Patent GB-162629-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to self-acting spinning mules
IPC: D01H3/00
Filed: 1921-04-30
Abstract: 162,629. Taine, R. April 30, 1920, [Convention date]. Mules.-In a mule with a driving-shaft running at constant speed and always in the same direction a differential brake device is arranged on the tin-roller shaft or on a shaft mounted on the carriage and is driven by the rim band. The driving-shaft A of this device has keyed to it a driving-pinion R, Fig. 1. The pulley D, driven by the rim band, is mounted loosely on the shaft and carries intermeshing planet gears S, S<1> gearing with R and with pinions b, c rigid with drums B, C on sleeves on the shaft A and provided with brakes by means of which one or other may be brought to rest. When the drum B is stopped and C is free, the drive is through the gears S and S' to R, giving a quick drive in one direction for twisting. When the drum C is stopped and B is free, the drive is through gears S<1> to R, giving a low speed in the other direction for backing-off. During winding both drums B and Care free and the shaft A is uncoupled. The drives for twisting and backing-off may be obtained from independent pulleys co-operating with brake drums as described above so that the ratio of twist-speed to backing-off speed may be varied. In order to change the speed at a certain stage of the outward run in the spinning of carded wool or waste and obtain a two- or three-speed arrangement for the tin-roller, two mechanisms as described above are arranged side by side on the same shaft, the second one being driven independently or through a countershaft from the first. The brakes controlling the drum B, C may be operated directly by stops &c. on the carriage, or pneumatically, or electrically. Backing-off may be arranged to take place during the outward run. This early backing-off necessitates the use of a spring-device to ease the counterfaller at the beginning of the backing-off and the attachment of the backing-off chain to a lever carrying a roller adapted to ride at the end of the run on to a plate moved in conjunction with the shaper plate to fall gradually as winding progresses. The operation of the brakes for the drive of the tin-roller shaft A, Fig. 12, is controlled by a lever 2 connected to the brake levers by a bifurcated link 5. At the moment of backing-off, the lever 2 is raised by a roller on the twist counter 3. The lever 2 is then held by a catch 6 at the right-hand end so as to pivot about this point. The left-hand end is therefore raised and the backing-off brake put in action and the twisting brake released. At the end of backing-off, the faller arm 7 in locking moves to the left and releases the catch 6. The lever 2 then pivots about the catch 11 under the action of a counterweight and leaves both brakes out of action for winding. At the end of the inward run, the catch 11 is released by a stop 10, the left-hand end of the lever 2 falls to its lowest position, and the twisting brake is brought into action. When a twist counter is not employed, the raising of the lever may be accomplished by a fixed stop. The catch 11 can be actuated by the descent of the faller leg on unlocking. The gripping of the brakes can be regulated during the growth of the cop so that, as the cop increases in weight, the grip can be strengthened. The fall of the plate 6, Fig. 6, connected to the shaper plate 8 allows the lever 2 to fall gradually and thus raises the end 11 of the lever 10 which controls the brakes. A further device for controlling the operation of the brakes without the use of a twist counter is illustrated in this Figure. The device is shown with the backing-off brake in operation. At the completion of backing-off, the fish-jaw lever 12 is raised and lifts the lever 2 which is pivoted to it at 3 and raises the rod 9 and lever 10, releasing the backing-off brake. The lever 10 is connected to the rod 16 of an eccentric 14 so that when, at the end of the inward run, the eccentric is turned by a chain 24 and a lever 22 which contacts with a stop, the lever is lowered and the twisting brake is brought into operation. The twist counter is arranged to make more than one turn during twisting but to co-operate with the lever controlling the brakes only after the correct number of turns have been made. The roller which moves the brake lever moves relatively to the twist counter wheel, and is operated by a projection on a second wheel which has a differential motion with respect to the twist counter wheel. The drive for the carriage and for the delivery rollers 15 is obtained from the main shaft 1, Fig. 12, through a pinion 5, Figs. 12 and 19, which drives a cross shaft 6 carrying pinions 9, 22. The pinion 9 drives a gear 10 loose on a shaft 13 and co-operating with a brake drum 11 carrying planet gears. When the drum is braked, the shaft 13 rotates at its normal speed and drives the rollers 15 through a, chain 18 and the drawing- out shaft 14 through a chain 16. When the drum is free, the shaft 13 is disengaged. The pinion 22 operates through a similar arrangement with a brake drum 26 to drive a shaft 27 and the drawing-in shaft 24 through a chain 28. Backward movement of the rollers is prevented during drawing-in by a ratchet arrangement 21. The brake drums 11, 26 are controlled by the movement of the carriage. The brakes for the drum 11 are controlled by cams on the end of a rod carrying stops which are engaged by a projection on the carriage at the ends of the runs. The brakes 25 for the drum 26, Fig. 21, are controlled by a counterweighted lever 45, which is supported during the outward run by a cam 44 on a rod 43. At the end of the outward run the fish-jaw lever 18 contacts with a bowl 51 on a bell-crank lever 52, and a projection 54 on the carriage acts to extend a spring 56. When backing-off is finished, the faller leg 49 rises and the lever 18 moves to release the bowl 51 and allow it to rise under the action of the spring 56, thus moving the rod 43 and releasing the lever 45 to bring the brakes 25 into action. At the end of the inward run, a projection 57 on the carriage moves the rod 43 to the left and raises the lever 45. The lever 52 has a handle 50 so that a carriage can be stopped at any time during winding. The carriage is held at the end of the outward run by a catch 60, which is released by the movement of the lever 52. The brake levers for the drums 11, 26 are interconnected by a chain 63 so that both cannot be in operation at once. In the spinning of fine counts, the drive for the carriage and rollers may be obtained from a belt which can be placed on one of three pulleys 65, 66, 67, Fig. 24, one, 65, to drive the carriage and rollers during the outward run, one, 66, to drive the carriage during the inward run, and the third, 67, a loose pulley, to accommodate the belt during the backing-off. The belt-shifter is arranged to move gradually from one pulley to another to eliminate shocks in the changes. The belt fork 68, Fig. 24, is operated by an oscillating plate 69, and is so mounted as to be capable of movement relatively to it. The plate is moved by a weighted lever 76 connected to it by pivoted links 78, 79. A link 81 operated by a crank 83 moves the pivot 82 connecting these links over from one side to the other, so that the weighted lever rocks the plate first in one direction and then in the other. The plate is normally held by one or other of the catches 84, 85, and these are released at the ends of the outward run by the rod 31 moved by a ,projection on the carriage. The belt is moved on .to the loose pulley at the commencement of backing-off, without the plate 69 rocking, by a lever 86 operated by a rod 43 moved by the fish-jaw lever 48. At the end of backing-off, the lever 52, as described with reference to Fig. 21, is released and the belt fork is then moved over to the pulley 65 by the movement of the plate 69. The rate of movement of the belt fork is controlled by adjusting the weights 75, 89, on the ends of the lever 76, the pivot 77 of which is spring- supported. In the spinning of fine counts at great twist, the carriage and rollers may be driven during the outward run by means operated from the tin-roller shaft. The tinroller shaft drives a drum round which runs a cord carried over guide-pulleys and over a pulley on a shaft connected by gearing with the backshaft and the roller shaft. A clutch is inserted to put the shaft out of action during backing-off and winding. When the back shaft is connected to the quadrant gear, the drive may be obtained from the tinroller shaft 1, Fig. 28, by a cord 6 wound in opposite directions round a drum 5 driven from the shaft 1 and a drum 10 on the quadrant gear shaft. The drum 5 is controlled by a clutch 28 which is opened by a pivoted member 33 at the end of the outward run, and is kept open by the faller leg 37 which moves in locking at the beginning of the inward run. At the end of the inward run, the faller leg moves back in unlocking and the clutch is closed by a spring 36. In order to prevent snarls, the delivery rollers may be actuated by the carriage in such a manner as to deliver the exact quantity of yarn required by the movement of the spindles. A chain 35, Fig. 32, is attached to an adjustable bracket 36 on the carriage at the height of the spindle points, and is wrapped round a drum 40 which as it rotates drives the rollers through a ratchet and pawl. The drive may be assisted by a constantly driven drum 50 carrying planet gears which mesh with a gear on the roller - spindle 16. The rotation of the drum 50 is retarded by brakes 52 controlled by the pivoted arm 38 carrying a guide-pulley 37 round which the chain 35 passes. Movement of the arm 38 against a spring 58 brings the brakes into action. In order to slow up the movements due to the various changes and eliminate all shocks in the spinning of fine counts, the movements of the various brake mechanisms described may be controlled by dash-pot arrangements. In adapting an existing mule headst