Improvements in those Carding-engines which are Provided with Revolving Flats.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1886
Complete Left, 7th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th Mar., 1887
Improvements in those Carding-engines which are Provided with
Revolving Flats.
I THOMAS KNOWLES of Chapeltown Turton near Bolton in the County of Lancaster
Cotton Spinner do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
WITH REVOLVING FLATS to be as
THOSE CARDING-ENGINES WHICH ARE PROVIDED
follows:-
My invention relates to such of the machines known as carding-engines as are
provided with revolving flats and consists in arrangements by which I am enabled to
adjust the said flats relatively to the surface of the main cylinder of the carding-engine
in conjunction with which they are employed with greater accuracy and facility than
has hitherto been possible.
In accomplishing the object of my invention I employ an inclined surface or cam
secured to the framework of the carding-engine which inclined surface or cam I cause
to support a flexible band which is formed wedge-shaped in its vertical longitudinal
section The flexible band above mentioned may be a band of metal or may be a chain
formed of links or plates of metal joined together or may be formed of several plates
of metal or in any other convenient manner. The flexible band above mentioned may
be kept in contact with the inclined surface or cam above referred to by the pressure
of the flats or may be strained by means of a screw or screws or weight or weights or
by any other suitable means. The flexible band aforesaid serves as a guide along
which one end of each of the flais travels-I so form the inclined surface or cam and
the surfaces of the flexible band above mentioned that the upper surface of the said
flexible band will correspond with the surface of the cards upon the main-cylinder of
the carding engine. In order to act upon both ends of each of the flats I provide both
sides of the carding-engine with apparatus similar to that above described.
When for any reason it is desired to adjust the flats relatively to the card-surface of
the main cylinder of the carding-engine--I traverse the flexible band above mentioned
longitudinally upon the inclined surface or ram by any convenient means and thus

page_text: cause all the flats in contact with the flexible band to be simultaneously moved through
the same or nearly the same distance nearer to or farther from the axis of the main
cylinder of the carding-engine as may be required.
In some cases in order to act upon both ends of each of the flats simultaneously
I connect the above described apparatus upon one side of the carding-engine with the
apparatus upon the other side of the carding-engine by means of a shaft or any other
suitable means by which the flexible bands may be moved longitudinally upon the
inclined surfaces or cams.
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Carlton Chambers, 18, St. Ann's Street, Manchester,
Agent to the Applicani.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in those Carding-engines which are Provided with
Revolving Flats.
I THOMAS KNOWLES of Chapeltown Turton near Bolton in the County of Lancaster
Cotton Spinner do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to such of the machines known as carding-engines as are
provided with revolving flats and consists in arrangements by which I ain enabled to
adjust the said flats relatively to the surface of the main cylinder of the carding-
engine in conjunction with which they are employed with greater accuracy and facility
than has hitherto been possible.
In order that my invention may be understood and readily carried into effect I will
describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side
view of so much of a carding-engine as is requisite to illustrate my invention and
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are views shewing detached portions.
In Fig. 1a is the main cylinder of the carding-engine, mounted upon an axle b
supported by the pedestal e secured to the side-framing d of the carding-engine.
Secured to the side-framing d of the carding-engine by holts e is a bend. I form the
outer circumference of the bend as an inclined surface or cam y which supports a
flexible band of metal formed wedge-shaped in its vertical longitudinal section-The
flexible band of metal is prevented from moving sideways by means of brackets
secured to the bendy. The brackets are shown in the detached view Fig. 2, and 7

