In- PROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES
Year: 1874

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LETTERS PATENT to George Knowles, junior, of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES."
1.
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Scaled the 7th May 1875, and dated the 12th November.1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Knowles at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th November 1874.
11°
I, GEORGE KNOWLES, junior, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES," to be as follows:―
I
.:.
My Invention refers to that apparatus commonly called the Bodmer
feeder, and consists in a method by which I am enabled to adjust the
apparatus to suit it for feeding different lengths of fibre. For this
purpose I mount the dish and roller so that they are capable of being
turned upward or downward upon a centre, by the former movement
providing a greater space for long fibre, and by the latter a smaller

page_text: space for short fibre; and in order to maintain the proper relative
position to the acting surface of the licker-in I form the front of the
dish as a portion of a circle struck from the centre on which it turns.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said 'George Knowles in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
KNOWLES, junior, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner,
send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the. said 'George Knowles, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Knowles, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARDING ENGINES," upon the condition-(amongst others) that I, the said
George Knowles, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Knowles, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawing, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to that apparatus which is commonly known as
the Bodmer fòeder. ånd, the okioot of the improvement is to rondon the

page_text: said apparatus readily applicable for different lengths of fibre. For
this purpose I mount the dish upon a centre of motion, and when it is
turned upward or downward thereon its edge is moved further from or
nearer to the surface of the licker-in; and in order that the front of the
said dish may maintain the same relative position I form it as a portion
of a circle struck from the aforesaid centre of motion.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents in side elevation a
portion of a carding engine with my improvement adapted; Figure 2 is
a plan view of the same, one side only being shewn, the other being
precisely a counterpart; Figures 3 and 4 are detached views to be here-
after referred to.
At a is the dish, upon which is formed a projecting part b, which
carries a pin c; and upon the said dish are also formed the bearings for
the roller d, one of which bearings is shewn at e, mounted so as to be
capable of sliding upon the frame f. At g is a bracket, the inside end
of which turns over the pin c on each side of the part b, thus forming a
knuckle joint, which unites the parts a; e, g, together. At h is a nut.
situate on a screw formed on a flattened bolt, which at its upper end is
provided with another nut i capable of being tightened on a cap piece k
situate on the bracket g, and thus the said bracket. may be confined to.
the framework f. In the bracket gis formed a slot l, within. which is
situate a screw 'm, one end thereof bearing against the front, and the
other against the back of the said slot; and this screw passes through
the aforesaid flattened bolt, which is tapped to receive the same.
At n
is a set screw, its head abutting against the frame f, and its other end
taking into the dish a. By turning this screw upward or downward
the dish a is elevated or allowed to fall by turning upon the centre c, also
imparting the same motion to the roller d; and by reference to Figure 3
it will be seen that when an upward adjustment is effected the edge of the
dish will be moved away from the licker-in o, and that it will be brought
nearer thereto on a downward motion taking place. By reference also
to the said Figure 3 it will be seen that the front p of the dish is formed
as a portion of a circle struck from the centre c, and when therefore the
said upward or downward motions take place it always maintains the
same position with regard to the surface of the licker-in.
It will have been seen by the above description that although the two
parts g, e, are formed separately they are connected so as to be capable of

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sliding together by means of the knuckle joint b, c.; and this sliding for the
ordinary requirements of the carding engine may be effected by turning
the screw m, the cap piece / being previously loosened. The roller d is
weighted in the ordinary manner by the lever 9, and is driven by the
usual gearing, as shewn in the Drawing.
I have in the above description spoken of the parts in reference to one
side only of the machine, but it will of course be understood that they
are repeated on the other side thereof:
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, and for the purpose above set forth, mounting
the dish a up a centre upon which it may be turned and adjusted;
also forming the front of the said dish as.a portion of a circle.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Knowles, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.