Improvements in Certain of the Carding-engines in which Revolving "Flats" are Employed.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1889-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1889
Improvements in Certain of the Carding-engines in which Revolving
"Flats" are Employed.
I THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH of 122 Broughton Lane, Lower Broughton,
near Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to those carding-engines in which the revolving "flats" are
supported upon discs or wheels capable of being revolved upon the axle of the main
cylinder or upon the pedestals or framing by which the axle of the main cylinder
is supported and my invention consists in arrangements, by means of which the
"flats" may be adjusted relatively to the card surface of the main cylinder.
According to one part of my invention I provide each of the discs or wheels with
a number of cams or inclines capable of being rotated upon pivots or studs capable.
of being turned in holes formed in the rim of the disc or wheel or upon studs
secured to the said disc or wheel. I provide each of the cams or inclines with teeth
capable of gearing into teeth formed upon a ring capable of being turned upon a
flange or surface concentric with the disc or wheel. Around the circumference of
the disc or wheel and supported upon the inclines or cams I place a ring of metal
the ends of which overlap. The said ring of metal is prevented from moving laterally
by flanges formed upon or secured to the disc or wheel. By the ring above
mentioned on which are formed teeth being moved in a suitable direction the cams
or inclines will be caused to act upon the ring of metal above. mentioned by which
they are surrounded so as to press it outwards and increase its diameter and by the
said ring on which are formed teeth being moved in an opposite direction the ring
of metal aforesaid will be allowed to collapse so as to become of decreased diameter.
By means of the arrangements above described the outer circumference of the metal
ring upon which the ""flats"
are 'supported may be made to correspond to the
"card wire surface" of the main cylinder of the carding-engine.
are
According to another part of my invention I form flanges upon each of the discs
or wheels employed to support the "flats" and between such flanges I place a
number of segments upon the outer circumference of which the "flats"
supported when carding is taking place. In the ends of each of the segments
above mentioned 1 form notches into each of which passes a nut provided with
screw-threads taking into which are screw-threads formed upon a spindle passing through
a hole or holes formed in a flange or ring upon the wheel or disc before mentioned.
The said spindle is prevented from being moved longitudinally by means of collars.
Each of the spindles previously mentioned is provided with a toothed wheel into
which gears a ring of metal provided with teeth. By the said ring of metal being.
turned in one direction upon the disc or wheel above mentioned the spindles will
be turned and by means of the screws and nuts the segments will be forced out-
wards from the axis of the main cylinder and by the said ring of metal being
turned in a direction opposite to that previously mentioned the segments will be
caused to approach the axis of the main cylinder.
According to another part of my invention I.form flanges upon each of the discs
or wheels employed to support the "flats" and between such flanges I place a number
of segments upon the outer circumference of which the "flats" are supported when
carding is taking place. I connect the adjacent ends of the segments by means of
a pin which pin is firmly secured into one segment but is free to slide in a slot or
recess formed in the other segment. One end or both ends of each of the pins
passes into a slot or slots formed in one or both of the flanges previously referred
to. Between the flanges before mentioned I place a ring of metal which ring is

page_text: capable of being turned in any convenient manner upon the disc or wheel previously
mentioned. In the metal ring above referred to I form inclined grooves which
inclined grooves at times act upon the pins above referred to. When the ring of
metal above mentioned is turned in one direction the inclined grooves acting upon
the pins will cause the segments to be moved away from the axis of the main cylinder
but when the metal ring above mentioned is moved in a direction opposite to that
previously mentioned the segments will be caused to approach the axis of the main
cylinder.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Certain of the Carding-engines in which Revolving
"Flats" are Employed.
I THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH of 122 Broughton Lane Lower Broughton near
Manchester in the County of Lancaster Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to those carding engines in which the revolving "flats"
are supported upon discs or wheels capable of being revolved upon the axle, of the
main cylinder or upon the pedestals or framing by which the axle of the main
cylinder is supported and my invention consists in arrangements by means of
which the "flats
may be adjusted relatively to the "card surface
cylinder.
of the main
According to one part of my invention 1 form flanges upon each of the discs or
wheels employed to support the "flats" and between such flanges I place a number
of segments upon the outer circumference of which the flats are supported when
carding is taking place. I connect the adjacent ends of the segments by means of
a pin which pin is firmly secured into one segment but is free to slide in a slot or
recess formed in the other segment. One end or both ends of each of the pins
passes into a slot or slots formed in one or, both of the flanges previously referred
to. Between the flanges before mentioned I place a ring of metal which ring
capable of being turned in any convenient manner upon the disc or wheel previously
mentioned: In the metal ring above referred to I form inclined grooves which
inclined grooves at times act upon the pins above referred to. When the ring of
metal above mentioned is turned in one direction the inclined grooves acting upon
the pins will cause the segments to be moved away from the axis of the main
cylinder but when the metal ring above mentioned is moved in a direction opposite
to that previously mentioned the segments will be caused to approach the axis of the
main.cylinder.
In the accompanying drawing which shows so much of a carding-engine as is
requisite to illustrate my invention, Fig. 1 is a front view. Fig. 2 is a front view
with certain parts of that which is shown in Fig. 1 removed. And Fig. 3 is a
section. Fig. 4 is a front view and Fig. 5 a plan upon a larger scale of certain
parts of that which is shown in Fig. 1. The same letters of reference are applied to
corresponding parts in all of the figures.
a is one of the discs or wheels employed to support the "flats" b. The disc or
wheel a is supported by and capable of being. rotated on a boss. c supported by the
side-framing d of the carding-engine. Fast upon the disc or wheel a I form. a
flange a¹. Around the disc or wheel and capable of. being turned upon a surface a
formed upon the disc or wheel a I place a flange or ring e the flange or ringe being
retained upon the dise or wheel a by means of a plate or ring. f. secured to the
disc or wheel a by screws f¹. Between the flange a and flange or ring. I place a
number of segments.g upon the outer circumference of which the "flats" bone only
of which is shown in the drawing are supported.-

