Improvements in Revolving Flat Carding-engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 14-Accepted, 9th June, 1894.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Revolving Flat Carding-engines.
We, PLATT BROTHERS AND COMPANY, LIMITED, of Hartford Old Works,
Oldham, in the County of Lancaster Machine Makers, and WILLIAM HENRY
PLATT, of 202 Greenacres Road, Oldham, Mechanic, in the employ of Messieurs
Platt Brothers and Company, Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows :-
This invention relates to revolving-flat carding-engines.
In a revolving flat carding-engine the revolving flats while carding rest upon
flexible bends or equivalent supports and in order that such flats may act efficiently
upon the fibrous material to be carded the parts of such flats which bear upon the
said flexible bends or equivalent supports are so bevelled or formed that the wire
surface or "top" or "card" of each of such flats may when carding be closer to
the wire surface of the cylinder in conjunction with which it is employed at one
edge than at the other. In cases where the flats are ground from their backs, it is
necessary that the backs of such flats shall be parallel to the surfaces formed by
the points of the wire of the "tops" or "cards" of such flats. The "bevelling" in
such flats of the parts which bear upon the flexible bends or equivalent supports,
causes the bearing parts of the flats to be thinner at one edge than at the other. The
fibrous material to be carded enters the space between the flat and the cylinder at
the thick edge of the flat where the surface of the wire is furthest froin the card
surface of the cylinder and emerges from between the flat and the cylinder at the
thin edge of the flat where the surface of the wire is nearest to the card surface
of the cylinder. The angle which the wire surface or "top" ог "card" of a flat
makes with a tangent to the surface of the cylinder when such flat is carding is
called the bevel of the flat. Motion is imparted to the flats by means of notch
blocks which engage with projections formed on the backs of the flats and being
mounted upon a shaft to which rotary motion is imparted cause the said flats to
travel along the flexible bends or equivalent supporting surfaces. In revolving
flat carding-engines as hitherto constructed circular discs or blocks are employed
in conjunction with the notch blocks in order that the flats may be guided while
passing around the said notch blocks and also kept parallel with each other whilst
at work. It is to these discs or blocks that this invention more particularly
relates.
"
In a revolving flat carding-engine such as above referred to the formation of the
flats with the necessary bevel in the manner above described necessitates that such
flats in passing between the flexible bends or other equivalent supports over which
they travel and the notch blocks by which such flats receive motion and the discs
used therewith travel with their thinner edges foremost. Consequently it is
necessary that not only shall the notch blocks and the circular discs or blocks
employed in conjunction therewith be placed at such a distance from the flexible bends
or equivalent supports that there may be space between the said circular discs or blocks
and the flexible bends or equivalent supports on which the flats bear while carding, for
the passage of the thinner edges of the bearing parts of such flats which bear on the said
flexible bends or equivalent supports which first come into contact with the discs
or blocks but also for the thicker edges of the flats which follow. When a flat passes
into engagement with the notch blocks from which it receives motion, it commences
to turn with such notch blocks and the circular discs or blocks employed therewith,
and at the commencement of the turning of the said flat with the said notch blocks
and discs or blocks the thin edge of the fist first engages with the discs or blocks

page_text: the thicker edges of the bearing parts of such flat having later to pass between the
discs or blocks aforesaid and the flexible bends or equivalent parts. This turning
of the said flats causes them to require more space for their passage between the
said discs or blocks and the flexible bends or equivalent supports than would appear
necessary for the mere passage of the thicker edges of such bearing parts between
the said discs or blocks and the flexible bends or equivalent supports. The pro-
vision of the necessary space between the flexible bends or equivalent supports for
the revolving flats and the notch blocks by which the said flats receive motion and
the circular discs or blocks in a revolving flat carding-engine such as above referred
to necessitates the said notch blocks and the circular discs or blocks used therewith
being placed radially so far away from the flexible bends or equivalent supports
that besides the flat which has actually passed into engagement with the notch
blocks two or three other flats which have not yet passed into engagement with
such notch blocks are raised more or less out of contact with the flexible bends or
equivalent supports and are thus rendered useless for carding purposes. As it is
desirable that every flat shall remain in carding position as long as possible the
untimely removal of two or three flats out of their carding position in the manner
above described is a serious defect in revolving flat carding-engines and this inven-
tion consists in means by which such defect is obviated.
