CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING WOOL, COTTON, FLAX, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES WHICH ARE OR MAY BE CARDED, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR DRAWING, DOUBLING, AND ROVING, AND SPINNING SUCH FIBROUS SUBSTANCES AS ARE OR MAY BE SUBJECTED TO THOSE OPERATIONS
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BENNETT, of Turn Lee, near Glossop, in the County of Derby, Cotton
Spinner, send greeting.
expence,
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that, after considerable application and
I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING
WOOL, COTTON, FLAX, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES WHICH ARE OR MAY BE CARDED,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MACHINERY FOR DRAWING,
DOUBLING, AND ROVING, AND SPINNING SUCH FIBROUS SUBSTANCES AS ARE OR MAY BE
SUBJECTED TO THOSE OPERATIONS;" and Her said Majesty, being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public good,
was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twelfth day of July last, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
eight, in the second year of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
to give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Bennett, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I or they, by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies,
servants or agents, or such others as I or they should agree with (and no
others) during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters
Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my said
Invention, within that part of Her said Majesty's Dominions called England,
Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner
as to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem meet, and

page_text: as that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising by reason
of the said Invention, during the said term of fourteen years; and for that
end Her said Majesty requires and strictly commands all her subjects what-
soever, within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, that they
shall not, neither directly nor indirectly, make, use, or put in practice my said
Invention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble
the same, nor make any addition thereto, or subtraction therefrom, whereby to
pretend himself or themselves to be the inventor or inventors thereof; and
whereas the said Letters Patent also contain a proviso obliging me, the said
Joseph Bennet, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be enrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the
same (reference being thereunto had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Bennett, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the five Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Part of my said improvements in machinery for carding wool, cotton, flax,
or other fibrous substances, which are or may be carded, relates to that part
or portion of such machinery which is provided for feeding or giving the
fibrous substance to the wire teeth of the cards by which the operation of
carding is to be performed, the said part or portion in the machinery com-
monly used containing two revolving rollers, called a pair of feeding rollers,
which are situated one above the other, and so near to each other that the
fibrous substance being presented to them will, by their revolving motion, be
drawn in between the two rollers in order to be given by them to the teeth of
the wire cards, which are applied on the circumferential surface of a rapidly
revolving cylinder; and that moving surface being in suitable proximity to the
pair of feeding rollers (at the opposite side of them to that side of them where
the fibrous substance is presented to them as aforesaid), the teeth of the cards
on that moving surface will strike into and seize the fibrous substance as fast
as the same is passed through between the two feeding rollers, in consequence
of their revolving motion, and so the fibrous material is fed or supplied
regularly to the wire cards. Now it is desirable that the said feeding rollers
should be able to hold the fibres firmly whilst the teeth of the cards are in the
act of striking amongst and seizing the said fibres as aforesaid, in order that
those teeth may more effectually separate, disentangle, and straighten the said

page_text: fibres; but the feeding rollers most commonly used being necessarily of a con-
siderable diameter (in order that they may have sufficient strength to resist
bending), the place of their gripe, or nearest proximity to each other where they
hold the fibrous substance between them, will of necessity be more than half
the diameter of the feeding rollers distant from the teeth of the cards, and that is
usually a greater distance than is advantageous. Or if feeding rollers for the
wide carding machinery, now commonly used, were to be made so small in
diameter as would admit of their gripe being as near to the teeth of the cards
as it is desirable that it should be, then such small feeding rollers would be.
liable to bend away one from the other, without holding the fibrous substance
firmly between them at the middle part of the length of the rollers.
The first item of my said improvements is, the mode herein-after described of
applying supports to the feeding rollers of carding machinery, in order to prevent
such bending, and to enable them to hold the fibrous substance firmly between
them, although such rollers are smaller in diameter than they would require to
be, to enable them to hold the fibres firmly without such support. See Figure 1
in Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, where A, B, represents the
transverse section of a pair of metal feeding rollers situated one above the
other, and C, D, are my new supports for them, consisting of bars of metal
having their edges hollowed out with curves to fit each of the rollers' very
truly, the hollow of the support D being beneath the lowermost half of the
under roller B, and the hollow of the support C being above the uppermost
half of the top roller A. The supporting bar D is fixed by the ends E to the
frame of the carding machine, so as to stand in a horizontal position across
that frame near to the revolving cylinder or roller H, which is covered
with card wires, and to which the fibrous substance is to be fed or given
by the revolving motion of the feeding rollers A, B, taking that substance
in between them, and passing the same forwards between them with a
slow continual and regular motion, and feeding or giving it to the said
card wires. The roller B rests in and is supported by the hollow of the
fixed support D. The supporting bar C is not fixed fast, but its ends are
received into the same vertical notches or slits, which are provided, as usual,
for the reception and retention of the end pivots of the roller A, and the
ends of the bar C are borne downwards in those notches by weights, which
cause it to press the roller A towards the roller B, so that the two rollers will
be enabled to hold the fibrous material firmly between them without bending
or yielding one from the other. The weights by which the upper supporting
bar C and upper feeding roller A are thus borne downwards may, if pre-
ferred, be applied to act by intervention of levers G, in the manner shewn in

page_text: the Drawing. The two feeding rollers A, B, are turned round by suitable
wheelwork in the usual manner of carding machinery, that wheelwork being
proportioned to correspond to the small diameter of the rollers A, B, so as to
enable them to advance forwards, or feed the fibrous substance to the cards H
as fast as is required to be done. The fibrous substance is supplied to the
pair of feeding rollers A, B, in any usual manner, either by being spread upon
an endless spreading or feeding cloth which circulates over two rollers, whereof
one is represented at I, and comes so near the feeding rollers A, B, that they
cannot fail to take in the fibrous substance between them from the cloth, or
else the fibrous substance, having been previously formed by the well-known
means into a continuous sheet, and lapped or rolled up in a roll or lap, is
unrolled therefrom, and conducted over a flat surface or table which will con-
duct it between the feeding rollers. It is obvious, by inspection of Figure 1,
that the gripe of the small feeding rollers A, B, being at a, b, is nearer to the
teeth of the card wires on the circumference of the revolving cylinder or
roller H than is usual in the wide carding machinery now commonly used, and
consequently that the fibres will be held fast between the feeding rollers A, B,
at a, b, whilst the teeth of the cards are in the act of striking in among the
fibres, and therefore they will be more effectually separated one from another,
and disentangled and straightened. But note, I do not make any claim to the
exclusive use of small sized feeding rollers for carding machinery in preference
to larger ones as any part of my Invention, but only to the exclusive use of
supporting bars such as C and D, by which the feeding rollers of carding
machinery may be prevented from bending or springing.
The second item of my said improvements is for effecting the same purpose
of holding the fibrous substance firmly whilst the teeth of the wire cards are
in the act of striking in amongst the fibres, and is explained by Figures 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6, wherein A, B, Figure 2, are a pair of revolving feeding rollers made of
metal, cylindrical in form, and of a sufficient size or diameter, acording to their
length, to avoid bending or springing. The uppermost roller A, which should be
fluted on its cylindrical surface, is pressed down towards the lowermost roller B,
by weights J operating by levers G, as is shewn in Figures 3 and 4. D,
Figure 2, is a strong bar of metal extending horizontally across the width of
the carding machine, being interposed between the rollers A, B, and the wire
cards on the circumference of the revolving cylinder or roller H, and to which
cards the fibrous substance is to be fed. The fixed bar D presents a vertical
face or side d, h, g, to the cards H, but its other side is formed so as to have
two salient edges d and e, which, as well as the face d, h, g, are made truly
straight. The edge e is sharp and applies with close contact with the smooth

