IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."-A communication from George
Wellman, of Lowell, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 1st July 1856, and dated the 9th-May 1856..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at.
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th May 1856.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR
CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," a communication from George.
Wellman, of Lowell, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to various modifications of and improvements in
certain of the mechanical details for cleaning and elevating the top cards of
a carding engine, described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me
on or about the Twenty-fifth day of November One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three, for "improvements in carding engines for carding cotton and
other fibrous materials," whereby greater economy and simplicity in the con-
struction of such mechanism is obtained:

page_text: According to this Invention I have so modified and arranged the different
parts of the top card cleaning & actuating mechanism, described in the
Specification of my Patent herein-before referred to, as to render the entire
apparatus for raising, stripping, and depressing the top cards, and for moving
the frame which carries the same from top to top, dependant for its motion
upon one single-pulley or wheel fixed upon the doffer shaft; and by altering the
size of this pulley or wheel I am enabled to regulate at pleasure the number
of tops to be stripped per minute.
Another improvement consists in the combination of a short shaft fitted
with a segment toothed wheel and rin, with an upper and lower shaft, in such
a manner that the short shaft being in constant motion shall, by means of its
segment toothed wheel and rim, give motion first to the upper shaft and then
to the lower shaft, and vice versa, and shall hold the one shaft stationary
whilst the other is in motion. The upper shaft drives the mechanism-for
raising, stripping, and depressing the top cards, and the lower shaft effects the
movement or traverse of the frame, carrying such mechanism from one top to
the other.
Another improvement consists in the application of a segmental pin or
mangle wheel to the upright bars of the traversing frame, by which means the
traversing motion is communicated direct by bevil pinions, worked from the
lower one of the two shafts herein-before referred to. The levers which carry
the stripper card work on bearings or stud centres in the upright bars of the
traversing frame near the centre of the machine. The requisite movements
of these levers are obtained from suitable cams working loosely upon the shaft
of the main carding cylinder, and driven by endless chains or other suitable
contrivance. The top card is secured in its elevated position by a combination
of rods, or pins, and springs carried in the cross bar of the traversing frame.
The pins are used to prevent lateral motion of the top card, whilst it is being
operated upon by the stripper card, and the springs serve to hold it in its seat
on the lifting jaws. These lifting jaws are raised or depressed direct from the
cams on the shaft of the main carding cylinder, motion being communicated
to them by slide rods worked by the cams, and sliding in the upright-arms of
the traversing frame:
Another improvement consists of a contrivance for keeping the teeth of the
stripper card cleaner in contact with the teeth of the stripper card whilst it is
being cleaned by it; this is effected by a small projection on the arm of the
cleaner, which comes in contact with a wedge-shaped block attached to a blade
spring whenever the cleaner strikes the stripper card. The wedge-shaped
block is thereby caused to recede until the projection is forced below it, where-

page_text: upon by the action of its spring it closes over the end of the projection, and
holds it upon the surface of the stripper card. The wedge-shaped block forms
the entrance to a groove or channel on the stripper card, and the projection
being entered into this groove will hold the cleaning comb upon the surface
of the stripper card whilst it is moving forward to clean a top card, and will
escape from the opposite end of the groove, which is long enough to hold the
projection until the cleaner has passed in contact with the whole surface of the
stripper card.
The stripping apparatus to a line or row of six, eight, or any number of
carding engines may be driven by one independant shaft running along the
line or row of carding engines, in place of having short shafts in each engine
carrying the segment gear herein-before referred to. The segment and other
gear from which the stripping apparatus derives motion are all situated on
this one common shaft, but are not fast thereto, so that the apparatus on one
card may be stopped whilst the others are working. An arrangement of
friction cone is adopted for throwing the stripping gearing in or out of motion
as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions. of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting."
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I; the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS,"
a communication from George Wellman, of Lowell, in the United States of

