IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO CARDING AND CONDENSING ENGINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING CLOUDED OR SPOTTED YARNS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Grierson Laidlaw, of Hawick, in the County of
Roxburgh, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
ADDITIONS TO CARDING AND CONDENSING ENGINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PRODUCING CLOUDED OR SPOTTED YARNS."
Sealed the 12th April 1878, and dated the 7th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by. the said Robert Grierson Laidlaw
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1878.
ROBERT GRIERSON LAIDLAW, of Hawick, in the County of Roxburgh, Nortli
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO CARDING AND CONDENSING ENGINES
'FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING CLOUDED OR SPOTTED YARN."
This Invention relates to improvements in or additions to carding and condensing
engines, and has for its object the production of clouded or spotted yarns.
According to the said Invention slivers of different colours are led from the
carding cylinders over separate doffing cards (commonly called doffers) arranged one
above the other.
The doffing cards have a traversing motion imparted to them simultaneously in
opposite directions, which may be effected by inclinations at one end of the said
cards coming against projections on the framing, by which the said cards are urged
against springs at their other ends; the said springs giving the return traverse to
the cards when the said 'inclinations pass beyond the projections on the framing.
When the apparatus is in operation the top doffer card receives a traversing
motion in one direction, whilst the under doffer card receives a traversing motion
in the reverse direction, by which the slivers of one colour from the top doffer card
pass between the slivers of the other colour on the doffer card beneath it, and a
clouded or spotted yarn is formed by the combination of the slivers of different
colours from either doffer card.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Grierson Laidlaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd August 1878.
ROBERT GRIERSON LAIDLAW, of Hawick, in the County of Roxburgh, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS, TO CARDING AND CONDENSING ENGINES
FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING CLOUDED OR SPOTTED YARNS."
My said Invention relates to improvements in or additions to carding and con-
densing engines for the purpose of producing clouded or spotted yarns, the engines
to which it is applicable being those in which two doffing rollers are employed, the
one below the other; such as those known as "Tatham's double doffing machines."
The one doffer has alternately rings of cards and blank spaces, and the other
doffer has like rings of cards and blank spaces in a reverse position, that is, so that
the cards of one doffer come in line with the blank spaces of the other doffer.
Slivers of different colours are led from the bank over the carding cylinder workers
and strippers, the slivers being laid in strips of one colour, and the other alternately
and side by side in positions corresponding with the positions of the cards upon the
respective doffers, so that the strips of sliver of one colour pass before the cards of
the top doffer, and the strips of sliver of the other colour pass through the spaces
between the cards of the top doffer to the cards of the bottom doffer. It follows
that on being worked with the strips of sliver and the doffers in this position the
. sliver of one colour would be stripped by the top doffer, and the strips of the other
colour would he stripped by the bottom doffer.
.
To produce the clouded or spotted effect in the sliver leaving the carding engine,
and consequently in the yarn afterwards produced therefrom, a traversing motion is
imparted to each of the doffers, preferably in opposite directions, whereby the cards
of the top doffer are caused to encroach upon the sliver of the colour, which without
this side movement of the doffer would pass to the lower doffer. The side move-
ment of the lower doffer causes its cards in like manner to encroach upon the sliver,
which without this side movement, would be stripped by the top doffer.
In Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing we have shewn mechanism suited for
imparting this side movement to the doffers.
The carding cylinder is indicated in dotted lines at A, the top doffer at B, and
the lower doffer at C; a indicates the rings of cards upon both the doffers, which
rings alternate with empty spaces b, so that the cards a of either doffer are in line
with the spaces of the other doffer.
The spindles of both the doffers are provided with discs D (a face view of one of
which is shewn in Figure 2) having inclined projections d upon their faces, which
projections as the doffers revolve bear against studs or projections c bolted to the
framing, whereby the doffers receive a side movement against springs e as each
projection d comes into contact with the studs c. As soon as a projection d passes
the studs c the doffers are returned by the springs e, and thus a constant to-and-fro
motion of the doffers is obtained.
Other suitable means of obtaining this motion may however be employed, but I
have described and illustrated the best method with which I am at present
acquainted.
The discs D may be fitted to the spindles of the doffers so as to be removeable.
therefrom, and replaced by other discs having a greater or less number of projections
upon them to give various degrees of "clouding."
One doffer only may receive the side movement if desired in place of both doffers
being so moved.
When both doffers receive the movement in opposite directions the one doffer will
strip a sliver with one degree of clouding, and the other doffer will strip a sliver of
another degree of clouding. When however the lower doffer is left in gear so as to
receive the side movement, and the top doffer is thrown out of gear and so that it
receives no side movement, I have found that if the quantities or weights of the

page_text: slivers of the different colours in the bank of sliver fed to the carding cylinder be
so proportioned to each other that the strips of sliver passing to the cards of the
lower loffer are about four times heavier than the other strips of sliver that I obtain
from the machine slivers of but one degree of clouding.
The side movement may be given to the doffers in the same direction instead of
in opposite directions.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the sàme is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the berein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The improvements in carding and condensing engines having two doffers,
consisting in imparting to one or both doffers a side to-and-fro or traversing motion
for the purposes described.
Second. The arrangement of mechanism for effecting this movement herein-before
described with reference to the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Grierson Laidlaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this. Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ROBERT GRIERSON LAIDLAW. (L.S.)