page_text: cylindrical circumference of the lowermost feeding roller B, so as to act as a
scraper thereto for preventing the fibrous substance from passing round about
that lowermost roller; but the said substance, after passing between the gripe
of the two rollers A, B, at a, b, will, by their revolving motion, be carried for-
wards between the upper part e, d, of the bar D, and the under part of the
fluted roller A, until it gets to the straight-edge d of the bar D, and there,
at the same time that it continues to be advanced forwards, it will be held
firmly in contact with that edge by the pressure of the fluted surface of the
roller A towards the said edge d, which pressure causes a second gripe or
holding of the fibrous substance at d, m, after and in addition to the gripe
at a, b, between the two rollers A, B. The upper edge d is not made quite
sharp on the top, but is left of sufficient breadth in order to give it adequate
strength, and the fibres, as they are passing over across the edge d, receive the
action of the teeth of the cards H, and are by that action carried down against
the vertical face d, h, g, of the bar D, which face is nearer to the cards at h,
some small distance down below the edge d than it is at that edge. The conse-
quence is that the fibres, in their passage over across the edge d are firmly held
by the gripe of the roller A against that edge at d, m, wherefore at the same
time that the fibres are advancing over the edge d with a gradual and uniform
motion, they are withheld from advancing faster than that motion. The card
teeth on the revolving cylinder or roller H first strike in amongst the
foremost ends of the fibres in an easy manner as soon as the said ends
have advanced over beyond the top of the edge d, and then as the fibres
advance further and descend down the vertical face d, h, g, (being still firmly
held by the gripe at d, m,) they are brought nearer to the teeth H, and the
same will strike deeper in amongst the fibres in the course of that descent
from g to h, so as to subject the fibres to a most effectual action of those teeth
for combing out, separating, disentangling, and straightening those fibres until
the foremost ends of them have got. down to h, where the vertical face d, h, g,
of the bar D is at its nearest proximity to the teeth of the wire cards H, and
by that time the other or hindmost ends of the said fibres will, in the course of
the regular advance of the fibres, have passed beyond the gripe at d, m; and
then the fibres being no longer firmly held, will draw out from amongst the
other fibres which are not so far advanced, and will be carried away amongst
the wire teeth of the cards, in order to be further carded by action of the
other parts of the carding machinery, in the usual manner of such machinery.
Figure 3 is a horizontal plan; Figure 4 a side elevation; and Figure 5 a
section of so much of the feeding part of a carding machine as is requisite for
the further explanation of the mode of applying this second item of my said

page_text: improvements. K is a roll or lap of fibrous substance, which has been pre-
viously prepared in a continuous fleece or sliver, and rolled up. The roll K
rests by its weight upon two revolving rollers L, R, which, being turned slowly
round with a suitable speed, give motion to the lap K to cause it to unroll or
unwind; and the fleece or sliver of fibrous material, as fast as it is so unwound,
is conducted forwards over a horizontal table or surface M, and presented
between the pair of feeding rollers A, B. This being the most usual manner
of supplying cotton to modern carding machinery, and well understood,
requires no further explanation, and particularly as it is no part of my improve
ments to use any particular mode of spreeding out and supplying or conducting
the fibrous substance to the feeding rollers; for the same may be spread evenly
on the moving horizontal surface of an endless feeding or spreading cloth,
which is extended so as to circulate over two rollers, whereof one may be the
dotted circle, which is marked I, and the other may be similar to the roller L,
that being the usual mode of supplying wool and flax to carding machinery, and
it was formerly in general use for cotton. The pair of feeding rollers A, B, and
conducting rollers R and L, are turned round with a suitably slow and continual
motion by a train of wheelwork, according to any of the usual modes employed
in ordinary carding machinery, but which wheelwork being variously com-
bined and well known, requires no explanation. The proportions of that wheel-
work may be adapted to cause the surface of the said rollers to move quicker
than usual, because, in consequence (by aid of this part of my improvements)
of the gripe at d, m, by which the fibrous substance is held during the act of
feeding, being nearer than usual to the teeth of the cards H, their operation
on the fibres is so much increased that a greater quantity of fibrous material
can be carded in a given time than the same carding machinery would otherwise,
without this part of my said improvements, be capable of doing. In applying and
fixing the bar D in its place, with its upright face d, h, g, against the cards H,
the position of that face must be so adjusted that the part h thereof, where it
comes to its nearest proximity to the cards H, will be at a suitable distance
from the gripe at d, m, (between the feeding roller A and the edge d) to
correspond to what is called the length of staple, or the average length of the
fibres of the fibrous substance that is to be carded. The said distance from
d, m, to h, should be somewhat less than that average length, in order that the
fibres may be detained by the gripe at d, m, from being let loose, so as to be
carried away in the teeth of the cards. H, until the foremost ends of the fibres
(that is to say, those ends thereof which go foremost as they advance) have
advanced as far as the said place h of nearest proximity; and during all the
time that the said foremost. ends are so advancing from the gripe d, m, to the

page_text: said place h, the said fibres are subjected to the action of the teeth of the
cards H, but with a gradual and progressive increase of the penetration of
the teeth amongst, the said fibres, because the top of the edge d over which
the fibres pass, when they begin to turn down against the upright face g, h, d,
is not quite close to the teeth of the cards H, but is at small distance therefrom.
Wherefore, although the foremost ends of the fibres begin to be presented to the
action of the teeth as soon as those ends are advanced over the edge d, and
begin to turn down against the upright face d, h, g, nevertheless, owing to the
small interval or distance of the top edge d of that upright face from the teeth
H, the action to which the fibres are first subjected is moderate, because the
teeth do not penetrate so deep amongst those ends of the fibres as they
afterwards do during the descent of the fibres down the face d, g, h; and
by the time that the foremost ends of the fibres get down to h, then the
other or hindermost ends of them should be getting advanced as far as the
gripe at d, m, in order that the fibres may then be detained no longer, but
may be let go so as to be carried away in (or amongst) the teeth of the
cards H. Note, the mass of fibrous substance which is continually advancing
between the feeding rollers consists of fibres whereof the ends are inter-
mingled in all possible ways, as is usual in carding machinery, so that the
gripe at d, m, is always holding the foremost ends of some fibres, and the
middle of the length of other fibres, and the hindmost ends of other fibres,
and so on. Neither are the fibres straight or parallel in the said mass, but
they are bended, doubled, and crossed in all possible ways, wherefore every.
stage of the operation of the teeth of the cards upon the fibres, as above
stated, will be going on at the same time upon different fibres; for at the
same time that the foremost ends of some fibres have only just advanced over.
the edge d, so as to get within reach of the commencing action of the teeth,
upon those ends other fibres will have advanced further, so as to subject a
longer portion of the length of such fibres to a greater action of the teeth
whilst the hindmost ends of those fibres still continue to be detained by the
gripe at d, m, and other fibres, which have advanced so far that their hind-
most ends get beyond the said gripe, will be in the act of being drawn out
from amongst the mass of fibres, and carried away amongst the teeth of the
cards. And as to those fibres which lie in oblique directions and crossways in.
the mass which is advancing forwards, although they will be less completely,
held by the gripe at d, m, than other fibres which lie in the mass, so as to
move more nearly endways foremost therewith, nevertheless, those crossed.
and obliquely disposed fibres will be detained in some degree amongst the
fibres which are more firmly held, and whilst so detained will receive some

