IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVE- MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES.” MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR Purposes
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Robertson, of Broad Street, Alloa, in the
County of Clackmannan, North Britain, Machine Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES.”
MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR Purposes.”
Scaled the 19th April 1870, and dated the 1st February 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said David Robertson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 1st February 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
ROBERTSON, of Broad Street, Alloa, in the County of Clackmannan,
North Britain, Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CARDING ENGINES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR
PURPOSES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the true and first

page_text: Inventor thereof, and that the same is not in use by any person or
persons to the best of my knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Robertson, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following state-
ment:-
My Invention consists in improvements in the bearings of carding
engines and such like machinery, whereby I am enabled to adjust them
more easily, so as to put the working parts of the machinery in proper
position to each other, and in a quicker, more correct, and positive
manner than has been the practice hitherto, whether these parts revolve,
reciprocate, or have any other simple or compound motion.
Part of my improvements consists in a mode and apparatus whereby I
am enabled to tighten or slacken any driving chain, belt, strap, or band
almost instantaneously, whether the said chain, belt, strap, or band is in
motion or at rest.
In order that my Invention may be more clearly and fully understood,
I will now proceed to describe the same, and with reference to the two
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed. Throughout all the Drawings
similar letters refer to similar parts.
In Figure 1, Sheet 1, I have shown so much of a carding engine as is
necessary to show the application of my Invention, and in the Drawings
on Sheet 2 I have shown the various parts of the improvements in detail
on a much larger scale, so that they may be much easier understood.
In Figure 1, Sheet 1, A, A, is the general framework of a single
carding engine; B is the carding cylinder, the journals of the spindle or
shaft of which revolve in bearings fitted into my adjustable carriages or
blocks C; one of them being on the other side of the engine of course
cannot be seen. D, D, are the bends or arched framework firmly a
secured to the upper surface of the general framework A, A. The
bends or arched framework D, D, have their outer edges or rim circular,
except a portion of them at E, E, where a projecting bracket or horn is
cast or formed thereon for supporting two of my adjustable carriages or .
plummer blocks F, F, which are secured thereto, and in the bearings of 3
which the spindle or shaft of the "fancy roller or "swift" G revolves.
Around portions of the circles on the faces or outsides of the bends D, D,
"

page_text: from H to H', circular fillets and fitting strips H2 and H³ are formed' or
cast thereon. The fillets H2 project from the surfaces of the fitting.
strips H³ so far as that they shall form suitable guides for the reception
and guidance of the curved moveable plates I, I, I, I, I, which plates
have fitting strips on their faces, and are planed true, so as to bear fair
on the fitting strips H³, which are planed or turned true circularly and
flat. The projecting fillets H³, H2, are also planed or turned true on
their faces at right angles to the planed faces of the fitting strips H³, H³.
The curved plates I, I, I, I, I, have four fitting pieces or strips I, I, I, I,
cast or otherwise formed on their curved edges at or near their ends,
which are nicely fitted in between the faces of the fillets H³, H², in such
a manner so that they can be slipped easily either way round the curve
on the fitting strips and between the fillets, but without any tendency to
move radially either to or from the centres of the bends. These curved
plates I, I, I, I, I, are securely fixed in their proper places by means of
the bolts and nuts a, a, a, a, a. This will be better understood by
having reference to both Sheets of Drawings. The letters of reference
refer to all the Figures and parts in Sheet 2 as well as to the parts
in Sheet 1.
Figure 2, Sheet 2, represents a front view of so much of one of the
bends or arched framework D as is necessary to show one of the
curved plates I, I, I, I, I, in its proper position and secured by the bolt
and nut a. Figure 3 is an edge view of the same, or at right angles to
Figure 2, but with part of the bend D removed, and the remaining
portion shewn in section; Figure 4 is a front view of one of the curved
plates I by itself, and divested of all the parts which are attached to and
mounted on it when it is in its proper place and fixed to the bends D;
Figure 5 is a cross section through one of the bends or arched frame-
work D, one of the curved plates I, one of the intermediate forked plates J;
one of the double eye bolts K, and one of the slotted sliding pieces L,
in the outer ends of which the notched bearings L' are cast, bored,
slotted, or otherwise formed. The curved plates I, I, I, I, I, are secured
in their proper places to the bends D, D, by means of the bolts and
nuts a, a, a, a, a. These bolts a, a, a, a, a, may have both square heads
and necks, which heads are received in curved long recesses formed in
the insides of the bends or arched framework D, so deep that the heads
will be flush with the insides of the framework. The necks of the bolts
pass through similarly curved slotted holes in the bends or framework D

