Improvements in and relating to the Feeding Apparatus of Carding Engines for Carding Fibrous Materials.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Feeding Apparatus of Carding
Engines for Carding Fibrous Materials.
We CHARLES STOTT and WILLIAM HENRY SCHOFIELD both of Castle Works
Rochdale in the County of Lancaster Machinists do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the feeding apparatus of carding engines for carding
fibrous materials but more particularly to carding engines to which vertical
automatic feeding apparatus are applied which automatic feeds as distinct from
carding engines are well known.
The object of our invention is to control or govern the quantity or to maintain
the supplies of constant quantities to the ordinary weighing pan or scale of the
feed apparatus, the functions of which scale as is well known is to receive the
material then to deliver the same on to the lattice which carrys the material
forward to the feed rollers of the carding engine but according to our arrangement
a certain or fixed quantity or quantities of material is only for all practical purposes
allowed to pass into the scale which quantity or quantities may be maintained
constant or regular.
According to our present construction we interpose or arrange in the direction of
the width of the vertical travelling apron of the feed apparatus in a suitable
position between the stripping comb or stripper and the scale and immediately
above the latter a divided tray or a tray in two parts which is adapted to operate
or open at certain periods as and for the purposes which we will now describe.
The said tray is provided and adapted so that when the scale has received its
proper or allotted weight of material or deposited therein by the stripper, the parts
of the tray which have previously remained apart-is caused to operate or close and
to so remain until the scale-which is actuated by the usual means, being provided
as is well known with weighted levers-has deposited its contents onto the lattice
leading to the feed rollers of the carding engine.
When the scale has deposited its contents on to the lattice below and the said
scale has resumed its position for the reception of material the parts of the tray
are then caused to operate or open from the centre so as to allow the material to
fall between the said parts into the scale below, the parts of the tray continue to
remain apart so long as and until a quantity of material is passed into the scale
slightly in excess of the predetermined weights on the scale levers or connections,
when the scale again falls or gravitates in manner which is common knowledge
upon which occurrence the tray automatically closes as before stated.
The construction of the means for actuating and the mode of operating our
invention is as follows.
At certain periods a lever or connecting piece is conveniently operated or actuated
through the agency of an arrangement of levers, links or pieces having connection
with the scale and operated thereby, that is, when the same has obtained its weight
of material, the falling or gravitating scale causes the lever before named to
engage with the ordinary catch or pawl usually in proximity to the ordinary
notched circular piece on the driving shaft of the vertical feeding apron or creeper
operating shaft but in lieu of the ordinary circular notched piece we employ a
circular piece or chuck provided with incline surfaces or planes the said chuck is
adapted to rotate with the shaft of the creeper but is allowed to slide thereon the
said chuck is provided with a stud which is pressed by means of a coiled spring in
contact with and against a corresponding stud on the ordinary plate wheel or pulley

page_text: provided on the same shaft, which plate wheel is also provided with the ordinary
friction mechanism which is well known.
When the catch or pawl is caused to engage with one of the incline surfaces of
the chuck which by the aid of the friction mechanism before named causes the said
chuck to slide along the shaft at the same time the stud thereon to slide out of
engagement with the stud on the plate wheel, consequently the motion of the
driving or creeper shaft is thus arrested and during such period feeding suspended.
Simultaneously with the movement or action of the pawl just described, a
conveniently arranged lever actuates certain levers, links or pieces connected with
the parts of the tray by the agency of which levers or connections the parts of
the tray are operated or actuated suitably so as to close or form the tray whilst
at the same time the scale is operated by the ordinary means and in manner well
known, that is, to deposit its contents, consequently during this period of action
any material which may be passed from the feeding apron of the feeding apparatus
or under the influence of the stripper will thus be deposited on the tray and not
allowed to pass into the scale or on to the lattice leading to the feed rollers of the
caiding engine the material thus collected will be deposited therefrom into the
scale upon the resumption of its normal position as herein before stated.
The salient features of our invention are the interposition of the receiving tray
at the part as indicated and the means for arresting the motion of the creeper shaft
as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1895.
CHARLES STOTT.
W. H. SCHOFIELD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Feeding Apparatus of Carding
Engines for Carding Fibrous Materials.
We CHARLES STOTT and WILLIAM HENRY SCHOFIELD both of Castle Works
Rochdale in the County of Lancaster Machinists 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:-
Our invention relates to the feeding apparatus of carding engines for carding
fibrous materials but more particularly adapted to carding engines for carding flax
or hemp tow and to which machines vertical feeding apparatus are applied which
apparatus as distinct from but used in connection with carding engines are well
known.
It is well known that when carding this class of material it is not practicable or
beneficial to stop the stripping comb as such material being of long fibre often
results in the interruption or stoppage of the comb thus in many cases causing the
comb to remain inoperative or result in damage which is not the case with other
materials of short fibre or of a more delicate nature such as wool, cotton, silk in
which case it is permissible to stop the comb, but nevertheless our invention may
be used with beneficial effects in such machines for carding short fibrous materials
and to be weighed in which case the comb may be in continual motion or operation.