page_text: combing and straightening and drawing out action from the teeth of the cards
before they are carried away amongst those teeth; wherefore, in consequence
of the gripe at d, m, (by which the fibres are firmly held, at the same time
that they are advancing forwards) being nearer to the teeth of the cards H
than the gripe of the pair of common feeding rollers in ordinary carding
machinery can be, the above operation of those teeth in combing out,
straightening, and disposing the fibres parallel to each other, whilst the fibres
continue detained from being carried away with the teeth, is greatly increased
and accelerated. And note, I have already mentioned that the edge d, over
and across which the fibres pass immediately after they emerge from the
gripe at d, m, is a smooth straight-edge (not sharp), but of a sufficient
breadth to give it adequate strength; and I wish thereon to be understood
that if the said edge is sharp, and cut with notches side by side, so as
constitute a row of teeth instead of a plain and smooth straight-edge, such a
construction will not be according to my Invention, and will not produce
the advantages thereof. And also I have already mentioned, that the top of
the said plain and smooth straight-edge d, over and across which the fibres
pass, is not so close to the teeth of the cards as the face d, h, g, of the bar
D is at some distance below that top of the edge d; and I wish thereon to
be understood, that if the said top edge d, being a row of teeth, is closer
to the teeth of the cards H than other parts of the face d, h, g, is, then such a
construction will not be according to my Invention, and will not produce the
advantages thereof. And also I have already mentioned, that the feeding
rollers A, B, are made of metal, cylindrical in form, and that the roller A,
which applies to the edge d, at d, m, should be fluted, in order that the gripe
on the fibrous material at d, m, may be more effective; and I wish thereon
to be understood, that if the said roller A is covered with card wires instead
of being hard on the surface, such a construction will not be according to my
Invention, and will not produce the advantages thereof. And in order that
the face d, h, g, of the bar D may be fixed in a suitable position, as above
described in respect to the roller or cylinder of cards H, the said bar D
must be sustained at its two ends from the frame of the carding machine by
intervention of such brackets, or pedestals, or bearing pieces as will admit of
adjustment of the position of the bar D; and also the bearings for the pivots
of the feeding rollers A, B, must be suitably disposed in respect to the
bar D to retain the circumferences of those rollers in their intended positions
in respect to the salient edges e and d of the bar D, as represented in Figure 2,
and already explained. The end pivots of the upper roller A are received
into upright notches, and the brasses which are fitted into those notches,

page_text: over the said pivots, have liberty to rise and fall therein; and being borne
downwards by action of heavy weights, or of loaded levers G, as before
explained, the roller A is thereby caused to gripe the fibrous material at a, b,
against the lower roller B, and also at m, d, against the edge d. The hollow
at the top side of the bar D, beneath the upper roller A, from e to d, may
be a corresponding curve to the circumference of that roller, but disposed
so as to be rather nearer to the roller at d than at e, in order that the fibrous
substance may be held in contact with the roller A all the way from e to d,
but held with increasing firmness as it approaches towards d, where the
effective gripe d, m, is to be, as already explained. Respecting the fixing
of the ends of the bar D by means of adjustable pieces, as already mentioned,
the same may be greatly varied as to the manner of putting such parts
together, but the manner shewn in Figures 3 and 4 will answer very well.
The end pivots of the two feeding rollers A, B, and of the two conducting
rollers L, R, are sustained in two end pieces X, X, upon each of which an
upright plate Y is erected, with a vertical notch in it to receive and retain
the end pivots of the roller around which the lap or roll K of fibrous substance
is lapped, and which roll K rests by its weight on the two rollers L, R, so
as to be unrolled by the motion that it derives from them. The said two
end pieces X, X, are united together by the table or horizontal surface M,
over which the fibrous material is conducted as it unrolls, and are further united
by the bar D, whereof the two extremities have pieces a screwed to them, and
those pieces x are screwed to the upright faces of the end pieces X, X,
as is seen in Figure 4, by which means the said two end pieces X, X,
becomes connected in a frame containing the rollers A, B, and L, R, and K,
and also the bar D, in due relative position one to another, as already explained,
and as shewn by Figures 2 and 5. And in order to adjust the relative position
of the upright face of the bar D to the wire cards on the roller or cylinder H,
to which the fibrous substance is to be fed, the said end pieces X, X, of the
said frame are sustained and fixed to the main frame Z of the carding
machine by short upright legs z, z, which are cylindrical and formed with
screw threads, in order to have nuts screwed upon them, which nuts rest on
the top surfaces of the main frame Z, and those legs z, z, going down through
oblong holes in the said surfaces, are fastened by other nuts screwed on them
beneath the flanges which constitute the said top surfaces, wherefore, by means
of the several nuts on the said legs z, z, the bar D can be fixed higher or
lower, or slightly tilted, in order to adjust the position of its face d, h, g; and
by the said oblong holes it can be fixed in suitable proximity to the teeth of

page_text: the wire cards H, as already explained. And note, respecting the form of
the hollow at the top side of the bar D, it is not essential that the same
should be a corresponding curve to the roller A, as already described, and as
is represented in Figure 2 and 5, for it may be as is represented in Figure 6,
the hollow being an angle or trough formed by a horizontal and an inclining
surface, but nevertheless the two salient angles at e and d are the same as
in Figure 2. The form of that side of the bar D which is below the edge e,
opposite to the lower roller B, is quite immaterial, so that it leaves room for
that roller B not to touch, and yet allows a sufficiency of substance in the
bar D to give it adequate strength to resist springing or bending. The cylinder
or roller H, clothed with the card wire teeth to which the fibrous substance
is to be fed by aid of the said second item of my said improvements in
manner above described, may be the same as is most usually employed in
modern carding machinery, and which is called a taker-in or taking-in
roller, and which is usually of a small size, not often exceeding 12 inches
diameter, in which case the face d, h, g, of the bar D, which is to go against
the cards II, may be a flat surface, as is represented in Figures 2, 4, and 5;
but in cases where the cards H, to which the fibrous substance is to be
fed are on the circumference of a large cylinder instead of a taking-in roller,
then the face d, h, of the bar D should be somewhat rounded or made
convex, or angular, in order that when the position of the bar D is adjusted,
so that the space between the edge d over which the fibrous substance
passes stands at the proper distance from the teeth of the cards on the large
cylinder H to receive the first action of those teeth, as represented in Figure 2,
that then the nearest proximity h of the face d, h, g, to the teeth may be
also as there shewn, and at nearly the same distance below the top of the
edge d; that is to say, whether the teeth of the cards are on the circum-
ference of a small taking-in roller H or of a large cylinder, the face d, h, g,
of the bar D being either flat or suitably convex or angular, may be
adjusted to the same relative juxtaposition with the teeth of the cards; but
that is supposing the fibrous substance which is to be carded by the machinery
in either case is the same or of similar quality as to length of staple.
The sections Figures 2 and 6 represent such a juxtaposition of the flat
face d, h, g, of the bar D to the teeth of the cards on a taking-in roller H
as I have found to be suitable for carding cotton, and the same would do for
fine short wool or for waste silk; but for coarse wool of a longer staple,
and for the tow of flax, the fibres being coarser and the staple being longer,
the
space between the top edge d of the face d, h, g, and the teeth H must be

page_text: proportionably greater than represented in Figures 2 and 6, and the distance
of the place h, of nearest proximity, must be farther down the face from the
top edge d thereof in proportion as the staple is longer.
And whereas in the foregoing description the card teeth H have been
mentioned as moving downwards, and carrying the fibres down against the
face d, h, g, of the bar D, that is to be understood to be either downwards
or upwards, according to the direction of the motion of the taking-in roller
or cylinder H to which the fibrous substance is to be fed. For instance,
in Figure 1, herein-before described, the cards on the taking in roller or
cylinder H are represented as moving downwards; but that is an indifferent
circumstance to the pair of supported feeding rollers A, C, B, D, Figure 1,
for they are equally well qualified to feed the fibrous substance to the teeth
of the cards H, whether the same move upwards or downwards, those
teeth being in either case suitably disposed on the roller or cylinder H so as
to move with their points foremost, as is usual in all carding machinery.
And respecting Figures 2, 5, and 6, which are represented as adapted to feed
the cards H when the same are moving downwards, the parts represented in
those Figures may be adapted to feed cards when moving upwards by applying
the same pair of feeding rollers A, B, and bar D (Figures 2 or 6) in an in-
verted position, as is shewn in Figure 7, wherein the same letters of reference
are used as in Figures 2 and 6, and therefore no farther description is
necessary, except respecting the means of supporting the bar D and the
pair of feeding rollers A, B, Figure. 7.
wherein X, X, is one of the end pieces,
described in reference to Figures 3 and 4, but it is inverted, the notch wherein
the brass bearing of the end pivot of the fluted roller A is received being at the
under side, and that brass being pulled upwards in the said notch by action of
the loaded lever G, which rests on a sharp edge or fulcrum i, and it pulls up the
said brass by a stirrup rod j; the said end piece X, X, is fixed on the frame Z
of the carding machine, by short upright pillars z, z, having nuts to render
them capable of adjustment, as already explained in reference to Figures
4 and 5. The roller I, Figure 8, is adapted for an endless spreading cloth, as
was the case in Figure 1; but in either case the mode of supplying the
fibrous substance to the feeding rollers may be done in any usual manner,
as already mentioned. And note, it is not necessary for this second item
of my said improvements that there should be a pair of feeding rollers, as
herein-before described, for one fluted roller A being suitably adapted to a
fixed bar D will answer the same purpose as two such rollers. This is
represented in Sheet II., wherein Figure 9 is a section, and Figure 10 an
This is represented in Figure-8;
answering in part to those before

