Improved Mechanism for Clearing the Combs of Combing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June. 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Clearing the Combs of Combing
Machines.
We, EUGENE PIERRARD and EMILE PIERRARD, both of No. 23 Boulevard de
Strasbourg, Paris, France, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:—
These improvements relate to the combing machines of Lister and Holden, and
other machines operating in a similar manner. The invention has reference more
particularly to the clearing of the comb bars of the "square motion," and it has for
its object to effect this operation in a regular and automatic manner.
In the combing machines of this description the clearing of the comb bars has
always been a difficult problem to solve. It is in effect by the action of these combs on
the tufts carried by the circular carrying comb that the combing is effected.
At the moment when the circular nipper firmly holds the ends of the tufts the
brush causes these to enter the teeth of the comb bar situated close against the nipper,
so that the bar in moving away removes the noil &c. from the tufts as they slide
through the teeth of the comb, which carries with it also some short fibres and some-
times also long ones.
This residue, called "robbing" is removed in a sort of band by means of the
toothed blade situated in front of the fourth comb bar; but the comb teeth retain
the noil mixed with fibres which gradually accumulate, forming bundles which have
to be removed every five minutes, otherwise the combing is not effected with the same
perfection, as the tufts cannot slide as freely through the obstructed teeth, in con-
sequence of which long fibres are held between the brush and these deposits, which
harden, and are dragged out the more readily the greater is the obstruction to their
gliding through the teeth.
"
Not only is the combing in that case less perfect but the tufts are more detri-
mentally worked upon, and there is also an increase of the " robbing by_the
dragging away of the long fibres, which also causes a diminution of the productive
power of the machine. The importance of the regular clearing of the comb teeth
will therefore be readily understood. The improved mechanism for effecting this
operation in a regular and automatic manner is constructed as follows:-
On the two supports of the brush of the square motion, which partake of the to and
fro motion of the slides that effect the horizontal motion of the comb bars, are
mounted two adjustable sockets carrying the trunnions of a carding cylinder, which
is the cleanser, and which enters to the extent of about two millimeters into the teeth
of the comb bars; the effect of this is as follows.
When the first bar situated close against the nipper is on the point of combing the
tufts which the brush causes to enter the teeth, the card cylinder is situated upon
the third bar, and moves with it in taking the place of the fourth bar, but during the
return motion of the cylinder towards the nipper, the bars resting stationary while
the clearing cylinder is moved along, the latter receives a rotary motion first by its
contact with the comb bar from which it is moving away, and then by its contact
with the one which occupies the position it had before its backward motion from the
nipper; during this rotation the "robbing" attaches itself to the card surface of the
cylinder.
From this it results that at each backward motion from the nipper, the clearing
cylinder moves with the third bar into the position occupied by the fourth bar, and in
returning, it revolves partly upon this and upon a different part of the third bar, thus
receiving an alternative motion by its successive contacts with each of the comb bars

page_text: so that the "robbing" coils itself round the card surface of the cylinder from which
it is removed as follows.
A blade with saw teeth is fixed horizontally to two levers pivotted to two uprights
fixed to the "robbing" box, the levers being connected at their front end above the
saw blade by a sheet metal hood, which allows the blade to be adjusted to the required
distance from the card surface of the clearing cylinder, the teeth of the blade being
made to assume a position within a few millimeters behind the axis of the clearing
cylinder when this is in its position on the fourth bar. But during the return motion
the card surface in revolving at the same time approaches the blade, and thus enables
this to detach the "robbing" from it by the saw teeth.
For completing the clearing of the comb bars, there is fixed on one end of the
clearing cylinder a ratchet wheel, which is acted upon during the to and fro motion
of the cylinder, by a pawl lever pivotted to the framing, which pawl in entering the
teeth of the wheel as the clearing cylinder approaches the nipper first arrests the
rotation of the cylinder and then moves it slightly in the contrary direction, so that
at each return motion towards the nipper the clearing cylinder first revolves in the
same direction as the motion of the bars and then in the contrary direction, so
that the card teeth during this latter motion effectually remove the whole of the
robbing.
