[1]Patented Aug. 9, 1949 21478 799 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,478,799 CARDIING METHOD AND MACHINE Stanley Wilkinson, Norton, Mass., assignor to Winslow- Bros. & Smith Co., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 22, 1944, Serial No. 564,595 12 Claims. (Cl. 19-100) 2 This invention relates to machines and methods for card,.ng textile fibres, partictilarly wool. Heretofore, the most efficient method of carding textile fibres that has been developed, and which has beeii the standard metliod in use for 5 many yea,rs, is by a machine havi,@ig a set of successively arranged rotary "carding cylir-ders" of large diameter surfaced with fine tee-th, over which cylinders the stream or layer of wool or other fibre successively passes and tipon w--riieh 10 the heterogeneously arranged flbres of the uncarded layer are combed or "worked" into a generally parallel condition lengthwise of the layer. Thcusual.carding machiyie of this character has two such carding cylinders, four to 16 Ave feet in diaineter, together with feed rolls, worker rolls, doffers, etc. . Satisfactory carding can be obtained with these rnachines only go lon@ as the cylinder speed and depth of the fibre layer processed are kept 20 below certain definite maximum limits, and the quality of the carding action tends to decrease as these limits are closely approached. These li.rnits in turn deterniine the maximilm possible production outplit per machine, as output is a 26 fun,etion of the cylinder speed and thickness of the fibre layer. These limiting factors, determining maximur@l productive capacity of these prior machines, vary som(,what according to the type and condition of fibre being carded, the 30 cluali@L,Y of carding needed, and the make of carding machine employed, but taking wool as an example, about the maximum carding speed of the best available two cylinder machine on the more easily carded fine wools is, for miriroum 35 acceptable carding, within the vicinity of 45 pounds per hour carded -fibre output, and this varies do-wn tL, the vicinity of 30 pounds per hour for high grade carding and wools that P-re more difficult to card. 40 The limited procluctive capacity obtain,.ible with these prior carding machines is exceedingly low when their large size and high cost are considered. Upwards of ten such carding machines 45 are required to handle the output of the average wool combing plant of sevdn Noble combs. They not oiily take up a vast amount of floor sp4ce, but they aleo require much labor, as it is ordinarily necessary to have one operator for each 50 two carding raachines. In addit-lon, their pro-, ductil,re cipa6ity is likely io be cor-isiderably lower than that of machines -which fee.d them, such as wool burring mae.hiz@-es to which worsted cards are frequently att@Lch6d, which therefore have 55 to be run at a iower production rate than would otherwise be warranted. Fdkr these reasons, strenuous efforts have been made to provide a-speedier method and machine for carding, but, heretofore, without success. Many attempts have also been made to increase the productive capacity of the standard method and machine by increasing the number of successive carding cylinders, with corresponding worker rolls, over and between which the fibre layer passes, and thus multiplying the number of successive carding actions on the layer. But while a slight increase ih productive capacity has been obtained in this way, it is so small that in most cases it does not justify the added machine expense and increased floor space required over the usual two carding cylinder machine, I have discovered that by splitting the fibre layer into two, preferably apl@roximately equal, parts, each of 'leiser thickness than the initial