Improvements in Carding Engines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
We, BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, Machine Maker of the firm of Messrs. Dobson &
Barlow, of Kay Street Works Bolton in the County of Lancaster and WILLIAM
ISHERWOOD BROMILEY, Foreman, of the same place do hereby declare the nature of
this Invention to be as follows:
-
Our improvements relate to carding engines for cotton and other fibrous material,
and consist. first, in an improved method of and means for stripping revolving or
travelling flats.
In carrying out this improvement we have a stripping card which is passed through
the wire of the flat that requires to be cleaned and is itself cleaned by a fixed card.
Any suitable arrangement of parts for accomplishing this may be employed, we will
describe one such arrangement. On the star wheel shaft and fixed to the worm wheel
which usually drives the star wheel shaft we fix a large pinion gearing into a small
pinion on a stud to which pinion is fixed a wheel which gears into a small wheel
which has fixed upon it a double cam. The number of the teeth of these various
wheels is so calculated that the cam will make one complete revolution for each tooth
on the star wheel which drives the flats. Working on one of the cam paths is a bowl
attached to a lever and the cam causes this lever to move up and down during a small
portion of the revolution of the cam itself; this lever is preferably fulcrumed at one
end on what is known as the centre rocking shaft for the flat stripping comb but may
be otherwise mounted and at the other end the lover is connected by a pivot or stud
to another lever which carries the stripping card. This stud acts as the fulcrum of
the second lever and near this fulcrum is another stud which passes through the
second lever and also through a third lever and is fixed to one of them and is guided
in a slot in a fixed bracket. The third lever has a bowl working into the second can
path on the double cam and the duty of this third lever when moved by the can is to
regulate the action of the stripping card as it comes through the flat to strip it the
card being kept by this cam and lever always the same distance into the wire and
when the movable stripping card has been carried forward, to deposit its strip on the
fixed stripping card the movable stripping card is lowered when returning so that the
wire thereon is effectually stripped.
After having passed through this wire of the fixed card the third lever actuated by
the cam will lift the wire of the movable stripping card clear from the wire of the
flats so that as the said stripping card returns there is no danger of it touching until
again required to strip the next flat.
This arrangement may be varied both in respect of working the levers and the
mode of stripping. As for example, the first lever may be worked by a stud crank
and lever either from the position usually occupied by the flat brush roller or from
the driving pulley for driving the flats or by a clutch box with or without bevels
actuated by levers either directly from the teeth of the star wheel or by curved
projections cast with or placed separate from the star wheel. The distance required
for the movable stripping card nearer or farther from the wire of the flat or from the
fixed card may be regulated by means of a prepared grooved path for it to slide in,
or surfaces to rest upon, the same being adjustable.
It is not absolutely necessary that the card hereinbefore described as the "fixed"
card should be fixed as it may be arranged to oscillate or revolve if necessary or
desirable.
Our improvements consist secondly. in an improved method of setting the front
covers and knives of carding engines and also in combining and simultaneously.
setting the front fly plate doffer cover and undercasings and also in an improved
method of constructing the front portion of the undercasing.

page_text: We have a strong movable framing which carries the doffer cover and with which
the doffer pedestals may be formed or combined and this movable framing on each
side of the carding engine is fitted to slide along a planed or prepared surface and
may be regulated by an improved form of setting apparatus as described below or by
any ordinary adjusting mechanism. This movable framing is formed in one piece
with or has attached to it a turned segment the upper part of which supports the
ordinary lap piece and fits into a recess formed to receive it in the bend and to this
upper part is secured the front fly plate i.e. a steel or other plate which forms a knife
between the cylinder and flats in the front. The aforesaid segmental piece is also
preferably continued below the level of the framing of the carding engine and is
utilized to support the improved portion of the undercasing hereinafter described or
any ordinary undercasing.
In the improved undercasing we have for a certain distance from the point where
the cylinder and doffer are nearest and on the underside a steel or other blade or
blades each made in one or more pieces and concentric with the wire surface of the
main cylinder and carried down for a certain distance the whole being firmly fixed to
the above named segmental part. We also may or may not carry a concentric plate
from and attached to the segmental piece round a portion of the circumference of the
doffer on the underside.
It will be evident from the foregoing that if the several parts be constructed as
described that from one setting point on each side of the card the position of the
whole movable framing may be regulated so that the fly plate, making up piece,
concentric covers and undercasing knife may be all simultaneously adjusted.
