IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CARDS OUT OF STEEL WIRE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Batoman, of Low Moor, near Bradford,
in the County of York, Card Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CARDS
OUT OF STEEL WIRE"
Sealed the 8th February 1878, and dated the 5th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Bateman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1877.
WILLIAM FREDERICK BATEMAN, of Low Moor, noar Bradford, in the County
of York, Card Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPA-
RATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CARDS OUT OF STEEL WIRE."
This Invention consists of a method for the making and setting of card teeth by
machinery out of steel wire which has been hardened or tempered before the wire
is cut into lengths for the teeth, and the machine is so regulated that when the
teeth are made every individual tooth shall be harder at the point than at the
crown, thereby avoiding the danger of broken teeth, which is liable to the steel
teeth (or cards) made of soft steel wire, and afterwards hardened or tempered, and
then set in by hand labour.
The advantages I claim for this Invention are a saving of labour and time in the
manufacture; the use of clastic foundations made of india-rubber and cloth, leather,
or other flexible substances, the card when made being more durable than the
ordinary kind of card, each individual tooth having a perfect gradation of temper
from the bend downwards towards the crown, and from the bend upwards to the
point is as hard as an ordinary sewing needle; also both coarse and fine cards can
aliko be made by this process.
The mode of operation is this:-In feeding the hardened or tempered stoel wire
into the card-setting machine, which is of the ordinary kind except the addition
herein-after described, which consists in a jet of gas or any other flame or heated
material being brought into contact with the wire at intervals corresponding with
the place where the crown will be when the tooth is made; thus heat is imparted
to that particular section of the wire where the bending will take place in the
crown to make the staple and will extend somewhat towards the crooked portion of

page_text: the tooth, softening it sufficiently to allow the wire to be bent round the crown to
form the staple, and also to allow of the tooth being crooked or bent to the desired
form.
I claim to myself the use and manufacture of steel wire cards (for carding wool,
silk, cotton, flax, or other fibrous substances) made by machinery or otherwise, the
teeth of which are of a milder temper or softer at the crown of the tooth than at
the point or portion above the bend. This result may be attained otherwise than
by the mode I adopt, namely, by heating, hardening, and tempering soft steel wire
at intervals as it is fed into the setting machine or otherwise by a suitable con-
trivance, so that the hardened portion of each tooth is that which forms the part
above the bend. Also the card can be made with soft or common steel wire, the
teeth of which after having been set into the material or foundation are subjected to
heat at the points by being passed over a red-hot metallic plate, flame or other hot
substance, after which the points of the teeth whilst hot are passed into a bath of
oil or other hardening liquid, the card or fillet is then passed over another hot
metallic plate, flaine or other hot substance, which is regulated to such a temperature
that the points are let down to the proper temper or degree of hardness.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Frederick Bateman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1878.
WILLIAM FREDERICK BATEMAN, of Low Moor, near Bradford, in the County
of York, Card Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING CARDS OUT OF STEEL WIRE."
This Invention consists of a method for making and setting card teeth by
machinery from steel wie which has been hardened or tempered before the wire is
cut into lengths for the teeth, and the machine is so regulated that when the
teeth are made every individual tooth shall be harder at the point than at the
crown, thereby avoiding the danger of broken teeth, which is liable to happen to
the steel teeth (or cards) made of soft steel wire, and afterwards hardened or
tempered, and then set in by hand labor as hitherto.
The advantages of this Invention are a saving of labor and time in the manu-
facture; the use of elastic foundations made of india-rubber and cloth, leather, or
other flexible substances, in combination with the hardened point and soft crown,
such card when made being more durable than the ordinary kind of card, each
individual tooth having a perfect gradation of temper from the bend downwards
towards the crown, and from the bend upwards to the point is as hard as an
ordinary sewing needle; also both coarse and fine cards can alike be made by this
process.
The mode of operation is this:-In feeding the hardened or tempered steel wire
into the card setting machine, which is of the ordinary kind, except the addition

