IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH CLEANERS FOR COMBING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO SQUARE MOTION COMBS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and Company,
Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
CLEANERS FOR COMBING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO SQUARE
MOTION COMBS." A communication from abroad by Thomas Overend and
Thomas Firth. both of Amiens, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th May 1877.
1
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of 5,
Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND CONNECTED WITH CLEANERS FOR COMBING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE
TO SQUARE MOTION COMBS." (A communication from abroad by Thomas Overend
and Thomas Firth, both of Amiens, France.)
The square motion combs and other combs working in the same manner, have, as
heretofore ordinarily arranged, certain disadvantages. The square motion has for
its object to clean and purify the fringe of wool lying on the outside of the circle,
and by this means to render the aforesaid fringe clean and free from knots and other
impurities. In order to attain this end, the combs ought always to be maintained
in a proper state of cleanliness, as if this is not the case the following disadvantages
arise.
Firstly. The outside fringe cannot be thoroughly cleaned.
Secondly. When the comb is more or less full of waste or robbings, much more of
such waste or robbings is torn out of the outside fringe than would be the case if
the combs were kept constantly clean.
Thirdly. Because the combs being choked up with waste or robbings, much
more power is required to turn the square motion than if the combs were quite
clean.
Fourthly. The cleaning of the combs is now dependent upon the care or trouble
which the workman or minder may bestow upon it, and unless he is very careful,
the combs get damaged by the cleaning.

page_text: According to this Invention, a mechanical cleaning appliance is applied to the
comb, all as herein-after described.
On the slides of the square motion is arranged a slotter or " cross-head" guide,
straight or curved, according to the form of comb which is to be cleaned. In this
slotted guide work a series of cleaners fitted with knives or pins corresponding to
the pins on the combs, and adjustable against them; these cleaners are united by a
bar or by links or bars jointed together to keep them the proper distances apart,
and to facilitate their working. The knives of each cleaner are mounted on a stem,
which by set screw or other suitable means is attached to the body of the cleaner,
which works in the slotted guide, or the cleaners may be slotted and work on a
straight or curved guiding bar.
The cleaners are worked by cam or eccentric, or other suitable gear, say by cam,
on the shaft of the square motion and connecting rod or rods, or spring or springs,
60 as thoroughly to clean each comb, say by each turn of the driving shaft, without
damaging the points of the combs, the cleaners being arranged to fall and work in
the space left between the rows of pins.
The speed of the cleaner appliance may be diminished, that is to say, instead of
cleaning at each turn of the shaft, it may be made to clean only at intervals and
after, say, an indeterminate number of rotations by the shaft. A blast or equivalent
means may be used for detaching the waste or robbings from the cleaners.
By these improvements the aforesaid disadvantages are avoided, and a great
saving in workmen's wages is also obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th November
1877.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, of 5, Southampton
Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND CONNECTED WITH CLEANERS FOR COMBING MACHINES, ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE TO SQUARE MOTION COMBS." (A communication from abroad by
Thomas Overend and Thomas Firth, both of Amiens, France.)
The square motion combs and other combs working in the same manner, lave, as
heretofore ordinarily arranged, certain disadvantages. The square motion has. for
its object to clean and purify the fringe of wool lying on the outside of the circle,
and by this means to render the aforesaid fringe clean and free from knots and other
impurities. In order to attain this end, the combs ought always to be maintained
in a proper state of cleanliness; as this is not the case, the following disadvantages
arise.
Firstly. The outside fringe cannot be thoroughly cleaned.
Secondly. When the comb is more or less full of waste or robbings, much more of
such waste or robbings is torn out of the outside fringe than would be the case if
the combs were kept constantly clean.
Thirdly. Because of the combs being choked up, more or less, with waste or
robbings, much more power is required to turn the square motion than if the combs
were quite clean.
Fourthly. The clearing of the combs is now dependent upon the care or trouble

