IM- PROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING WIRE CARDS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Carr Thornton, of Cleckheaton, in
the County of York, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING WIRE CARDS."
Sealed the 19th November 1853, and dated the 20th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Carr
Thornton, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 20th May 1853.
I, WILLIAM CARR THORNTON, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for his Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING
WIRE CARDS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved arrangements of ma-
chinery for performing certain of the operations required to manufac-
ture wire cards, so as to simplify the nicchanism, and render it more
convenient to manage than the machines usually employed for this
purpose. Some of the operations, such as cutting off the wire, and
putting it through the leather band, are performed in the ordinary way,
or by means of mechanical arrangement similar to those hitherto
adopted.
The improvements of which the present Invention consists relate,
first, to what is called doubling the wire. so as to form two teeth

page_text: out of one length of wire. This operation is usually performed by
means of tappets which bend back both ends of the wire; these
tappets, after they have done their work, being forced back by springs.
In practice this arrangement is found to be inconvenient and defective,
inasmuch as if one of the springs should accidentally be broken the
bending tool will not be drawn back, and a derangement of the
machinery and considerable damage may consequently ensue. Ac-
cording to my improvements the bending tool is forced up to its work
by springs instead of tappets, and is drawn back by tappets instead of
springs, as heretofore, so that should a spring break accidentally no
derangement of the machinery can take place, and the only incon-
venience that can arise will be, that the wire will not be doubled or
bent as required.
The next improvement relates to the operation of piercing the leather
with holes for the reception of the bent or doubled wires which form
the teeth of the cards this operation is effected by means of a some-
what similar arrangement of machinery to that just described; that
is, the piercing tool is operated by a strong spring, and is drawn back
by a tappet or other equivalent contrivance. The third improvement
relates to the mode of crooking" or bending the wire to the right
angle after it has been inserted in the leather band. This operation
has hitherto been usually done by means of a tool which works on a
centre, instead of which I cause the bending tool to act in a straight
line, or nearly so.
My last improvement relates to the general arrangement of the
moving parts, and the means of actuating the same.
The moving
parts of machinery for making wire cards have usually been mounted
on two or more rails, on which they are made to traverse to and fro
My improvement consists in placing the traversing carriage on merely
a single central rail, and securing it thereon from below. By this
means the several parts of the mechanism are much simplified, and
may be more easily got at when required, the moving parts of the
machine are much firmer, and at the same time several parts are
dispensed with.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Carr Thornton in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 19th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM CARR THORNTON, of Cleckheaton, in the County of York,
Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said William Carr Thornton,
Her special license that I, the said William Carr Thornton, iny
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Carr Thornton, ny executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MAKING WIRE
CARDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Carr Thornton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Carr Thornton, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings
(that is to say):
My Invention relates to certain improved arrangements of machinery
for performing certain of the operations required to manufacture wire
cards, so as to simplify the mechanism, and render it more convenient

page_text: to manage than the machines usually employed for this purpose. Some
of the operations, such as cutting off the wire, and putting it through
the leather band, are performed in the ordinary manner, or by means
of mechanical arrangements similar to those hitherto adopted.
The improvements of which the present Invention consists relate,
first, to what is called doubling the wire, so as to form two points out of
one length of wire. This operation is usually performed by means of
tappets which bend back both ends of the wire; these tappets, after
they have done their work, being forced back by springs. In practice
this arrangement is found to be inconvenient and defective, inasmuch
as if one of the springs should accidentally be broken the bending tool
will not be drawn back, and a derangement of the machinery and
considerable damage may consequently ensue. According to my
improvements the bending tool is forced up to its work by springs
instead of tappets, and is drawn back by tappets instead of springs, as
heretofore, so that should a spring break accidentally no derangements
of the machinery can take place, and the only inconvenience that can
arise will be, that the wire will not be doubled or bent as required.
The next improvement relates to the operation of piercing the leather
with holes for the reception of the bent or doubled wires which form
the teeth of the cards: this operation is effected by means of a some-
what similar arrangement of machinery to that just described; that is,
the piercing tool is operated upon by a strong spring, and is drawn
back by a tappet or other equivalent contrivance. The third improve-
ment relates to the mode of "crooking" or bending the wire to the
right angle after it has been inserted in the leather band. This opera-
tion has hitherto been usually done by means of a tool which works on
a centre, instead of which I cause the bending tool to act in a straighter
line, or nearly so.
My last improvement relates to the general arrangement of the
moving parts, and the means of operating the same. The moving parts
of machinery for making wire cards have usually been mounted on two
or more rails, on which they are made to traverse to and fro. My
improvements consist in placing the traversing carriage on merely a
single central rail, and securing it thereon from below. By this means

page_text: the several parts of the mechanism are much simplified, and may be
more easily got at when required, the moving parts of the machine are
much firmer, and at the same time several parts are dispensed with.
Having thus set forth the nature and object of my improvements,
I will now proceed to shew, by means of the Drawings accompany-
ing this my Specification, the manner by which the same may be
carried into practical effect. Fig. 1, is a partial transverse section
shewing my improvements about half size. Fig. 2, is also a trans-
verse sectional view shewing the same in connection with usual
machinery employed in card making. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal view
of the same. The frame is shewn at a, and a single longitudinal
rail which supports the working parts at b, b. This rail has a
groove in its upper edge c, c, upon which is mounted and slides the
traversing carriage d, d, formed in two portions, the junction being
at f, and the lower part bearing against the bottom of the rail b. The
carriage d, carries levers g, h, and i, capable of turning upon a centre
at m, also springs j, k, and 1, which are fast at one end to the said
carriage. The spring j, is fast at the other end to a bracket bolted to
the sliding plate n, which carries the ordinary tongue o, and crowner p;
the other end of the spring k, is attached to the lever h, which lever is
connected to the pricker q, by the joint pin r. The outward end of the
third spring 1, is attached to a brackets, projecting from the lower slide
or plate c, which carries with it the shear or cutter t, and doubler u, of
the ordinary construction. The cams u, w, a, which, according to my
Invention, allow the springs to bring the operating parts into action,
are mounted upon the main shaft y, so as to revolve therewith; but
as their bosses are confined between the two sides of the carriage d,
they are caused to travel with it in a longitudinal direction. The
plate n, above referred to, slides upon the lower one e, in suitable
bearings, and this also slides upon projections cast on the carriage d.
The crooker is shewn at 5, carried by a piece 1, capable of adjustment
upon a plate 2, sliding in grooves formed upon an arm 3, which is
bolted to the traversing earriage d. To the plate 2, is connected a link 4,
jointed to a lever 5, turning upon a centre at 6: this lever carries at
its other end a rod 7, provided with a projecting part 8, situate over a