page_text: elevation of one metal fluted roller A, applied over one edge d, of a fixed
bar D, the upper surface e, d, of which is horizontal, and forms a continuation
of the horizontal table or flat surface M, over which the fibrous substance is
advanced in order to supply it to the one feeding roller A, which by its
revolving motion, and by its moving fluted surface griping upon the fibrous
substance against the bar D at d, m, will draw the same forwards, and feed it
over the edge d to the cards on the revolving roller or cylinder H, by the first
action whereof the fibres will be carried down against the inclined face d, h, g,
of the bar D, which is to be disposed in suitable juxtaposition to the teeth of the
cards H, as already fully described in reference to the corresponding parts in
Figures 2 and 6. The roller A must be pressed down towards the bar D to enable
it to gripe the fibres securely. This may be done by action of loaded levers G,
Figure 10. The fulcrums of those levers may be setting screws i, to give the
means of due regulation, and the weights J may be slided along the levers G
to a greater or less distance from the fulcroms, and be fastened at any place in
order to give more or less force of gripe at d, m, all which is the same as in
Figure 1 and 4. The parts represented in Figure 10 are marked with the
same letters of reference as the corresponding parts in Figure 4 already
described, and therefore, although somewhat different in disposition, the
description need not be repeated. Figure 11 is a section of one metal fluted
feeding roller A, applied over a hollow e, d, at the upper side of a fixed bar D.
The fibrous substance by passing between that hollow c, d, and the under side of
the roller A, is kept in very effectual contact with the fluted surface thereof,
so as to enable the said material to be steadily advanced forwards by the
motion of the roller A, and to be firmly held by the gripe at d, m. The
upright face d, h, g, of the bar D is disposed in a similar position in respect to
the teeth of the cards on the roller or cylinder H as already described in
respect to Figures 2 or 6. The supports for the ends of the bar D, and
for the end pivots of the roller A, Figure 11, may be very similar to the
corresponding parts in Figure 10; the teeth of the cards H move downwards
in Figure 11. Figure 12 is a section of one fluted feeding roller A, adapted
to act against a hollowed bar D, the same as Figure 11, but inverted, in order
to adapt it to feed cards H, Figure 12, which move upwards. The roller A
requires to be urged upwards towards the hollow of the bar D, which may be
done in a similar manner to that represented in Figure 8, already described.
The third item of my said improvements relates to carding machinery,. and
consists in the application, in the manner herein-after described, of an addi-
tional revolving roller or small cylinder covered with card wires, which I call
a mongrel roller, and which is so placed as to act against the cards upon the

page_text: usual taking-in roller, in order to remove and throw out extraneous substances
from amongst the cotton or wool; and the said mongrel roller also acts
against the cards upon the large cylinder, or swift of the carding machine,
in order to give thereto such fibres of the cotton or wool as the mongrel
roller may have taken away from the taking-in roller, along with the
extraneous substances which it is intended to remove. See Sheet III.,
Figure 13, which is a section of a carding machine for cotton, representing
so much thereof as is requisite for explaining this item of my improve-
ments. H is the taking-in roller covered on its circumference with wire
cards, and to the teeth whereof the cotton or wool is fed regularly by the
feeding rollers A, B. S is the large cylinder or swift of the carding machine,
which is covered with cards on its circumference, and the teeth of those cards
move with their points forwards as usual, the cylinder or swift S revolving
in the direction shewn by the arrow. The taking-in roller H moves (as
shewn by its arrow) with the teeth of its cards forwards, and they take the
cotton or wool downwards from the feeding rollers A, B, as fast as the same
is fed by (or passed through between) them, and the fibres are carried away
amongst those teeth of the taking-in roller H until the same get round to the
teeth of the swift S, which latter are moving much quicker than the teeth of the
taking-in roller H, although in the same direction; wherefore the teeth of the
Swift S take away the fibres from the teeth of the taking-in roller H, and
the fibres are disentangled, straightened, and carded in the act of being
transferred from one set of teeth to the other. This being the ordinary
operation of the feeding rollers, taking-in roller, and swift of carding
machinery which is provided with a taker-in roller, is well-known and
requires no further explanation. My said additional or mongrel roller is
applied beneath the taking-in roller H at T, Figure 18, so as to present its
teeth to those of the taking-in roller H at some part of the circumference
thereof which has passed by the feeding rollers, and has become fed there-
from with fibres, so that the teeth of the mongrel roller H will operate
upon the said fibres which are amongst the teeth of the taking-in roller H
before those fibres have been carried by the motion of the taking-in roller H
as far round about the same as the place where they are to be transferred
from the teeth of the taking-in roller H to the teeth of the swift S. The teeth
of the mongrel roller T also apply to those of the swift at a part of the circum-
ference thereof which is moving towards that part where the teeth of the
taking-in roller H operates against those of the swift S, for transferring the
fibres, as aforesaid. The mongrel roller T is turned round in the same
direction as the taking-in roller II, and in a contrary direction to the

page_text: .
swift S, as is shewn by the several arrows in the Drawing. The teeth
of the cards on the mongrel roller T move with their points foremost, and
where they act against those of the taking-in roller H, they move in the
contrary direction thereto, but the teeth of the mongrel roller T move
rather quicker than those of the taking-in roller H, and thereby the teeth
of the mongrel roller T will take away from those of the taker-in Ha
great part of the extraneous and improper substances, such as motes or
entangled lumps of cotton, also seeds and fragments of dirt which may happen
to be in the teeth of the taking-in roller H, along with the fibres which have
been recently fed to those teeth by the feeding rollers. The mongrel roller T,
by its motion, will carry down all such extraneous substances (that is motes,
lumps, seeds, or dirt) as it has taken away from the taking-in roller H,
and will swing off and drop many of those extraneous substances on the floor
beneath the mongrel roller T, thereby separating such extraneous substances
from the fibres which are in progress of carding; and as the mongrel roller
T, at the same time that it thus takes away extraneous substances from the
taking-in roller H, will also take away good fibres therefrom, those good
fibres being lighter, and by getting more in amongst the teeth of the mongrel
roller T, will not be thrown off or dropped by it as extraneous substances will
be, but the said good fibres will be carried round in the teeth of the mongrel
roller T, as far as where those teeth come against the teeth of the swift S; and
the motion of the latter teeth being much quicker than those of the mongrel
roller, although in the same direction, the teeth of the swift S will take
away the said fibres from amongst the teeth of the mongrel roller T, and the
fibres will be carried upwards amongst those teeth of the swift S, and will
become mixed with other fibres, which the same teeth of the swift S will
immediately afterwards take away from the taking-in roller H, in the usual
manner, as already mentioned; wherefore the said mongrel roller T, by
operating upon the fibrous substance immediately after the same has been fed
to the taking-in roller H, but before what has been so fed will have been
carried round so far with the taking-in roller H as to be subjected to the
action of the swift S, the mongrel roller T will remove many extraneous
substances before the same can get round to the swift S; and whatever good
fibres the mongrel roller T takes away from the taking-in roller H, along with
the said extraneous matters, the said good fibres will be duly transferred to the
swift S, and that transfer will go in part of the operation of carding them.
Note, a partition V, Figure 13, is fixed across beneath the swift S so as to
enclose the lower part of the circumference of the mongrel roller T within a
space which is adapted to receive the extraneous substances which are

