CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Shaw, of Higher Walton, near Preston,
in the County of Lancaster, and Robert Lakin, of Manchester,
in the same County, Machinists, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES."
Sealed the 11th January 1870, and dated the 26th July 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Shaw and
Robert Lakin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th July 1869.
We, RICHARD SHAW, of Higher Walton, near Preston, in the County
of Lancaster, and ROBERT LAKIN, of Manchester, in the same County,
Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES," to be as follows:-
. In certain engines of the ordinary construction the fleece of fibres
supplied to the machine is carded by rollers on flats, or by rollers, or
flats, as it is carried forward by the main cylinder by which it is
delivered to the doffer. Now our Invention consists not. only.in.carding
fibres at the main cylinder, but also at the door, whereby the work
is more effectually performed and the production increased..
[Price

page_text: In performing our Invention we apply a set of top flats or working
rollers to the surface of the ordinary doffer, and we cause the doffer to
deliver the fleece on to a small roller, from which the fleece is doffed
by a comb or other equivalent, or the fleece may be doffed from the
ordinary doffer. The doffer may be made to revolve at a greater speed
than usual, and in the contrary direction to that in which it runs in
carding engines of the ordinary construction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Shaw and Robert Lakin in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
SHAW, of Higher Walton, near Preston, in the County of Lancaster, and
ROBERT LAKIN, of Manchester, in the same County, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Richard Shaw and Robert Lakin, Her
special licence that we, the said Richard Shaw and Robert Lakin,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Richard Shaw and Robert Lakin, own executors, 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 CARDING ENGINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Richard Shaw
and Robert Lakin, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of our or 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Richard Shaw and Robert Lakin,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed; to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
In carding engines of the ordinary construction the fleece of fibres
supplied to the machine is carded by rollers and flats, or by rollers or
flats, as it is carried forward by the main cylinder by which it is
delivered to the doffer. Now our Invention consists not only in carding
the fibres at the main cylinder but also at the ordinary doffer, whereby
the work is more effectually performed and the production increased.
In performing our Invention we apply a set of flats or working
rollers to the surface of the ordinary doffer, and we cause the doffer to
deliver the fleece on to a small roller, from which the fleece is doffed by
a comb or other equivalent, or the fleece may be doffed from the
ordinary doffer. The doffer may be made to revolve at a greater speed
than usual, and in the contrary direction to that in which it runs in
carding engines of the ordinary construction.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters
marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a carding engine constructed according
to our improvements; Figure 2 is an elevation of part of the same
drawn to a larger scale; Figures 3 and 4 are detached portions of the
machinery drawn full size.
In Figure 1, a is the feed roller; b, the licker-in; c, the main cylinder;
and d, d, e, e, are workers and clearing rollers; these parts are made as
in carding engines of the ordinary construction. f is the doffer on
to which the carded fibres of cotton or other fibrous substance are depo-
sited by the main cylinder c; this doffer revolves in the opposite direction
to that of ordinary doffers, and it may be driven faster than usual; to
the surface of the doffer f is applied the endless chain of top flats g,
and the fibres are again carded between the doffer and the top flats
before they are deposited on the small doffer h, from which the fleece
is doffed by the comb i. The top flats 9 are connected at each end to
the chains g', shewn best in Figures 2, 3, and 4, and these chains are
moved slowly in the direction of the arrows in the following manner :-

page_text: pulley c¹, which by means
To this shaft is fixed a
fixed to the diagonal shaft k,
To the axle of the main cylinder c is fixed a
of a strap drives the pulley on the shaft j.
worm gearing into the worm wheel
to which is also fixed the worm k² gearing into the wheel on the
shaft l. To this shaft are fixed the two cog wheels 12, shewn detached in
Figures 3 and 4; these cog wheels gear into projections cast on or fixed
to the top flats g, consequently as the shaft / revolves it communicates
a slow motion in the direction of the arrow to the endless chains.g¹,
which pass around guide pulleys on the shaft m. The shaft m is sup-
ported in bearings fitting in slots in the brackets n, and the position
of these bearings can be adjusted by set screws so as to keep the end-
ess chains at their proper tension. The distance between the card
clothing of the top flats g and that of the large doffer f is regulated by the
segments o, which are bolted to the frame sides of the carding engine,
the position of the segments being capable of adjustment by regula-
ting set screws. The segments o¹ are to support the top flats in their
passage from the cog wheels 12 to the guide pulleys on the shaft m. As
the top flats pass in succession around the cog wheels 12 they are
stripped by the comb p fixed to the horizontal arm of the elbow lever p',
the vertical arm of which is actuated by the cam 2 on the shaft j. The
strippings from the top flats are collected in a box placed above the
doffer h. The top flats g are cleaned after they have been stripped by
the revolving brush q, and the impurities are struck out of this brush
by.a comb and collected in a suitable receptacle. When the fibres have
:been carded by the action of the main cylinder they are deposited on
the doffer f, where they are again carded before they are deposited on
the second doffer h, thus performing the work more effectually than
heretofore and increasing the production. We wish to observe here
that instead of the endless chain of top flats shown in the Drawing, we
also intend in some cases to apply ordinary top flats or working and
clearing rolers to the surface of the large doffer f; the other details.
given may also be modified, and it may be found desirable to apply the
doffing comb to the large doffer f, thereby dispensing with the small
doffer h.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described a con-
venient mode of carrying the same into operation, we declare that what
we claim as our improvements in carding engines is, the application of
top flats or other equivalents to the surface of the doffer for the
purpose
::
..!

page_text: doffer also.
In witness whereof, we, the said Richard Shaw and Robert Lakin,
have hereto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of
January One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
RICHARDS HAW. (L.S.)
ROBERT LAKIN.
(L.S.)