Improvements in "Scotch" or "Cross-feeding" Apparatus for Carding Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1896-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in "Scotch" or "Cross-feeding" Apparatus for
Carding Engines.
.
I, HARRY THORNTON, of Bridge Street Works, Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster Machine Maker 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 relates to improvements in "scotch feeds" or cross-feeding
apparatus such as is used in connection with carding engines for wool, cotton
waste or the like and the object is to provide an apparatus which will be more
efficient in operation than the apparatus now in use for the same purpose.
Hitherto scotch" or similar feeds have had some portion of their mechanism
arranged in front of the carding engine in such a position that it was in the way of
the attendant whilst most apparatus of this class has been somewhat defective in
that it was difficult to set the apparatus so as to evenly lay the sliver on the lattice
of the intermediate or finisher card. I avoid these defects in the apparatus
I claim as my invention and which I will now describe with the aid of the
accompanying drawings. In these:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus as applied to a carding
engine, and
Fig. 2 is a plan of same,
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the main portion of the feeding apparatus drawn to
an enlarged scale.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of same, partly in section.
Fig. 5 is a back elevation.
Fig. 6 is a diagram of the gearing which will be afterwards referred to.
Fig. 7 is a plan of the gearing and
Fig. 8 is a front elevation of part of the mechanism.
In carrying out my invention and referring to the drawings A is part of the
framing of an intermediate or finisher carding engine on which rest brackets A¹.
These brackets are adjustable both vertically and horizontally and on them
I place a rail or beam B which serves to carry the principal portion of the cross-
feeding mechanism. At or near each end of the beam B, I'mount in a suitable
manner a chain wheel B', one or both, preferably one, of which is adjustable and
I pass round these wheels an endless chain C whose tension can be adjusted by
altering the position of the chain wheels B¹, or one of them. The chain C is for
the purpose of actuating the carriage D and is driven in any suitable manner at a
regular rate from a convenient rotating portion of the carding engine. The means
I have shown for giving motion to the chain consist of a strap or rope driven
pulley E mounted on a stud e and connected with a wheel E' which in turn gears
with and drives a second wheel E mounted on a stud e', the wheel E" being
combined with a bevel wheel that gears with and drives a similar wheel formed in
one, or combined, with one of the chain wheels B' as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The carriage D,-by means of which the sliver of wool, waste cotton, or the like
from the breaker or intermediate card, is laid on the lattice G of the intermediate
or finisher card-is composed of a bracket or part H capable of being moved to
and fro on the rail B. To the bracket H is attached another bracket H¹ which,
as will be, seen, passes round the back of rail B. To enable the carrifige D to
move with little friction I attach to the brackets H and H', in the manner shown,

page_text: anti-friction bowls which also assist to keep the carriage in proper working
position. Attached to the front bracket H are also two spindles h¹ on which are
loosely mounted the ordinary corrugated or winged sliver conducting rollers J
which are provided at their inner ends with wheels by means of which they are
rotated.
To the bracket H are also fixed brackets K which project round the ends of
same, each bracket being provided with a slot k through which is passed a sliding
plate L. The plate L, as will be seen more clearly.in Fig. 8, has fixed to it two
studs on each of which is loosely mounted a triple wheel M composed of, (1) a
ratchet or catch wheel m (2) a chain wheel m¹ and (3) a spur wheel m". The
studs are fixed in such a position in the plate L that one of the chain wheels m¹
will engage with the top portion of the endless chain C (for the time being) whilst
being clear of the bottom part of the chain and the other chain wheel will, in like
manner, engage with the bottom portion of the endless chain whilst being clear of
its top portion..