page_text: separated from the good fibres by it, and then thrown off from it on the floor,
as already explained. The upper edge of the partition V reaches up as near
to the swift S as it can be, not to touch. The mongrel roller T may be
turned round by an endless cord passing around a pulley at one end of the swift
S, and and also around a pulley on the end of the mongrel roller T, that endless
cord being crossed to cause the mongrel roller T to turn round. the contrary
way to that way which the swift S itself turns. And as to the relative sizes of
those two pullies, they must be adapted to cause the teeth on the surface of
the mongrel roller T to move somewhat quicker (that is through a somewhat
greater space in any given time) than the teeth on the surface of the taking-in
roller H moves in the same time; or otherwise the mongrel roller T might
be turned by a pulley on the end of its axes, with an endless cord or strap
from a pulley on the axis of the taking-in roller H, in which case such an
endless cord or strap would not be crossed. And note, I find by experience, that
it is advantageous to use what are called pointed cards for the covering of the
taking-in roller H, in preference to ordinary card wires, that is to say, to use.
coarse card wires, which are made with sharp picked points; but it is no
part of my improvements to use such pointed cards, the same having been
used by others. The mongrel roller T will operate most advantageously if it is
covered with the said of pointed wire cards, and that whether the taking-in
roller H is covered with such pointed wire cards or with ordinary card wires.
Note, the carding machine Figure 13 is represented as adapted for carding
cotton, and as having a pair of feeding rollers A, B, with a fixed bar D,
according to the second item of my improvement herein-before described in
reference Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, Sheet I.; and although the application of
the third item of a mongrel roller T is quite compatible with the application
of the aforesaid second item, and although it will be advantageous to use both
together, as represented in Figure 13, nevertheless, I wish it to be understood
that the application of the said two items of my improvements may be made
quite independently one of the other; for the carding machine may have its
pair of feeding rollers and its unlapping roll, if it is for carding cotton; or its
pair of feeding rollers and its endless feeding cloth or spreading cloth, if it is
for carding cotton or wool, or other fibrous substance, in the same manner as
is most commonly used for the particularly carding machinery to which the
mongrel roller T may be applied.
The fourth item of my said improvements relates to machinery for carding
wool, or for carding cotton of a long staple, and consists in the application, in
the manner herein-after described, of an additional quickly-revolving roller
covered with wire cards, in the manner of what is commonly called a fancy

page_text: roller, to act with its teeth amongst the teeth of the taking-in roller, in order
to loosen and detatch those fibres which get sunk down in amongst the teeth of
the taking-in roller, and thereby render those fibres more ready to be trans-
ferred in due course to the teeth of the swift. See Figure 14, Sheet III., which
is a section of part of a carding machine. S is a portion of the large cylinder
or swift; H the taking-in roller, both being the same as usual, and as already
described respecting Figure 13. W, Figure 14, is the fancy roller, which
may be disposed over the taking-in roller H. It is covered with long and
elastic card wire teeth, of the same kind as are commonly used for covering
those rollers of woollen carding machinery which are called fancy rollers, and
which fancy rollers are turned rapidly round in a direction that causes their
wire teeth to move with their points backwards. Such a fancy roller is.
commonly applied to the large cylinder or swift of a woollen carding
machine at that part of the circumference thereof which is near to and
is approaching towards the doffer or taking-off cylinder, by which the fibres
are to be collected and gathered from the swift after having undergone the
operation of carding during their passage through the machine. The fancy
roller is set so close to the swift that the teeth of the fancy roller enter in
amongst those of the swift, and the teeth of the fancy roller are moved with
their points backwards, in the same direction as the teeth of the swift are
moving with their teeth forwards, but the teeth of the fancy move much
quicker than those of the swift; and the consequence is, that the teeth of the
fancy roller operate amongst the teeth of the swift somewhat in the manner
of a brush, to raise up and loosen the fibres which, during the operation of
carding, have got down in amongst the teeth of the swift; and by such action
of the fancy those fibres being raised up to the points of the teeth (and even
beyond those points) they are more readily and certainly taken away from
the swift by the doffer; also the rapid backwards action of the teeth of the
fancy roller amongst the teeth of the swift tends to whet or sharpen the teeth
of the swift. All this being the usual and well-known action of a fancy roller,
is the same in my new application of it to the taking-in roller of carding
machinery for long cotton or for wool, as shewn in Figure 14, in which case
the fancy roller is made to act on the fibres at the commencement of the
operation of carding them instead of at the conclusion of that operation, the
advantage of which is, that the fibres which have been fed to the taking-in
roller H from the feeding rollers A, B, are loosened and raised up amongst
the teeth of the taking-in roller so as to render them more easily and certainly
transferrable from the teeth of the taking-in roller H to the teeth of the swift.
The fancy roller W may be applied either above the taking-in roller as at W,

page_text: Figure 14, or else below the same, as shewn by the dotted circle at w. In
the latter position w it will operate upon the fibres which have been recently
fed to the taking-in roller before those fibres have got round to the swift S,
and by its action will dispose and arrange those fibres so that they will be
more completely transferred to the swift S than they would be without the
application of such a fancy roller. But in the other case, if the fancy
roller is placed above the taking in roller as at W, then its teeth will
operate to raise up and loosen those fibres which have got down so low
amongst the teeth of the taking-in roller H as to have escaped being trans-
ferred therefrom to the swift S, when they were subjected to its action; but
the fibres which have so escaped being raised by action of the fancy at W, in
the teeth of the taking-in roller H, will become fairly intermixed with the new
fibres which are afterwards to be fed to the said teeth of the taking-in roller
H from the feeding rollers A, B, and when so intermixed the said fibres will
be afterwards properly exposed to the action of the teeth of the swift in order
to become transferred to those teeth. In either case it is to be understood
that the fancy roller, whether situated at W or at w, is to be turned rapidly
round in a contrary direction to the taking-in roller H, whereby its teeth
(which move with their points backwards) will move in the same direction as
those of the taking-in roller H are moving with their points forwards, but the
teeth of the fancy roller, moving much quicker than those of the taking-in
roller H, will raise up the fibres amongst the teeth thereof; all which, and the
manner of doing it, being the same as is usually done in the ordinary
application of a fancy roller to a swift, requires no farther directions, except to
remark, that as the teeth of the taker-in roller H do not move so quick as
those of a swift generally do, it will not be requisite to turn the fancy roller
round so rapidly when it is applied to the taker-in roller at W or w, as is
usually done when it is applied to a swift; but the velocity of the teeth of the
fancy roller at W or w must be suitably proportioned to the velocity of the
teeth of the taking-in roller H, in the same manner as the velocity of the teeth
of an ordinary fancy roller is proportioned to the velocity of the teeth of the
swift. The fancy roller at W or w is to be turned round at a suitable speed,
as aforesaid, by an endless strap or belt from a large pulley on the axis of the
swift S, and a small pulley on the axis of the fancy roller W or w.
And note, Figure 14 represents the feeding rollers A, B, to have a fixed bar D
for feeding, according to the second item of my improvements, as herein-before
described in reference to Figure 2, Sheet I.; but although it will be advanta-
geous to use a fancy roller in manner now describing, along with a fixed bar
D, to the feeding rollers; nevertheless, the application of a fancy roller to a
B

