IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING AND POINTING THE CARDS ON CARDING ENGINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert. Swires, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR GRINDING AND POINTING THE CARDS ON CARDING ENGINES,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Swires at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
November 1865.
I, ROBERT SWIRES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR GRINDING AND POINTING THE CARDS ON CARDING ENGINES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus used for grinding and
pointing the cards on carding engines, and consists in the employment and use
of a narrow cast-iron fixing, which is by preference constructed to be situated
immediately over the doffing cylinder of carding engines in a parallel line
with the axis of such cylinder, and secured to the framework of the carding
engine by bolts or set screws, and made adjustable to suit any width of
Price dl

page_text: framework by adjustable transverse ribs on the under surface of such fixing.
Upon such fixing a slide or carriage is mounted, which is arranged to slide
longitudinally backwards and forwards along the top surface of the fixing, in
the same manner as the tool holder of a slide rest for a lathe, by having a
right and left handed screw working loosely in bearings at each end of the
fixing, passing through a clip or lug in which is situated a swivelled "traveller,"
which is arranged so as to allow the slide or carriage to dwell for a time at
either end of the fixing. To lugs situated on the top of the slide or carriage
carriers are jointed, which are designed for carrying at their extremities the
grinding rollers herein-after described, which carriers are capable of being
raised or lowered to any required height by means of vertical adjustable set
screws screwed through short arms projecting at the rear of such carriers.
The carrier, in which is mounted the steel roller for pointing the cards on the
main carding cylinder, projects over such main carding cylinder, whilst the
carrier for the doffing cylinder grinding or pointing roller projects quite
in an opposite direction over the doffing cylinder, and such carriers are
quite independent of each other, so that either of them can be raised or
lowered without the other, which has not hitherto been practicable. A
driving shaft extending from one end of the fixing to the other, and working
in bearings at each end of such fixing, passes through the joint of the main
cylinder roller carrier, and has a double wheel or pulley mounted upon it
between the lugs to which the said carrier is jointed, the said wheel or pulley
being further provided with a key to slide in a longitudinal groove cut down
the driving shaft, so that such shaft cannot revolve without turning the wheel
with it, whilst at the same time the slide or carriage may move along and
alter its position upon the fixing. An endless band or strap passing round
the wheel or pulley upon the driving shaft communicates motion at
the same speed to another double wheel or pulley working in bearings in
the joint of the doffer cylinder roller carrier, and such double wheels are
employed for turning the steel rollers situated at the extremity of the carriers
herein-before mentioned, which motion is imparted by endless bands or straps
passing round pulleys or wheels connected with such steel rollers. It is pre-
ferred to have the driving shaft to project beyond the outer side of one of its
bearings in order to have a pulley mounted upon it, round which a strap may
be passed to any suitable pulley on the carding engine, and thus the machine
may be worked, and the screw for working the carriage may be connected at
its end by toothed gearing or by a band or strap to the driving shaft, and thus
be made self-acting, or the carriage might be worked along the fixing by means

