Improvements in Carding-engines.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding-engines.
I, JAMES EDGE, of Gorton, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mill
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the working of carding engines I find that on re-starting after the stripping
of the cylinder the sliver is thinner or lighter than it normally should be and that
this continues until the wires on the cylinder become filled again with fibre.
This invention is designed to obviate this and consists essentially in so regulating
or adjusting the feed that it can iminediately after the stripping of 'the card 'be
made to run at a quicker speed for a short period of time so as to feed in a greater
quantity of the lap the speed of the feed gradually decreasing until the normal is
again reached.
In carrying out the invention I apply to the doffer end of the feed shaft a
friction wheel capable of being moved longitudinally on the shaft which gears with
a similar wheel on the doffer shaft and by gradually moving the wheel on the feed
shaft nearer to the centre of the doffer shaft the speed of the feed shaft is gradually
reduced.
Attaching to or forming part of the grinding pulley on the doffer shaft (or
otherwise attached to the doffer shaft) I provide a bevil or other friction wheel 'in
addition to the ordinary bevil toothed wheel which drives the feed shaft.
On the feed shaft I place a corresponding friction wheel either attached to or
forming part of the ordinary bevil wheel (or otherwise attached to the shaft).
This friction wheel along with the bevil wheel is free to move longitudinally ön
the shaft on a feather or key so as to cause the shaft to rotate with them. The
boss of the friction wheel is provided with a screw thereon or other device by
which when the wheel is set in motion it is gradually caused to travel along the
shaft. I at present prefer a screw thread with a pin or the like engaging with the
thread to cause it to travel as it rotates. This pin is pivoted or fixed in a slide
or the like as to be readily disengaged from or thrown out of gear with the screw
thread.
Where two bevil friction wheels are employed provision is made for the feed
shaft to move laterally and the two are kept in contact by a weighted or eccentric
lever spring or other device. Instead of bevils a friction disc and wheel may
be used.
The wheels on the feed shaft are caused to travel until the ordinary toothed
wheels on the doffer shaft and feed shaft come into gear.
On the bosses of these two wheels I provide a short incline which when brought
into contact at the time the toothed wheels come into gear throw or force the
friction wheels out of gear and at the same time prevent the toothed wheels gearing
too deeply.
Instead of the friction wheels a spirally toothed bevil wheel may be employed to
drive the wheel on the feed shaft but I at present prefer the friction form of
driving as simpler.
To throw or move the feed shaft away from the doffer shaft or to throw it out
of gear entirely I may employ a stationary rack with a toothed wheel gearing
therewith and held in normal position by a weighted lever or spring or an eccentric
may be employed for the same purpose.
Dated this 25th day of Jan 1905
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding-engines.
I, JAMES EDGE, of High Street Gorton, in the County of Lancaster, Mill
Manager 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 :-
In the working of carding engines both of the revolving-flat and roller type
the card-wire surface of the main cylinder and doffer become charged to a certain
depth of the wire with cotton fibre. After performing the operation known in the
trade as "stripping," I find that this depth of fibre is lessened so much, that on
re-starting the engine, the sliver for a certain length is thinner or lighter than it
should be and continues to be in that condition until the wires are charged to their
normal depth again. This defect is of a serious nature since the yarn subsequently
spun from such sliver after it has passed through the other preparation processes,
is of an uneven character.
Now this invention is designed to obviate the above defect and consists
essentially in so regulating or adjusting the feed mechanism that the latter can,
after the stripping operation has been performed, be made to run at a higher speed
than the normal one for a short period of time so that the lap of cotton is fed to
the main cylinder in greater quantity, this quantity being gradually reduced until
the normal rate of speed is again reached.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation
Fig. 2 an end elevation, and
Fig. 3 a plan.
In carrying out my invention I mount on the doffer end of the feed shaft A, a
friction disc B covered with an indiarubber, leather or other suitable surface
material b, and which is capable of free longitudinal movement along the shaft A,
whilst it is compelled to rotate with it by means of a feather or key. Fixed to the
disc B or forming part of it is the usual bevel wheel a which normally gears with
another bevel wheel a¹ fixed on the doffer shaft A¹. At the opposite end of
shaft A is fixed another bevel wheel 6' gearing with a wheel "fixed on the end
of the feed roller. On the doffer shaft behind the wheel a¹ is fixed a friction
disc C, either separately or combined with the pulley which is used when
grinding the wire of the doffer. The friction disc B is attached to or formed
integral with a sleeve or boss D, the free end of which has fixed on or formed in it
a flange d. Intermediate of the ends of the boss is fixed, or formed in the boss, a
screw E of a regular or differential pitch, preferably the latter, which engages with
a pin or stud e supported in a bracket F, attached to or forming part of the shaft-
supporting bracket F', which is in turn affixed to the side frame of the carding
engine. The pin or stud e is shaped at the lower end to fit the groove in the
screw E whilst it is prevented from turning round radially and descending too far
vertically by a peg el. A knob or handle is provided at the top so that it may
be readily lifted out of gear with the worm E. Instead of being placed
vertically the bracket F, may be arranged horizontally or in other position most
suitable.