page_text: nuts, as formerly described.
and through the curved plates I, I, I, I, I, and the whole are secured by
In Figures 3 and 5 the heads and necks of
these bolts are seen at a¹, a¹. Circular fitting strips b, b, b, b, are cast or
otherwise formed on the curved plates I, I, I, I, I, and in the centres of
these fitting strips bosses or projections c, c, are formed. The outer or
upper portions d, d, of these bosses are formed of less diameter than the
portions c, c. These fitting strips and bosses are formed or turned
perfectly true with the planed strips on the opposite sides of the curved
plates I, I, I, I, I. Projections e, e, seen in dotted lines in Figures 2, in
full lines in Figures 3 and 5, and their positions are represented by
dotted lines in Figures 6 and 8, are cast on or otherwise formed or
fixed on the plates I, I, I, I, I, which projections rise or project so far
as to go in between the forked legs of the plate J, and to be flush or
thereabouts with the other sides of them. One of the projections e on
each plate may have the form as shown, or any other suitable form,
provided that the projection does not rise too far through the forked
legs ff, and also that it will allow a considerable amount of play
between the inside of each forked leg and the projection e. The forked
plates J have fitting strips g, g, on them, shown in Figure 7. These
are faced true, so as to lay flat on the circular fitting strips 6, 6, on the
curved plates I, I, I, I, I. The forked plates J, J, have a hole g¹
through each of them, as better seen in plan or back view in Figure 6,
in dotted lines in end view in Figure 7, and in longitudinal section in
Figure 8. These holes are bored out fair and true to the faces of the
fitting strips, and are of such a size as to fit nicely on the largest
portions c, c, of the bosses on the curved plates I, I, I, I, I, as shewn in
section in Figure 5. The forked legs ff, of the plate have holes drilled
and tapped in them, and in which are fitted set screws h, h, having
square, capstan, or other properly shaped heads to turn them by. The
points of these set screws abut against the sides of the projections e, e,
when the forked plates J are in proper position. In the backs of these
plates there are grooves, notches, or rabets i, i, formed or planed out
longitudinally in them, the use of which will be hereafter explained.
K is the double eye bolt, seen mounted in position in Figure 5. Figures
9 and 10 are separate views of one of these double eye bolts; Figure 9
is a front view, and Figure 10 is a view at right angles to Figure 9, and
with the eyej shown in section. The eyes j of these double eye bolts
are bored, turned, or otherwise formed true, so as to make a good fit
on the outer and smaller portions d of the bosses on the curved

page_text: plates I, I, I, I, I. Before mounting these double eye bolts on the
portion d of the aforesaid bosses, their nuts are first taken off, and
their ends inserted through the holes K³, K', formed in the slotted
sliding pieces L, L. The nuts l, l, are then screwed on to keep each
double eye bolt in its place, as shown in Figure 5. Different views of
one of the slotted sliding pieces are shown in the following Figures, viz.,
Figure 11 is a front view, Figure 12 is a back view, Figure 13 is a
longitudinal section through the bearing L', double eye bolt holes K¹, K¹,
and through the slotted hole K², and Figure 15 is an end view. It will
be seen that the lower or nearest ends of these pieces are of a box shape,
the sides of which are thinned away on their inner faces m, m, so as to
make clearance to allow the pieces L to slide without hinderance along
the bosses of the double eye bolts when the nuts 1, 1, are alternately
slackened and tightened. The body portions of these pieces are cranked
inwards at M, M, so that both ends of the double eye bolts with their
nuts 1, 1, are thrown to the outsides of the slotted sliding pieces, so that
they can be easily slackened and tightened with a proper tool for that
purpose. The edges n, n, of the sides of the box portions of the slotted
sliding pieces L are planed out, as shown. This portion may be more
readily understood by more particular reference to Figures 3, 6, 7, 8,
and 15, although it is shown more or less in Figures 2, 5, 11, 12, 13,
and 14. In Figure 15, which is an end view of the slotted sliding
pieces L, the projecting lips on the box portions of which are shown
at n, n.
These lips and rabets are formed perfectly true, and make a
perfect fit with the notches, checks, or rabets i, i, formed on the backs of
the forked pieces or plates J. In Figure 3 one of the slotted sliding
pieces L and one of the forked pieces or plates J are shown in proper
position. The projecting portions n, n, of the pieces L, L, enter into
the recesses or rabets i, i, formed in or on the forked pieces or plates J.
The pieces L are capable of being slid longitudinally either way so far:
only as the slotted holes K³ will allow. These plates are so fitted into.
each other that they can have no lateral motion independent of each
other, but with only a longitudinal one, as before explained. When all
these parts are put in their places, as is shown in Figure 5, they are
firmly secured in proper position by means of the set screws N, N¹,.
which pass through the slotted holes in the pieces L, and are tapped
into the centres of the bosses formed on the curved plates I, I, I, I, I.
Instead of set screws I sometimes make use of bolts having their heads
countersunk in the curved plates I, I, I, I, I, and with nuts screwed on

