CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Evan Arthur Leigh, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 13th December 1878, and dated the 13th August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Evan Arthur Leigh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th August 1878.
EVAN ARTHUR LEIGH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved mode of constructing the
flexible bends, setting brackets or pillars, and grooved brackets described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to Evan Leigh and myself on the 8th day of
April 1875, No. 1271.
Instead of the setting pillars or brackets being dovetailed at the top end and
fitting into a groove in the bottom of the flexible bends, and instead of the grooved
brackets being connected to the flexible bends, as shewn in the Specification abovė
referred to, I make the parts in the following manner:-The flexible bends are
made without a groove at the bottom, and the setting pillars or brackets are made
to clip the flexible bends. The outside pillars or brackets, or those that are next to
the grooved brackets, are secured to the ends of the flexible bend, and are also made
to carry the grooved brackets.
In order to accomodate the flexible bends to the different distances between
the centres of the grooved brackets caused by the contraction or expansion of the
flexible bend in setting, each flexible bend is made in two parts, and the joints are
made to overlap each other.
Another part of my Invention consists in an improved mode of constructing flats
or top cards, as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to myself on
the 28th day of February 1873, No. 738, and in the Specification above referred to,
Instead of constructing the top cards or flats with a flat face, and grinding the wire

page_text: on them to a curve, as shewn in the Drawings attached to the above-mentioned
Specifications, I construct the top card or flat with a convex face, so that when the
wire attached to the top card or flat, the carding face of the wire is curved to a
corresponding extent, by which means the first grinding of the top card or flat wire
is performed in a much better or quicker manner, and the wire can be attached to
the top card or flat tighter than before. This part of my Invention is also appli-
cable to the metal flats of other carding engines, when the wire of the flat is
ground with a convex face.
The last part of my Invention consists in driving the stripping comb for the top
cards by a crank on the axle of the top card stripping brush.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Evan Arthur Leigh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
February 1879.
EVAN ARTHUR LEIGH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved mode of constructing the
flexible bends, setting pillars or brackets, and the grooved brackets described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to Evan Leigh and myself on the 8th day
of April 1875, Number 1271.
Another part of my Invention consists in an improved mode of constructing
flats or top cards as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
myself on the 28th day of February 1873, No. 738, and in the Specification above
referred to.
The last part of my Invention consists in driving the stripping comb for the top
cards by a crank on the axle of the top card stripping brush.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
☺
.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the principal parts of a carding engine to which my
improvements are applied; a is the main cylinder; b, the licker-in; c, the doffer;
and d, the upper part of the framing to which the setting pillars e, and setting
brackets g and h, for supporting the flexible bends f are fixed."
Instead of the setting pillars or brackets e being dovetailed at the top end, and
fitting into a groove in the bottom of the flexible bends, as described in the Specifi-
cation of Letters. Patent granted to Evan Leigh and myself on the 8th day of
April 1875, Number 1271, and instead of the grooved brackets g2 being connected to
the flexible bends, as shewn, in the said Specification, I make the parts in the
following manner:-The flexible bends are made without a groove at the bottom,
as, shewn in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, and the setting pillars or brackets e are made to
clip the flexible bends.

