Abstract: A carding machine comprises a feed plate, a feed roll forming a nip with the feed plate, first drive means for rotating the feed roll, a takerin for taking fibre from the feed plate, a main carding cylinder, carding means cooperable with the main carding cylinder to effect a carding action, a doffer, and delivery means for taking carded fibre from the doffer and delivering it from the machine. In one form of the machine, means are associated with the feed roll for producing an output signal related to deviation in weight of material fed between the feed roll and the feed plate, the sensing means being means for monitoring a variable at the feed roll that is other than displacement relative to the feed plate, and means are responsive to the output signal to control the speed of the feed roll.

Abstract: A carding machine has a toothed takerin (4a) for taking fibre to be carded from a feed arrangement (3a) to a main carding cylinder (5a). The fibre is conveyed on the lower arc of the takerin, and a substantially rigid, flat plate (10) lies below the lower arc of the takerin. The plate extends across the full width of the takerin and terminates in a free edge facing into the direction of roation of the takerin and substantially parallel to the takerin axis. The free edge is spaced from the tips of the teeth on the takerin by a distance of not more than 5 mm, and the plate lies in a plane that makes an angle of from 75.degree. to 120.degree. to that radial plane of the takerin that intersects the free edge of the plate.

Abstract: A carding engine equipped with a series of movable flats (1), each flat being clothed with a plurality of carding elements (2) and having a downwardly facing supporting face (13) at each end of the flat. Each end of each flat is secured to a support member (5) lying below the supporting face, the support member including a support surface (18) engageable with a bend (16) of the carding engine. The flat (1) and support member (5) have been secured together so that the support member is spaced from the supporting face (13) e.g. by a shim (23, 24), such that the distance between the support surface (18) and the plane of the tips of the working carding elements (2) is equal, within a given tolerance, at both ends of all of the flats.

Abstract: A gas compressor or blower having a piston rod 88 carrying pistons 162, 173 working within cylinders 161, 172. The piston shaft is driven to rotate and reciprocate so that each piston rotates and reciprocates in its respective cylinder, ports being provided to allow induction and after compression exhaust the gas from each cylinder during such movement. Each cylinder comprises a plurality of circumferentially adjoining sealing segments (such as 203, 204) supported from bridge pieces (such as 104, 106) by adjusting bolts (such as 114, 123). Each segment can be set independently of the others relative to support plates (101, 103) so that the clearance between the inner surface of the segment and the confronting surface of the piston is sufficiently low to limit axial leakage between the piston surface and the segment surface without the need for any piston ring and to limit leakage to or from respective ports form in certain of the segments both axially and circumferentially of the piston.

Abstract: A carding engine comprises a carding cylinder (1) rotatable between bends (2a) at each side of the carding engine. A series of flats (20) are provided, each flat having opposite end sections, the flats being movable over an arc of the cylinder surface. Each bend comprises a stationary section (2a) and a plurality of rollers (9, 13, 14) each mounted on the stationary section for rotation about axes parallel to the cylinder axis. The rollers are located such that the radially outermost parts thereof relative to the cylinder form a support path substantially co-axial with the cylinder, the rollers forming a support for the end sections of the flats as they travel over the arc of the cylinder surface.

Abstract: A movable flat assembly for a carding engine. Each of a plurality of flat bars is connected at each end thereof to a chain at the respective side of the carding engine. Each chain comprises a plurality of connected units, each having coupling means for connection to the next adjacent unit and a carrier detachably connected to the flat bar. A support wheel is rotatably mounted on the carrier and is in rolling engagement with the bend at the respective side of the carding engine. Each side wheel has an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal mid plane of the respective flat bar and spaced therefrom by a distance that is no less than half the width of the flat bar.

Abstract: A gas compressor or blower having a piston rod 88 carrying pistons 162, 173 working within cylinders 161, 172. The piston shaft is driven to rotate and reciprocate so that each piston rotates and reciprocates in its respective cylinder, ports being provided to allow induction and after compression exhaust the gas from each cylinder during such movement. Each cylinder comprises a plurality of circumferentially adjoining sealing segments (such as 203, 204) supported from bridge pieces (such as 104, 106) by adjusting bolts (such as 114, 123). Each segment can be set independently of the others relative to support plates (101, 103) so that the clearance between the inner surface of the segment and the confronting surface of the piston is sufficiently low to limit axial leakage between the piston surface and the segment surface without the need for any piston ring and to limit leakage to or from respective ports form in certain of the segments both axially and circumferentially of the piston.

Abstract: In a duo-card engine, a novel arrangement of crush rolls and toothed roller are used to break up the fibre web into individual fibres and fibre groups to free them from dirt, after which the fibres are reassembled on the surface of a perforated vacuum cage adjacent to and downstream of the toothed roller. This sequence of operations produces a yarn, not only of more regular texture but yarn in which the amount of trash, dust and small fibres can be reduced substantially by one half.