IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES FREDERICK ROBERTS of Linfitts, Delph, Yorkshire, Gentleman do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
to be as
"
APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WOOL OR OTHER FIBRE TO CARDING ENGINES
follows:-
"
The object of my Invention is to construct and arrange simple and self-acting
mechanism for feeding fibre to carding machinery in regular and uniform
quantities.
'
For the purpose of carrying out my Invention I employ a suitably shaped hopper
in which is placed the fibre to be fed to the scribbling or carding machine. The
bottom of this hopper is provided with a lattice sheet or endless apron, by pre-
ference, curved or semicircular, suitable grooves being made in the framework or
attached thereto for guiding the said apron in its circular traverse.
One or more feed rollers are employed which feed the fibre from the hopper onto
a rotary spiked drum, whilst a vibrating comb or bar beats the fibre off the teeth
of the said spiked drum, the fibre dropping into a scale placed to receive it, which
in due time is emptied depositing the contents thereof onto the usual feeding apron
of the carding machine.
The means employed for emptying this scale is somewhat as follows-When the
scale has received a certain quantity of fibre, the weight thereof causes it to descend
a little way bringing a peg projecting from the side of the said scale into contact
with a bell crank lever connected to a horizontal bar, which bar has a suitably
shaped hole or slot at one end. The slotted end of this bar is in contact with a
disc having an intermittent motion imparted to it, and is-provided with a suitable
number of studs projecting from one or both faces thereof. On the same shaft as
the disc is a space-wheel or wheel with blank p'aces on its periphery, such blanks
corresponding to the number of studs on the disc.
On the side of this space-wheel is a cam acting upon a fork in connection with
a clutch box on the main driving shaft, which cam when rotated as hereinafter
explained, operates the clutch in such manner as to throw the feeding mechanism
temporarily out of gear.
The intermittent motion of the cam is obtained by means of the disc, which is
caused to revolve by means of springs, when the said disc is liberated by the action

page_text: .
of the scale, which takes place in the following manner.
Whilst the scale is being
filled with fibre, the slotted end of the horizontal bar previously mentioned is
underneath one of the studs on the disc, but when the scale is full of fibre and
begins to descend the bell crank lever causes the horizontal bar to slide forward
some little distance, thereby pushing the rod so as to present the slot therein
immediately under one of the studs on the disc, allowing it to rotate and the stud
to pass through the slot, such rotation however is very limited, for the down motion
of the scale causes the slotted rod to traverse some little distance further, so that
when the next stud on the disc is brought around it cannot pass through the slot,
but is stopped by the bar. The rotation allowed to the disc causes the teeth in the
space-wheel to take into gear with a toothed wheel on the main driving shaft, such
space-wheel and the cam thereon, being temporarily driven thereby, so that the
clutch lever is operated and the clutches disengaged, consequently the feeding
machine is temporarily stopped until the fibre in the scale is emptied onto the
travelling apron on the scribbler.
As soon as the scale is emptied, it ascends to its normal position again, causing
the stud thereon to operate the bell crank lever, and the slotted bar in the reverse
direction, such movements permitting one of the studs on the disc to pass through
the slot, allowing the disc to again partially rotate, which rotary motion again
operates the space-wheel and cam which liberates the clutch fork and engages the
clutch, whereby the feeding machine is set in motion again, and the scale again
filled with fibre, and so on, at each upward and downward movement of the scale;
the intermittent motion being arranged so that each time the scale is full and being.
emptied, the feed of fibre shall cease, but as soon as the scale is emptied its upward
movement restarts the feeding part of the machine.
The scale is so constructed and of such a shape that when emptying, one side or
end thereof which is hinged for that purpose, lowers or drops away from the other
part, such side when lowered forms a suitable guide for the fibre to slide down
whereby it is conveyed direct onto the creeper sheet of the carding machine
instead of being tippled thereon, or allowed to drop as is the case with the present
construction of machine.
The hinged side or loose end of the scale is caused to open each time the scale is
full by means of a rod or other device connected to the scale, so that when it
descends, the rod is brought into contact with a catch on the end of the creeper
sheet roller in connection with the carding machine, by which means the creeper
disconnects the hinged side, and so receives another supply of fibre.

page_text: "
I, CHARLES FREDERICK ROBERTS of Linfitts, Delph, Yorkshire, Gentleman do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WOOL, OR OTHER FIBRE TO CARDING ENGINES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The object of my Invention is to construct and arrange simple and self-acting
mechanism for feeding fibre to carding machinery in regular and uniform
quantities.
For the purpose of carrying out my Invention I employ a suitably shaped
hopper in which is placed the fibre to be fed to the scribbling or carding machine,
the bottom of the said hopper being provided with a lattice sheet or endless apron.
A weighing scale is also employed which is emptied at regular intervals by self-
acting mechanism as hereinafter explained.
Such being the nature and object of my Invention, I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully, the accompanying Sheets of drawings illustrating same. Fig 1
Sheet 1 is sectional elevation of part of my improvements where A are the feed
rollers of a scribbling or carding machine and B the feed apron which is fed with
fibre by means of my improved apparatus which consists of a hopper C having at
the bottom thereof an endless apron D for feeding the fibre to a revolving spiked
feed roller E. As this roller removes the fibre from the hopper a rotary spiked
drum F strips the fibre from the teeth of the feed roller, and carries it around to
the vibrating beater G, which in turn beats the said fibre from the spiked drum, so
as to allow it to drop into the scale H. This scale is attached to the weighing
beam a balanced upon a centre at 6 so that when the scale is full or has received a
given weight of fibre the weight thereof causes the scale to descend and in so
doing the stud c projecting from the side of the scale comes into contact with the
adjusting screw d on the end of the lever I (working upon a fulcrum at e and.
counterbalanced at J) causing the said lever I to lower thereby.
This lever carries a bar or fork K having openings p therein, see enlarged views
Figs 2 and 4 the said fork striding the rotary disc L which is provided with pro-
jecting studs f which during the time the scale is being filled are in contact with the
bar K, but when the scale is full and descends, the movement thereof brings the
openings in bar K opposite the studs f in the disc so as to allow the said studs to
pass through the opening which has been thus presented to it, whereby the feed
roller E is temporally stopped until the scale is emptied and returns to its position
to be filled again. The mechanism I employ for temporally stopping the feed
roller is somewhat as follows and will be seen on Sheet 2 where Fig 4 is end view,
Fig 5 frout elevation, and Fig 6 plan view.
On the shaft g which carries the disc L is also a space wheel M and above this
space wheel is an intermediate wheel N having a continuous rotary motion given
to it from the wheel O on driving shaft P.

