Improvements in or applicable to Apparatus for Stripping and Cleaning "Flats" used in Carding Engines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Apparatus for Stripping and
Cleaning "Flats" used in Carding Engines.
I, WRIGHT RHODES, of Tower Chambers, Spring Gardens, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Commission Agent, 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:-
"
"
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This invention relates to the means for stripping and cleaning the "flats"
used in what are called "revolving flat" carding engines, and has for its objects
first simple and efficient means for stripping and cleaning from such "flats" the
adhering cotton fibres "neps" and other impurities which have not been effectively
removed by the stripping comb, when the flats are at work, and secondly
removing the so stripped-off cotton fibres, "neps" and other impurities from the
stripping roller as hereinafter explained automatically by a revolving circular
comb, thereby keeping the said stripping roller always clean and in efficient
working order whilst at work.
The manner in which my said invention is to be performed or carried into
practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the sheet of illustrative
drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawings is an elevation of my improved apparatus, Fig. 2 a
vertical transverse section of the same through the line A-B looking from the
left, and Fig. 3 a similar view taken through the line C-D looking from the
right.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modification of the same, and Figs. 5 and 6 are
detached views hereinafter more particularly referred to.
My apparatus consists principally of a central shaft a upon which two cast iron
discs b and 6 are fastened one near to each end at the required distance apart
according to the width of the wire on the "flats." At equal distances from the
centres of these discs b 6* and in a straight line with the centre of the said shaft a
and parallel with each other bearings are formed in these discs to receive the
end pivots or shafts of two rollers c d, of small diameter made of wood or other
suitable material, one of which (c) is covered with suitable card stripping fillet,
the other d with one or more rows of bristles set in spirally. At the one end
which I will call the driving end) of each roller a small gear wheel or pinion c**
is fixed on the shaft, which engages or gears with a larger wheel e of same pitch
fixed on a stationary short boss or tube which latter is bored to receive the said
central shaft a and in which the same is free to revolve. This stationary boss
or tube forms the bearings for the central shaft a at one end and also the
bearing for the whole apparatus at one end by having two sides
flattened and fitting into the steps of the ordinary flat stripping brush brackets g
(see also detached view Fig. 5) or other suitable means may be adopted for
fastening or fixing this boss. The two small wheels or pinions and fixed
at the end of the stripping roller and bristle brush gear as aforementioned with
the large wheel e fixed on the inside of the stationary boss or tube f in which
the central shaft a revolves and no matter in what position the apparatus may be

page_text: 1
these pinions being always at equal distances from the axis of the central shaft
and disc, will always remain in gear. The fact of the two discs 6 b* being fixed
on the said central shaft and having bearings formed in a parallel line
to the centre of the said shaft and being parallel to each other
and carrying the said stripping roller c and bristle brush d, which latter are
both geared by the small pinions with the stationary wheel e, causes the stripping
roller c and the bristle brush d to revolve on their own axes and also at the same
time to be carried round the central shaft in the same direction, as hereinafter
explained.
A grooved band pulley h fastened to the central shaft & drives the same in the
desired direction (as shown by the arrows) at a positive speed causing the afore-
mentioned two discs to revolve with it, the bristle brush c and stripping roller d
being geared at their ends with the aforementioned large stationary gear wheel e
fixed on the stationary boss or tube f are caused thereby to revolve on their own
axes at a positive speed in the desired direction at the same time they are carried
round the central shaft a in the same direction as they are revolving on their own
axes. When at work the apparatus therefore revolves in such a manner that the
said stripping roller c and bristle brush alternately strip and brush the wire of
the flats n (see Fig. 2) in an efficient manner by having a double action or move-
ment on the wire of the flats, that is, an upward or lifting and at the same time a
forward movement. Different speeds can be given to the apparatus by using
different sizes of driving band pulleys. A setting ring or collar i (see Fig. 1)
fits on the said stationary boss or tube f for setting and keeping the same in.
position. A circular revolving comb k is attached in a suitable position by form-
ing bearings in each disc b, bat equal distances from the centre of the stripping
roller and the centre of the discs to receive the end pivots or shaft of the said
circular comb.
This circular comb receives its rotating motion in the desired direction by
means of two intermediate or carrier wheels revolving freely on a short stud m
which latter is fixed to the disc, in the following manner: A small pinion or
gear wheel fixed at one end of the shaft of the circular comb engages or gears
with the larger of two carrier wheels free to revolve on the said short stud, to
this carrier wheel an other and smaller wheel or pinion is pinned or pegged
(both wheels being free to revolve together on the short stud) the pinion
engaging or gearing with the large stationary wheel e.
·
e
When the discs bare caused to revolve by being positively driven by the
band pulley h fixed on the central shaft, the small pinion on the short stud m
which
gears with
the large stationary wheel on the stationary
boss or tube f is carried round the said large wheel e and also at the
same time is caused to revolve on its own axis, and being pinned to the other
and larger gear wheel 7 and revolving together on the said short stud and the
larger wheel again being geared with the small pinion at the end of the
circular comb k causes the said comb k to rotate in the desired direction and in such
a manner and at such a suitable and quicker speed than the stripping roller c is
revolving that the said comb k which being set into the wire of the card fillet of
the stripping roller will strip or clear the said stripping roller automatically of
the cotton fibres neps," etc. taken from the flats, thereby keeping the said
stripping roller c always clean and efficient to perform its work and whilst the
apparatus is in motion.
:
This comb is also carried round the central shaft at the same time as it is
revolving on its own axis. The comb k consists of a thin steel shaft or other
suitable material into which two or more rows of steel teeth, bent or shaped into
a half circle or nearly so, are inserted at equal distances apart and in such a
position as shewn in Fig. 2. When this circular comb k gets full of cotton
fibres etc. or nearly so, the strips or cotton fibres collected by it are removed
by the attendant. This comb may be made to lift out of its bearings for cleaning
the same.
The bristle brush is made rather larger in diameter than the

