Improvements in Carding Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1-92-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
We, BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, Machine Maker, of Bolton, in the County
of Lancaster, and EUGÈNE APPENZELLER, Mill Manager, of Alost, Belgium, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the slowing or piecing up motions of
carding engines and consists in certain novel arrangements and combinations of
parts.
In carrying our improvements into effect the ordinary swing lever carrying the
barrow pulley is replaced by a fixed axis carrying two pulleys (fast and loose)
driven by a strap from the taker-in. Near the same place are another pair of
pulleys of a smaller diameter, one of which is loose, driven from a small pulley on
the cylinder shaft aud on the inside pulley is keyed one half of the catch box, the
other half of the catch box being attached to a spur wheel gearing into the doffer
wheel.
The action of these above named pulleys is as follows:
The larger or barrow pulleys driven from the taker-in are to give the working
speed of the doffer and the smaller pulleys driven from the cylinder are to give the
slow or piecing-up speed.
When the quick speed is working, the catch box mentioned, is slipping, and
when the strap is shifted on to the loose or barrow pulleys of the quick speed the
catch box goes into gear and turns the doffer to the required speed. When it is
necessary to stop the doffer altogether the slow speed driving strap is moved on to
the loose pulley.
For the purpose of providing for a slow speed of the cylinder and doffer we make
a special arrangement whereby the first pulley instead of being keyed on the shaft
is provided with a slot and stud and the said stud works into grooves or slots in a
face plate which is keyed on the cylinder shaft; thus by shifting this stud out of
the slot in the face plate the strap drives the fast pulley but without driving the
face plate.
There is a broad pulley keyed on the boss of the pulley driving the card which
drives by a strap the slow motion of the doffer; at the other end of the doffer
there is the usual grinding pulley which drives by a strap the cylinder end pulley
thereby giving a slow speed to the cylinder.
To keep the strap constantly on the cylinder end pulley we arrange that this
pulley shall drive the cylinder through a stud in the coinb pulley taking into a slot
of the cylinder end pulley.
This will allow the cylinder end pulley to run loose on the boss of the comb
pulley during the time the cylinder is carding and thus obviate the necessity of
removing the strap.
We will now describe how the motions are actuated.
The slow driving motion from the cylinder to the doffer through the catch box
has a strap fork which is workable from the front of the card and this is used when
it is necessary to stop the doffer.
Above the calender rollers of the coiler is a double pivoted lever carrying a
sliver funnel which is attached to a steel spring fastened, on one arm of the double
pivoted lever; the other arın of this lever is pivoted lower down, and is provided
with a balance weight and a slot on the further end of the lever into which takes
the stud of a sliding bar fixed horizontally along the card front plate; the other
end of this sliding bar is furnished with an incline.

page_text: There is a pivoted weighted bell cranked lever catch, one end of which works
upon the sliding bar and the incline and the other end is formed as a latch which
can take into the catch wheel running loose on the calender roller shaft and being
driven through a rounded lug by a corresponding lug on the driving part of the
catch box. This part being held in gear by a spiral spring there is a groove in the
driving part of the clutch box into which takes a fork which is at the top end of a
pivoted lever; on the bottom end of this lever is a bowl which works on a lever
pivoted underneath the card front box and is furnished with an incline underneath
the bowl; one end of this lever is furnished with a spring which pulls it upwards
and the other end has a catch part which latches the shaft actuating the strap
fork for the quick driving of the doffer.
The action of the apparatus is therefore as follows:
When the card is at work at full speed the taker-in is driving the doffer at full
speed by means of the inside quick speed pulley while the strap from the cylinder
to the slow driving although on the driving pulley is not active owing to the
slipping of the catch box.
So long as the sliver is going into the coiler and there is no necessity of piecing
this condition of things is maintained; but when the sliver is wanting in the funnel
the double pivoted lever carrying the funnel is pulled back by the balance weight
thus moving the sliding bar with the incline and allowing the bell cranked lever to
bring the catch part over the catch wheel driven by the clutch box. This being
prevented from revolving, the rounded lug forces the other part of the clutch box
against the action of the spiral spring and moving the forked lever takes the bowl
off the incline of the bottom lever and allows the spring to raise one end; the
other end being lowered unlatches the strap fork which moved by a spring places
the strap on the loose pulley.
