Improvements in Clothing the "Flats" of Carding Engines and in Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 17th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
ཏ་ ཐཱ་
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clothing the "Flats" of Carding Engines and in
Apparatus Employed therefor.
We JOHN THOMPSON of the firm of Messieurs Curtis Sons and Company, Engineers,
and THOMAS BARKER foreman, both of Phoenix Works, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates first to a method of securing the wire card clothing to
the cast iron "flats" of carding engines, and secondly to the construction of apparatus
to be employed for such purpose
The objects of the invention are to dispense with the drilling of holes in the "flat"
and the time labor and material employed in stretching the clothing and rivetting or
wiring the same onto the metal "flat" as usually practised; to dispense also with
metal.clips embracing the edge of the flat which are liable to become loose; and to
obtain a perfectly smooth and even edge to the "flat" when clothed so that there are
no roughnesses or projections for the cotton fibre to adhere to; and also to prevent
waste of the backing material which according to the present method of fastening and
stretching the same, has to be cut considerably wider than the face of the "flat
to afford a hold for the pincers or other similar devices employed for stretching the
same when being rivetted or wired which extra width has to be subsequently cut off
and wasted.
"
so as
For this purpose we provide strips of thin metal (preferably sheet metal) of
rather more than the length of the iron "flat" (say about three quarters of an
inch) and about three quarters of an inch more in width than the face of the iron
"flat" and we turn up both edges and ends of the same about three eighths of an
inch all round to a right angle or thereabouts, leaving the rest flat and of exactly the
length and breadth of the face of the iron "flat."
We then solder (or braze) this strip firmly onto the face of the iron "flat" its
turned up edges forming a projecting riin all round about three eighths of an inch
in depth.
We then cut the strip of card clothing to the width of the face of the flat (or
slightly narrower) and lay it on the face of the flat within the projecting rim above
mentioned and by means of the apparatus hereinafter, described we clinch the bent-
over edges of the strip onto the clothing and at the same time force the edges
outwards so as to stretch the strip of clothing laterally to its full extent.
The apparatus which we employ for this purpose consists principally of a bed
plate in which is formed a long groove or trough of such a form-and width as to
is placed
receive the iron "flat" and, of such a depth that when the clothed "flat
5 therein, the surface of the "clothing" shall be about level with the face of the
bed and the turned up edges of the strip shall project above the same.
The bed plate is fitted on each side of the groove with a sliding plate or jaw which
is capable of being actuated by excentrics, cams, screws or levers in such a way as to
cause the two sliding plates, or jaws, to approach each other so as to bend over the
0 edges of the steel strips above the edges of the clothing after which the sliding plates
or jaws are withdrawn.
In some cases we propose to dispense with these sliding plates or jaws and to
turn in the upper edges of the steel strips at the same time that they are turned
up before soldering or brazing onto the "fat" in which case the card clothing will
5 have to be slipped in end wise under such edges.
Suitable brackets are cast or attached to the bed-plate and support a longitudinal
shaft at a convenient distance above the same, which shaft is provided at intervals
with bort arms carrying bowls and with one or more levers for giving a partial
chaft

page_text: The clinching tool is made of two long bars of a curved section hinged or
jointed together along one edge and toothed or roughened along the other or
working edges.
This tool is placed above the "flat" in such a position that the roughened edges
rest on the backing, just inside the turned in edges of the steel strip, a pro-
jecting portion of the edge also resting on the edges of the strip and over the
hinge or joint along the centre (which is arched upwards) is laid a cam plate.
The levers are now pulled over causing the short arms to bring down their bowls
with great pressure on the cam plate, so as to hold the cloth or backing material
firmly onto the face of the flat and as the levers are pulled over still further the bowls
force down the central hinge causing the roughened edges to move further apart and
thus stretch the clothing laterally to its full extent and at the same time "clinch"
down the inner edges of the bent over part of the steel strips.
The ends of the steel strips may be bent over and clinched by means of a hand
tool or otherwise.
Dated this 15th of May 1980
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clothing the "Flats" of Carding Engines and in
Apparatus Employed therefor.
We JOHN THOMPSON of the firm of Messieurs Curtis Sons and Company, Engineer,
and THOMAS BARKER foreman, both of Phoenix Works, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster 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 stateinent :-
This invention relates first to a method of securing the wire card clothing to the
cast iron "flats" of carding engines, and secondly to the construction of apparatus
to be employed for such purpose.
