Improvements in or relating to the Fancy Rollers of Carding Engines
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1899--Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Fancy Rollers of Carding Engines
I, JOHN HENRY CROWTHER, of Auburn, in the County of Cayuga, and State of
New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to card clothing for fancy rolls in carding machinery, and
the object is to construct the teeth or staples on the fancy so that they will keep the
card or cards on the main cylinder clear, or, so that the card or cards thereon will
not require combing or clearing by hand as usual, so often; the object also is to
provide card clothing material for containing the teeth or staples, that will be
inexpensive, will hold the teeth firmly in place, and which may be more easily
and quickly removed and replaced when it is necessary to remove injured teeth and
insert new ones; and the further object is to provide strips of card clothing that
may be applied to and removed from a cylinder without injury to the same.
The fancy roll or card in carding machines is for the purpose of raising the
fibre on the cards of the main cylinder so that the latter will be kept clear and
the fibre easily removed therefrom by other rolls. This, however, has only been
accomplished in a very limited degree by the fancy roll heretofore, and it has been
necessary to employ other rolls aside from the fancy for keeping the main cylinder
clear, and even then it has been necessary to stop the machine once or twice each
day and clear the cards on the main cylinder by hand. This process occupies con-
siderable time, is laborious, and often injurious to the cards unless it is done by
one skilled in the operation, and causes great waste of material.
By my invention all of these objections are largely, if not entirely obviated, and
my improved means are exceedingly simple and inexpensive.
My invention accomplishes the process of clearing so well, that with stock which
required the stoppage of the machine for cleaning at least twice each day, it is
only necessary to stop once in two or three weeks.
In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification,
Figure 1, is an end view of the fancy roll provided with my improved card clothing,
together with a portion of the main cylinder, Figure 2, is a side view of the fancy
roll, Figure 3, is an enlarged fragmentary view of the fancy roller showing an
end view of one of my improved strips of card clothing, and Figure 4 is a rear
side view of the strip removed from the roll.
Referring specifically to the drawings, A, is the main cylinder of the machine,
and F, is the fancy roll engaging with its teeth the teeth of the card on the main
cylinder A.
Card cloth or the material for holding and supporting the teeth has always
been formed of leather or rubber or other flexible material that is yielding and
expensive. Such flexible material has been used for containing the teeth because
it would easily conform to the surface or periphery of the cylinders, but it is
objectionable for the reason that after a time the leather or rubber gets soft from
oil and constant working and allows the wire staples to work loose in the leather
and finally make the holes so large that the strip has to be thrown away.
When strips of leather or rubber are used, each strip is secured by two rows

page_text: of tacks or nails at the edges of the strip, and these must be removed when new
teeth are to be inserted in the strips. This soon ruins the roller, the tacks being
only about three-fourths of an inch apart. When the strips are removed, the
holes must be plugged with wood in order to have the tacks hold the strips to the
cylinder when again applied. All this occupies much time and is obviated by
my invention. I have found by experience that strips for holding
the wire staples may
be formed of wood, preferably hard wood, as
for instance maple or cherry, and that the wire staples should be
held loosely in this material, the holes therein being made somewhat
larger than the wire. These strips of wood B are slightly curved by bending, or
they are worked out by tools to conform to the curvature of the surface of the
cylinder. The strips, B, are each secured, as shown in the drawings, longitudinally
upon the surface of the cylinder, preferably equal distances apart by a few
screws b, b, passing centrally through the strip and distributed along its length.
Because of the small number of screws necessary to secure the strip in place, it
may be easily and quickly removed when necessary, and again applied without
the necessity of plugging the holes previous to its application.
As above set forth, the strips B on the fancy roll F, holding the wire staples f, f,
are separated from each other, four, six or eight strips being usually sufficient.
Each strip has two or three rows, preferably two rows, as shown, of straight teeth
or wire staples of equal length projecting from the lag, say approximately 3/4 inch,
separated widely from each other, the distance between the two rows on the same
lag B, being about 3 inch. The screws, b, pass through the strips in the space
between the rows of teeth. The teeth f, f, etc., are formed of wire staples extend-
ing through the strip of wood in an inclined direction the holes in the strip for
receiving the staples being drilled in an inclined direction for this purpose. The
rows of staples are set in alternate or different zones as shown in the drawings,
but they may be set opposite each other. The connection, f¹, between the legs
of the staples are clearly shown in Figure 4. These connections lie between the
strip and the roller F.
It will be obvious that a greater number of rows of teeth or staples may be
placed in a single strip if desired, and furthermore, the strips may be secured to
the roller without spaces between them.
I do not wish to be limited to staples as each tooth may be a separate straight
tooth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination of the fancy roller, strips of wood extending longitudinally
of the roller and secured to its periphery, and straight flexible wire teeth extend-
ing through the strips, as set forth.
2. The combination of the fancy roller, strips of wood extending longitudinally
of the roller and secured to its periphery, and flexible wire staples extending
through the strips and in an inclined direction and having their connections
between the legs lying between the strips and the roller, as set forth.
3. The combination of the fancy roller, strips of wood extending longitudinally
of the roller and secured to its periphery, said strips being curved in cross-section,
and flexible wire staples extending through the strips in parallel rows and having
their connections between the legs lying between the strips and the roller, sub-
stantially as described and shown.
4. The combination of the fancy roller, strips of wood extending longitudinally
of the roller, separated from each other equal distances apart, said strips being
curved in cross section, and straight flexible wire staples extending through the
strips in an inclined direction, and screws securing the strips to the periphery
of the roller, the connections between the legs of the staples lying between the
strips and the roller, substantially as described and shown.

page_text: 5. In card clothing for fancy rollers, a strip of wood curved in cross section, a
series of holes extending longitudinally of the strip and passing through the
same in an inclined direction, and flexible wire staples with straight legs extend-
ing through the strip, substantially as described and shown.
6. In card clothing for fancy rollers, a strip of wood curved in cross section, a
series of holes extending longitudinally of the strip and passing through the
same in an inclined direction, and flexible wire staples with straight legs extend-
ing through the holes, said holes being larger than the wire, as set forth.
ית
1000
JOHN HENRY CROWTHER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.