According to this invention instead of employing in conjunction with the notch
blocks by which motion is imparted to the revolving flats of a revolving flat carding-
engine circular discs or blocke to hold the said flats in position while passing around
the said notch blocks we employ discs or blocks on which are formed as many faces
or bearing surfaces for flats as there are notches in the notch blocks with which
the said discs or blocks are employed and we make the said faces or bearing
surfaces of such shape and place them in such a position and at such an inclination
to the radii passing through the corresponding notches of the notch blocks that
when flats pass into engagement with the notch blocks such flats shall not bear
upon the faces or bearing surfaces of the discs or blocks corresponding to such
notches until the thicker edges of the bearing parts have arrived at the points
where the flexible bends or equivalent supports are nearest to the shaft upon which
the said notch blocks and discs or blocks are mounted.
By so forming the said discs or blocks we enable the notch blocks and said discs
or blocks to be so placed that the revolving flats may remain in carding position
and in contact with the flexible bends or equivalent supports on which they travel
until they commence to pass around the notch blocks from which they receive
motion.
Although we have above described this invention as applied to the discs or
blocks employed in conjunction with the notch blocks from which the revolving
flats receive motion and on to which they pass from the flexible bends or equivalent
supports this invention may also be applied with somewhat analogous advantages
to the discs or blocks employed in conjunction with the other notch blocks around
which such flats pass and from which they pass to the flexible bends or equivalent
supports.
A modification of our invention consists in forming the back parts of the flats
which pass round and on the discs or blocks parallel with the bevelled portions of
such flats which rest on the flexible bends or equivalent supports when at work.
With flats formed in this manner we can use the ordinary circular discs or blocks.
By this modification we are enabled to obtain similar results to those secured by the
arrangement previously referred to.
Dated thie Fourth day of Aust 1902

page_text: Improvements in Revolving Flat Carding-engines.
We, PLATT BROTHERS AND COMPANY, LIMITED of Hartford Old Works,
Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Makers, and WILLIAM HENRY
PLATT of 202 Greenacres Road, Oldham, Mechanic, in the employ of Messieurs
Platt Brothers and Company Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to revolving flat carding-engines.
In a revolving flat carding-engine the revolving flats while carding rest upon
flexible bends or equivalent supports and in order that such flats may act efficiently
upon the fibrous material to be carded the parts of such flats which bear upon the
said flexible bends or equivalent supports are so bevelled or formed that the wire
Burface or "top" or "card" of each of such flats may when carding be closer to
the wire surface of the cylinder in conjunction with which it is employed at one
edge than at the other. In cases where the flats are ground from their backs, it is
necessary that the backs of such flats shall be parallel to the surfaces formed by
the points of the wire of the "tops" or "cards" of such flats. The "bevelling" in
such flats of the parts which bear upon the flexible bends or equivalent supports
causes the bearing parts of the flats to be thinner at one edge than at the other.
The fibrous material to be carded enters the space between the flat and the cylinder
at the thick edge of the flat where the surface of the wire is furthest from the card
surface of the cylinder and emerges from between the flat and the cylinder at the
thin edge of the flat where the surface of the wire is nearest to the card surface of
the cylinder. The angle which the wire surface or "top" or "card" of a flat
makes with a tangent to the surface of the cylinder when such flat is carding is
called the bevel of the flat. Motion is in parted to the flats by means of notch
blocks which engage with projections formed on the backs of the flats and being
mounted upon a shaft to which rotary motion is imparted cause the said flats to
travel along the flexible bends or equivalent supporting surfaces. In revolving
flat carding-engines as hitherto constructed circular discs or blocks are employed
in conjunction with the notch blocks in order that the flats may be guided while
passing around the said notch blocks and also kept parallel with each other
whilst at work. It is to these discs or blocks that this invention more particularly
relates.
