IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES
Year: 1885

page_text: We JOHN THOMPSON of the firm of Curtis Sons and Company Machine Makers
of Phoenix Works, Chapel Street Ancoats, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
and THOMAS BARKER of the same place Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of
said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to improve the method of and means for setting
or adjusting the flexible bends on which the revolving flats of a carding engine
travel.
In performing our Invention we make on the inner lower edge of each flexible
bend a flange on which the ends of the flats travel and we form or secure feet or
brackets on the outer lower side of each flexible bend; these feet are slotted and
are connected to the frame sides or bends by studs which pass through the slots.
On each of the studs is mounted a segmental pinion the upper or back portion
of which is formed eccentrically or cam shaped the segmental pinions on each
bend or frame side gear into racks secured to or formed on a segmental plate con-
centric with the main cylinder and fitted so as to be free to slide in a groove cut
in the flange, formed as usual on each bend or frame side. The segmental pinions
are held in their places between the flange on the flexible bend and the segmental
plate by nuts on the studs and when it is required to adjust the flexible bend these
nuts are slackened and the segmental plate moved along the groove preferably by
means of a worm wheel gearing into one of the racks and as the segmental plate is
moved the racks on it give motion to the segmental pinions which turn on their
studs and by their eccentric ends move the flexible bend in the direction required
and concentrically from end to end with the main cylinder. The pinions and feet
on the flexible bends are then locked in their places by tightening the nuts on
the studs.
By making the flexible bends as described with flanges round the inner lower
edges on which the ends of the top flats rest we are able to see the points of the
wires both on the cylinder and on the flats and are consequently able to employ
a knife or blade for setting the flats.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicants,
4, Mansfield Chambers,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.

page_text: Improvements in Carding Engines.
We JOHN THOMPSON, of the firm of Curtis Sons and Company, Machine Makers,
of Phoenix Works, Chapel Street, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster
and THOMAS BARKER, of the same place, Foreman do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The object of our Invention is to improve the method of and means for setting
or adjusting the flexible bends on which the revolving flats of a carding engine
travel.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect we will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carding engine illustrating our improved method
of and means for adjusting the flexible bends. Fig. 2 is a section on the line A B
Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow X and Fig. 3 is a section on
the line CD, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow Y.
The
We make on the inner lower edge of each flexible bend a, a flange a¹ on which
the ends of the flats b travel, for the sake of greater clearness only a portion of one
of the flats b is shown, and we form or secure feet or brackets a on the outer
lower side of each flexible bend a; these feet a' are slotted and are connected to
the frame sides or bends c by studs d which pass through the slots in the feet a².
On each of the studs d is mounted a seginental pinion e the upper or back portion
of which is formed eccentrically or cam shaped. The segmental pinions e on each
bend or frame side c gear into adjustable racks f secured to a segmental plate g;
instead of being secured to the segmental plate g as shown and described the racks
might be formed on it. The segmental plate g is concentric with the main cylinder h
and is fitted so as to be free to slide in a groove, see Figs. 2 and 3, cut in the
flange which flange c¹ is formed as usual on each bend or frame side c.
segmental pinions e are held in their places between the flange a¹ on the flexible
benda and the racks on the segmental plate g by nuts i on the studs d and
when it is required to adjust the flexible bend these nuts i are slackened and the
segmental plate g moved along the groove in the flange c¹ preferably by means of
a worm carried in a stationary bracket secured to the engine bend or frame
gearing into one of the racks f as shown; or instead of the worm j other means
may be employed for moving the plate g. As the segmental plate g is moved the
racks fon it give motion to the segmental pinions e which turn on their studs d
and by their eccentric ends move the flexible bend a in the direction required and
concentrically from end to end with the main cylinder h. The pinions e and feet a²
on the flexible bends a are then locked in their places by tightening the nuts i on
the studs d.
If necessary each rack f may be moved on the plate g, in order to adjust and set
it to its segmental pinion e.

page_text: By making the flexible bends as shown and described with flanges a¹ round the
inner lower edges on which the ends of the top flats b rest, we are able to see
the points of the wires both on the cylinder h and on the flats b and are conse-
quently able to employ a knife or blade for setting the flats.
We would have it clearly understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact
details herein described and shown as they may be varied or modified without
departing from the nature of our Invention. It is obvious that levers or other
equivalents connected to each flexible bend a and segmental plate g might be
employed in place of the racks f and segmental pinions e with the back or upper
portions of said pinions cam shaped or eccentric provided such arrangement of
levers or other equivalents enables each flexible bend to be adjusted by moving
its segmental plate g in the manner hereinbefore described or in an equivalent
manner.
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. The use and application of the segmental plate g, the racks f and segmental
pinions e or their equivalents in combination with the flexible bend of a carding
engine, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated
by the Drawings annexed.
2. In a carding engine, the combination with each flexible bend a and cams or
eccentrics, the front portions of which are segmental pinions e, of the adjustable
racks f, fixed on the segmental plate g, said plate being actuated by a worm j or
otherwise for the purpose of adjusting the flexible bend concentrically with the
main cylinder, substantially as herein set forth.
3. The combination with the revolving flats of a carding engine, of the flange a¹
formed on the inner lower edge of each flexible bend to support the said flats
in such manner that a knife or blade may be employed when setting the flats,
substantially as described.