Improvements in Hopper Feeders for Cotton Opening and Preparing Machinery.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hopper Feeders for Cotton Opening and
Preparing Machinery.
I, MAURICE CREPY, of 10 Colville Gardens, Bayswater, London, W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in feeders for cotton preparing
machinery and has for object to provide an automatic stopping motion for the
machinery by the charge of cotton itself when the quantity of such cotton becomes
short.
Hitherto it has been necessary to have a workman overlooking the feeder to
prevent its becoming completely empty and to regulate its operation, and if from
any cause said workman does not observe an excessive fall in the level of the
cotton, the lap of cotton made instead of being quite regular becomes full of holes
for a certain length and great irregularities in the weight of the laps are caused.
And if the feeder still works without being further supplied with cotton, not only
does the lap become irregular but its continuity is not maintained and it is cut in
two pieces and moreover by unevenness in the yarn greater work is given and a
considerable amount of waste ensues. These disadvantages are entirely obviated by
my invention.
In accordance with this invention I provide a feed hopper of sheet or cast iron
or other suitable metal having its lower part shut in by an endless lattice which
moves the cotton regularly into the preparing machinery and in order to control
the machinery by the loading of the feed hopper, the whole weight of the material
is made to act upon or is borne by the endless lattice. The endless lattice may be
a cloth mounted on two rollers placed between the side frames of the machine and
carried upon axles mounted therein. The side frames make a balanced frame which
is borne or oscillates upon or about the edge of a steel knife placed immediately
under one of the axles.
To raise the other axle during the movement of oscillation, the two side frames
of the feed hopper are furnished with a groove concentric with the edge of the
knife. On the other side of the point of oscillation the side frames are continued
by an arm or extension on which a counterpoise can move. This counterpoise
places the whole carrier in equilibrium when charged with a certain predetermined
quantity of cotton, according to the working of the machinery. If the weight of
the charge decreases beyond a certain limit the counterpoise draws the beam down.
The driving strap is guided by a fork ending in a bar passing into a suitable
support provided. This bar may be wedged with a bolt which can oscillate and is
guided in an opening made in the upper part of the support aforesaid. When the
strap is on the fixed pulley, the bolt hooked on the extremity of the opening
stretches a spring fixed on the distending bar. The beam being upon the sile of
the feed hopper bearing the driving pulley is provided with a bearing neck on
which is articulated a small connecting rod attached to an oscillating lever fixed
upon an axle mounted upon the aforesaid support.
The beam going down the small connecting rcd draws on the long arm of the

page_text: lever aforesaid which is going down and the short arm rises and takes up the bolt.
The spring then acts and the distended bar is moved forward on the fork and
makes the driving strap pass on to the loose pulley.
Then the machinery is stopped and cannot make bad work; the hopper is then
refilled and the apparatus restarted.
Dated this 5th day of December 1805
Improvements in Hopper Feeders for Cotton Opening and
Preparing Machinery.
I, MAURICE CREPY of 10 Colville Gardens, Bayswater, London, W. Engineer,
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 certain improvements in feeders for cotton preparing
machinery and has for object to provide an automatic stopping motion for the
feeder by means of the charge of cotton itself, when the quantity of the charge
falls short.
•
Hitherto it has been necessary to have a workman overlooking the feeder to
prevent its becoming empty and to regulate its operation and if from any cause the
workman does not observe an excessive fall in the level of the cotton the lap of
cotton produced instead of being quite regular becomes irregular and full of holes
or open spaces for a certain length and great uneveness in the weight of the laps is
caused. If the feeder still works without being further supplied with cotton not
only does the lap become irregular but its continuity is not maintained and
moreover by uneveness in the yarn greater work is caused and a considerable
amount of waste ensues, these disadvantages are entirely obviated by this my
invention.
In accordance with this invention a feed hopper is provided of sheet or cast iron
or other suitable metal having its lower part shut in by an endless lattice which
moves the cotton regularly towards the lifting apron of the feeder and in order to
stop the feeder by the loading of the feed apron leading to the opener the weight of
the material on the apron is made to act upon the driving strap fork of the feeder
so as to stop the feeder when the supply falls short.
The feeding hopper is coupled with the opening machine and is operated from
the same driving means as the feeding apron A (to be hereinafter described) said
feeding apron A leading the lap of cotton directly to the rolls of the opening
machine from the feeding hopper. By changing the driving belt from the fixed to
the loose pulley the motion of all the organs of the feeder will be stopped
automatically.
In order that the following more particular description may be well understood,
I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings illustrative thereof and reference
will be made thereto by figures and letters, like letters referring to similar parts
throughout.
In the drawings
Fig. 1, represents a vertical transverse partially sectional view of a construction

