Improvements in Carding Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1893—Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
I, GEORGE A. AYER, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of
America, Mill Superintendent, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in engines for carding cotton, and its
object is to provide means, whereby the sliver, as it comes from the carding engine,
is drawn to a uniform weight or size, so as to obviate the necessity of so many
subsequent doublings and drawings, as is now required; and also means to auto-
matically stop the operation of the carding engine, when too great or too little an
amount of sliver, is being delivered from the doffer.
To this end my invention consists in the devices illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in which,
Fig. 1, is a front view of a portion of a carding engine showing my invention
attached.
Fig. 2, is a top view of my invention, showing its relative position to the doffer
of the carding engine.
Fig. 3, is a side view of my invention, showing its position with relation to the
doffer and front-rolls of a carding engine.
Fig. 4, is a rear view of the same, from the dotted line in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a side view of the mechanism for automatically stopping the carding
engine.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several views.
a, a, represent the front-rolls of a carding engine, in front of which, I arrange,
a similar pair of rolls b, b, to act as drawing rolls. The lower one of the rolls a, a,
is connected by its shaft and a gear with a gear on the doffer, so as to receive
motion in the ordinary manner. The lower one of the rolls b, b, has its shaft
extended, and provided with a cone c', and immediately under said cone is mounted
a similar cone c, whose shaft g, extends to, and is connected to the gearing on the
doffer, so as to receive a motion about fifty per cent. greater than the front rolls a, a,
so that when the belt d, which communicates motion from the lower cone, by
friction to the upper cone, is in the center, the rolls b, shall have about fifty per cent.
greater motion, than the rolls a.
In the rear of the rolls a, a, I mount a trumpet e, fixed to the arm g, on the
shaft f. h, is a gear fixed on the shaft f, and taking into the quadrant gear i, pro-
vided with an arm, on which is the adjustable weight k, and which gear is mounted
on a shaft or stud. l, is a bevel gear fixed to the shaft f, and meshing with the
bevel gear m, secured to the gear n, meshing with the toothed rack o, provided
with the belt-shipper p, so that when the trumpet e, is moved backward or forward,
the belt d, is shifted on the cone c', and the speed of the rolls b, increased or
decreased thereby. The rolls a, a, and b, b, are provided on their ends with gears
meshing with each other, in order that the top rolls may receive positive motion
from the under rolls, and not depend on friction for that motion, as ordinarily.
The shaft f, extends to the side of the frame of the carding engine, and is there
provided with an arm r, having stud r', which stud engages a slot in an arm 8,
mounted excentrically on the face of a gear t, which meshes with the gear on the
doffer, or an intermediate gear.
v, is the lever, by means of which the carding engine is put in operation, or
stopped, by engaging, or disengaging its notch, with the bar w.
The operation of the device is as follows-
When the proper amount of sliver is passing through the trumpet e, it remains

page_text: in an upright position, and the sliver is drawn by the drawing rolls about fifty per
cent.; but when a greater amount of sliver passes through, the trumpet is carried
towards the front-rolls, and, through the gears l, m, and n, the belt d, is shifted
towards the small end of the upper cone, which increases its speed, and also that
of the rolls b, b, and thus draws the sliver to a greater degree and preserves its
uniform weight or size. Should less than the proper amount of sliver, pass through
the trumpet, the weight k, would cause the trumpet to recede from the front-rolls,
and thus decrease the speed of the drawing rolls, so that the sliver should not-be
drawn so much, and thus preserve its uniform weight.
Should a greater amount of sliver enter the trumpet than could pass through,
the trumpet would be carried forward against the front-rolls, and the arm r, on the
end of its shaft, would assume the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5, thus
bringing the upper end of the arm s, in contact with the projection u, which would
raise the lever v, from engagement with the bar w, and stop the operation of the
carding engine.
So also, if too little sliver, or none at all, should pass through the trumpet, it
would drop back to its limit, and the arın r, cause the arm s, to engage with the
projection u, and raise the lever v, thus stopping the operation as before. The
gear t, is constantly revolving, carrying the arm s, with it, and while the trumpet e,
vibrates within prescribed limits, the upper end of the arm s, vibrates between the
projections u, and '; but when the trumpet passes beyond said limits, the arms,
by means of the arm r, is caused to engage with one of the projections u, or u¹, and
raise the lever v, which stops the operation of the carding engine. :, represents a
lever having a notch adapted to receive the arm g, which lever is pivoted on the
frame of the machine, and is adapted to hold the arm g, and consequently the
trumpet e, in a stationary position, when the sliver is being pieced up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed,, I declare that what I
claim, is-
1st. In combination with the front-rolls of a carding engine; a pair of drawing
rolls arranged in front of said front-rolls; a pair of conical rolls, the upper one of
which is mounted on the extended shaft of the lower drawing roll; an endless belt,
gripped between said conical rolls; a rack o, sliding in bearings, and having a loop
embracing said endless belt; a trumpet mounted on a shaft, and behind said front-
rolls, said shaft being provided with the gear h, taking into the pivoted gear i,
having an arm provided with the adjustable weight k; the gear 1, taking into the
gear m, and said gear m, provided with the gear n, adapted to take into the rack o,
whereby when the trumpet is moved towards the front-rolls, or allowed to recede
from them, by the sliver, as it passes from the doffer, the speed of the drawing
rolls, is increased or diminished, as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In combination with the front-rolls of a carding engine; a trumpet mounted
behind said rolls; a pair of drawing rolls arranged in front of said front-rolls;
mechanism intermediate said trumpet and drawing rolls, whereby the speed of
said drawing rolls is regulated by the forward or backward movement of said
trumpet; and mechanism intermediate said trumpet and the stopping and starting
lever of said carding engine, whereby the operation of carding is stopped, when the
trumpet has reached its limit of motion, forward or backward; as and for the
purpose described.
Signed this 31st day of December 1892.