IMPROVEMENTS . IN APPARATUS FOR BREAKING OR PREVENTING DOUBLE TWIST' IN SPINNING
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
. IN APPARATUS FOR BREAKING OR PREVENTING DOUBLE TWIST' IN
SPINNING." A communication from abroad by Célestin. Paul Maillard, of
Fismes (Marne), France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BREAKING OR PREVENTING
'DOUBLE TWIST' IN SPINNING." [A communication from abroad by Célestin Paul
Maillard, of Fismes (Marne), France.]
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for breaking "double" yarns in
spinning, and it consists, 1st, in the particular construction of the device acting
directly on the yarns for breaking the "double twist," and 2ndly, in the mechanism
for operating the said "double twist" breaking device and of producing its repeated
action at the proper moments, variable at will during the outward run of the mule
carriage.'
The Invention comprises these two apparatus as well separately as in combination
with one another, or each in combination with a substitute for the other, and the
"double twist" breaking device may be connected with and receive a lateral motion
to and fro with the yarn guide bar.
I will proceed to describe the Invention with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which the "double twist " breaker is so constructed as to act upon all
the yarns, whether single or "doubled," in such manner that the "double” yarns
will be infallibly severed, while the single yarns will be left intact. The "double
twist" breaker consists of a dentated bar L, S, Figure 1, having teeth D
corresponding in number and position to the intervals between the yarns, and of
Price 81
.

page_text: such form that in the upward movement of the bar the doubled yarns, with which
alone the curved sides of the teeth will come in contact, will slip down said curved
edges past the lateral barbs or points of the teeth and enter lateral recesses or
notches in the teeth, in which they are imprisoned, so that on the descent of the
bar they must necessarily be broken, whilst the other yarns which have not run
double are only acted on during the upward motion by an obtuse V point at the
middle of each interval between the teeth, from which they escape during the
downward motion and are caused by the effect of their own tension to return to
their normal positions in line with the centres of the intervals between the
teeth.
The action of this "double twist" breaker will be readily understood by reference
to Figure 1 of the Drawing. If the toothed blade L, S, be raised by the rock
shaft to which it is attached until the circle O coincides with the normal plane of
the yarns, the single yarns being drawn towards this point will occupy one or other
of the positions P or P', while the doubled yarns, after slipping along the curved
sides Y, C, of the teeth, will be caused by the upward pressure of the bar to enter
the elliptical recesses I, I, and occupy the positions M, M. However slight may
be this upward pressure (for the obtuse point between the teeth is very little above
the horizontal plane of the yarns) it will still be sufficient to deflect the doubled
yarns far enough to the right or left of point O to bring them into the path of the
barb or hook forming the upper edge of the recess I or I', besides which the
tendency of the "doubled" yarn to approach more and more to the centre of the
interval which should subsist between the two yarns greatly assists in producing
the same result. If now the bar falls the single yarns will tend to return towards
the central line A¹, B' (the normal position from which they would not have
deviated but for the obtuse V points between the teeth), and moving in curves
(indicated by the arrows F, F', which meet the adjacent teeth above the
barbs U, U, the single yarns necessarily escape the action of the teeth, while the
double yarns are imprisoned in the notches owing to their tendency to approach
the teeth for the causes above stated, and are unfailingly broken on the descent of
the teeth. The teeth may therefore be made nearly as wide as the interval between
the yarns, because the points of the teeth being made to exactly coincide with the
centres of the intervals separating the yarns there is no danger of the single yarns
being, broken. If it be thought objectionable to subject the yarns to the tension,
however slight, caused by the obtuse points between the teeth, this may be
obviated by making a small slit K at the centre of the space between every two
consecutive teeth, as shown at the left hand side of Figure 1 and designated
type II. As the yarns hardly vary at all in position laterally the single yarns
are thus free from all contact and only those which have become doubled or married
are caught and severed by the barbs of the teeth.
Figures 2 and 3 show a side elevation and plan of one of the arms by which the
toothed bar L, S, is. supported upon a rock shaft parallel to the roller beam of the
mule. The arm terminates in a collar which is slipped upon the shaft and there
fixed by means of a set screw or otherwise.
