To give this idea a more practical form, let a b. Fig. 1, be a plane, on which the cylinder c rolls. It is there plain that every point of c describes a cycloid; but if the two surfaces of a b, and c be furnished, as in Fig. 2, with hooks or card-wires, then a mass of woolly substance d, will be pierced by every wire in each surface, and forcibly opened every time the cylinder c passes over it. And if instead of a long plane a b, a circular one be adopted, as in Fig. 3, and in lieu of cylinders a cone a be employed, then this repetition of effect will take place every time the axis of the cone gyrates round the centre of the plane and thus the hairy substance though placed on one region only of the latter, will be soon di-. vided and equally distributed on the whole surface of both the cone and the plane. If, further, two or more cones bc, Figs. 3 and 4, be used, rubbing against each other, while they roll on the plane (the latter being circular or conical as may be preferred), then will they perform at the same time the double operation of opening and transposing the substance by the cycloidal action, and of carding it by friction as in the common methods.

But the most useful form of this invention is perhaps that represented in Fig. 5, where a b is a large hollow cylinder furnished with hooks as before stated. In this cylinder, and on a crank or eccentric axis c, turns and gyrates the lesser cylinder d, bearing teeth similar to the former. A fixed toothed wheel placed at one end of the larger cylinder a b, and of a diameter equal to it, working in another wheel equal to the smaller cylinder d, and fixed to its axis, causes the latter to revolve as often as it would do by merely rolling on the surface of the larger cylinder: thus insuring the epicycloidal motion above referred to. If then the feeding cylinder e,

by a motion properly combined, bring wool into contact with the gyrating cylinder d, a part of such wool will be taken at every gyration, and carried across the larger cylinder to some point b or f, according to the ratio that may exist between the diameter of the greater and the lesser cylinder; which ratio must be varied as the texture of the wool and other circumstance may require. In the same figure g represents a receiving cylinder (so called, because it receives the wool from the gyrating cylinder), which by a slow motion in the direction 1, 2 g conducts the opened wool up to g, whence it is discharged by methods similar to those used in common mechanical carding.

Fig. 6 contains a repetition of the same system, but with some extension. Here the wheel d fixed to the axis of the small cylinder is considerably smaller than its diameter; and of course as this gyrates (its wheel taking into that e f), any point in the circumference of the small cylinder moves backward for a moment while its axis moves forward, on the principle developed in Fig. 8. This being the case, wool lying on the surface a b will be both carded by the friction of the surface, and transposed from region to region of the great cylinder, as in the former example. One thing remains to be observed, which is, that as in order to add the carding principle to the transposing one, the ratio of the diameter of the wheels d and ef is considerably increased, and might thus cause the machine to card more than is desirable, the wheel ef is placed in a concentric position between the cocks 1, 2, 3, 4, but so as to recede from the pressure of d, and only turn it, in as much as ef shall be bridled by a factitious resistance applied to it depending on the

will, and to be determined by the strength of the staple submitted to the operation.

Fig. 7 represents a still further extension of the principle, or rather a combination of it with another new and useful property. In order to secure the perfect feeding and equal issue of the opened staple, the outer cylinder is composed of a chain of staves moving in a circular groove in each cheek of the frame furnished with hooks as before. This chain by a slow motion in the direction 12, brings the wool into contact with the gyrating cylinder, keeps it there as long as is necessary, and then carries it out at 3, to be combed off at 4 in the usual manner. Fig. 9 represents the manner of forming this chain of staves by the hinges 1, 2, 3, 4, &c.; a b is a longitudinal section of one of them to shew the tenons which fit into the circular groove above-mentioned.

Another principle which is employed for carding, and which it is intended should be considered as one of the grounds of this Patent, is that of a series of revolving cylinders, whose touching surfaces move the same way, but have each a swifter motion than its predecessor: so that if the cylinder a, Fig. 10, go round once per second, should revolve one and a half or twice in the same time; c two or three times, &c. according to the progression that may have been adopted. By this system the surface on which it is chosen to lay a given quantity of woolly matter is enlarged indefinitely, and the woolly matter thus opened so completely that, if desired, no two hairs shall touch each other: and by adding another series of cylinders e f g h, with motions progressively slower, the same wool can then be again collected into as small a compass as may be required for the purpose of forming it into a ribbon or large thread; and thus it

may

may be prepared in the most homogeneous manner for spinning. And here it may be observed, that in this system ail the card wires are not used as hooks, but (if there be no cards with perpendicular wires, which are pres ferable, and which it is intended making under this pa tent), a perpendicular effect is obtained by placing on some of the cylinders common cards in a cross-wise direction, whose wires are thus upright if considered with respect to the line of their motion, and as they act both before and behind (according as the cards of a given cylinder act on those of its predecessor, or are acted on by those of its follower), the wool is in reality carded both backward and forward (as in common hand carding), whereas the common mechanical card only acts in one direction, and thus never turns the wool, nor then fully cards it. It remains only to say that after the operation is performed with these perpendicular cards, a certain number of cylinders are employed with hooked cards as at h, to receive the work of these, and to deliver it on the usual principle. As to the motions of these cards, whether in the increasing or decreasing series, they are produced, as in all similar cases, by proportionate wheels acting from one to the other; or by a lever or chain common to all, as convenience may suggest.

In Fig. 11 is represented the form preferred for the upright card wires, in order that besides the steadiness they acquire by passing through the card leather, they may have a basis of their own. This basis is a triangle formed by an horizontal bend a, and the two portions of bc, which turn up the

1

wire de, that precede the bends
wire, and form the card-tooth, properly speaking; ƒ is
the plan of this tooth; g a view or elevation of it from a
point opposite the first-mentioned augle; and abc a

per

perspective view. By examining the plan f, and comparing it with Fig. 12, it is evident that these wires can be set very close to each other, without any of them riding over each other behind the leather. The principal reasons for preferring these wires are, that they can be made with less materials and greater ease than the common card wire; be placed with much greater exactness with regard to the carding surface; and that they can act both behind and before as the system of carding, represented in Fig. 10, requires.

An essential thing in the use of cards is to be able to place them on the cylinders, so as that no interval may exist between them; and of course without nails. This may be done in the following manner: the plates of cards c d are placed (entirely filled with wires) rather obliquely across the cylinders, and each end of the leather is fixed to a metallic tightener a b (see Fig. 13) turning upon the axis of the cylinder: and to this is fixed a ratchet-wheel e, into which falls the catch f, fixed to the tightener. The cards being all screwed to the latter, it is forced round either by a,lever acting on the teeth of the ratchet or an endless screw. But, whatever be the means, this operation stretches excessively the card leathers; and as by the obliquity of their position, these are placed on a convex surface with respect to the line of traction, the basis of the card-wires are strongly pressed against the surface of the cylinder, and acquire the necessary stability without the use of nail or screw on any part of the cylindrical surface. As every increase of obliquity in the position of the card plates leaves the less room between them, the action of the tightener will evidently crowd them together if they

are