Improvements in the Method of and Means for Fastening Card Clothing to the Flats of Revolving Flat Carding Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES MILLS, Superintendent, and ROBERT
WINSLOW HUNTON, Foreman, both of Newton Upper Falls in the County of
Middlesex and State of Massachusetts United States of America.]
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Fastening Card
Clothing to the Flats of Revolving Flat Carding Engines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
a
Our invention relates to the method of fastening card clothing to flats by means
of long clips made from flat strips of metal, one edge of which has points, which
clips are attached to the edges of the clothing, and after such attachment are used
to strain the clothing to the face of the 'flat and to fasten the clothing to the flat
The invention further relates to devices for carrying this method into effect,
and which comprises first the clips themselves which are shaped to engage the
of holder and
the press
press,
a
edge of the clothing by means
the clothing in respect to
being actuate to move
the clips held by
the holder to simultaneously unite the edges of the clothing to the clips; second,
the said press; third means whereby the clothing with the attached clips is held
in a holder and while so held stretched by the movement of the flat between por-
tions of the clip, the stretched clothing and clips being then united to the flat by
portions of the clip which are caused to be bent upon the surface of the flat oppo-
site that to which the clothing is applied. The holders may form a stationary
part of the bed of the machine or apparatus, and the devices for operating the
press, plunger or pressure blocks and for moving the flat vertically may be of any
desired type capable of imparting vertical movement, and the said clip folders
are movable horizontally by any means adapted' to impart horizontal movement.
We do not confine ourselves to the particular devices for providing these parts
with their necessary movements.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a single side clip.
Figures 2, 3, and 4 represent in vertical section a strip of wired clothing, two
clips and devices for attaching the clips to the edge of the clothing.
Figure 5 represents the clothing and attached clips, the prongs of which are
turned over but are not imbedded into the inner surface of the clothing.
Figure 6 and 7 represent means for imbedding the bent prongs represented as
extending through the edges of the clothing, in Figure 5, into the back of the
clothing, or as represented in Figure 8.
Figure 8 shows the clips after being bent by the devices shown in Figures 6
and 7.
Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12, are views illustrating the means for stretching the
clothing by means of the clips, and for attaching the clothing to the flat by means

page_text: Figure 13 is a view in perspective of a portion of a flat, stretched clothing and
attached clips.
The side clips A are made from flat strips of sheet metal bent to the shape
represented in Figure 1, having the prongs at extending upward from the edge of
the narrow section a, and the binding section. The prongs are of a length to
pass through the clothing and be bent upon the under surface thereof. They are
first attached to the clothing in substantially the following way: A bed B (sec
Figures 2 and 3) is provided in which is formed a central recess and side ledges
or supports on each side of said central recess, and from which extend upward
the side walls 6. This bed is of about the length of a flat, and the ledges or sup-
ports are each adapted to hold a clip A as represented in Figure 2, and so that
the binding sections a² of the clips are against the walls b The clips are thus
positioned with the binding sections the width of the unstretched clothing C apart.
The clothing has the wired section e which is a trifle less in width than the width
of the recess b and the unwired edges c¹. Its entire width is about equal to the
width of the space between the sections of the clips when in their holder, and
the clothing thus shaped is then placed in the holder between the two sections a²
of the clips, and with its unclothed edges resting upon the prongs a of the two
clips. There is then brought into operation a plunger or pressure block 1 which
has the prong turning surfaces d separated by a flat surface d.
This flat surface is of about the width of the wired section of the clothing. The
prong turning surfaces have inclined sections separated from each other by a space
equal to that which separates the prongs of the clips A when in the holder,
and these inclined surfaces extend to the straight surfaces which form cavities
into which the prongs may enter during the downward movement of the plunger
or pressure head as will hereinafter appear. The pressure head thus shaped is
then inserted into the holder between the sections of the clips and is moved
downward therein pressing the wired section of the clothing downwardly by means
of its flat portion into the recess b, and the edges c of the clothing upon the
prongs a¹ of the clips, causing the prongs to penetrate the edges of the clothing
and to come into contact with the inclines d and surfaces &, and by them to be
turned over upon the inner surface of the clothing. This movement of the pres-
sure head is well represented in Figures 2, 3 and 4, Figure 4 representing the
relation of the pressure head to the holder at the completion of its move-
ment, the ends of the prongs then being represented as turned outward
upon the inner surface of the clothing. The pressure head is then removed and
preferably the clothing with the clips attached thereto left in the holder where
they are subjected to another operation by a second plunger or pressure head
which imbeds the ends of the prongs into the substance of the clothing without
applying pressure to the intermediate or wired section of the clothing.
This second plunger or pressure head may be provided by reversing the pressure
head D when desired, and in Figures 2, 3 and 4, we have represented the pressure
head as so formed, and in Figures 6, 7 and 8 as reversed to bring into action the
prong imbedding sections c, which are separated from each other by the depressed
section e. The imbedding sections are arranged so as to be immediately above
the turned over prongs, (see Figure 6) and upon their contact with the prongs,
(see Figure 7) they serve to imbed them into the clothing and bring their sur
faces flush with the inner surface thereof without bringing material pressure to
bear upon the wired section of the clothing. The clothing as thus provided with
its attached clips is represented in Figure 8.
It is desirable that the points or ends of the prongs should be imbedded into the
substance of the clothing in order that its inner surface may be made as flat or
level as possible before the clothing is secured to the flat, as it is essential that
there shall be no bunches or irregularities upon such surface to throw out of shape
or displace the outer surface of the wired section.
There is thus obtained a clothing which is prepared for subsequent application
to a flat by having rigidly secured to its edges in advance of its application to the

page_text: flat, attaching clips which are not only in the subsequent attaching operation
employed for securing the clothing to the flat, but also for stretching the clothing
in the act of securing it.
It will be understood that either the presser or the holder may be the movable
member of the device.
It will be seen that by this device the two clips are simultaneously attached to
opposite edges of the clothing and at a uniform distance apart from each other,
and that the sections of the clips which are afterwards used for attaching the
clothing to the flat are sustained in place and caused to have a right angular
relation to the inner surface of the clothing.
The clothing and clips thus prepared are then removed from the holder A and
inserted in the holder F, (See Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12). This holder is similar.
in shape to the holder A, but varied from it in that the recess between its side walls
is somewhat wider than the corresponding recess of the holder A (See Figure 9).
The clothing with its attached clips when placed in this holder will not fill the
same but will bear the relation thereto represented in said Figure 9.
The space between the side walls f of the holder is equal to the width of the
flat G and the thickness of the clips. The clothing is stretched by forcing the
flat into the holder between the clips or from the position represented in Figure 9
to the position represented in Figure 10. The flat is thus forced by a vertically
movable pressure head I which preferably is shaped as represented in Figures 9,
10, 11 and 12, having the sections which bear upon the outer surface of the
flat on each side of its central rib, the said rib projecting into the recess h¹ between
the sections h. The flat has the flat surface g and when pressed downward into
the holder it separates the clips in the holder and causes them to stretch the cloth-
ing, and this movement is continued until the flat is seated on the inner surface
of the clothing as represented in Figure 10. This brings the flat between the
sections of the clips, the upper edges of which extend above the outer surface
of the flat and upper surface of the holder, and are in a position to be readily
turned inward upon the said outer surface of the flat by turning tools or slides M
or by any other desired means, and when the said edges are thus folded upon the
outer surface of the flat they occupy the position in relation thereto represented in
Figures 12 and 13.
It will be seen that by providing the clothing with clips arranged as specified
and by supporting it as indicated and applying the flat thereto as described, that
the clothing is stretched, the flat brought into proper relation with it and in such
relation to the clips that the clothing may be immediately secured to the flat at the
end of the stretching of the clothing.
in some instances the prongs may be directly imbedded into the inner surface
of the clothing by the first action of the presser by slightly modifying the shape
of the prong turning surfaces. This would render the second prong imbedding
ecration of the presser unnecessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a device for attaching clips of the character specified to the edges of card
clothing a holder having the beds upon which the clips in opposed relation are
placed, the spacing walls and the recess for the reception of the wired section
of the clothing, with a pressure head or plunger D), having a flat surface d¹ and
the point turning surfaces d, de, as and for the purposes specified.
2. In a device for securing attaching clips to card clothing, the combination
with a bed b', a wall 62 to position and hold the attaching clip in place relative
to the card clothing, and a plunger 1 having the surfaces d, d³ for turning the
points of the clip, substantially as described.
3. In a device for securing attaching clips to card clothing, the combination
with a holder for the clothing and clip provided with the recess 6 and having the

page_text: surfaces b' on which the attaching clips are placed, of the plunger D to turn and
clamp the securing prongs of the clip in card clothing, substantially as described.
4. In a device for simultaneously attaching two card clothing securing clips to
the opposite edges of the card clothing, the combination with clip holders having
supporting beds adapted to receive and hold said clips upon their front edges, and
shaping walls shaped as specified, of means adapted to enter between said shaping
walls and move the card clothing relative to the said holders, substantially as
described.
5. In a device for attaching clips to card clothing, the combination of a holder
having the beds a for holding the clips as specified, and attached wire clothing,
the intermediate recess a¹ for receiving the wired section of the clothing and the
side walls a separated from each other by a space equal to the width of the cloth-
ing and attached clips, with a plunger or pressure head having the prong imbed-
ding sections e adapted to be brought against the partially turned ends of the
prongs projecting from the inner surface of the clothing and to press them down-
ward into the substance of the clothing, as and for the purposes specified.
G. The combination in a device for attaching clips to card clothing, of the beds a
for receiving and holding the clothing upon its face side and the attached clips
secured to the clothing as specified, with the pressure head having the cint
fattening sections e and adapted to be closed upon the points of said clips and
recess e¹ between them to act upon the rear surface of the clothing, as and for
the purposes described.
7. The combination, in a device for attaching clips to card clothing, of a bed a
adapted to receive the face side of the clips, a clip sustaining wall arising from
the inner edge of the bed and a pressure head D having a point imbedding sec-
tion e and adapted to act upon the rear surface of the clothing, whereby the points
of the clips extending above the inner surface of the clothing may be flattened into
the inner surface thereof.
8. The combination in a device for attaching clips to card clothing of a holder
for holding the wired card clothing with the clips partially attached thereto by
its front edges only, the same comprising the beds a to receive the face of the
clothing with the pressure head having the point imbedding surfaces c and the
Iccess c¹ between them to act upon the rear surface of the clothing, as and for the
purposes described.
9. In a device for stretching card clothing and attaching it to flats, the combin-
ation of a holder for holding and rigidly supporting the card clothing and clips
previously attached thereto, and means for pressing a flat between the clips upon
the card clothing while so supported, whereby the clothing is stretched during the
movement of the flat toward the clothing.
10. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a holder for
supporting the card clothing and its attached clips upon the face thereof, and
means for pressing the flat between the clips and bringing their edges above the
under surface thereof, from which they may be turned upon the under surface of
the flat to secure the clothing thereto.
11. The combination of the holder having beds a a for rigidly supporting the
face of the clothing and the recess as and walls f, the walls being separated from
each other by a space slightly greater than the width of the clothing and its
attached clips, with the flat presser H whereby a flat of a width slightly greater
than the normal distance between the inner opposed surfaces of the upwardly pro-
jecting clips may be forced between said surfaces and stretch the clothing, as and
for the purposes set forth.
12. Means for stretching and attaching the card clothing to the face of a flat,
said means consisting in clip holders against which the faces of the clips rest and
upon which they may spread in a direction away from each other in combination
with mechanism for forcing a flat slightly wider than the said clips are apart, to
a seat between said clips and against the inner surface of the clothing, whereby
the clothing is stretched by the separation of the clips, all as set forth.

page_text: 13. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a holder for
supporting the card clothing and its attaching clips upon the face thereof, means
for pressing the flat between the clips and bringing their edges above the under
surface thereof, and means for turning the said edges over the under surface of the
flat, whereby the clothing is secured thereto.
14. The method and means herein described for attaching card clothing to flats,
comprising the preliminary attachment of clips to the edges of card clothing as
herein indicated, and the subsequent use of said clips, a holding mechanism, a flat
pressing device and a clip folding device in the stretching of the clothing and the
attachment of the clothing to the flat.
Dated this 4th day of May 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.