The toothed bar would be in lengths united end to end by rivetting to a small
plate or to the ends of the arms, Figures 2 and 3, the rivet holes R, R, being
shown in Figure 1. The rock shaft of the "double twist" breaker may be solid
or tubular; it is mounted parallel to the roller beam at such distance below the
plane of the yarns that the teeth or barbs shall only rise above this plane to the
extent before indicated when in the elevated position. This improved device is !
operated from the cord shown in Figure 4 (and which is already contained in.
mules), the cord being in two parts attached to the scroll or guide pulley P and to
the carriage at C and C¹, and passing over the guide pulley Pl. The direction in
which the cord moves during the outward run of the carriage is indicated by the
arrows. The upper part of this cord runs between the limbs of a forked arm V,V, 1
(see also Figure 5) fixed on the rock shaft, and has one, two, or more knobs B, B¹,
fixed upon it at proper points, variable at will, which come under the curved end of

page_text: the fork V, V, raise and throw it over, as indicated by the dotted semicircle, thus
raising the toothed bar, which is maintained in the raised position all the time each
knob is passing over the fork V,V₁. By placing two consecutive knobs close enough
together, so that the first knob is still in contact with the forked lever when the
second one comes into action, the toothed bar will remain elevated a longer
time.
Figure 4 shows the "double twist" breaker in its lowered position, and Figure 5
is a front view of the same held in the raised position by one of the knobs B
pressing on the fork V, V, after throwing it over. The fork is supported in the
position shown in Figure 4 by a spring R beneath it attached to the roller beam
and having its tail end O bent up at right angles to form a firm stop for the fork
to rest upon and hold the toothed bar stationary in the raised position. When the
knobs have passed beyond the fork the toothed bar falls and returns the fork to
its former position, and as this movement is repeated at the passage of each knob
the toothed bar will be raised and allowed to fall as many times during the outward
run of the carriage from beginning to end (but always before the inward run
commences) as there are knobs upon the cord. The spring R beneath the fork
prevents the toothed bar striking against the front of the frame. During the
inward run of the carriage the knobs return over the fork, thus ensuring the fall
of the toothed bar long before the completion of the inward run and avoiding all
risk of its falling only half way from any cause and remaining with the teeth
projecting horizontally so as to be struck by the spindles. The collar of the forked
lever V, V, is connected by a groove and feather N with the shaft to enable the
fork to accomodate itself to the varying position of the cord, and to enable the
shaft to be connected with the reciprocating yarn guide bar so as to work laterally
to and fro with it, whereby the apparatus herein described is rendered applicable
to machinery for, spinning cotton and other similar textiles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th September 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BREAKING OR PREVENTING
⚫ DOUBLE TWIST' IN SPINNING." A communication from abroad by Céléstin Paul
Maillard, of Fismes (Marne), France.
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for breaking "double" yarns in
spinning, and it consists, 1st, in the particular construction of the device acting
directly on the yarns for breaking the "double twist"; and, 2nd, in the mechanism
for operating the said "double twist" breaking device, and of producing if desired
its repeated action at the proper moments, variable at will during the outward run
of the mule carriage.
The Invention comprises these two apparatus as well separately as in combi-
nation with one another, or each in combination with a substitute for the other,
and the "double twist" breaking device may be connected with and receive a
lateral motion to and fro with the yarn guide bar.
I will proceed to describe the Invention with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which the "double twist" breaker is so constructed as to act upon all
the yarns whether single or "doubled" in such manner that the "double" yarns
will be infallibly severed, while the single yarns will be left intact. The "double
twist" breaker consists of a dentated blade or bars L, S, Figure 1, having teeth D
corresponding in number and position to the intervals between the yarns, and of
such form that in the upward movement of the blade the doubled yarns, with
which alone the curved sides of the teeth will come in contact, will slip along said
curved edges past the lateral barbs or points of the teeth, and enter lateral recesses
or notches in the teeth and become imprisoned therein, so that on the descent of
the blade they must necessarily be broken, whilst the other yarns which have not
run double are only deflected slightly during the upward motion of the blade by
obtuse V points situated midway between the teeth, from which those yarns escape
when the blade descends, and return by the effect of their own tension to their
normal positions in line with the centres of the intervals between the teeth.
