US1978355A - Traverse motions for blamires lappers - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23, 1934. w. D. RUNDLETT TRAVERSE MOTIONS FOR BLAMIRES LAPPERS Filed April 8, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 23, 1934. w. D. RUNDLETT TRAVERSE MOTIONS FOR BLAMI-RES LAPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 8, 1931 Qmm Patented Get. 23, 1934 PATENT OFFICE TRAVERSE MOTIONS FOR BLAMIRES LAPPERS William 1). Rundlett, North Adams, Mass., as-

signor to The James Hunter Machine Company, North Adams, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 8, 1931, Serial No. 528,630

20 Claims.

The invention relates to machines for forming bats or laps consisting of a plurality of layers of carded fiber such as wool or cotton, and more particularly to improvements in the mechanism for traversing and reversing the carriage carrying the apron on which the bat is folded or lapped.

A principal object is to produce laps of greater uniformity of thickness; or as otherwise stated, to avoid appreciably thickening the margins or selvages in comparison with intermediate portions of the lap, as Well as avoiding unevenness in intermediate parts resulting from non-uniform movement of the carriage. This is accomplished by. providing novel and improved driving or traversing mechanism for the carriage on which the bat is accumulated and folded or lapped, and especially, improved reversing means, which greatly decreases the time required for the reversing action at each end of the carriage travel, and thus reduces to a practically negligible minimum the dwell of the carriage incident to reversal, and correspondingly reduces thickening of the selvages, which would result from the piling-up of the descending bat while the carriage hesitated.

The improved driving and reversing mechanism, as briefly described, with reference to the physical embodiment disclosed, consists essentially in belts arranged to run in opposite directions, a fast pulley located between two loose pulleys and connected to drive the bat-carriage, and means actuated by carriage movement toward each end of the stroke to shift the belts in such manner that the drive-reversal is accomplished so quickly that the carriage-dwell is minimized, and practically negligible.

' Important additional features of the carriagedriving and reversing mechanism include the following: The loose-pulleys have heavy rims, or are otherwise so designed that they have very substantial fly-wheel or momentum effect to facilitate reversal of the carriage travel. The belts and pulleys have such relative face-dimensions that each belt while in driving position onthe fast pulley overlaps the adjacent margin of its loose pulley and drives it at belt-speed. The loose pulleys are thus always driven in opposite directions, and by their momentum-energy avoid any retardation of the shifting action, and on the contrary facilitate and expedite belt-shifting and carriage reversal in a manner sufliciently explained hereafter. The fast pulley treaddiameter is also preferably greater than that of the loose pulleys, tending to increase driving traction and additionally facilitating shifting, as also later explained. The belt-shifting mechanism is operated by stops on a stop-rail on the carriage; these stops are adjustable to vary its location, widthwise of the apron; preferably these stops are provided in duplicate at either or both ends of the stop-rail to facilitate adjustment of carriage-stroke while in operation.

The fast pulley maybe connected in various ways to drive the carriage; the well-known driving connection consisting in a rack-like instrumentality may be used. Preferably, the drive is transmitted to the carriage by the novel means here shown, comprising a sprocket-chain having its ends connected to the. carriage, and passing through a stationary guide-structure, and a pinion (specifically a sprocket) associated with the guide-structure, in engagement with the chain and connected to the fast pulley. This arrangement has great advantages over the familiar in one form, showing only parts included in the invention structure or necessary to an understanding of it as incorporated in a complete machine.

Fig. 2'is a perspective view, showing principally the drive-chain on the accumulating-apron carriage, stationary guide-structure, and shaft connecting the driving sprocket to the fast pulley.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in front elevation, and partly in section in the vertical plane of the pulley-shaft.

Fig. 4 is an elevation as viewed from the lef of Fig. 3, with parts omitted.

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section in the plane 6, 6,

V Fig. 4.

In the well-known lapping or bat-forming machine of the present class, as best shown in Fig. l carded fiber is delivered by the final carding cylinder, or doffer, of a carding machine or the like (not shown) such as a Garnett, to a continuously-rnoving conveyor or apron 1, of which only the delivery-portion is illustrated, forming thereon a sheet or fleece 3 consisting of a single layer of the fiber. This fleece is discharged between guiding or pressing rolls 5 and 7 (Figs. 1, 2, and

the rack, as frequently 3) to the upper surface of an accumulating or lapping apron 9 on a bat-carriage 11. The carriage is supported and guided by wheels 12, 13 running in tracks 14, 15 and reciprocates in the lengthwise direction of the fleece apron 1, while the lapapron is driven during carriage-movements in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the move ment of the fleece-apron.

