CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING ENGINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Kershaw, of Heywood, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, and James Taylor, of the same Place,
Manager, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING
ENGINES."
Sealed the 14th August 1855, and dated the 20th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Kershaw and
James Taylor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 20th February 1855.
We, SAMUEL KERSHAW, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturer, and JAMES TAYLOR, of the same Place, Manager, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDING
ENGINES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the novel application of drawing rollers, feeding
dish, combs, and an intermediate "licker-in" roller, between the "lap" or roll
of cotton (to be submitted to the carding engine) and the ordinary "licker-in
roller, which conveys the cotton on to the main carding cylinder for the
purpose of thinning the lap or sheet of cotton previously to its entering the
carding engine.
Secondly, in doffing and recombing the cotton prior to carding, if preferred,

page_text: or after the old doffing roller, so as to be able to card and recard, or-comb
and recomb the cotton in one machine.
Thirdly, in the application of a comb to the "top rollers" and "strippers
of carding engines, or any other two rollers similarly employed.
And, lastly, in the application of double reciprocating "doffing combs'
knives, or a series of revolving combs or knives to facilitate the removal of
the carded cotton.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Kershaw and James Taylor, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
KERSHAW, of Heywood, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, and
JAMES TAYLOR, of the same Place, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Samuel Kershaw and James Taylor, Her especial license that we,
the said Samuel Kershaw and James Taylor, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Kershaw and James
Taylor, our 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN CARDING ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Samuel Kershaw and James Taylor, by an instrument in writing under our
hands 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Samuel Kershaw and James Taylor,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-

page_text: This Invention consists in the novel application of drawing rollers, feeding
dish, combs, and an intermediate "licker-in" roller between the lap or roll of
cotton (to be submitted to the carding engine) and the ordinary "licker-in
roller which conveys the cotton on to the main carding cylinder for the
purpose of "thinning the lap" or sheet of cotton previously to its entering
the carding engine.
Secondly, in "doffing" and recombing the cotton prior to carding, if pre-
ferred, or after the old "doffing" roller, so as to be able to card and recard, or
comb and recomb the cotton in one machine.
Thirdly, in the application of a comb to the "top rollers" and "strippers"
of carding engines, or any other two rollers similarly employed.
And, lastly, in the application of double reciprocating "doffing combs" or
knives, or a series of revolving combs or knives to facilitate the removal of
the carded cotton.
In order that our improvements may be better understood and explained in
detail, we have attached to these presents two Sheets of Drawing made upon
a scale of about two inches to the foot, and having on the several Figures
illustrated in both Sheets of Drawing the same letters of reference, placed
upon corresponding parts of the machinery or apparatus. Fig. 1 (Sheet 1)
represents a longitudinal section of a carding engine with our improvements
attached thereto; Fig. 2 (Sheet 1) being an end view or elevation of the
same, and illustrating the action of the double reciprocating combs upon the
doffing roller, as well as the application of a comb to the "top rollers and
strippers." Fig. 3 (Sheet 2) is a Diagram exhibiting another method of
"thinning the lap" in its passage from the lap roller to the "licker-in."
Fig. 4 (Sheet 2) illustrates another method of clearing the "doffing roller,'
by means of revolving combs, and is a longitudinal back elevation. Fig. 5
(Sheet 2) represents a transverse section of Fig. 4, taken through its centre.
In Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) a represents the framing of a carding engine, and b
the lap prepared for the operation of carding; c, c, are two sets of fluted or
drawing rollers, through which the lap first passes, and is then delivered to the
feed roller d, between which and the serrated edge or combe of the dish f,
the lap next passes; it is then delivered to an extra "licker-in "g, and is again
taken up by a second intermediate "licker-in" g', from whence it is trans-
ferred to the ordinary "licker-in" roller and main cylinder j. Throughout
the entire passage from the "lap roller" to the "licker-in roller "h, the lap
has received a continuous longitudinal distention or stretch, in consequence of
the gradual increase of the speeds of the "drawing," "feed," and extra "licker-
in" rollers, as shewn in the Drawing (Fig. 1, Sheet 1). These speeds may be