page_text: taking-in roller H will be advantageous, whether the feeding is done in that
manner or in any of the usual modes of applying feeding rollers to carding
machinery; and that whether with an endless spreading, cloth extended over
two rollers I, I, as shewn in Figure 14, or with a lap or roll K to rest upon,
and be unrolled by a motion derived from that of two rollers L, R, as shewn
in Figure 13; and in like manner, if the fancy roller is applied at W over the
taking-in roller H, Figure 14, then (if required) a mongrel roller, such as
has been already described as the third item of my improvement, and shewn at
T, Figure 13, may be applied beneath the taking-in roller H; for the
application of such a mongrel roller and of a fancy roller to the taking-in
roller H' may be either of them adopted without the other, or both may be
adopted together.
The fifth item of my said improvements relates to machinery for drawing,
doubling, and roving, and spinning such fibrous substances as are or may be
subjected to those operations, and is applicable to those parts of such machinery
which are commonly called the drawing rollers thereof, and which drawing
rollers, however combined or modified in different machines for drawing,
doubling, roving, and spinning, have always been composed of two or more
pairs of revolving rollers, each such pair consisting of a bottom roller, which is
made of metal and fluted, and a top roller, sometimes having a plain cylin-
drical surface of metal, and that surface being in other cases covered with
flannel and leather. The top roller is forcibly pressed down towards the
bottom roller by action of weights or springs, and the lower roller, being
turned round by wheelwork, will turn the other or top roller about with it.
The two rollers are thereby qualified to take in and to hold or gripe the fibres
of the fibrous substance which are introduced between them at the same
time that, by the revolving motion of the pair of rollers, they will advance a
continuous stream or sliver of the fibrous substances through between them,
the rate of the advancing motion thereof being just as fast as the surfaces of
the two rollers move. But as those surfaces gripe or hold the fibres tight
between them, the pair of rollers will not allow the said fibres to advance any
faster than the surfaces do move; and two such pairs of revolving rollers
being placed ne near to the other, with their axes parallel one to the other, so
that the same continuous stream or sliver, or roving of fibrous substance which
has passed through between one pair (which may be called the first pair), will
immediately afterwards pass through between the other (or second pair); and if
that second pair is turned round by its wheelwork, so that the surfaces thereof
will move quicker than the surfaces of the first pair move by action of the wheel
work, then the fibrous substance will be drawn forwards quicker by the second

page_text: pair than the first pair will allow it to come forwards; the consequence of
which will be to extend, elongate, or draw out the continuous stream or sliver
or roving of fibrous substance, so as to extend all the fibres therein to their
full lengths, and lay them parallel one to another, and also to diminish the
size of the sliver or roving, in order to reduce it suitably and in preparation
for being spun into yarn or thread. Such an arrangement is called two pair
of drawing rollers, and in most modern machinery three (or even more) such
pairs are used in concert, the same fibrous substance passing through between
all three pairs in succession, the first pair moving slower than the second pair,
and that second pair moving slower than the third pair by the action of their
wheelwork, so as to produce two successive elongations or drafts of the sliver
or roving, viz., one extension between the first and second pair, and then
another extension between the second and third pair of rollers. The various
arrangements and combination of such drawing rollers being well known needs
no farther explanation. And this fifth item of my improvements consists in
a substitute or substitutes for top rollers aforesaid; that is to say, instead of
using two revolving rollers to form a pair for holding or griping the fibres
between them, I retain only that lower metal fluted roller which is turned
round by the wheelwork, and discarding the usual top roller I substitute
a hollow shell of metal, the concavity of which corresponds to the convex
curvature of the revolving fluted roller, and which shell applies to a half or a
third or less of the circumference of the fluted roller. The said shell has no
motion, but it is borne down towards the fluted roller by force of weights or
springs, so that it will press upon or hold any fibres which are introduced
between the concavity of the shell and the moving fluted surface of the roller,
in order to cause the sail fibres to apply so closely to that fluted surface as to
be advanced forwards along with that surface at the same rate (or nearly the
same rate, as it moves, but no faster, the fibres rubbing round the smooth
inside of the concavity of the shell, whereby one revolving fluted roller, having
such a concave shell applied over it in lieu of a top roller, will answer the
purpose of a pair of rollers, consisting of a top and a bottom roller. And such
concave shells may be substituted for the top rollers of only one pair out of a
set of two or three or more pairs of drawing rollers, the others of such pairs
having their usual top rollers; or such concave shells may be substituted for
the top rollers of two out of three such pairs, leaving the other pair with its
usual top roller; or such shells may be used in lieu of the top rollers of
all three pairs of combined drawing rollers; or, if more convenient, such
a concave shell or shells may be applied beneath instead of above the
revolving fluted roller or rollers, in which case they will equally answer the

page_text: aforesaid purpose of holding the fibres so firmly in contact with the moving
fluted surfaces of the respective rollers as to cause the fibres to be advanced
forwards by the motions of those fluted surfaces, the said motions being given
in a suitable direction for producing such advance, and thereby such a shell or
shells will perform the office or offices of what is usually termed a top roller
or rollers; or a revolving fluted roller, or pair of such rollers, may have
a fixed bar applied against its circumference or their circumferences, which
may be pressed towards that bar so as to hold the fibres firmly in contact with
the moving fluted surface of such roller or roller, in order to form a gripe (or
an additional gripe) on the fibres, in the same manner as already described
for the feeding of carding machinery, but which may also be applied for
drawing rollers in some cases. In the carding machine, Figure 13, Sheet III.,
this fifth item of my said improvements is applied to what are termed the
drawing rollers, which receive and draw out or extend the sliver or con-
tinuous film of cotton as fast as it is stripped off by action of what is called
the crank and comb, from the surface of the doffing cylinder. a, b, are
a pair of rollers between the gripe of which the cotton is first conducted
as fast as it is stripped of by the comb. The uppermost roller a is fluted,
and is pressed down towards the lowermost 6 (which is a plain metal
.cylinder) by action of weights or of springs. Both rollers a and b are.
turned round in the proper directions and with suitable velocity by wheel-
work applied to turn both rollers round, so that their surfaces will move
together. dis a fixed bar, with a hollow on its upper side, corresponding in
concavity to the convexity of the fluted surface of the upper roller a, which
roller being pressed down towards that concavity, the fibres will be thereby
kept in such close contact with the fluted surface as to be caused to
advance forwards by that contact in addition to the gripe between a and b,
that advance being with the same rate of motion as the fluted surface moves,
but no faster. m is another fluted roller which is turned round by suitable
wheelwork, so that its surface will move as much faster than the fluted
surface of the roller a as the degree of draft or extension of the sliver is
intended to be. n is a concave shell applied over the fluted roller m, and
borne down thereon by action of weights of springs, suitably for holding the
firmly in contact with the moving fluted surface of the roller m. The fibres,
after emerging from the gripe between the fluted surface of the revolving
roller a and the concavity of the fixed bar d, then pass under the concavity
of the shell n, and are griped between that concavity and the fluted surface
of the roller m, so as to be drawn forwards at the same rate as that surface
moves, which being much faster than the fluted surface of the roller a moves

page_text: (or will allow the fibres to come forwards), the sliver which is composed of those
fibres will be drawn out and extended in the same manner as is usually done in
similar carding machinery, by a combination of two pairs of drawing rollers,
each pair consisting of a top and a bottom roller. And note, the draft or ex-
tension take place in the interval between the gripe that the roller a makes
against the bar d, and the gripe that the roller m makes against its concave
shell n.
G is
Sheet IV. Figure 15, is a section of a set of rollers for drawing and
doubling slivers of cotton. A, B, are the back rollers, being a pair
between which the sliver is first passed. The lowermost roller B is a plain
eylindrical roller; the uppermost roller A is fluted, and both are turned
round by the wheelwork, so that their surfaces will move with the same
speed. D is a fixed bar which stands against the lowermost roller B, and
has a hollow e, d, at its upper side, to the concavity of which the moving
fluted surface of the upper roller A corresponds; and that roller is pressed
down towards the said concavity by action of weights or springs, in order
that the fibres, after having passed between the rollers A, B, and having been
griped thereby, may be further held in contact with the moving fluted surface
of the upper roller A, so as to be caused to move or advance forwards at
the same rate with the said fluted surface; but by the said contact (in addition
to the gripe of the moving fluted surface of the roller A, against the plain
moving surface of the lowermost roller B, the fibres are firmly held and
retained from advancing any faster than the motion of fluted the surface.
the middle roller, and H the third or front roller. K is a concave shell applied
over the middle roller G; and L is another like concave shell applied over
the third or front roller H. Each of the said shells K and L is borne downwards
towards the fluted surfaces of the rollers G and H by weights M and N, which
are applied in the same manner as the weights for holding down top rollers
would be commonly applied in like machinery. The weight M is suspended
by a rod k, which turns over the top of the shell L at one end of the length
thereof; and there is another of such rod as k, and weight as M, at the
opposite end of that length. The weight N is suspended by a rod from
the middle of a saddle or yoke r, whereof one extremity applies on the top
of the shell K, and the other extremity applies on the top of a brass which
is fitted upon the end pivot of the uppermost fluted back roller A, where-
fore the downward action of the weight N is divided between the shell K
and the roller A. There is a similar weight N, and rod 1, and yoke r,
at each end of the length of the shell K and roller A.
The con-
cavities of the shells K and L are made very smooth and true within, in

