Improvements in Carding Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Carding Engines.
I JOHN FREDERICK BRADBURY of Parel, Bombay, India Mill Manager,
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 said invention relates to improvements in that class of carding engines
wherein a series of travelling flats work in conjunction with a cylinder and wherein
it is of great importance to be able to accurately adjust the distance of the points
of the card teeth on the flats from the points of the card teeth on the cylinder.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I will at once
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing in
which
Fig. 1 represents so much of one side of a carding engine as is necessary to
explain the construction and application of the means I employ in carrying out my
said invention.
Fig. II is a cross section through a―y of Fig. 1.
The other side of the carding engine is constructed and arranged in a similar
manner.
For supporting the flats A A I provide a flexible or clastic bend B of what
I term the ring type, preferably obtained by first making a ring of suitable
cross section which after having been accurately turned and bored is divided
and furnishes two nearly semicircular bends. One of each of such bends, herein-
after referred to as accessory bends is placed near each end of the cylinder
The accessory
where they form the immediate supports for the ends of the flats.
bends are supported underneath by detached distance pieces or pillars CC,
carried in slides or sockets C C¹, formed in or attached to the side frame of
the carding engine, in such a manner that the distance pieces or pillars may
slide freely towards or from the axis of the cylinder in a radial direction.
Between the distance pieces C C and a circular rib or projection G concentric
with the cylinder and forming part of the side frame E of the carding engine I
linder
interpose a curved wedge F the lower,face of which is concentric with the cy
and is so arranged that it may be caused to travel round the corresponding upper
curved face of the rib G.
The upper face of the curved wedge F is so formed that when it is slid length-
ways in one direction all the distance pieces CC resting thereon will be pushed
away from the axis of the cylinder while when the wedge is slid in the opposite
direction the said distance pieces will be able to approach nearer to the axis of the
cylinder. In order that the whole of the distance pieces may move simultaneously
through equal distances it is desirable that the upper surface of the curved wedge
should form part of a helix.
The accessory bend B being supported by the distance pieces C C will partake
of their radial movement, and by varying the position of the curved wedge F the
distance of the flats A A from the centre of the cylinder may be regulated
at will.
The lengths of the distance pieces C C increase from the thick end of the wedge
towards the thin end thereof and are so proportioned that the points of contact
with the accessory bend B are concentric with the cylinder.
Means are provided for readily sliding the wedge as for example a pinion H
gearing into a rack formed in the under side of the wedge. The pinion is rotated
by means of a worm H' and a worm-wheel H' the face of which may be graduated
in such a manner as to indicate the actual amount of the radial movement of the

page_text: flats at each adjustment. Other means for sliding the wedge may be employed and
the above described device is simply shown as one of many, and forms no part of
my said invention.
The accessory bend B is held in position and prevented from being displaced by
a stud B working in a slot B in one or both of the brackets B³ which carries the
guide pulley for the flats.
I find that when the points of support of the accessory bend are about eight
inches apart an accessory bend of square section one inch thick and made of cast
iron possesses the necessary elasticity to allow the bend to accomodate itself to the
varying positions of the points of support, while being sufficiently rigid to carry the
weight of the flats between the points of support without departing to an injurious
extent from a circular arc concentric with the cylinder.
The ends of the distance pieces C C are rounded in such a manner as to present
very small surfaces of contact between the distance pieces and the accessory bend B,
in order that the latter may not be prevented from readily accomodating itself to
the shape of a circular arc of varying radius.
The brackets B³ which carry the guide pulleys for the flats also rest on the wedge
or are secured to the sliding distance pieces in order that they may partake of the
general radial adjustment of the whole system.
I am aware that radially adjustable supporting pieces resting on a helical sliding
surface have been employed for supporting the flats of carding engines either with
- or without the intervention of a flexible bend and I therefore wish it to be under-
stood that I make no separate or special claim to the use of wedges, radially
adjustable distance pieces, or flexible bends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a carding engine the combination of the detached supporting pillars C C of
graduated lengths sliding freely in the sockets C¹ C¹, the wedge having a con-
tinuous curved upper surface to receive all the supporting pillars, and the elastic
bend B of sufficient strength to maintain its curvature between the detached points
of support when subjected to the weight of the flats, substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and shown.
Dated this 14th day of October 1891.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.