At once the catch box for the slow speed begins to operate and drives the doffer
until the piecing has been completed and the sliver and funnel are in their normal
positions.
For the purpose of grinding and stripping, the pulley driven by the line shaft is
made loose on the cylinder axis by raising the stud in the slotted face plate. On
the other side of the card is a stud in the comb pulley which is placed into a slot in
the cylinder end pulley.
The pulley driven by the line shaft drives by means of the small pulleys keyed
on its boss the doffer and the doffer in its turn drives the cylinder by means of the
cylinder end pulley, thereby giving the slow speed for the grinding or stripping.
To re-start the card the stud in the pulley driven by the line shaft is lowered in
the slot and this pulley becomes again fast on driving pulley and on the other side
the stud is taken off the cylinder end pulley.
In order to remove, raise or lower the studs the card has to be stopped.
The grinding rollers are driven from the groove on the fast pulley by a band or
strap in the ordinary way.
Whilst working or stripping the strap driving the cylinder from the doffer, has
to be crossed and only whilst grinding the strap is open.
Dated this 24th day of July 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
We, BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, Machine Maker, of Bolton, in the County
of Lancaster, and EUGENE APPENZELLER, Mill Manager, of Alost, Belgium, do 5
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:—
Our invention relates to improvements in the slowing or piecing up motions

page_text: of carding engines, and consists in certain novel arrangements and combinations
of parts, whereby when the engine is working satisfactorily the cylinder and
doffer are driven at the quick or working speed; but as soon as the sliver
breaks or fails and ceases to pass into the coiler, the speed of the doffer is
reduced automatically and it continues to run at the slow speed until the piecing of
the sliver has been effected and the quick speed again set ou.
And in order that our invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect we will describe the same with reference to the accompanying four sheets
of drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of our improved mechanism for driving
the main cylinder, doffer, and taker-in of a carding engine at the varying speeds
required.
Figures 2 and 3 are detail views of parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation and Fig. 6 an end elevation of the mechanism for
automatically reducing the speed of the doffer upon the failure of the sliver.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the lower part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 and
Fig. 7 is a plan of Fig. 6.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The axes a, b, c, respectively of the main cylinder d, the doffer e, and the
taker-in or licker-in are supported as usual on the side framing g of the carding
engine.
Upon the shaft a of the main cylinder d are mounted a driving pulley h and
a loose pulley i; this driving pulley instead of being keyed upon the shaft a
as customary is connected by a stud j to a faceplate k, which is fixed upon the
shaft a by two set screws . Consequently, when the strap (not shown) is on
the pulley and the stud; is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the two parts h
and are coupled and the main cylinder is driven at the quick or working
speed; but by removing the stud the strap will drive the pulley but not the
faceplate k.
On the boss of the driving pulley is fixed a broad pulley 1 and on the
cylinder shaft a and on the same side of the carding engine is keyed or otherwise
fixed a pulley m which drives by a strap n a pulley o fixed on the taker-in shaft c,
on which is also fixed a broad pulley p from which a strap q passes to a pair of
fast and loose pulleys and respectively mounted on a stud t.
The stud t is
supported in brackets g' one of which is secured upon the side framing 9; and on
the boss of the fast pulley is fixed a pinion which gears into the spur
wheel commonly called the doffer wheel and which is fixed on the doffer shaft b.
Supported in a bracket g" on the side framing g is a shaft w upon which are
mounted a pair of pulleys, y, from which a strap passes to the broad pulley 1
fixed on the boss of the driving pulley has previously mentioned.
Both the
pulleys, y, are loose ou a boss 2 fixed on the shaft w as shown in the detail
views Figs. 2 and 3, but on the side cover af the pulley y is a stud 3 carrying
a pawl 4 which engages the teeth of a ratchet 5 mounted loose on the shaft w.
The pawl 4 is kept normally in gear with the ratchet 5 by means of a spring 6
which is preferably made as shown in the form of a clip embracing the boss of the
ratchet 5 with which is also formed or to which is secured a pinion 7 which gears
with the doffer wheel v.