layer, and completely carding each of the two layer parts separately by successive working cardinsteps like those heretofore applied to the layer In its entirety, a much better grade of carding is obtained at.the same productive rate than by the prior method, and therefore that the same quality of carding can be obtained at a much greater rate of production. In fact, by thus splitting a layer of wool fibre to be carded into close to equal pa@ts and subjecting each part separately to separate, carding steps, substantially like those performed oq the layer as a ivhole in the prior method previously described, I have been able to card wool to the sai-ne or superior extent 6r grade at fro @n one and a half to twice and even more times the production tate p6,ssible in the prior method. I have further found that this method makes possible, and indeed, preferable, substantial reduction in diametbr of the carding cylinders, a diameter of twenty to thirty inches being suitable, which is abol@t half the diambter of carding cylinders usually employed heretofore, In the carding machine of the invention, such small diameter carding cylinders are preferably em-oloyed, arranged in upper and lower sets on a frame, there being usually the sarne number of carding cylinders iii each set, normally two, as would,be employed for carding the fibre in a single layer in the prior practice and machine. By reason of such reduced size bf cylinders and O'ther parts I , I am enabled by the invention to provide a carding machine of substantially doubile the capacity of the 1:)rior standard -machine, @,W4ich takes less floor space than tli'e prior machine, and @'Vhich
[2]2,478,799 3 can be Produced and operated at little, if any, addit4 @onal cost aiid with no more teliding labor needed. The large Increase in - productive capacity possible with the new method and r@iachille of the invention therefore results in slib- 5 stantially correspondingly large savings in fIDor space, labor, and power cost, which are in tlirn rej':Iected in reduced cost of the carding opjaration. Workih' 6f th6 t@rb barts bf the spl'it l'ayer of fibre during the carding operation is acebm- 10 plished by cornbing a portion of the flbre frori the carding cylinder, as by rneans of a "worker" roll and returning it to the cylfiidel? @rid to@-tb:e fibre stream thereon in advance of the take-oft t)oint by meaiis c,f a stripp6@@ r,611. Sudh 15 action takes place at least at f,@id @olii@s lili'ld preferably at tl-lree or more points on each carding cyl-Lnder. The foregoing and other features ana@ ,tdvallitages of the Process of t.-he invention will b' r-,i-- e ore @f) fully uialei,stood frori t)@e ensuing descripfion of t]@e ap@ @end-ed Fig. I is a diagramrnati6L.'@iab @levaiio@n 6f a preferred em@-odlinei@t oi ilie ba@diiig -m- - 'achine of the inventi6ii, 'Wiifi iiiffi6*6@k iiidi6,,ited iii dot @@@5 and d'ash@L'@iries @iid -siii@abfb drive conr ections -i or 'Llhe vari6@s cyliiid@6ir@ 'ai-id @l,o',ILrs iiidicat-- ,d iii dotted lines, the t6,6tile'd su,itg6il-,i of ttie Cardin,- I'@'Tid other cylin'de'rs b6f'n-g arLexaggei6tedso'dl"e; Fig. la is @a (ii'v@gr'-@ttli@init@tfc iilu@tration on a largei scale of @-a -@s6t di - W(@ik6i @rid stii pper r6ils ,-.nd. a portioii'6f E@ @ai(iiii@.@ey-linder 6f Fig, 1, indi1. an@e-iri6ift - @ ' ' @ " c,@),ulng th'e 'arr'@ of su iibfng teeth on an exa.-gera@ted 3 Fig. 2 is a diairaiiiiiiaiie @idd el6@ation of -c@rdinlg a@parat@@ -6f '@h6 iifti"vv6initi@6n @b'br6ii@ed @@jitli wool biirring 'a-nd 6@6iiiiig iiidbh@ s'm; F,ig. 3 is a @afagi@6.m'm' atic si&e 61 evation of ca@dap ar-aius 6@f he inventi6n mbir@dd %Vitli -a -i @j ing p - t' co ' diff er6nt tylie 6f Viirring 6iia 'Opeiii'ng mechg@nism; and Fig. 3a is a diagraiiiinatic @sid6 -eleV@tio'n of a p r 1 appara i,nodified o t'oii 6@ tlh tus of Fig. 3. gs. awing e Referrmg t6 Pi and df iii6 dr' th 4-5 W061 or other fib@r6-i'@ f'e'd@a"s @;'I"ayer Lont6 a feeding in cyliiider II 0 , called:a "taker-iii" or "liclee@in," by suitable -fie'd mechanis-m *filch inclu(!6s the con-@ey-e@ belt 12, f@e@'r-6ii'@ -i 41.