Improvements in Machines for Hackling Flax or other Fibres.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 26th Mar.. 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Hackling Flax or other Fibres.
We JOSEPH MALCOMSON GREEVES of Glenside Strandtown near Belfast County
Down, Ireland, Mill Manager and THOMAS LUCAS of 212 Grosvernor Road Belfast,
County Antrim, Ireland Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This improvement in machines for hackling flax or other fibres has for its object the
removal of the short fibres or knaps not removed from the bulk of the material in or
by the process of machine hackling.
-
The apparatus employed for attaining this object consists and operates as follows:-
A pair of combs or rows of pins placed horizontally and opposite each other through
which the material is drawn by the upward movement of the holder which carries
the material, the combs remaining stationary while the material is being drawn
through them.
The combs are placed beneath the delivery end of the channel which carries
the holders for the material and they come into operation after the material has passed
through the finishing hackles.
The combs are brought into contact with the pendant material at any desired part
and when once in contact all the material below the combs is drawn through by the
upward movement of the holders. .
After the material has been drawn through the combs the latter are caused to
separate and carry with them the short loose fibres which they have combed out of
the pendant material.
As the combs separate they deposit these short fibres on brushes which then make
part of a revolution round their centres and when so doing pass stationary rows of
pins from base to point.
In the return movement of the brushes they leave the short fibres on the stationary
rows of pins the short fibres thus left on the stationary rows of pins by the
passage of the brushes from point to base being removed by the next movement of
the brushes from base to point.
The opposing combs through which the material is drawn, are held apart whilst the
material descends between them and are brought into contact with the material and
held there by means of a pair of bell crank levers operated at suitable times by rods
connected to a lever acted upon by a runner or runners attached to the main motion
wheel of the hackling machine which makes one revolution for each rise and fall of
the channel that carries the holders in which the material to be operated upon is
temporarily fastened.
DL: 1 of 1000
WALTER
BRIERLEY,
Central Chambers, Halifax, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Hackling Flax or other Fibres.
We JOSEPH MALCOMSON GREEVES of Glenside, Strandtown near Belfast, County
Down, Ireland, Mill Manager and THOMAS LUOAS, of 212 Grosvernor Road, Belfast,
County Antrim, Ireland Mechanic, 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 :—
This improvement in machines for hackling flax or other fibres has for its object the
removal of the short fibres or naps not removed from the bulk of the material in or
by the process of machine hackling.

page_text: The apparatus employed for attaining this object consists and operates as follows:-
A pair of combs or rows of pins placed horizontally and opposite each other through
which the material is drawn by the upward movement of the holder which carries
the material, the combs remaining stationary. while the, material, is being, drawn
through them.
The combs are placed beneath the delivery end of the channel which carries the
holders for the material and they come into operation after the material has passed
through the finishing hackles.
The combs are brought into contact with the pendant material at any. desired
part and when once in contact all the material below the combs is drawn, through by
the upward movement of the holders.
After the material has been drawn through the combs, the, latter are caused, to
separate and carry with them, the short loose fibres which they have combed out of
the pendant material.
As the combs separate they deposit these, short, fibres on brushes which then make
part of a revolution round their centres and when so doing pass stationary.rows, of
pins from base to point.
In the return movement of the, brushes they leave the short fibres on thie, stationary
rows of pins the short fibres thus left on the stationary rows of pins, by the passage
of the brushes from point to base being removed, by the next movement of the brushes
from base.to point.
The opposing combs through which the material is drawn, are held apart whilst the
material descends between them and, are brought into contact with the material, and
held there by means of a pair.of bell crank levers operated at suitable times by rods
connected to a lever acted upon by a runner or runners,attached, to the main, motion
wheel of the hackling machine which makes one revolution, for each, rise and fall of
the channel, that carries the holders in which the material, to, be, operated upon. is
temporarily fastened.
Such being the nature and object of this our said invention, the following is a complete
description, of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the delivery end of an ordinary hackling machine with
the apparatus attached.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a detached top, view of frames which carry combs.
Fig. 4 is a detail on enlarged scale in section of comb brush and nap clearing
pin with the comb, shewn, in the position that it takes while. the, material, is being
drawn through it.
Fig. 5 is a detail, on enlarged scale in section of same with combs, apart to be
cleaned by brush.
In all these views and in the following description the saine letters, and figures of
reference, are employed to indicate the same or like parts.
