IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Dobson, of Plymouth, in the County of Devon,
Engineer, and Thomas Henry Rushton and Benjamin Alfred Dobson, both of
the Firm of Dobson and Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Makers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Dobson, Thomas
Henry Rushton, and Benjamin Alfred Dobson at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 22nd September 1876.
WILLIAM DOBSON, of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Engineer, and THOMAS
HENRY RUSHTON and BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, both of the Firm of Dobson and
Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Our Invention is applicable to self-stripping carding engines, and it consists in
an improved combination of machinery for raising the top flats either in regular or
in any required succession, and for stripping them, whereby the stripping is
effected and the top flats brought down again more rapidly than was heretofore
possible.
The machinery consists of a pair of cams actuated by chains or gearing, which
are mounted on studs in the radial arms; these cams give motion to slides which
are connected to claws by side links; the fulcrum of each claw slides up and down
in slots in the radial arm. As the slides rise they cause the upper ends of the claws
to approach each other, and to take hold of the regulating screws in the ends of the
top flat; the claws then lift the top flat sufficiently to allow the stripping board to
pass under; the top flat is then lowered by an incline fastened on the lifting arm;
the claws are then drawn back by the cams clear of the stripping arms, and the
stripping board is then brought back over the top flat; the radial arms can then be
moved so as to bring the apparatus in line with the next top flat to be stripped.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Dobson, Thomas Henry Rushton, and Benjamin Alfred Dobson
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st March 1877.
WILLIAM DOBSON, of Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Engineer, and THOMAS
HENRY RUSHTON and BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, both of the Firm of Dobson and
"IMPROVEMENTS
Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers.
IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Our Invention is applicable to self-stripping carding engines, and it consists in
an improved combination of machinery for raising the top flats either in regular or
in any required succession, and for stripping them, whereby the stripping is
effected, and the top flats brought down again more rapidly than was heretofore
possible.
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, in
which Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a side view of part of a self-stripping carding
engine to which our improvements are applied.
a is the axle of the main cylinder; b, the radial arms, one at each end of the
cylinder, as usual; to the shaft a is fixed the pulley c, which by a strap drives the
pulley d on the stud e, as usual; to this pulley is connected the pinion f, gearing
into the wheel g on the cross shaft g¹, to which is also fixed the toothed pulley g
which by means of the link chain or other equivalent gives motion to the toothed
pulley h¹; this pulley is cast with or fixed to the toothed segment h² (forming part
of the ordinary apparatus by which the radial arms are moved) and the cam h³, all
of which are mounted on a stud fixed to the radial arm b. In the face of the
cams h³ are the bowls h, which act upon the cam levers h³, hinged to the radial
arins b, and these levers are provided with slots fitting on bowls in the slides i,
which fit in slots in the radial arms b, and each slide is connected by a link j to a
claw; the fulcrum studs of these claws also move up and down in slots in the
radial arms b. The claws are held open by the double springs, the upper end of
the longer spring being connected to the radial arms.
The top flats are made as usual, but at each end is a regulating screw 1, see
Fig. 2, against the ends of which the claws k close when the slides i rise, as will be
explained hereafter. The steel regulating screws are tapped into the metal ends of
the top flat, and they are provided with lock nuts; by this means the level of the
lift of the top flat can be adjusted.
The stripping board m is supported by the arms m¹, which are hinged to studs m²
fixed in the radial arms b, and the stripping board is moved to and fro by bowls
taking into the grooves of the cams h³.
The mode of operation is as follows, and the Drawing represents the parts in the
positions they occupy when the radial arins are in front of the top flat to be
stripped-As the cams ³ revolve in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 the
bowls h³, acting on the cam levers 7, raise the slides i at the first part of the lift of
the slides, the links j acting on the claws cause these claws to approach each other
until they catch hold of the regulating screws of the top flat l. As the slides
continue to rise they lift the top flat to its full height; at this time the bowls h
are acting on the heel of the levers h³. When the top flat is up the cams h³
acting on the bowls in the levers m¹ move the stripping board m from the left to
the right, thereby stripping the top flat. As soon as the stripping is effected the
bowls h having passed beyond the heels he of the cam levers h³ the top flat is
allowed to drop by its own gravity, assisted by the springs k', which are brought
into a state of tension during the lifting of the top flat, and which collapse as the
slides i descend. When the top flat is down the stripper board returns to its former
position, the claws k are then opened by the action of the springs, and the radial
arms b are moved opposite to the next top flat to be stripped by the ordinary

page_text: apparatus connected to the mangle rack n. By means of this improved mechanism
the top flats are rapidly raised, stripped, and brought back into their places.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of our improved mechanism for stripping
the top flats. In these views b is one of the radial arms, in which is the stud for
the toothed segment h²; the pinion o gears into the segment h², and to the pinion o
is fixed the double guard o¹. The stripping board m is secured to the arms m¹, as
in Fig. 1, but instead of employing a cam for moving the stripping board to and fro
we now make the arms m¹.with slots, into which the studs o enter, and these studs
are fixed in the discs of fixed to the axles of the pinions o. The segment h² is made
in two parts, one of which imparts half a revolution to the disc o³, or sufficient to
bring the stripper board m under the top flat to strip it, and when the top flat has
been lowered into its place the other part of the segment imparts the requisite motion
to the pinion o and disc o³ to move the stripper board back again. It may however be
more convenient to make the segment h² long enough to impart an entire revolution
to the pinion o, which revolution would take the stripper board to and fro at one
operation; in this case a single guard o¹ is sufficient.
Having thus stated the nature and particulars of our Invention we declare that
we claim,-
First. The general combination and arrangement of the parts for lifting, stripping,
and lowering the top flats of carding engines, as shewn and described in reference to
Figs. 1 and 2.
Secondly. The vibrating claws k for catching hold of the ends of the top flat, as
shewn and described, or other equivalent instruments.
Thirdly. The regulating screws in the end of the top flats, as shewn and
described.
Fourthly. The improved apparatus for stripping the top flats, as shewn and
described, in which the stripping board is brought back after the flat has been lowered,
whereby time is economised.
And, lastly. The improved apparatus for stripping the top flats, as shewn and
described in reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Henry Rushton, for myself and on
behalf of the said William Dobson and Benjamin Alfred Dobson, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
:
TTATTHAN
THOMAS HENRY RUSHTON. (L.B.)