IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, to be as follows
Year: 1886

page_text: We BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, of Bolton, Machine Maker and WILLIAM
ISHERWOOD BROMILEY, Foreman, of the same place do hereby declare the nature
of said Invention for. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, to be as follows:—
Our invention relates to improvements in carding engines and consists First, in
an arrangement in cards having travelling top flats for the adjusting of one or
both flexible bends either separately or together upon which the flats travel.
The object of this improvement is to facilitate the regulating of these parts in
order to acquire a more equal and regular kėtting or adjustment of the whole of the
flats upon the cylinder.
This is accomplished by means of a rack inserted, attached or cast with each
flexible bend and operated by a small pinion on a shaft on which is a worm wheel
actuated by a worm on another shaft; or we can adjust the flexible bends by links
with lock nuts and eye bolts or other suitable arrangement. When we adjust both
sides of the flats simultaneously we place a worm wheel on the second shaft above
described and connect the wheel on each side of the card by a worm shaft crossing
the width of the card; the regulating handle or handles for this motion is or may
be covered by a casing under lock and key. On the end of the pinion shaft gearing
into the flexible rack we fix a dial plate and an indicator finger attached to the
bearing of the shaft or other suitable part, and the plate is plainly divided from
the position of the greatest distance between the underside of flat and the iron
surface of the cylinder to the smallest possible distance.
This part of our improvements we propose to use in combination with the
arrangement patented by Mr. William Dobson, under date 10th June 1885,
No. 7068.
Secondly-This consists in an improved arrangement for automatically adjust-
ing the front and back centres or carrier shafts and bowls round which the flats
travel from or to the cylinder.
Our object in this improvement is to ensure an automatic and uniform adjust-
ment of the chain wheels or carrier pulleys and their carrier shafts simultaneously
with that of the flexible, and the way in which we perform the same is by means

page_text: of links which form the steps of the carrier shafts and which have also a slot at
the lower end in which works one of the pins, pivots, or projections (in or on the
flexible bend as described in the aforesaid Patent No. 7068 of 1885) and as the
flexible is brought to or from the cylinder and adjusted as described in said Patent
the above steps or links are adjusted automatically by means of the pins or pivots.
Thirdly: This improvement consists in casting together the rim which lies close
up to the cylinder and stands higher than the cylinder wire in one piece with the
bend and cylinder pedestal.
The object of this is to improve or ensure a perfect selvage for the card sliver as
well as to be able to work on the whole width of the cylinder in combination with
the improvements described in the said Patent No. 7068 of 1885.
Fourthly: This part of our Invention consists in an arrangement for giving an
alarm when the sliver or lap breaks, or when the sliver becomes entangled with
lumps of accumulated fly, or fluff; or laps, around the calender roller or when the
can is allowed to get too full. This is accomplished by lengthening the loose
calender roller and carrying it outside the coiler head and on the end of this
calender roller is fastened a bell or other alarm. On the casing of the coiler head
are fixed two adjustable snugs, one on each side of the bell. Fixed to the extended
part of the calender is a spring or spring and lever having at the extremity a
tongue which in revolving with the calender and bell in case of one of the fore-
going irregularities taking place comes in contact with the snugs and being forced
back is driven against the bell by the spring thereby producing the alarm; or we
can place a star wheel on the calender shaft with a striking tongue and necessary
springs to give a continuous alarm. The other alarm to be given when the can is
too full is accomplished by means of the cotton bulging over the edges of the can
against a lever or plate which is fastened on to a vertical stud. At the upper end
of this stud is a finger which supports one end of a hammer which when released
falls by gravity or assisted by a spring and strikes the bell. By this arrangement
the bell is only struck once, but if required a continuous alarm or ring can be
obtained by arranging the end of the hammer, to act as a snug as before described
.so that the bell rings once or more in each revolution by multiplying the tongues
fixed on the calender end or by placing the star wheel as before described.
The object of these alarms is to prevent waste thereby obtaining an increased
production, by notifying to the work-hands the fact that the card is not in working
order and requires attention.
Fifthly: This improvement consists in an arrangement for carrying a loose
segment with the end casings of the doffer cover for filling in a recess cut in the
bend to allow the passage of the grinding roller.
The object of this arrangement is to avoid having any loose pieces to take off
and is necessitated by the bend being larger in diameter than the height of the
cylinder wire or we may have that portion of the flange of the bend, requiring to
be moved to permit the grinding roller to pass, loose and carried down outside the
bend held by set screws and slots so that by loosening the set screws this piece
will fall sufficiently to allow the grinding to take place and when lifted to the
extremity the slots will be exactly in working position.
3000