page_text: While the scale is being filled one of the spaces in the wheel M (see Fig 3) is
opposite the teeth of the rotary intermediate wheel N therefore the space wheel
and disc are stationary, but during this stationary period a strong spring Qis
pulling the lever R against a stud h. on the space wheel, the stud f on the disc
bearing all the pressure thereof; when therefore the scale descends and lowers the
bar K so that the opening comes opposite the stud f¹ the spiral spring Q which
during this period has been ready for action instantly pulls the lever arm R upward
and acting upon the stud on the space wheel forces the teeth thereof into gear
with the intermediate wheel N by which it is caused to rotate, whilst a cam i on
the back of the space wheel operates a bowl on the bottom of the lever S hinged
atj causing the upper end of the said lever to disengage the clutch box T whereby
the feed roller is stopped. As will be understood the part of the clutch box
marked T slides on a key on its shaft, whilst the other half T' as well as the
wheel T run loosely upon the same shaft, by which means the feed roller can be
stopped or set in motion.
As already stated when the scale commences to descend it allows the stud fin
contact with the bar K to pass through an opening therein whereby the spiral
spring gives rotary motion to the parts as explained, but such rotary motion is
very limited because the stud f has no sooner passed through the hole in the bar K,
than the descent of the scale takes the said bar a little lower down, so that when
the other stud f on the disc comes around, it comes into contact with a blank place
on the bar K, consequently the rotary motion thereof is stopped, and the clutch
meanwhile remains disengaged with the other half of the clutch, and a blank in
the space wheel remains opposite the rotary wheel N.
When the scale has descended to its lowest point, it is emptied as hereinafter
explained, and on ascending causes the bar K to rise and in doing so, the opening
therein comes opposite the other stud on the disc (which has been waiting against
the said bar) allowing the said stud to be pulled through by means of the spiral
spring as previously explained, the effect of which is to rotate the space wheel
again whereby the cam i on back thereof is removed from contact with the bowl
on the bottom of the lever S setting such lever at liberty, when the spiral spring /
on the feed roller shaft forces the clutches into gear, and the feed roller is set in
motion again and the scale refilled thereby.
The means I employ for emptying the scale after it has descended full of fibre is
as follows, and-is-illustrated on Sheet 3 where Fig 7 is elevation of the opposite
side of the machine to that already described, and Fig
plan view. When the
scale which is provided with a loose bottom U has descended full of fibre, a stud
on the side of the bean a catches under a notch in the swinging bar V, by which
it is kept there and held stationary.
Another disc L is employed provided with studs n and caused to rotate con-
tinuously by spur gearing driven by chain pulley X which receives its motion by
chain W from wheel on feed apron shaft.
As the disc rotates one of the studs n comes into contact with the arm W
attached to the loose bottom of the scale which it operates in such manner as to
open the scale, and allow the fibre to drop upon the endless feed apron B which
carries the fibre to the carding machine. Inmediately after the loose bottom is
opened, and the scale emptied the stud m on the disc L' comes into contact with
the bottom of the swinging bar V which it removes from the stud on the beam a
whereby the weight on the beam causes the scale to ascend for another supply
of fibre, and so on, each time the scale is filled. The spiral spring 8 closes the
bottom of the scale-when it is set at liberty. The fibre dropped onto the feed
apron B from the scale H is beaten down by the vibrating beater Z.
The modus operandi is as follows―
When the machine is at work, the feed roller E delivers fibre to the spiked
drum F, which fibre is knocked therefrom into the scale by beater G. When the
scale is full it descends, and in doing so causes the bar K to lower and release the

page_text: disc L-When the disc is thus released it rotates half a revolution and sets in
motion mechanism which disengages the clutch box T, and so stops the feed
roller E. The continuous rotary motion of the disc L' removes the bottom of the
scale which is emptied thereby, the contents falling upon the feed apron B, whilst
the bottom of the scale U forms a guide and allows the fibre to be placed on the
feed apron in a uniform manner.
As soon as the scale is emptied it ascends again when the disc L makes part of
another revolution, and the clutches are engaged again thereby setting the feed
roller in motion, when the scale is re-filled, and this is repeated each time the
scale descends and ascends, whereby the fibre is dropped onto the feed apron in
equal quantities and with great regularity, consequently it is evenly fed to the
carding machine.
The arrangement herein shewn for balancing the scale and acting upon the
disc L is very sensitive and quick in its action.
The hopper may be much larger than what is shewn in the Drawings.
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
Firstly In combination with the rotary disc L, the slotted bar K which when
operated by a full scale, sets in motion mechanism for temporally stopping the feed
roller of the hopper in manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly The employment of the space wheel M and cam i for throwing the
clutch box T in and out of gear for temporally stopping the feed roller of the
hopper substantially as herein shewn and described.
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