page_text: America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, by an instruiment in writing under my land and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and inimediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the- samic
is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, referencé being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures inarked thereon, that is to say:
The said Invention relates to various modifications of and improvements in
certain of the mechanical details for elevating and cleaning the top cards of
a carding engine, described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me on
or about the Twenty-fifth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three, for "improvements in carding engines for carding cotton and other
fibrous materials," whereby greater economy and simplicity in the construction
of such mechanism are obtained.
According to this Invention I have so modified and arranged the different
parts of the top card cleaning and elevating mechanism, described in the
Specification of my Patent herein-before referred to, as to render the entire
apparatus for raising, stripping, and depressing the top cards, and for moving
the frame which carries the same from top to top, dependant for its motion
upon one single pulley or wheel fixed upon the doffer shaft; and by 'altering
the size of this pulley or wheel I am enabled to regulate at pleasure the
number of tops to be stripped per minute.
Another improvement consists in the combination of a short shaft fitted
with a segmental, toothed wheel & rim, with an 'upper & lower shaft, in
such a manner that the short shaft being in constant motion shall, by means
of its seginental toothed wheel and rim, give motion first to the upper shaft
and then to the lower shaft, or vice versa, and shall hold the one shaft
stationary whilst the other is in motion. The upper shaft drives the mechanism
for raising, stripping, and dépressing the top cards, and the lower shaft effects
the movement or traverse of the frame, carrying such raising, stripping, and
depressing mechanism from one top to the other.
.J
Another improvement consists in the use of a segmental pin for mangle
wheel arrangement fitted to the upright bars of the traversing 'frame, by which
means the traversing motion is communicated direct by bevel pinions worked
from the lower one of the two shafts herein-before referred to. The levers

page_text: which carry the stripper card work on bearings or stud centres in the upright
bars of the traversing frame near the centre or main axis of the carding
drum. The requisite movements of these levers are obtained from suitable
cams working loosely upon the shaft of the main carding drum, and driven by
endless chains or other suitable contrivance. The top card is. held in its
clevated position by combination of rods, or pins, and springs carried in the
cross bar of the traversing frame. The pins are used to prevent any lateral
motion of the top card whilst it is being operated upon by the stripper card,
and the springs serve to hold it in its seat on the lifting jaws. These lifting
jaws are raised or depressed direct from the cams on the shaft of the main
carding cylinder, motion being communicated to them by sliding rods worked
by the cams herein-before referred to, and sliding in the upright arms of the
traversing. frame.
Another improvement consists of a contrivance for keeping the teeth of the
stripper card cleaner in contact with the teeth of the stripper card whilst it is
being cleaned by it. This is effected by a small projection on the arm of the
cleaner, which comes in contact with a wedge-shaped block attached to a blade
spring whenever the cleaner strikes the stripper card. The wedge-shaped
block is thereby caused to recede until the projection is forced below it, where-
upon by the action of its spring it closes over the end of the projection, and
holds it upon the surface of the stripper card.. The wedge-shaped block forms
the entrance to a groove, or channel on the stripper card, and the projection
being entered into this groove, it will hold the cleaning comb upon the
surface of the stripper card whilst it is moving forward to clean a top card, and
will then escape from the opposite end of the groove, which is long enough
to hold the projection until the cleaner has passed in contact with the whole
surface of the stripper. card.
The stripping apparatus for a line or row of six, eight, or any number of
carding engines may be driven by one independent shaft running. along the
line or row of carding engines, in place of having short shafts in each engine
carrying the segment gear herein-before referred to. The segment and other
gear, from which the stripping apparatus. derives motion are all situated on
this one common shaft, but are not fast thereto, so that the apparatus on
one card may be stopped while the others are working. An arrangement of
friction cone is adopted for throwing the stripping gearing in or out of action
as required.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the

