IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING DOUBLING
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Elce, of Manchester, Machine Maker, and
Peter Williams, of the same Place, Machinist, for the Invention of
Sealed the 20th December 1867, and dated the 3rd July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Elce and Peter
Williams at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 3rd July 1867.
We, JOHN ELCE, of the City of Manchester, Machine Maker, and PETER
WILLIAMS, of the same Place, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING
DOUBLING," to be as follows:-
Our improvements relate to the machines for spinning and doubling known
as tbrostles and throstle doubling frames, and they consist in certain improved
arrangements of parts for varying the drag on the bobbins according to the
counts of the yarn, and according to the increasing diameter of the yarn or
thread wound on the bobbin.
One mode of performing our Invention consists in supporting the bobbins
upon an endless band of flannel, or leather, or other material, which endless
band bears upon the copping rail and traverses to and fro on each side of the
spindles. The band passes at one end over a drum, wheel, or pulley, which is
turned slowly round by change gearing to regulate the speed, and at the
other end it is weighted to keep it at an uniform tension; the outer edges of
this band may be guided by ribs or studs on the copping rail, and the inner

page_text: edges can be oiled to lubricate the spindles. Or the bobbins may be supported
as usual on flannel washers, and the drag varied by a traversing endless band
passing partly round the flanges of the bobbins and round guide pulleys
between the bobbins. Or the drag on the bobbins may be obtained as usual
by a weighted cord passing partly round the flange of the bobbin and then over
a notch in the copping rail; but in this instance the end of the cord instead of
being fixed to the copping rail is fixed in a rod in the copping rail, which rod
can be moved endwise to vary the amount of cord in contact with the bobbin
as it increases in diameter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Elce and Peter Williams in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
ELCE, of the City of Manchester, Machine Maker, and PETER WILLIAMS, of
the same Place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Elce and Peter Williams, Her special license that we, the said John
Elce and Peter Williams, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said John Elce and Peter Williams, our executors,
administrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING
AND DOUBLING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John
Elce and Peter Williams, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under or their, or one of our or 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 John Elce and Peter Williams,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say) :-
Our improvements relate to the machines for spinning and doubling
known as throstles and throstle doubling frames, and they consist in certain
improved arrangements of parts for varying the drag on the bobbins according
to the counts of yarn and according to the increasing diameter of the yarn or
thread wound on the bobbin.
One mode of performing our Invention consists in supporting the bobbins
on an endless band of flannel, or leather, or other material, which endless band
bears upon the copping rail and traverses to and fro on each side of the
spindles. The band passes at one end over a drum, wheel, or pulley, which is
turned slowly round by change gearing to vary the direction of motion and
regulate the speed, and at the other end it is weighted to keep it at an uniform
tension; the outer edges of the band may be guided by ribs or studs on the
copping rail, and the inner edges can be oiled to lubricate the spindles. Or
the bobbins may be supported as usual on flannel washers and the drag varied
by a traversing endless band passing partly round the flanges of the bobbins
and round guide pulleys between the bobbins. Or the drag on the bobbins
may be obtained as usual by a weighted cord passing partly round the flange
of the bobbin and then over a notch in the copping rail; but in this instance
the end of the cord, instead of being fixed to the copping rail, is fixed in a
rod in the copping rail, which rod can be moved end wise to vary the amount
of cord in contact with the bobbin as it increases in diameter.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of part of a machine for
spinning and doubling, known as a throstle or throstle doubling frame, to,
which our improvements are applied.
a, a, are the end frames; b, the front drawing roller; c, the roller beam;
d, the copping rail; e, the footstep rail, and f, f, the spindles and bobbins
all these parts and the others requisite to complete the machine not parti-
cularly referred to hereafter are made as usual.
او
Our Invention consists in certain improved arrangements of parts for.
varying the drag on the bobbins according to the counts of yarn, and according.
to the increasing diameter of the yarn or thread wound on the bobbin. Instead
of supporting each bobbin upon a flannel or other washer we substitute the
endless band of flannel, or leather, or other material g; this endless band bears
upon
the copping rail d, and it is guided at intervals by the brackets h. The