page_text: The outside setting brackets g, Figs. 1, 6, 7, and 8, are secured to the ends of the
flexible bends by small brackets g', best shewn in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, which are
made to clip the ends of the flexible bends, and are screwed to them, and fit
between beads on the setting brackets g, to which they are bolted; in some cases
I dispense with the small brackets gl, and screw or bolt the ends of the flexible
bends to the setting brackets g, making the setting bracket g and the small
bracket gl in one piece, or making the small bracket g', and the flexible bend f in
one piece.
The grooved brackets g³, Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are made by preference in one piece,
with the outside setting brackets g.
It will be seen from the above arrangement of the grooved brackets g³, the
setting brackets g, and the flexible bends f, that when the setting brackets g are set
nearer or further from the centre of the main cylinder (they being secured to the
ends of the flexible bends, and also made in one piece or otherwise secured to the
grooved brackets g²), they will carry with them the ends of the flexible bends f,
and the grooved brackets g², so that when the setting brackets gare set nearer to or
further from the centre of the main cylinder, the ends of the flexible bends ƒ and.
the grooved brackets g² must be set to the same extent.
The outside setting brackets 9 are also made to support the ends of the top
bends f¹ to which they are bolted.
The setting bracket h, which is shewn detached in Fig. 14, is made to clip the
flexible and top bends, see Figs. 12 and 13, and in order to accomodate the flexible
bends to the different distances between the centres of the grooved brackets g³,
caused by the contraction or expansion of the flexible bends f in setting, each
flexible bend is made in two or more parts, as shewn in Fig. 11, and the joints are
made to overlap each other, as shewn in Fig. 12.
The flexible bend f and the top bends f¹ are held in their places in the setting
brackets h, by plates h³, Figs. 12 and 13, which are screwed to the brackets h; these
brackets support. the ends of the flats at the opening of those parts of the flexible
bends where they overlap each other.
The setting brackets g are connected to the upper part of the frame by the bolts
d', and the setting brackets h by the bolts h¹.
The positions of the flexible bends fand top bends fl are regulated by the
setting pillars e and screws e', and e², screwed into worm wheels which are acted
upon by worms, pulleys, and toothed chains, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 13.
My improved mode of constructing flats or top cards as described in the Specifi-
cation of Letters Patent granted to myself on the 28th day of February 1873,
Number 738, and in the Specification of the Patent, Number 1271, 1875, above
referred to, is illustrated by the Figs. 15 to 20.
Instead of constructing the top cards or flats with a flat face, and grinding the
wire on them to à curve, as shewn in the Drawings attached to the above-
mentioned Specifications, I construct the top cards or flats with a convex face, so
that when the wire is attached to the top card or flat, the carding face of the wire
is curved to a corresponding extent, by which means the first grinding of the top
card or flat wire is performed in a much better and quicker manner, and the wire
can be attached to the top card or flat tighter than before.
Fig. 15 is an end view; Fig. 16, a side view, and Fig. 17, a transverse section of
a metal top card or flat constructed according to my present improvements.
The face of the top card or flat is made convex, consequently, when the card
fillet of the top card or flat is rivetted or otherwise attached to the top card or flat,
the face of the wire is curved to a corresponding extent.
Figs. 18, 19, and 20, are three views of a top card or flat constructed according to
my present improvements, when the face of the wire on them is ground more
convex than in the other.
That part of my Invention which relates to the top cards or flats is also appli-
cable to the metal top cards or flats of other carding engines, when the wire of such
top cards or flats is ground with a convex face.
.

page_text: Fig. 21 is a side view, and Fig. 22 is an end view of my improved top card or
flat as applied to a carding engine, where the top cards or flats are connected by a
coupling chain; in Fig. 22, the wires of the top cards or flats are shewn in combi-
nation with those of the main cylinder a.
Fig. 23 is a diagram shewing the position of the grinding cylinder k for grinding
the top cards or flats (when coupled with a chain) as they pass over the discs l.
Fig. 24 shews a convenient mode of constructing the above convex top cards or
flats. In this case, a cylinder is cast of the diameter required to make nine top
cards or flats, but the number may be varied; after the surface of the cylinder has
been turned, the cylinder is cut longitudinally to divide it into the required
number of top cards or flats.
The last part of my Invention is illustrated by Figs. 1, 25, 26, and 27, and it
consists in driving the stripping comb for the top cards or flats by a crank on the
end of the top card or flat stripping brush. In these views, n is the stripping brush,
on the axle of which is fixed the crank n¹, which in the arrangement shewn in
Fig. 1 actuates the links n³ jointed to the lever n³, to which the stripping comb m
is attached.
In Fig. 25, the crank n¹ works in a slot in the lever n², which is fixed to the
same shaft as the lever n³, to which the stripping comb m is attached.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit
myself to the details given, and that I claim,—
First. The improved mode of constructing the flexible bends and setting pillars
or brackets e, by which they are connected to the upper part of the framing of the
carding engine, as shewn and described in reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
g
Secondly. The improved modes of constructing the outside setting brackets
and the grooved brackets g², so that when the setting brackets g are set nearer to
or further from the centre of the main cylinder, they carry the grooved brackets g²
and the ends of the flexible bends f with them.
Thirdly. Making the flexible bends in two or more parts with the joints over-
lapping each other to allow for the expansion and contraction, as shewn and
described in reference to Figs. 1, 11, 12, 13, and 14.
Fourthly. Making the metal top cards or flats of carding engines with a convex
face for the purposes described, and as shewn in Figs. 15 to 22.
And, lastly. The improved modes of driving the top card stripping comb, as
shewn and described in reference to Figs. 1, 25, 26, and 27.
In witness whereof, I, the said Evan Arthur Leigh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-nine.
EVAN ARTHUR LEIGH. (L.S.) 40