The action of this " double twist" breaker will be readily understood by reference
to Figure 1 of the Drawing. If the toothed blade L, S, be raised by the rock shaft
to which it is attached until the circle O coincides with the normal plane of the
yarns, the single yarns will be deflected from the normal position O, which they
tend to occupy towards P or P¹, while the doubled yarns after slipping along the
curved sides Y, C, of the teeth will be caused by the upright pressure of the blade
to enter the elliptical recesses I, I, and occupy the positions M, M. However slight
may be this upward pressure (for the obtuse point between the teeth is very little
above the horizontal plane of the yarns) it will still be sufficient to deflect the
doubled yarns far enough to the right or left of point O, to bring them into the
path of the barb or hook forming the upper edge of the recess I or I¹, besides which
the tendency of the "doubled" yarn to approach more and more towards the centre
of the interval which should separate the two yarns, or in other words towards the
teeth D, greatly assists in producing the same result. If now the blade falls the
single yarns will tend to return towards the central line A¹, B' (the normal position
from which they would not have deviated but for the obtuse V points between the
teeth) and moving in curves (indicated by the arrows and dotted lines F, F',) which
meet the adjacent teeth above the barbs U, U, the single yarns necessarily escape the
action of the teeth, while the double yarns remain imprisoned in the recesses of the

page_text: teeth and are unfailingly broken on their descent. The teeth may therefore be made
nearly as wide as the intervals between the yarns, because the points of the teeth
being made to exactly coincide with the centres of the said intervals there is no
danger of the single yarns being broken. If it be thought objectionable to subject
the yarns to the tension, however slight, caused by the obtuse points between the
teeth, this may be obviated by making a small notch K in the blade midway
between every two consecutive teeth, as shown in the left hand half of Figure 1.
As the yarns hardly vary at all in position laterally, the single yarns are thus free
from all contact, and only those which have become doubled or married are caught
and severed by the barbs of the teeth.
Figures 2 and 3 show a side elevation and plan of one of the arms by which the
toothed blade L, S, is supported upon a rock shaft parallel to the roller beam of the
mule. The arm terminates in a collar which is slipped upon the shaft, and there
fixed by means of a set screw or otherwise. The toothed blade would be in lengths
united end to end by rivetting to a small plate or to the ends of the arms Figures 2
and 3, the rivet holes R, R, being shown in Figure 1. The rock shaft of the "double
twist" breaker may be solid or tubular; it is mounted parallel to the roller beam
in bearings at such distance below the plane of the yarns that the teeth or barbs
when elevated shall only rise above this plane to the extent indicated by the
circle O in Figure 1.
Figures 6 and 7 show a modified arrangement of "double twist" breaker, in
which the toothed blade a is clipped in a holder formed by the edges of strips of
metal bent to a tubular form, as shown. The teeth of the blade may either be of
the same form as that before described, or of that shown in Figures 6 and 7. Its
lower edge is held firmly between the jaws d formed by the edges of the tubes b, c,
which are united by fitting the end of the one in that of the other. The arm g
which support the blade holder terminate in jaws embracing the tubular blade
bolder at the joint thereof, the whole being secured by a binding screw h. The
opposite end of the arm also has a split collar i which is clamped upon the rock
shaft by a screw j. This arrangement combines great strength with lightness,
and perfect stiffness of the blade. The toothed blade may be readily fixed and
adjusted as required in the event of the yarns not coming exactly in the centre of
the space between the teeth, notwithstanding that the teeth are opposite the middle
of the intervals between the spindles. In practice the spindles are placed opposite
the middles of the drawing rollers, but it often happens that the yarn guide bar,
instead of being provided with guides which are capable of adjustment to bring
them exactly opposite the middles of the drawing rollers, has holes made in it to
serve as guides. These holes are spaced to correspond exactly to the drawing
rollers; but it may occasionally happen that owing to a slight error in measure-
ment or other cause, there is a slight variation in the distance apart, which even if
only 12th of a millimetre at first first will by frequent repetition become sufficient
to throw the yarns out of the centres of the spaces between the teeth. With the
toothed blade represented in Figures 1 and 5, the desired correction can only be
effected at the joints of the blade, which are about 3 feet apart; but with the
independent blade last described, if the yarn is not exactly in the centre of the
interval between the teeth, the blade can be readily severed at any point and
readjusted accordingly.
The "double twist" breaker is operated from the cord, shown in Figure 4
(already used in mules), the cord being in two parts attached at one end to the
scroll or guide pulley P, and at the other end to the carriage at C and C¹, and
passing over the guide pulley P¹. The direction in which the cord moves during.
