CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR GRINDING CARDS' EMPLOYED IN CARDING ENGINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Allen, of Cheadle, in the County of Chester,
Cotton Spinner, and William Johnson, of Newton Moor, in the same
County, Manager, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR GRINDING CARDS' EMPLOYED IN CARDING
ENGINES."
Sealed the 5th May 1863, and dated the 5th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Allen and
William Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 5th March 1863.
We, WILLIAM ALLEN, of Cheadle, in the County of Chester, Cotton Spinner,
and WILLIAM JOHNSON, of Newton Moor, in the same County, Manager, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR GRINDING 'CARDS' EMPLOYED IN CARDING ENGINES,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to the small carding surfaces employed in carding
engines, generally attached to a continuous chain and termed "flats" and is
designed for the purpose of grinding the surface of such cards in an even and
true concave form, or in any other form desired.

page_text: The improvements consist in the novel employment and use of a guide or
peculiarly shaped groove to cause the "flat" to approach and recede from
the grinding cylinder at certain intervals, so that such guide governs the
superficial form into which the surface of the "flat" is ground. The form of
the groove or guide will depend upon the particular form to which the "flat"
is to be ground, whether truly vertical, simply curved, doubly curved, or
S-shape, or diagonal. The "flat" is secured at the end of a radius rod or
lever, the opposite end of such rod being furnished with a spring or weight,
and at any point in the length of the rod a bowl or roller is attached working
or sliding in or against the aforesaid guide or groove, the weight or spring
retaining the bowl in contact with the guide, and between the guide and the
"flat" a rod is attached, adjustable in length, and connecting the radial rod
with a crank, the revolution of which causes the rise and fall or vertical motion
of the "flat," thus a double movement is given to the "flat," one horizontal by
the guide, and the vertical one by the crank and connecting rod. I would
remark that the grinding cylinder may be placed between two "flats" thus
arranged, and such apparatus as described be employed on each side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Allen and William Johnson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
ALLEN, of Cheadle, in the County of Chester, Cotton Spinner, and WILLIAM
JOHNSON, of Newton Moor, in the same County, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Allen and William Johnson, Her special license that we, the said
William Allen and William Johnson, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Allen and Willian Johnson, our execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OB

page_text: APPARATUS FOR GRINDING CARDS' EMPLOYED IN CARDING ENGINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Allen and William
Johnson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, 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 William Allen and William Johnson
do hereby declare the nature of the 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 Drawings (that is to
say):-
Our Invention relates to the small carding surfaces employed in carding
engines generally attached to a continuous chain, and termed "flats," and is
designed for the purpose of grinding the surface of such cards in an even and
true concave form or in any other form desired.
The improvements consist in the novel employment and use of a guide or
peculiar shaped groove to cause the "flat" to approach and recede from the
grinding cylinder at certain intervals so that such guide governs the superficial
form into which the surface of the flat is ground. The form of the groove or
guide will depend upon the particular form to which the "flat" is to be ground,
whether truly vertical, simply curved, or S-shape, or diagonal. The flat is
secured at the end of the radius rod or lever, the opposite end of such rod
being furnished with a spring or weight, and at any point in the length of the
rod a bowl or roller is attached, working or sliding in or against the aforesaid
guide or groove, the weight or spring retaining the bowl in contact with the
guide, and between the guide and the "flat" a connecting rod is attached
adjustable in length, and connecting the radial rod with a crank, the revolution
of which causes the rise and fall or vertical motion of the "flat," thus a double
movement is given to the "flat," one horizontal by the guide, and the vertical
one by the crank and connecting rod. We would remark that the grinding
cylinder may be placed between two flats thus arranged, and such apparatus as
described be employed on each side.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale
of about two inches to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked upon
corresponding parts of the apparatus.

page_text: Fig. 1 represents an end elevation of the apparatus for grinding and
pointing the cards termed "flats" employed in carding fibrous materials, such
view shewing particularly the curved slot, by which means the shape into
which the surface of the "flats" are to be ground is defined and regulated,
and also shews one method of applying a reciprocating motion thereto;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation, a portion being removed at the line A, B, in order
to exhibit more clearly the gearing and internal construction.
In Figs. 1 and 2, a, a, is the framing of the machine, in which is supported
the driving shaft b, which drives by means of the strap and pulley c, a right
and left-handed screw, and causes the roller and cylinder d to traverse from
end to end of the two flats e, e, the application of such traverse motion and the
means of effecting the same being now well known, and the peculiarities and
features of the grooved roller are explained in the Specification of. Letters
Patent granted to us, dated the Twenty-fourth day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three, No. 217. We would remark that the grinding.
roller d may either be used and constructed as therein described, or it may be
employed without a corrugated surface as hitherto used, and is situated
between the two "flats " to be ground, which are secured at the ends of the
vibrating bars f, f, one end of such bars being supported in the bearings 9, 9,
and are self-adjusting therein by being simply attached to the cord or weight
which allows of any slight rise and fall. The course or curve which these bars
and consequently the "flats" are caused to follow is regulated and defined by
means of the curved (or straight) slots in the guides h, h; the surface of such
flats are ground into a form corresponding to the form of the guide employed.
The pressure of the flats against the grinding roller is obtained by means of the
springs l, l, the amount of pressure being regulated by the ratchet and pawi l, by
means of which the flats e, e, are prevented from becoming pressed too closely
upon the grinding roller. The grinding roller is driven by means of the band
and pulley c from the driving shaft b, and the vibratory motion or rise and
fall of the bars and "flats" is effected by the crank studs on the spur wheels
m, m, which are driven by a pinion on the driving shaft. The advantages
arising from the employment of "needle pointed" cards in the carding engine
instead of the "chisel pointed" as usually ground, together with the use of
"flats" having their carding surfaces grooved truly to any required form, will
be evident to all persons conversant with preparing and spinning cotton.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim the novel application and adaptation of a suitably

page_text: shaped guide or groove to cause the flat to approach and recede from the
grinding roller at certain required intervals, so that such guide may govern the
superficial form into which the surface of the flat is to be grooved as
herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Allen and William Johnson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.
WILLIAM ALLEN.
(L.B.)
WILLIAM JOHNSON. (L.B.)