We have proved from experiments that it suffices to produce this reversing motion
at intervals of from 20 to 30 minutes, for effecting a perfect clearance of the
combs.
This intermittent action is obtained as follows:-
On the end of the shaft of the excentrics that raise and lower the comb bars is
fixed a worm actuating an inclined shaft that in its turn drives a horizontal shaft
passing across the machine underneath the square motion. On this shaft, the speed
of which can be regulated, is fixed a cam or tappet which at each revolution raises a
lever pivotted to the framing and causes this to act upon the before mentioned pawl
lever so as to cause this to engage with the ratchet wheel during the lifting motion of
the cam.
Although we have described the clearing cylinder as operating on the comb bars of
the "
square motion" it will be evident that it may also be applied to circular and other
forms of combs.
Dated this 8th day of June 1889
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Clearing the Combs of Combing
Machines.
We, EUGENE PIERRARD and EMILE PIERRARD, both of No. 23 Boulevard de
Strasbourg Paris France Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
These improvements relate to the combing machines of Lister and Holden, and
other machines operating in a similar manner.
The invention has reference more
particularly to the clearing of the comb bars of the square motion, and it has for its
object to effect this operation in a regular and automatic manner.
In the combing machines of this description the clearing of the comb bars has
always been a difficult problem to solve. It is in effect by the action of these combs
on the tufts carried by the circular carrying comb that the combing is effected.
At the moment when the circular nipper firmly holds the ends of the tufts the brush
causes these to enter the teeth of the comb bar situated close against the nipper so
that the bar in moving away removes the noil &c. from the tufts as they slide through

page_text: the teeth of the comb, which carries with it also some short fibres and sometimes also
long ones.
This residue called "robbing" is removed in a sort of band by means of the toothed
blade situated in front of the fourth comb bar, but the teeth retain the noil mixed
with fibres which gradually accumulate forming bundles, which have to be removed
every 5 minutes otherwise the combing is not effected with the same perfection, as
the tufts cannot slide as freely, through the obstructed teeth, in consequence of which
long fibres are held between the brush and these deposits which harden and are
dragged out the more readily the greater is the obstruction to their gliding through
the teeth.
Not only is the combing in that case less perfect but the tufts are more detri-
mentally worked upon, and there is also an increase of the "robbing" by the dragging
away of the long fibres, which also causes a diminution of the productive power of
the machine. The importance of the regular clearing of the comb teeth will there-
fore be readily understood. The improved mechanism for effecting this operation in
a regular and automatic manner, is constructed as we will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying drawings. On the two supports S S₁ of the brush B
of the square motion, Figures 1 and which partake of the to and fro motion of the
slides G G¹ that effect the horizontal motion of the comb bars, are mounted two
adjustable sockets D D₁ carrying the trunnions of a carding cylinder N which is the
cleanser and which enters to the extent of about two millimetres into the teeth of the
comb bars; the effect of this is as follows:-
When the first bar situated close against the nipper Figure 3 is on the point of
combing the tufts which the brush causes to enter the teeth, the card cylinder N is
situated upon the third bar, and moves with it, in taking the place of the fourth bar,
but during the return motion of the cylinder towards the nipper, the bars resting
stationary while the clearing cylinder N is moved along, the latter receives a rotary
motion first by its contact with the comh bar from which it is moving away, and then
by its contact with the one which occupies the position it had before its backward
motion from the nipper.
