Improvements in Carding Engines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 29th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
We JOHN ELCE, Machine Maker, of. 9 Hopwood Avenue, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, and THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH, Machinist, of 122
Broughton Lane, Lower Broughton, Manchester aforesaid do hereby declare the
nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES, to be as follows:-
The objects of our Invention are, first to improve the means for setting or adjusting
the position of the flats relatively to the main cylinder, and secondly, to improve the
means for adjusting the pedestals of the main cylinder to compensate for wear.
In performing the first part of our Invention we fit on a turned flange of the
engine bend a disc or plate on the face of which are radial slots one for each bracket
that supports the flats." On each bracket we prefer to make a transverse flange at its
upper end shaped to the segment of a circle the adjacent ends of the segments are cut
A second disc or plate is
diagonally to form a continuous smooth path for the flats.
mounted and free to be moved axially on a flange of the first one; on the inner faco
of this disc is cut a helical groove into which one or more studs secured to each of
the brackets project. Both the discs are mounted and arranged that they may be
revolved together by any suitable gearing when it is desired to grind the periphery
of the brackets which we do by a grinding roller or milling cutter mounted on the
bend or in other convenient place.
After the brackets have been ground and the clothing on the flats adjusted to the
cylinder clothing the discs are secured and remain stationary until the cylinder is
re-ground when the disc with the helical groove is moved slightly on the axis of the
other to draw the brackets in; several settings of the flats may be made before it
becomes necessary to re-grind the periphery of the brackets.
After re-clothing the cylinder it becomes necessary to turn back the disc with the

page_text: helical groove to move the brackets out as far as necessary previous to grinding them
again to coincide with the enlarged diameter of the re-clothed cylinder.
By this arrangement the periphery of the brackets can be maintained truly
concentric to the cylinder clothing at all times.
The second part of our Invention consists of the following mechanism for adjusting
the pedestals of the main cylinder the box which forms the bearing for the axle is
fitted in slideways in the pedestal, beneath the box is a stud with an eccentric under
the box carried by the pedestal, the stud carries at one end a worm wheel which is in
gear with a worm on a spindle also carried by the pedestal so that by turning the
spindle the stud and worm wheel are turned and the eccentric raises or lowers the
box to the desired position. The box is free to adjust itself to the axle horizontally.
The foot of the pedestal rests in a slipper bolted to the frame of the machine in
which it can be moved and adjusted endways.
The pedestal with the box for the cylinder axle is made movable so that the cylinder
may be readily set concentric to the discs on which the flats travel.
Dated the oth
T
1007
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent.

page_text: We JOHN ELCE Machine Maker of 9 Hopwood Avenue Manchester in the
County of Lancaster and THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH Machinist of 122 Broughton
Lane Lower Broughton Manchester aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of said
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The objects of our Invention are first to improve the means for setting or adjusting
the position of the flats relatively to the main cylinder and secondly to improve the
means of adjusting the pedestals of the main cylinder to compensate for wear.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side view. Fig. 2 a transverse sectional elevation and Fig. 3 a plan
of part of a carding engine to which the first part of our Invention is applied.
Fig. 4 is a side view and Fig. 5 an end view of our improved mechanism for
adjusting the pedestals and shaft of the main cylinder to compensate for wear or when
otherwise requisite.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the Drawings.-a designates the lower portion
of the frame of the carding engine and 6 the main cylinder fitted on the shaft c. To the
frame a is secured a stationary bend d the flange d' of which is turned concentric
with the main cylinder; on this flange d' is fitted a disc or plate ring e on the side
face of which are formed or secured radial guides e' in which are fitted a number of
radial brackets f which are connected to the dise e by screws g which pass through
slots in the brackets. We employ any suitable number of brackets fand we shape
the upper surface of each bracket to the segment of a circle concentric with the main
cylinder and we prefer to bevel or cut off the adjacent ends of these segments so as to
form a continuous smooth and true path for the flats s to travel over; we prefer to
place a bush on each screw g to prevent the brackets f being nipped fast to the disc e
by the tightening screws g. On each bracket f is secured a stud (or studs) f² and all
these studs rest in a helical or volute groove h³ cut in the inner face of a second disc
or plate ring h which is mounted and free to be moved upon a flange e formed on
the disc e. The disc h has spur teeth 2 cast round or partly round its periphery and
a worm i mounted on a stud and carried in a bracket 2 secured to the disc e gears.
into the teeth h².
To adjust the flats s to the wire on the main cylinder we operate the worm i which
by the teeth moves the disc the groove h¹ in which acting on the studs moves
the brackets fin or out as required and so adjusts them concentrically with the main
cylinder.
When it is necessary to grind the surface of the brackets we give a revolving