page_text: stripping roller c to enable the bristles to penetrate deeper into the wire and
brush out the dust from the bottom of the foundation or cloth of the flat clothing n.
The apparatus can of course be set or adjusted by the adjusting screws or
arrangement in the ordinary stripping brush brackets in the same manner as
any ordinary stripping roller. At the other end of the central shaft a bush or
step is placed upon the said shaft a and is fastened to it by a set screw; this
bush is of corresponding thickness to the stationary boss or tube at the other end
of the central shaft and the said shaft and bush revolve together in the ordinary
flat stripping brush steps or brackets g.
I also attain the same or similar results by the following arrangement:
Instead of having the aforementioned short boss or tube in which the central
shaft revolves stationary or fixed as described, I may allow the same (the boss)
to be free to revolve or loose in the bearings or steps of the ordinary flat stripping
brush brackets y (see Fig. 4 and detached view Fig. 6) the said short boss or
tube f is in this case made without the two flat sides but perfectly round to
revolve in the steps or bearings of the ordinary brackets g. Upon this loose boas
or tube the large gear wheel e is fixed as before and the same engages with the
two small pinions and fixed at the end of the stripping roller and the
bristle brush.
1
A grooved band pulley is fastened on the said loose boss and drives the same
at a positive speed in the opposite direction to which the stripping roller c and
bristle brush d are required to revolve, which causes the large gear wheel e fixed
on the said loose boss f* to engage with the pinions fixed on the stripping roller c
and bristle brush d and thereby causing them to revolve in the opposite and
desired direction at a positive speed. At the same time a slow forward or
revolving movement round the central shaft is given to the said stripping roller o
and bristle brush d by a grooved band pulley fixed at the other end on the
central shaft and driving the same (and consequently also the two discs 6 6* upon
which the two rollers are mounted) at a suitable positive speed in the same
direction as the stripping roller and the brush are revolving.
This second arrangement as above described requires an additional driving
pulley and requires the short boss or tube to be made round (without the two
flat sides) and free to revolve in the ordinary steps 9 of the usual flat stripping
brush brackets. The short bush f* is driven positively by the band pulley h*
and the central shaft a is also driven positively by another band pulley h". I
therefore prefer my first arrangement as fully described as it only requires one
grooved band driving pulley to drive the whole apparatus and can be applied to
any card without any alterations or additional driving pulley than the usual
means of driving a flat stripping brush.
The advantages of my apparatus are: An efficient double acting revolving
movement for stripping and brushing the flats and removing therefrom cotton
fibres, neps, and other impurities and preventing the so called felting or accumu-
lation of cotton fibres and other impurities in the flat card clothing.
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
66
1. The combination of a stripping roller and a bristle brush (carried by two
dises or their equivalent) revolving or travelling round the axis of a central
shaft, so as to act alternately on the flats" of the carding engine; such roller
and brush being driven by gearing in such a manner that they are at the same
time caused to revolve on their own axes in the same direction, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
2. The combination of a circular comb with the said stripping roller for auto-
matically clearing the said stripping roller of cotton fibres " neps". and other
impurities and keeping the same clean whilst at work, substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the annexed drawings.

page_text: 3. The combination of a separate stripping roller and a separate bristle brush
arranged and driven in such a manner and revolving round one central driving
shaft substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawing
annexed.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicant,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.