We may also give a separate adjustment to the front fly plate in addition to the
combined adjustment above indicated and the metal plates forming the front part of
the undercasing may be also adjusted circumferentially or radially on the soginental
pieces.
Our improved form of setting apparatus above referred to which may also be used
for the adjustment of the doffer and licker-in pedestals or for the adjustment of other
parts may be constructed in the following way.
We prolong the base of the sliding frame a sufficient distance and we cast a hollow
box or recess in the prolonged portion. There is an eye bolt fixed to the framing and
a differential or other screw which is tapped through the end of the recess and is also
screwed through the eye bolt we may also have one or more holding down bolts thus
securing a very accurate firm and safe adjustment.
In applying our improved setting apparatus to the doffer or licker-in pedestals we
prolong the base of said pedestals and cast the aforesaid hollow box on such prolonged
portion.
We recess the ends of the cylinder by placing the rings and end plates a certain
distance back from the edge leaving the body of the bend outside the cylinder and
continue the bearing or socket of the cylinder pedestal for this extra distance so that
the hearing or socket projects equally or nearly so on each side of the body of the
franing and thus bring the pressure of the weight of the cylinder over the centre
of the body of the main framing. We may further make special provision for
strengthening the framing to take the weight of the cylinder by carrying down webs
or feathers from the upper flange of the main framing to a strong foot or feet formed
on the framing to rest upon the floor.
We apply our improvements also to the setting of the licker-in and the undercasing
of the cylinder and licker-in and also to what are termed the back knives; thus we
may have a sliding framing supporting a segmental piece upon which are screwed the
back knives and the back end of the casing and these knives and casings may be
adjustable radially or circumferentially independently of the main setting; this sliding
framing may be combined with or separate from the bearings of the licker-in and we
may or may not apply our improved adjustment but our intention is to simplify the
operation of adjusting and enable the adjustable parts of this portion of the card to be
set with the greatest accuracy.
The back knife in this case also may have a separate adjustment.

page_text: We prefer to adjust the central part of the undercasing and test the adjustment of
that and of other parts in the following manner :-
The back end of the undercasing is already adjusted by the setting of the back
sliding frame or the licker-in adjustment and is held firmly by the sliding framing
already spoken of and the inside surface of the undercasing is exactly concentric to
the outside surface of the wire and cylinder. As this wire is worn and all the various
parts are adjusted to keep the same relative distance from the working parts it
becomes desirable to also adjust the central part of the undercasing. The central
portion of the undercasing is according to our improvements carried by a strong
hanging bracket from the boss or socket which carries the bearing of the cylinder
shaft round which the hanging bracket may move. The front end of this central
portion of the undercasing may come within a short distance of the metal blade that
is attached to the front sliding frame and we may have a hole or opening in some
portion of the under framing that will permit a gauge to pass between the under-
casing and the wire of the cylinder so that if the space becomes too great, which is
easily observable, the hanging bracket which is provided with an adjusting screw can
be made therewith to raise or adjust the under casing to the required position. For
the
purpose of testing the adjustment of the various covers and casings we form bosses
upon the framing opposite the circumference of the wire of the working parts. Each
of these bosses is bored out and fitted with a stop piece or filling up piece which may
be screwed in or fastened by a set screw. When the setting requires to be adjusted
the stop pieces are removed and a thin gauge passed between the wire and the
working parts and when the adjustment has been effected the stop pieces are
replaced.
Dated this 20th the of Din 1000
H. B. BARLOW,
A gent
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
We, BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, Machine Maker, of the firm of Messrs. Dobson
and Barlow, of Kay Street Works, Bolton in the County of Lancaster, and WILLIAM
ISHERWOOD BROMILEY, Foreman, of the same place, 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:-—
Our improvements relate to carding engines for cotton and other fibrous materials
and consist, first in an improved method of and means for stripping revolving or
travelling flats and secondly, in an improved method of combining and setting the
front and back covers undercasings and knives of carding engines and also in an
improved method of constructing the front portion of the undercasing.
And in order that our invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will describe the accompanying six Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carding engine showing only those parts necessary
for the proper illustration of our improvements. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views on an
enlarged scale illustrating that part of our invention which relates to stripping the
travelling flats. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the engine on an enlarged scale and
Figs. 5 to 14 are detail views also enlarged illustrating that part of our invention
which relates to the setting of the several covers and casings and to the construction
of the undercasings.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In carrying out the first part of our improvements we have a stripping card which
is passed through the wire of the flat that requires to be cleaned and is itself cleaned
by a fixed card.
