CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Broughton Edge and Enoch Hird, both of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING
COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Broughton Edge
and Enoch Hird at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 20th November 1865.
We, JAMES BROUGHTON EDGE and ENOCH HIRD, both of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING AND
DOUBLING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention is designed for the purpose of twisting or doubling two
or more threads or yarns of cotton or other fibrous material together
without the employment of "flyers," which are used at present in ordinary
twisting or doubling frames.
The improvements consist in the employment and use of a vertical
hollow spindle carrying a disc or circular platform about the middle of its
length, in which the cops or spools (say two or more) containing the single
yarn are supported in a vertical position and arranged round the said
central hollow spindle. Near the upper extremity of this spindle a number

page_text: of eyelets are secured corresponding with the number of cops, the yarn being
delivered from each cop and passing through its respective eyelet, and
thence over a taper bowl covered with flannel, which acts as a "drag" on
the yarn, and which is attached to the top of the said spindle; this part of
the apparatus all revolves together, and is driven by a "wharf" on the
lower part of the vertical spindle and the usual arrangement of band and
pulley. The yarns or threads after passing over the "drag bowl," and
receiving the necessary tension thereby, pass upwards through two
stationary eyelets, one placed above the other, the lower one of which as
the threads are twisting forms the apex of a curve (the top of the said bowl
forming the base), at which point the yarns or threads become twisted or
doubled together, whence and in which doubled state they are drawn
through rollers, from whence they proceed through revolving tubes
in bearings attached to the framing of the machine. To the bottom
or lower portion of these tubes "flyers" are attached, which receive
the thread as it passes from the said tube, and after imparting a further
twist thereto deliver the twisted thread on to bobbins or spools revolving
on spindles fixed to the supporting or "bobbin rail," these receiving
bobbins may be arranged so as to revolve loosely on the spindles and
receive the required "drag" by their contact with the rail in the ordinary
manner, or they may be secured on to the spindles and be driven so as to
receive a positive motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Broughton Edge and Enoch Hird, in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
BROUGHTON EDGE and ENOCH HIRD, both of Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said James Broughton Edge and Enoch Hird, Her
special license that we, the said James Broughton Edge and Enoch Hird,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
James Broughton Edge and Enoch Hird, our executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, should 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 IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Broughton Edge and
Enoch Hird, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of their 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 James Broughton Edge and Enoch
Hird, 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
Drawings (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists of certain improvements in machinery or
apparatus for spinning and doubling cotton or other fibrous substances,
and besides being applicable for spinning is designed for the purpose of
twisting or doubling two or more threads or yarns of cotton or other fibrous
material together without the employment of flyers, as now at present used
in ordinary twisting or doubling frames. In carrying into effect our improve-
ments we employ a vertical hollow spindle carrying a disc or circular
platform about the middle of its length, on which the cops or spools, say
two or more, containing the single yarns are supported in a vertical or
upright position and arranged round the said central hollow spindle. Near
the upper extremity of this spindle a number of eyelets are secured corre-
sponding with the numbers of cops placed on the disc or platform; the yarn
being delivered from each cop passes through its respective eyelet, and
thence over a taper or cone-shaped bowl (covered with flannel), which acts
as a drag upon the yarn, and is attached to the top of the said spindles ;
this part of the apparatus all revolves together, and is driven by a "wharve"
or wheel on the lower part of the vertical spindle and the usual arrange-
ment of band and pulley, or skew gearing may be used. The yarns or
threads after passing over the drag bowl, and receiving the necessary
tension thereby, are made to pass upwards through two stationary eyelets,
one placed above the other, the lower one of which as the threads are

