IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CARDING AND SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER FIBRE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Edwards, of the Firm of Edwards and Co.,
Patent Agents and Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CARDING AND SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER
FIBRE." A communication from abroad by Paul Fleury, of Gonneville, in the
Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November 1881.
EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. “IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CARDING AND
SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER FIBRE." [A communication from abroad by Paul
Fleury, of Gonneville, in the Republic of France.]
In the system ordinarily used for carding and spinning cotton the cotton leaving
the carding engine is delivered in the form of collected slivers or ribbons, to be
afterwards placed behind a spinning frame in which it recieves the necessary torsion
to convert it into thread.
The present Invention has for its objects novel methods of constructing and
arranging the apparatus by which the necessity for conveying the cotton from the
carding engine to the spinning frame is avoided, the necessary torsion being given
to it in the carding engine itself. Economy is thus effected in the first cost of the
machinery or apparatus, the independent spinning frame not being required; and
in labour, as the person attending the carding engine, instead of having to remove
from the latter the slivers of cotton, removes bobbins filled with cotton spun into
thread, whilst each attendant is readily able to attend to two carding engines.
In order to put the Invention in operation I arrange in a convenient part of the
frame of the carding engine a cylinder driven by one of the revolving shafts of
the latter, and itself driving a double series of spindles by means of endless cords.
The toothed wheels which actuate the cylinder are made moveable, so that

page_text: they can be changed, and the relative velocity of the cylinder thus altered as
desired.
At one end of the axle of the cylinder is fixed a double threaded endless screw
which gears into a toothed wheel having suitable teeth, and fixed upon a transverse
axis revolving in suitable bearings.
This axis has fixed or formed upon it a second double threaded endless screw
gearing into and driving a second wheel provided with suitable teeth upon an
axis parallel to that of the cylinder, and having fixed upon it a heart shaped wheel
or cam.
This cam operates upon a lever, one end of which turns upon a centre or joint
fixed to the frame, whilst its other end is connected to the lower end of a flexible
chain or cord, the upper end of which is wound round a pulley fixed upon a
transverse shaft revolving in bearings in the side frames of the machine.
Upon this transverse shaft are also fixed two or more similar pullies having
flexible chains or cords wound round them, the lower ends of which are attached
by means of adjustable screws and nuts to moveable cross bars or plates having
fixed to them vertical rods, the upper ends of which, after traversing the supports
which carry the steps in which revolve the lower ends of the spindles driven by the
cylinder first described, are attached to double rising and falling transverse bars,
by means of which the spinning and winding of the cotton is regulated.
It will be seen that as the cylinder revolves, the heart shaped wheel or cam is
made also to revolve slowly, and by its action upon the lever to cause the double
transverse bars to rise and fall slowly in front of the revolving spindles.
By the arrangement described of double rising and falling bars a large number
of spindles may be placed in a double row in front of each carding engine; for
instance, eighteen in the back and thirteen in the front row, thus allowing the
attendant to tie the threads when requisite without stopping the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edmund Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th May
1882.
EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CARDING AND
SPINNING COTTON OR OTHER FIBRE." A communication from abroad by Paul
Fleury, of Gonneville, in the Republic of France.
In the system ordinarily used for carding and spinning cotton the cotton leaving
the carding engine is delivered in the form of collected slivers or ribbons, to be
afterwards placed behind a spinning frame in which it receives the necessary torsion
to convert it into thread.
The present Invention has for its object novel methods of constructing and
arranging the apparatus, so that the process is continuous and the necessity for
conveying the cotton from the carding engine to the spinning frame is avoided, the
necessary torsion being given to it in the carding frame itself.
Economy is thus effected in the first cost of the machinery or apparatus, the
independent spinning frame not being required; and in labour, as the person
attending the carding engine, instead of having to remove from the latter the slivers
of cotton, removes bobbins filled with cotton spun into thread, whilst each attendant
is readily able to attend to two carding engines.
The accompanying Drawing is in illustration of the Invention, Figure 1 being a
side view, Figure 2 a section, and Figure 3 an end view of a double machine.
A is a cylinder arranged in a convenient part of the frame of the carding engine,
and driven by one of the revolving shafts of the latter, and itself driving a double
series of spindles by means of endless cords.
Changeable toothed wheels B are fitted upon the axle of the cylinder A, so that
its speed can be regulated according to the character of the thread which is to
be spun.
At the other end of the axle of the cylinder A is fixed a double threaded endless
screw C, driving a toothed worm wheel D, the axle of which revolves on suitable
bearings and carries a second double threaded endless screw E, which drives a second
toothed worm wheel F, the axle of which is parallel to the cylinder A and carries a
somewhat heart shaped cam G.
The cam G operates upon a lever H, one end of which turns upon the centre I,
whilst its other end is connected to the lower end of a flexible chain or cord J",
the other end of which is wound round a pulley K" fixed upon the transverso
axis L, which revolves in bearings in the side frames of the machine. The axis L
also carries pullies K, K', round which are wound chains or cords J, J', the lower
ends of which are attached by means of adjustable screws and nuts, or other means,
to moveable crossbars or plates N, N¹. The crossbars N, N', carry vertical rods
M, M, M, M, which pass through the supports 0, 0, carrying the bearings in
which revolve the lower ends of the spindles driven by the cylinder A, as first
described, the upper ends of the rods M, M', M", M, being attached to rising
and falling bars Z, Z, by which the spinning and winding of the cotton is
regulated.
It will be seen that as the cylinder A revolves, the cam G is made also to revolve
slowly, and by its action upon the lever H to cause the double transverso bars Z, Z¹,
to rise and fall slowly in front of the revolving spindles.
The continuous system of operation described, with the arrangement of doublo
rising and falling bars described and shewn, allows a large number of spindles to bo

page_text: placed in a double row in front of each carding engine; for instance, eighteen
spindles may be placed in the back and thirteen in the front row, thus enabling the
attendant to tie the threads when necessary without stopping the machine.
By the novel method of construction and arrangement described, a great increase
of production is obtained as compared with machinery of the kind ordinarily con-
structed and used. Supposing, for instance, that the speed of the spindles is 1800
revolutions per minute for number 4 cotton, the corresponding speed of the small
cylinder in the same time would permit the production in 12 hours' work from 31
spindles of about 57 lbs., and deducting a maximum of 3 hours for the removal of
bobbins and other stoppages, there would remain a production of about 43 lbs. of
No. 4 cotton.
This estimate is modernte, and the rate of production might be increased to 55 lbs.
with an experienced workman.
Having now described the Invention and the manner in which it is to bo
performed, I claim,—
The method of combining spinning mechanism with a carding engine, and
actuating and regulating such spinning mechanism by means of the toothed wheels,
endless screws, and cam operating a lever by which flexible chains or cords are
made to set in operation rising and falling bars, which regulate the cotton spun on
double rows of spindles, substantially as described and shewn in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Edwards, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 18th day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.