IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING AND LAPPING WIRE AND OTHER MATERIALS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROPES OR CABLES, FOR INSULATING AND COVERING TELEGRAPH WIRES, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Twiss Glover and George Frederick James, both
of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING AND LAPPING WIRE AND
OTHER MATERIALS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROPES OR CABLES, FOR
INSULATING AND COVERING TELEGRAPH WIRES, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Twiss Glover and
George Frederick James at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
3rd March 1881.
"
WALTER TWISS GLOVER and GEORGE FREDERICK JAMES, both of the City of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
TWISTING AND LAPPING WIRE AND OTHER MATERIALS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
ROPES OR CABLES, FOR INSULATING AND COVERING TELEGRAPH WIRES, AND FOR
OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES."
This Invention relates particularly to improvements in the spindles and bobbins
employed for twisting wires together in the manufacture of wire ropes, but is
equally applicable to spindles for twisting or lapping wires or other required
material round a central core, for instance in insulating or covering telegraph wires,
or for sheathing an internal rope or other core with wire or other continuous metal
riband or other material. The improvements further relate to an improved
arrangement of mechanism for stopping the machine fitted with our improved
spindles in case of the wire or other material breaking or becoming exhausted.
In accordance with this Invention the wire or other material is first wound upon
a bobbin, which is then mounted upon a horizontal stud carried by a vertical
spindle; this bobbin has on one of its sides or edges a series of pins or projections.
An anchor or escapement is also mounted and capable of oscillating to and fro upon
a horizontal stud carried by the vertical spindle, and is provided with a suitable
claw or catch which is designed to come in contact with each of the pins or
[Price 6d1

page_text: projections upon the bobbin in turn, and so prevent such bobbin revolving faster
than one pin at a time. This anchor or escapement also carries a roller, over which
the wire passes in being drawn off its bobbin on its way to the spindle. This wire
also passes through a slot formed in the vertical spindle, which is hollow, and is
fitted internally with a weighted drop rod having a pulley at its upper extremity,
round and beneath which the wire has now to pass before it can emerge from the
point of the spindle. An arm branching from the escapement also passes through
the slot and rests upon the top of the weighted drop rod.
The action of this improved spindle is as follows:-So long as the weighted drop
rod is supported by the wire the downward pressure or pull upon the roller serves
to keep the escapement in contact with the teeth of the bobbin, and thus prevents
the latter revolving more than the space of one tooth at a time, whilst at the same
time by the upward action of the drop rod upon the arm the escapement is lifted
and so allows the wire to be drawn off the bobbin as it is required by the machine;
but should the wire become broken or exhausted the drop rod falls, and its lower
extremity is thus caused to protrude below the bottom of the hollow spindle, and
this protrusion is utilised for stopping the machine as follows:-As the protruding
rod is carried round it strikes against a finger upon a ring supported from the main
framework, so carrying such ring round with it. From this ring a stud projects
downwards, and when the machine is set, in motion the attendant places a trigger
arm branching from the setting-on-rod under the stud before mentioned, so that in
turning round as aforesaid the ring knocks the stud off the trigger arm, so allowing
the setting on rod to spring upwards and to draw a clutch out of gear and so
stopping the machine.
These improved spindles may be fixed in position in a table equi-distant from
and be arranged to revolve round a central hollow shaft, or may be mounted in
tables in sets of two, three, or more spindles, and which tables may have a revolving
motion of their own in addition to their revolution round the central axis so as to
twist the wires of each table together and so form strands, which strands are then
twisted together to form a rope or cable.
We would further observe that these improvements are also applicable in the
construction of a machine in which two or more galleries of spindles are arranged
one over the other where it is required to twist, lay, or lap more than one set of
wires or other material together or round any desired central core.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter Twiss Glover and George Frederick James in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd September 1881.
WALTER TWISS GLOVER and GEORGE FREDERICK JAMES, both of the City of
Manchester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TWISTING AND LAPPING WIRE
AND OTHER MATERIALS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROPES OR CABLES, FOR
INSULATING AND COVERING TELEGRAPH WIRES, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES.”
This Invention relates particularly to improvements in the spindles and bobbins
employed for twisting wires together in the manufacture of wire ropes, but is
equally applicable to spindles for twisting or lapping wires or other required
material round a central core, for instance, in insulating or covering telegraph wires,
or for sheathing an internal rope or other core with wire or other continuous metal
riband or other material. The improvements further relate to an improved arrange-
ment of mechanism for stopping the machine fitted with our improved spindles in
case of the wire or other material breaking or becoming exhausted.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a front elevation, Fig. 2 a side
sectional view, and Fig. 3 a plan of a wire rope making machine fitted with our
improved spindles and stopping mechanism; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of Fig. 1
across the line a-b.
Fig. 5 is a side view, partially in section, and Fig. 6 is a plan of one of our
improved spindles and bobbins drawn about half size.