The apparatus employed consists and operates as follows:-A pair of combs, 1- or
rows of pins placed horizontally and opposite each other (but not necessarily on the
same plane) through which the. material 2 is drawn by the upward movement of the
holder 3.which carries the material 2 the combs 1 remaining stationary while the
material 2 is being drawn through them. The combs 1 are placed beneath the delivery
end of the channel 4 which carries the holders 3 for the material 2 and the combs 1
come into operation after the material 2 has passed through the finishing hackles.
The combs 1 are brought into contact with and passed through the pendant material 2
at any desired part or plane and when once in and through the material 2 the portion
thereof below the combs 1 is drawn. through. them. by the upward movement of the
bolders 3. After so much of the material 2 as is necessary, has been drawn upwards
and through the combs. 1 the latter are drawn apart and each comb. 1 carries its
portion of the short loose fibres or naps which when together they combed out of the
pendant material 2. The combs 1 being separated the short fibres or naps adhering
thereto are removed by brushes 5 which make part of a revolution round their
centres 6 and in and when so doing clear the combs 1 as hereinafter described,

page_text: The brushes 5 bear upon and pass over rows of stationary pins 7 from base to point
of said pins 7 and on return movement of the brush the bristles leave the fibre or nap
on the said pins 7 whilst the next passage of the bristles from base to point sweeps
the fibre or nap previously deposited off the pins 7. This action of the brushes 5
while removing the fibres and naps from the combs 1 at the same time keeps the
pins of the combs 1 perfectly free from gum or glit.
This alternate movement on their axes 6 of the brushes 5 is obtained by means of
pinions 8 fixed to the axles 6 of the brushes 5 these pinions 8 are in gear with racks 9
attached to rods 10 which pass through holes in brackets 11 on the channel 4.
On
the rods 10 are fixed collars 12 which can be set in such a position thereon as by
means of rack 9 and pinion 8 to turn the brushes 5 round at the proper time to
clean the combs 1 and remove and deposit the short fibres from and on the
stationary pins 7.
The reverse motion of rack and pinion is obtained through gravitation or it is
made to descend by the brackets 11 on the channel 4 coming in contact with the
lower collars 12 on the rod 10.
The brushes 5 in turning to and fro between their upper and lower position
are protected by curved covers 13 which are supported by the same fixings as the
brushes 5.
The opposing combs 1 through which the material 2 is drawn are carried upon
frames 14 which slide in brackets 15 fixed to the framing of the machine; these
brackets 15 being adjustable vertically to make the combs 1 penetrate or enter the
material 2 at any desired distance from the bottom edge of the holder 3. The
apposing combs 1 are held apart whilst the material 2 descends-between and are
brought into contact with and passed through the material 2 and held there during its
ascent by means of a pair of bell crank levers 16 connected together by a pin or
stud 17 and operated at suitable times by a rod 18 connected to a lever 19 on which is
an adjustable path or guide 20 acted upon by a runner or runners 21 attached to the main
motion wheel 22 which makes one revolution for each rise and fall of the channel 4
that carries the holders 3 in which the material 2 to be operated upon is temporarily
fastened.
When the delivery of the holders 3 takes place at the opposite end of the machine
to the main motion wheel 22 the bell crank levers 16 which operate the combs 1 are
connected to the lever 19 by means of a rocking shaft 23 extending from one end of
the machine to the other and having at the end next the main motion wheel 22 a
lever 24 and connecting rod 25 which is attached to the lever 19 and at the delivery
end the rocking shaft 23 is connected by a slotted lever 26 and adjustable stud to the
bell crank levers 16 which operate the combs, this alternative arrangement being shown
in dotted lines on fig. 1. In the drawing figs. 2 and 3 the combs are of two degrees of
fineness each holderfull of material being acted upon twice by the combs 1 first by
the coarser 14, and then by the finer part 1 of the comb, but for some classes of
material it is only necessary to have combs of one degree of fineness and which
may be coarse or fine to remove the short fibres or naps.
Having now. particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The holder 3, combs 1 and clearing brushes 5 and stationary pins 7 all in com-
bination constructed and arranged operated and operating in manner and for purpose
herein fully described and illustrated by annexed drawings.
Dated the 25th day of March 1800
JOSEPH MALCOMSON GREEVES..
THOMAS LUCAS.
By their Agent, Walter Brierley,
Central Chambers, Halifax.