Recent Patents. To James Nasmyth, of Patricroft, near Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, engineer, for certain improvements in the method of, and apparatus for, communicating and regulating the power for driving or working machines employed in manufacturing, dyeing, printing, and finishing textile fabrics.— [Sealed 26th June, 1849.]
The London Journal of Arts, Sciences, and Manufactures, and Repertory of Patent Inventions.
Conducted by Mr. W. Newton, of the Office for Patents, Chancery Lane. (Assisted by several Scientific Gentlemen.)
VOL. XXXVI. (Conjoined Series.)
London: Published by W. Newton, at the office for patents, 66, Chancerylane, and Manchester; t. and W. Piper, Paternoster Row; Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., Stationers' Court; J. McCombe, Buchanan St., Glasgow; and Galinani's Library, Rue Vivienne,
Paris. 1850
No. CCXXIII.These improvements apply principally to machines employed in textile manufactures, and consist in communicating the power requisite for driving each separate machine, or system of machines of the same character or description, by means of a separate and distinct steam-engine, placed in direct and immediate connection therewith; and in so arranging the lever connected with the cock or valve which regulates the supply of steam to the said engine, as to enable the attendant work man to communicate, regulate, and disconnect the power which drives the particular machine or system of machines under his superintendence at the time he is inspecting the operation of the machines.
In order that the nature and object of his invention may be clearly understood, the patentee remarks, that, in the management of the several machines employed in the various processes connected with textile manufactures, it is very desirable that the workman should, at all times, have direct and immediate control over the power which drives the machine or system of machines under his charge; in order that he may be able, at any instant, to set in motion or disconnect the said machine or set of machines, without in any way interfer ing with the operations of the machinery adjacent; and also that he may be enabled to regulate the speed of the said machine or system of machines, from the greatest desirable amount of velocity to the slowest degree of motion he may require, whilst the said machines are in motion. These objects have hitherto been but partially attained by certain arrange ments and modifications of connecting and disconnecting apparatus, catch or clutch-boxes, &c., which communicate the motion to the several machines from the system of shafting through which the power of the steam-engine is transmitted; but, by the present method of communicating power, the most direct and perfect control is given to each workman over the power which drives the machine or system of machines under his care. This object is effected by simply placing the handle or lever of the cock or valve of the steam-engine so near to the machine which it drives that the attendant, while watch ing the progress of the operation under his charge, can, at any instant, arrest or modify the velocity of the machine or set of machines under his superintendence.
Another object to be attained by the present invention is, that any particular machine or system of machines may be driven separately, without the necessity of working a large steam-engine, with its train of heavy shafting, gearing, &c.; and also that any number of machines may be connected to, or disconnected from, the driving power, without the liability of breakage or disarrangement (caused by the shock or jerk), which exists, under the present system, when heavy machinery is thrown in or out of gear with the driving power. The patentee suggests that, in the process of dyeing, printing, and many other operations wherein a large quantity of steam is required for heating, drying, and other purposes, the steam should be used at a high pressure for driving the engines, and subsequently passed off to the other processes for which it is required at a lower pressure.
The great importance of the objects to be attained by the improved method of communicating and regulating the power for driving such machinery will, it is said, be at once evident to the practical manufacturer, and may be well exemplified as applied to the machines for printing calico and other similar surfaces, more especially those wherein several colors, forming one pattern, are printed by the machine at one and the same operation; in which, according to the peculiar nature of the work they are intended to perform, it is necessary to adjust and regulate the several parts of the said machine with the greatest accuracy and delicacy previous to commenc ing the process of printing; and as the accuracy of the said adjustments is liable to be deranged (especially when such machines are actuated, as heretofore, by means of gearing, which is common to several adjacent machines), it is requisite for the attendant workman to arrest the progress of the machine, in order that he may be enabled to ascertain whether or not the operation is proceeding in a satisfactory manner. In the ordinary method of communicating the power to such machines, by means of clutch-boxes and other similar contrivances, the connecting and disconnecting of the machines is invariably accompanied, more or less, by a shock or jerk, which is sometimes found to have the effect of disturbing the accurate correspondence of the several parts of the pattern, thereby occasioning what is technically termed a "mis-fit," and frequently, if unobserved, spoiling the piece of goods.
By means of the present invention, it is stated, the attendant workman, having, at starting, accurately adjusted the several parts of his machinery, can cause the machinery to commence working in the most gradual and delicate manner, and keep it so moving that he may not only be enabled to examine the accuracy of the process whilst the machine is in actual motion, but also, by reason of the extreme command which he possesses over the velocity of his machine, he may perform the most delicate adjustments of the several parts without totally arrest ing the progress of the machine. As soon as he finds all the parts in a satisfactory condition and fit state of adjustment, he may gradually increase the speed of his engine to the utmost desirable velocity; and again, when necessary, reduce the same, in order to examine whether the operation is proceeding in a satisfactory manner; and so proceed again, with out actually stopping the machine: the effect of which will be that the piece need not be spoiled, as it is now very liable to be; but the work in question may be performed in a more perfect and satisfactory manner, and in a much shorter time than it has hitherto been effected.
In Plate XVI., the invention is shewn as adapted to some of the machines used in textile manufactures. In all the figures the handle or lever by which the workman controls and regulates the supply of steam to the engine is indicated by a, a. Fig. 1, represents the application of the invention to a calendering machine; fig. 2, shews the same as applied to a mangle; fig. 3, shews the adaptation of the invention to a "padding machine;" and fig. 4, represents the application of the same to a four-color calico printing machine.
The patentee, in conclusion, states that he does not claim, as his invention, any peculiar construction, form, or arrange ment of steam-engine, as adapted to the purposes aforesaid; but he claims the improved method of communicating and regulating the power for driving or working machines employed in manufacturing, dyeing, printing, and finishing tex tile fabrics, by placing a separate and distinct steam-engine in direct and immediate connection with each machine or system of machines; and so arranging the handle of the steam-valve or cock that the attendant workman may, at all times, have perfect control over the engine whilst he is watch ing or inspecting the operation of the machine or system of machines under his charge. — [Inrolled December, 1849.]
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