page_text: band is traversed to and fro on each side of the spindles by means of the small
drum i, the surface of which is roughened to give the requisite adhesion; this
drum is turned slowly round by means of a pinion on one of the carrier wheels
or other revolving part of the frame gearing to the wheel j, to the axle of which
is fixed the worm k gearing into a wheel on the cross shaft 1; to this shaft is
fixed the bevil wheel m gearing into a similar wheel fixed to the upright
shaft, on which the drum i is keyed. Or a positive traversing motion may be
given to the endless band in any other convenient manner; but the gearing by
which the band is driven must be so arranged that the speed can be regulated
so as to increase or diminish it with facility, and so as to be able to drive the
endless band in either direction. The band 9 is kept at the required tension
by the weight n, the upper part of which is provided with a roller around
which the band passes.
On referring to the arrows in Figure 2 it will be seen that the motion of
the band runs on both sides of the spindles in the same direction as that of the
bobbins, thereby producing the amount of drag required for five numbers,
and this amount of drag can be varied by increasing or diminishing the speed
of the band, but by reversing the direction of motion of the band so as to
make it run in the contrary direction to that of the bobbins, the drag is
increased to suit the coarsest counts of yarn, and by oiling the inner edges of
the band the spindles can be lubricated.
Our Invention may be modified by a traversing endless band passing partly
round the flanges of the bobbins, which are supported as usual on flannel
washers and partly round guide pulleys placed between the bobbins; in this
arrangement, as in the one above described, the endless band must be driven
in either direction by a positive motion.
In Figures 3 and 4 we have shewn a self-acting mode of varying the drag
on the bobbin to suit the increasing diameter of the bobbin. This part of our
Invention is applicable to bobbins supported on flannel washers, and acted
upon by weighted cords as usual. d is the copping rail, and f the bobbin ;
o is the usual weighted cord passing over notches in a projection of the copping
rail, as now customary, but the ends of the cords o instead of being fixed to
the copping rail as heretofore are fixed to the rod p extending the whole
length of the copping rail, and guided by a groove in it. When the bobbins
are empty and little drag is required the rod p is so placed that a small
portion only of the weighted cord o is in contact with the flange of the bobbins,
but as the bobbins increase in diameter by the winding of the yarn or thread
upon them, the rod p is gradually moved so as to move the points of attach-
ment of the cords o nearer to or further from the centre of the bobbins,

page_text: thereby increasing or diminishing the amount of cord in contact with the
flanges of the bobbins.
The end motion is given to the rod p in the following or any other con-
venient manner :-To the end of the rod p is fixed an angle piece forming a
nut for the screw q passing through a bearing fixed to the copping rail d, and
to the end of the screw q is fixed the worm wheel r driven by the worm s
fixed to a cross shaft t revolving in bearings fixed to the copping rail d; to
this cross shaft t is fixed a ratchet wheel u, which at every ascent and descent
of the copping rail is moved one or more teeth by a catch and lever; by this
means the worm wheel r and screw 9 are turned partly round at every lift, and
the rod p is moved slightly in the direction required. The amount of tra-
verse of the rod can be varied by changing the ratchet wheel u, and in order
to bring back the rod p to its proper position after a set of bobbins has been
filled and doffed we attach a handle to the ratchet wheel u, by means of
which the attendant can turn the screw q and bring the parts back to their
original positions.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described certain
convenient modes of carrying the same into operation, we wish to remark
that we do not intend to limit ourselves to the details given, as they may be
considerably varied and modified; we would also observe that attempts
have before been made to vary the drag on the bobbins by means of an
endless band, we therefore make no claim to the endless band itself, but what
we do claim is,―
First, the giving a positive traversing motion in either direction and at any
speed to the endless band supporting or acting on the bobbins of tbrostle
spinning and doubling frames for varying the drag in accordance with the
diameter of the bobbin and the counts of yarn to be spun or doubled.
And, secondly, the giving a positive traversing motion to the rod to which
the ends of the weighted cords are attached for varying the drag according to
the increasing diameter of the bobbin.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Elce, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this First day of January, One thousand eight hundred and