Improvements in or relating to automatic machines for feeding fibrous materials to carding engines or other preparing machines

摘要

183,021. Walker, J. W., and Platt Bros. & Co., Ltd. June 9, 1921. Feeding carding-engines &c.-In an automatic hopper feeder having a spiked lattice delivering material into a scale which empties on to an horizontal lattice &c., the weighing box d, Fig. 3, is carried by weighted arms d2 fulcrummed on knife edges. The arrangement is controlled by a cam plate e or equivalent device driven from the horizontal delivery lattice, the feed rollers of the carding-engine, or other suitable part. The bottom d5 is secured by a catch f1 to which is attached a sliding bar f3 with a projection f5 adapted to be engaged by a projection e2 on the cam plate e to release the catch f1 and allow the box to empty itself. When the full box descends into position to empty itself a projecting pin g on the box comes into position to be engaged by a projection j1 on a pulley j carried by a pivoted bracket h2 and allows a pivoted catch h on the same bracket to lock the box in position. The box also descends on to a lever i and through connecting links raises a lever i4 out of a notch in a transverse bar m connected with the clutch driving the spiked lifting lattice, thus allowing the clutch to be thrown out. When the box has been emptied by the release of the catch f1, a toothed segment e3 on the cam e engages a pinion k and turns a shaft k2 to raise arms k3 to close the bottom d5 of the box. A cam part e4 engages a projection h4 on the bracket h2 releasing the empty box and allowing it to rise into position to be refilled. An arm e5 then engages an inclined lever and resets the transverse bar m, thus putting the clutch in and restarting the spiked lifting lattice. The lever i4 falls into the locking-notch in the bar m. The pulley j on the bracket h2 is driven by a band j3, a pulley j4 controlled by a spring j5 keeping the band tight and the bracket h2 up to its work. The clutch through which the lifting-lattice is driven comprises a sliding half o Fig. 2, with a projection o1 keyed to the shaft and a loose half n combined with a belt pulley n1 with a part n2 with a notch or depression for engagement with the projection o1. The half n is pressed up against a collar n5 by a spring n3. The clutch is operated from the transverse bar m by a lever m2 held by a spring m4. The movable bottom of the weighing box may be in two parts connected by links, so that both parts are locked by the catch f1 and closed by the arms k3.