In a revolving flat carding-engine such as above referred to the formation of the
flats with the necessary bevel in the manner above described necessitates that such
flats in passing between the flexible bends or other equivalent supports over which
they travel and the notch blocks by which such flats receive motion and the discs
used therewith travel with their thinner edges foremost. Consequently it is
necessary that not only shall the notch blocks and the circular discs or blocks
employed in conjunction there with be placed at such a distance from the flexible bends
or equivalent supports that there may be space between the said circular discs or
blocks and the flexible bends or equivalent supports on which the flats bear while
carding, for the passage of the thinner edges of the bearing parts of such flats which
bear on the said flexible bends or equivaleut supports which first come into contact
with the discs or blocks but also for the thicker edges of the flats which follow.
When a flat passes into engagement with the notch blocks from which it receives
motion, it commences to turn with such notch blocks and the circular discs or blocks
employed therewith and at the commencement of the turning of the said flat with
the said notch blocks and discs or blocks the thin edge of the flat first engages with

page_text: the discs or blocks the thicker edge of the bearing parts of such flat having later
to pass between the discs or blocks aforesaid and the flexible bends or equivalent
parts. This turning of the said flats causes them to require more space for their
passage between the said discs or blocks and the flexible bends or equivalent
supports than would appear necessary for the mere passage of the thicker edges of
such bearing parts between the said discs or blocks and the flexible bends or
equivalent supports. The provision of the necessary space between the flexible
bends or equivalent supports for the revolving flats and the notch blocks by which
the said flats receive motion and the circular discs or blocks in a revolving flat
carding-engine such as above referred to necessitates the said notch blocks and the
circular discs or blocks used therewith being placed radially so far away from the
flexible bends or equivalent supports that besides the flat which has actually passed
into engagement with the notch blocks two or three other flats which have not yet
passed into engagement with such notch blocks are raised more or less out of contact
with the flexible bends or equivalent supports and are thus rendered useless for
carding purposes. As it is desirable that every flat shall remain in carding position
as long as possible the untimely removal of two or three flats out of their carding
position in the manner above described is a serious defect in revolving flat carding-
engines and this invention consists in means by which such defect is obviated.
According to this invention instead of employing in conjunction with the notch
blocks by which motion is imparted to the revolving flats of a revolving flat
carding-engine circular discs or blocks to hold the said flats in position while passing
around the said notch blocks we employ discs or blocks on which are formed as
many faces or bearing surfaces for Hats as there are notches in the notch blocks
with which the said discs or blocks are employed and we make the said faces or
bearing surfaces of such shape and place them in such position and at such an
inclination to the radii passing through the corresponding notches of the notch
blocks that when the flats pass into engagement with the notch blocks and the
thinner edges of the bearing parts of such flats have arrived at the points where
the flexible bends or equivalent supports are nearest to the shaft upon which the
said notch blocks and discs or blocks are mounted the said faces or bearing surfaces
shall bear upon the thinner edges of the bearing parts of the flats so as to keep the
flats in contact with the flexible bends or equivalent supports until the centre lines
of the said flats respectively reach the said points where the flexible bends or
equivalent supports are nearest to the shaft upon which are mounted the said notch
blocks and discs or blocks and that after each flat has arrived in the position in
which its centre line is at the points where the flexible bends or equivalent supports
are nearest to the said shaft the thinner edges of the bearing parts of such flat shall
be allowed to leave the flexible bends or equivalent supports and such flat shall be
allowed to commence to turn with the notch blocks while the thicker edges of its
bearing parts shall be made to continue to bear upon the flexible bends or equivalent
supports until the said thicker edges have themselves reached the points at which
the said flexible bends or equivalent supports are nearest to the said shaft.
