Improvements in Mechanism applicable to Automatic Feeders for Feeding Openers, Scutchers, and like Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism applicable to Automatic Feeders for
Feeding Openers, Scutchers, and like Machines.
I, WILLIAM RATCLIFFE BUCKLEY, Foreman with the Firm Taylor Lang & Co.
Limited, of Castle Iron Works, Stalybridge in the County of Chester, Machine
Makers, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to mechanism and arrangements to be combined with
automatic feeders for openers and like machines the object of which is to keep
the hopper of the automatic feeder automatically supplied with cotton or fibrous
material.
Automatic feeders are generally supplied with fibre from a room above them
and the fibrous material which is thrown into a trunk descends down it, and drops
into the hopper of the automatic feeder..
According to one modification of my invention I arrange a spiked roller in
suitable bearings across and at one corner of the hopper of the automatic feeder,
and the trunk which is to supply the fibre conveys it to the upper side of this
spiked roller, which prevents the fibre from escaping therefrom when the roller is
stationary, but when made to revolve the fibre is passed from the trunk and is
thrown by the spiked roller into the hopper of the automatic feeder. This supply
is given when the hopper is getting emptied and is cut off when the hopper is
sufficiently full.
There is a door or oscillating plate upon a shaft extending horizontally across
the hopper of the automatic feeder (similar to the door or plate described in the
Specifications of Edward Buckley No. 7180 and No. 10851 both of 1893) and this
door forms one part of the front side of the hopper, and when there is sufficient
fibre in the hopper, this door is down or shut, being kept down or shut by the
weight of the fibre resting upon it which is within the hopper, and when the
hopper is getting empty the weight of fibre is removed from this door and a
weight upon a lever secured on the axis or shaft of the door at one end of it lifts
or opens the door. The shaft or axis of this door is connected by suitable
mechanism with a clutch (or equivalent arrangement) on the axis of the spiked
roller to bring it in and out of gear-out of gear to stop the rotation of the spiked
roller when the door descends and the hopper is sufficiently full, and into gear to
start the rotation of the spiked roller to supply fibre when the door lifts as when
the hopper is getting empty.
The connection between the weight lever on the axis of the door and the clutch
box or its equivalent on the spiked roller shaft is or may be made by a bell crank
lever or other mechanism.
There is also a catch or brake arrangement actuated by the said weight lever or
from the moving clutch to hold the spiked roller from turning by the pressure
upon it of the fibre in the trunk when the spiked roller is not being driven.
This spiked roller is rotated by an endless band from some convenient rotary
part of the automatic hopper feeder or from other convenient rotary shaft or by
other suitable arrangement of gearing.
According to another modification of my invention, the spiked roller is dispensed
with, the other mechanism or arrangements being retained, and the lower end of
the trunk supplying the fibrous material is arranged to discharge into the hopper
of the automatic feeder.
:

page_text: In the spout or outlet from the trunk there is a hinged door to control the
discharge of the fibre from it.. This door has or may have a row of spikes on its
inside near the lower edge of the door which is in an inclined position to hold back
fibre. This door is or may be opened by a cord or rope or other connections,
secured to the door, then passing over guide pulleys and then round a barrel on a
horizontal stud which forms one half of a clutch, the other half of the clutch is on
the same stud and is or may be rotated same as the clutch for the spiked roller.
When the supply of fibre is to be cut off the clutch is put out of gear and the
door shuts by its own weight, the rope unwinding from the barrel to allow of this.
When the hopper is getting empty the clutches are put into gear and the door is
opened.
Should the door open too wide an arm from one end of its shaft or axis comes
against a book or projection on the upper end of a rod arranged to slide vertically
in suitable guides, the lower end of this vertical rod being jointed or connected to
the said weight lever (described in my first modification) and this lifts it and will
put the clutches out of gear.
The details of the mechanism may be varied while operating to control the
supply of fibre.
For instance in place of the rope and drun for opening the door there is or may
be a toothed segmental arm secured on the end of the. axis of the door, this
toothed segment gearing with a toothed pinion in place of the rope drum.