On the doffer shaft baud at the other side of the carding engine are mounted
the usual pair of grinding pulleys 8 and 9 from which a strap 10 passes to the
grinding or cylinder end pulley 11 on the cylinder shaft a. This pulley 11,
however, instead of being fixed on the cylinder shaft as customary is preferably
mounted loose on the boss of the comb pulley 12 which is fixed on the cylinder
shaft a and drives the doffer comb (not shown) by a band in the usual way; but
when the cylinder dis to be driven at the slow speed for grinding and stripping
purposes the pulley 11 is connected to the comb pulley 12 by a stud 13; by this
arrangement we are enabled to keep the strap 10 constantly on the pulleys 8 or 9

page_text: and 11 while the cylinder is carding which is not the case when the cylinder end
pulley 11 is fast upon the cylinder shaft.
In operation when the driving strap is on the pulley and the latter is coupled
to the faceplate k by the stud while at the same time the stud 13 is removed so
as to disconnect the cylinder end pulley 11 and the comb pulley 12, then the main
cylinder d is driven at its quick speed and by means of the pulley m, strap ",
and pulley o, the taker-in is driven and transmits the quick speed to the doffer e
by means of the pulley p, strap 9, pulley r, pinion u, and doffer wheel v. At this
time, although the strap z may be on the pulley y, the latter is inoperative
because the pawl 4 slips back over the teeth of the ratchet 5. When however
the strap
is shifted from the pulley r to the loose pulleys the doffer loses its
quick speed driving, and the pulley y through the pawl 4, ratchet 5, pinion 7, and
doffer wheel v becomes the driver and the doffer e is thus turned at its slow speed
until the strap 9 is again shifted to the pulley r.
We will now describe those parts of the mechanism by which the said strap is
shifted automatically to give the slow speed to the doffer and so allow time for
piecing when the sliver breaks or fails.
Above the calender rollers 14, see Fig. 6, of the coiler is a spring lever 15
which carries the sliver funnel 16 and is jointed at 17 to a lever 18 fulcrumed
at 19. The lever 18 is weighted at 20 sufficiently to counterpoise the strain of the
sliver passing through the funnel 16 to the calender rollers 14; and at the lower
end the lever 18 has a slot into which takes the stud 21 of a sliding bar 22 sup-
ported in brackets 23 secured to the front plate 24 of the carding engine, and
near the other end of the sliding bar 22 is an incline 25.
Bearing on the sliding bar 22 is one end of a pivoted bell crank catch lever 26,
the other end of which is formed as a latch to engage a notched catch wheel 27
which is running loose on the shaft 28 of the bottom roller of the pair of calender
rollers 29. The boss of this catch wheel 27 is recessed to receive a rounded lug 30
on the catch box 31 which is capable of moving longitudinally but is prevented by
a key or other means from turning axially independently of the calender roller
shaft 28, which is driven by the usual means, not shown. A spiral spring 32
enclosed within the catch box 31 and compressed between the latter and a collar 33
fixed on the shaft 28 always tends to press the lug 30 into the recess of the catch
wheel 27 and so holds the two parts together when the card is working. The
sliding catch box 31 has a groove 34 into which takes the forked end of a lever 35
which is pivoted at 36, and at the other end carries a bowl 37, which works upon
a lever 38 pivoted at 39 to the underside of the card front plate 24. On its upper
surface, near where the bowl 37 rests, the lever 38 has an incline 40; one end of
the lever 38 is connected to a spring 41 which constantly tends to pull it upward
and the other end of said lever has a catch 42 which latches a notched piece 43
secured on a shaft 44, which controls by an arm 45 and link 46 the lever 47
which is centred at 48 and carries the strap fork 49 for the strap 9 by which
the driving of the doffer is controlled. The shaft 44 is capable of being turned
in its bearings 50, it is connected by a chain or equivalent 51 to the lever 38,
and by an arm 52 to a spiral spring 53, and ou it is also fixed a handle 54.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the card is at work at full speed the doffer is being driven through the
taker-in by the strap at the quick speed as already described, and so long as the
sliver is passing through the funnel 16 into the coiler this condition of things is
maintained; but when through breakage or failure the sliver is absent from the
funnel 16 it is necessary to slow the doffer in order to give time for piecing.