page_text: same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1, on Sheet 1 of the Drawings, represents a side elevation of the
frame and a few of the working parts of a carding engine having my improved
stripping apparatus attached; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view from the inside of, the machine of a part
of the top card raising, stripping, and depressing mechanism; Figure 4. is a
detail of the lifting rod and jaw detached; and Figure 5 is a detail of the
driving gear for the stripping apparatus.
A is the main supporting frame of the carding engine; B is the shaft of
the main carding drum; C is the doffer cylinder driven from the main shaft B
by the band D passing round the pulley E, which is on the same stud with
a pinion F, which it turns, and gives motion thereby to the spur wheel G
fixed on the shafts of the doffer cylinder C. From this latter shaft all the
motion is derived for driving the stripping apparatus. The band H passes
from the pulley I on the shaft of the cylinder C to the pulley J fixed upon
the end of a short shaft K near the bottom of the frame. This shaft K has
fixed to its other end a segmental spur wheel L, which has about two-thirds
of its teeth cut away (see Figure 5). Above the shaft K is another shaft M
having two chain pulleys R, R', fastened one to each end of it, and which, by
means of the endless chains Q1, Q', passing around them, gives motion to the
'cams X, X, which are employed for raising, stripping, and replacing the top
cards. Below the short shaft K is a third shaft N, which gives motion to the
frame S that carries the raising and stripping apparatus from one top card to
another. On the shafts M is a pinion O, 1/3rd the diameter of the segmental
wheel L, and having the same number of teeth, from which latter it derives its
motion. P is a similar pinion fixed upon the shaft N, of the same size as the
pinion O, and driven by the same wheel L (see Figure 5). When an inferior
or dirty staple of cotton is being carded by the machine it will fill up the teeth
of the top cards much sooner than when clean and good cotton is being, con-
sequently the top cards will need stripping oftener. Now, as the shaft K has
a constant motion, and imparts movement to all the rest of the stripping
apparatus, it is evident that if the speed of this shaft be increased the top
card will be stripped the oftener. This may be done by increasing the size of
the pulley I, which drives the shaft K. Every revolution of the segmental
spur wheel L will first cause one revolution of the pinion O and shaft M, and
then cause one revolution of the pinion P & shaft N, the shaft M com-
pleting its revolution before the shaft N begins to move. Q is a rim projecting
from the side of the segmental wheel L, & which rim occupies such part of

page_text: the circumference of the wheel as is not occupied by the teeth, that is, about
2/3rds of its circumference. This rim is intended to act upon a notched plate
wheel R (fixed upon the side of the pinion O). While the pinion O is just
completing its revolution the end of the rim Q is just entering the. notched
portion of the circumference of the plate wheel R, and when the last tooth of
the segmental wheel L has left the pinion O, the rim Q will be fully entered
upon the notch in the wheel R, and as the concavity of the notch exactly fits
the convexity or curvature of the rim, the plate wheel, and consequently, the
pinion O and shaft M, will be prevented from turning, while the segmental
wheel L will continue its revolution in order to set in motion and then hold
stationary, by means of a similar notched plate R', the pinion P and its shaft
N. S, S, is a frame hung upon and working loosely about the ends of the
bearings of the main driving shaft B. This frame consists of the two upright
bars or standards. a, a, one on each side of the carding engine, having their
upper ends connected together by the horizontal bar 6 (Figure 3). Connected
to and extending downwards from the lower ends of these two bars a, a, are
two segmental pin or mangle ares T, T. These arcs are moved to and fro by
the revolution of the pinions u, u, fixed upon the ends of the inclined shafts
V, V; upon the other ends of which shafts are keyed the bevel pinions W, W,
which are driven by the bevels pinions X1, X2, on the ends of the shaft N.
The inclined shafts V, V, are supported in such a manner as to allow of a
short lateral play at their upper ends, so that when the pinions U, U, have
moved the segmental racks or arcs T, T, so far in one direction as to bring
the last pin in each of the series of the mangle pins Z¹, Z', opposite to them,
they can make a half revolution round the said pins, and move to the opposite
sides of the two arcs or arms of pins, and then produce a motion of the frame
.S, S, in an opposite direction, after the manner of the ordinary and well-
known mangle wheel. These peculiarities of the movement of the frame S, S,
are more fully described in my former Patent, and do not constitute any part
of my present improvements. X, X, are double-faced grooved cams loose
upon the ends of the boxes or bearings of the main shaft. The outer faces c, c,
of these cams are intended to operate the two stripper levers Y, Y, whilst the
inner faces d, d, serve to operate the lifting rods Z, Z. The levers Y, Y,
work on stud pins Y₁ fastened one to each of the arms a, a, of the frame S.
Upon the lower ends of these levers are fixed short pins with anti-friction
pulleys, which are intended to work in the grooves of the outer faces c, c, of
the cams X, X. The other ends of the two levers Y, Y, extend above the
upper surface of the series of top cards, and are connected together by the
stripper card A', which is firmly secured to them. Now, at every revolution

page_text: of the cams X, X, the levers Y, Y, are made to move forwards and back-
wards once, consequently the stripper card moves forward beneath the top
card, which has been previously elevated, brushes against the teeth of the
said top card, and in coming back removes from the teeth all the dirt and
strippings that may have been deposited thereon. The lifting rods Z, Z, slide
up and down in bearings in the. arms a, a, and to their upper ends are fastened
the lifting jaws B¹, B¹, seen more clearly in Figures 2, 3, and 4. A pingin
the lower ends of the lifting rods carries a friction roll that is intended to
work in the grooves of the inner faces d, d, of the cams X, X, and thus when
the cams revolve, the lifting rods Z, Z, and the jaws B', B', are elevated, and
as the two jaws each enclose an end of one of the top cards e, e, e, the said top
card will be elevated from its bed.
The manner of securing the top card when raised is clearly shewn at
Figure 4, which is a longitudinal section of a portion of the arm a and con-
necting bar 6, also of the lifting jaws and a portion of the top card in its
elevated position. A is a section of the curved or arched portion of the main
framing of the machine, and forms the bed upon, which the top cards rest.
D' is a pin fastened to the frame A, and projecting above it for the purpose
of entering a hole made in the top card. Now, when the top card is being
elevated it is guided by this pin D' until it is raised sufficiently. to be guided
by the upper pin E', which hangs directly over D'; it then moves up. the pin
E until its upper surface comes in contact with the springs F, F. The top
card now being raised to its full height is kept in that position until the
stripper card moves beneath it; then the stripper card. pauses an instant
whilst the top card is depressed slightly, thereby settling .the teeth of the
stripper card into those of the top card. This is accomplished by having a
fall or offset in the grooves of the inner faces d, d, of the cams X, X, which
will force the lifting jaws down accordingly, whilst the springs F, F, will
force the top card down upon the stripper card, as aforesaid. Then. the
stripper card moves back to its place again, and the top card is depressed by
the descent of the lifting jaws and rod back again to its bed or seat, and so
each top card throughout the series is treated in its turn in like manner.
The next point to be considered is the manner of disposing of the strippings
or waste that is collected by the stripper card A' from the several top cards.
This may be effected by providing a resceptacle H', which shall be fastened to
the engine near the feed rolls, as represented in Figure 1; and directly over
this receptacle is lung a narrow strip of wood, having upon its lower surface
a comb or. card clothing, or other suitable material, that shall rake or comb
from the stripper card, when it comes in contact with it, 'all the strippings that

