IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Bispham Kay at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1879.
THOMAS BISPHAM KAY, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
My Invention relates, firstly, to certain modifications of and improvements in the
mechanical details of machinery for combing and preparing cotton and other fibrous
materials, described in the Specon. of Letters Patont granted to Thomas Bispham
Kay, on or about the 5th day of December 1878.
According to the Invention therein specified, the sets of combed fibres are
deposited overlapping each other upon the piecing roller, and are stripped therefrom
by a doffing comb. Also the tail end of each set of fibres is combed by teeth upon
the comb stock which oscillates on fixed centres above the feed plate. Now by
iny present Invention I dispense with the said piecing roller and the doffing comb,
and in lieu thereof I employ a fluted roller working in conjunction with an upper
roller having a rising and falling motion in relation thereto, and between which
when in rolling contact the sets of fibres are drawn and pieced by a ratchet motion
or otherwise, and which a second pair of rollers immediately in front thercof
receives, holds, and further consolidates. These two pairs of rollers are carried on
oscillating levers actuated by eccentrics upon a shaft in front thereof, the aforesaid
upper roller having also an independant rising and falling motion communicated to
it by cams thereupon. I also apply a top comb to slide upon the face of the
nipping knife or independantly thereof, and actuated by a cam to comb out the tail
end of each set of fibres. I also swivel the comb stock on the axles of the lower
roller nipped so as to describe an arc concentric therewith, and so as to comb the
beard projecting from between the nipping knife and the feed plate. I also recess
each roller nipper blade on cach side to receive the ends of the cloth and leather,
covering the same so as to be "flush" or level with the surface thereof.
Another part of my Invention relates to certain modifications of and improve-
ments in the mechanical details for setting and adjusting the top cards or flats
of carding engines as described in Specon. of Letters Patent granted to Thomas
Bispham Kay, on the 14th day of May 1868, for "Certain Improvements in Carding
Engines for Carding Cotton and other Fibrous Materials." According to the
Invention thercin specified the flats are caused to rest on sliding guide rests which

page_text: lic against turned ribs on the face of the bend, and are supported upon the inclined
surface of a segment of a cone. Now by my present Invention I substitute a
segment of a cylinder for the sliding guide rests, and of such proportions that it will
adapt itself to the diminishing radius of the segment of the cone as the latter is
withdrawn. I also cause the depressing screws in the radial brackets supporting
the rollers carrying the train of travelling Bats to be geared with those for with-
drawing the cone so as to move simultaneously therewith.
Another part of my Invention consists in making the stock of the revolving
brush in segments with their ends pressed by springs upon adjustable cones,
whereby the diameter may be varied.