IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley, of Halifax, in
the County of York, Machine Wool Combers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 16th October 1866, and dated the 16th April 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Ash and Thomas
Whitley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 16th April 1866.
We, EDWARD ASH and THOMAS WHITLEY, of Halifax, in the County of
York, Machine Wool Combers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of combing machines wherein a pair of
nipping jaws are employed to detach tufts of wool or other fibre from slivers
fed or supplied thereto by gill combs to be transferred to a travelling comb,
from which it is drawn off by rollers into other slivers; and heretofore when
a detachment has been made some of the fibres of the remaining slivers
project beyond the bulk (which fibres are generally of the longest staple, and
consequently the best part of combing wool), and which in the next detach-
ment and transfer are so placed on the travelling comb as to be left in the
noil, thereby producing waste.
Now our improvements consist in the application and use of an additional
pair of nipping jaws to take hold of and detach or draw out these projecting

page_text: fibres at or after each detachment of a tuft, and to remove and deposit them
on a creeper or other suitable receptacle to be afterwards treated. This pair
of additional nipping jaws may be either suspended in arms hinged above or
below the point or place of detachment of the tufts of wool from the sliver,
and operated by crank and. connecting rod, so as to oscillate in a similar
manner to the ordinary nipping jaws, and both of them are so turned in their
movements as the ordinary jaws are moving up to the "gills" to take a nip
and detach another tuft, that the additional jaws will seize the projecting
fibres and recede with them to the creeper or receptacle before the return of
the ordinary nipping jaws. Or these additional jaws may be placed under
the point of detachment, and caused to rise up after a detachment, seize the
projecting fibres, and recede with them out of the way of the next approach
of the ordinary jaws, depositing them on a creeper or receptacle underneath
or they may be placed above and caused to descend to take hold of and
remove the projecting fibres during the transfer of a tuft by the ordinary
nipping jaws.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
ASH and THOMAS WHITLEY, of Halifax, in the County of York, Machine
Wool Combers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley, Her special licence that we,
the said Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley,
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 terin
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
1slands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR COMBING WOOL OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley, our executors

page_text: or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or 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 per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Edward Ash and Thomas Whitley,
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 accompanying Sheet of Drawings,-
(that is to say):
:-
This Invention relates to that class of combing machines wherein a pair of
nipping jaws are employed to detach tufts of wool or other fibre from slivers
fed or supplied thereto by gill combs to be transferred to a travelling comb,
from which it is drawn off by rollers into other slivers; and heretofore when.
a detachment has been made some of the fibres of the remaining slivers
project beyond the bulk (which fibres are generally of the longest staple, and
consequently the best part of combing wool), and which in the next detach-
ment and transfer are so placed on the travelling comb as to be left in the
noil, thereby producing waste.
Now our improvements consist in the application and use of an additional
pair of nipping jaws to take hold of and detach or draw out these projecting
fibres at or after each detachment of a tuft by the ordinary jaws, and to
remove and deposit them on a creeper or other suitable receptacle to be after-
wards treated. This pair of additional nipping jaws may be either suspended
in arms hinged above or below the point or place of detachment of the tufts
of wool from the sliver and operated by crank and connecting rod, so as to.
oscillate in a similar manner to the ordinary nipping jaws, and both of them
so timed in their movements as that whilst the ordinary jaws are moving up.
to the gills to take a nip and detach another tuft, the additional jaws will also..
move up and seize the projecting fibres and recede with them to the creeper
or receptacle before the return of the ordinary nipping jaws; or the addi--
tional jaws may be placed under the point. of detachment and caused to rise-
up after a detachment has been made, seize the projecting fibres, and recede
with them out of the way of the next approach of the ordinary jaws, depo-
siting them on a creeper or receptacle underneath; or the additional jaws
may be placed above and caused to descend to take hold of and remove the
projecting fibres during the transfer of a tuft by the ordinary nipping jaws.

page_text: These Drawings illustrate such parts of an ordinary wool-combing machine
(generally known as "Lister's combing machine ") as are necessary to shew
our improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the
same, also partly in sction.
A is the ordinary gill head or gill combs for feeding or supplying slivers of
wool or other fibrous substances to be combed, and B is the nipping jaws for
detaching tufts from the sliver, which are thence transferred by the transfer
or carrying comb C to the circular or travelling comb D, from which it is
afterwards drawn off by rollers. These parts being well known, and their
action perfectly understood by those conversant with wool combing, we do not
consider it necessary to give further explanation thereof. E are the additional
pair of nipping jaws, which are (in this case) constructed and arranged to pass
through the opening or between the ordinary jaws when they are open, as
shewn. These additional jaws are each attached to a pair of levers F, which
are mounted on a spindle F¹ supported on pedestals or brackets G, which are
fitted so as to be capable of sliding in frames H attached to the ordinary
framing of the machine. Each pair of levers are connected by a rod I, on the
ends of which rods are friction rollers J to bear on the frames H to guide and
keep the jaws in suitable position. K are spiral springs for closing, and L are
moveable inclines for opening the jaws at proper times; M is a rod attached
to the spindle F connecting the nipping jaws to an oscillatory arm or lever N,
which is hinged upon a stud P fixed to the framing. In this arm a groove or
slot hole of peculiar form Q, in which works the pin of a crank R, which is fixed
on a shaft S gearing with and deriving motion from the shaft T, which is a
continuation of the shaft employed for driving the ordinary nippers and
transfer comb.
The action of the machine is as follows:-It will be observed that as the
shaft S rotates, the crank pin which carries a friction roller, will slide or move
in the slot of the arm P, which by its peculiar form will produce a variable
oscillatory motion of the said arm, which will be communicated to the nipping
jaws E. And that this variable motion is so arranged, the slot is so formed,
and the crank pin so placed or adjusted therein that the jaws E will move
quickest when the jaws B are in the position shewn, so as to suddenly pass
through or between them, seize the projecting fibres, and return whilst the
jaws B are moving up to the gill head to take another nip, or make the next
detachment of a tuft. And it will be seen that when the said jaws E have

page_text: been moved up to the position shewn they have been opened by the friction
rollers running up the inclines L, and also that on passing closer up to the
gill head they will pass off the ends of the inclines and the jaws will be closed
by the action of the spiral springs, thus seizing the fibres projecting from the
ends of the sliver, the lever arm suddenly withdrawing the said nippers, which
remain closed by reason of the friction rollers running between the inclines
and the slide frame on returning, thereby carrying the fibres away to a
travelling apron or other receptacle placed in any convenient position as at U,
when the jaws are re-opened by the friction rollers running up the inclines V;
the fibres being thus at liberty to drop out of the jaws are deposited on the
receptacle ready for further treatment. It will also be readily perceived that
these nipping jaws may be constructed and arranged to operate in various
ways, as, for instance, they may be made to move up and down or in a lateral
direction, passing in betwixt the gill head and the ordinary nippers, instead of
through the opening thereof, as shewn, we do not therefore confine ourselves
to any particular form of construction or mode of operating them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Whitley, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Edward Ash, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Fifteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
THOMAS WHITLEY. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Whitley,
in the presence of
ARTHUR B. CROSSLEY,
Clerk to William Tasker,
Patent Agent, Halifax.