CERTAIN IMPROVE. MENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Evan Leigh, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVE.
MENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 2nd August 1858, and dated the 9th February 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Evan Leigh at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th February
1858.
1, EVAN LEIGH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in an engine or machine for
carding cotton or other fibrous substances described in the Specifications of
certain Letters Patent previously granted to me, and severally bearing date
March Twenty-sixth, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, October
Sixteenth, Onethousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and January Eighteenth,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, and consists in improving the
construction and arrangement of the "flats" or "top cards" and apparatus
connected therewith, for the purpose of insuring the perfect grinding of the
"flats" without removing them from the machine. The iron "flats" had
several defects which I now propose to remedy, as follows:-The back rib of

page_text: the "flat" and the rounded notch which receives the chain screw, heretofore
separated, are to be brought into contact, which has the effect of greatly
strengthening the said flat, "and the connecting chain is consequently brought
further under the flats," so as to leave a clear space at the ends of about
three quarters of an inch, exactly opposite to the bevil cut, at which place the
"flat" slides on the flexible bend. This space is treated as follows:-The
middle is to be ent out or hollowed to about the same curve as will fit the
periphery of the pulleys over which the moving "flats" traverse; these being
cut all to one depth from the front bevil has the effect of bringing up the wire
with exact precision to the stripping comb; then the two edges of the said
space are cut and surfaced to two exact guages corresponding with the bevil
cut of the "flat."
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Secondly, when the "flats are travelling over the top of the engine
these back edges slide over curved arched plates which span the engine on
both sides and dispenses with the top shaft herein-before employed. These
arched plates are supported by the paps of the brackets which support the
driving and carrier shafts. Before the brackets are fixed they are placed on a
maundril together and surfaced, so that when the back edges of the "Hats"
slide upon them they bed firmly down and admit of being ground when
necessary upon the engine with exactness. The aforesaid arched plates are
hinged or jointed about six inches from the upper shaft, and have slots at the
point where bolted together, which admit of their expanding or contracting, so
that they inay be adjusted to receive the flats, after which they are tightened
up by a screw on each side of the engine.
Thirdly, the Invention consists in allowing the carrier pulleys on the front
shaft to run loose, by which means I am enabled to use such shaft as the
stripping comb shaft, which is caused to osscilate and carry the stripping
comb.
Fourthly, the Invention consists in supporting the stripping box, (which may
be lifted up to admit of grinding and stripping the main cylinder) or brackets
hinged from the same centre as the front or stripping comb shaft, which
brackets are made with a curve or swan neck to pass over the comb, which not
only has the advantage of simplicity, but allows the bottom end of the stripping
box to come nearer to the "dolfer," when which arrangement prevents the
collection of waste between it and the doffer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Evan Leigh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EVAN
LEIGH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and graut unto me,
the said Evan Leigh, Her especial license that I, the said Evan Leigh,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Evan Leigh, my executors, administrators, and 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 CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CARDING ENGINES FOR CARDING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS,"
upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Evan Leigh, byan instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Evan Leigh, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in an engine or machine for
carding cotton or other fibrous substances described in the Specifications of
certain Letters Patent previously granted to me, and severally bearing date
March Twenty-sixth, One thousand eight hundred and fifty, and October
Sixteenth, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and consists in improving
the construction and arrangement of the "flats" or "top cards" and apparatas
connected therewith, for the purpose of cusuring the perfect grinding of the
"flats" without removing them from the machine. The iron "flats" had
several defects, which I'now propose to remedy as follows:-The back rib of
the flat and the rounded notch (which receives the chain screw) heretofore