The objects of the invention are to dispense with the drilling of holes in the "flat,"
and the time, labor, and material employed in stretching the clothing and rivetting
or wiring the same onto the metal "flat" as usually practised; to dispense also with
metal clips embracing the edge of the flat, which are liable to become loose; and to
obtain a perfectly smooth and even edge to the flat when clothed so that there are
no roughnesses, or projections for the cotton fibre to adhere to ; and also to prevent
waste of the backing material which according to the present method of fastening
and stretching the same has to be cut considerably wider than the face of the "flat
so as to afford a hold for the pincers or other similar devices employed for stretching
the same when being rivetted or wired which extra width has to be subsequently-cut
off and wasted.
Our invention will be readily understood on reference to the two sheets of drawings
hereunto annexed and to the following explanation thereof.
On sheet 1. Figs. 1. 2 and 3. shew the method of preparing the metal strips here-
after described for the reception of the card clothing, to which however we lay, no
special claim as our invention.
"
02
Figs. 4. 5. 6 and 7. illustrate detached parts of the clinching tool hereafter described.
Fig. 8 shows the tool complete and in place over a
flat" shown in section, Fig. 8*
is a similar view shewing the position of the tool after stretching the clothing and
clinching down the sides of the sheet metal strip over the said clothing, as hereafter
described, Fig. 9 illustrates how the edges of the metal strip may be bent over.
Figs. 10. and 11 show one form of apparatus in which the clinching tool may
be used.
On Sheet 2. Fig. 12. is an end elevation of another apparatus in which the bending
over and clinching tools may be used, as hereafter described,

page_text: In carrying out our invention into practise we provide strips of thin metal
(preferably sheet steel) of rather more than the length of the iron "flat" (say about
three quarters of an inch) and about three quarters of an inch more in width than the
face of the iron "flat" and we turn up both edges and ends of the same about three
cighths of an inch all round, to a right angle or thereabouts, leaving the rest flat, and
of exactly the length and breadth of the face of the iron "flat."
Or we may
make the metal strip of the same length as the flat, and turn up the
edges, only fixing the ends as hereafter described.
Fig. 1. shows the width of the metal strip a.
Fig. 2. shows a strip a with its edge turned up at a¹.
Wo then solder (or braze) this strip a firmly onto the face of the inner "flat"
its turned up edges forming a projecting rim of about three eighths of an inch in
depth.
We then cut the strip of card clothing to the width of the face of the flat c (or
slightly narrower) and lay it on the face of the flat within the projecting rim above
mentioned, the edges a¹ being previously or subsequently bent over (see Fig. 8);
and by means of the apparatus bereinafter described, or by equivalent means,
we clinch both of the bent over edges a¹ of the strip a onto the clothing & simulta-
neously and at the same time force the edges a' outwards so as to stretch the strip
of clothing laterally to its full extent (Fig. 8A).
The apparatus which we employ for this purpose consists principally of a bed-
plate d, in which is formed a long groove or trough d', of such a form and width as
to receive the iron "flat," and of such a depth that when the "fat" c is placed
therein with its clothing b, the surface of the clothing & shall be about level with
the face of the bed d, and the turned up edges of the strip shall project above
the same.
We prefer to bend over the edges a¹ of the strip a before soldering the said strip to
the face of the flat c and in this case, the strip with its bent up edges are laid upon
a loose plate c*, in the groove d' and a bar e carrying a suitably shaped die e¹
(see Fig. 9.) is brought down over the strip and holds it firmly whilst its sides are
bent over as follows:
The bed plate d is fitted on each side of the groove d¹ with a sliding plate or
jaw (see Figs. 10 and 11) which is capable of being actuated by a screw and
handle, or by excentrics cams or other suitable means in such a way as to cause
the two sliding plates or jaws f to approach each other so as to bend over both the
edges a¹ of the steel strips simultaneously after which the sliding plates or jaws ƒ are
withdrawn by springs at 3, or otherwise.
Suitable brackets g are cast or attached to the frame-work of the machine and
support a longitudinal shaft i at a convenient distance above the bedplate which
shaft is provided at intervals with short arms carrying bowls, and with one or
more levers, for giving a partial rotation to the shaft.
The clinching tool is made of two long bars k, k¹ of a curved or cranked section
hinged or jointed together along one edge and toothed or roughened along the other
or working edge (see Figs. 4. 5. 6. 7. and 8).