page_text: are the usual rollers around which the flats travel-For convenience only a few of
the flats m are shown in the drawing. The edge of the flexible band serves as a
support and guide along which one end of each of the flats in travels while such Hats m
are being acted upon by the main cylinder a for carding-To make the band has
flexible as possible I form nicks 2 in such band which nicks pass partially through
the band and are in cases in which holes may conveniently be formed in the band h
connected with holes -The outer edge of the band is an are of a circle having
its centre in the axis of the axle b.
1
to
1 secure the end of the flexible band by a pin a screw o which passes
through a hole formed in the bracket p shown in plan in Fig. 3 which bracket pis
secured by set screws pl to the bend provide the screw o with nuts o o-To the
end of the flexible band I secure a bracket to which a screw is jointed by a
pin The screw passes through a hole formed in a bracket shown in plan in
Fig. 4-The bracket is secured by set screws to the bend -I provide the screw r
with nuts I form the circumference of the bend which constitutes the inclined
surface or cam g as a portion of a spiral formed around the axis of the axle which
spiral approaches the axis of the axle at an uniform rate.
s-
Fig. is a diagram illustrating the principle to be observed in carrying my invention
into effect.
In Fig. 5A is the axis of the main cylinder of the carding-engine and B C. D is a
circle which represents the circumference of the main cylinder-E. F. G H. J is a
spiral formed around the axis A which spiral approaches the axis A at an uniform
rate form the inclined surface or camg upon the circumference of the bend shown
in Fig. 1 of a curve corresponding to that portion of the spiral which is between the
points E and G-Upon the spiral E. F G H J is placed the flexible band K the edge
of which nearest to the axis A coincides with the spiral E F. G H. J-The outer
edge 1, 2 of the flexible band K. forms an are of a circle the centre of which is in
the axis A.
•
If the flexible band K be moved along the spiral E. F G. H. J as shown by the
dotted lines K it will he found that the outer edge 1, 2 will be parallel to the
circumference of the circle B. C. D-It will thus be seen that by forming the inclined
surface or camg upon the circumference of the bend as a spiral and forming the
inner edge of the flexible band to correspond with the curve of the inclined surface
or cam g upon the circumference of the bend the outer edge of the flexible band/
may be caused to approach or recede from the axis of the axle of the main cylinder a
and still be concentric with the said axis.
When for any reason it is desired to adjust the flats i relatively to the card surface
of the main cylinder a of the carding-engine the flexible band is traversed along the
inclined surface or cam y upon the circumference of the bend by the nuts, If
the flexible band be traversed in the direction indicated by the arrow L the flats m
will be caused to approach the card surface of the main cylinder a but if the flexible
band be traversed in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow L the flats m
will be moved away from the card-surface of the main cylinder a-To enable the
flexible band to be moved a considerable distance in the direction indicated by the
arrow and avoid making the screws or of great length I form a number of
holes through the bend which holes pt enable the brackets pt to be secured
upon the bend in any position required for adjusting the flexible band —When the
flexible band has been adjusted in position upon the bend it may be secured in
such position by means of the lock nuts o
The carding-engine is provided at both sides with the apparatus above described so
that both ends of each flat may be adjusted relatively to the card surface of the main
cylinder a
In order that the same amount of adjustment may be given to both ends of each of
the flats the flexible bands at each side of the carding-engine must receive the same
amount of motion in the same direction.
The flexible bands above mentioned may each be a band of metal or a chain
formed of links or plates of metal joined together in any convenient manner.

page_text: In some cases in order to act upon both ends of each of the flats simultaneously
I connect the above described apparatus upon one side of the carding-engine with the
apparatus upon the other side of the carding-engine by means of a shaft or any other
suitable means by which the flexible bands may be moved longitudinally upon the
inclined surfaces or cams.
By means of the arrangements above described I am enabled to adjust the revolving
flats employed in carding-engines to the main cylinders of such carding-engines with
greater accuracy and facility than has hitherto been possible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
The hereinbefore described arrangements for adjusting the flats of carding-engines
relatively to the card surface of the main cylinder, which arrangements consist in the
inclined surface or cam g and the flexible band supported thereby and having one
edge formed to correspond with the inclined surface or cam and its other edge
forming an are of a circle the centre of which is in the axis of the main cylinder of
the carding engine, the said inclined surface or cam g and flexible band being
constructed arranged employed and operating for the purposes and substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described in reference to and indicated in and by the drawings
hereunto annexed.
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Agent to the Applicant.