The slatted accumulating apron 9 runs about an idler-roll 21 at one end of the carriage 11, supported in bearing 23 at ends of the carriage side-frame members 25, and also about a driving roll (not shown) fixed on shaft 26 (Fig. 2) near the other end of the carriage, adjacent the drums 27 which support and rotate the roll 29 of lap as it is wound about the core 31. Shaft 32 of core 31 is directed by vertical guides 34, as usual. The driving mechanism for these drums, apron-drive pulley and a pressing roll33, are not a part of the present invention, but may be substantially as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 44:1,629 filed. April. 4, 1930, or of any other known. or suitable character.

The fleece is thus laid in a zigzag course, in superposed layers-upon the lap-apron:9, to form a lap 37 of. the required thickness, and is rolled up on: the core 31 as above referred to. The greatly-desired: uniformity of thickness of. the fieece-widthwiseof. the; lap-apron depends principally upon the continuity and uniformity of movement. of the carriage. The continuity of. movement is: necessarily interrupted by reversal of the'carriage' at each endof its travel,and in these machines as-heretofore constructed, reversal involves anundue'retardation.or dwell of the carriage,.with theresult that the continuously-moving fleece-apron deposits a relatively greater quantity of the fleece at the margins of the lap, and the lap-selvages are therefore thicker than intermediate portions. Similar-1y,v undesired thickening of the lap at other points results from any pausein' the movement of the carriage.

To obviate these disadvantages practically or entirely, the invention providesnovel and improved carriage-driving and reversing mechanism designed to effect quick or approximately instantaneous reversals, without appreciable re tard'a-t'ion before and after themoment of reversal,

. so that carriage-lag and dwell are reduced to a minimum; hesitation or unevenness of movement of'the carriage is prevented, and laps of exceptionall'y' uniform thickness are produced.

In accordance with the invention, the driving element directly carried by or connected to the carriage (see Fig. 2') is a single-run sprocketchain 41 extending below the carriage in the direction of carriage-movement. The location of this chain laterally of the carriage may vary, but when the lap-apron driving mechanism i3 is driven in the manner disclosed in the above-identified co-p'endi'ng' application, and as here sumciently indicated in Fig. 2', by one of the carriagewheels 13 having teeth 45 positively engaging rack-notches in the corresponding track 15, the

chain is located as shown, close to the corresponding end of the carriage; and nearly in line with the traction-wheel 13, thus avoiding any considerable tendency to twist or slue the carrlage in its horizontal plane under the reaction force of the apron-driving means. The chain ends are connected to downwardly-extending brackets 4.7 secured to the frame-members 25 (only one of these brackets being shown, in Fig. 2). To regulate properly the effective chain. length or tension, or to readjust its tension after wear, one of its end-links 49 is connected to a threaded rod 51, passing through an eye 53 in the end of bracket 47; a nut 55 on the rod bearing against the outer end of the bracket-eye positions the rod in relation to the bracket.

The chain is driven to and fro by a sprocket 57 secured on a shaft 59 extending below the carriage, transversely with respect to the direction of carriage movement, and having its end adjacent the sprocket supported in a bearing in a base or sprocket-stand 61 which is secured in a fixed position, conveniently on the floor, at midlength of the carriage travel. Desirably to permit adjustment of. the sprocket stand transversely in relation to the shaft-axis (in accordance with the position or repositioning of the other end of the shaft, as will appear) this stand is connected to the upright flange 63 of an anglebar 65 by bolts 67 passing through selected ones of a series of similarly-spaced holes 69: in. the flange. The other flange of the bar is secured to the floor by screws or bolts 71. The sprocketstand also supports idler-sprockets 73, mounted on stub-shafts on stand 61 and located at opposite sides of the driving-sprocket 5'7, with their axes substantially higher than the shaft-axis,.and the chain passes over the idlers and about and under the driving-sprocket; or in other words, a loop or bight '77 is maintained in the chain, encircling substantially one-half the circumference of the drive-sprocket, thus providing ample driving engagement, with reduced wear of sprocketteeth and chain.