As soon then as the sliver is absent from the funnel 16 the weight 20 pulls back
the pivoted lever 18, thus moving the sliding bar 22 in the direction of the
arrow, Fig. 6, and bringing the incline 25 under the catch lever 26 the upper
end of the latter moving forward engages and stops the rotation of the catch
wheel 27, thereby forcing back the sliding catch box 31 and with it the forked

page_text: end of the lever 35 so causing the bowl 37 to move down the incline 40. Imme-
diately, the spring 41 pulls up its end of the lever 38 thereby pulling the latch 42
out of gear with the notched piece 43 and allowing the spring 53 to raise the
arm 52 and turn the shaft 44 partially round. This movement of the shaft 44 is
transmitted through the connecting parts 45, 46, 47, to the strap fork 49, whereby
the strap is shifted from the pulley r to the pulleys and the doffer e is driven
by the strap, pulley 7, pawl 4, ratchet 5, and pinion 7 as already described.
When it is necessary to stop the doffer altogether the strap is moved on to the
loose pulley.
To re-start the card the lever 18 is pulled forward to bring back the funnel 16
and the other parts controlled by the sliding bar 22 into the position shown in
Fig. 6; then the handle 54 is moved to turn back the shaft 44 and shift the strap
from the pulleys to the pulley r, the shaft 44 being again latched by the end of
the lever 38.
For grinding and stripping purposes the carding engine is first stopped to permit
the stud to be removed and the stud 13 inserted so as to couple the cylinder end
pulley 11 with the comb pulley 12. The driving strap is then put on the pulley h
and as the latter is now uncoupled from the faceplate the cylinder is driven
through the pulley 1, strap and other parts composing the doffer slow motion;
then through the pulley 9, strap 10, and cylinler end pulley 11, thus giving the
slow speed required when grinding or stripping.
The grinding rollers, not shown, are driven from the groove 4" on the pulley
by a band or strap in the ordinary way.
It will be seen that by our improvements we dispense with the ordinary swing.
lever which usually carries the barrow pulleys and instead we employ the pair of
pulleys ands on a fixed axis in combination with the second pair of pulleys x
also on a fixed axis, and the ratchet gearing in connection with the last
and
ولا
named pulley.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
the
1. The combination with a pair of driving pulleys, such as the pulleys & and i,
and the pulley m on the main cylinder shaft, the strap n, and the pulleys o and P оп
the taker-in shaft, the strap g, the pulleys r and sand pinion u on the fixed axis t,
and the spur wheel for giving the quick speed to the doffer, of the pulley 1 on the
main cylinder shaft, the strap and the pulleys and y, spring pawl 4, ratchet 5,
and pinion 7 on the fixed axis w for giving through the aforesaid spur wheel
slow speed to the doffer, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The combination with the faceplate and comb pulley 12 fixed on the main
cylinder shaft, of the driving pulley and stud j and the cylinder end pulley 11
and stud 13, substantially as herein set forth and for the several purposes specified.
3. The combination with mechanism for giving a slow speed to the doffer, of a
balanced lever carrying a funnel through which the sliver passes to the coiler, said
balanced lever being connected to the strap fork, which controls the speed of the
doffer, in such a manner that when the sliver fails said lever moves and by its con-
nections actuates the strap fork and strap and so automatically slows the doffer
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
4. The combination in a carding engine of the main cylinder shaft, taker-in
shaft, doffer shaft, stud t, connections between the doffer shaft and stud t, fast and
loose pulleys r and s on the stud t, strap g, shipper lever 47 with fork 49, balanced
lever carrying a funnel, sliding bar 22 connected to the lower end of the balanced
lever and connections between the sliding bar 22 and shipper lever whereby
when the sliver fails, the strap y is shifted from the fast to the loose pulley on
the stud and the doffer is driven at the slow speed substantially as and for the
purposes described and as shown on the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 5. The general combination and arrangement of parts embodying our improve-
ments in the slowing or piecing up motions of carding engines substantially as and
for the purposes indicated, and as illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 17th day of March 1892.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicants.