Improvements in Speed Regulating Mechanism for cotton Machinery and for other purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Regulating Mechanism for cotton Machinery
and for other purposes.
'I, "GEORGE WILLIAM JOHNSON," of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by James Charles Potter, of Pawtucket,
in the State of Rhode Island, United States of America, Manufacturer) and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates more particularly to the automatic regulation of the feed
of machinery such as drawing frames, railway heads, carding engines and the
like, for working cotton, and other fibrous materials, and it is in this connection
that I will describe it, but its application is not limited thereto as it can be
applied to any machinery, or engine, in which a constant speed is to be maintained
under a variable load.
I will describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein
Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a machine for working cotton as is
needed to illustrate this invention. The machine selected for the purpose of
illustration is a cotton picker of the well known Potter and Atherton type, and the
mechanism in which the invention is comprised is represented as applied in
connection with the evener cones of that machine for the purpose of varying the
position of the belt by which power is communicated from the lower constant.
speed driving cone, to the upper, or driven, cone. It can of course be applied
to machines having other styles of evening mechanism.
Figure 2 is a plan shewing how power is taken to drive the part of the
mechanism by which the shifting of the cone belt is effected.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the mechanism in which this
invention is more particularly comprised, the section being taken on the line 3-3,
Figure 4, the means for driving the vibratory levers L being omitted.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation the section being taken on the line 4-4
Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively detail views, (each in side elevation and
plan) of the operating dogs and the parts with which they are immediately con-
nected, shewing the dogs at the two extremes of their movement.
Figures 7 to 11 illustrate a modified arrangement of the dogs hereinafter
described.
I will first describe, by reference to Figures 3 to 6 inclusive, the mechanism
in which this invention is more particularly comprised, and will then describe
its application to the cotton picker with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Referring now to Figures 3 to 6, A is a close case, or box, or suitable frame
in which the operating mechanism is contained. Within it is the longitudinally
moveable carriage C₁, supported and guided by top and bottom grooved wheels
which run on rails, or tracks, T, fast to the box A. The top of the carriage is
DQ71

page_text: This
an incline C, in the upper edge of which is a series of small steps or teeth c.
carriage is intended by its movement to actuate and control the part, or device,
by which the speed is regulated, and is connected to that part (typified by the
weighted quadrant lever K) by a chain k, or other suitable intermediary,--the
chain in this instance passing under a grooved guide pulley i, and thence out from
the case A, through a hole a.
The carriage is actuated as follows:-
Its movement in one direction (from left to right in Figure 3) is effected by the
weighted quadrant lever K, fulcrumed at Q and provided with a weight M, which
causes the lever to exert a constant pull upon the chain k. In the other direction
(that is from right to left) it is moved, against the stress of the weight M, or its
equivalent, by devices which act to give it a step by step movement as well as to
hold it in its adjusted position when required against the stress, or pull of the
weight. These devices are as follows:-
Supported on upright guide rods R1, R2, are two dogs D1, D2, which can move
freely up and down upon the said rods. The rods are placed alongside of, and in
proximity to, the carriage C and the dogs D1, D2, are provided with lateral
projections d which overhang and engage the serrated edge of the incline C..
They may be prevented from turning on their guide rods by any suitable means
for example as shewn each dog is provided with a forked end d', which straddles
the hub of the other, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6..
The rod R2 is fixed to the case, so that the dog D2 is capable of only up and
down movement. The dog D¹, which is above, and normally rests upon, the
dog D2, is capable, not only of up and down movement, but also of a reciprocatory
movement lengthwise of the carriage C. This reciprocatory movement can be
imparted to it by any suitable means such as by arranging its guide rod R¹, so
that it may have reciprocatory movement to, and from, the outer, or fixed, guide
rod R. For this purpose the rod R', is mounted, at its ends, in journal
bearings U. swivelled upon horizontal axes U¹, in the outer opposite ends of
levers L pivoted, at S, to the case A, and having their inner meeting ends toothed
as shewn at so as to engage each other. Thus if one lever be vibrated, the
other will be correspondingly vibrated and by their vibrating movement, the
rod R¹ and consequently the dog D₁ will be reciprocated. The levers L may be
actuated from any suitable source. In the arrangement shewn the lower lever S
has keyed upon its hub (Figure 4) a fork F, the upright prongs of which embrace
an eccentric B on an eccentric block E fast to the shaft G, which is driven from
any suitable prime mover, for example (as shewn in Figure 2) from the lower,
or constant, speed driving cone, through the bevel wheels 1, 2, shaft 3, pulleys 4,5,
and belt 6.
