An Improvement in and in connection with the Stripping of the Revolving Flats of Carding-engines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left; 9th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
An Improvement in and in connection with the Stripping of the
Revolving Flats of Carding-engines.
JOSEPH JONES of Parkville Chadwick Street Ashton-under-Lyne, Mill Manager,
and WILLIAM HEAPS of Rutland Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Carding Master,
both in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
Our invention relates to carding-engines in which revolving flats are employed
to "card" and carry away the waste fibres and impurities collected by or deposited
thereon in the process of work; particularly to the method of stripping the waste
fleece of either cotton silk wool or other fibreous substance therefrom.
The usual method of stripping the waste from these flats is to pass the points of
a comb up and down in a vertical direction and through a fixed arc, decided by
the length of the carrying arm.
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If therefore the setting be too close, or if as the chain links become elongated
through wear, or hard substance accumulate on the flat carrying discs; such
damage will be done to the wires of the flats and also the teeth of the comb (by
reason of their falling toward or near approach to each other) that the quality of work
is made inferior and the life of the part or parts named is shortened. Our invention
consists in minimising these risks, by considerably reducing the period of engage-
ment between the comb and flats.
We dispense altogether with the vertical movements of the radial arm carrying
the comb-bar, and impart an oscillating or rocking motion to the axis of the
comb-bar to which is fixed the comb-plates or blades.
The arc of motion given is in a direction the opposite to that described by the
radial vibrating arm in common use.
Stripping is performed at the downward, and the comb freed on the upward
movement of the comb. By our method we are enabled to take off the strip
satisfactorily with the comb set further away from the flats than has hitherto been
possible; thereby removing any risk of damage being caused in either the
downward or upward movements by contact.
Dated 7th December 1895
JOSEPH JONES.
WILLIAM HEAPS.
An Improvement in and in connection with the Stripping of the
Revolving Flats of Carding-engines.
We, JOSEPH JONES, of Parkville Chadwick Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, in the
County of Lancaster, Under Manager, and WILLIAM HEAPS, of Rutland Street,
Ashton-under-Lyne, as aforesaid, Carding Master do hereby declare the nature
Price 8d 1

page_text: of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to apparatus for stripping the waste fleece or fibres known
as "strips" from the revolving flats of carding engines which are employed for
preparing cotton silk wool and other fibrous materials.
The ordinary vibrating comb for stripping the waste fibre from the flats is
mounted on radial arms the ends of which have a vibrating movement imparted to
them in a vertical direction, so that the comb is moved through a fixed arc curved
in the same direction as the path over which the flats travel during the operation
of stripping. Should the comb be set too close to the flats or the chain links of
the flats lengthen through wear, or should the wire of the flats from any cause be
brought too close to the comb, damage will be done to the wire of the flats and
the quality of the work deteriorated.
By our invention we are enabled to minimise these risks and obviate these
defects by considerably reducing the period of engagement between the comb and
the wires of the flats. This we effect by dispensing with the radial arms or arm
carrying the stripping comb and fixing the comb plates or blades upon an oscillating
comb bar as shown in the drawings. This arrangement not only reduces the
period of engagement but at the same time alters the character of the action of the
comb in stripping the flats by causing a plucking or pulling action rather than a
scraping action and enables the comb to be set further from the wire of the flats.
Fig. I is a sectional elevation showing the position of the comb when commencing
its movement, the dotted line indicating the path described by the acting edge of
the comb during the oscillation of the comb-bar on its axis.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the position of the comb at the middle of
its stroke.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing the position of the comb at the end of its
downward traverse.
Fig. 4 shows the relative positions of the stripping comb, flat, and "strip” when
the comb first comes into contact with the "strip" on the flat.
Fig. 5 shows the relative positions of the stripping comb, flat and "strip" when
the comb has partially stripped the flat, the comb being shown as at the end of its
downward traverse.
Fig. 6 shows the relative positions of the stripping comb, flat and "strip" when
the comb has completed the stripping of the flat, the comb being shown as at the
end of its downward traverse, and the strip dropped clear of the stripped flat.
Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing one construction of the apparatus.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7 as seen at one side of the
carding engine.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section of supporting or carrying bracket D.
Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing modified construction of actuating apparatus.
Fig. 11 is a side elevation showing another modification.
Fig. 12 is a side elevation of another modification.
The flats A are constructed and connected together and are carried round by
dises or bowls B in the usual way.
We mount the comb bar or shaft C in bearings c carried by an arm or bracket D.
The arm or bracket D is provided with a bearing c the position of which can be
regulated and adjusted by the screw c¹.
To the comb bar C to which is affixed the comb plate or blade E is imparted an
oscillating movement so that the comb blade E oscillates about the axis of the
bar C through an arc of short radius and with considerable angular motion. The
convexity of this arc is in the opposite direction to that of the arc through which
the flats travel during the operation of stripping.
The comb E and comb bar C may be actuated in any convenient way; we, in
some cases apply a toothed wheel to the end of the comb bar C with which
engages a toothed quadrant F which receives an oscillating or rocking movement
from an excentric G.