page_text: of an endless band or chain. The steel rollers herein-before alluded to, which
form a prominent part of this Invention, are intended as a substitute for the
rough emeryrollers heretofore used for the purpose of sharpening or pointing
the cards, and consist of steel cylindrical formed rollers, having acute-angled
annular grooves cut round them, the sides of which grooves are further cut
transversely by a diamond-pointed tool,in the same manner as tiles are manu-
factured, so that such grooves form a kind of annular filing surface, which,
if hardened or tempered and brought into contact with the cards, have the
effect of producing a point upon the individual wires of the cards on the
carding cylinders.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Swires in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SWIRES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Robert Swires, Her special license that I, the said
Robert Swires, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
I, the said Robert Swires, 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
'IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GRINDING AND POINTING THE CARDS ON
CARDING ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Robert Swires, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hauds and seals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Swires, 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 bythe following
statement:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus or machinery used for
grinding and pointing the cards on carding engines,and has for its chief object
the construction of a machine which shall grind the cards of the main carding
anddoffing cylinders at one and the same time, whereby much labour and loss
of time will be saved, and by means of which the grinding and pointing will
be much more efficiently performed than has hitherto been practicable.
For the purpose of this Invention a narrow cast-iron fixing is used, which
is constructed to be situated in a position between the main carding and
doffing cylinders in a parallel line with the axes of such cylinders,and secured
to the sides of the framework by bolts or set screws. Upon such fixing a slide
or carriage is mounted, which is arranged to slide longitudinally backwards
and forwards along the top surface of the fixing in the same manner as the
tool holder of a slide rest of a lathe, by having a right and left handed screw
working loosely in bearings at each end of the fixing, passing through a clip
or lug(connected to the said slide or carriage), which is so arranged as to allow
the slide or carriage to dwell for a time at either end of the fixing. To lugs
situated on the top of the slide or carriage carriers are jointed, which are
designed for carrying at their extremities the ordinary emery or the grinding
rollers herein-after described, which carriers are capable of being raised or
lowered to any required height by means of vertical adjustable set screws.
The carrier, in which is mounted the grinding roller for pointing the cards on
the main carding cylinder, projects over such main carding cylinder, whilst the
carrier for the doffing cylinder grinding or pointing roller projects in an
opposite direction over the doffing cylinder, and such carriers are quite inde-
pendant of each other, so that either of them can be raised or lowered without
the other. A driving shaft extending from one end of the fixing to the other
and working in bearings at each end of such fixing,passes through the joints
of the carriers, and has a double-grooved wharve or pulley mounted upon it
between the lugs to which the said carriers are jointed, the said wharve or
pulley being further provided with a key to slide in a longitudinal groove cut
down the driving shaft, so that such shaft cannot revolve without turning the
wharve with it, whilst at the same time the slide or carriage may move along
and alter its position upon the fixing. Endless bands or straps passing round
the grooves of thewharve or pulleyupon the driving shaft communicatemotion

page_text: at an accelerated speed to the grinding roller situated at the extremity of the
carriers herein-before mentioned. It is preferred to have the driving shaft to
project beyond the outer sides ofits bearings,in order to havea pulley mounted
upon either end, round which a strap may be passed to any suitable pulley on
the carding engine, and thus the machine may be worked; and the screw for
working the carriage may be connected at its end by toothed gearing or by a
band or strap to the driving shaft, and thus be made self-acting, or the car-
riage might be worked along the fixing by means of an endless band or chain.
The steel rollers herein-before alluded to, which form a prominent part of this
Invention, are intended as a substitute for the rough emery rollers heretofore
used for the purpose of sharpening or pointing the cards, and consist of
cylindrical-formed steel rollers, having acute-angled annular grooves cut round
them, the sides of which grooves are further cut transversely by a diamond-
pointed tool, in the same manner as files are manufactured, or the annular
grooves may be further acutely grooved, or cut transversely or diagonally
across, either by hand or machinery, so that such grooves form a kind of
annular filing surface, which, ifhardened or tempered and brought into contact
with the cards, have the effect of producing a point upon the individual wires
of the cards on the carding cylinders.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood
I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of my improve-
ments; like letters and figures marked on the Drawings are used to denote
similar parts.
Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 an end view, and Fig. 3 is a plan of part of a
carding engine with my improved grinding apparatus applied thereto, drawn
to a scale of about inch and half to a foot; Fig. 4 is a plan, Fig. 5 is an end
view, and Fig. 6 is a side view of a framework with my grinding apparatus
applied, for the purpose of grinding and pointing the smaller card rollers
(sometimes called clearers) belonging to carding engines, drawn to a scale of
about inch and half to a foot; Fig. 7 is a front view, partly in section, and
Fig. 8 is an end view of the steel grinding roller constructed according to my
Invention, drawn about half size.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A represents the framework of a carding engine;
B, the main carding cylinder; and C, the doffer; D are fixings, permanently
secured by bolts or set screws to the sides of the carding engine for supporting
the cast-iron bed E, which fits into tongued grooves on the upper part of such
fixing; Fis a slide or carriage which is caused to slide longitudinally back-
wards and forwards upon the bed E by means of the right and left handed

