Improvements in Flat-stripping Motions for Carding Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1896
Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1897-Accepted, 7th Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flat-stripping Motions for Carding Engines.
I, JAMES EDGE, of High Street, Gorton, in the County of Lancaster, Mill Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in flat stripping motions for revolving-
flat carding engines, the object being to provide mechanism for more efficiently
stripping the short fibres from the flats than has hitherto been the case.
My invention consists essentially in means for giving to the stripping comb, a
reciprocating rotary motion about an axis in conjunction with a rapid downward
movement.
In carrying out my invention I use any suitable form of stripping comb, which
may or may not be attached to a rod, bar, or shaft. In either case, the comb is
supported at its ends in brackets or bearings, attached to or formed in arms or
levers, in such a manner that it may freely rotate, or partly rotate or oscillate about
the axis referred to. The said arms or levers-one of which is arranged at each
side of the carding engine-are attached by their inner ends to a shaft which passes
over the top of the carding engine in the ordinary way. To this shaft an oscillating
movement is given by means of an arm or lever which projects from it, the lower
end of such lever carrying a small bowl which comes in contact with a cam which
is rotated in any suitable manner such as by being fixed upon or attached to some
rotating part of the carding engine.
It follows that whatever oscillating movement is given to the shaft latterly
referred to, will be conveyed through the arms described, to the stripping comb
journalled in or carried by the ends of such arms. In order therefore to give to
the stripping comb an oscillation which shall be quicker say when such comb is
descending to strip the short fibres from the flats, than when it is ascending, I form
the aforementioned cam at a given place with a flatter or shorter surface than at
the part which corresponds or is coincident with the upward stroke of the comb.
This enables the comb to act on the flat more rapidly than if the cam were one
giving a regular movement, and as a consequence its action is a more effective one.
Of course it will be understood that the cam may be so arranged as to give two or
more downward strokes to the comb to one revolution of the cam.
In conjunction with the oscillating movement of the comb I give to the latter
during such movement a reciprocating rotary motion or second oscillation about its
axis or about the axis of the shaft, rod or bar on which it is mounted. Such second
or additional movement may be obtained in several ways. For instance according
to one method I fix at one, or both, preferably one side of the carding engine, in a
suitable position a bracket formed with a hole or slot and on the comb or its
supporting medium I attach an arm, finger, lever or the like carrying a stud or
being formed with a suitable projection that enters into the hole or slot in the
bracket. The stud or projection may be adjustable. With this arrangement as the
comb is given the oscillation by the cam referred to, the arrangement just described
causes the comb to move about its axis as described. In so doing the fibre is

page_text: stripped from the flat. This arrangement may be reversed so far as the slot and
stud are concerned. That is to say the stud may be fixed in the bracket and the
slot be formed in the arm.
In another arrangement the stud is dispensed with entirely, the arm referred to
merely passing through a slot or hole in the bracket, the extent of the hole
determining the amount of the oscillation. In yet another arrangement an arm
projects from the comb or its supporting medium on each side. One arm comes in
contact with the bracket on one side only being kept in contact therewith by a
spring or weight attached to the other arm. Then again, in place of using an arm
and a slotted bracket I may make or form on the latter a rack and fix on the comb
or its supporting medium a pinion or sector the teeth of which may engage with
the rack and so cause the oscillation referred to. From what I have said it will be
obvious that the movement described may be obtained in many ways without
departing from the nature of my invention.
In addition to giving the movements described to the comb my invention also
consists in imparting to the latter a longitudinal movement so as to enable it to
still more effectually strip the flats. To do this, I form in the comb shaft a spiral
or helical groove into which a stationary peg, pin or the like engages. This
arrangement may be reversed. In either case as the comb shaft oscillates its
longitudinal position is gradually altered both in the up and down stroke.
Suitable means are provided for adjusting the various parts of the mechanism
relatively to each other.
11
101 .
1000
Improvements in Flat-stripping Motions for Carding Engines.
I, JAMES EDGE of High Street, Gorton, in the County of Lancaster, Mill Manager
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 improvements in flat stripping motions for revolving-flat
carding engines the object being to provide mechanism for more efficiently stripping
the short fibres from the flats than has hitherto been the case.
My invention consists essentially in means for giving to the stripping comb a
reciprocating rotary motion about an axis in conjunction with a rapid downward
movement.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1, is a partial front elevation of one form of my invention and
Fig. 2 an end elevation whilst
Figs. 3 to 6 refer to modifications and to other details of the invention which will be
hereinafter referred to.
In carrying out my invention and referring principally to Figs. 1 and 2 I use any
suitable form of stripping comb A which may or may not be attached to a rod, bar or
shaft a. In either case the comb is supported at its ends in brackets or bearings B
attached to, (as shown) or formed in arms or levers C, in such a manner that it may
freely rotate or oscillate about the axis referred to. The said arms or levers C-one
of which is arranged at each side of the carding engine are attached by their inner
ends to a shaft D which passes over the top side of the carding engine in the ordinary