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Carding Cotton and other
Fibrous Substances,
We BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, of Bolton, Machine Maker, and WILLIAM
ISHERWOOD BROMILEY, Foreman, of the same place, do hereby declare the nature
of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CARDING COTTON AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, 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 improvements in carding engines, the said improve-
ments consisting―
First. In an arrangement in cards having travelling top flats for adjusting
either separately or together, one or both of the flexible bends. upon which the
flats travel in combination with the arrangement patented by Mr. William Dobson
under date 10th June 1885 No. 7068, so as to ensure a more equal and regular
setting or adjustment of the flats to the main cylinder.
Secondly. In combination with the above mentioned adjustment to provide an
arrangement for simultaneously and automatically adjusting the front and back
centres or carrier shafts and pulleys or star wheels round which the flats travel
from or to the cylinder.
Thirdly. In casting together in one piece with the bend and cylinder pedestal
a rim which lies close up to the cylinder and stands higher than the cylinder wire
for the purpose of making a good selvage for the card sliver.
Fourthly. In an arrangement for giving an alarm, (a.) when the sliver or lap
breaks, or when the sliver becomes entangled with lumps of accumulated fly or
fluff, or laps around the calender roller, or, (b.) when the can is allowed to get
too full.
Fifthly. In an arrangement for carrying a segment attached to or cast with the
end casings which are hinged to the doffer cover for filling in a recess cut in the
above mentioned rim of the bend to allow the passage of the grinding roller.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect we will describe the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings, reference
being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
+4
Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a carding engine embodying that part of
our Invention which relates to the adjustment of the flexible bends. Fig. 2 is a
transverse section on the line A. A, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the
mechanism for effecting the adjustment of the flexible, also of the dial for indi-
cating the same, and Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view. to Fig. 1,
but illustrating more particularly that part of our Invention which relates to the
automatic adjustment of the front and back centres to or from the cylinder
simultaneously with the adjustment of the flexibles. Figs. 6, 7 and 8. are detailed
views, on an enlarged scale, of parts of the carding engine relating to the adjust-
ment of the flexibles and the back centre. Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are detailed views,
also on an enlarged scale, of parts of the carding engine relating to the adjustment,
of the front centre,

page_text: Figure 12 is a sectional elevation of the bend or side frame and the cylinder
pedestal illustrating the third part of our Improvements.
Figures 13 to 16 are views illustrating the alarm arrangements which we employ
according to the fourth part of our Improvements.
Figs. 17 and 18 represent the arrangement of a segment for filling up a recess
in the raised rim of the bend according to the fifth part of our Improvements.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figs. 1 to 11-a designates the main cylinder of the carding
engine and 6 the engine bend; each flexible bend c is connected at one end to the
bend b by a link d pivoted to the bend b by a stud d' and is provided with pins or
projections secured to or formed with the flexible. These pins or projections c¹
rest upon the curved or inclined surfaces e¹ formed on brackets e secured to the
bend b by bolts fand each flexible c has also a pin or projection c³ which rests
against the curved or inclined surface g¹ of a slot formed in a bracket g bolted to
the bend b, by bolts f.
This arrangement of pins or projections and inclined surfaces being fully set
forth in the Specification to the aforesaid Patent No. 7068 of 1885.
There is a rack c* inserted attached, or. formed with each flexible c and into this
rack gears a pinion h fixed on a stud or short shaft h¹ on which is also fixed a
worm wheel; actuated by a worm k secured on a short shaft k¹ on which is also
secured a worm wheel k. The two worm wheels k³ are actuated by worms
secured one near each end of a shaft which runs across the full width of the
card between the upper and the lower flats and the worm shaft is supported at
each end in bearings formed in two brackets i, one on each side of the engine
which brackets i also support the worm gearing and the pinion shafts h¹ and
pinions and are secured to and free to slide with the links or steps o which are
fitted as hereinafter described and shown, Figs. 5 to, 8 in slideways p¹ formed in
the brackets p secured to the bend, one on other side of the engine.
Each pinion shaft h¹ is, supported in a boss or bearing (see detailed views,
Figs. 6, 7 and 8) formed in one of the brackets i. The ends of the worm shaft 11
are made square in section so that the said shaft can be turned round by means of
a key or spanner to effect the adjustment of the flexibles.
The apparatus can be locked by means of a padlock m on either side of the
engine entering into two eyelets on swivel pieces m¹ m² of which the piece m³ has
a slot which fits over the square end of the shaft and thus prevents the shaft
from being turned except by the responsible person and consequently prevents any
tampering with the adjustment. On the face of each worm wheel, is formed a
dial which is plainly divided starting from a point representing the greatest
distance possible between the under side of the flat and the metal surface of the
cylinder an indicator finger j³ for each dial ¿¹ is fixed on any convenient part of
the bracket i.
To set or adjust the flats to or from the main cylinder a the shaft is turned
by means of a key or spanner as described and this motion is transmitted by the
worms l, worm wheels, short shafts k¹, worms k, worm wheels ; to the studs h¹
and pinions h which by means of the racks c³ move the flexibles c endwise so that
as the pins or projections c¹ c³ move with the flexibles they are guided by the
curved or inclined surfaces e¹ and g¹ respectively and thus the flexibles are simul-
taneously drawn in or vice versa and adjusted concentrically to the main cylinder
the extent of the adjustment being indicated by the position of the fingers 7 on
the dials 7.
When this adjustment of the flexibles takes place the pinions h and the worm
gearing supported in the brackets i slide with the links o in the brackets p secured
to the bend b sufficiently to compensate for the relative changes of position but are
held from any further movement by means of the worms and worm wheels.
The dials and setting apparatus can be placed on both sides of the carding
engine as described, or on one side only, or as an alternative arrangement, if
preferred, instead of mounting the worms 7 on a single worm shaft as shown and