page_text: order that the fivres may slip easily round within the stationary concave
surfaces, when the fibres accompany the moving fluted surfaces of the
rollers G and H, in consequence of being firmly held in contact with those
fluted surfaces, by the downward pressure of those shells by action of the
weights M and N. The shells K and L are retained in their respective
positions over the rollers G and H by means of projecting tenons at each
end of each shell, as shewn in perspective by Figures 16 at w, w, which end
tenons w, w, are fitted truly into the notches of the end standards or pede-
stals X, X, of the frame, in the spaces over the end pevots r, r, of the
respective rollers, those end pivots resting in bearing brasses, which lie at the
bottoms of the said notches in the pedestals X; X. The three rollers B, G,
and H are sustained in the same manner as the three bottom rollers of any
ordinary drawing frame, and are turned round by the usual kind of wheelwork,
so as to give their fluted surfaces the usual velocities, which wheelwork may
be arranged and combined in different ways, all of which are well known and
need no description. The back roller A is of the nature of a top roller;
although it is fluted, and is turned round by wheelwork (which is not usually
the case with top rollers), that wheelwork may be a toothed pinion on the
axis of the roller A, working into another toothed pinion on the axis of the
roller B. The sliver or slivers of cotton or other fibrous substance is or are
passed between the two rollers A, B, and between the moving fluted surface of
the top roller A, and the concavity d, e, of the fixed bar D, and being very
firmly held to the moving fluted surface of the roller A, will move therewith,
but neither faster or slower. The same sliver or slivers is or are then passed
between the moving fluted surface of the middle roller G and the smooth
motionless concavity of its shell K, and then between the moving fluted
surface of the front roller H and the smooth motionless concavity of its
shell L; and by action of the concavity of the bar D, and of the shells
K and L respectively, holding the fibres in contact with the moving
fluted surfaces of the revolving rollers A, G, and H, respectively. The
sliver or slivers of fibrous substance is or are drawn out and elongated
in proportion to the rate of the motion of the several fluted surfaces
A, G, and H, compared one with another; the said draft or extention takes
place at twice successively, the first draft being in the interval between
the edge d of the bar D, and the adjacent under edge of the concavity of the
shell K, where the fibres pass under that edge; then the second draft takes
place in the interval between the two adjacent under edges of the shells K
and L after the fibres have emerged from beneath one of those edges, and
before they pass under the other of them; and the said edges' are smoothly

page_text: rounded, in order that they may allow the fibres to slip more easily by them.
And in order that the said intervals (between which the two successive drafts
or extensions of the sliver or slivers take place as aforesaid) may.be adjusted
in the extent of those intervals so as to suit the staple of the fibrous material
which is to be operated upon, the pedestals X, X, which receive the end
pivots of the middle roller G and the end tenons w of. its concave shell K, admit
of being moved on their seats upon the end standards P, which sustain the
end pivots of the front roller H, and the end tenons w of its concave shell L,
so as to approach the roller G nearer to the roller H, or else to place. it farther
therefrom, as occasion may require; and the pedestals X, X, can be fastened
where they are so placed on P by a screw p beneath each one. Also the
pedestals Q, which sustain the end pivots of the back rollers A, B, and which
have the fixed bar D screwed to them so as to unite them together, admit
of being moved on their seats upon the end standards P, in order to place
the rollers A, B, and the bar D at a suitable distance from the roller, G,
and the said pedestals Q can be fastened at any place on P by screws and
nuts q. Note, instead of having a pair of weights like M or N, one at
each end of the length of each concave shell L or K, one. such weight as
M or N, of sufficient size, may be applied to the middle of the length of
each shell, just as is commonly done in weighing top. rollers, either with a
pair of weights, one at each end of each top roller, or else with only one
weight at the middle of the length of each top roller.
Figure 17, Sheet .IV. is an end elevation of the drawing rollers of a roving
frame, with concave. shells substituted, according to this fifth item of my
improvements, for all the top rollers. The same letters of reference being used;
as in Figure 15, to denote the corresponding parts, the foregoing description
will apply for the most part to Figure 17. The back roller A has its concave
shell E over it, the same as the other rollers G, H, have. The standards P
sustain the pivots or gudgeon necks of each length or piece of the several
rollers. A, G, H, and. the end tennons w, w, wu, of the concave caps E, K,.L
over them, and are sustained in the notches over the said gudgeons; but as
there will be two, three, or more lengths of each of the said concave caps
applied end to end over each length of roller, in the same manner as two,
three, or more top rollers are commonly applied, end to end, over each length
of bottom roller, those end tenons of the said caps which are not situated
over the standards P, but which are in the intervals between those standards,
are received into and guided in notches of bearing pieces t, t, t, fitted upon the
arms which project horizontally forwards, from a bar S, extending horizontally
from one standard P to the next, parallel to and behind the back roller A;
all which being the common mode of supporting the end pivots of top rollers

page_text: in such machinery, requires no further explanation. The said notched bearing
pieces t, t, t, admit of being slided along the arms R, and fixed thereon by
screws to suit them to the like sliding of the pedestals X and Q on their
respective seats, on the standards P, and which pedestals can be fastened by
screws and nuts p, q. And note, the several concave shells E, K, L, over the
respective bottom rollers A, G, H, are in every respect substitutes for ordinary
top rollers, and are weighted by weights M, with rods k, l, and yokes r, in the
same manner as top rollers would be, there being one such rod k or land
yoker for each distinct length of concave shell, and applied to the mid-length.
thereof. Also the two end tenons w of each concave shell are retained in
the same notches as would retain the two end pivots of each top roller for
which such concave shell is the substitute; wherefore the use of ordinary top.
rollers may at any time be resorted to for any one or more of the rollers
A, or G, or H, using concave shells for the other roller or rollers if the nature
of the particular fibrous substance which is to be operated upon is found to
draw better with top rollers over some of the bottom rollers and concave shells
as aforesaid, in lieu of top rollers over other of the bottom rollers. The
wheelwork for turning the bottom rollers A, G, and H, may be the same
as usually employed for that purpose in like roving machinery.
Figure 18, Sheet V, is a section of the drawing rollers of machinery for
spinning with concave shells substituted for all the top rollers, according to this
fifth item of my improvements. The section represents part of the machine
called a mule, but the application of such concave shells would be very
nearly the same for the spinning machine called a throstle, the same letters
of reference being used in Figure 18 as in Fig. 17, to denote the corresponding
parts, the foregoing description of Figure 17 will be almost sufficient, with
the following observations. The three concave shells E, K, L, are all borne
down by one weight M, hung on the arm of a lever Y, which acts to pull down
the rod k, and that rod is suspended from the hook of an upper yoke.z, whereof
one end presses down the concave shell L of the front roller H, and the other
end rests on the top prominence of the under yoke r, whereof one end bears
on the concave shell K of the middle roller G, and the other end on the
concave shell E of the back roller A. The cap bar S, with its arms R, are the
same as already described, except that only one of the notched bearing pieces t
for the end tenons of the concave shell L of the front roller H, is fitted to
slide on the ends of the arms R. The notches for the end tenons of the
other concave shells K and E are formed in the sides of the arms R. This is
because the distance between the back and middle roller A and G is not made
adjustable, and the bearings for the gudgeon necks of those two rollers are
both in the same pedestals X; but the interval between the front roller II and