Friction clutches or friction pulleys are or may also be substituted for the
toothed clutches.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of February 1896. :
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.
Improvements in Mechanism applicable to Automatic Feeders for
Feeding Openers, Scutchers, and like Machines.
I, WILLIAM RATCLIFFE BUCKLEY, Foreman with the Firm Taylor Lang & Co.
Limited, of Castle Iron Works, Stalybridge in the County of Chester, Machine
Makers do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to mechanism and arrangements to be combined with
automatic feeders for openers and like machines, the object of which is to keep
the hopper of the automatic feeder automatically supplied with cotton or fibrous
material.
Automatic feeders are generally supplied with fibre from a room above thern and
the fibrous material which is thrown into a trunk, descends down it, and drops into
the hopper of the automatic feeder.
According to one modification of my invention, I arrange a spiked roller in
suitable bearings, across and at one corner of the hopper of the automatic feeder,
and the trunk which is to supply the fibre conveys it to the upper side of this
spiked roller, which prevents the fibre from escaping therefrom when the roller is
stationary, but when made to revolve the fibre is passed from the trunk and is
thrown by the spiked roller into the hopper of the automatic feeder. This supply
is given when the hopper is getting emptied and is cut off when the hopper is
sufficiently full.
There is a door or oscillating plate upon a shaft extending horizontally across
the hopper of the automatic feeder (similar to the door or plate, described in the

page_text: Specifications of Edward Buckley No. 7180 and No. 10851 both of 1893) and this
door forms one part of the front side of the hopper, and when there is sufficient
fibre in the hopper, this door is down or shut, being kept down or shut by the
weight of the fibre resting upon it which is within the hopper, and when the
hopper is getting empty, the weight of fibre is removed from this door and a weight
upon a lever secured on the axis or shaft of the door at one end of it lifts or opens
the door. The shaft or axis of this door is connected by suitable mechanism with
a clutch (or equivalent arrangement) on the axis of the spiked roller to bring it
in and out of gear; out of gear to stop the rotation of the spiked roller when the
door descends and the hopper is sufficiently full, and into gear to start the rotation
of the spiked roller to supply fibre when the door lifts as when the hopper is
getting empty.
The connection between the weight lever on the axis of the door and the clutch
box or its equivalent on the spiked roller shaft is or may be made by a bell crank
lever or other mechanism.
There is also à catch or brake arrangement actuated by the said weight lever or
from the moving clutch to hold the spiked roller from turning by the pressure
upon it of the fibre in the trunk when the spiked roller is not being driven.
This spiked roller is rotated by an endless band from some convenient rotary part
of the automatic hopper feeder or from other convenient rotary shaft or by other
suitable arrangement of gearing.
According to another modification of my invention, the spiked roller is dispensed
with, the other mechanism or arrangements being retained, and the lower end of
the trunk supplying. the fibrous material is arranged to discharge into the hopper
of the automatic feeder.
In the spout or outlet from the trunk there is a hinged door to control the
discharge of the fibre from it. This door has or may have a row of spikes on
its inside near the lower edge of the door which is in an inclined position to hold
back fibre.
a
This door is or may be opened by a cord or rope or other connections, secured
to the door, then passing over guide pulleys and then round a barrel on
horizontal stud which forms one half of a clutch, the other half of the clutch
is on the same stud and is or may be rotated same as the clutch for the spiked
roller.
.
When the supply of fibre is to be cut off the clutch is put out of gear and the
door shuts by its own weight, the rope unwinding from the barrel to allow of this.
When the hopper is getting empty, the clutches are put into gear and the door is
opened.
Should the door open too wide, an arm from one end of its shaft or axis comes
against a hook or projection on the upper end of a rod arranged to slide vertically
in suitable guides, the lower end of this vertical rod being jointed or connected to
the said weight lever (described in my first modification) and this lifts it and will
put the clutches out of gear.
The details of the mechanism may be varied while operating to control the supply
of fibre.
For instance in place of the rope and drum for opening the door there is or may
be a toothed segmental arm secured on the end of the axis of the door, this
toothed segment gearing with a toothed pinion in place of the rope drum.