@i ol o@@d @tightener roil 1'8. L@yer-L-is carriib'd@by cylihder 10 to a roteiry @plit"ter 2'0 'w'hi-ch re"mo'v-es the'upp'er half 6f 'the l@yer :L -0-'n 'cyli'r-id-e-r .1 0, -Indiba'tod by LI, and transfers it, b@,-iii6hiis 6f iin@16 @irit@pe@ 2 1, to a@ first ilp,,p6r e@iciiiid @@li'nder 2'@. Th'e other half of flie @l@y:ekr - L @ieiriainiiig o- -n the cyl@ r5 i,@l(lei, I 0, indic@ated'by L2@ -is -c'ai@ri6d b@, tflat - cyliild6@ to a'tr6n@f6r-ibil 2i-@b@ which it '-- sfiippbd from cylinder 10 @aiid ir-a-ris'f'e"r-r'ed to @L@@ffrst io@Vei@ cardih@ c@linder 24. ay The 'Li'pper h@lf bf th-e.fibre I er,@Ll, is ca@ried 60 up6n t I he stiif ace 6f tl-ie@c@r'diiigcylixid6r'22 E@bb@it aif-@ ' ititi6ii . to a d-oft-ei 16 whi@h stii a h'@ I evo _iis it f@Di--q the cylinder. The 'fibre.is strip]@ed fr6m doff-6r 2@ by an angle gtri@lier r6ll@27 whi'dh'traiis@ fers it t'o the sec6nd 6a@ding cylitidek 28 of:tlle r)5 upper-set on *hich the;fibi@e is cairied-to a@,@e6- ond'doffer:30, from which it is reixio,@ed by d6ffer coi,.ibs 32. In like 'm'a;n'n'er, th'e-lbwer half @of the fibre lay'er, L2, 'is @@d@6ii'6ed'b@ -Iiidin@ c@lirid6r 24, dbffer 94, ariglb s@tr@lpp'ef 15 iiiid7c@rding'cyl- 70 inder 36 to doff er -38 frozmv@lifch it is, j:emoved by d6fn-ng com@i@s 40. Each of @ the 6a@ding c@7!iiideis -2 2, i4, 2 8 and 3'6 ia a f ... w'ork'er rolls, has ass6c' ted there'with s6t -o' designated 4'@, fhere 'b@ihg -thie'e" @su:ch 'iolis f6r 75 @ln@i6atea-, cli 4 each carding cylinder in the apparatus as illustrated. These worker rolls are arranged at spaced intervals abDUt the cylinder axis to engage and pick up part of the flbre from the cyllnder surface and each i8 preceded by a stripper roll vihich strips the flbre from its worker roll and returns it to the surface of tb-e cylinder in advance of the-weirker roll@ thus,effectivel workY ihg , coiiibi-ng@,'@he ffbr'@-e @iii lt;@ i@h@@Age over the carding cylinders. The strippers for the first worker roll of each upper cardilig cylinder and of the second lower carding cylinder are the an@le tt-ip'i@e@- @l", 27 and 36, respectively. The strippers for the remaining worker rolls, of somev-,That -@s'@m--aller'@ di-ameter than the angle strippers, are.designated 44; A worker roller 42 and stripper 44 are also associated with the lickerin cylfftd,6t Io. Wpe-ca-rded fibre stream L', removed from the doffer 80 by combs 32, Is rruided downwardly in an inclined chute 46 wlfere it is recombined with the car&6d 'f'i.-br6 '@'tr . ea , i . ii t@, 6ohibe@(i fr'o'ih 'doffer ;io 15Y coriibs 4'0', ih't6 ii 8!ii@1e layer L3 of nov@i cofiipie@t,6iy cArd6a hiite, w'hi@h patsb@ bet@ve6n dra@vi-off rolle@s 43. A frame in @hich the pE@As dre mounted is incli6at6d indo't-daslh in 'FIg. 1. T @o f 9:,cilit@te cleaniiig, the frain6 riia@r bb dt-@i-ded lhto two sueces@ive se])arable stiitgblv between the fir7st c.1t.(jff6r and see-ohd' da@,fdihg d@Iiiiders of the t,@io sotq o-f cardi-ng m' 'echaiii@M'S. t.. f ih, The airectid.n of Irdta ion o e cylib'ders ancy. r-o.lis is sho,%tn by arrbwlg'in j@l@s. l'and la. 8uitable toothed siikfaeiti@ 6r "'cl -othl'ng"' for thb rYliiiders a@nd 'r-olle'fg is I d . idoted tl-i@ki@on in Figs. I and Id, @iii -p6 fibl e3@kgg@e@at@d sdc'tibn. The cardin,& a'nd' licke'rih Cy-lind-6rs, a;hd the dbff6rs, have, as shown, what Is dalled "ffet,@illic kvire" clothin@, s@tgh fb@ri,-'6d of siiiv-todtlied de @tdd flat @vire @,j'Ou'n'd -edgelvis@ '-ri el6te .1 SP d spi !Sr ac6 ral tur@s 'abb-tit @ih6 sur"fi@bb of the cylinders. The teeth ate -ln'ciliie(l, l,i'the c6@e c)@ the batding cylin rs and lici@erin:d@IiWder@@In'ihe'direction bf rotation ociid, ih tb6 da@6 -'of ih n e ddffers, i the et p@6site t_o th etion 6f rotation. dir6 161i o e 'dire The splitter, ff.@risie'r '@oll, v@6rket roll@ and strilyi$dr@ @a@e @hown as @@16ihed Nvffh @vliat is kri6wn n@s "fillet,"' cf6@igria@t6d th(3 lette@r P in I-ligs. 1 P.,nd ].a, ;c6-n's@igtiii@ 'of elbsely spaced bent @ii-res t-aiiel@dr6d @fn'a .@ftbt@diis bi@se dnd @projecting theie-.L@roin a@s fliiel@, -b'a6eci @tedth -forming a wi . r I e co'f(ib. Th@ Inbli-h@d buter6iids bf -the . fillet teeth of t-he @plitt6r, tfdns@f6@ -r6fl 'dtid str:lljper rolls i@6irit in @th6 dir'e'ctibn df tliel@ @totation (the di-r66tioh of t@h6 @fllldt 'teeth bf -the'Eingl6 strippers i.,3 the s'am6 a. ,@that of the sttfijp@e@s -44 as indicated in I@lfg.- la)@.,',Ohbr6d tti;e hll'6t t6bth of the ivorker roll@ point 'o-jit6sito @t'o'@the -dirbdt'!on of totation. Both tho'mciteill-id *ite Eiiid@@fill6t t:@pes of cloth6t inf-:, are @well known a,n@cl dbiiliq i3ially aiall@tbie. Either type can be used throlighout if desi'r,-id, b althotfghIl3refertheuge@of othty'pesELsshbwn. Stiitable @ dri've @ edrinections @from a motor M to tie various - cylindors -and "rolls are indicated by da@sh lines in@Fig. 1, except for the dri@ie to tle doffers which @ma .be by @red etion gearing cony @.u nection to the carding cylinders@ The arrangeriaent is siieh tilat the carding cylinders are all drive,n a@t a uniform@surf,@ce si3,eed and the other cylihde@fs 'arid 'i6lis dt -c6irel@te' , d lower 'siirface speeds. Th *6rk6riolls 9,@e'driveih at the lowest su:rf@ce s@6ed, Wliieh 'M-"'y,'fo"r e'-x'a"mple, be'ab6ut ih7 pee g ers of e@giitfade-s "- d o"f tii'e"cafdiri cylindand one third td oriia 'half t at@bf -thO, d6ff6ts and h tt4n@f4er -foil. -tlie'st'ti't')Po-r's a't id'ah'g'le'"strl'ppers
[3]are usually operated at one-quarter t6 - one-thitd, -device 200 to a lickerin 202@ A'dividek - 204 -idthe lickerin at about 4 to 10%, of the surface speed of the carding cylinders. For best results, the splitter should be operated to divide the layer into equal, or close to equal, parts. The splitter roll performs its function by means of the point to point relation of its teeth to those of the lickerin cylinder and a lower slarface speed of rotation than that of the lickerin. The proper surface speed ratio of splitter to lickerin to obtain an even split of the fibre being carded. For carding flne wool that:is fully opened, I have found that the splitter should be operated at from one-fifth to one-quarter -of the surface speed of the Iick,erin. The carding cylinders are preferably from 20 to 30 inches in diameter, and the ratio ot the diameters of the other cylinders and roll,s thereto r-r.ay be of the order of that indicated in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, carding apparatus Of the inver-tion Is shown combined with opening and burring mechanism of what is known as the "four lickerin" type. In this flgure, partsof the card,@'ng apparatus corresponding to those 6f ]Fig. I are represented by primes of the same reference numerals. The unit shown comprises feeder r@iechanism indicated at 100 by which the wool is fed to a first lickerin roll 102. Part of the wool o,@i the first lickerin is removed by a divider 104 which transfers it to a second lickerin 106. The remainder of the flbre on the flrst lickerin is stripped by the second lickerin and the fibre Is cg,rried, past a tightener roll 108 to a divider I 10 which rernoves pait of the fibre and transfers it to a third lickerin, which Is a socalled "Morel" cylinder If 2. The rest of the flbre on lickerin 106 is