page_text: The adjacent ends of the segments gare formed so that the said ends of such
segments may overlap. In one end of each of the segments g I secure a pin gl
which passes into and is capable of being slidden in a slot g' formed in the adjacent
segment 9. In one end of each of the segments g I secure a pin / the ends of
which pin project at opposite sides of the segment g in which it is secured.
The projecting portion of each of the pins h projects at one side of the segment g
in which it is secured into a slot as formed in the flange a'. The other end of each
of the pins passes into one of a number of inclined grooves e formed in the
flange or ring e. The segments are prevented from being moved laterally by the
flange al and flange or ring e.. In the accompanying drawing each of the pins h
is shown as being situate in the inclined groove e¹ into which it projects; at the part
of such groove e farthest from the axis around which the disc or wheel a rotates
and the segments 9 are shown in the positions which they occupy when farthest
away from the axis of the disc or-wheel a. If the disc or wheel a be held stationary
and the flange or ring e be turned upon the disc or wheel a in the direction indicated
by the arrow A the sides e¹s of the inclined grooves el acting upon the pins h
projecting into such grooves e¹ will cause the segments g to be moved nearer to the
axis around which the disc or wheel a rotates. If the disc or wheel a be held
stationary and the plate e be turned upon the disc or wheel a in a direction opposite
to that indicated by the arrow A the sides elb of the inclined grooves el acting upon
the pins projecting into such grooves el will cause the segments g to be moved
farther from the axis around which the disc or wheel a rotates. The slots and
pins g by which the adjacent segments. g are connected act as guides and serve to.
keep the surfaces g³ of the segments g concentric with the disc. or wheel a.
g.
After the segments g have been fitted and secured in position between the
flange a and the flange or ringe upon the disc or wheel a the outer surfaces g³
of the segments g are turned or ground or turned and ground so that such
surfaces will be concentric with the disc or wheel a.
In order to turn the flange or ring e upon the disc or wheel a and to secure the
flange or ring e in position after being turned upon the disc or wheel a I in some
cases employ the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 being a side view
and Fig. 7 a section of that which is shown in Fig. 6. Upon the inner circum-
ference of the flange or ring e I form a number of teeth j into which gear the teeth
of a wheel mounted fast upon a short shaft carried by and capable of being
rotated in a bracket m secured to the disc or wheel a. Fast upon the short shaft / is a
wheel n the teeth of which gear into a worm upon a spindle o' carried by and
capable of being rotated in arms formed on the bracket m.
The end of the spindle o' is formed with a portion of a square or other suitable
shape to which portion a suitable key or handle may be applied.
By the worm o being turned in the required direction the flange or ring e may
be turned upon the disc or wheel a in one direction or the other according as it
may be desired to cause the segments g to be moved nearer to or further from the
axis around which the disc or wheel a is rotated.
After the segments have been adjusted into position by the flange or ringe being
turned upon the disc or wheel a the surfaces g of the segments g may be subjected to
the action of a grinding roller so that the said surfaces shall be concentric with the
disc or wheel a.
Although I prefer to employ the arrangement shown in and described in reference
to Figs. 1. 2. 34 and 5 of the accompanying drawing each of the pins which
pass into the inclined grooves e¹ and into the slots a³ may be caused to pass through
the adjacent ends of two of the segments g and thus one pin may be caused to
serve instead of one of the pins g₁ and one of the pins has shown in Figs. 8
and 9. Fig. 8 is a side view and Fig. 9 a plan of portions of two of the
segments g.
In place of the inclined grooves e¹ a single spiral groove may, as will be readily
understood, be employed.

page_text: Although I have above only referred to apparatus situate at one side of the
carding-engine corresponding apparatus is applied to the other side of the carding-
engine.
The boss c upon which the disc or wheel a is mounted is provided with any
suitable means by means of which upon the axle of the main cylinder and the boss c
or either of them becoming worn the disc or wheel a may be adjusted into the
required position relatively to the "card surface" of the main cylinder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is
In conjunction with each of the discs or wheels employed to. support the "flats"
in carding-engines of the kind bereinbefore referred to and for adjusting the
"flats" in position relatively to the "card surface" of the "main cylinder" segments
such as g which are connected at their adjacent ends by pins each secured in one
segment and passing into a slot formed in another segment and are capable of being
moved towards or away from the axis of the disc or wheel upon which they are
mounted by inclined grooves or a spiral. groove substantially as hereinbefore
described in reference to and indicated in and by the accompanying drawing.
Dated this First day of July 1889.
W. T. CHEETHAM,
Manchester, Agent to the Applicant.