page_text: their outer ends. The adjustable bearings already more particularily
and fully described here are those in which the spindles or shafts of the
workers O, 0, 0, 0, revolve, and by which they are adjusted.
I will now proceed to describe those in which the spindles or shafts of
the strippers revolve. In this case all the difference in the slotted and
sliding pieces or plates L, L, is this, that the portions P, P, from the
cranked parts M, M, outwards to the bearings L² are shorter, so as to
bring the centres of the strippers (which are of less diameter than the
workers) nearer to the centres of the carding cylinders. Instead of
having a small projection like e cast on or otherwise formed on the
curved plates I, I, I, I, I, I cast or otherwise form a projection of such
a size as shall fill up the space between the forked legs f, f, and between
which it is nicely fitted, so that no lateral motion of the plates or
pieces J on the curved plates I, I, I, I, can take place, also there can
no lateral motion take place between the slotted and sliding pieces L, L,
and the forked pieces J, J. It will thus be understood that a longi-
tudinal or radial motion to or from the centres of the carding cylinders
can only in this case be given to the slotted sliding pieces L, L. Set
screws such as those marked h, h, are in this case unnecessary, but I
sometimes mount these bearings the reverse way to that which I have
described and shown in the Drawings. The bearings for the workers
may be made and mounted so as to have no lateral or side motion, while
those which support the strippers may be mounted so as to have a lateral
or side motion, and capable of being set to their proper positions by
means of such set screws as are represented in the Drawings, and
mounted so as to act on the slotted sliding pieces for supporting the
workers.
To set the strippers and workers in fair working positions with the
carding cylinders and with each other the mode of operation is thus,-
Slacken the nuts a which secure the curved plates I, I, I, I, move
round two of the plates I (one on each side of the carding engine)
between their guiding fillets H³, H', and on their fitting strips H³, H³,
untill the stripper supported by these plates stands with its axis out of
winding with or in the same plane with the axis of the carding cylinder;
fix these plates in that position by means of the bolts and nuts a, then
by slackening or tightening either of the nuts 1, 1, on the ends of the
double eye bolts K, K, the sliding pieces L will be drawn from or set
nearer to the centres of the carding cylinders untill the lines formed by

page_text: the points of the stripper teeth are parallel to and at a proper _distance
from the line formed by the points of the cylinder card teeth, then fix
the bearings securely by means of the nuts 1, 1, (on the ends of the
double eye bolts) and set screws N, N. The workers are now set to
their proper positions by slackening their set screws N³, N³, so far as to
allow of the slotted pieces L, L, being set nearer to or farther from the
centres of the carding cylinders by means of the nuts 1, 2, on the ends
of the double eye bolts being slackened or tightened as required, at the
same time the set screws h, h, at each worker bearing are brought into
requisition, and are also slackened and tightened as required, so as to set
round the bearings L', L', and with them the workers nearer to or further
from the strippers untill they are in the proper relative positions to:
each other, then all the screws and nuts are tightened, so as to secure
the whole firmly. It will be seen that the action of the points of the
set screws h, h, against the projections e (which are on the curved.
plates I, I, I, I, I,) causes the slotted sliding pieces L, L, and with them
the bearings L', L', to advance or recede to or from the stripper, as
the case may be, at the same time the eye of the double eye bolt turns.
on or swivels round on the projection d as on a pivot. I have shown
similar adjustable bearings at Q for supporting the spindles or shafts of
the front strippers Q'. The moveable and adjusting portions of these
bearings with their various set screws and double eye bolts have been
already described when describing the bearings for supporting the
workers, the only difference in this case being this, that the plate I
is made short, and with only one boss, as only one bearing is here
required to be supported on the plate I. The mode of adjustment is
the same as what has been formerly described with regard to that of the
workers.
Figure 16 is a back view of one of my adjustable bearings for the ends,
of the spindles or shafts of carding cylinders. Figure 17 is a plan of
the same. The sole R and body R' of this bearing are cast hollow;
R², R², are ends cast in the sole, through holes in which the double eye
bolt R³ is mounted; S is a stud inserted in and firmly fixed to the top rib.
of the main side framing by a nut St. On this stud the eye R* of the
double eye bolt is nicely fitted and mounted.
Figure 18 is a plan view of this double eye bolt, and Figure 19 is
an edge view of the same showing the cye or boss R' in section.
S2, S3, are the holding down bolts, which are passed up through the ribs.