page_text: The quadrant arm F is pivoted to a bracket f adjustably affixed to the arm or.
bracket D as shown in Fig. 7.
In Fig. 10 is shown a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7, the
quadrant F for actuating the comb bar C is shown driven by an excentric G from
the brush shaft H.
In Fig. 11 a bell crank lever K is shown for actuating the comb bar C which
engages with a lever k attached to the comb bar. The lever K is driven by an
excentric G from the brush shaft H. A similar lever may be actuated from any
other rotating part of the carding engine.
In Fig. 12 a disc L with excentric pin or crank is shown for actuating the
comb bar C. The pin engages with the arm M secured to the comb bar C;.
the arm M is provided with a slot m in which the pin works. The disc L is
driven by a band or strap from any rotating part of the carding engine.
The stripping of the flats A is effected on the downward stroke and the comb E.
is freed of adhering fibre on the upward movement of the comb.
In our improved arrangements the duration of the portion of the stroke during
which the stripping comb is in its nearest position to the wire of the flats is very
much less than has been possible with the ordinary methods.
Owing to the small radius of the arc in which the comb oscillates and the-
large angle of motion through which the stripping edge of the comb traverses,.
the edge of the stripping comb only approaches its closest position to the wire
of the flats when in the middle of its stroke and owing to the effect of this.
peculiar action the strip is plucked or pulled away from the wire of the flats
(see Fig. 5) and it is unnecessary to set the comb close to the wire, and thus all
risk of injuring the wire either on the upward or downward stroke of the comb is.
avoided. As illustrated, the radius of the circle of motion of the comb edge.
would be about of an inch and the arc described would be about 100°.
The modus operandi is as follows:-
-->
During the first portion of its stroke the acting edge of the comb is approaching
the wire on the flats and during the second portion of its stroke it is receding
from the wire of the flats. During the time the edge of the comb is receding from:
the wire it is plucking or pulling the "strips" out of the flats instead of scraping.
the face of the wire which is the common action. The result of this peculiar
action is that the "strips" are pulled out of the wire before that part of the wire
has arrived opposite to the middle positions of the stripping comb.
In applying our invention to old cards we sometimes cause the ordinary
vibrating arms to be fixed and then mount upon them the adjustable bearings c for
carrying the comb bar C to which is affixed the comb E the comb bar C being.
actuated in accordance with our invention in any convenient manner.
It is obvious that some advantages of the improved combination of oscillating
comb-bar and comb shown in Figures 1 to 6 may be obtained when this combination.
is somewhat differently used from the manner illustrated above. For instance in
applying this combination to old cards, we find that it works well when mounted
in bearings on the ordinary vibrating arms so that not only does the comb-bar.
oscillate as described but the arms also are allowed to vibrate in the usual way,.
but we prefer to mount the oscillating comb bar in bearings which are fixed.
The essential feature of our invention is that the comb should be attached to a
comb-bar which oscillates so that the acting edge describes a circle of very small
radius but has a large angular movement about the centre of the comb bar so that
the strip may be detached by a pulling or plucking instead of a scraping movement,
and the comb be set out of contact with the wire on the flats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
ve claim is :-
1. The improved arrangement of stripping comb in carding engines operating
substantially as herein before described.

page_text: 2. The improved combination of oscillating comb-bar and stripping com'
before described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Dated this 4th day of September 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Cc
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Aits.