IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING A communication to him from abroad by John.
F. Gebhart of New Albany United States
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1882.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of Kensington, Middlesex, IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES FOR SPINNING Communicated
to me from abroad by John. F. Gebhart of New Albany, United States,
This invention relates to machinery which is designed for preparing fibrous
substances (especially wool) for spinning; and my object is mainly to obtain a
perfect and reliable mechanism for feeding second breaker and condenser carding-
engines and to obtain a continuous uniformity of the prepared sliver or roving
during the process of laying it in parallel serpentine rows upon an endless feed-
table.
In machines of this class as hitherto constructed a very serious defect exists, in
that the wool is unevenly distributed upon and across the feed-table of the
engines.
The following description of this invention, when taken in connection with the
annexed drawings, will enable others skilled in the art to fully understand it.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the feed-table, the traveller, the bowed equalizing-rod,
and the shifting devices for the feed and distributing rollers, showing also lines of
roving distributed on said feed-table.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal.section through the traveller, indicating the
smooth feed-rollers.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section through the rack, the frame, and guide-rod,
indicated by dotted line xx,. Figure 2, showing an edge view of the, traveller.
In the drawings, the letter A designates the feed-table, which is composed of a
[Di CJ1

page_text: frame and a number of narrow endless bands or aprons of different lengths passed
around rollers at opposite ends of the table.
Obliquely across the front end of the feed-table A is a horizontal frame, B, which
is mounted on standards at its extremities, and is arranged in a horizontal plane
parallel to the top of the said feed-table, at a suitable distance above the same..
Along the lower front side of the frame B is a toothed bar or rack, C, and below
this rack is a smooth edge bar, D, which is flush with the ends of the rack teeth.
The extremities of the frame B are curved upward and connected together by
means of a horizontal rod, E, on which traverses the distributing-traveller F, which
is composed of the several parts hereinafter named. The rectangular depending
portion of the traveller F has a vertical slot, a, through it, in which plays freely a
stud, b, that projects from the edge of an endless belt, G. This belt G is carried on
pulleys c c. projecting from the face of the frame A, one of which pulleys is rotated
by mechanism engaging with a pinion, J', thus giving a continuous motion to the
said belt and a reciprocating rectilinear motion to the traveller F, the latter
traversing the entire length of the frame or feed. The lower end of the traveller or
travelling guide F has applied to it two vertical toothed drums, H H, which are
free to rotate. The upper toothed portion, e, of said drums H engages with the
teeth of the rack C, the annular grooves el bear, by their smooth peripheries, against
the straight edge of the bar D below said rack, and the toothed or serrated portion e²
of the drums H H rotates in contact with two smooth surface friction-rollers, J J,
and thus gives rotation thereto.
K designates a horizontal plate, which is connected to the traveller F by means
of curved vibrating arms ff, that are pivoted at their extremities to said parts, as
shown in Figure 1. These curved or segmental arms ff allow the plate K to be.
shifted end wise to the right or left by means bereinafter explained.
The smooth or plain faced rollers J J turn on vertical studs fixed to the bottom
of the plate K, and in front of these rollers a piece, L, is applied, which is rigidly
secured at its upper end to the plate K. Through the centre of the piece L is a
funnel-shaped eye, g, which directs and guides the roving between the rollers J J.
The front edge of the plate K is concave, and against this concave edge bears &
spring, N, which is secured fast to the top of the traveller F. By forming the
concave depression in the face of the plate K, as described, I relieve the spring or
obtain an even tension when said plate is shifted at the ends of the feed. By the
pressure of the spring N against the plate K either one or the other of the smooth
rollers J, as the case may be, will be held against one or the other of the serrated
portions e, thereby securing a feed of the roving between said roller and wheel.
The drawings, Figure 3, show a roving passing through the funnel-eye g and
between a roller J and portion es, in which position of the parts the traveller will
be moving in the direction indicated by the arrow. When the traveller is moved in
an opposite direction the opposite roller and feed-wheel will be brought into action,
as hereinafter explained. At the extremities of the feed or feed-table A, and pivoted to
posts M M, are hooks PP, which are supported upon stops h h in position for operation.
At the middle of the length of the plate K a flat stud, i, is secured, which, when
the traveller reaches the terminus of each stroke, is engaged by a hook, P. When
the traveller starts on its return-stroke the said engaged hook will shift the plate K
and change the relative positions of the smooth and toothed rollers. After this
shifting of the rollers a cam or V-shaped tooth, j, formed on an arm of each hook P,
will be brought in contact with a pin, k, on the traveller F, which will cause the
hook P to release the lug or stud i. The traveller will then proceed on its way
across the feed-table and deliver a line of roving evenly on the endless apron.
In practice I fix into the bottom of the guide-bar D, near its ends, several short pins,
(shown in Figure 2,) which will catch the roving and temporarily arrest it until the
traveller has proceeded the required distance, when the roving will of itself drop
free from the studs. These short studs or pins may be pitched backward. These
pins allow the roving to drop by its own weight after the traveller has moved a
short distance. They check the roving at the termini of the strokes of the

page_text: l
traveller, so that the roving will be laid evenly at the sides of the feed-table.
If the pins are slightly pitched back, they will more positively catch and shed the
roving.
R designates a rod which is arranged in front of the feed and traveller and
extended from end to end of the feed-table A. This rod is bowed, as shown in
Figure 2, when the roving is fed from above beneath it, and it is secured at its
extremities rigidly to said table. This rod will, by reason of its curvature, equalize
the friction and tension of the roving as it passes under it on its way to and
through the eye g, above described. If the roving is fed over the rod R, the latter
should be bowed upward or in a reverse manner to that shown in Figure 2. The
bowed guide-rod R will, by reason of its curvature, take up the slack of the roving
on its way to the eye of the traveller. When the distributor of the roving is
arranged on the floor or beneath the bed A the curve or bow of the said rod will
be up. When the roving-distributor is above the bed A the curve of the rod R
will be down. It is of course understood that the point of delivery of the roving
to the said rod is at the middle of its length. The belt G is or may be operated
from the carding-machine in the same manner as the ordinary Apperly and
Clusmered feeder.
Having described the invention, I claim―
1st The combination of the traveller F, mechanism for reciprocating the same, its
toothed drums, a rack-bar, a feed-table, the shifting plate connected by pivoted arms
to said traveller, and the smooth rollers receiving rotation, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes described.
2nd The combination, with the traveller arranged to reciprocate over the feed-
table, and means for moving this traveller, of the toothed drums, the shifting plate
bearing feed-rollers, and an eye piece or guide for the roving, and a spring acting on
the curved edge of the said plate substantially as described.
3rd The combination of shifting hooks and releasing devices therefor with a
traveller bearing toothed drums, and a shifting plate having feed-rollers applied to
it, substantially as described.
4th The combination, with the traveller F, of the annularly-grooved toothed
drums H. H, the rack which engages with the upper teeth of said drums, the smooth-
edge guide rail or bar applied beneath the rack and receiving the grooved parts of
the drums, the smooth feed-rollers, a spring for holding said rollers against the drums,
and shifting devices for the plate K, all substantially in the manner and for the
purposes described.
5th The combination, with the bar D and pins 7, arranged at the ends of said bar,
of the traveller and means for reciprocating the same, said traveller being adapted
to feed and distribute the roving upon the endless feed-apron, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 9 day of October A.D. 1882.