The machine for combing long wool, for which Messrs. Donisthorpe and Rawson obtained a patent in April, 1835, has been found to work well, and therefore merits a detailed description:—

[Figs. 1208-1210 enlarged] (262 kB)

[Fig. 1208.] is an elevation; [fig. 1209.] an end view; and [fig. 1210.] a plan; in which a, a, is the framing; b, the main shaft, bearing a pinion which drives the wheel and shaft c, in geer with the wheel d, on the shaft e. Upon each of the wheels c and d, there are two projections or studs f, which cause the action of the combs g, g, of which h, h, are the tables or carriages. These are capable of sliding along the upper guide rails of the framing a. Through these carriages or tables h, h, there are openings or slits, shown by dotted lines, which act as guides to the holders i, i, of the combs g, g, rendering the holders susceptible of motion at right angles to the course pursued by the tables h. The combs are retained in the holders i, i, by means of the lever handles j, j, which move upon inclined surfaces, and are made to press on the surface of the heads of the combs g, g, so as to be retained in their places; and they are also held by studs affixed to the holders, which pass into the comb-heads. From the under side of the tables, forked projections i, i, stand out, which pass through the openings or slits formed in the tables h h; these projections are worked from side to side by the frame k, k, which turning on the axis or shaft l, l, is caused to vibrate, or rock to and fro, by the arms m, moved by the eccentric groove n, made fast to the shaft e. The tables h, are drawn inwards, by weights suspended on cords or straps o, o, which pass over friction pulleys p, p; whereby the weights have a constant tendency to draw the combs into the centre of the machine, as soon as it is released by the studs f, passing beyond the projecting arms g, on the tables. On the shaft c, a driving-tooth or catch r, is fixed, which takes into the ratchet wheel s, and propels one of its teeth at every revolution of the shaft c. This ratchet wheel turns on an axis at t; to the ratchet the pulley v is made fast, to which the cord or band w is secured, as also to the pulley x, on the shaft y. On the shaft y, there are two other pulleys z, z, having the cords or bands A, A, made fast to them, and also to the end of the gauge-plates B, furnished with graduated steps, against which the tables h, h, are drawing at each operation of the machine. In proportion as these gauge-plates are raised, the nearer the carriages or tables h, will be able to advance to the centre of the machine, and thus permit the combs g, g, to lay hold of, and comb, additional lengths of the woolly fibres. The gauge-plates B, are guided up by the bars C, which pass through openings, slots, or guides, made in the framing a, as shown by D.

To the ratchet wheel s, an inclined projection E, is made fast, which in the course of the rotation of the ratchet wheel, comes under the lever F, fixed to the shaft G, that turns in bearings H. To this shaft the levers I and J, are also fixed; I serving to throw out the click or catch K, from the ratchet wheel, by which the parts of the machine will be released, and restored to positions ready for starting again. The lever J, serves to slide the drum upon the driving shaft b, out of geer, by means of the forked handle L, when the machine is to be stopped, whenever it has finished combing a certain quantity of wool. The combs which hold the wool have a motion upwards, in order to take the wool out of the way of the combs g, g, as these are drawn into the centre of the machine; while the holding combs descend to lay the wool among the points of the combs g, g. For obtaining this upward and downward motion, the combs M, M, are placed upon the frame N, and retained there just as the combs g, g, are upon the holders i, i. The framing N is made fast to the bar or spindle O, which moves vertically through openings in the cross-head P, and the cross-framing of the machine Q; from the top of which, there is a strap passes over pulleys with a weight suspended to it; the cross-head being supported by the two guide-rods R, fixed to the cross-framing Q. It is by the guide-rods R, and the spindle O, that the frame N is made to move up and down; while the spindle is made to rise by the studs f, as the wheels c and d come successively under the studs s, on the spindle O.

A quantity of wool is to be placed on each of the combs g, g, and M, M, the machine being in the position shown in [fig. 1210.] When the main shaft b, is set in motion, it will drive by its pinion the toothed wheel c, and therefrom the remaining parts of the machine. The first effect of the movement will be to raise the combs M, M, sufficiently high to remove the wool out of the way of the combs g, g, which will be drawn towards the centre of the machine, as soon as they are released by the studs f, passing the projecting arms q, on the tables h; but the distance between the combs g, g, and the combs H, H, will depend on the height to which the gauge-plates B, have been raised. These plates are raised one step at each revolution of the shaft c; the combs g, g, will therefore be continually approaching more nearly to the combs M, M, till the plates B, are so much raised as to permit the tables h, to approach the plates B, below the lowest step or graduation, when the machine will continue to work. Notwithstanding the plates B, continuing to rise, there being only parallel surfaces against which the tables come, the combs g, g, will successively come to the same position, till the inclined projection E, on the ratchet wheel s, comes under the lever F, which will stop the machine. The wool which has been combed, is then to be removed, and a fresh quantity introduced. It should be remarked, that the combs g, g, are continually moving from side to side of the machine, at the same time that they are combing out the wool. The chief object of the invention is obviously to give the above peculiar motions to the combs g, g, and M, M; which may be applied also to combing goat-hair.

For the purposes of the worsted manufacture, wool should be rendered inelastic to a considerable degree, so that its fibres may form long lines, capable of being twisted into straight level yarn. Mr. Bayliffe, of Kendal, has sought to accomplish this object, first, by introducing into the drawing machine a rapidly revolving wheel, in contact with the front drawing roller, by whose friction the filaments are heated, and at the same time deprived of their curling elasticity; secondly, by employing a movable regulating roller, by which the extent of surface on the periphery of the wheel that the lengths of wool is to act upon, may be increased or diminished at pleasure, and, consequently, the effect regulated or tempered as the quality of the wool may require; thirdly, the employment of steam in a rotatory drum, or hollow wheel, in place of the wheel first described, for the purpose of heating the wool, in the process of drawing, in order to facilitate the operation of straightening the fibres.