During this rotation the "robbing" attaches itself to the card surface of the
cylinder. From this it results that at each backward motion from the nipper the
clearing cylinder moves with the third bar into the position occupied by the fourth
bar, and in returning it revolves partly upon this and upon a different part of the
third bar, thus receiving an alternating motion by its successive contacts with each of
the comb bars so that the "robbing" coils itself round the card surface of the
cylinder N, from which it is removed as follows:-
A blade with saw, teeth c is fixed horizontally to two levers pivotted to two
uprights O O¹ fixed to the "robbing" box, the levers being connected at their front
end above the saw blade by a sheet metal hood T which allows the blade to be adjusted
to the required distance from the card surface of the clearing cylinder, the teeth of
the blade being made to assume a position within a few millimeters behind the axis
of the clearing cylinder, when this is in its position on the 4th bar. But during the
return motion the card surface in revolving at the same time approaches the blade,
and thus enables this to detach the robbing from it by the saw teeth.
For completing the clearing of the comb bars, there is fixed on one end of the
clearing cylinder a ratchet wheel R Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 which is acted upon during the to
and fro motion of the cylinder, by a pawl lever pivotted at Q' to the part X of the
frame and which in entering the teeth of the wheel as the clearing cylinder
approaches the nipper, first arrests the rotation of the cylinder and then moves it
slightly in the contrary direction, so that at each return motion towards the nipper
the clearing cylinder first revolves in the same direction as the motion of the bars
and then in the contrary direction, so that the card teeth during this latter motion
effectually removes the whole of the "robbing."
We have proved from experiments that, according to the nature of the wool, it
suffices to produce this reversing motion at intervals of from 20 to 30 minutes, for

page_text: effecting a perfect clearance of the combs. This interimittent action is obtained as
shown at Figures 1, 5 and 6.
On the end of the shaft of the eccentrics that raise and lower the comb bars is fixed
a worm actuating an inclined shaft L that in its turn drives a horizontal shaft T
passing across the machine underneath the square motion. On this shaft, the speed of
which can be regulated, is fixed a cam or tappet V which at each revolution raises a
lever J pivotted to the framing and causes this to raise the piece Z pivotted at H,
making it fall over and thus causing the before mentioned pawl lever to engage with
the ratchet wheel during the lifting motion of the cam.
If the clearing cylinder were caused to make the said return motion at every stroke,
the card surface would be rapidly deteriorated without obtaining an equivalent advan-
tage in the clearing of the bars; it is sufficient for this clearing action to be repeating
at intervals of greater or less duration, whereby any permanent displacement of the
card teeth of the cylinder by such reversed motion is prevented, and the teeth of the
combs are prevented from undue wear.
When required, the clearing cylinder can be quickly removed and replaced, and its
card surface can also be easily renewed.
For the purpose of completing the clearing of the first teeth of the comb bars, the
last row of teeth of each comb bar may be advantageously omitted or removed, for
which purpose the following arrangement may be employed. The last row of teeth
being omitted, there rests a space between the teeth of the successive combs, in which
space we arrange a rising and falling bar A having a row of teeth which only project
two millimetres and are slightly inclined, which teeth almost touch the front row of
the third comb.
The movement of this bar is effected at the same time as the rising and falling
motion of the brush B; when this descends upon the first comb bar the teeth of the
supplemental comb pass down nearly to the bottom of the first row of teeth of the
third bar, so that in rising, the teeth detach the robbing from that row and transmit
it to the clearing cylinder N.
The rise and fall of the supplemental comb bar is effected by means of the same
shaft U which actuates the levers of the brush motion.
On this shaft are fixed two curved levers E to the end of each of which is attached
a rod F also jointed at M to a slide P. On the lower part of each slide, working in
the supports S S¹ of the brush B is bolted the bar A by means of an angle piece W
at each end.
The motion of the supplemental comb bar may also be effected by the same
levers L L that produce the motion of the brush; in this case the levers E may
be dispensed with.
Although we have described our invention in combination with square motion
combing machines, it is equally applicable to other descriptions of combing machines
operating with travelling comb bars.
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 :-
The use, in combination with the travelling comb bars of combing machines, of a
reciprocating card cylinder arranged and operating substantially as herein described
for clearing the teeth of the travelling combs.
Dated this 8th day of March 1900.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.