page_text: way. This shaft has given to it an oscillating movement by means of an arm or
lever E which projects from it, the lower end of such lever carrying a bowl e which
rests upon a cam F that is rotated in a suitable manner such as by being fixed upon
or attached to some rotating part of the carding engine.
It follows that whatever oscillating movement is given to the shaft D will be
conveyed through the arms C to the stripping comb A. In order therefore to
give to the latter an oscillation which shall be quicker, say, when such comb is
desconding to strip the short fibres from the flats, than when it is ascending, I
form the aforementioned cam at a given place such as f with a flatter or shorter
surface than at the part which corresponds to or is coincident with the upward
stroke of the comb. This enables the comb to act on the flat G more rapidly
than if the cam were one giving a regular movement and in consequence its
action is a more effective one. Of course, it will be understood that the cam
may be so arranged as to give two or more downward strokes to the comb to
one revolution of the cam. It should here be noted that in Figs. 1 and 2 the
parts are shown as when occupying their highest positions the comb A being
quite clear of the flat G.
I give
In conjunction with the oscillating movement of the comb just referred
to it during such movement a reciprocating rotary motion or second oscillation about
its axis or about the axis of the shaft, rod or bar a on which it is mounted. Such
second or additional movement may be obtained in several ways. For instance
according to one method I fix on one or both, preferably one, side of the carding
engine in a suitable position a bracket H (Figs. 1 and 2) formed with a hole or slot
and on the comb or its supporting medium I fix an arm, finger, lever, or the like J
carrying a stud or pin j that enters into the hole A. The stud may be arranged to be
adjustable. With this arrangement as the comb A is given the oscillation by the cam
referred to, the arrangement just described causes the comb to also move about its axis
as already mentioned. In so doing it strips the short fibres from the flats G as they
are slowly traversed round their supporting bowl g. Instead of the stud being fixed
in the arm J it may be fixed in the bracket H and the hole h be made in the arm.
In another arrangement the stud is dispensed with entirely the arm J being formed
as in Fig. 3 and passed through a hole h in the bracket H the length of the hole or
slot determining the amount of the oscillation of the comb. In yet another
arrangement shown in Fig. 4 an arm J projects from the comb or its supporting
medium on each side. One arm comes in contact with the bracket H on one side
only being kept in contact therewith by a spring or weight h' attached to the other
arm.
Then again in place of using an arm and a slotted bracket I may form on the
latter a rack K as shown in Fig. 5 and fix on the comb or its supporting medium a
pinion L or sector the teeth of which engage with the rack and so cause the oscillation
of the comb referred to. From what I have said it will be obvious that the movement
described may be obtained in many ways without departing from the nature of my
invention.
In addition to giving the movements described to the comb my invention also
consists in imparting to it a longitudinal movement so as to enable it to still more
effectually strip the flats. To obtain this movement I form in the comb shaft a a
spiral or helical groove a¹ into which a stationary peg, pin, or the like a passes. This
arrangement may be reversed. In either case as the comb shaft oscillates its
longitudinal position is gradually altered both on the up and down stroke.
Suitable means such as setscrews, lock nuts elc. are provided for adjusting the various
parts of the mechanism relatively to each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it understood that I am
well aware that an up and down movement has previously been given to the stripping

page_text: comb and that such comb has hitherto been oscillated about its axis. Such move-
ments I do not claim but what 1 do claim is :-
1. The means or method of imparting to the stripping comb of a carding engine a
reciprocating rotary motion about an axis in conjunction with a rapid downward
movement as and for the purpose described.
2. In a stripping motion for a carding engine the use of a cam such as F in
combination with the ordinary mechanism of the comb and with the various devices
described for oscillating the comb about an axis, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. The various combinations of parts forming the means for imparting a recipro-
cating rotary motion about an axis in conjunction with a rapid downward movement,
to the stripping comb of a carding engine substantially as described and as shown in
the accompanying drawings.
4. The means for imparting a longitudinal movement to the stripping comb of a
carding engine in combination with the means for imparting the described oscillatory
movement substantially as shown and described.
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Agent.