By so forming the said discs or blocks we enable the notch blocks and said discs or
blocks to be so placed that the revolving flats may remain in carding position and
in contact with the flexible bends or equivalent supports on which they travel until
they commence to pass around the notch blocks from which they receive motion.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view illustrating so much of a
revolving flat carding-engine with this invention applied thereto as is necessary to
illustrate the nature of this invention and the manner in which the same may be
carried into effect.
Fig. 2 is a side view and Fig. 3 an elevation at right angles to Fig. 2 showing
detached one of the discs or blocks employed according to this invention and the
notch block with which the said dise or block is employed.
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the position which a flat when carding occupies
in relation to the cylinder of the carding engine, the flat being indicated in end
view, the surface of the flexible bend or other equivalent support on which it bears

page_text: being indicated by the dotted arc of a circle (A) (A) and the surface of the card
wire upon the cylinder being indicated by the dotted arc of a circle (B) (B).
We will now proceed to apply letters of reference to the parts shown in the
accompanying drawings, and to describe such parts. The same letters of reference
are applied to corresponding parts in all the figures of the accompanying drawings.
(a) is the main cylinder of the carding-engine. The cylinder (a) is shown only
in part.
(b) (b) are the revolving flats. The flats (b) (b) are of the usual type, each of
them being formed of a cast iron bar faced or furnished with card teeth.
For convenience the card teeth are only indicated upon some of the flats (6) in
the accompanying drawings. The flats (6) are as is usual in revolving flat carding-
engines connected at their ends to chains but the chains are omitted from the
accompanying drawings in order that confusion may be avoided. The flats (b)
while carding rest upon and move along flexible bends (c) of which there is one at
each side of the carding engine, although only one. is indicated in Fig. 1. The
portions of the revolving flats (6) which are behind the flexible bend (c) shown in
Fig. 1 are indicated by full lines in order that the said revolving flats (b) may be
more clearly shown. The revolving flats (b) are caused to travel in the direction
indicated by the arrow (C) along the flexible bends (c) by means of notch
blocks (d) mounted upon a shaft (e) to which rotary motion is communicated.
There is a notch block (d) provided at each side of the carding engine. The notch
blocks (d) engaging with the projections (61) upon the flats (b) impart motion to the
chain of flats. The shaft (e) is mounted in brackets (f) of which there is one at
each side of the carding engine, but a portion of one of the brackets (f) indicated
in Fig. 1 is omitted from such figure in order that the flats (6) and the disc or
block (g) behind it may be more clearly indicated.
-
As is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 each flat (b) is formed with bearing
surfaces (63) on its carding face formed at such an inclination to the surface of the
card wire of such flat that when the flat is travelling along the flexible bends (c)
the card wire surface of the flat will be slightly inclined to a tangent to the surface
of the cylinder (a) drawn at the point where the card wire surface of the flat (b)
is nearest to the card wire surface of the cylinder (a) in order that fibrous material
to be carded may more readily pass between the card wire surface of the flat (b)
and that of the cylinder (a). The angle which each of the bearing faces (6³) of a
flat makes with a tangent to the cylinder (a) drawn in the manner above described,
is called the bevel of the flat. At the back of each flat (6) are formed other
bearing surfaces (63) which are intended to bear upon surfaces upon or against
which the flats are required to bear while being ground. In the practice hitherto
followed the bearing surfaces (63) are also caused to bear upon the circular discs or
blocks employed in conjunction with the notch blocks by which motion is imparted
to the flats in order to keep such flats in proper position while passing around the
said notch blocks. As it is necessary if the flats are to rest by means of such
surfaces (6) upon or against bearing surfaces regulating the position of the flats
relative to the grinding roller in the grinding of such flats the bearing surfaces (6³)
at, the backs of the flats are inclined to the bearing surfaces (63) at the front of
carding faces of the flats and thus the bearing parts of the flats have what may be
termed thicker and thinner edges and it is in this sense that the terms "thicker
edge" and "thinner edge" are employed in this description.