Any suitable arrangement of parts for accomplishing this may be employed but we
will describe one such arrangement as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

page_text: In these views a designates the stripping card carried on a lever a¹ ; b indicates
the position occupied by the chain of travelling flats and e the fixed card which cleans
the stripping card a. On the star wheel shaft d and fixed to the worm wheel e which
usually drives the star wheel shaft d we fix a large pinion gearing into a small
pinion g on a stud ; to the pinion g is fixed a toothed wheel g¹ which gears into a
small toothed wheel which has fixed upon it a hollow double cam j loose on the star
wheel shaft d. The number of the teeth of these various wheels is so calculated that
the cam will make one complete revolution for each tooth on the star wheel d¹ which
drives the chain of flats 6 passing over the pulley d. Working in one of the paths of
the hollow double cam j is a bowl k¹ on a stud attached to a lever k and the said cam
during its revolution causes the lever to move up and down; this lever k is pre-
ferably fulcrumed at one end on what is known as the centre rocking shaft for the
ordinary flat stripping comb now dispensed with by our improvements but it may be
otherwise mounted if preferred and at the other end the lever k is connected by a
pivot or stud m to the lever a¹ which carries the stripping card a. This stud m acts
as the fulcrum for the second lever a¹ and near this stud is another stud n which
passes through the lever a¹ and also through a third lever o and is fixed to one of
these levers and is guided in a slot p' in a fixed bracket p. The third lever o near
the other end has a longitudinal slot and is fulcrumed on the star wheel shaft d and
the lever o has a bowl o¹ working in the second cam path on the double cam j. The
function of this lever o when moved by the cam jis to regulate the action of the
stripping card a as it moves through the wire of the flat to strip it and maintain
the wire on the card a at an uniform depth of penetration, into the wire of the flat.
When the stripping card a actuated by the movement of the lever k operated by the
cam has been carried forward and has stripped a flat the continued movement of the
lover k carries the stripping card a clear of and beyond the fixed card c as the stripping
card a is caused to return by the lever k it is lowered by the movement of the lever o
and so deposits its strip upon and is effectually cleaned by the fixed stripping card c.
After having passed through the wire of the fixed card c the lover will lift the
stripping card a and the lever o will guide it clear of the wire on the flats 6 so that
there is no danger of their touching until the card a on its return stroke strips the
next flat.
The
The foregoing arrangement may be varied both in respect to the working of the
levers and the mode of stripping. As, for example, the first lever k may be worked
by a stud crank and lever either from the position usually occupied by the flat brush
roller or from the driven pulley on the stud e¹ which by the worms on the shaft e
drives the worin wheel e and so gives motion to the flats; or by a clutch box either
with or without bevel gears actuated by levers either directly from the star wheel d¹
or by curved projections cast with or placed separate from the star wheel.
distance required for the movable stripping card a nearer to or farther from the wire
of the flat or from the fixed card c may be regulated by means of a prepared grooved
path for it to slide in, or surfaces to rest upon, said grooved path or surface being
adjustable. Again it is not absolutely necessary that the card c hereinbefore described
as the "fixed" card, should be fixed as it may be arranged to oscillate or revolve if
necessary or desirable.
Referring now to the second part of our improvements illustrated by Figure 1 as
well as by the several detail views Figs. 4 to 13 we have on each side of the carding
engine a strong movable framing 9 which carries the doffer cover and this movable
framing o̟ on each side of the carding engine is fitted to slide along a planed or
prepared surface on the underframing s. This movable framing q is formed in one
piece with or has attached to it a turned segment q' the upper part of which supports
the ordinary door or lap piece q and fits into a recess formed to receive it in the
engine bend t; to this upper part q' is secured the front fly plate g³, i.e. a steel or
other plate which forms a knife between the cylinder u and Bats b in the front. The
aforesaid segmental piece q¹ is also preferably continued below the level of the top
flange of the underframings of the carding engine and is utilized to support the
improved portion of the undercasing hereinafter described or any ordinary undercasing.

page_text: We secure to the bend nose q and between it and the segmental piece q at a point
below the filling up piece r¹ and above the top part of the front undercasing a small
piece of metal q" see Fig. 1 which projects as far as the points of the card wire and
thus prevents any current of air from passing between the cylinder and doffer at their
edges.
