereby the distance between the inner surfaces of the disc is extended and the
fabric stretched thereby. This method of altering the distance between the discs
is also used for fabrics of different widths.
The hollow shaft which carries the discs rests in suitable bearings at each end of
the machine, and is caused to rotate by driving pulley -D which is arranged to be
both single and double gear as will be seen in the drawings, and understood by
mochanics.
In order to send hot air through the spiral groove formed by the extended
cloth a heater M and a fan N of any ordinary construction are employed, the
latter of which drives hot air from the heater through suitable pipes into the
hollow shaft which is made with one or more openings the said hot air escaping
therefrom and entering the spiral passage formed by the extended fabric at its
smallest diametor, and passing through the spaco until it reaches the end of the
spiral passage when it escapes.
Instead of hot air being forced through the machine it may be drawn through.
The action of the machine is as follows-When about to commence to attach a
length of cloth to the pins on the coiled strip d the machine is set slowly in
motion when the pulleys F force a portion of tho said coil out of the spiral groove.
The selvedges of the cloth are then placed onto the pins f by the attendant, but
the brush P forces the said cloth properly onto the pins, and as the said brush is
connected to the bottom of the rod R which is capable of sliding up and down
between the brackets S, it will be apparent that the brush will rise by the
advancing coil until the end of the coil is reached.
After the whole length of fabric is attached to the spiral coil, the discs are
caused to revolve more quickly, whilst at the same time heated air is being forced
or drawn through the spiral passage formed by the fabric, afterwards the discs
may be made to revolve quickly in the opposite direction until the fabric is
perfectly dried, when the speed is slackened and the piece stripped off.
An enclosing cylinder or jacket may be placed around the machine, in order to
prevent the radiation of heat whereby a saving of fuel is effected.
When it is desired to do without the heater and fan, a solid shaft may be
employed, and the heat may be produced by steam pipes being placed in convenient
positions within the enclosed cylinder or jacket.
When a hollow shaft is used without heater, the steam escapes through the
openings that have been made for the insertion of hot air,
1

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly The employment of apparatus substantially as is herein shewn and
described whereby a length of fabric is extended so as to form a spiral passage for
drying purposes.
Secondly-The employment of means substantially as herein shewn and
described for causing a portion of the coil d to protrude beyond the face of the
dise for purposes set forth.
Thirdly In combination with a coiled fabric, the employment of means for
forcing or drawing air through the spiral passage.