Friction clutches or friction pulleys are or may also be substituted for the toothed
clutches.
Fig. 1, is a partial end elevation showing a portion of a spiked roller and a portion
of a hinged door or vane.
Fig. 2, is a partial side elevation of the parts or some of the parts shown in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is an edge, and
:
Fig. 4, a side view of a combined grooved pulley and half clutch which at times
rotates loose on the spiked roller shaft.

page_text: .
Side vie
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Fig. 6, is an edge view of the other half of the clutch secured on the spiked roller
shaft.
Figs. 7 and 8 are views corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 2, showing a
modification where a toothed or spiked lattice is substituted for the spiked roller
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
i
Figs. 9 and 10 are views corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 7
and 8, illustrating another modification, and
Figs. 11 and 12 are views also corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 2;
illustrating another modification of my invention.
In Figs. 1, 7 and 11, the long and short dotted lines a, and in Fig. 9, the lines a,
represent the side of the feeding hopper.
In the side elevations Figs. 2 and 8, the long and short dotted lines a, show part
of the outline of the feeding hopper, and the full lines a, Figs. 10 and 12 also
represent part of the outline of the feeding hopper to be supplied with fibrous
material.
Figs. 1 to 6-b, is a part of the spiked roller; 6, its shaft at one end in suitable
bearings in the side frames. This spiked roller b, is placed at the upper edge of
the feeding hopper a, and comes into the open corner at the bottom of the trunk
down or into which the supply of fibrous material comes, partly represented. in
outline by dotted lines e.
The shaft b', has a ratchet wheel 63, keyed upon it, and has also one part of a
clutch 6, (shown detached by Figs. 5 and 6) secured to it, the other part of the
clutch being formed on the side of a grooved pulley 64, (shown detached by Figs. 3
and 4) which has a grooved boss 65, for a clutch fork.
The grooved pulley 6*, is rotated by an endless rope or band from any convenient
rotary part of the machine.
The clutch fork c¹, is on a stem, that can swivel in a hole in the end of the
bent long arm c, of a bell crank lever, having its fulcrum c, on a stud (not shown)
in a bracket (not shown) secured to the side framing.
The short arme, of the bell crank lever is forked at its end to span one arm of
a lever d, secured upon the outer end of the horizontal shaft d', in bearings on the
side frames, which shaft d', forms the axis to which the door or vane d³, is secured
which is free inside the feeding hopper a.
This vane or door d², when the hopper is sufficiently full of fibrous material,
is forced down, the fibrous material pressing against its upperside, but when the
feeding hopper a, is getting empty, the fibrous material slides or falls from the
upper side of the vane or door d, and allows the weight d³, on the other arm
of the lever d, to lift the vane or door d².
When the vane or door falls, the bell crank lever c, is acted upon to slide the
grooved pulley b, outwards, and withdraw its attached half clutch away from that
half secured on the shaft b', and this stops the rotation of the spiked roller b, and
the spring catch or pawl 6, secured at one end to the framing which by its
elasticity is pressed against the teeth and prevents the spiked roller from revolving
(if it should tend to do so) by the weight of fibrous material in the feeding trunk e,
which presses upon it.
When the vane or door d³, rises from absence of fibrous material in the feeding
hopper resting upon or against it, the weight d³, on the lever d, lifts it, and thus
gives motion through the bell crank lever c, to move the grooved pulley b, and
half clutch into gear and cause the spiked roller b, to rotate and deliver fibrous
material from the trunk e, to the feeding hopper a.
Figs. 7 and 8 represent a similar arrangement to that illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6
except that the spiked roller in Figs. 1 and 2 is a plain roller in this modification,
and forms one of the two rollers b and 6', for an endless toothed lattice 68, the upper
side of which forms the bottom or a part of the bottom of the trunk (not shown)
supplying the fibrous material to the feeding hopper a.
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate another modification in which a spiked roller b, is used
as in Figs. 1 and 2.