In our improved undercasing we have for a certain distance from the point where
the cylinder
u and doffer v are nearest and on the underside a steel or other blade or
blades g each made in one or more pieces and concentric with the wire surface of the
main cylinder u and carried down for a certain distance, the whole being firmly fixed
to the above named segmental part q'. We also may or may not carry a concentric
plate (not shown) from and attached to the segmental piece q' or movable frame
round a portion of the circumference of the doffer v on the underside.
It will be evident from the foregoing description that if the several parts be
constructed and arranged as described that from one setting point on each side of the
carding engine the position of the whole movable framing q including the parts q'q
the fly plate and undercasing blade q with the doffer cover r and making up
piece may be all simultaneously adjusted. We may also give a separate adjustment
to the front fly plate 3 in addition to the combined adjustment above indicated and
the metal plates or blades q* forming the front part of the undercasing may be also
adjusted circumferentially or radially on the segmental pieces q)..
Our improved form of setting apparatus above referred to which may also be used
for the adjustment of the pedestals of the doffer r and licker-in or for the adjustment
of other parts may be constructed in the following way :-
We prolong the base of the sliding frame 7 a sufficient distance and we cast a
hollow box or recess q' in such prolonged portion. There is an eye bolt of securing
the box go to the underframing's and a differential adjusting screw q' which is tapped
through the end of the box or recess 9 and is also screwed through the eye bolt q so
that by turning the screw q' the whole sliding frame q with the various parts secured
to or supported thereon can be moved and adjusted simultaneously as above mentioned.
We may also have a holding down bolt or bolts such as q8 the whole arrangement
insuring a very accurate firm and safe adjustment.
In applying our improved setting apparatus to the pedestals of the doffer vor
licker-in w we prolong the base of said pedestals and cast the aforesaid hollow box in
such prolonged portion as shown applied to the licker-in pedestal Fig. 5.
We recess the ends of the cylinder u as shown in Fig. 8 by placing the rings and
end plates a certain distance back from the edge of the cylinder in the usual known
manner leaving the body of the bend t outside the cylinder and continue the bearing
or socket of the cylinder pedestal. for this extra distance so that the said bearing
or socket projects equally or nearly so on each side of the body of the under-
framings whereby the pressure of the weight of the cylinder u is brought over the
centre of the body of the main framing. We may further make provision for
strengthening the said framing s to sustain the weight of the cylinder u by carrying
down webs or feathers s' from the upper flange of the main framing s to a strong foot
or feet formed on the said framing to rest upon the floor.
We apply our improvements also to the setting of the licker-in w and to the setting
and construction of the undercasing of the main cylinder u and licker-in w and also
to what are termed the back knives y' which cover that portion of the cylinder u
between the licker-in and flats; and the other back knives y which are attached to
the licker-in pedestals y; thus we may have a pedestal or sliding frame y supporting
a segmental piece y¹ upon which are screwed the said back knives y' and by screws y¹
the back end of the undercasing y³ or the segmental piece y¹ may be continued below
the underframing & as shown in Fig. 5b and the back end of the undercasing y³
hinged or otherwise attached thereto; this frame y with the undercasing of the
licker-in the casings y¹ y' and the back knives y³ y may be adjusted by means of the
improved setting apparatus herein before described and shown applied to the licker-in
pedestals y in Fig. 5. We might employ any ordinary adjusting appliances but we
prefer to employ our improved adjusting device as shown described as our object is to

page_text: simplify the operation of adjusting and enable the parts of this portion of the carding
engine to be set with the greatest accuracy. The back knives y² in this case also may
have a separate adjustment independent of the main adjustment of the licker-in
pedestals y and its appurtenances.
We prefer to adjust the central part or front end of the undercasing y³ and test the
adjustment of that and of the other parts in the following manner;
The back end of the undercasing having been already adjusted by the setting of the
licker-in pedestals and sliding frame y is held firmly by said frame and the inside
surface of the undercasing y³ as originally set is exactly concentric with the outside
surface of the wire and the cylinder u. When this wire has worn and when all the
various parts are adjusted as previously described to keep them as nearly as possible
the same relative distance from the working parts it becomes desirable to adjust also
the central part or front end of the undercasing y³. The front end of the said under-
casing y³ is according to our improvements carried on each side of the carding engine
by a strong hanging bracket from the boss or socket which carries the bearing
for the cylinder shaft u¹ round which the said hanging bracket z may move when the
undercasing is adjusted with the other parts by the setting apparatus. The front
end or central portion of the undercasing y may approach within a short distance of
the metal blade 9 which is attached to the front undercasing g' and moves with the
sliding frame g and we may have a hole or openings in some portion of the under-
framings that will permit a gauge to be passed between the undercasing y³ and the
wire of the cylinder u so that the space becomes too great which is easily observable
the hanging bracket z on each side of the engine which is provided with an adjusting
screw can be made therewith to raise or adjust the front end of the undercasing y
to the required position.