The dog D2, is supported by any suitable means, such for example as the vertic-
ally moveable rod h on which it is free to slide up and also down until it comes
against the head h¹ of the rod The constantly reciprocating dog D₁ as before
stated normally rests on the dog D³. Good results are obtained by giving the
dog D about 200 reciprocations per minute. The extent of its reciprocating
movement is slightly in excess of the length of any one of the series of steps on the
upper edge of the incline C. The steps are short and normally the slight but
constant reciprocating movement of the carriage, due to the reciprocations of the
dog D¹ have no appreciable effect upon the mechanism, or device, actuated by
the carriage, the latter, through one of the notches or steps on the incline C,
bringing up each time against the dog 12, whose lateral projection d engages
the notch and prevents the carriage from moving unduly in the direction in which
it is pulled by the weight. The dog D³ thus serves as a retaining dog to hold
the carriage in its adjusted position against the pull of the weight M
In Figure 6 the parts are shewn in their normal position the retaining dog D
engaging one of the notches, or steps, in the incline C, and thus holding the
carriage in place. The dog D¹ rests upon the dog D2, and is at that extreme of

page_text: its reciprocatory movement at which its rod R' is nearest to rod R8. If now
the dog D be lifted by means of the rod h, then both dogs will be lifted clear of
the carriage and the latter will be free to move in the direction in which it is
pulled by the weight M until it brings up against the dog D³. To move the
carriage in the opposite direction the rod h is lowered, thus leaving the dog D³
free to drop until it again brings up against the head h¹. Under these conditions
at each reciprocation of the dog D₁ the carriage will be moved back so as to cause
that one of its steps, or notches, which the dog D, at that time engages, to clear
the latter, thus allowing the dog D2 to drop to the next step, or notch, below,
and to engage that step until the next reciprocation of the dog D'. This is
shewn by Figure 5, where the rod h has been lowered, and the dog D¹ has
pushed the carriage back far enough to allow the dog D2 to drop one notch,
the two dogs in this case being separated by an interval equal to the height of one
step. When the dog D¹, in its reciprocation, moves to the right, it will clear the
step which holds it away from the other dog, and will itself drop to the next step
below. Thus by the continued reciprocatory movement of the dog D' (which I
will term the propelling dog) the carriage will be moved step by step against
the stress of the weight M, until the dog D2 brings up again against the head h¹
of the rod h, when further movement in that direction will cease.
As before stated the carriage normally has a constant reciprocating movement
due to the reciprocations of the dog D¹. This reciprocatory movement of the
carriage, slight though it be, can be lessened by the employment of an auxiliary
dog D³ as shewn in Figures 7 to 11 inclusive. Figure 11 is a plan shewing more
clearly the dog D³; the other Figures are elevations.
The line is a base line running through Figures 7 to 10, to permit the
various positions of the parts to be more easily discerned.
The auxiliary dog D³, is mounted, and can slide freely up and down, on the
rod R2 on which the retaining dog D2 is mounted; in certain positions it rests
upon the propelling dog D', and at other times, and in other positions, it rests
upon one of the steps, or notches, of the carriage.
In all of the Figures 7 to 10 inclusive, the retaining dog D2 is assumed to be
stationary, and to have dropped as far as is permitted by its rod h.
In Figure the dogs D¹, D2 are in the position shewn in Figure 5, the
propelling dog D₁ at the extreme left of its travel, and the retaining dog D2
dropped one step below, and engaging that step. When the two dogs are in this
position the auxiliary dog D³ rests upon the propelling dog D2, with its lateral
projection d³, resting on the step above the dog D2 at a point about halfway of
the width of the step.
At its next movement to the right the dog DI drops one step and rests upon
the retaining dog D2, which latter still holds the carriage. The dog D³ still
rests upon its step and is now out of contact with the propelling dog D¹. The
parts are shewn in this position in Figure 8.
At the next movement of the dog D¹ to the left the parts assume the position
shewn in Figure 9, the auxiliary dog having dropped one step (on which it
occupies the halfway position indicated in Figure 7) and now resting on the
propelling dog.