(h) is one of the carrier blocks employed to support the flats while passing from
the notch blocks (d) towards the point where they again commence to bear upon
the flexible bends (c).
In conjunction with each of the notch blocks (d) is employed a disc or block (7).
Each of the discs or blocks (9) of which one only is shown in Fig. 1, is formed in
one with the notch block (d) in conjunction with which it is employed, or may be
formed separate therefrom and be secured thereto in any suitable manner. It is to
the discs or blocks (g) that this invention more particularly relates.

page_text: According to this invention we form upon each disc or block (9) as many faces
or bearing surfaces (9') as there are notches (d') in the notch block (d) with which
the said block or disc (9) is employed. We make the faces (9) or bearing
surfaces of each disc or block (9) of such shape and place them in such position and
at such an inclination relative to the planes passing through the axis of the
shaft (e) and the centres of the corresponding notches (d') of the notch block (d)
employed with such disc or block (9) that when any flat (b) passing along the
flexible bends (c) passes into engagement with any of the notches (d') of the notch
blocks (d) and the thinner edges of the bearing parts of such flat (6) have arrived
at the position indicated by the line (DD) which indicates a portion of a plane
passing through the axis of the shaft (e) and through the axis of the cylinder (a),
the faces or bearing parts (9') corresponding to the notches (d¹) into engagement
with which the said flat passes shall bear upon the thinner edges of the bearing
parts of such fiat (6) so as to keep such flat in contact with the flexible bends (c)
until the centre line of the said flat arrives at the position indicated by the
line (DD) and that after the centre line of each flat (6) has arrived at the position
indicated by the line (DD) the thinner edges of the bearing parts of such flat shall
be allowed to leave the flexible bends (c) and such flat shall be allowed to commence
to turn with the notch blocks (d) while the thicker edges of the bearing parts of
such flat shall be made to continue to bear upon the flexible bends (c) until the
said thicker edges have themselves reached the position indicated by the
line (DD).
Fig. 2 which shows detached one of the discs or blocks (9) and in dotted lines
one of the notch blocks (d) clearly indicates the form and inclination relative to
the radii passing through the corresponding notches (d) which it is necessary to
give to the faces or bearing surfaces (9') of the discs or blocks (g).
By so forming the said discs or blocks (9) we enable the notch blocks (d) and
the said discs or blocks (9) to be placed so close to the flexible bends (c) that the
revolving flats (b) may remain in carding position and in contact with the flexible
bends on which they travel until their centre lines have reached the position
indicated by the line (D) (D). We thus increase the number of flats in carding
position in comparison with the arrangement of the circular discs hitherto employed
in conjunction with the notch blocks imparting motion to revolving flats of the
kind above described in which although the defect herein before described of the
premature raising of the flats from the flexible bends has necessarily resulted,
provision for the passage of the thicker edges of the bearing parts and for the
turning of such flats with the notch blocks has necessarily been made by placing
the notch blocks and the circular discs employed in conjunction therewith at a
distance from the flexible bends greater than would be necessary for the passage of
the flats between the said notch-blocks and circular discs or blocks if the said flats
did not require to turn with the notch blocks in making such passage.
Although we have above described this invention as applied to the discs or
blocks employed in conjunction with the notch blocks from which the revolving
flats receive motion and on to which they pass from the flexible bends or equivalent
supports this invention may also be applied with somewhat analogous advantages to
the discs or blocks around which such flats pass and from which they pass to the
flexible bends or equivalent supports.
Although in the accompanying drawings, we have only shown this invention as
applied to a revolving flat carding engine provided with flexible bends it is obvious
that our invention is also applicable to carding engines in which the revolving
flats are while carding supported otherwise than by flexible bends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
-
The hereinbefore described improvement in revolving flat carding engines which

page_text: consists in discs or blocks (9) formed with faces or bearing surfaces (9¹) for the:
purposes and substantially in the manner herein before described.
Dated this Fifth day of May 1894.
HOWARD
CHEETHAM,
Manchester, Agent to the Applicants.