Year: 1885

page_text: I, PATRICK FRASER, of the firm of Douglas Fraser and Sons, Wellgate Works,
Arbroath, in the County of Forfar,.North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this Invention to be as follows, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the manufacture of string, cord,
thread, or rope.
In my improved machinery the strands to be twisted together are delivered from
two or more bobbins held in flyer frames which have tubular journals at both ends,
each bobbin being held in its flyer frame by a spindle which can be drawn out
through one of the journals. The flyer frames are arranged in a circle and are
driven by a central shaft having on it a toothed wheel gearing with toothed wheels
on the journals at the outer ends of the flyer frames; and on each of the journals
at the other ends there is loosely placed a toothed wheel driven by a toothed wheel
on the central shaft, and having fixed to or formed in one piece with it a single
grooved pulley the groove of which is roughened or otherwise equivalently formed
to grip or act frictionally on the part of the strand passing round it. Each strand
is led from its bobbin first through an eye in the inner end of its flyer frame, next
round a part of the grooved pulley, and then round a small guide pulley and
through a hole into the tubular journal at the inner end of the flyer frame, issuing
from the end of that journal. The grooved pulley is driven at a different speed
from the flyer frame and the rate of delivery of the strands depends on that
difference of speeds, which is arranged for by suitably proportioning the toothed
wheels, the said delivery being always uniform.
On their way to the twisting mechanism the strands may pass through sizing or
dressing apparatus and over or through any suitable detector mechanism arranged
to stop the action whenever a strand slackens, breaks, or fails.
The several strands are gathered together and twisted on entering a tubular
journal fixed to one end of a flyer frame which has also a tubular journal at its
other end, and which has within it a bobbin upon which the twisted material is
wound the bobbin being held by a spindle which can be drawn out at the further
end. The set of twisted strands is led from near the inner end of the first tubular
journal to one of the legs of the flyer frame and is passed round a small pulley at

page_text: the outer end of a lever situated at the other end of the flyer frame, returning from
the lever pulley to a guide eye or pulley to which a traverse motion is imparted
and from which it passes on to the bobbin. The lever is acted on by a spring in
one direction and by the set of strands in the other direction, and it regulates the
pressure between frictional surfaces through which the bobbin is driven so as to
equalise the tension of the set of strands whilst being wound. The traverse motion
is produced by the action on a small block carrying the guide eye or pulley, of a
spindle with right-hand and left-hand screw grooves, this spindle being carried by
the flyer frame and driven by toothed wheels from the boss which sustains and
turns with the bobbin. The spindle on which the bobbin is placed extends through
the tubular journal at the outer end of the flyer frame and is attached inside the
flyer frame to the retarding half of certain frictional surfaces and may either be
held stationary or retarded by a suitable brake or be driven by a toothed wheel or
pulley on its outer end at a rate suitable for winding the twisted material on the
bobbin such rate being slower or faster than that of the flyer frame according to
the particular proportions. and adjustment of the parts which are adopted.
flyer frame is driven by means of a pulley of toothed wheel on one of its tubular
journals, and the driving power is derived from a shaft which also supplies the
driving power to the delivery bobbins so that these and the twisting and winding-up
bobbin may operate in concert.
The
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Twisting and Winding Strands
to Form String, Cord, Thread, or Rope.
I, PATRICK FRASER, of the firm of Douglas Fraser and Sons, Wellgate Works,
Arbroath, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is a
to say-
* 1 : "
My said Invention has for its object to improve the manufacture of string, thread,
or rope.
C
In my improved machinery the strands to be twisted together are delivered from
two or more bobbins held in flyer frames which have tubular journals at both ends,
each bobbin being held in its flyer frame by a spindle which can be drawn out
through one of the journals. Each strand on the way from its bobbin is acted on
by a grooved pulley which is loose on the journal at the delivery end of the flyer
frame, and which is driven at a different speed from the flyer frame. The rate of
1