page_text: .
which the workman or winder may bestow upon it, and unless.he is very careful,
the combs get damaged by the cleaning.
According to this Invention, a mechanical cleaning appliance is applied to the
comb, all as herein-after described.
On the slides of the square motion is arranged a slotted or cross-head guide,
straight or curved, according to the form of comb which is to be cleaned. In this
slotted guide work a series of cleaners fitted with knives or pins corresponding to
the pins on the combs, and adjustable against them. These. cleaners are united by
a bar or by links or bars jointed together to keep them the proper distances apart,
and to facilitate their working. The knives of each cleaner are mounted on a stem
which, by set screw or other suitable means, is, attached to the body of the cleaner,
which works in the slotted guide, or the cleaners may be slotted and work on a
straight or curved guiding bar.
The cleaners are worked by cam or eccentric or other suitable gear, say by cam,
on the shaft of the square motion and connecting rod or rods, or spring or springs,
so as thoroughly to clean each comb, say by each turn of the driving shaft without
damaging the points of the combs, the cleaners being arranged to fall and work in
the space left between the rows of pins.
The speed of the cleaner appliance may be diminished, that is to say, instead of
cleaning at each turn of the shaft, it may be made to clean only at intervals, and
after, say, an indeterminate number of rotations by the shaft.
A blast or
equivalent means may be used for detaching the waste or robbings from the
cleaners.
By these improvements the aforesaid disadvantages are avoided, and a great
saving in workmen's wages is also obtained.
Figure 1 shows one mode of working the cleaners or combs, F being an eccentric
on the shaft of the square motion. Figure 2 is a plan of this arrangement. J is a
frame in which the eccentric works, and K a guide for this frame; L is a projecting
nose or catch on the divider wheels P; the rods N, N, are formed with pawl and
butt end respectively for taking therein, and are held together by spiral spring O.
One side of the wheel P is shown to the left, and the opposite side to the right, in
Figure 2, the two views being united by dotted lines; from the last-named view,
and from the separate view, Figure 2a, it will be seen that the catch Q on the
rod R works in a corresponding depression X in the wheel P. Figure 2b shews
the spring brake S operating against the wheel P.
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a general arrangement view of the parts described above,
and lettered to correspond. T is an eccentric or cam in the interior of the wheel P.
U, U, are rods operated thereby for causing the descent of the guide A, B, fitted
with the cleaner knives D. V, V, are levers on the shaft W, which goes across
the machine; these levers are connected to the rods R. Y are slides for the
descent of the guide A, B. Z, Z, are pinions for regulating the movement of
the cleaner.
Figure 4, Sheet 3, is a side elevation of another and simpler mode of working the
cleaning mechanism. Figure 5 is a part plan of same. The upper part of Figure 4
shews the cleaner mechanism, similar to those in the previous Figures. B is a tooth
pinion; C is an intermediate tooth wheel gearing therewith for reducing the speed
of the cleaners; it carries a wheel fitted with two pegs, 1 and 2, on opposite faces or
sides of the rim Z, projecting therefrom, as will be seen from Figure 5. D is a
larger wheel with a tongued circumference formed with notches, divided, according
to the motion desired for the cleaning mechanism A. It carries the two cams or
eccentrics for working the cleaning mechanism; E is a part of the circumference,
serving to effect the descent of the cleaning mechanism; X shows the formation of
the wheel for causing the peg 2 to work the cleaning mechanism, to work by means
of the double movement from I to X, and from X to J. F is a screw for regulating
the height G, G, one or more combs substituted for the combs shewn in the previous
Figures. There is thus only one comb, having the curved form of a cleaning comb,
and two smaller straight combs, one on each side. The rod R, S, has a pin working

page_text: in the slot P in such a way that if there should be a resistance in the moment of
combing, the combs G, G, G, may cease to operate, and the rod R, S, ascend in the
slot P by the pressure which the projection T, mounting on the eccentric, exerts
on the spring 0; this prevents the comb from being the least damaged.
The following is the mode this apparatus works:-The wheel Ď advances one
division for each rotation of the peg 1, gearing therein; the comb must descend and
ascend once during each revolution of the wheel. The second movement by means
of a supplementary appliance X, fixed to the outer or inner side of the wheel, the
peg 1 having acted against I, will not have any other action before coming to J,
but in that moment the part X comes in contact with the peg 2, which then acts in
its turn. The peg 1 resumes its action at J, and continues its course. The alternate
inotion is thus very simply obtained, viz., the raising and lowering of the comb
as required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.