page_text: screw G; H are pedestal bearings, secured to each end of the bed E, in which
bearings the driving shaft I revolves; J is a spur wheel gearing into the spur
wheel K situated at the extremity of the screw G ; and L is a pulley, round
which a strap M is passed to the driving pulley N, and thus motion is com-
municated to the grinding apparatus. To the ends of the slide or carriage F
cheek plates O are affixed, with lugs on their inner surfaces, through which
lugs the driving shaft passes, and upon which lugs the grinding roller carriers
Pare jointed, which carry at their extremities the ordinary emery grinding
rollers or steel rollers Q, herein-after more fully described. L' is a double-
grooved wharvemounted between the bearings of the carriers upon the driving
shaft I, and provided with a key to slide in a longitudinal groove formed the
whole length of the driving shaft, so that such shaft cannot revolve without
turning the wharve with it, whilst at the same time the carriage F is free to
slide along the bed E; R are adjustable thumbscrews, provided with lock
Duts screwed through the roller carriers P, which impinge against the upper
surface of the carriage and are used for raising or lowering and so adjusting
the grinding rollers Q; S are set screws for regulating the length of the
"dwell" of the carriage at either end of the fixing when there is any variation
in the width of the cylinders to be ground; T are bands or straps passing
round the wharve L'for communicating the revolving motion to the grinding
rollers P.
The mode of operating my grinding apparatus may be thus described :-
Revolving motion being imparted to the driving shaft I by means of a strap
from ary convenient pulley, either on the carding engine or from any shaft,
the spur wheel J gearing into the spur wheel K causes the right and left
handed screw G to revolve, and so the carriage or slide F is set in motion
and travels backwards and forwards along the bed E, stopping or dwelling for
a time at either end of the bed in the usual manner, but the length of which
dwelling or stoppage may be regulated by the screws S. The double-grooved
wharve L'in its turn communicates a rapid revolving motion by means of the
bands or straps T to the grinding rollers Q, and thus the cards of the main
carding and doffing cylinders are ground and pointed at one and the same
time, and that by a single machine, whilst by means of the thumbscrews R
the grinding operation is regulated to the greatest nicety.
In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, a are the pedestals for supporting the grinding appa-
ratus, which are secured to a framework 6 bolted together by the bolts c. Upon
the top of the said framework adjustable bearers d are mounted (not shewn
in Figure 6), which can be either raised or lowered by the set screws or

page_text: adjusted laterally to take in any width of roller by sliding along the top of the
framework, which bearers support the small rollers e belonging to carding
engines (not shewn in Fig. 6) whilst they are undergoing the grinding opera-
tion, and to which revolving motion is imparted by a strap f from the main
driving pulley g passing round the flanged pulleys h. i is the main driving shaft,
and K the fast and I the loose driving pulleys. As the grinding apparatus and
the mode of operating it is precisely the same in this machine as iu that
described in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and moreover as the same description is
applicable, it will not be necessary to recapitulate here. It will be readily
apparent that this Invention is also applicable for grinding and pointing flats.
In Figs. 7 and 8 m represents a cast-iron pulley or wheel, which is hollowed
out for the sake of lightness, upon the periphery of which the steel ring or
sleeve n is situated, which sleeve or ring has acute-angled annular grooves
cut round it about the same pitch as those illustrated, the sides of which
grooves are further cut transversely a diamond-pointed tool, in the same
manner as files are manufactured, or the aunular grooves may be further
acutely grooved or cut transversely or diagonally across, either by haud or
machinery, and then hardened and tempered. The said steel ring or sleeve n
is secured in position by being screwed up by the metallic plate o between
the coned shoulders, as represented, by means of the screws p. The cast-iron
wheel or pulley is provided with a groove r, round which the band for working
it is passed. s represents the ends of the carrier, shewing how the cast-iron
wheel is mounted upon a stud t, but it should be here stated that the steel
rollers might be worked between centres with equally as good if not better
results. The speed at which I have found these steel rollers to work well is
about 600 revolutions a minute, but a slower or quicker speed might be
used.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, together with the best method with which I am acquainted for
carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions
herein-before described and set forth, as the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention; but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the peculiar arrangement, construction, and mode of operating the
carriers and grinding rollers for grinding the cards on the main carding and
doffing cylinders of carding engines at one and the same time, together with the
means of adjusting such rollers independantly of each other, as herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.

page_text: Secondly, the use and application of steel rollers constructed substantially
as and for the purpose described.
Thirdly, and lastly, the mode herein shewn and described, or any mere
modification thereof, of mounting and grinding the small card rollers belonging
to carding engines.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Swires, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JOHN G. WILSON,
Patent Office,
3, St. James's Square,
Manchester.
ROBERT (L.s.) SWIRES.