Instead of the hanging bracket shown in Figs. 1 and 8 we may employ the
hanging bracket z shown in Fig. 9 in which the adjusting screw 2' is fitted in the
lower end instead of being placed above the bracket and bearing on the socket ¹ as
in Figs. 1 and 8.
Or we may employ either of the devices shown in Figs. 10 to 14 in order to support
and guide the front end and central portion of the undercasing y³ when the latter is
adjusted.
The devices Figs. 10, 11, and 12 consist of stationary brackets bolted to the
underframings and carrying studs preferably with antifriction bowls upon which the
prepared inclined or slotted surface of the undercasing y³ moves when adjusted.
In Fig. 13 the stud is on the undercasing y³ and the prepared surface on the
bracket
In Fig. 14 the undercasing is shown simply connected to the underframing by a
pivoted link which would support the undercasing y³ and guide it during
adjustment.
The segmental pieces q¹ and y¹ are preferably made with ribs or webs on their inner
faces projecting into the recessed ends and concentric with the main cylinder our
object being to prevent injurious air currents. The rib is indicated by dotted lines in
Figs. 4, 5 and 5b.
For the purpose of testing the adjustment of the various covers and casings we
form bosses st upon the framing opposite the circumference of the wire of the working
parts. Each of these bosses & is bored out and fitted with a stop piece which may be
screwed in or fastened by a set screw or hinged to the framing as shown. When the
setting requires to be adjusted the stop pieces are removed or swung back on their
hinges and a thin gauge passed through one of the holes and between the wire and
the working parts and when the adjustment has been effected the stop pieces or covers
are replaced. We do not limit ourselves to the position or number of these.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a travelling flat carding engine the use and annlication of a
movable

page_text: stripping card which is traversed in one direction to strip the flats and on its return is
itself stripped by another card substantially as herein set forth.
2. The combined arrangement of parts for actuating the movable stripping card to
strip the flats and also said movable stripping card substantially as herein described
and as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
3. Combining the bend nose or side framing of the doffer with a segmental piece
extending upward from the top of the underfraining on each side of the engine and
providing means for simultaneously adjusting said combined parts.
4. Combining the bend nose and a segmental piece above with a segmental piece
extending below the underframing on each side of the engine and carrying the under-
casing or casings between the main cylinder and doffer and providing means for
simultaneously adjusting said combined parts.
5.-The combination consisting of the movable frame q segmental piece or pieces q
door or lap piece front fly plate g³ the metal undercasing blade or blades q* and
the hollow box and differential setting screw or equivalent setting device on each
side of the engine substantially as herein described and as illustrated by Figs. 1
and 4.
6. Combining the licker-in pedestals with a segmental piece above the under-
framing on each side.of the engine said segmental piece carrying the back knives and
providing means for adjusting the whole simultaneously.
7. Combining the licker-in pedestals and undercasing with a segmental piece on
each side of the engine said piece above the underframing carrying the back knives
and below supporting the back end of the cylinder undercasing and providing means
for adjusting said combined parts simultaneously.
8. Combining the licker-in pedestals and undercasing with the back end of the
cylinder undercasing and providing means for adjusting said combined parts sub-
stantially as herein specified.
9. The combination with an undercasing for the main cylinder adjustable with the
pedestals of the licker-in, of the hanging bracket z, or the several equivalent devices
illustrated by Figs. 10 to 14.
10. The mode of testing the adjustment of the working parts and undercasings by
means of gauges inserted through apertures formed in the bend framing or other
parts or in the underframing of the carding engine substantially as specified.
11. The construction and arrangement illustrated by Fig. 8 wherein the relative
positions of the different parts are so determined that the centre of the main cylinder
bearing coincides with the centre of the body of the main underframing substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
12. The construction and combined arrangements of parts embodying our
improvements in carding engines substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and as illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
T
DOLL
Cantonban 1000
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicants.