IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES TO CARDING MACHINERY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cliffe of Ley Moor Golcar near Huddersfield in
the county of York Machine Maker for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES TO
CARDING MACHINERY
"2
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cliffe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1882.
WILLIAM CLIFFE of Ley Moor Golcar near Huddersfield in the County of
York Machine Maker "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES TO CARDING MACHINERY
"
This Invention has reference to machines for which Letters Patents were
granted to Evans and King No. 1840 and No. 360009 and also Letters Patent
granted to Cliffe and Ainley No. 274881. In each of these machines a spiked
revolving roller was employed for taking the fibre from a hopper such fibre being
taken off the spiked roller by a huter or revolving fan and dropt into a weighing
scale and afterwards emptied onto a creeper to be carried forward to the feed
rollers of a carding machine.
In practice it is found that the fibre is taken from the hopper by the spiked
roller in very irregular quantities and in due course placed into the scale in such
irregular quantities and proportions as to course the scale to be emptied at irregular
intervals, consequently there is full places and have places of fibre on the creeper
and uneven yarn produced thereby. Now my Invention is intended to supply the
scale with fibre in more regular and uniform quantities, and this I accomplish by
employing one or more spiked rollers in addition to the one now employed all of
which are caused to revolve in the same direction. I also employ a vibrating comb
and place it near the top spiked roller for the purpose of removing superfluous
fibre therefrom which would otherwise drop into the scale. A beater or fan' is
placed in contact with or near to these spiked rollers which are running in the
same direction as the beater but at a slower speed by which means the fibre is
stipped or removed from the spikes and thrown into the scale in small flakes and
in such uniform quantities that the said scale is always filled and waiting for the
tilting apparatus to upset its contents of the creeper.
Instead of employing a fan or beater for removing the fibre from the spikes of
the rollers, a travelling endless belt or apron provided with spikes or projections
may be employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Cliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd Octobe
1882.
WILLIAM CLIFFE of Ley Moor, Golcar near Huddersfield in the County of
York, Machine, Maker "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
FEEDING WOOL AND OTHER FIBRES TO CARDING MACHINERY
"
This Invention has reference to that class of machines for which Letters Patent
were granted to Evans and King No. 18409 and No. 360009 and also Letters
Patent granted to Cliffe and Ainley No. 274881. In each of these machines, a
spiked revolving roller was employed for taking the fibre from a hopper, such fibre
being taken off the spiked roller by a heater or revolving fan and allowed to drop
into a weighing scale and afterwards emptied onto a creeper to be carried forward
to the feed rollers of a carding machine. In practice it is found that the fibre is
taken from the hopper by the spiked roller in very irregular quantities, and in due
course placed into the scale in such irregular quantities and proportions as to fill
the scale sooner at one time than another and therefore emptied at irregular
intervals, consequently there was full places and bare places of tibre on the creeper
and uneven yarn produced thereby. Now my Invention is intended to supply the
scale, with fibre in more regular and uniform quantities, and this I accomplish by
employing one or more spiked rollers.in addition to the one now employed, both or
all of which are caused to revolve in the same direction. I also employ a vibrating
comb, and place it near or in contact with the top spiked roller for the purpose of
removing superfluous fibre therefrom which would otherwise drop into the scale.
A revolving beater or fan is placed in contact with or near to these spiked rollers,
all the surfaces of which are running in the same direction as the beater, but at a
slower speed, by which means the fibre is stripped or removed from the spikes and
thrown into the scale in small flakes, and in such uniform quantities that the said
scale is always filled and waiting for the tilting apparatus to upset its contents
onto the creeper.
In order that my Invention may be better understood I herein give reference to
the accompanying sheets of Drawings wherein Fig 1 is elevation of one side of
apparatus, Fig 2 is elevation of opposite side thereof and Fig 3 section of same
shewing interior of machine. A is the hopper or framing of machine, having a
loose bottom B which is capable of sliding up and down therein; it is raised by
means of a pin or stud fixed in the crank arm C which at each upward motion
thereof lifts the end of the lever D hinged upon the shaft E which is also provided
with a ratchet wheel F so that as the said lever D is raised, the catch G connected
thereto moves the ratchet wheel one or two teeth according to arrangement causing
the weight H to lower and so raise the loose bottom up the hopper. I is a holding
catch for holding the wheel, whilst the catch G is moving for. another tooth. The
fibre to be fed into the carding machine is placed into the hopper and rests upon
the loose bottom B and is kept in close contact with the travelling creeper J, by
means of the upward movement of the part B. Grooves K are made in the
framing of machine for projections L to slide up and down therein so as to guide
the loose bottom in its movements. The creeper J removes from the lower part of
the hopper a portion of fibre, as shewn in the drawing, which is removed therefrom
by the spiked revolving rollers M and N which carries it forward until removed by
the beater or fan O where it drops into the tilting scale or pan P and when full
emptied onto the creeper Q and carried to the feed rollers of the carding machine.
It will be seen that the teeth of the rollers M and N are running in opposite

page_text: directions at the point of contact which effectually regulates the quantity of wool
carried around by the roller M. R is a vibrating comb and is employed for
removing the superfluous fibre from the additional roller N thereby preventing
tufts or unequal quantities from passing around to the fan and into the scale P,
the vibrating comb receiving its motion from the rod S and disc T.
In order that the fibre may be kept at one uniform height in the hopper, I
employ a regulating bowl or plate U arranged the whole width thereof or a series
of narrow widths may be fastened on the shaft W, which on being raised by the
quantity of fibre will lift the rod V with it, which by means of a nut or other
projection a (shewn in detail Fig 4) will lift the catch G out of contact with the
ratchet wheel F consequently the lever D will cease to operate the said ratchet so
that the bottom B will remain stationary until the quantity of fibre in the hopper
is lessened allowing the plate U to lower and release the catch G which will drop
into gear with the ratchet and wind up the loose bottom B. A vibrating bar X to
assist the fibre onto the creeper J is employed and receives its motion by crank and
rod Y from wheel Z. The spiked rollers and fan receive their motion from the
train of gearing Z' which are driven by pulley and strap from any convenient
scourse as will be well understood. Instead of employing a fan or beater for
removing the fibre from the spikes of the rollers, a travelling endless belt or apron
provided with spikes or projections may be employed. This part of my Invention
is shewn on sheet 3 which is section of apparatus previously described with the
exception that the fan is removed and in its place I employ an endless travelling
apron A which conveys the fibre direct onto the licker-in A2 of the carding
machine. This part of my Invention is particularly applicable where long fibre is
being used, and by the employment of the regulating plate U to keep the fibre at
a uniform height in the hopper, this arrangement of apparatus is found very
effective and feeds the fibre in such uniform quantities as to dispense with the
necessity of weighing it.
Having now shewn and described my Improvements together with the manner
of carrying the same into practice, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details herein shewn and described as they may be varied or
modified without departing from the essentials thereof, nor do I confine myself to
use any particular kind of weighing pan or scale or to the use of any scale as the
fibre may drop onto the lattice, sheet, but what I do claim is-
Firstly. The employment of two or more revolving spiked rollers in combination
with a fan or beater in the manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. The employment of two or more revolving spiked rollers in combination
with the travelling apron A' in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
herein shewn and described.
Thirdly The use and employment of the regulating plate or plates U when
used in combination with the loose bottom B substantially as herein shewn and
described.
In witness whereof I the said William Cliffe have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty ninth day of September in the year of Our Lord. One
WILLIAM CLIFFE (L.S.)