page_text: In this ense there is a spur toothed wheel, (partly represented
ecured on the end of. the shaft 1, of the spiked roller b, which is in gear with a
inion f¹, loose, on a stud f, secured in the side.frame. To the spur pinion f¹.
notched or, ratchet wheel f³, is secured or is formed with it, one side of which
as clutch projections from it, to correspond with similar projections on the side of "
n endless jointed chain wheel f, this endless jointed chain, being driven from.
suitable wheel f, for it on some convenient rotary part of the mechanism of the
coding hopper, or machine. being fed by it.
There is a clutch fork c', on a stem c², which can swivel in a hole in the arm of
lever e, which is secured on the end of a short shaft c, having its bearing on a
bracket secured to the side frame, the other end of the short shaft c, has an arm c,.
secured to it, forked at its end to span one arm of the weight lever d, on the
axis or shaft d', of the vane or door d, partly shown in Figs. 9 and 10.
To the bent long lever e, an arms, is secured, which when the driving clutch.
is out of gear as shown in Fig. 9, will catch upon the teeth or projections on the
edge of the wheels, and prevent it from being rotated by the weight of material.
in the feeding trunk e, pressing upon the spiked roller b.
But when the wheel clutch f, is put into gear, this arm f, by the same
movement is taken away clear from the wheel 3, which can then be freely rotated
by the clutch.
In Figs. 11 and 12, the pulley clutch , is upon a stud 6, in the side of the-
framing. The pulley &, is driven and its half clutch acts upon the half clutch & on.
the barrel 9 and is arranged and operated in a manner similar to that described in
reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
The feeding trunk e, is formed with a spout to discharge into the feeding
hopper a, but this spout has a door g, in it hinged on a shaft g', having bearings
in the sides of the trunk e. This door g, at its lower underside has a row of spikes 9,.
across it, to hold back the fibrous material to some extent.
The door g, has one end of a rope g³, attached to it (say in about the middle.
of its length) which rope 9, passes up to a grooved pulley 9, on a suitable-
support, then to another pulley go, near the side of the trunk e, and lastly to a
barrel 9, which can rotate freely on the stud 6', but does not move in the length-
way of it.
When the feeding hopper requires a supply of fibrous material the clutch comes
5 into gear and rope 9, is wound upon the barrel y, and the door g, is opened, when-
a sufficient supply has been obtained the clutch comes out of gear, and the door g,
can close as the barrel 9, is then left free to unwind.
There is a vertical rod h, jointed at its lower end to the weight lever arm d, of
the vane d, and which can slide up and down in guides. This vertical rod at its
O upper end has a hook ', upon it, and the end of an arm 2, secured on the shaft g',
of the trunk door g, will come against the hook , and lift the weight arm d, to
throw the clutch out of gear should the door of the feeding trunk open too much.
In place of the rope g³, and barrel 9, and connected parts an arm is or may be
secured on the end of the shaft g', forming the axis of the door, and this arm has
15 a segment of spur teeth formed upon its end which gear with a spur pinion on the
stud, the side of which spur pinion also forms half the clutch.
The rod h, may by this arrangement be dispensed with, as there is an adjustable
incline or cam piece secured to one side of the toothed segment which will come
against the inside of the movable clutch , and push it out of gear, when the
50 door g, opens too wide, at which time the cam piece will then be opposite the clutch
wheel.
55
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inver
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :-
1. The combination and arrangement of a spiked roller or spiked lattice, with
trunk for sunlving fibrous material to an automatic feeding hopper, the rotation

page_text: the spiked roller or spiked lattice being stopped and started as required by clutch
mechanism, driven from some convenient rotary part of the automatic feeding
hopper or machine fed by it, the clutch mechanism being actuated to bring it in
and out of action by a partly balanced vane or door within the automatie feeding
hopper arranged and operating as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. I
and 2, Figs. 7 and 8, and Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings.
2. The combination of a door with a trunk for supplying fibrous material to an
automatic hopper feeder, which door is opened and closed when required by clutch
mechanism and connected gearing or arrangements, the clutch being rotated from
some convenient part of the automatic feeder or machine fed by it, such clutch
mechanism being brought into or out of gear to open the door and allow it to close
by a partly balanced door or vane within the feeding hopper arranged and operating
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings.
Dated this Seventeenth day of November 1896.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.