In the position shown the parts are working normally, that is to say the carding
engine is working in its normal manner and the mechanism constituting my
invention is inoperative. It will be seen that the friction disc B is out of contact
with the disc C. The former is placed in this position and also in its operative
position by means of the following arrangement of mechanism :-Threaded on the
boss or sleeve D is a second sleeve or bearing G, provided with flanges g. This
sleeve G, has formed integral with it, or affixed to it, a sector arm or lever g', to

page_text: which is attached by means of a chain, cord, or the like, a weight g". The
bracket F has its socket or bearing f¹ formed to allow of a little lateral movement
of the sleeve G, in order that the friction disc B may be moved into or out of
contact with the disc C. The movement towards the disc C is attained by forming
teeth h on the boss G, corresponding to similar teeth h¹ formed in the bracket FI,
the weight g" always tending to rotate the sleeve G, and so by means of the teeth,
bringing about a lateral movement. To control the lateral movement, however,
I employ a rack H mounted in the bracket F¹. This rack is provided with
inclined faces ", h, which alternately engage with a snug g formed on the
sleeve G. The end of the rack H' engages with the disc or flange d. Carried or
supported by the bracket F¹ is a shaft J, on which is fixed a pinion j gearing with
the rack H, the pinion being rotated by a handle J', and the rack traversed
longitudinally by hand when required.
When the stripping operation has been performed, the parts are moved to the
right by means of the handle J' which on being turned rotates the pinion j and
traverses the rack. The end H' of the latter engages with the flange d and pushes
the sleeve D and with it the worm or screw E, friction disc B, and bevel a to the
right. The inclined face h¹ on the rack, coming into contact with the snug gill,
rotates the sleeve G and holds the friction disc B out of contact with the disc C.
The pine is, whilst this is being done, held out of contact with the screw E. The
incline may be dispensed with though it serves to hold the disc B in the position
described and thus prevents a flat face being formed on the surface b. When the
engine is started the pin e drops into the groove of the screw, the rack is moved a
little to the left and the disc 1 thus brought into contact with C by the weight gl.
As the screw is rotated by the contact of the two discs, the sleeve D and parts
attached to it are moved to the left. At first the speed of the shaft A, is higher
than the normal one, owing to disc B engaging with a larger diameter of disc C,
and consequently the feed of sliver is greater. But as the disc B approaches the
doffer shaft A', the speed is gradually decreased until the bevel wheel a is brought
into gear with a', when the parts rotate at their normal speed and the feed of sliver
is again normal. Immediately this is attained the inclined face h engages with
snug g and causes the removal of the disc B away from disc C, the flange d
having pushed the rack H forward to effect this.
By this means it will be seen the wire surface of the cylinder is charged with
cotton quicker than under ordinary circumstances, and consequently the sliver
stripped off the doffer is of one uniform thickness or weight.
It will be obvious that the details of my invention may be modified without
departing from the essence of the invention. Thus instead of using friction
discs B and C, I may form on a disc such as C, a spirally toothed bevel having
a gradually decreasing diameter until it terminates into a bevel similar to a¹. In
this case the bevel a would gear with such spiral bevel and form a positive drive.
The teeth of the spiral bevel would be shrouded on both sides so that the shrouds
would traverse the bevel a longitudinally and thus enable the screw E to be
dispensed with.
Then again in place of using the mechanism described for
holding the friction dise B out of contact during the normal working of the card,
I may extend the bosses of wheels a¹ and a, make them the same diameter, and
form on the end of each, a bevel surface, so that these surfaces would come into
contact and force the parts slightly asunder. In place of the weight g" and
sector arm or lever g', I may employ a spring or an eccentric lever engaging with
a fixed surface. The rack H may also be provided with a double inclined plate or
the like to engage with the peg e¹ and so lift up or lower the pin e automatically
when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim in connection with carding engines is :-

page_text: after "stripping," be caused to run at a higher speed than normal and be gradually
decreased to the normal speed, substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth.
(2.) The combination with the feed rollers and doffer of a carding engine, of
the mechanism for regulating or adjusting the feed, arranged substantially in the
manner described and for the purposes set forth.
(3.) The mechanism for regulating or adjusting the feed, constructed and
arranged substantially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of October 1895.
JAMES EDGE,
Applicant.