The object of our invention is to automatically control or govern the quantity or
to maintain the supplies of constant quantities of material to the ordinary weighing
or scale pan, the function of which scale pan is as is well known to receive the
material then to deliver the same on to the lattice which carrys the material
forward to the feed rollers of the carding engine, but according to our arrangement
a certain or fixed quantity or quantities of material is only for all practical purposes
allowed to pass into the pan which quantity or quantities may be maintained
constant or regular.
According to our present construction we interpose or arrange in the direction of

page_text: the width of the vertical travelling apron of the feed apparatus in a suitable
position between the stripping comb or stripper and the scale pan and immediately
above the latter a divided tray or a tray in two parts which is adapted to operate
or open at certain periods as and for the purposes which we will now describe.
The said tray is provided and adapted so that when the scale has received its
proper or allotted weight of material or deposited therein by the stripper, the parts
of the tray--which have previously remained apart is caused to operate or close
and to so remain until the scale pan-which is actuated by the usual means being
provided as is well known with weighted levers-has deposited its contents on to
the lattice leading to the feed rollers of the carding engine.
When the scale has deposited its contents on to the lattice below and the said
scale has resumed its normal position for the reception of material the parts of the
tray are then caused to operate or open from the centre so as to allow the material
to fall between the said parts into the scale below the parts of the tray continue to
remain apart so long as and until a quantity of material is passed into the scale
slightly in excess of the mass of the predetermined weights on the scale lever or
levers or connections, when the scale pan again falls or gravitates in manner which
is common knowledge upon which occurrence the tray automatically closes as
before stated.
The construction of and the means for actuating and the mode of operating our
invention is as follows.
At certain periods a lever or connecting piece is conveniently operated or actuated
through the agency of an arrangement of levers, links, or pieces having connections
with the scale pan and operated thereby that is, when the same has obtained its
proper or assigned weight of material, the falling or gravitating scale pan causes
the lever before named to engage with the ordinary catch usually in proximity to
the ordinary notched circular piece on the driving shaft of the vertical feeding
apron or creeper operating shaft; but instead of the said or ordinary circular
notched piece we employ a circular piece or chuck provided on its face with iucline 1
surfaces or parts, the said chuck is adapted to rotate with the shaft of the creeper,
also is free to slide thereon, the said chuck is provided with a stud which is pressed
by means of a coiled or spiral spring in contact with and against a corresponding
stud on the ordinary plate wheel or pulley provided on the same shaft which plate
wheel is provided with the ordinary friction mechanism and which is well known.
When the catch piece is caused to engage with one of the incline surfaces of the
chuck the said chuck is caused to slide along the shaft. At the same time the stu.l
thereon is caused to slide out of engagement with the stud on the plate wheel,
consequently the motion of the driving or creeper operating shaft is thus stopped
or arrested and during such period feeding is suspended.
Simultaneously with the movement or action of the catch piece just referred to a
conveniently arranged lever actuates certain levers, links or pieces connected with
the parts of the tray by the agency of which levers or connections the parts of the
tray are operated or actuated suitably so as to close or form the tray, whilst at the
same time the scale pan is operated by the ordinary means and in manner well
known, that is, to deposit its contents, consequently during this period of action any
material which may be passed from the feeding apron of the feeding apparatus or
under the influence of the stripper will thus be deposited on to the tray and not
allowed to pass into and through the scale pan or on to the lattice leading to the
feed rollers of the carding engine, the material thus collected or accumulated on the
tray will be deposited therefrom into the scale pan only upon the resumption of its
normal position as hereinbefore stated.
The salient features of our invention is the interposition of the receiving tray at
the part as herein indicated and the means for arresting the motion of the creeper
shaft as and for the purposes set forth.
In order that our invention may be clearly comprehended we have hereunto
annexed two sheets of drawings in which like letters of reference indicate like parts.
throughout the figures therein shewo.

page_text: Fig. 1. is a side elevation of a vertical automatic feeding machine shewing our
invention applied thereto and the scale pan in position for delivering the material
on to the lattice.
Fig. 2. is a front elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. is an enlarged drawing of the parts constituting our invention and shewing
the position of the mechanism and scale pan when material is in the act of being
delivered into the scale pan.
a. is the creeper operating or driving shaft which operates the creeper in the
ordinary way by means of gearing, on the said shaft, we mount or provide a circular
chuck or piece 6 having inclined surfaces which chuck is situate immediately
behind the plate wheel c and behind which chuck piece is provided a spiral spring d.
intercepting the same and a bearing or bush piece e. In proximity to the face of
the chuck is situate a swing piece or catch piece f. mounted on a fixed stud f¹ which
catch piece is suitably weighted at its extremity its other extremity f³ being
suitably formed and adapted so as to engage with the face of the chuck when in the
position as shewn in Fig. 1., that is, when the parts of the tray are closed and the
scale pan delivering its contents, or the motion of the shaft a. a rested, as by such
contact the chuck b. is pressed back from the stud c' on the plate wheel thus the
studs and are removed out of engagement with each other thus the creeper g
becomes motionless or inoperative and any surplus material which may be thereon
at such period is deposited on the closed tray by the action or movements of the
stripping comb on the stripper shaft h.