The lower, slack side of the bat-apron 9 (which 110 preferably is not tightly tensioned) tends to sag considerably below the carriage; and to prevent contact of this portion of the moving apron with chain 41, a supporting roll 79 is provided, extend.- ing below the carriage and above andparallel. to the chain, and the slack stretch of the apron, runs over this roll which holds it up, well. clear of. the chain or its sprockets. The roll-shaft 81 is mounted in bearings 83 supported by brackets 85 (only one of which is shown in Fig. 2) secured to the lower flanges 87 of carriage frame-members 25 as by bolts 89 and clamping elements 91. co-operating with the bolts and frame-members.

Sprocket-shaft 59 is driven by belt and pulley mechanism (Figs. 1, and 3 to 6) located alongside the carriage at the end remote from the aprondriving mechanism 43 and sprocket-standv 61. The pulley mechanism is arranged in or about a frame or pulley-stand 93 including a base 95. secured to the floor by bolts or screws 97, and stand- 130 ards 99, 101, the upper ends of which are connected by a cross-bar 103 secured in sockets 105. The standards are connected to the base for adjustment in the direction of belt-length (forvariation of belt-tension, as will appear, or for other purposes) by bolts 10? having their heads engaged in undercut flanges at opposite sides of slots 109 in the base side-members and these slots have enlarged end-apertures 111 permitting easy placement or removal of the bolts.

A main, or pulley-shaft 113 is mounted in bearings 115 secured to standards 99 and 101-. Desiredly, as best shown in Fig. 6, the shaft-bearings are in the form of sleeves having annular enlargements 117 of spherical contour, movably mounted 145 in sockets in the standards. Each complete socket consists of part-spherical half- sockets 119 and 121 formed respectively in one of the standards and in a socket-plate 123 secured thereto, as by bolts 125. This universal or ball-and-socket 1'50 mounting of the shaft-bearings in the standards enables the bearing-sleeves to align themselves automatically with the shaft-axis, and avoids cramping of the shaft which would otherwise be caused by inaccurate relative locations of the standards; or as otherwise expressed, dispenses with extreme care and accuracy in manufacture and assemblyor adjustment of the base 95, standards 99 and 101 and bearings.

A fast pulley 127 is secured on the shaft, between loose pulleys 129 and 131, which are re' voluble on the shaft. The loose pulleys have facewidths sufficient to provide for necessary shifting movement of the belts, usually, as shown, considerably greater than the face-width of the fast pulley. The loose pulleys also preferably have rims 133 of substantial cross-sectional area, or are otherwise designed to have very considerable momentum or fly-wheel effect, for reasons later mentioned. The tread-diameter of the fast pulley 127 is also preferably moderately (but substantially) greater than that of the loosev pulleys, to insure ample or relatively increased traction of the belts when in driving position thereon, as also referred tobelow.

The sprocket-shaft 59 (above mentioned) has its end remote from sprocket 57 revolubly mounted in a sleeve bearing 135 supported by standard 101, and is driven by a gear 137 engaged by a pinion 139 fixed on pulley-shaft 113. Preferably as shown, the bearing sleeve 135 has a movable, or universal, ballandsocket mounting 141 in its standard, substantially similar to that explained in detail, with reference to bearing sleeves 115.

' The pulleys are driven by belts 143 and 1 15, of which the portions co-operating with the pulleys run in opposite directions. Usually for this purpose one of the belts is crossed, while the other is uncrossed, or open- The belts are driven by pulleys'on a counter-shaft (not shown) in any convenient location. Asillustrated in Figs. land 4 the belts have, a horizontal run, being driven from a floor-stand counter-shaft.

The width of each belt is sufficient to provide I, thedesired area of driving engagement with the fast pulley and in addition, when in driving position, as shown with reference to belt 143 in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, to overlap and engage a substantial marginal width of its corresponding loose pulley. In this way the loose pulleys are at all times driven at belt speed, as their belts never completely leave them, and each one always runs in the same direction, these directions being opposite, with reference to the two loose pulleys.

The belts are controlled and shifted by shifting- forks 147 and 149 on arms 151 carried by a shifting bar 153, one end of which is arranged to reciprocate ina sleeve or socket 155 on an .arm 157 extending from one of the bearingsocket plates 123 above mentioned. The forkarms 151-extend respectively upward and downward from their supporting bar 153, in order that each fork may cooperate with the slack stretch of its belt. The shifter arms are connected to the bar 153, for both lateral andvertical adjustment thereon, by clamps 159 having flanges 161,

engaging above and below the bar to guide the clamps slidingly thereon, and bolts 163 passing above and below the bar through vertical slots 165 in the arms.

