Improvements in the Feeding Apparatus of Carding Engines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1895
Improvements in the Feeding Apparatus of Carding Engines.
I. ALPHONSE BORIOS, of La Sarraz in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland,
Machine Maker, 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 carding engines for wool, and other fibres treated in a
similar manner as wool, and consists in improvements in the feeding apparatus for
the said carding engines, the object of my invention being to supply the cylinder
of the condenser engine uniformly with wool, and to equalize the irregularities in
the lap or fleece obtained from the preceding engine, while carding the fibres in the
same direction or without crossing the fleece as is ordinarily done. These objects
I attain by arranging between the usual long feed rollers forwarding the lap and
the taker-in supplying it to the main cylinder a narrow carriage which supports a
short cylinder, duffer, endless aprons and feed rollers, and travels to and fro across
the carding engine, takes the fibres from the long feed rollers, accumulates them
between the aprons and distributes them to the long taker-in of the main cylinder,
and further by actuating the long feed rollers and feed apron at a speed proportional
to the weight of the lap by means of mechanism readily adjustable for varying the
speed.
3. '
On the drawings appended hereunto-
Fig. 1, shows a side view of the improved feeding apparatus ;;
Fig. 2, a longitudinal section.
Figs. 3 and 4, details.
Only those parts forming the subject of this invention are shewn more particularly
and other parts of the carding engine are indicated only.
On the drawings A, (Fig. 2) represents the lap obtained by dividing the fleece lapped
on the lap drum of the preceding carding engine and rolling it up, or in any other
ordinarily used way for obtaining laps of uniform length. The lap A is supported
as usual upon the feed apron a passing round the rollers a' a", and is forwarded
to the feed rollers B B¹ and taker-in C, the apron and rollers extending as usual
across the full width of the carding engine and being otherwise arranged and
connected by gearing in any usual way.
For the purpose of readily varying the speed of the feed rollers proportionally
to the weight of the lap, I actuate the bottom roller B in the following way :-
Upon the end of the roller a ratchet wheel b (Fig. 1) is mounted into which a
pawl engages which is hinged on the long slotted pawl lever 62. In the latter a
screw spindle c is mounted which can be turned by the hand wheel c', and is
threaded through a nut c, sliding in the slot of the lever 6. The nut is formed
with pivots on each side which are embraced by the forked end of the connecting
rod c, the lower end of which is mounted on a crank pin c fixed in the side of a
spur wheel P which is driven from the main cylinder shaft in the manner hereinafter
described. By shifting the nut nearer to or farther from the centre of the ratchet
wheel, the throw of the lever and the number of teeth by which the ratchet
wheel is turned at each throw is increased or reduced, and the length of lap fed
forward for each revolution of the main cylinder varied.
The laps A are as stated of uniform length, but may vary in weight. Preferably
the sizes and speeds of the parts are so arranged, that when the nut c' is placed
at a zero mark about the middle of the length of the screw and the lap has the

page_text: normal weight, 'the desired weight of 'fibres is fed forward for each revolution of
the main cylinder. The top of the lever b is marked with a graduated scale with
the divisions numbered in each direction from the zero mark, and the divisions are
so made that each of them corresponds to a definite difference in weight, say of an
ounce, in the weight of the lap. The taps are weighed previous: to being placed
upon the feed apron and according to the difference in ounces between the
ascertained weight and the standard weight of laps, the attendant turns the hand
wheel c and shifts the nut to the corresponding number nearer to or further from
the centre of the ratchet wheel according as the lap is under or over weight, and
it will be fed forward quicker or alower as required to supply the same weight of
fleece in all cases during each revolution of the main cylinder, whether the laps
placed on the engine have the standard weight or not. In this way differences in
the weights of the laps are equalized, so that the fleeces delivered by the engine
are uniform in weight or thickness in a longitudinal direction.
Obviously the details of the mechanism may be varied without departing from
the essential feature of 'the. improvement which consists in rotating the feed roller
by means of the oscillatory movement of a lover, the throw of which can be
readily varied proportionally to the weight of the lap. For instance, instead of a
screw c and nut c, the lever b may have a series of holes drilled in it and a block
with pivots for attaching the connecting rod c* and a hole, be slid along the lever
by hand and fixed in position by alpin passed through the block and one of the
holes in the lever; or instead of a crank pin fixed in a wheel, a separate crank
arm on a revolving shaft may be used.
Although this arrangement of feed mechanism equalizes differences in the weight
of the laps longitudinally, it does not equalize inequalities in a transverse direction
of the lap which result from irregularities in spreading the wool upon the feed
rapron or its equivalent of the first teazer or breaker engine, as these would
re-appear in the fleece combed off the doffer of the finishing or condenser carding
engine if the lap is fed in its full width to the cylinder of this engine. Ordinarily,
the lap from the first engine is fed transversely or laid diagonally-to the following
engine in order to equalize these irregularities, which, however, has the disadvantage
that the fibres are rather severely handled and not laid perfectly parallel by. the con-
denser engine, so that the yarn produced in this way has many ends protruding and is
rough, and is not suitable for those kinds of fabric where a smooth yarn is
required. The further object of my improvements is' to equalize the irregularities
occurring in the lap in a' transverse direction without crossing or while carding the
'wool or other fibre in the same direction it has in the lap.