In the tool shown on the drawings the form of part k is seen in end elevation at
Fig. 4. The part is shown in end elevation at Fig. 5 and partial front elevation at
Fig. 7.
The two parts are
a projection or pin
part k.
connected together by links (see Fig. 6) one of which embrace
at each end of the part k¹, and is attached at ³ to the
We do not however wish to confine ourselves to this method of connecting the two
parts of the clinching tool.
The tool is placed above the "flat" (see Fig. 8.) in such a position that the serrated
edges rest on the backing just inside the turned in edges a' of a projecting portion of
the edge also resting on the edges of the strip and over the hinge or joint k* along
the centre (which is arched upwards) is laid a cam plate 1 (Figs. 10 and 11).
The levers are now pulled over causing the short arms to bring down their

page_text: bowls with great pressure on the cam plate so as to hold the cloth or backing
material firmly onto the face of the flat and as the levers are pulled over still
further the bowls 2, force down the central hinge * causing the roughened edges to
move further apart (into the position shown at Fig. 8A) and thus stretch the clothing
laterally to its full extent and at the same time "clinch" down the inner edges of the
bent-over part a' of the steel' strip a.
The ends of the steel strips, when turned up, may be bent over and clinched by
means of a hand tool or otherwise.
We prefer as before stated not to bend up the ends of the strips a but to make the
latter of the same length as the card clothing and over each end of the clothing to
place a narrow strip of sheet metal as at ax (see Fig. 14 detached plan view) each end
of which is clinched down beneath the bent over sides of the strip a.
The sides or edges of these 'strips a* may be then forced downwards thereby biting
into the card clothing and firmly fixing the same in place.
Fig. 12 is an end elevation of an apparatus whereby the bending over and clinching
may be done by mechanical means entirely.
The jaws are mounted on the sliding bar e which carries the die e¹ (see dotted
lines) and are set to the required position by the handle f2.
This sliding bar e is brought down (and raised) by being connected at each end to
an excentric or crank pin m by the blocks o, o' and adjustable rols p.
The treadle and bar r is for raising a loose rod or bar in the groove of the
bed plate d, should the bending over or clinching of the sheet metal edges a' cause
the sides to expand so as to project beyond the sides of the "flat," and prevent .the
ready removal thereof from the bedplate.
In this apparatus the connecting rods are lengthened when clinching the edges of
the metal strips over the card clothing so as to leave space for the tool k, k¹ to work
beneath the die e¹.
The driving shaft m³ may be fitted with a small worm m²-gearing with a worm
wheel m³ provided with a stud, or studs m acting upon the sliding knocking-off bar m³
so as to release it, and allow the spring me to act thereon and thus stop the machine
automatically.
The iron flat c having its metal strip a soldered thereto, and the edges of the
latter bent up as previously described, a strip of card clothing b is laid thereon
with its edges beneath the bent-up edges a¹ of the metal strip, and the whole is
laid in the recess d¹.
The hinged clinching tool k, k¹ is then placed in position and the gearing being
set in motion the crank pin m by means of the rods p will bring down the
die onto the hinge of the clinching tool and thus fix and expand the strip
of card clothing as previously described, when the finished flat can be raised up
out of the recess d' by placing the foot on the treadle ġ.
Fig. 13 shows a hand tool for clinching the metal edges a¹ by short lengths at a
time, the tool k. k' being connected by the links to a hand levert the other end t', of
which is preferably weighted.
We are aware that it 'has already been proposed to solder or braze a strip of
metal to the face of a flat and then to affix the clothing thereto by bending over
the edges of such strips.
We therefore lay no claim to this as our Invention, but what we do claim is -
1. The method of attaching card clothing to flats (substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the annexed drawings) consisting in preparing a strip
of sheet metal with bent over edges attached by soldering or brazing to the flat
and securing a strip of card clothing thereto by simultaneously stretching the
cloth backing, and clinching down both sides of the said strip thereon.
2. The construction of apparatus' substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figs. 9. '10" and 11. för bending over and clinching the edges of the
sheet metal strip and stretching and fixing the clothing.
3. The construction of the clinching tool consisting of two bars of curved or cranked

page_text: section hinged or jointed together in such a manner that upon pressure being applied
to the said hinge or joint there lower edges will clinch down the edges of the sheet
metal strip aforesaid and stretch the clothing substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by the annexed drawings.
Dated this 14th day of February 1890.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.