Improvements in Flax Fibre Carding Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flax Fibre Carding Machines.
I ALEXANDER BASIL WILSON of Holywood Co. Down Ireland Consulting
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1st. This invention has for its object the prevention of dust or light particles of
flax fibre, hereinafter called dust, from floating within the room or chamber in
which the carding machines, hereinafter called the machines, work. By removing
it from within the casing of such machines in a compact and easily handled form.
2nd. To prevent the flow of dust laden air from within the machine casing
outwards.
3rd. To remove the short pieces of fibre woody matter and dirt, hereinafter
called tow, from the interior of the machine while it is running, in a continuous
sheet.
4th. To prevent the passage or communication of fire from the interior of the
machine to the exterior or surrounding space or to the air conduits or passages.
Whereas it is usual in rooms wherein such machines are placed to have one or
more fans drawing out the dusty air, so as to reduce as far as possible the injury
caused thereby to the health of the workers, and whereas it is found that such fans
create currents of air through the room which take up and maintain the dust in
suspension, and circulation, to their great injury.
And whereas, the motion of the working parts of such machines creates currents
of air laden with dust and forces them through the joints and openings of the
machine casing and thereby mixes them with the surrounding air, And whereas,
where it has been attempted to prevent this by drawing the dust laden air directly
out of the machine casings, with an inward flow through the openings, by fans or
otherwise, Explosions have taken place in the casing, pipes, and conduits, caused
by fire communicated from the interior of the machine, And whereas it is necessary
to stop the machines at intervals to remove tow which has fallen to the bottom of
the casing involving loss of time in working and dust in the room.
Now to avoid these difficulties my invention consists in drawing the dust laden
air from the machine casing by a fan or other well known means, not directly, but
through a portion of the circumference of a slowly revolving cylinder formed of
wire cloth or perforated metal, thereby depositing the floating material on its
surface in the form of a thick mat or felt, which felt is by the slow revolutions of
the wire or metal cylinder brought within the influence of a pair of stripping
rollers placed so as to remove it therefrom and deliver it in a continuous sheet
outside the machine casing.
To further prevent the necessity of stopping the machine to remove the tow I
employ an apron such as used for the feeding end of these machines, or a creeper
such as is used for transporting grain in conduits, or broad band as used for similar
purposes, placed in such a position that the tow will fall on it and be by its slow
movement transported to within the influence of the current of air drawn through
the meshes or holes in the exposed surface of the cylinder.
Dated this bondL...
A1 1001

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flax Fibre Carding Machines.
I ALEXANDER BASIL WILSON, of Holywood County of Down Ireland,
Consulting Engineer, 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:―
This invention has for its objects,
Firstly. The prevention of dust or light particles of flax fibre, hereinafter called
dust, from floating in the air of the room in which the carding machines, herein-
after called machines, work. By removing it from within the casings of such
machines in a compact and easily handled form.
Secondly. To prevent the flow of dust laden air from within the machine casings
outwards.
Thirdly. To remove the short pieces of fibre, woody matter, and dirt, hereinafter
called tow, from the interior of the machine while it is running, in a continuous
sheet.
Fourthly. To prevent the passage or communication of fire, from the interior
of the machine to the exterior or surrounding space, or, to the air conduits or
passages.
Whereas it is usual in rooms wherein such machines are placed, to have one or
more fans drawing out the dusty air, so as to reduce as far as possible the injury
caused thereby to the health of the workers, and whereas it is found that such
fans create currents of air through the rooms which take up and maintain the dust
in suspension and circulation to their great injury.
And whereas, the motion of the working parts of such machines creates currents
of air laden with dust and forces them through the joints and openings of the
machine casings, and thereby mixes them with the surrounding air.
And whereas, where it has been attempted to prevent this by drawing the dust
laden air directly out of the machines, with an inward flow through the openings,
by fans or otherwise. Explosions have taken place in the casings, pipes, or conduits,
caused by fire communicated from the interior of the machines. And whereas it
has been necessary to stop these machines at intervals to remove tow which has
fallen to the bottom of the casings, involving loss of time and dust in the rooms.
Now to avoid these difficulties, my invention consists in drawing the dust laden
air from the machine casing by a fan or other well known means not directly, but
through a portion of the circumference of a slowly revolving cylinder formed of
wire cloth or perforated metal, thereby depositing the floating material on its
surface in the form of a thick mat or felt, which felt, is by the slow revolutions of
the wire or metal cylinder, brought within the influence of a pair of stripping
rollers placed so as to remove it therefrom and deliver it in a continuous sheet
outside the casing of the carding machine.
To further prevent the necessity of stopping these machines to remove any tow
that may have fallen outside the influence of the current of air passing through
the perforated cylinder. I employ an apron such as is commonly used for the
feeding end of these machines, so placed, that as it advances slowly, it delivers to
the cylinder any pieces of tow that may have dropped on it.
In the drawing herewith, A represents the apron which slowly advances in the
direction of the arrow.
B. is the cylinder, covered with wire cloth or perforated metal, through which
the air is drawn in the direction of the arrows, and revolving, as indicated by the
dotted arrow.
C. and C, are the stripping rollers, removing the felt E. from cylinder B.
D. is the air conduit leading to the fan or other exhausting apparatus.
The drawing is supposed to shew a section through the lower part of a carding
machine.