The shifting bar is moved by a lever 167 having a hub 169 which oscillates on a shaft 171 secured in a sleeve 173 on standard 101. The lever end has a clevis 175 embracing the free end of bar 153 and pivotally connected to it by a pin 177. The slight swinging movement of bar 153 due to the angular swing of the lever is permitted by fitting the bar somewhat loosely in its guiding sleeve 155.

Lever hub 169 has a lateral sleeve or extension 179 which revolubly supports a cam-roll 181 having a periphery of spherical contour, to cooperate with a cam-track, or slot 183 in a camplate 185. This plate reciprocates in guideways 187 at upper and lower edges of a guide-plate 189, which is secured to standard 101, and has an opening 191 accommodating the swinging movements of the hub-extension 179. The cam slot 183 has horizontal dwell- portions 193 and 195 and an intermediate, angularly-directed portion'197 to effect belt-shifting.

The cam-plate 185 is moved to and fro by stops or dogs (later referred to) on a stop-rail or bar 203, at one end of the carriage, cooperating with a lug or abutment 205 on the plate. This abutment-piece has a notch or recess 207 accommodating the stop-rail 203. The ends of this rail are secured in sockets 209 at the upper ends of threaded posts 211 which are clamped by nuts 213 in the ends of struts 215 secured to the carriage side frame-members and projecting beyond the adjacent end of the bat-apron.

At least one stop or dog is carried by rail 203 at each side of the abutment 205, and preferably there are, as shown, two adjustable dogs 217 and 219 at each side of the abutment, to facilitate carriage-stroke adjustment, as will appear. The dogs are independently slidable along the rail,

and each is secured in adjusted position by a suitable clamping device, such as a set-screw 221. Another stop 223 may also be provided, in association with either or both pairs of adjustable stops. This additional stop may be secured in a fixed position on rail 203, as by a pin 225 passing through the stop and rail; this position corresponds to the extreme desired or permissible travel of the carriage in one direction, and the stop 223 thus prevents placing the next adjacent adjustable stop in a position corresponding to excessive travel of the carriage in the corresponding direction. I

For manual shifting of the belts, cam-plate 185 has a handle 227, which desirably is, as shown, formed or arranged as a part or extenslcn of the abutment-lug 205. This handle permits manual shifting of the cam-plate and thus the belts to or from a neutral position, wherein neither belt is on the fixed pulley. The movable stop 217 nearest cam-lug 205, at each side thereof, may be adjusted on stop-rail 203 for a relatively short carriage travel, (to produce a corresponding narrow width of bat) and the other movable stops may at the same time be adjusted for greater carriage travel, to produce a wider bat. To increase the range of carriage movement, it is then only necessary to loosen the set-screws 221 of the inwardly-located stops at the moment when the width of lapis desired to be increased, and each stop will, in the next carriage stroke in the corresponding direction, encounter the cam-lug 205 and be pushed back into contact with the other adjacent adjustable stop 219; whereafter the carriage will travel a distance oorrespon ding to the positions of the stops last-mentioned (with allowance for the thickness of the inwardly-lcated stops 217). This variation of carriage stroke may be accomplished without stopping the machine, since the speed of traverse of the carriage is moderate. In a similar way, carriagetravel; may easily and quickly be increased to the maximum (corresponding to the positions of fixed stops 223) by loosening the set-screws of both pairs of adjustable stops 217 and 219, whereupon the latter will be pushed back outwardly against the fixed stops, and: the carriage will move a distance nearly equal to the width of the: bat-apron, to produce a full-width bat.

In operation, as the carriage nears the end of its: travel in either direction. (as determined by stop-adjustment, as just explained), the corresponding stop 217 encounters lug 205 of camplate: 185 and moves the latter along with the carriage; the diagonal portion 197 of the cam-channel acts on cam-follower 181 to swing lever 167 and move the shifters 147, 149 in a direction to shift the belt which has been running on the fast pulley 127 to its loose pulley while the other belt, which has been running on the other loose pulley, is moved to engagement about the fast pulley, and the carriage-movement is reversed.