page_text: "
twisting forms the apex of a cone (the top of the said bowl forming the
base), at which point the yarns or threads become twisted or doubled
together, whence and in which doubled state they pass upwards through the
upper eyelet, and thence, if only a " loose" or open twist is required, on
to reels or bobbins as desired. Instead of the threads being made to pass
upwards through two stationary eyelets, as above described, another modi-
fication of apparatus may be used, which is the one shewn in the Drawings
annexed hereto, whereby after the yarns or threads pass over the drag
bowl they are made to pass upwards through slots or grooves formed
conically in a collar which revolves in the top supporting rail of the
spindles. At the apex of these conical grooves the threads become
entwined or doubled together, from whence and in which doubled state
they pass upwards through an eyelet, and thence on to reels or bobbins
as before. If, however, a further or "hard" twist is desired the yarns or
threads are drawn from the before-mentioned eyelet through rollers, from
which they proceed through revolving tubes mounted in bearings attached
to the framing of the machine. To the bottom or lower portion of these
tubes "flyers are attached, which receive the thread as it passes from the
said tubes, and after imparting à further twist thereto deliver the twisted
thread through eyelets fixed to the legs of the flyers on to bobbins or spools
revolving on spindles fixed to the supporting or "bobbin rail." These
receiving bobbins may be arranged so as to revolve loosely on the spindles,
and in order effectually to provide for this, which is a great desideratum,
we place upon the spindles a loose tube or "bush," which terminates in a
broad flange that rests upon the "bobbin rail," and over which the bobbin
is placed, and the bobbins receive the required "drag" from the friction
caused by contact with the rail or by any other equivalent and well-known
means, or they may be secured on to the spindles and be driven so as to
receive a positive motion. This part of the machine, as is obvious, may
also be used separately for twisting or doubling two or more threads or
yarns of cotton or other fibrous material, together, and with the modifica-
tions shewn in the Drawings hereto annexed may be used and is applicable
to spinning purposes. This arrangement, as is also obvious, enables us
to "doff" the bobbins when required in an easy and expeditious manner.
We now proceed to describe various modifications of our said improve-
ments for spinning or doubling cotton and other fibrous substances, show-
ing practically the manner in which our said Invention is to be performed,
and that they may be better understood and explained in detail, we have
hereunto affixed two Sheets of Drawings, Sheet 1 being made about one

page_text: inch and a half to the foot, and Sheet 2 being made upon a scale of about
two inches to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked upon
corresponding parts on all the Figures.
In Sheet 1 Fig. 1 represents in elevation the end view of a modification
of our improvements as applied for twisting or doubling. Fig. 2 represents.
a front elevational view of the same, shewing more particularly the peculiar
disposition of the vertical spindles and the manner in which the cops are
arranged around the same, also the driving and position of the "swift or
reel." Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the frame, the arrows indi-
cating the direction the yarns take in their progress from the cops to the
"swift or reel." In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a, a, is the framing of the machine,
to which are secured the longitudinal rails or bars b, b; these rails form
bearings or supports for the lower end of the vertical spindles c, c; upon
these spindles the discs or circular platforms d, d, are secured, on which
the cops e, e, are supported in a vertical or upright position, and arranged
around the said central spindles C, C. Near the upper extremity of these
spindles a number of eyelets f, f, are secured corresponding with the
number of cops upon the platform d, d; the yarns in their upward course
from the said cops are confined or prevented from spreading or flying out-
wards from the vertical spindle by reason of the disc g, the said yarn being
caused to pass through slots formed in such disc on their way to the eyelets
f, each separate yarn or thread passing through its respective and separate
eyelet, and thence over the taper bowl h, which is covered with flannel,
felt, or other fibrous material; this bowl h, which acts as a drag upon the
yarn for the purpose of giving the required tension to the same for twisting.
The spindle, with its "bowl drag h," guiding disc g, and platform d
supporting the cops, revolve altogether, and is driven by the drum and
band through the medium of the wharve or pulley k on the lower part of
the vertical spindle; the yarns or threads, after passing over the drag h and
receiving thereby the necessary tension, pass upwards through the conical
slot formed in the collar of the vertical spindle, which revolve with the
same in the top supporting rail m; at the apex of this conical slot at the
point X the threads become entwined or twisted together, from whence and
in which doubled state they pass upwards through the guide eyelet n, and
thence on to the "reel or swift" o, upon which they are wound; the rail g
upon which the eyelets p are secured, and through which the twisted
threads run on to the reels, receive through the apparatus v, a, to-and-
fro sliding motion, thereby effecting the even and regular laying on of the
thread so as to form hanks. The before-described arrangement of vertical