page_text: described they could be mounted on separate shafts so as to enable each side to be
dealt with independently.
The above described arrangement of parts constitutes the first part of our
Invention.
The second part of our improvements is illustrated most fully by Figs. 5 to 11
in which
n is one of the back star wheels or carrier pulleys round which the flats travel
to or from the main cylinder; the shaft n¹ of the wheel n is supported in the link
or step o which is held as already mentioned in slideways p¹ formed in the
bracket
p which is bolted to the bend b. The link o is slotted at o' to permit the
passage of the boss i¹ and pinion shaft h¹ as best shown in Fig. 8 and the bracket
is secured to the link o by means of the screws and the pin or projection c³ on
the flexible c rests in another slot o' formed in the link o. The back star wheel on
18
the other side of the carding engine is fitted with a similar arrangement and there
is also a similar arrangement for each of the front star wheels or carrier pulleys n³
the shaft n³ of which is supported on each side of the engine in the link or step q
held in slideways in a bracket s secured to the bend b by bolts f. The link
secured by a bolt s¹ to the bracket 8 which is slotted to allow the link q to slide
when the flexible is moved and the link q is slotted at q¹ where a pin or pro-
jection c* on the flexible c rests in this slot q¹.
When the flexibles c are adjusted in the manner already set forth, the bolts 8¹
having been slackened to release the links
the pins and c¹ moving in the
slots o¹ and q respectively, cause the links o and q to move in their respective
slideways in the brackets p and 8 thereby altering the position of the shafts n¹
and n³ and automatically adjusting the position of the back and front star wheels or
carrier pulleys n and n³ and of the flats simultaneously as the adjustment of the
flexibles c is effected.
wire;
Fig. 12 illustrates the third part of our Improvements according to which the
rim 6¹ lies close up to the cylinder a and stands rather higher than the cylinder
the rim being cast in one piece with the bend b and the cylinder pedestal b³.
The object of having the rim b¹ slightly above the level of the wire on the
cylinder is to ensure a perfect selvage for the card sliver as well as to enable us
to work on the whole width of the cylinder and this part of our Improvements we
propose to use in combination with the Invention described in the aforesaid Patent
No. 7068 of 1885.
Figs. 13 and 14 are two views illustrating the alarm apparatus which we
employ in connection with the calender rollers according to the fourth part of
our Improvements.
The shaft of the loose calender roller t is extended and carried through a
slot u to the outside of the coiler head casing u and on the end of this shaft t¹ is
fastened, by means of a screw t³, an alarm gong v; also fixed on the shaft t¹ is the
spring piece w provided at its outer extremity with a tongue, which, if the loose
calender roller t is in its proper working position revolves without touching either
of two snugs or projections u which are fixed adjustably on the coiler head
casing u. When the sliver or lap breaks, or when the sliver becomes entangled
with lumps of accumulated fly or fluff, or laps around either of the calender rollers
and the loose calender roller t is thereby caused to move in its bearings nearer to
or farther from the axis of the other roller, the tongue or spring striker win
revolving comes in contact with one or other of the snugs us and being forced
back is driven against the gong by the spring and thus an alarm is sounded.
As an alternative arrangement we can place a star wheel on the shaft with
a striking tongue and the necessary springs to give a continuous alarm. In place
of the gong any other suitable alarm may be employed and in any convenient
position.
Figs. 15, and 16 are two views illustrating the alarm apparatus which we employ
in connection with the sliver can.