page_text: of course increased or diminished at will, in proportion to the desired deten-
tion or stretch to be given to the lap previous to its being delivered to the
"licker-in roller." In the Diagram exhibited at Fig. 3 (Sheet 2) another
method is shown of "thinning the lap," in which but one pair of fluted or
"drawing rollers," a feed roller and inverted dish and comb, and one extra
"licker-in" is employed, to effect the "thinning of the lap" previously to its
delivery to the "licker-in roller;" but in different instances it may be found
necessary and advisable to employ either more or less or different arrange-
ments of the several rollers as before described for the purpose of "thinning
the lap." In the methods of thinning the lap before described, the arrange-
ment of machinery or apparatus has been shown as applied to a single carding
engine, but the same principle may be advantageously carried out when a
double carding engine is employed. By the application of any similar
arrangement of apparatus or machinery as that herein described between the
engines of the double carding engine, we are enabled to card and recard, or
comb and recomb the cotton in one machine. In Figs. 1 and 2 (Sheet 1)
is exhibited the application of a comb to the "top roller and strippers," for
the more equal distention or stretching of the cotton; k represents the comb
and comb stock, which may be secured by any suitable and adjustable fitting to
the sides of the frame of the carding engine; is the top roller on which the
comb firmly presses, and m the "stripper." In Figs. 1 and 2 (Sheet 1) is
likewise illustrated the double reciprocating "doffing combs." The motion of
these combs is effected by employing at one end of the machine and beneath
the "doffing roller" a shaft n, on which is formed two double and opposite
cranks o, p, and o¹, p¹; these cranks are connected to the coimb stocks q and q',
by the connecting rods r, s, and r, s¹; t and t¹ are two adjustable guides
secured to both sides of the framing for the ends of the comb stocks to run in;
when elevated and depressed these guides form two opposed radii of a circle,
the radius being somewhat larger than that of the " doffing cylinder or
roller," the effect of which is hereafter described. Supposing the carding
engine to be set in motion, and the shaft n to be in appropriate gearing with
any suitable part of the machine or apparatus, a quick rotary motion will be
imparted to the shaft n, which will have the effect by means of the cranks o, p,
and o', p', of alternately elevating and depressing through the connecting rods
r, s, and 7, s, the comb stocks and combs 7 and q'. At the termination of the
descent of either comb it is brought, by means of the peculiar shape and radii
of the guide pieces t and t¹, into contact with the doffing cylinder; the partial
clearance of the cylinder is then performed, and the one comb becomes re-
elevated to allow and give place to the free action of the other. On reference

page_text: to the Drawing Fig. 1 (Sheet 1) it will be seen that the slide or guide piece t
is so placed that the comb q when at its lowest point may be most effective
in clearing the "doffing cylinder;" it will be likewise borne in mind that the
continued revolution of the cranks o, p, will tend to elevate the comb stock q;
and it will thus become evident, that in consequence of the radius of the guide
piece t being greater than that of the "doffing cylinder," the comb stock in its
elevation must necessarily be taken from the "doffing cylinder," allowing free
access to the "doffing cylinder" for the second or hinder comb q¹ to descend
and repeat the operation already performed by the first descending comb q;
the second or hinder comb q¹ is now in its turn elevated, and is removed in
consequence of the formation of the guide piece t: thus by the apparatus or
machinery now described, the alternate clearing of the "doffing cylinder" by
the united action of both combs is effected. Figs. 4 and 5 (Sheet 2) are
illustrative of a second method of clearing the ". doffing cylinder," which
consists in the employment of a series of revolving knives or combs, acting
against and upon the "doffing cylinder," and actuated by a motion similar to
that known as a "sun and planet motion;" this apparatus or machinery may
be actuated from any convenient moving part of the carding engine. The
machinery having been put in motion, and action having been imparted to
the shaft u, which carries the fixed spur wheel v, and fixed circular discs w, w,
in which revolve the shafts or spindles of the combs x, x, x, x, from the
wheel v motion is transmitted through the carrier wheels v¹ and v² to the spur
wheel y, working loosely on the shaft u; the wheel y by its loosely working
boss transfers motion to the central pinion w, which in its turn actuates the
surrounding gearing w¹, w¹, secured on one end of each of the comb spindles,
thus controlling and maintaining in the one revolving position all the combs,
so that the required position of each comb for the purpose of clearing the
doffing cylinder" is maintained throughout each perfect revolution of the
shaft u; the knives or combs may be caused to assume any position by appro-
priately regulating their gearing.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be put into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim, first, the novel application, employment, and use of
fluted or drawing rollers, feeding or "licker-in" rollers, or any such or similar
substitutes for them, however arranged and applied to carding engines for the
purpose of "thinning the lap," by giving an extra distention or stretch to the
laps therein carded, previously to the lap being delivered on the "licker-in
roller" from the lap roller.
Secondly, in the application, employment, and use of combs or serrated

page_text: edges placed between the "top rollers" and "strippers," or any other rollers.
similarly employed, for the purpose of more equally separating and distending
the fibre of the cotton.
And, lastly, in the novel application, employment, and use of double recipro-
cating "doffing combs" or knives, or of a series of revolving knives or combs,
for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the carded cotton from the
doffing cylinder" or "roller;" all of which said improvements in carding
engines are herein particularly described and set forth, and fully illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.
"
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Kershaw and James Taylor,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Eighteenth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
SAMUEL KERSHAW. (L.S.)
JAMES TAYLOR.
(L.S.)