page_text: cam 9, which at suitable times allows the said part 8, to descend, and
thereby permit the lever 5, to be turned upon its centre by a spring 17,
one end of which is attached to a fixed part at 18, and the other to the
plate 2, by which means the crooker z, will be carried upward to the
wire. The method which I employ for traversing and retaining the
carriage, and which is a modification of the ordinary wedge motion,
will be seen best in the detached views, Figs. 4, and 5, the former
being a view with part of the traversing carriage shewn in section, and
the latter a top or plan view of the same. A cam 10, is caused to
revolve with the driving shaft y, but is mounted within the carriage d,
so as to slide longitudinally therewith. This can has two inclined
planes 11, 11, upon its sides, situate with a jaw 30, 30, of the "mouth
piece" 13, which is drawn forward by means of the spring usually
employed. The periphery of the cam 10, actuates a lever 12, upon
which is mounted the "mouth piece" 13, drawn by a spring 14,
towards the toothed bar 15, fixed to the longitudinal rail b, but is pre-
vented from arriving in connection therewith until the space 16, of the
cam 10, shall have arrived opposite to the projection 27, on the
lever 12, at such time, however, the two parts, 13, and 15, will become
locked together in the ordinary manner, and a further revolution of the
cam 10, will cause one of the inclined planes 11, to act against the
piece 13, so as to move the carriage the required distance. When
the mouth piece 13, is removed from the notch bar 15, by the lever 12,
being forced outward, the inclined plane 11, will have passed from
contact with the jaw 30, and the spring usually employed will cause it
to be drawn on to the flat part of the cam 10, ready to be locked with
the notch bar 15, when the part 27, shall have arrived opposite to the
space 16. Upon the return motion of the carriage being required, the
usual spring which acts upon the "mouth piece" 13, will be changed
in the ordinary manner, so as to bring the other side 30%, of the
opening in which the cam 10, is situate, to bear against the other
inclined plane 11. and the operation will be the same in the other
direction.
The general operation of the various parts of the mechanism
is as follows: The traversing carriage being held in a stationary

page_text: position by the operation of the cam 10, upon the wedge motion, as
described, the wire is drawn towards the tongue by the ordinary
nippers, and is there held by the crowner p, in the usual manner; the
cam w, w, being then in a suitable position for allowing the spring l;
to draw forward the lever i, and consequently plate e, e, upon which is
mounted the shears or cutter t, and doubler u, the former then cuts
the wire, after which it is doubled in the usual manner. Simulta-
neously with this operation, or nearly so, the spring k, is enabled by
the position of the cani v, to cause the lever h, to turn upon its centre,
so as to allow the pricker q, to advance up the incline 26, and pierce
the leather or other material; after which it is drawn back against the
force of the spring k, by the further revolution of the cam v. The
lever g,
of the plate n, which carries the tongue and crowner, is now.
permitted by the position of the cam a, to be drawn forward by the
action of the spring j, whereby those parts advance towards the leather
band, and the wire tooth is deposited. Previously to or simultaneously
with this operation a cant upon the shaft y, has allowed the lever 5, to
turn upon its centre, so as to permit the crooker z, to be drawn
upwards by the spring 17, into a suitable position for receiving the
ends of the wire within its eyes, after which a receding motion, by the
action of the cam upon the part 8, draws them over the bar 28, to the
required angle; as soon as these operations have been performed, the
cams a, v, w, withdraw the various parts into a suitable position for the
next operation, before which the carriage and cams are liberated from
the bar 15, and caused to traverse the required distance by the revolu-
tion of the cam 10, acting by means of one of its inclined sides 11,
as before described.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the use of the
several points of novelty described in combination with the particular
construction of card making machinery to which they are shewn as
adapted, nor do I confine myself to the precise arrangement of mecha-
I would,
nical parts by which I have illustrated my Invention.
however, observe, that I do not contemplate the application of my

page_text: improved machinery to the production of every description of wire
cards, for in some cases, as in those used for carding tow, the wires
are of a thickness which would resist the action of springs; all such,
however, as are usually called "fine cards" may be produced by aid
of my Invention, and the coarseness of work to which it may be
adapted will readily be arrived at by all competent persons. I claim, as
secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent,-Firstly,
the use of a spring or springs for forcing the heading tool to its work,
and of a tappet or tappets for withdrawing the same. Secondly, the
use of a spring or springs for effecting the operation of piercing the
leather or other material, and also of a tappet or tappets for withdraw-
ing the pricking instrument. Thirdly, causing the bending tool, whilo
operating upon the wire, to move in a straight line, or nearly so.
Fourthly, the general arrangement of machinery shown and described,
and particularly the use of a single rail for supporting the carriage, and
operating parts connected therewith.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Carr Thornton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of No-
vember, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM CARR THORNTON. (L.S.)