stripped by the Morel cylinder and the fibre is carried past a brush I 1 3 to a divider I 1 4 which re-moves part of the fibre and transfers it to a licketin I 16. The rest of the fibre on the Morel cylinder is stripped by lickerin II 6 and the fibre is t@"ghtened thereon by a tightener roll 118. In passing over the cylinders and dividers, the wool is engaged by rotary beaters or "btirr knockers" .120 which remove the burrs and other foreign rqatter. The direction of r6tat4.on of the cylinders and rolls is shown by arrows. The last lickerin II 6 of the burr removal mechanism takes the place of lickerin ID of the cardi-ng apuaratus as arranged in Fig. 1. Since lickei-lvi I I 6 is rotating oppositely to lickerin I 0 of Fig. 1, the splitter, 20', is here located between the -lickerin a?id the flrst lower carding cylinder 241 and transfers the upper half of the flbre layer, shown at L' in Fig. 1, to the carding cylinder @24'. Also, in this case, the remaining half of the fibre layer on the lickerin I IS may, as shown, b-, stripped directly therefrom by the flrst upper carding cylinder 22'. 'Thus, no transfer roll correspondirig to the roll 23 of Fig. I Is needed. In this case, the splitter transfers directly to the carding cylinder 24' and, therefore, the angle stripper shown at 21 in Fig. I is omitted, being replaced by an ordinary stripper 441. With the exceptions noted, the forrq and operation of the c.irding apparatus of Fig. 2 is thle sarre as that of r,lfg. I and will, therefore be understood without repeated description. @vig. 3 shows the carding apparatus combined with another type of opening and burring mechanism for worsted burring and carding. In this figure, the parts of the carding apparatus corresponding to those of Fig. 1 are d6signated by double primes of the same reference numerals. In this unit, the wool fibre Is fed by a feeder: moves part of the fibre from the lickerin and the fibre is in turn stripped from the divider by a first upper Morel roll 206. The fibre on roll 206 is carried past a tightener 208 to a divider 210 which transfers part of It to a second upper ' M6rel roll 212 which strips the remainder of the flbre directly fropi roll 206. Roll 212 transfers the fibre to lickerin 218, partly by rqeans of divider 10 216 and the rest directly. The part of the fibre layer on lickerin 202 passing divider 204 is transferred, by a brush roll 220, to a first IoNver Morel roll 222 which carries it past a tightener 224 to a divider 226 by which a 15 part is transferred to the second lower Morel roll 228. The rest of the flbre on roll 222@.is stripi3ed directly onto roll 228 which carries the fibre pa,st a brush 230 to lickerin 218 which strips tile fibre onto the fibre it has previotisly received from 2( th.- second upper Morel roll 212. . Iln passing over the Morel rolls, the fibre Is substantially freed of btirrs, shives, etc., by. burr knockers 232. Lickerin 2 1 8 corresponds to lickerin I 1 6 of Mg. 2, taking the place of the lickerin 10 of, the carding apparatus of Fig. 1. The carding appara.tus is the same as in Fir,,. 2, the upppr half of the flbre layer being transferred to the first lower carding cylinder 24" by splitter,20," and,the-other half 30 being stripped from the lickerin by the first upper carding cylinder. The operation is -the Same:.as in the e--,nbodiinents of r@igs.,l and 2. When the ea-rding operati,on is preceded liy an operation, such as the opening and burring, operatioli of the apparatus tof Fig. 3, in wliieh the flbre layer is divided into two, parts which are separately treated, it,is not essential.to recombine the parts of the fibre.laypr preliminaxy to carding, as is done in the apparatus of Fig. 3. For 4o exaniple, in the app4ratus of Fig., 3, lickerin 2 1 8 and splitter 2011 may be omitted and the two halves of the fibre layer may then be passed by transfer rolls to the first upper and lower@earding cylinders, respectively, from the second upper 45 and lower Morel rolls, as In Fig. 3a, in which lickerin 218 and splitter 20" of Fig. 3 have been replaced by upper and lower iransfer rolls 234 and 236, respectively, which transfer the two fibre streanis directly from the second uDDer and lower 50 Morel rolls 212 and 228 to the first upper and lower carding cylinders 22",and 24". I prefer, however, the@arrangement Df Fig. 3, since it is more difficult to make % unfform split of unopened wool and, furthermore, the initial split 55 may become. unbalanced due to removal of more burrs and other foreign matter from one. half x)f the flbre layer than frgm the other. The grest iinprovement in carding which the :method and apparatus of the invention produce 60 i8 illustrate,d by the following comparative reswts in wool carding of variou-s common types of wool with the split layer method practiced with cbrding apparatus as shown in Fig. @3 (four carding cylinders, two upper and two lower) combined 65 with opening'and burring mechanism, as also shown in Fig. 3, and with the prior, single layer method practiced with two carding cylinder carding machines of standard make, @ e,,ombined with the same opening and, burring mechanism. 70 The wool in both cases was made into tops,and tested for quality of carding by the standard nibcount test. (Nibs are snarls of s-hort uncombed fibre and the quality. of the cardwlw varies inversely with the number of nibs. @ The nib count 75 Is the number of nibs per fdur drams, (ne-fourtll
[4]ou4be, of @@ tops.) Resul are set,.forth-.-.@n.,t#e @@of ,qarding r4qq444i4ms to pop ts .4@-atel ca -@,sia@d y fo.Ilowirlg table: twql flbr.e streams. Split Layer Method Single Layer I\Iethod Maximuni tv Cdiiiat pepflvool forGodd Avera e Average ilroduction - bg Production l @ua ill olity@ Fine @er h6ur p6r hour nib 1 Tbps count oimt Po2inds P ounds #64s Domestic --- 50 42 . ' 45 130 Aboutl2O @ Do ---------- 75 82 ------ -------- -- About,@1-120 #6@s Aiis-trali@n- - - 90 64 45 Abou @,76-80 62 0 @45 --i@5 Abdut 80-100 b 0 4 7 75 @4 -..I 5 About 120 -@ln-'the cardipg@ apparatus. according, to the-,In--vention used for practicing the split layer method @"%th, the results reported in the foregoing table, @@@the fibre treating cylinders and rollerswere @of ,regular length@ and !of the,following diameters: carding cylinders, 26"; :doffers,@ 201.1;@-workers, '@strippers, 411; splitter, 16"; angle strip'5.51'. They were operated -at@ the relative surface speeds previously mentioned, as illustra,@,t-ive @of, suitable speed ratios for wool carding. ,,,The apparatus required - about one-fourth less ,@floor-space than the comparative two cylinder, single - layer machines. Also, the surface @ speed @-Of, the, splitter relative to that of the lickerin was such @ tiiat the wool layer on the lickerin .,was ,@div.ided@by the splitter into twG streams of,close to;@equal@, weight and thickness, and the two sets of carding mechailisms were of like construction ..@.and-operation so as.@to,produce the same,,carding@actionon equal@ fibre streams. Tliis,@is pref"erable since the-carding efficiency of the@method and @ @@;aratus is - normally less -if the two fibre streams@ formed@ bY the splitter, are of @ mater-fally 'i the two. sets -different we 'ight, and thickness, or,,i of@ carding mechanisms@- operate to @produce,: dist different@grades of-carding@on@ he,.-two ,@@streams. While; It is:@ordinarily desirable to recombine the@@ two- card6d @halves,;of the; fibre layer; at,: the ..-Completion-of the cardingoperations@tliereon, @@this-is.@not@essential. :Each@.setof4carding-mecha,and preferably -has @two carding -with, corresponding workers, strippers, etc. @@ as in@,the @ embodiments illustrated, . biit .- only '@@@one, @or@,more tl-ian: two, such cylinders- mgy be -t4nployed in eacii,set. Having.'described preferred forms: of. the @ ap@@paratus @aiid method of@:@the":invention,T-wh -I at -desire ta@-c-lairq@ail-d secure-by L-etters@.Patentzis: l..-Carding,-apparatusi comprising:,feed, -.means for' feeding- a uxiitary 7layer,, of fibres.--to be Ca-rde,d @)tw.o' :.@sets, of z carding mechELnisms 1. disposed @ one above the other,, each set including a rotary-, card@-.ing@..cylinder@,adapted @ tG @ carry @ upon--@ -its. surf ace .above- and partially,. aboiit I its axis,- a. -Stream;..of i -.3 2. C-arding appamtus as claimed in -el aim 1 vvliieh includes means :-for -doffing -said ;fibre st,@eairis from said-carding cylinders and for re-oii il)iiaiiag-said doffed fibre streams. Cardii-ig apparatu s as claimed in claim, 1 wi-jerein said @splitter 4means@ separat@s @the fibre L@iyei@ @ ii t bo two fibre streams eacli of aproximately 1- talf the thickness and fibr e content 6f the -iiiitf@l 1 yer. @-L. - Cardirig ar@ aratus as claimed in -claim, 1 1 - p 5 sai-d @ feed -iieans includes, a toolthed surL@.ced rotary druin for, advancing @ the -fibre.,layer oli its sn-i-d slirface and said splitter means compris@-@s a toothed surfaced,rotary roll associated @- vith said drur.,i. @,iid rotat--d aliout an a is pArx allr-l to @luhe dru-- ,-i axis in the sarie direction of io@ation as the druin,,said roll and i3aid drii-ra j)otl-i having the 'ueleth of th@,ir toothed surfaces I)i)i'ntiiig in the direction of rotation thereof. 5..Carding apparatus,a s claii)@ed in claim 1 5 said carding cylinders - hav,@, a diar@ieter -i @3-@ibstantia II., 7 le ss th ai i, fo u r fe et . G. C,- t r d i n a a p p a r a t u s . c o m r i s i n g f , - e d i i - i e a u s p foi-, faed'ing,a - anitary layer of fibr6s to be carded, 6""O ' .Sets of cardin iiiechanisms disi)osed one to above, blie. other, each @ et in luding a first and setozid rotary carding cylinder each adapted to carry upoli,its s face, above ai-id paf@ially abput, its axis,, a st eani of,, fi0yes, to, be,ce@@ded , -I)! 0 bf fibre W rkil-lg L r4eans , associat6d 5 1@r n wit i each said cardiug cylinder, a d lo@@ated qbove tl,ie aine, eaci-,, including, a,wo@7ker,,.@oll op rative e tc, conb -a portion of the flbre itrpa'm ifr'pm- th'e cylinder and -ineans,, for, stripping- t4e, fibre froria the worker roll ar@d for returiiiiig. it.to,.the cyl60@. @ -iiicter at the side of the worker r 11 toward4wliich s , a n I m L e a n Q , tii e , cylin4er d s for, iclofdng the rotate fib-.,6 streairi f r o i r , s a i d f u i n d 6 i a @ d s t c a r d i n g c y l tliansferiiiiig it to said. second, ca@rdiiig cylinder, r-5 sl)litter ineans located between@ s@id fc@ediiig iiieaiis and said carding, cylinders@ for splitti@g .,@aid uiiitary layer of fibres into two fibre streams ,eacti ofzsubstantially u@niform lesser thickness ti- a- sq@id @layei,. and for@ transferring one,of,.said fibres to:be; carded, @and a plurality of flbre-,@ivork-, 1,60.,_fibre - streams onto -one, of@ said first, carding- ey.1- -iriders and the other of said fibre strearns Oil 0 , - @, . I.@@ p tthe other one of said first carding pylinders, a,.-id -,iiieans for simtiltaneoilisl@yoperating said two,-sets of c,4t diiig@mechanisms to@separately card@@said @,fthre@fromthe7,worker,roll and.forreturtiing..,it,,65@@tWQfibrestreams. p p 4 @ a t , a s c l a i m e d @ i i - i c l a i m , 6 Ca,.:ding _@a us -iieh includcs iieails:,for, doffing -said fi re NkTi -@b strea--.-Ds frora said second cardingcylirlders. and for.,@recombining said doffed flbre streains, 8., Cardirig@ apparatus. as -claimed in
