Improvements in or applicable to the "Flats" of Carding Engines.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to the "Flats" of Carding Engines.
I WRIGHT RHODES of 302 Washbrook Hollinwood Oldham in the County of
Lancaster, Card Grinder and Setter 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 :-
"
This invention relates to the means for supporting, setting and grinding the
"flats" used in what are called "revolving flat" carding engines and has for its
objects first simple and efficient means for avoiding friction and giving to the surface
of such "flats the proper amount of "heel or angle required for carding
purposes when working in connection with the main cylinder, and also when the flat
is travelling back to take up its working position again it shall be caused to travel
beneath the grinding roller in such a manner and position as to allow the grinding
operation to be accurately performed without the aid of any other appliance than
the means employed for ordinary flat-surface grinding.
The nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed
or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the
sheet of illustrative drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation
thereof.
Fig. 1 is an end view, Fig. 2 a partial side view and Fig. 3 a face view of a
revolving flat constructed according to my invention. Fig. 4 is an end view of the
same showing its working position with regard to the surface of the main cylinder,
and Fig. 5 is a similar view showing its position beneath the grinding roller on its
return journey.
"
:6
Fig. 6 is a detached section on a smaller scale showing the respective positions
of the "flat
the adjustable bend" and the main carding cylinder.
According to my invention I support and traverse the "
flats"
upon revolving
rollers working on the "bend" instead (as heretofore in general use) of sliding
surfaces whereby I avoid the wear caused by the friction of the two sliding
surfaces.
Referring to Figs. 12 and 3 of the drawing a is one end of the cast iron "flat"
and are the rollers, which are mounted on two studs or pins ‹ cast or formed
on each end of the "flats."
It will be observed that the centres of the two rollers (see Fig. 1) are not
parallel to the lower or working face of the "flats" and that the roller bis set
lower down and being of a larger diameter than the roller & the former projects
below the said working face, and hence when the "flats" are in working position
with the cards on the main cylinder e (as shown at Fig. 4) with both rollers running
on the face of the "bend" d the proper amount of heel" or inclination will be
given to the working surface of the card teeth on the flat, with regard to that of
those on the main cylinder as shown clearly at Fig. 4.
The back of the "flats" may be made parallel to the front of the same, but the
latter must be parallel to a line (represented by the dotted line fon Fig. 1) which
is tangential to the upper part of the circumference of the two rollers, so that
when the "flats" are turned over into the grinding position with their faces
upwards as shown at Fig. 5 the rollers and will only require to move along a
perfectly flat guiding surface (represented by the dotted line g) beneath the
grinding roller when the working face of the card teeth will be ground accurately
parallel to the face of the "flat," and no mechanism whatever is needed to give
any "hecl
or inclination to the "flats" whilst being ground.
"
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 6 that the rollers of the "flats" are
represented as working on a flexible bend d which is adjustable by means of

page_text: screws but I wish it to be understood that my invention is also applicable to other
kind of adjustable "bends" and it may also be applied to a certain extent if
required to "bends" which are not adjustable by using sets of rollers of slightly
decreasing diameter (say from 1 to 6) so that as the surface of the cards wears
aways the "flats " may be adjusted to the main cylinder by replacing the rollers
of No. 1 size by the next size smaller and so on, as the cards wear down whereby
an exceeding simple and accurate means of setting the working surfaces of the
"flats" to that of the cylinder in the most advantageous position for carding is
provided.
By the use of this invention the accuracy of the grinding and setting of the
wire on the flats is assured, and the wear of the "flat" ends and also of the
"bends" on which they run is reduced to a minimum as they are rolled and not
dragged over the surface as heretofore.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim ir
First. The supporting and traversing of the "flats" on the "bends" of carding
engines by means of two revolving rollers at each end instead of on sliding
surfaces.
or
Secondly. I claim making such rollers of two different diameters and mounting
the same on the ends of the flats in such a way that as they travel in working
position over the "bend" the said rollers will give the requisite " heel"
inclination to the surface of the "flat" and when they turn over into the grinding
position the rollers simply run along a perfectly flat surface beneath the grinding
roller as in ordinary flat surface grinding, substantially as hereinbefore
particularly described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 6th day of April 1892.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.