Thus, with the belts running about the pulleys in the directions indicated by arrows in Fig. 1,

L the pulleys are turning in corresponding directions, and. the. carriage is moving toward the left, or inward in relation to the fleece apron, as also indicated by an arrow. Belt 143 engaging about the fast pulley 127 is actively driving the carriage through shaft 113, pinion 139, gear 137, shaft 59, sprocket 57' and chain 41 (see also Fig. 2) a portion of belt 143 overlaps the adjacent margin of the tread of loose pulley 129, which is driven at belt-speed and in the same direction. Belt 145 on the other loose pulley 131 (and free from the fast-pulley) is driving its loose pulley at full beltspeed, and in the opposite direction from that in which the fast pulley 127 is now running, and in which loose pulley 131 always runs. When the stop 21 7 at the right-hand end of rail 203 engages the lug 205, the cam-plate 185 is moved in the corresponding direction (toward the left in Fig. 1); cam-portion 197 engages roll 181 and oscillateslever 167', moving shifter-bar 153 to the right,' and fork 147" moves belt 143, or directs it to move toward the center of its loose pulley 129 and off of the fast pulley, while belt 145 is urged toward engagement with the fast pulley. The loose pulleys, constantly driven at belt speed in opposite directions, and having substantial mass, as above mentioned, have a very material kinetic energy or fly-wheel effect, and this is increased by the stated arrangement of driving connections to the. carriage, namely the speed reduction between pinion 139 and gear 137 and the small diameter of sprocket 57; so that the pulleys run at relatively-high speed (in comparison with the rate of carriage travel). Belt 143 as it leaves the fast pulley is not subjected to any retardation which would be caused in ordihary belt-drive arrangement by engaging and accelerating a loose pulley which had been stationary or running idly at low speed; on the contrary, the loose pulley 129 running at full belt speed receives the belt without the delay necessitated by having to be accelerated up to beltspeed, thus quickly terminating the driving ac tion from this belt. At about the same moment, belt 145 is brought into engagement with the opposite margin of the fast pulley, and its loose pulley 131 acts (in addition to the driving force.

applied to the belt by its primary driving pull'ey) as an inertia-motor tending to drive the belt and prevent the belt from slowing down through slipping on its primary pulley (which is not shown). Through the overlapping belt, the heavy loose pulley 131 transfers part of its momentum to the fast pulley, with the result that the latter is quickly brought to rest, restarted and accelerated to full speed in the opposite direction, as belt 145 reaches its normal driving position on the fast pulley, still retaining marginal engagement with, and driving effect upon loose pulley 131.

The carriage-travel is thus reversed with minimized or negligible delay, avoiding deposit by the fleece-apron of any perceptibly increased amount of fleece at the selvage margins of the lap, as sufliciently referred to early herein.

The tread-diameter of the fast-pulley, substantially greater than that of the loose pulleys (as above mentioned) has an important function in facilitating and expediting belt-shifting. When a running belt is moved by a shifting fork from one pulley to another, this movement is not effected principally by the direct lateral push of the shifter, but is due to the spiral travel of the belt as it moves about the pulleys under the primary urgency of the shifter. In the present arrangement, as either belt is moved toward and encounters the fast pulley tread of greater diameter than that of the loose pulley, the increased traction or frictional drag applied between the fast pulley and belt surfaces twists the belt in the proper direction in a horizontal plane, as well as lifts the leading edge of the belt to utilize the well-known climbing tendency of running belts, and causes the belt to run quickly onto the pulley-face, until the full desired belt-widtharea is engaged with the pulley, as determined by the position of the'fork. at the end of the shifting movement.

Movement of the belts from 1311831551; pulley to a loose pulley is also facilitated by the fact that the latter isrunning at full belt speed in the same direction as the belt, so that the belt is easily caused to follow a. spiral course as it runs onto the loose pulley, when urged laterally by the shifter.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which the invention may be. embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I do claim is.:'-

1. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage and an accumulating apron thereon, a chain on the carriage extending in the direction of carriage-travel, a sprocket-engaging the chain, and means for driving the sprocket in alternately-opposite directions to traverse the carriage to and fro.

2. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage and an accumulating apron thereon, a chain on the carriage extending in the. direction of carriage-travel, a drivingsprocket, means for driving such sprocket, and means maintaining a bend in the chain in engagement with the sprocket.

3. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a chain carried by the carriage, a sprocket engaging the chain, and means for driving the sprocket in alternately-opposite directions to traverse the carriage to and fro.

4. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a single-run chain having.

its ends secured to the carriage so that the chain moves bodily therewith, and a driving-sprocket engaging with the chain and thereby moving the carriage to and fro.

5. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage and a lap-apron thereon, a chain having its ends connected to supporting elements on the carriage, means for adjustably tensioning the chain, and a driving sprocket engaging the chain.

6. In a lap-forming machine, the combination with a reciprocating carriage and a lap-apron thereon, of a chain on the carriage, a sprocket maintained in driving engagement with a straight run of the chain, and means for driving the sprocket.

7. In a lap-forming machine, in combination with a reciprocating carriage and a lap-apron thereon, a chain having its ends connected to supporting elements on the carriage, means cooperating with one of said supporting elements for adjustably tensioning the chain, and a -lriving sprocket engaging the chain.

8. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a chain carried by the carriage, a driving-sprocket engaging with the chain intermediate the length of a straight run of the latter, and means maintaining the sprocket and chain in driving engagement.

9. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, a drivingsprocket, and means forming a sprocket-engaging bend in the chain intermediate a straight run of the latter.

10. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, a drivingsprocket engaging with the chain, the portions of the chain extending away from the sprocket being in substantial longitudinal alignment.

11. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, a drivingsprocket around which the chain is bent in one direction, and a member at each side of the driving-sprocket around which the chain is bent reversely.

12. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, a drivingsprocket engaging in a straight run of the chain, and means maintaining driving engagement between the chain and sprocket and capable of being adjustably positioned in the direction of carriage-travel.

13. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating apron carriage, and carriage-driving mechanism including fast and loose pulleys, a belt, and carriage-operated belt-shifting means, the belt and pulleys having face-widths and arrangement such that when on the fast pulley the belt always overlaps and engages an adjacent loose pulley facilitating shift onto the loose pulley to expedite carriage reversal.

14. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating apron carriage, and car riage-driving mechanism including a shaft, loose pulleys and an intermediate fast pulley thereon,

a drivingconnection from the fast pulley to the carriage, driving belts, each constantly driving a loose pulley, and belt-shifting means operated by the carriage, the fast pulley having a treaddiameter substantially greater than that of the loose pulleys.

15. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating apron carriage, and carriage-driving mechanism including a shaft, loose pulleys and an intermediate fast pulley thereon, a driving connection from the fast pulley to the carriage, oppositely-running driving belts, and belt-shifting means operated by the carriage, the belts and pulleys having face-widths and arrangement such that each belt while on the fast pulley overlaps and engages its loose pulley keeping it constantly rotating to expedite carriage reversal.

16. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating apron carriage, and carriage-driving mechanism including a shaft, loose pulleys and an intermediate fast pulley thereon, a driving connection from the fast pulley to the carriage, oppositely-running driving belts, and belt-shifting means operated by the carriage, the fast pulley having a tread-diameter substantially greater than that of the loose pulleys, the belts and pulleys having face-widths and arrangement such that each belt while on the fast pulley overlaps and engages its loose pulley keeping it constantly rotating to expedite carriage reversal.

17. A lap-forming machine comprising a reciprocating carriage, a lap-apron thereon, belt-andpulley mechanism arranged and connected to traverse the carriage, a belt shifter controlling carriage reversal, a reciprocating cam for moving the shifter, and stops travelling with the carriage and reciprocating the cam.

18. A lap-forming machine comprising a reciprocating carriage, a lap-apron thereon, belt-andpulley mechanism arranged and connected to traverse the carriage, a belt shifter controlling carriage reversal, a swinging arm connected to move the shifter, a reciprocating plate having a cam-channel for operating the arm, and carriageoperated stops for moving the cam-plate to-andfro.

19. A lap-forming machine comprising a reciprocating carriage, a lap-apron thereon, a pulley stand alongside the carriage including standards, a shaft journalled in the standards, fast and loose pulleys on the shaft, a driving connection from said shaft to the carriage, oppositely-running driving belts, a belt-shifter and a reciprocating cam on the stand for operating the shifter, a stop-rail on the carriage, and adjustable stops on the rail cooperating with the cam.

20. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage and an accumulating apron thereon, a chain on the carriage, beneath the apron and extending in the direction of carriage travel, a sprocket engaging the chain, means for driving the sprocket in alternately-opposite directions to traverse the carriage to and fro, and means on the carriage supporting the slack stretch of the apron so as to avoid contact with the chain and sprocket.

WILLIAM D. RUNDLETT.

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