page_text: delivery of the strands depends on the difference of speeds which is arranged for
by suitably proportioning the gearing, the said delivery being always uniform.
On their way to the twisting mechanism, the strands may pass through sizing
or dressing apparatus and over or through any suitable detector mechanism arranged
to stop the action whenever a strand slackens, breaks, or fails.
The several strands are gathered together and twisted on entering á tubular
journal fixed to one end of a flyer frame which has also a tubular journal at its
other end, and which has within it a bobbin upon which the twisted material is
wound, the bobbin being held by a spindle which can be drawn out at the further
end. The spindle is attached inside the flyer frame to the retarding half of certain
frictional surfaces and may either be held stationary, or be retarded by a suitable
brake, or be driven by a toothed wheel or pulley on its outer end at a rate suitable
for winding the twisted material on the bobbin, such rate being slower or faster
than that of the flyer frame according to the particular proportions and adjustment
of the parts which are adopted. The flyer frame is driven by means of a pulley or
toothed wheel on one of its tubular journals and the driving power is derived from
a shaft which also supplies the driving power to the delivery bobbins so that these
and the twisting and winding-up bobbin may operate in concert.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the samé
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to and representing machinery made with my improvements.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a sectional plan of the machine, and figure, 2, is a
side elevation. Figure, 3, is a transverse section of one of the flyer frames of the
strand-delivering bobbins, and figure, 4, is a transverse section of the flyer frame of
the winding-up bobbin. In these drawings the same reference numerals are used
to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The machinery is carried by horizontal frame pieces, 10, fixed on end
standards, 11; and the first motion shaft, 12, is carried in bearings at the lower
parts of the end standards, 11, and extends longitudinally with its ends projecting.
beyond the end standards. The parts för delivering the strands are carried in two
head stocks or transverse frame pieces, 13, 14, which are formed with bearings for
a shaft, 15, having on its outer overhanging end à pulley, 16, for a driving belt
from a pulley, 17, on the 'shaft, 12, below. The headstocks, 13, 14, are also formed
with bearings for tubular journals, 18, 19, for two bobbins, 20; and the inner ends
of these journals are formed with flanges or plates connected by rods so as to form
flyer frames, 21. The bobbins, 20, are held within the flyer frames by spindles, 22,
which are entered through the outer tubular journals, 18, and pass through the
bobbins to the other tubular journals, 19, each spindle being held in position by
a small latch, 23, which is turned over so as to engage in a groove turned in the
spindle. The flyer frames, 21, are driven by means of small spurwheels, 24, on
their outer journals, 18, and gearing with a spurwheel, 25, on the shaft, 15. The
shaft, 15, has also on it a spurwheel, 26, which drives spurwheels, 27, running
loose on the inner tubular journals, 19, (or on the brass bushes of these journals);
and these spurwheels, 27, have made in the same piece with them pulleys, 28,
formed each with a groove having a roughened surface. The strand from each
bobbin, 20, is led first round a guide pulley, 29, on the flyer frame, thence through
an eye at the inner end of the flyer frame and round a part of the grooved
pulley, 28. The strand then returns through an eye in the end of the flyer frame
and passes through a hole into the 'tubular journal, 19, from the outer end of
which it proceeds to the twisting and winding-up apparatus. The grooved
pulley, 28, draws the strand off the bobbin, 20, at a rate depending on the
difference between its speed and that of the flyer frame, 21, as determined by
the relative proportions of the 'spui wheels, 24, 25, 26, 27, by means of which the
flyer frames and pulleys are driven.
Two flyer frames, 21, with their bobbins, 20, are shown in the drawings but
three or more indy be employed when it is wished to combine and twist together
more than two strands; and whatever number are employed they are 'arrafiged in