page_text: motion in any convenient manner to the discs e and h and so to the brackets by means
of the ring which has teeth j¹ on its periphery and is mounted upon the flange d¹ of
the bend and secured to the flange e of the disc e.
To give a reciprocating motion to the brackets the ring j is driven from the main
cylinder shaft c on which we fix a band pulley see Fig. 1 which drives by means of a
band a pulley 1 fixed on a stud on which is a worm m which gears into and drives
a worm wheel n on a shaft o at the other end of which is secured a pinion o¹. The
shaft o is supported in a loose bearing so that the pinion o³ is free to move into gear
with the teeth on both sides of a mangle wheel p which is secured on a shaft p¹ on
which is also secured a spur wheel g which gears into the teeth on the disc j.
As we by preference employ only a limited number of brackets f as shown wo
enlarge the diameter of the disc e where there are no brackets and recess the flats at s¹
into which recess the enlarged diameter of the disc projects when the brackets are
being ground by this means the brackets can be ground by a reciprocating or
revolving motion of the discs e and without interfering with or altering the
diameter of the disc e.
We propose to impart a rocking motion to the discs e and hand to that end we
employ the mangle wheel p as above described so that the rotary motion of the
shaft o driven from the cylinder shaft c is by the pinion o¹ and mangle wheel p con-
verted into a reciprocating motion which is transmitted by the gear q and ring i to
the discs e and h and so to the brackets f. The distance the brackets fare rocked
may be varied by changing the spur wheel for one with a different number
of teeth.
+
In nearly all cases we prefer to make all or part of that portion of the periphery of
the disc e on which there are no brackets f of increased diameter as before mentioned
by which means some of the flats will be carried by the disc e while the brackets are
being ground.
For grinding the brackets we employ an emery wheel or disc or a milling cutter
(not shown) which is mounted adjustably in bearings carried by the brackets or
arms secured at d² to the bend or other fixed portion of the machine.
Any convenient arrangement of mechanism other than that shown and described
may be employed for imparting motion to the brackets f for grinding purposes and
although we have described the parts e h and as complete rings or circles they
might be segments of a circle only unless it be desired to impart a continuous rotary
motion to the discs and brackets during grinding.
As an alternative arrangement for the screws g employed to secure the brackets f
to the disc e we may increase the diameter of the ring hand fit it so as to bear
slightly upon the brackets which would then be held between the discs e and h
without requiring any screws.
After the brackets fhave been ground in their position and the clothing on the
flats adjusted to the cylinder clothing the brackets may be secured by the screws g
if necessary though we believe no locking will be required as the discs and e will
be held from any movement by the worm i which is always in gear with the teeth h².
The clothing may be re-ground several times before it is necessary to re-adjust the
brackets f.
After re-clothing the cylinder it becomes necessary to turn back the disc h so as
to draw the brackets out as far as necessary previous to grinding them again to
coincide with the enlarged diameter of the re-clothed cylinder.
In Figs. 4 and 5 we illustrate the second part of our Invention.
In these views. The cylinder shaft c is supported in a box or bearing s fitted in
slideways in the block or pedestal beneath the box s is a stud u which has its
bearings in the pedestal and carries an eccentric a¹ upon which the box's rests.
At one end of the stud u is a worm wheel u² in gear with a worm von a spindle v¹
also carried by the pedestal. The pedestal is fitted in slideways w¹ on the slipper
block w which is bolted to the flange of the frame a. A screw a for adjusting the
position of the pedestal t end wise on the slipper w passes through a projection on the
fatter into a nut made with or secured to the pedestal.
.

page_text: To raise or lower the box sa handle is employed to turn the stud v' by which the
worm u² and eccentric u are turned to adjust the height of the box s the endwise
adjustment being made by means of the screw x. By these means we are enabled to
set the cylinder concentric to the frame of the carding engine to compensate for wear
in the box or boxes of the main cylinder shaft and if necessary also to adjust the
cylinder to the brackets on which the flats travel.
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. The combination with a disc or segment having a helical or volute groove and
means for moving said disc axially when required of a second disc or segment
carrying brackets the upper surfaces of which form the path for the flats and which
brackets are fitted radially in slideways on the said disc and have studs projecting
into the groove in the first named disc so that when the latter is moved axially
the brackets are adjusted with respect to the main cylinder of the carding engine
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
2. The combination of the disc e the radial brackets fitted in slideways thereon
the studs flying in a helical or volute groove in a second disc h and means
for moving the said disc axially for the purpose of adjusting said brackets when
required substantially as herein described.
3. The combination with the discs e and h the brackets fand the toothed ring or
equivalent j of the wheel of the mangle wheel p pinion o¹ and other parts or any
suitable arrangement of mechanism for imparting a rocking or a rotatory motion to the
discs and brackets for grinding purposes substantially as herein described.
4. The construction combination and arrangement of parts embodying the first part
of our Invention substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference
to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
5. The combination with the journal box of the main cylinder shaft of an eccentric
and worm gearing or other suitable means for operating said eccentric sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purposes herein described with reference te
Figs. 4 and 5.
6. The construction combination and arrangement of parts embodying the second
part of our Invention substantially as and for the purposes herein described with
reference to Figs. 4 and 5.