page_text: on the top of and which form part of the main framing, and through
oblong or slotted holes in the centres of the sole tails R, R, of the
carriage. It will be seen that the eye of the double eye bolt is set
off the centre to one side. This allows the tails of the bolt R³, R³, to
pass by the holding down bolts S², S*, easily, as shown. The bearings are
adjusted by slackening the nuts of the bolts S³, S3, and by slackening
one of the nuts on the double eye bolt R³, R³, and tightening the other
the action of the tightening nut on one of the ends R² of the sole forces
the whole along the top of the framing to the proper place and position,
when the whole can be made secure by the nuts and bolts. The double
eye bolts being nicely fitted on the studs have no traverse when the nuts
are slackened and tightened.
Figure 20 is a side or front view of one of my adjustable bearings for
carrying the " 'fancy roller" or "swift" or other similar parts, and
Figure 21 is a plan of the same. The sole T is cast hollow, and through
the ends T, T", the ends of the double eye bolt T, T, are passed and have
nuts screwed on them, as before described with reference to Figures 16,
17, 18, and 19. T is the stud on which the eye T of the double eye
bolt is fitted and mounted. The lower end of the stud T is bolt shaped
and passes through the top rib of the framework and is secured below
by the nut T. The upper end is also bolt shaped and passes up through
a slotted hole Tª formed in the upper side of the sole T, where it is secured
by a nut T. The stud in this case serves the double purpose of stud
and holding down bolts, as shown.
Figure 22 is an edge view of the double eye bolt, and Figure 23 is a
plan or face view of the same. In Figure 20, q is the spindle bearing
having a hinged cover q¹. The mode of adjustment of the bearings
represented in Figures 20 and 21 is precisely the same as that already
described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. The double eye bolt for
this and similar bearings may also be made like to that shown in
Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19, where the eye of the double eye bolt is
set off from the centre, so as to allow the body of the bolt to pass
clear of the holding down bolts.
Figure 24 is a front view, and Figure 25 is a view at right angles to
Figure 24 of one of my adjustable bearings for supporting and adjusting
the doffer comb so as to set it to the proper position to or from the
doffer. U, U, is the sole plate, which is fitted to and secured by set
screws r,, to the body portion or plate of the bends or arched frame-

page_text: work D of the carding engine. A portion of this plate is seen in section.
in Figure 25. Small parallel grooves at 8, 8, are cut out, planed; or
otherwise formed in the sole plate U. V is a box-shaped casting having
parallel projections 81, 81, formed on it. These projections are nicely
fitted in the grooves s, 8, and in which they slide or are fixed. V¹, V¹,
are the ends of the double eye bolt which are mounted through holes.
in the ends V, V³, and have nuts V³, V³, on their ends. The eye V* of
the double eye bolt is fitted on a boss or stud t, which is cast, fixed, or
otherwise formed on the sole plate U. W is a set screw which is passed
through a slotted hole t¹ in the casting V and is tapped or screwed into
the boss or stud t, which secures it in proper position after adjustment.
W¹ is a projecting shelf or ledge on the box casting V. v, v, are two
recessed clips which embrace between them one end of the doffer comb
spring v¹, as seen in section. A set screw v³ passes down through these
clips and the end of the spring o³, and is tapped or screwed into the
projecting shelf W₁ which secures them. The mode of adjustment is
similar to that of the bearings already described. While one end of
each spring v¹ is held fast between the clips v, v, the other ends are
attached or secured to the ends of the comb swords or connecting rods w
to which the doffer comb is fixed, and from which connecting rods the
comb receives its motion. The general arrangement of these connections
is better seen in Figure 1, Sheet 1. By slackening or tightening either
of the nuts V³, V³, the doffer comb through or by the connection of
the spring v¹ and connecting rods wo is set further from or nearer to the
doffer X as required. In Figure 26 I have shown in sectional plan a
drawing of my apparatus for tightening or slackening driving chains,
belts, straps, or bands. In this Figure I have shown it as applied to a
chain for driving the workers of a carding engine. D, D, D, D, is a
portion of a bend or arched framework of a carding engine seen in section.
Circular fitting strips x, x, are cast on the bend where this apparatus
is shown fixed. X, X, is a bobbin shaped casting having a hole x¹, x¹,
truly formed in it. A detached view of this casting with its fixing
set screws is shown in section in Figure 27. This casting has a faced
flange X', X', by which it is firmly secured to the bend through set
screws X³, X³, as shown. The body of this casting projects past the
flange X', X', as far so that it shall pass a little beyond the flush of the
inside of the bend D at x³, when it is inserted in the hole formed in the
bend to receive it. X³, X³, is a second flange which has a set of teeth y
cast on it as shown; y' is a round spindle or rod mounted in the inside of
"

