CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES FOR SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brown, of Middleton, in tho County of
Lancaster, and Robert Gregson, of the same Place, Ironfounders, for
the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES FOR
SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
1
Sealed the 19th September 1861, and dated the 25th March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brown and Robert
Gregson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th March 1861.
We, JOHN BROWN, of Middleton, in the County of Lancaster, and ROBERT
GREGSON, of the same Place, Ironfounders, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES FOR
SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to that description of self-acting mules wherein the
mechanism known as the "scroll and scroll band " is employed.
"
The improvement consists, first, in the use of an additional drum, having a
screw-like groove formed on its periphery, and placed between the "scroll'
and the "quadrant shaft ;" and, secondly, in the use of a peculiarly and suitably
shaped pulley running loose on the quadrant shaft.. Hitherto, at a certain
portion of the traverse of the spindle carriage, the "scroll" band between the
scroll and the quadrant shaft became detrimentaly slack and loose, but by
passing the band round the extra pulley (in the groove) the band is kept at
the required tension, and a considerable improvement effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Brown and Robert Gregson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BROWN, of Middleton, in the County of Lancaster, and ROBERT GREGSON, of
the same Place, Ironfounders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Brown and Robert Gregson, Her especial license that we,
the said John Brown and Robert Gregson, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Brown and Robert
Gregson, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES FOR SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," upon the condition, amongst others, that we, the said John
Brown and Robert Gregson, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Brown and Robert Gregson,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement and accompanying Drawing (that is to
say) -
--
The Invention relates to that description of self-acting mules wherein the
mechanism known as the scroll and "scroll band " is employed.
The improvement consists, first, in the use of an additional drum, having a
screw-like groove formed on its periphery, and placed between the "scroll"
and the "quadrant shaft;" and, secondly, in the use of a peculiarly and
suitably shaped pulley running loose on the quadrant shaft. Hitherto, at a
certain portion of the traverse of the spindle carriage, the "scroll" between the
scroll and the quadrant shaft became detrimentally slack and loose, by passing

page_text: the band round the extra pulley (in the groove) the band is kept at the
required tension, and a considerable improvement effected.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings nade upon a scale of
about two inches to a foot, and having similar letters of reference marked
upon corresponding parts of the machinery.
Fig. 1 is a side view of that portion of the self-acting mule wherein the
"scroll" and quadrant shaft are situated, shewing the position of the extra or
additional grooved drum; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, shewing the rope
or band passing from the scroll to the drum and pulley on the quadrant shaft,
and around the intermediate additional grooved drum; and Fig. 3 is an end
view of the same.
In Fig. 1, a, a, is the framing supporting the "scroll," around which the
rope or band c passes, as in ordinary mules, d being the additional grooved
drum interposed between the scroll and the pulley e on the quadrant shaft f,
one end of the rope or band g being attached to the scroll, and the other
end to the grooved drum, the band h being also attached to the drum at its
opposite end, and passes to the grooved loose pulley e, the two bands being
alternately coiled on the grooved drum, the band 9 passing to and from the
scroll in nearly a straight line. By the use of the grooved drum d, the scroll,
rope, or band is prevented from becoming slack or loose during a certain
portion of the traverse of the spindle carriage, and is also guided on to the
"scroll," so as to prevent its rubbing against the sides of the "scroll," whereby
the spinning and action of the mule is considerably improved.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of performing the same, we would remark, in conclusion, that we claim
the novel application, employment, and use of the additional drum & interposed
between the "scroll" and quadrant shaft, and having the scroll rope or band
passing around it; and, secondly, we claim the use of the pulley e upon the
quadrant shaft, for the purpose mentioned, and as herein-before described, set
forth, and fully exhibited in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Brown and Robert Gregson,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-one