page_text: herein-after described, which consists in a jet of gas or any other flame or heated
material being brought at intervals into contact with the wire corresponding with
the place where the crown will be when the tooth is made; thus heat is imparted
to that particular section of the wire where the bending will take place in the
crown to make the staple, and will extend somewhat towards the crooked portion of
the tooth, softening it sufficiently to allow the wire to be bent round the crown to
form the staple, and also to allow of the tooth being crooked or bent to the desired
form.
I claim to myself the use and manufacture of steel wire cards made by machinery
or otherwise for carding wool, silk, cotton, flax, or other fibrous substances when
the teeth of the cards are of a milder temper or softer at the crown of the tooth
than at the point or portion above the bend. This result may be obtained other-
wise than by the mode I adopt, namely, by heating, hardening, and tempering soft
steel wire at intervals as it is fed into the setting machine, or otherwise by a suit-
able contrivance, so that the hardened portion of each tooth is that which forms the
part above the bend. Also the card can be made with soft or common steel
wire, the teeth of which after having been set into the material or foundation are
subjected to heat at the points by being passed over a red hot notallic plate, flame,
or other hot substance, after which the points of the teeth whilst hot are passed
into a bath of oil or other hardening liquid; the card or fillet is then passed over
another hot metallic plate, flame, or other hot substance, which is regulated to such
a temperature that the points are let down to the proper temper or degree of
hardness.
In order that my Invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect may
be better understood I have hereunto appended one Sheet of Drawings to be herein-
after referred to; all parts of the machine not necessary for the elucidation of these
improvements are omitted in the Drawing, being the same as an ordinary machine.
Like parts are indicated by like letters and figures.
Figure 1 is a plan of my improvement which is attached to the feeding end of an
ordinary card setting machine; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.
The part indicated by the letter A is the outline of one end of the framework of
an ordinary card setting machine; the projecting bracket B is secured to the end of
the card setting machine; C is the main or driving shaft, which revolves in suitable
journals, and receives motive power by means of a strap in the usual way; D is the
fly wheel secured to shaft C; to the shaft Cor to any other suitable shaft revolving
at the proper speed is attached a tappet E, which may be arranged with one or
more projections E' radiating from the centre; the lever F is centred or mounted
on the fulcrum G, which is secured to the end of the card-setting frame A; the long
end of this lever at F is in contact with the circumference of the tappet E, and is
kept thereto by means of spring H pressing on the under side of the lever at F, as
shewn on Drawing; but I do not confine myself to this mode, as the lever can be
kept in contact with the circumference of the tappet by springs of a different
description; for example, a spiral spring may be fixed on the under side of the lever
in place of the flat spring H, shewn on the Drawing, or the end of the spiral spring
can be attached to the lever and the other end of the spring attached to a stud fixed
above the said lever in such a position that the spring is elongated, and thus the
lover F is kept in contact with the circumference of the tappet, or a groove can be
cut in the side of the tappet in such a form as to give the required amount of pick
to the lever, and a stud is fixed in the side of the lever F which extends into the
aforesaid groove, and thus by these means an oscillating motion is imparted to the
short end of lever at F. To end of lever at F is secured bracket J, which can be
regulated and adjusted to its requisite position by sliding the same in the slot hole K
formed in ; to the bracket J is secured the projecting pipe M, and to this pipe I
attach a flexible tube which is connected to the ordinary gas pipes; at the top of
bracket J is fixed a gas burner N which is in connection with the pipe M; this gas
burner N may be of the ordinary kind, or what is commonly known as Bunsen's
gas burner.

page_text: It will be readily understood that when the machine is in motion the lever F
and the gas burner N will have an oscillating motion, and the gas flame O will at
intervals come in contact with the hardened steel wire P which passes through the
guards R in the direction of the arrow to the card setting machine, and thus the
flame will heat and soften the wire intermittently in the place where the crown or
staple and bend of the tooth will be when formed and set in the card.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may
be performed, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described and delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original
and claim as my Invention is:-
The arrangement and combination of the various parts of the apparatus for
softening the hardened steel wire intermittently in the place where the staple and
the bend of the tooth will be when formed, and when the teeth are set in the
foundation of the card by the card setting machine or otherwise the points of
each individual tooth will be hard, substantially as herein-before described.
The hardening or tempering of the points of the teeth when the card is made from
soft steel, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Bateman, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM FREDERICK BATEMAN. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the above named
William Frederick Bateman,
in the presence of
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineer and Patent Agent,
Bradford,
Yorks.