IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ashworth, Felt Manufacturer, and Charles Payant,
Engineer, both of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT."
Sealed the 13th June 1878, and dated the 22nd December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ashworth and Charles
Payant at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd December
1877.
JOHN ASHWORTH, Felt Manufacturer, and CHARLES PAYANT, Engineer, both of
Dukinfield, in the County of Chester "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT."
Our Invention consists in the application of two feeders to the carding engine,
whereby we are enabled to introduce an inner layer of fibrous material at will or
otherwise between two others, whether of inferior quality or otherwise, and .to
make each side of the felt of a different material or otherwise.
The compound feeder consists of two creepers and feed rollers, one being placed
above the other, and each feeder having direct or indirect communication with the
licker-in roller of the carding engine, and the working of the said feeders being in
direct communication with the machine or machines used in the front of the carding
engines by self-acting mechanism, or the communication may be made by the hand
or foot of the attendant.
By means of this Invention we are enabled to make felt having a superior quality
of fibrous materials on the outer surface, and the inside and back of an inferior
quality, thereby improving the appearance and reducing the cost.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Ashworth and Charles Payant in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st June 1878.
JOHN ASHWORTH, Felt Manufacturer, and CHARLES PAYANT, Engineer, both of
Dukinfield, in the County of Chester. " IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FELT."
Our Invention consists in the application of two feeders to the carding engine,
whereby we are enabled to introduco an inner layer of fibrous material between
two others, whether of inferior quality or otherwise, and to make each side of the
felt of a different material or otherwisc.
•
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, which represents part of an ordinary carding engine to which our
improvements are applied.
a is the main cylinder, and b the licker-in, both of which are made as usual;
the main cylinder is provided with workers and clearers, and the carded fibres are
deposited by the main cylinder on to a doffer, which delivers them to the forming
drum or cone as now customary; c is the lower feed roller, which is placed about
in the same position as the ordinary feed roller; the creeper & passing around the
rollers e and f, carries the fibrous material forward to the feed roller c, which
delivers it to the licker-in b over the feed trough g.
Above the feeding apparatus described is a second feeding apparatus consisting
of the feed roller h, feed trough g³, and creeper i, passing around the rollers ; and k.
The feed troughs g, g', may be dispensed with, and rollers similar to e and h used
in their stead. The feed roller c is driven from the doffer by the side shaft 7 as
usual, the bevel pinion on the shaft & gearing into the wheel c³ on the feed roller
c, and the feed roller is driven from the side shaft by the spur pinion, which
is brought into gear when required with the pinion m² on the carrier shaft m,
to which is also fixed the bevel pinion m³ gearing into the wheel h¹ on the feed
roller h.
The upper creeper i can be raised into the position indicated by the dotted line
to give access to the lower creeper d in the following, or in any other convenient
manner. The roller revolves in an adjustable bearing in the lever k¹, which is
pressed upwards by the spring n, and which is held down by the catch o. As soon
as this catch is withdrawn the lever k¹ is released, and the spring n then raises the
creeper to the required extent
The mode of operation is as follows:-When the fibrous material is being supplied
to the carding engine by the creeper d, the bevel pinion is in gear with the
wheel c on the feed roller c, and the spur pinions and m' are out of gear,
consequently no motion is imparted to the upper creeper i; but when a sufficient
quantity of fibrous material has accumulated on the forming drum or cone in front
of the carding engine, the attendant moves the lever p to draw the bevel pinion l¹
out of gear with the wheel o³, to stop the creeper d, and to bring the spur pinion /³
into gear with m'; the bevel pinion m² then drives the upper creeper i, and delivers
the fibrous material spread upon it to the feed roller h and thence to the licker-in b,
and the upper feed feeder remains in gear until a sufficient quantity of fibrous
inaterials has again accumulated on the forming drum or cone.
We prefer to spread the finer fibres on the lower creeper, and the coarser on the
upper creeper, but that is not essential.
The working of the said feeders is in direct communication with the machine or
machines used in the front of the carding engine by self-acting mechanism, or the
communication may be made by the hand or foot of the attendant.
By means of this Invention we are enabled to make felt having a superior quality
of fibrous materials on the outer surface, and of an inferior quality in the inside and
at the back, thereby improving the appearance and reducing the cost.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described a convenient
manner of performing the same, we wish to remark that we do not intend to limit
ourselves to the details given, and that we claim, the application of a second feeding
apparatus to carding engines employed in the manufacture of felt for the purposes
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Ashworth and Charles Payant, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight
JOHN ASHWORTH. (LS.)
CHARLES PAYANT. (L.S.)