By the use of a chuck having inclined surfaces or parts engaging with the catch f.
we are enabled to dispense with the employment of the ordinary C spring and the
complicated parts now used as it is well known that fracture of the spring often
occurs, thus we provide a simple device not easily liable to derangement.
The mechanism connected with and operating the catch f. consists of the con-
necting levers and ; the scale lever k. the weighted lever . the lever m. mounted
on the stud m² the stud m' and the stud n, the connecting lever j being attached to
the slotted reciprocating lever o. mounted on the stud ol and operated at its lower
part o by the stud p attached to the rotating gear wheel r. which latter is actuated
by the first motion gear wheel ¹. A lever s. is attached to the lever o. which
lever s. engages with a stud t. which stud is attached to one of the weighted lever-
for example u. and works within a slot of the lever u to which levers the two parts,
plates, or pieces v. v-which when closed from the tray or whole plate-
-are suitably
attached and which extend across the width of the creeper g.
An ordinary lever w.
as now used is operated at the proper period, at its extremity w³ by the stud
which lever engages with the stud y attached to the ordinary scale levers w¹ and w²
to which levers are attached the parts a and al or scale pan.
P.
The mechanism lettered from w to y, with the lever k. and its connections with
the chuck b. forms the ordinary mechanism and is actuated as hereinbefore described
for operating the weighing apparatus.
In connection with the lever 7. we employ a bent or other lever or rod A.
connected with a two armed piece or lever B. which engages with a stud C. provided
on a lever having a hook shaped piece D. and mounted on a stud F with which hook
shaped piece the stud u engages when the parts v. v of the tray are required to be
held open as shewn in Fig. 3.
The operation of the intercepting apparatus or our tray being the sole subject of
this invention is as follows.
We shall confine ourselves particularly to the operation of the above named part
as the operation of the weighing apparatus is well known such latter and well
known part being employed as before indicated in conjunction with our intercepting
device.
Our invention is more clearly and specifically shewn in Fig. 3 of the drawings
hereunto and will be the fig. to which reference is made unless other figures of the
drawings are particularly referred to.
When the scale pan has received its proper quantity or weight the scale pan

page_text: consequently slightly falls or gravitates and the lever c. suitably actuated operates
on the stud y-with which it is in constant engagement-and causes the pan to open,
and thro the medium of the levers k and i. turns the lever m about the stud m² and
releases the stud m² from the extremity f of the lever f thus causing such part to
rise and engage with an inclined surface (see Fig. 2) of the chuck as shewn in Fig. 1.
the effect of which is to force back the chuck with its stud from the stud of face
wheel and thus arrest the motion of the creeper, simultaneously with this movement,
the weight E on the lever l. falls as shewn in Fig. 1. and engages with the rod A
actuates the lever B turns the hook shaped piece D about the stud F consequently
the lever u ascends and actuates the lever u through the stud t. and thus the
parts v. v meet at 3 and thus form a plate intercepting piece or tray.
At proper periods the lever to rises allowing the study to rise thus causing the
parts of the pan through the medium of the weight 103 on lever to² to close as shewn
in Fig. 3. then the lever s through the medium of the suitably actuated lever o. is
caused to descend carrying down the stud t. and the stud u so as to cause the latter
to engage or interlock with the hook shaped piece D and the parts
of the tray
to open, and the rod through the medium of the stud n to disengage the lever f
from the chuck band to engage with the stud m' and at the same time to engage
with the lever l. so as to remove or lift the weight E from engagement with the
rod A. thus by these simultaneous actions of the mechanism just described the
creeper g. is again set in motion as the spring actuated chuck is then free from
the influence of the lever thus the stud of the chuck engages with the stud on the
plate wheel, the intercepting apparatus or tray is removed for a period that is, until
the scale pan again receives its proper weight of material, when the reaction before
described takes place that is, the scale pau opens to deposit its contents and the
intercepting apparatus brought into requisition to receive any surplus material which
may be stripped from the creeper; these alternate and concurring operations of the
intercepting apparatus and the weighing apparatus so on continue during the working
of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In combination an intercepting tray, plate, or piece situate between the
stripping comb and the ordinary weighing pan or scale or weighing apparatus of an
automatic feeding or other apparatus in connection with carding engines for carding
fibrous materials whereby any surplus material stripped from the creeper after the
scale pan has received its proper weight may be intercepted or deposited thereon
and allowed to fall therefrom and the parts of the tray to remain apart during the
delivery of material within the pan which tray is controlled by suitable mechanical
means as herein fully set forth and described.
2. In combination the chuck or piece b. spring d. and catch piece f. substantially
as and for the purposes herein fully set forth and described.
3. The chuck or piece b. having inclined parts on its face forming a simple device
with the means set forth in the foregoing claim for controlling the creeper operating
shaft as herein set forth.
4. The lever or mechanically operated tray trays or parts v. v forming an inter-
cepting apparatus for the purposes herein fully set forth.
Dated this 24th day of February 1896.
CHAS. STOTT.
W. H. SCHOFIELD.
J. H. Butterworth,
Rochdale,
For the Applicants.