page_text: separated, are to be brought into contact, which has the effect of greatly
strengthening the said "flat," and the connectingchainisconsequently brought
further under the "flats," so as to leave a clear space at the ends of about an
inch exactly opposite to the bevil cnt, at which place the "flat" slides on the
flexible bend. This space is treated as follows:-The middle is to be cut out
or hollowed to about the same curve as will fit the periphery of the pulleys over
which the moving flats traverse; these being cut all to one depth from the
front bevil has the effect of bringing up the wire with exact precision to the
stripping comb then the two edges of the said space are cut and surfaced to
two exact gauges corresponding with the bevil cut of the "Hat."
Secondly, when the flats" are travelling over the top of the engine these
back edges slide over curved arched plates which span the engine on both
sides, and dispenses with the top shaft hitherto used. These arched plates
which span the engine are supported by the paps of the brackets whicli support
the driving and carrier shafts. Before the brackets are fixed they are placed
on a inaundril together and surfaced, so that when the back edgesofthe"flats"
slide upon them they bed firmly down and admit of being ground when
necessary upon the engine with. exactness. The aforesaid arched plates are
hinged or jointed about six inches from the upper shaft, and have slots at the
point where they are bolted together, which admit of their expanding or con-
tracting, so that they may be adjusted to receive the "flats," after which they
are tightened up by a screw on each side of the engine.
Thirdly, the Invention consists in allowing the carrier pulleys on the front
shafts to run loose, by which means I am enabled to use such shaft as the
stripping comb shaft, which is caused to oscillate and carry the stripping
comb.
Fourthly, the Invention consists in supporting the stripping box (which may
be lifted to admit of grinding and stripping the main cylinder) on brackets
hinged from the same centre as the front or stripping comb shaft, which
brackets are made with a curve or "swan neck") to pass over the comb,
which not only has the advantage of simplicity, but allows the bottom end of
the stripping box to come nearer to the "doffer," which arrangement prevents
the collection of waste between it and the "doffer."
In order that the Invention may be better understood, I have hereunto
attached a Sheet of Drawings made upona scale of about two inches to a foot,
and having similar letters of reference marked upon corresponding parts of the
apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the carding engine, shewing the improved
arrangement of the "flats" or top cards and connected apparatus, together

page_text: with the novel method of supporting "the "stripping box;" Figs. 2, 3, and 4
are respectively side, plan, and end views of the "flats" or top cards as hitherto
employed; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are respectively side, plan, and end views of
the present improved form and construction of "flats," shewing the distinction
between the two; and Fig. S is a detached view of an adaptation of a brush
for cleaning the sliding surfaces of the flats.
In Fig. 1, a, a, is the framing of the carding engine, from which are
supported the arched "beds or plates b, b, which are disconnected at the
point, whence they are capable of adjustment to the required curve by the
screw c; d, dd, d,d, are the "flats" or top cards, which will be more readily
seen in Figs. 5, 6, 7, the improvement in which is grinding or otherwise
surfacing them upon the under and top side near the extremity instead of near
the centre as in Figs. 3, 4, 5, the parts marked ', d, being those which have
been surfaced to the required bevil. And in the improved "flat" it will be
seen that the rounded notch e which receives the chain screw is brought into
contact with the back ribel, by which the flat is materially strengthened, and
a clear space is left at the surfaced end where the flats slide upon the flexible
bend. The bevil curve upon the under surface, adapted to suit the arched bed
or flexible bend when the top cards are upon the cylinder, will be seen in the
end view, together with the formation of the upper side which slides upon the
arch when the cards turn over to be ground or set by the grinding roller f;
and ff, are brushes for cleaning the upper and lower sliding surfaces ofthe
flats as they traverse past them. The rollers g, g, may be adjusted in diameter
to suit the number of "flats" required in the chain. Upon the comb shaft. /.
are the brackets i, i, which are made of a suitable curve to allow the
stripping box" (to which they are attached) to pass over the comb and out
of the way of the cards when it is required to be removed to grind or strip the
main cylinder. By this arrangement also the "stripping box" is brought
nearer the "doffer," and consequently much less waste or fly is produced.
The position of the box and brackets when raised from the cylinder is indicated
by the red lines. This shaft / carrying the stripping comb is caused to
osscillate and to impart to the comb a reciprocating or vibratory motion
necessary in stripping the "flats" as they pass in succession under its
action.
l
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with the
method of performing the same, I wish it to be distinctly understood that
I claim theimproved construction and arrangement of the "flats" or top cards
and the apparatus connected therewith for ensuring the perfect grinding,
cleaning, and stripping of such "flats," together with the improved method of

page_text: constructing and supporting the stripping box of the main cylinder, the whole
of which said improvements are herein-before described, set forth, a 'd fully
illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Evan Leigh, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lo d One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
EVAN LEIGH. (L.S.).