The upper part of
the outward run of the carriage is indicated by the arrows.
this cord runs between the limbs of a forked arm V, V₁ (see also Figure 5) fixed
on the rock shaft, and has one, two, or more knobs B, B¹, fixed adjustably upon
it at the proper points, which come under the curved end of the fork V, VI, and
being too large to pass through it raise and throw it over, as indicated by the
dotted semicircle, thus raising the toothed blade, which is maintained in the

page_text: raised position 'all the time each knob is passing over the fork V, V₁. By
placing two consecutive knobs so close together that the first knob is still in
contact with the forked lever when the second one comes into action, the toothed
bar will remain elevated a longer time.
Figure 4 shows the "double twist "breaker in its lowered position, and Figure 5
is a front view of the same held in the elevated position by one of the knobs B
pressing on the fork V, V₁, after throwing it over. The fork is supported in the
position shown in Figure 4 by a spring R beneath it attached to the roller beam,
and having its tail end O bent up at right angles to form a firm stop for the fork
to rest upon, and hold the toothed blade stationary in the raised position. When
a knob has passed beyond the fork, the toothed blade will fall (unless another
knob closely follows the first), and the fork will be returned to its former position.
This movement will be repeated on the passage after a sufficient interval of the
next knob, and the toothed blade will thus be raised and allowed to fall as
many times during the outward run of the carriage from beginning to end 1
thereof (but always before the inward run commences), as .there are knobs at
sufficient distances apart upon the cord. The spring R beneath the fork prevents
the toothed blade striking against the front of the frame. During the inward run
of the carriage and at the commencement thereof the knobs return over the fork, thus
ensuring the complete fall of the toothed blade long before the completion of the
inward run, and avoiding all risk of its falling only half way from any cause, and
remaining with the teeth projecting horizontally so as to be struck by the spindles.
The collar of the forked lever V, V', is connected by a groove and feather N with
the shaft, so as to enable the fork to accomodate itself to the varying position of
the cord, and to enable the shaft to be connected with the reciprocating yarn guide
bar and work to and fro with it, whereby the apparatus herein described is
rendered applicable to machinery for spinning cotton and other similar textiles.
Instead of keying the fork V, V, directly upon the rock shaft, it may be fixed,
as shown in Figure 8, or an intermediate sleeve about 3 or 4 inches long fixed on
the shaft k by means of set screws n, whose projecting heads limit the motion of
of the fork in their direction, and prevent it getting in the way of the faller arms.
The sleeve has a feather m which is received loosely in a keyway 9 in the collar p
of the fork, the keyway being made wider than the feather to prevent the too
sudden rise of the blade when the fork is struck by the knob. The fork still
remains horizontal when in the position of rest, the upper side of the keyway 3
resting against the upper side of the feather, leaving a space between the lower
sides. In this case the support, shown at R, Figure 4, becomes unnecessary.
Another advantage is that the toothed blade may be adjusted to rise more or less
without altering its bearings, merely by adjusting the sleeve an the shaft k.
Instead of a fixed support for the fork, as in Figure 4, I may employ an
adjustable rest, as shown in Figure 9, upon which the fork when thrown over may
be supported at any height desired above the level of the cord. The rest is fixed
adjustably upon the roller beam behind the cord so that its height may be
regulated at will, and thereby limit the movement of the fork, and consequently
the height to which the toothed blade will be raised. The point of the fork being 4
above the level of the cord, if the toothed blade should fail to fall by its own
gravity, the knob on its return will necessarily come under and raise the fork, and
So compel the toothed blade to fall, thus avoiding all danger of its stopping half
way, and being struck by the spindles on the carriage running in, as might happen
were the point of the fork to be so low as to permit of the knob passing over 5
instead of raising it on its return.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The device for breaking "double twist" in spinning consisting of a dentated 5
blade or bar, the teeth of which are broad and of a form (substantially like that
shown), such that on the teeth rising between the yarns, as described, any double

page_text: twist yarns will be unfailingly caught, and on the descent of the teeth will be
severed, whilst the single yarns will remain intact, the said blade being mounted
and arranged to rise and fall, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. The combination and arrangement in a mule of apparatus consisting of
the cord with adjustable knobs, and the fork keyed but movable along the rock
shaft, substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings, whereby during
the outward run only of the carriage rising and falling movements are imparted to
a device for breaking "double twist," such as that herein described mounted on
said rock shaft.
3rd. The combination of the "double twist " breaking device of the particular
form and construction herein shown and described with the particular arrangement
of mechanism for operating it, herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, A.D. 1881.
AT DI