+
!
For this purpose l'arrange a carriage consisting of two side frames S, suitably
stayed together at a short distance from each other, which carriage traverses across
the carding engine to and fro between the féed rollers and the main cylinder of
the engine and carries rollers and endless aprons so arranged and driven that they
collect the fibres from the feed rollers or other wide roller placed behind them and
accumulate or condense them between the aprons, and theu re-distribute them
again to the main cylinder. Preferably the parts. mounted on the carriage consist
of a small carding cylinder with fancy roller; doffer and doffing comb, by which
the wool is taken off the taker-in C, and delivered! into a space enclosed by several
endless aprons, which forward the wool to a pair of short feed rollers mounted on
the carriage, by means of which the wool is distributed along a taker-in extending
for the full width of the engine in front of the main cylinder.
On the drawing S are the sides of the carriage on which are mounted the small
carding drum D, a fancy roller E, a doffer F and comb G, an endless apron or
belt H. passing round the rollers and (Fig. 2), an intermediate or holding
down roller 1, an endless apron or belt K passing over rollers kk' and ', another
horizontal endless apron L passing round rollers and l, and two feed rollers m m'.
The width of all these rollers and aprons is equal to the distance of the sides of
the carriage from each other and may be about 8 or 9 inches for carding engines
: 60 to 70 inches wide. M is the taker-in, N a holding back or stripping roller

page_text: which makes one revolution during each run of the carriage and has a longitudinal
motion produced by any usual means, equal to the distance by which the
carriage traverse overlaps the width of the card clothing, for the purpose of
regulating the edges of the fleece; O the first worker and P the first clearer, R the
main cylinder of the engine, these as well as the feed rollers B B' and taker-in C
having the full width of 60 or 70 inches.
The rollers on the carriage are formed with pivots working in bearings in the
carriage sides S or in brackets fixed thereon, with the exception of the drum D
and rollers and l, which slide on shafts extending across the engine from one
frame side to the other, and supported respectively on pedestals d², and
(Fig. 1), fixed upon the frame sides. The carriage rides on the shafts of
rollers and, the shaft of 1 being grooved and the roller fitted with a key
sliding in the groove; the same is done as regards the drum D and its shaft d,
or equivalent means may be used for rotating the drum and roller by the
respective shafts while allowing them to slide thereon. The drum D and roller
are driven from the main cylinder shaft and the other rollers on the carriage are
driven from the shafts of the drum and roller in any convenient manner.
The driving may be arranged as follows:-
'
A pulley on the main cylinder shaft drives a pulley o on a stud or short
shaft o; a pulley of connected to o¹ drives pulley on the end of the shaft of
drum D. To the pulley o' a pinion is connected, gearing with a spur wheel n
revolving on a stud, to the boss of which a pinion n' is fixed driving the spur
wheel on the end of the shaft of roller . These pulleys and wheels are arranged.
outside the frame and do not slide with the carriage.
The doffer F is driven from the shaft d by means of a worm e (Fig. 1), sliding
with the carriage and driving a small worin wheel e' on a slanting shaft, a bevil
A spur
pinion on which gears with a bevil wheelf on the pivot of the doffer F.
wheel on the same pivot gears with another spur wheel on the pivot of
roller and thus drives the vertical apron H, another pair of wheels driving the
roller from /.
A spur wheel sliding with the carriage on the shaft of the roller l' drives through
a carrier wheel m³, a spur wheel on the end of the bottom feed roller m.
On the opposite side of the carriage (Fig. 2), a band pulley d sliding on the.
drum shaft d, drives a band pulley loose on the pivot of roller h¹; a second
band pulley cast or fixed on pulley driving by means of a crossed band a..
pulley formed with an eccentric for actuating the doffing comb G, and mounted
loose upon the pivot of roller I.
The fancy E is driven by a crossed band from a band pulley e¹ connected to
pulley d on shaft d, and driving a pulley e on the pivot of E.
On the end of the bottom feed roller m, a spur wheel m³ (Fig. 3), drives a
similar wheel m', on the top roller m³, and this drives through a broad carrier
wheel, a wheel on the pivot of roller and thus drives the endless belt
or apron K.
By means of the gearing described, the different rollers and endless aprons on
the carriage are driven in the directions indicated by arrows on Fig. 2. Obviously
any other arrangement of gearing rotating them in the same direction may be
employed.