page_text: the middle roller G is capable of adjustment. All these circumstances relative
to supporting and weighting the concave shells being the same as for supporting
and ighting top rollers of the same kind of machinery, requires no farther
explanation; and whatever variations there may be in the mode of sustaining,
guiding, and weighting of top rollers in different kinds of machinery for
doubling and drawing, roving and spinning, the same or corresponding
variations may be made in the mode of sustaining, guiding, and weighting
the concave shells, which, according to this fifth item of my improvements,
are to be substituted for top rollers.
Figure 19, Sheet V., is a section of the drawing rollers of machinery for
spinning, wherein the concave shells are applied beneath the fluted rollers
(or beneath two of them), instead of above the same, those shells being
borne upwards toward the under parts of the revolving fluted surfaces by
action of weights and levers. A is the back roller, having a plain heavy
top roller B applied over it to press down by its own weight of metal, in
the usual manner of some spinning machines. G is the middle roller, and
H the front roller. They are situated higher up than the back roller A, being
nearly in the position of top rollers; but they are fluted and made like bottom
rollers, and are turned by similar wheelwork, except that the two rollers
G and H are turned the contrary way round to what is usual for bottom rollers;
but the back roller A is turned round in its usual direction. K and L are the
concave shells, which are applied beneath the two rollers G and H, their end
tennons being received into the notches wherein the gudgeons or necks of the
rollers are received, but beneath those gudgeons; and brass covers V, which
are screwed on the tops of the said notches, form the bearings for the said
gudgeons, against which bearings they are urged upwards by action of the
concave shells K, L, and those shells are urged upwards by action of a weight
M, hung on the long arm of a lever Y, which rests on a fixed fulcrum Z; and
the short arm of the lever Y, beyond that fulcrum Z, acts upwards beneath a
prominence of the yoke r, whereof one end presses up the concave shell K, and
the other end presses up the shell L.
Figure 20, Sheet III. is a section of a set of drawing rollers, which may be used
for spinning machinery. The front and middle rollers H and G are provided
with concave shells L and K fixed beneath them; and those rollers are borne
downwards towards the concavities action of a weight M, which, by means
of a double yoke z, r, also bears down the back roller A. The back roller A
has a fixed bar D applying to it, and also an under roller B, which is plain
on its circumference, thus constituting a pair A, D, with a fixed bar D, very
similar to those already described in reference to Figure 15, and operating on

page_text: the fibrous substance in the same manner, so as to require no further descrip-
tion. The three rollers A, G, and H, which are fluted and made in the
manner of ordinary bottom rollers, are turned round by the usual wheelwork,
except that they must be turned round the contrary way to what is usual for
bottom rollers. The gudgeons or necks of the several rollers H, G, A, are
lodged in notches in the standards, the end tennons w of the concave shells
being also lodged in the same notches beneath the gudgeons; and the gudgeons
are borne downwards in the notches by two yokes, which are shewn separately
over Figure 20, viz., an upper one z, to which the rod k of the weight M is
applied, and that yoke acts on the front roller H, and also an under yoke r,
which is acted upon by the upper one, and which yoke r acts in turn upon the
middle roller G and the back roller A. And respecting the different modes of
carrying my fifth item of improvement into effect, as herein-before described
in reference to Figures 15 to 20, although each one has been described as the
drawing rollers of machinery for drawing and doubling, roving and spinning
respectively, nevertheless, those designations have been only chosen by way of
example of the different modes of applying motionless concave shells to tho
moving fluted surfaces of the revolving drawing rollers, in place of (or so as to
answer the purposes of) top rollers; and any of the modes of application of such
shells which have been described for drawing, doubling, roving, or spinning
respectively, might be used for either of those operations, with suitable modifi-
cations to adapt them to each respectively.
Having now described my said improvements I, the said Joseph Bennett, do
hereby declare that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use is granted
to me by the said Letters Patent, consists in the five items of improvement
herein-before described, and which are as follows, viz. :-
First, in the application (in manner herein-before described in reference to
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed), to the feeding rollers of carding
machinery, of supporting bars marked C, D, to sustain such rollers from
yielding by bending or springing.
Second, in the application (in manner herein-before described in reference
to Figures 2 to 12 inclusive) of a fixed bar marked D in all the said Figures,
presenting a narrow and smooth straight-edge d, e (which is not notched or
toothed) to each of the revolving feeding rollers A, B, if two such are used;
or else presenting one narrow and smooth straight-edge d (which is not
notched or toothed) to that revolving feeding roller a, by which the teeth of
the cards H are to be fed with fibrous substance, if only one feeding roller A
is used; the said narrow and smooth straight-edge d (which is not notched
or toothed) being adapted to gripe or hold the fibrous substance at d, m, in

page_text: firm contact with the revolving surface of the feeding roller A, or of that feed-
ing roller A which is nearest to the cards which are to be with fibrous sub-
stance; the said gripe at d, m, being at a part of the circumference. of the
said feeding roller A which is nearest to (or almost the nearest to) the teeth
of the cards H, in order that the said fibres shall be firmly held by that gripe
at d, m, between the straight-edge d and the revolving surface of the said
feeding roller A, at the same time that the fibres are regularly advanced
forwards and protruded across the said edge d, in order to be subjected to the
first action of the teeth of the cards H, and during which first action on the
fibres the same will turn down (or up as the case may be) against that true.
face d, h, g, of the fixed bar D which stands opposite to the cards H, and the
fibres will be retained by the part d, h, of the said face from evading or
escaping an efficient action of the teeth H; but, nevertheless, by the said.
face d, h, being rather farther from the points of the teeth H at the said straight
edge d, across which the fibres are first protruded (and advanced within reach.
of the teeth) than the said face is, at some place h, a small distance further.
on, in the direction in which the fibres are advancing, they will receive a
gradually and progressively increasing action of the teeth H. Also the
interval whereby the gripe that the feeding roller A makes at d, m, against the
straight-edge d is distant from the place where the face d, h, g, of the bar D
is at its nearest proximity to the teeth of the cards H, that interval or distance
being suitably adapted to the length of the staple or average length of the
fibres for the fibrous substance which is to be carded; the fibres will continue.
to be obtained, and firmly held, and effectually but gradually operated upon by
the teeth of the cards before the said fibres are let loose by the gripe, at d, m,
so as to be carried away in or amongst those teeth, or fed thereto. And I make.
no claim to the use of any such fixed bar as D, if the edge d thereof is notched
or formed with a row of teeth for the fibres to pass over or amongst, or if the
feeding roller A, which is applied against any such notched edge or row of
teeth, is covered with card wires, or if any such notched edge or row of teeth
is applied so as to be the place of nearest proximity to the fixed bar D to the
teeth of the cards; for the essential condition of this second item of my
improvements is, that the gripe on the fibrous substance at d, m, shall take
place between the moving surface of the feeding roller and a-smooth-straight.
edge d, which edge is not the very nearest proximity of the bar D to the teeth
of the cards.
Thirdly, in the application (in manner herein-before described in reference
to Figure 13) of an additional revolving roller T, which I call a mongrel
roller, to operate against the taking-in roller H of such carding machinery as

page_text: is or may be worked by a taking-in roller, in order by such operation to remove
extraneous matters from amongst the good fibres of the fibrous substance
which is to be carded whilst the same is in the teeth of the taking-in roller,
and before it is transferred therefrom to the swift.
Fourthly, in the application (in manner herein-before described in reference
to Figure 14) of what is commonly called a fancy roller, to operate against the
taking-in roller of such carding machinery as is or may be worked with a
taking-in roller, in order, by such operation, to dispose the fibres of the fibrous
substance which is to be carded to more readily and effectually quit the teeth
of the taking-in roller, and be transferred therefrom in due course to the teeth
of the swift.
Fifthly, in the application (in manner herein-before described in reference
to Figure 13, and to Figures 15 to 20 inclusive,) of motionless concave
shells to the moving fluted surfaces of the drawing rollers of carding ma-
chinery, or of drawing, doubling, roving, or spinning machinery, such motionless
concave shells being substitutes for or answering the purpose of the top rollers
of such drawing rollers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bennett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, One thousand eight