Passing through a slot in bracket H is a short shaft or pin N held in position by
an adjustable bracket n. On the outer end of pin N is a pinion n which gears
with one of the wheels; of the sliver conducting rollers J, and at the inner end a
pinion which is alternately engaged by the spur wheels m. To allow of this
alternate engagement the plate L is given a sliding movement at each end of the
traverse of the carriage D on the rail B, by means of the following mechanism :-
A small crank O is mounted in a boss of bracket H', the crank-pin o passing into
a slot o' formed in plate L whilst the crank shaft has fixed on its outer end a
lever P. To the rail B is fixed brackets b which support a rod b¹ on which are
fixed projecting fingers 6. As the carriage D approaches the end of its traverse
in either direction the lever P comes in contact with one or other of the fingers 611
and is reversed. The crank pin o in this way slides the plate L along and
alternately engages the wheels " with pinion n. The reversal of lever L causes
also a reversal of movement of the carriage D. so that the sliver is laid on the
lattice G. first in one direction and then in the other. In order that the reversal
of the carriage shall take place quickly I control the movement of lever P by a
spring p which is coiled round a lever p¹, one end of which is capable of oscillating
on a stud 9 affixed to bracket H' whilst the other passes loosely through a hole
formed in a stud q¹ fixed in lever P. As the lever P is moved towards the vertical
position the spring p is compressed and immediately it gets beyond the vertical the
spring p exerts its stored up energy and suddenly completes the overthrow of the
lever, and the reversal of the carriage. The slot in plate L is made long enough,
so that no movement of the plate takes place until the lever is acted upon by the
spring as described.
When the plate L. is at either end of its traverse one or other of the catch
wheels m engages with a projection a formed on brackets K. In this way the
rotation of the particular wheel m in engagement, is stopped and consequently the
chain wheel m' and spur wheel m" of which it forms a part also. But the endless
chain C being continually moving engages with the teeth of chain wheel m' and in
this way drags the carriage along with it until the latter is reversed, when the
other catch wheel m is engaged in like manner and the carriage is drawn in the
opposite direction. Whilst one chain wheel m¹ is stationary the other is being
rotated by the chain C and its corresponding spur wheel m" is driving the rollers J.
The reversing mechanism is so arranged that when the lever P is in mid position
both spur wheels m" are clear of wheel n¹¹ so that by this means no damage to the
mechanism can take place.
The length of traverse of the carriage D can be altered by adjusting the
fingers along the rod 6' and the pinion n¹ may be exchanged for one with more
or less teeth.
In Fig 1 and 2. I have shown means for supporting the sliver at a point above
the carriage D and which is especially useful where the sliver is tender or light.
This consists of two arms O carrying spindles on which are mounted wooden or

page_text: other rollers R, the latter being driven by endless cords, chains or the like from
the rollers J.
1
The mechanism described is applicable to all carding engines to which the motis
hitherto in use are or can be applied, and is superior to these owing to its si aplicity.
less liability to derangement and facility for adjust:nent and the evenness with
which the sliver is fed by it to the lattice.
In conclusion I would have it understood that the details of the mechanism may
be departed from without affecting the spirit of the invention and I would also have
it understood that I am aware that "scotch" or "cross" feeding mechanism has
been in use prior to the date of my invention and that some of these have been
actuated by an endless belt or chain to which a regular continuous motion has been
imparted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) In a "scotch" or "cross" feeding apparatus for carding engines the means
for effecting the reversal of movement of the carriage, consisting of adjustable
fingers such as 6, reversing spring controlled lever P, plate L with its wheels m, m¹
and m supporting brackets such as K with their projections a all substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.
(2.) In a "scotch" or "cross" feeding apparatus for carding engines, the means
for conveying the motion of the endless chain to the rollers J for delivering the
sliver constructed and arranged substantially as described.
(3.) In a "scotch" or "cross" feeding apparatus for carding engines, the com-
bination with an endless revolving chain of means for effecting the reversal of the
carriage D. such as referred to in Claim 1.
(4.) In a "scotch" or "cross" feeding apparatus for carding engines, the com-
bination with an endless revolving chain of means for effecting the reversal of the
carriage D such as referred to in Claim 1 and of means for transmitting the motion
of said chain to the rollers such as J.
(5.) In a "scotch" or "cross" feeding apparatus for carding engines the means
for supporting the sliver at a point above the carriage substantially as described.
(6.) A "scotch" or "cross" feeding apparatus for carding engines constructed
and arranged substantially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of July
HARRY THORNTON,
Applicant.