page_text: the casting X, X. A small portion of the hole in the casting is of such
a diameter as shall permit the main portion of the spindle y', y¹, to work
easily through it, while the greater portion at x1, x¹, x1, x¹, is of such a
diameter as will allow a helical spring y³, y³, to be mounted round the
spindle y', y', and to play easily therein. y³ is an enlarged portion of
the spindle y' which fits easily in the enlarged portion of the hole.
The shoulder of ys abuts against the coiled end of the helical spring y³
and which has a tendency to force out the spindle from the casting X, X,
but it is prevented from doing so by means of a flange Y, Y, which
is fixed on the end of the spindle y¹ by means of the pin y*. This flange
is also furnished with teeth y³ which are the exact counterpart of the
teeth y on the flange X³, X³. These two sets of teeth gear or take
into each other, and are so held in that position by the helical spring y*.
Y', Y¹, are handles cast or otherwise formed or fixed on the flange or
disc Y for the purpose of being laid hold of when manipulating the appa-
ratus. Y is an arm or crank of any required length, which is either
fixed on the thick portion y³ of the spindle y¹ or formed in a piece with it.
At the other or opposite end of this crank a collared stud Y³ is securely
fixed. On this stud a double flanged pulley Y' is mounted and on which
it revolves. This pulley is of such a width between the flanges as will
allow the chain or band which drives the workers to pass between them
easily. This pulley is represented as being kept on its stud by a screw
or screwed pin Y' inserted in and screwed into the body of the pulley, while
the point takes into a groove turned out of the stud, but I do not confine
myself to this method as any of the usual appliances will do. A detached
view of the pulley mounted on its stud with crank arm, spindle, toothed
flange and handles are shown in Figure 28. Z is one of the chain
wheels mounted and fixed on one of the worker spindles Z¹ and which
is driven by a pitch chain, the position of which is represented by the
dotted lines 2, 2, 2, 2. The position that I prefer to fix this apparatus
in on a carding engine is shown in Figure 1, Sheet 1 where the
handles Y¹, Y', and a flange Y can only be seen. In Figure 29, Sheet 2,
I have shown a front view of as much as is necessary to show the action
of this apparatus in conjunction with Figure 26. To tighten or slacken
any driving chain, belt, strap, or band the handles Y', Y', are laid hold
of and then drawn outwards, thus also drawing outwards the spindle,
crank, stud, and pulley against the pressure of the helical spring y² so
far as to allow the points of the rows of teeth y and y* to clear each
other, when the whole of the moveable parts connected with or attacued

page_text: to the handles can be turned round into the positions represented by
the dotted lines in either direction, so far as is required, and when the
handles are let go the two sets of teeth are again brought into gear
with each other by means of the action of the helical spring y². Ac-
cording to the position of this apparatus as it is represented in Figure 1,
Sheet 1, if the handles Y¹, Y', and pulley Y* (in Figure 29, Sheet 2)
were put round into the positions indicated by the letters 2¹, z¹, 2¹, the
driving band or chain will be tightened, but if put into the positions
marked 22, 2, 22, it will be slackened.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be
used or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of the said Invention, but what I consider as novel and original, and
therefore claim as my Invention is,-
First. The general constructions and arrangements of adjustable
bearings and regulators for regulating driving chains, belts, straps, or
bands for carding engines and other similar machinery, as herein-
before described and referred to in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Second. The making bearings adjustable by means of double eye bolts,
nuts, and studs, whereby I am enabled to adjust in a nicer manner any
bearing by giving it a positive motion, and to perform the same in
much less time and more correctly than has been done hitherto.
Third. The double eye bolts as herein-before described with reference
unto the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fourth. The discs or flanges with and without handles and with
teeth formed thereon which gear into each other as formerly described
and represented in the Drawings.
Fifth. The arrangement of the spindle and helical spring together
with the crank arm, stud, and pulley for tightening or slackening driving
chains, belts, straps, or bands, as herein-before described and set forth
with reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Sixth. The adjusting apparatus for setting and adjusting the doffer
combs of carding machinery, as hercin-before described and represented
in the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Seventh. The moveable curved plates which are fitted in the bends
or arched framework and to which the adjustable bearings are attached,
as before described with reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Robertson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of January One thousand
eight hundred and seventy..