The carriage is traversed across the face of the wide taker-in rollers C and M
by means of an endless belt or its equivalent. r, which passes round two pulleys r
and (Figs. 1 and 2) which are placed inside the frame of the engine near to the
sides on shafts carried in suitable brackets fixed to the frame. Upon the belt a
driver or fingers is fixed projecting beyond the edge of the belt and engaging into
a slot in a bracket s' fixed to the underside of the carriage sides S at about their
middle. The pulley is driven from the large spur wheel n, which drives through
a carrier wheel n a spur wheel t¹ mounted on the end of a shaft t, which passes
through the frame side and carries inside of the frame a bevil wheel which
gears with another bevil wheel t on the shaft of pulley r¹. Instead of a belt

page_text: and belt pulleys, a driving chain and chain wheels may be used, and the pulleys
or chain wheels may be arranged on vertical shafts instead of horizontal ones, or
any other convenient arrangement for traversing the carriage to and fro may be
adopted.
As the carriage traverses along the taker-in C, the quickly revolving drum D
takes the fibres off it and transfers them to the doffer whence they are combed
off by the comb G, and accumulated in the space enclosed by the vertical endless
aprous H and K the horizontal apron L and the roller I, and the aprons L and K
forward it to the feed rollers m m which in travelling along the second taker-in M
transfer the fibres to the same. By this action the inequalities in thickness
occurring in the lap A in a transverse direction are equalised while the fibres
are always combed in the same direction, the effect being similar as if the lap 60 or
70 inches wide were folded up into a ribbon 8 or 9 inches wide and this again
pulled evenly out to a width of 60 or 70 inches.
On the shaft o another pulley o is mounted, driving by a belt pl a pulley p²
which carries a pinion p gearing with the wheel p in which the crank pin c actuating
the lap feed motion is fixed. Obviously an independent crank arm on the end of a
shaft may be used, and the wheels p and p³ arranged inside the framing.
As already stated I do not confine myself to the special arrangements of gearing
and mechanism for actuating the different rollers or parts, but these may be varied
and replaced by others producing the same motion and the arrangement of the
rollers and aprons on the carriage may be modified. A carriage and parts as
herein before described may also be used with teazer or breaker engines in
which the wool is fed upon the feed apron by hand or otherwise for the
purpose of equalising the distribution of the wool across the width of the engine
cylinder.
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:
1. In carding engines the arrangement of mechanisın for rotating the lap feed
rollers at speeds varied proportionally to the weight of the lap placed upon the
engine substantially as Lereinbefore described.
2. In carding engines rotating the lap feed rollers by means of a ratchet and
pawl or their equivalent operated by a lever the oscillatory motion of which can
be varied proportionally to the weight of the lap placed upon the feed apron of
the engine.
3. In carding engines rotating the lap feed rollers by means of a ratchet wheel
and pawl or their equivalent and the lever actuated from a crank or its equivalent
by a connecting rod the point of attachment of which on the lever can be shifted
along the same substantially as herein before described.
4. In carding engines the arrangement of mechanism for rotating the feed rollers
herein before described and illustrated on and by the drawings.
5. In carding engines the arrangement of a narrow carriage travelling to and
fro across the engine and carrying rollers and endless aprons which collect the fibres
from a wide roller in front of said carriage and distribute them again to a wide
roller behind it substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In carding engines the arrangement of a narrow carriage travelling to and
fro across the engine between the feed rollers and the main cylinder, and carrying
rollers and endless aprons which collect the fibres from the feed rollers or other
wide roller arranged behind them and distribute them again to a taker-in in front
of the main cylinder substantially as herein before described.
7. In carding engines the arrangement of a narrow carriage travelling to and
fro across the engine between the lap feed rollers and the main cylinder, and
carrying a cylinder which takes the fibres off the feed rollers or a roller placed
behind them, a doffer and stripping comb, horizontal and vertical endless aprons
forming a chamber in which the combed off fibres accumulate and from which they

page_text: are forwarded to feed rollers on the carriage which distribute them along a taker-in.
or other roller in front of the main cylinder, and driving gear for driving said
rollers and aprons on the carriage from the main cylinder shaft of the engine
substantially as hereiubefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
8. In carding engines the arrangement of a carriage travelling across the engine
between two wide rollers constructed and actuated substantially as and for the-
purposes herein before described and illustrated on and by the drawings.
9. In carding engines the arrangement of rotating the lap feed rollers by means.
of a ratchet wheel and pawl or their equivalents operated by a lever the oscillatory
motion of which can be varied proportionally to the weight of the lap placed upon
the feed apron, in combination with a narrow carriage travelling to and fro
between the said feed rollers and the main cylinder of the engine and carrying
rollers and endless aprons so arranged and driven that they collect the fibres from
the feed rollers or a wide roller behind them and distribute them again to a wide
roller behind said carriage substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the drawings.
Dated this 16th dose of A navet 1005
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.