page_text: shall have been collected upon it, in going from the first top card to the last,
and back again to the first. I', Figure 1, is the card comb fastened to the end
of the lever K, there being another similar lever on the opposite side of the
frame to support the opposite end of the comb 1'. This lever is hung on the
support L', and has an arm M' extending downwards with a weight N¹ upon
the end of it, which is for the purpose of keeping the comb I' suspended in its
position over the box II. It also has a fork or branch O', which, when
the projection P' on the lever Y approaches it, is struck by it, and causes the
comb 1 to be borne down, so that the teeth of 1 engage into the teeth of
the stripper card containing the strippings..
This position is shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 1. It is also shewn more
clearly in Figures 6, 7, and 8, on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, which represent
respectively an end view, a side view, and plan of the apparatus, drawn on an
enlarged scale. This combing or cleaning action is effected whilst the frame S
is moved over the top card nearest the receptacle H'; now, after this top card
is raised, the stripper card moves forward to clean it, and in moving forward
the comb I' combs off all the strippings that have been collected upon the
stripper card, drops them into the receptacle H', and then the weight N' on
the opposite end of the lever K' causes that end to fall, and brings the comb I'
up into its former position.
It is necessary to have some contrivance to keep the comb I' in contact with
the teeth of the stripper card A' whilst the latter is being cleaned by it, and-
such contrivance is shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8. When the comb I' strikes
upon the stripper card, or projection S' on the end of the arm K' strikes a
wedge-shape block T fastened to the end of a spring U', and thereby causes
the block to recede, as shewn by red lines, Figures 7 and 8, until the projec-
tion is forced below the block T (Figure 8), which then by the action of the
spring U is made to close over the end of the projection S', and thus holds
it upon the surface of the stripper card. This block T forins the mouth-picco
to a groove or channel V' on the stripper card A¹, and this projection S', being
entered into this groove, will hold the comb l' upon the surface of the
stripper card A whilst the latter is moving forward to clean the top card, and
will escape from the groove at the opposite end from which it entered, the
groove being long enough to hold the projection until the comb I' has passed
in contact with the whole surface of the stripper card.
Figure 9, on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, represents a mode of driving the
stripping apparatus of a line or row of carding engines by one common
independent shaft. A is the independent shaft, which is substituted for the
short shaft K, herein-before referred to on Sheet 1 of the Drawings. This

page_text: shaft A may be continued so as to run along a line or row of six, eight, or any
number of cards. It is driven independently from any of the cards by the
driving pullies B, B'. The segmental spur wheels L, from which the stripping
apparatus derives motion, is carried on this shaft A, but are not fast thereon,
so that the stripping apparatus of one card may be stopped, whilst another is
allowed to continue its work. C is a friction cone, which is connected with
the shaft A by means of a slot and feather, and is made to fit into a conical
chamber in the side of the wheel L, so that when the apparatus is to be put
in motion, the handle D (which is connected to the collar or boss of the
friction cone) is pushed to one side, so as to cause the cone to enter the
chamber in the wheel L, whereupon the stripping gear driven by such wheel L
will be at once set in motion.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the combination of the segmental spur wheel L, with its projecting
interior rim Q, and the pinions O and P, with the notched plate wheels, as
applied to the shafts K, M, and N, for the purpose of giving the alternate
intermittent movements to the shafts M and N, as herein-before described.
Second, the use and application of the segmental spur wheel L, and its
rim Q, as applied and operated for the purpose of giving motion both to the
mechanism for raising, stripping, and depressing the top card, and to the
mechanism for moving the raising and stripping mechanism from one top card
to another, not moving both at the same time, but alternately.
Third, the arrangement of the mangle pins Z', Z', in the arc of a circle,
upon the centre of which the frame carrying the stripping apparatus vibrates,
for the purpose of avoiding intermediate gearing and consequent back lash, as
herein-before described.
Fourth, the combination of the cams X, X, with the endless chain Q¹ (or its
mechanical equivalent), the chain pulleys R', and shaft M, arranged and made
to operate together, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the combination of the cams X, X, with the levers Y, Y, carrying and
operating the stripper card, as herein-before described.
Sixth, the combination of the cams X, X, with the lifting rods Z, Z, and

page_text: the levers Y, Y, arranged and made to operate in concert, as herein-before
described.
Seventh, the combination of the springs F, F', and the pins E¹, E¹³, and
their application to the frame S, for the purpose herein-before described.
Eighth, the apparatus for cleaning the stripper card, arranged and applied
substantially as herein-before described.
Ninth, the system or mode of driving the stripping apparatus of a row or
series of carding engines by one common shaft, driven independently of the
carding engines, as herein-before described with reference to Figure 9 of the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eighth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.