page_text: This alarm apparatus is operated when the can x is too full by means of the
cotton or other fibre bulging over the edge of the can against a lever or plate y
which is fastened by means of a screw y¹ upon a vertical stud y³ supported and
free to turn in the coiler head casing u At the upper end of the stud y' is fixed
by another screw y¹ a finger y³ which supports one end of a hammer or striker yʻ
pivoted at y³.
When the can becomes too full, the cotton bulging over the edge comes against
and moves the lever y thereby turning the study on its axis and moving the
finger y³ from under the striker y which falls by gravity or assisted by a spring y
and strikes the gong v. By this arrangement the gong is only struck once, but if
required a continuous ring or alarm can be obtained by arranging the end of the
striker y to act as a snug for the spring striker was previously described with
reference to Figs. 13 and 14 so that the gong vis struck once or more in each
revolution according to the number of spring strikers or tongues fixed on the
calender shaft t¹ or by placing a star wheel as before described.
The object of these alarms is to prevent waste thereby obtaining an increased
production by notifying to the workhands the fact that the carding engine is not
in working order and therefore requires attention.
Figs. 17 and 18 illustrate the fifth part of our Improvements which consists in
attaching or casting a segment 63 to each end casing 6 which is hinged to the
doffer cover at 60 for filling in a recess 65 cut in the bend 6 to allow the grinding
roller to pass beyond the card teeth on each side of the cylinder. The recesses b
are necessary on account of the bend being larger in diameter than the height of
the cylinder wire and our object in attaching or casting the filling up piece or
segments 6 to that portion of the casing which is hinged to the doffer cover is to
avoid having any loose pieces to take off to permit the grinding roller to pass.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
.
⚫ 1.—In a revolving flat carding engine, adjusting the flexible bends concentrically
with the main cylinder by means of pins or projections on the flexibles moving in
contact with inclined surfaces, the extent of the adjustment being recorded on dials
and in combination with this adjustment of the flexibles simultaneously adjusting
the front and back centres, or carrier shafts and pulleys round which the revolving
flats travel, the mechanism for moving the flexibles end wise to effect this combined
adjustment being self adjusting.
2. In a revolving flat carding engine, the combination with racks formed on or
secured to the concentric bends or flexibles, of pinions secured on short shafts
carrying also worm wheels actuated by worms and worm wheels from a worm
shaft or shafts, substantially as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
3. In a revolving flat carding engine, the combination with racks formed on or
secured to the concentric bends or flexibles, of pinions secured on short shafts
carrying also worm wheels the faces of which form dials, said worm wheels being
actuated by worms and worm wheels from a worm shaft or shafts to move the
flexibles end wise and adjust them concentrically to the main cylinder, the extent of
such adjustment being indicated on the dials by means of fingers or pointers, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
4. The combination with mechanism for effecting the adjustment of the
flexibles to or from the main cylinder of a carding engine, of mechanism for
simultaneously and automatically-effecting the adjustment of the back and front
centres or carrier shafts and pulleys round which the flats travel, substantially as
herein set forth.
5. In a revolving flat carding engine, the combination with the pins or pro-
jections c¹ and c on the flexibles, of slots in the links or steps o and q respectively,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated by the
Drawings annexed,
:
i

page_text: 6. In a carding engine, the combination with pins or projections on the flexibles
and inclined surfaces for effecting the adjustment of the said flexibles concentrically
with the main cylinder as described in the said Patent No. 7068 of 1885, of the
rim 61 cast in one piece with the bend and the cylinder pedestal and standing above
the level of the cylinder wire, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
with reference to Fig. 12 of the Drawings annexed.
7. In a carding engine, any suitable arrangement of self-acting mechanism for
giving an alarm when (a) either the sliver or lap breaks, or when the sliver
becomes entangled with lumps of accumulated fly or fluff or laps around the
calender rollers, or (b) when the can becomes too full.
8. The combination with the shaft t¹ of the loose calender roller t, of the gong v
or other suitable alarm and means for operating the same, substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
9. The combination with the can x, of the gong v, or other suitable alarm and
means such as the lever or plate y and pivoted striker y for operating the said
alarm, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
10. The combination with a recess in the bend, of a segment for filling up the
same, the said segment being attached to or cast with the end casing hinged to
the doffer cover, substantially as and for the purposes herein described with
reference to Figs. 17 and 18 of the accompanying Drawings.
11. The several constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts con-
stituting our improvements in carding engines, all substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and as illustrated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 10th dose of Ontahan 1000