page_text: spindles and disc may be arranged and adapted to work in conjunction
with the afore-mentioned tube and flyer, as shewn on Fig. 4, the result
of which would be the multiplying of the quantities of the yarn spun.
Sheet 2, Fig. 1, represents one half or side of a spinning frame shewn
as an end sectional elevation, being an application of one modification of
our improvements for spinning, in combination with which is shewn the
construction and arrangement of our apparatus for "doffing." Fig. 2
represents a similar view, having the frame constructed for twisting or
doubling with a hard twist. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of the
spinning frame. Fig. 4 represents the end elevation of a frame for twisting
or doubling, having arranged and adapted thereto our improved vertical
spindle and platform (supporting the cops for imparting a loose twist to
two or more threads) in combination with the tube and flyer; the peculiar
combination of the two enables the yarn or threads to be twisted at both
ends. Fig. 5 represents a full-sized view of this tube and flyer, having
adapted thereto a break, which may be either moveable or stationary, which
is designed for the purpose of stopping and preventing the action or revo-
lution of any one particular tube and flyer during the time the machine is
in motion, in order that the broken ends of yarn may be pieced without
the necessity of stopping the whole machine. This view- represents the
tubed flyer as it appears when mounted on its bearings. Fig. 6 represents
an end sectional view of a roving or jack frame having our improvements
adapted and applied thereto. Fig. 7 represents an enlarged view of a
jointed roving spindle and coupling slide employed by us. Fig. 8 repre-
sents a spindle supplied and fitted with a loose "bush" or tube, having a
flange at its lower extremity, upon which the bobbin rests.
In Sheet 2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a, a, is the framing of the machine, to
which the bearing rails b, 6, are secured; these rails form supports or
bearings for the tubes c, to the lower end of which are secured the flyers d;
the tubes c between the rails b, b, are supplied with wharves e, e, which are
driven by the band from the pulley or drum f; the bobbin rail g, imme-
diately underneath the "flyer," is supplied with fixed pins; these pins are
supplied with a tube or bush, upon which the bobbins are placed. The
ends of the rail g are supported and rest upon the brackets a', which
receive the necessary rise and fall in the ordinary way through the pulley
chain and shaft ; these brackets are supplied with pivots s, which bear
upon and are supported by the brackets 6' secured to the lifting pillar k;
the intermediate supports or blocks i, upon which the rail between its
extremities bear, are concaved or recessed, the corresponding under surfaces

page_text: of the rail bearing upon and coming into contact with such supporting
blocks being convex, in order that such rail when desired, as herein-after
described, may swivel or turn on its bearing blocks for the purpose of
"doffing." The rail g during the time the machine is in operation is
firmly retained and held in a level horizontal position by means of the set
screw c¹, but when the bobbins are full and the rail requires "doffing,"
the set screw c is released, and the rail is caused to assume a slanting or
angular position as shewn in dots; this is effected by the operative pulling
forward the handle d secured to the projecting end of the pivot s ; the rail
when thus slanting is secured in this position by the set screw c¹ during the
operation of doffing. Fig. 7 shows a spindle so arranged that when held
in a vertical position by the sliding coupling box m, the bobbins which it
supports will be held in their proper vertical position for receiving the
roving, but when such bobbins require doffing the sliding coupling boxes
m are lowered below the joint n, which has the effect of immediately
allowing the spindles simultaneously to be moved by means of the rod o
into a slanting or angular position, thereby allowing the attendants to
"doff" with great readiness and facility. In Fig. 5 the top supporting
rail 6 is supplied with breaks o (which may be made as part of the frame
or moveable as desired), which are employed for the purpose of preventing
the revolution of any one particular tube and flyer in the event of the
thread passing through the same becoming broken or disconnected, allowing
during such stoppage the end to be pieced up, at which time the break is
withdrawn, thereby allowing once more the free revolution of the tube and
flyer. This view also illustrates the direction the yarn takes when passing
from the tube on to the bobbin, that is, the yarn as it is delivered from the
tube passes through the guide or eyelet p secured to the leg of the flyer,
from whence it passes down the said leg and through the bottom twirl or
eyelet on to the bobbin.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be
distinctly understood that we do not claim the use of the well known old
parts of which the various modifications of our improvements in spinning
and doubling cotton or other fibrous materials are composed, but what we
claim more particularly is-
First, we claim the combination of parts forming our improved appa-
ratus constructed and applied for the purpose of twisting or doubling with
a loose or open twist as herein-before described and fully set forth in the
Drawings shewn on Sheet I.

page_text: Secondly, the combination of parts forming our improved apparatus
for spinning and doubling cotton or other fibrous substances constructed
and applied as herein-before described and shown in the Drawings upon
Sheet 2..
In witness whereof, we, the said James Broughton Edge and Enoch
Hird, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of
I May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six.
J. BROUGHTON EDGE. (L.S.)
ENOCH HIRD.
(L.B.)