page_text: according to the invention and Fig. 2, is a sidewise longitudinal view partly in
section.
Fig. 3 shows in side view detached a modification of the rocking movement.
Fig. 4, is a like view to Fig. 3 of a further modification.
Fig. 5, represents in like manner a further modification of the construction.
The endless lattice A may be a cloth mounted on two rollers B, C, (one of which
is fixed) placed between the side frames D1 D2 and carried on axles b, c, mounted
therein and passing across the same.
The side frames D', D enclose the lattice A and rollers B, C, the latter forming
a balanced frame which is borne and is capable of oscillation upon the knife
edge A¹ placed immediately under one of the axles b.
To admit of the raising of the other axle c during the movement of oscillation
the side frames D1, D2 of the feed hopper are furnished with curved slots or
grooves concentric with the knife edge A³.
On the other side of the point of oscillation the side frames D' D' are continued
by an arm or extension E, upon which is mounted a slidable counterpoise F. By
this counterpoise the whole carrier, when charged with the cotton, will or may be
adjusted to balance upon the knife edge centre according to the predetermined
quantity necessary for the working of the machinery. Under the proper working
conditions the one end of the balanced carrier will rest upon the blocks G but if
the weight of the charge decreases beyond a certain limit the counterpoise F will
bear the beam down at that end.
The driving strap works upon a fast and loose pulley guided by a fork
carried upon a counter shaft mounted in the bracket frame H The said
counter shaft carries the support or arm I, which can be held by a bolt J, free
to oscillate and guided in an opening made in the upper part of the bracket
frame H.
When the strap is on the fixed pulley the bolt J will engage with the opening
of the bracket frame H and put in tension the spring o on the strap change-fork-
counter-shaft.
The end E of the beam being upon the side of the feed hopper bearing the
driving pulley is provided with a bearing neck K, on which is articulated the
connecting rod L, jointed to lever M, oscillating on the axle N, mounted in
the upper part of the support H.
Upon the beam E being lowered the rod L draws down the long arm of the
lever M, thereby raising the short end under the bolt J, so lifting the stopping
notch (Fig. 1) of bolt J free from the retaining edge of the opening in the upper
part of the bracket frame H. Upon this taking place the spring o is free to exert
its power upon the strap change-fork counter shaft, so throwing the driving band
onto the loose pulley and stopping delivery of material.
The hand lever P, centred on the bracket frame H and slotted to receive a stud
on the counter shaft of the strap change-fork will, when depressed by the workman,
carry the fork and driving band over and on to the fast pulley compressing the
spring o and dropping the latch bolt J into the stopping notch so starting the
machine and setting the stop motion in condition for automatic action upon
the supply of cotton again falling short.
R is a set screw working in a cross bar of the oscillating beam of the apron A,
said screw acting upon the bearing of the apron carrying roller B to give proper
tension to the apron A.
In Figs. 3 and 4, representing side views detached of the apron carrying beam
there are shown springs instead of weight F for establishing the counterpoise of
the feed apron and carrier, Fig. 4 however illustrating a rising and falling beam E
instead of an oscillating action for operating the connecting rod L and lever M
controlling the latch bar J.
In somewhat similar manner Fig. 5 is a diagram indicating counterpoise weights
carried by cords over pulleys and attached to the shafts of the apron bearing
rollers B, C.

page_text: Having thus 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 1
claim is :-
The automatic stopping motion for feeders of cotton preparing machinery
constructed, combined and operating as and for the purpose herein
forth.
set
נ..
A
01
1000
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
Agents for Applicant.