page_text: a circle round the shaft, 15, so as all to be driven by the spurwheel, 25, on that
shaft.
The set of strands, 30, which proceed from the bobbins, 20; and which are
separately twisted by the action of the flyer frames, 21; whilst being delivered
therefrom, pass from the ends of the inner journals, 19, over wire detector
levers, 31, to the end of a tubular journal, 32, at one end of a flyer, frame, 33,
within which is placed the bobbin, 34, on which the combined strands are wound
these strands being twisted together by the action of the said flyer frame, 33.
This flyer frame, 33, has a tubular journal, 35, at its other end, through which
journal a spindle, 36, for holding the bobbin, 34, is introduced. The flyer frame, 33,
consists of the end plates or flanges on which the tubular journals, 32, 35, are
formed and which are connected by rods; and the tubular journals, 32, 35, are
carried in bearings in headstocks or frame pieces, 37, 38, fixed to the main
framing, 10.
The set of twisted strands, 30, is led through the tubular journal, 32, and
through a lateral passage near the inner end of it to one of the rods or legs of the
flyer frame, 33; and passing round a small guide pulley, 39, next passes round a
small pulley, 40, carried by an arm from a lever, 41, centered on the outer end
plate of the flyer frame. From the lever pulley, 40, the twisted set of strands
passes to a small pulley on a traverse block, 42, carried and moved by a spindle, 43,
which has right-hand and left-hand screw grooves cut on it, and which is driven
by means of a small spurwheel, 44, fixed on it and gearing with spur teeth on a
ring, 45, which turns with the bobbin, 34. The traverse block, 42, is fitted with
a swivelling tooth or cod piece which projects into the screw groove of the
spindle, 43, and by the screw action moves the traverse block, 42, along the
spindle alternately in opposite directions, the codpiece passing from one screw
groove to the other on reaching each end of the traverse. By these means the
twisted set of strands is laid evenly from end to end of the bobbin as by an
ordinary traverse motion.
The flyer frame, 33, is driven by means of a pulley, 46, fixed on the projecting
end of its outer tubular journal; 35, the pulley, 46, being driven by a belt from a
pulley, 47, on the shaft, 12, below. The spindle, 36, which carries the bobbin, 34,
has on it a pulley, 48, driven by a belt from a pulley, 49, on the shaft, 12, below.
The pulley, 48, drives the spindle, 36, by means of a feather or key projecting
into a groove in the spindle which allows the spindle to be drawn out to release
the bobbin, 34; and the spindle, 36, by means of a groove acting on a key or
feather drives a tube, 50, which has on it and drives by means of a groove and
feather a disk, 51, having between it and the toothed ring, 45, a number of thin
steel rings which serve for frictionally driving the ring, 45, which is loose on the
tube, 50. The toothed ring, 45, which as hereinbefore described works the
traverse-motion block, 42, through the spurwheel, 44, and spindle, 43, also drives
the bobbin, 34, by means of a pin, the bobbin being quite loose on the spindle, 36.
The winding-up tension makes the bobbin, 34, rotate with somewhat less speed
than that of the spindle, 36, and frictional disk, 51; but this disk is pressed
towards the ring, 45, by a pair of prongs on the lever, 41, this lever being acted
on by a spring, 52, which acts oppositely to the tension of the twisted set of
strands hereinbefore described as passing round a pulley, 40, connected to the
lever, 41. When the tension increases from excess of winding-up action it acts on
the lever, 41, so as to relieve the frictional driving pressure of the disk or ring, 51,
and vice versa. The grooves and feathers or keys hereinbefore mentioned as for t
transmitting motion between the parts are not shown in the drawing because of
their smallness and for the sake of clearness but they are well understood
expedienta. The spindle, 36, is drawn out when required by means of a handle, 53,
which is fitted loosely on it so as not to interfere with its rotation, and which may
hang down or rest on a bracket which may be provided for it.
The detector levers, 31, are counterbalanced by weights, 54, and when not held
down by the tension of the strands, 30, passing over them, are turned up by the

page_text: weights so as to release a lever, 55, which engages in a notch on the under side of
a latch, 64, which is lifted by a pin on either detector lever. The lever, 55, is on
a rocking shaft, 56, which has also on it a lever, 57, acted on by a spring, 58, and
connected to a sliding bar, 59, having at its outer end the fork, 60, for shifting the
driving belt from the fast pulley, 61, to the loose pulley, 62, on the first-motion
shaft, 12. With this detector apparatus the machine will be automatically stopped
whenever any strand, 30, becomes alack, or breaks, or fails. Hand levers, 63, are
fixed on the rocking shaft, 56, for turning it when starting the machine, this action
engaging the lever, 55, with the latch, 64, of the detector levers, 31, and at the
same time shifting the driving belt on to the fast pulley, 61.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The arranging and combining together of the parts of machinery for twisting
and winding strands to form string, cord, thread, or rope, substantially in the
improved manner hereinbefore described.
2. The combination with each flyer frame for the bobbins from which the
strands are delivered of the differentially driven grooved pulley (28) which draws
each strand off its bobbin and operates substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination with the flyer frame for the winding-up bobbin of the
automatically regulated frictionally acting mechanism for making the bobbin wind
up, the same operating substantially as herein before described.
4. The combination of parts forming the traverse motion for the winding-up
bobbin and receiving motion from the parts which make the bobbin wind up, the
several parts operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this fourth day of. August 1886.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.