At the next movement to the right of the propelling dog the parts assume the
position shewn in Figure 10; the carriage following the dog D' in this movement
until it brings up against the auxiliary dog D3. With the parts in this position,
which is their normal position, the reciprocatory travel of the carriage is reduced
one half that which it would have were the dog D³ removed.
Figures 1 and 2 shew in a general way the manner in which the device according
In these
to this invention can be applied to a machine for working cotton.
figures m are the feed rolls, n the evener plates and lever, o the scale lever system
and p the main, or bottom, scale lever of a Potter & Atherton picker. This
lever P is connected to the rod h and by the movements of said lever, imparted

page_text: to it by the evener plates through the scale lever system, the rod h is lifted, or
lowered, as the case may be, thus influencing the dogs D¹ D² in the manner
hereinbefore indicated.
Upon the shaft Q on which the aforesaid weighted lever K is fixed, is, also.
fixed the usual toothed quadrant, or segment lever, r, engaging the rack bar s,
which carries the shipping fork by which the belt t, (which communicates
movement from the driving cone v to the driven cone to), is shifted for the purpose.
of regulating the feed.
1
Under this arrangement it will be seen that the cone belt, or other speed
varying device, or mechanism, is actuated and moved by power extraneous to,
and outside of, the evener plates, or roller, and the scale lever system, and that
the latter serves simply to control and direct the application of that. power. This
I believe to be new beyond its special embodiment hereinbefore described. In
this way the evener system is relieved of much of the work which has hitherto
come upon it, and much more certain and delicate adjustment of the feed is
obtained.
The speed regulating device can be applied with good effect to machinery of
other kind than that illustrated. It may for example be employed to great
advantage as a regulator for steam engines, by, connecting the governor to the
rod h, and the carriage to the throttle, or cut-off valve, the governor being used
simply to control the propelling and retaining dogs, thus relieving it of the work
of operating the valve.
I do not restrict myself to the form, size, or arrangement of the notches, or steps,
on the incline C, of the carriage, all that is needed being that the said incline
shall have a surface which can be engaged by the dog. Nor do I restrict myself
to the precise construction in other respects of the mechanism as it can be varied
without departure from the nature of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
#
1. In machinery for working cotton, the combination with the feeding devices
and actuating mechanism therefor, and the evener system, of regulating mechanism
for varying the speed of the feed actuating mechanism, actuated by power
extraneous to, and independent of, the evener system, but connected to, and
controlled in its movement by, the said system, substantially as, and for the
purposes, herein before set forth.
2. In machinery for working cotton, the combination with the feeding devices,
their actuating mechanism and evener system, of a carriage having an incline
and connected to, and adapted to vary the speed of, the feed actuating mechanism,
a weight, or its equivalent, for moving the carriage in one direction, a retaining
dog capable of up and down movement and engaging the incline on the carriage,
a propelling dog also engaging the incline on the carriage, and capable both of
up and down and reciprocatory movement, to and from the incline, means for
imparting the said reciprocatory movement continuously to the propelling dog,
and connections between the retaining dog and the evener system whereby the said
dog, by the movement of the evener system, is lifted, or allowed to drop, as the
case may be substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before set forth.
3. In combination with the longitudinally moveable carriage and its incline,
the retaining dog D2 and the propelling dog D' adapted to engage the said incline,
the fixed guides R2 for the dog D2, the moveable guide R' for the propelling
dog 1, the pivoted levers L, engaging one another and provided with swivelled
journal bearings in which the guide R¹ is mounted, and means for vibrating the
said levers L; substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before set forth.
4. The combination with the longitudinally moveable carriage and its incline,
and a weight, or its equivalent, for moving the said carriage in one direction,

page_text: of the retaining dog and the propelling dog adapted to engage said incline, a
fixed guide on which the retaining dog is free to move up and down, means for
lifting the said retaining dog, and permitting it to drop, a moveable guide on
which the propelling dog is free to move up and down, and means for imparting
a reciprocating movement to the said moveable guide towards, and away from,
the fixed guide; substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before set forth.
5. In à speed regulating mechanism, the combination with the carriage and
the incline thereon, the dogs D¹ D², and the devices for actuating the same, of the
auxiliary dog D³ for lessening the normal reciprocatory movement of the carriage
the said combination being arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
set forth.
1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.