We will first describe the construction and action of our improved spindle, and
then proceed to explain its application to the other mechanism. In Figs. 5 and
A is the bobbin or reel (upon which the wire or other material is first wound), mounted
upon a horizontal stud a carried by the spindle B; this bobbin A has on one of its sides
or edges a series of pins or projections b; c is an anchor or escapement capable of
oscillating to and fro upon the horizontal stud d, and the catch e of which escapement
is designed to come in contact with each of the pins b in turn, and so prevent the.
bobbin A revolving faster than one pin at a time. This escapement e also carries
a roller g, over which the wire i passes in being drawn of its bobbin A on its way
to the spindle. This wire i also passes through a slot p formed in the spindle B,
which is hollow, and is fitted internally with a weighted drop rod 22, having a
pulley K at its upper extremity, round and beneath which the wire i has now to
pass before it can emerge from the point of the spindle B. An arm branching
from the escapement c also passes through the slot h, and rests upon the top of the.
weiglited drop rod 22.
The action of this improved spindle is as follows:-So long as the weighted drop.
rod 22 is supported by the wire i the downward pressure upon the roller g serves
to keep the escapement c in contact with the teeth b of the bobbin A, and thus
prevent the latter revolving more than the space of one tooth at a time, whilst at
the same time, by the upward action of the drop rod 22 upon the arm 1, the
escapement c is lifted, and so allows the wire i to be drawn off the bobbin A as it
is required by the machine.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 our improved spindles are shewn as arranged for forming.
a wire rope of three strands (each strand being composed of three wires i twisted
together). In this case the spindles B are fixed rigidly in sets of three in the
small tables D, and their lower ends are supported in the small tables 21 fast upon
the spindles E (hereinafter called the intermediate axes), and around which the
tables D revolve in the direction of the arrows.
These three tables D, D, D, have their bearings in a main table F, which also
has a rotary motion, and is driven by the hollow shaft G, but in the contrary
direction to the small tables,

page_text: It will thus be observed that the function of the spindle B is to draw off the
wire from the bobbins A, and by rotating round the intermediate axes E to lay
three of the wires i into one strand, whilst at the same time, by the rotation of the
three tables D around the common central shaft G, the three strands are themselves
twisted together, so forming a rope or cable of nine wires or three strands at one
operation.
Revolving motion is communicated to the central shaft G from the fast and loose
pullies H upon the horizontal shaft I; J is a mitre wheel fast upon the horizontal
shaft I, gearing with the mitre wheel K upon the vertical shaft L mounted in the
bearing M attached to the main frame N; O is a pulley upon the vertical shaft L,
which by means of a strap P drives the pulley Q running loose upon the vertical
shaft R, mounted as illustrated. This pulley drives the shaft R through the
clutch S. A clutch fork T mounted upon the rod U is provided for operating the
clutch, as will be hereinafter explained.
V is a spur pinion fast upon the end of the strap R, and drives the spur wheel W
secured upon the main shaft G, the lower end of which is carried in the lower
plate X, whilst the main table F, supported in the upper plate Y, acts as the
bearing for the upper end.
Upon the top of the central hollow shaft GI mount an eyelet frame Z fitted
with eyelets 1, each eyelet being immediately over the centre of the intermediate
axis E for guiding the strands as formed, and from whence they are again gathered
for the final laying operation, which takes place at the orifice 2, which in its turn
is situated over the centre of the main shaft G.
The intermediate axes E are driven from a sleeve 3 running loose upon the main
shaft G, for which purpose the upper end of the sleeve 3 carries a spur wheel 4
gearing with the spur pinions 5 on the end of the intermediate axis E (see Fig. 4).
These intermediate axes E have their bottom bearings in the lower table 6 fast
upon and revolving with the main shaft G, whilst the small tables D, resting in the
upper revolving table F, serve to carry the upper end of the said axes. The sleeve 3
is at its lower end provided with a spur pinion 7, which receives motion from a
train of wheels consisting of a spur wheel 8 upon the stud 9, gearing in turn with
a pinion 10 upon the stud 11; this latter pinion is fast upon and driven by an
under pinion 12 upon the same stud 11, and this last pinion gears with the
pinion V upon the end of the vertical shaft R, driven as hereinbefore described.
The stud 9 is set in a concentric slot 13, and the stud 11 in a radial slot 14, so that
the pinion 10 can be readily changed, and a proportionate alteration in the speed
of the intermediate axes be effected. The result of this combination is that
whilst the intermediate axes are themselves carried round the main shaft G they
are driven round on their own axes at an accellerated rate, and in the opposite
direction, the change wheels 8 and 10 giving a ready and positive means of
varying the speed, and consequently the degree of hardness of the first laying
operation.
The wires i in passing from the bobbins A are maintained at one uniform tension
by means of the weighted drop rods 24, the weights 22 of which rest upon pins
passing through the slots 23 in the spindles B in the manner well known in con-
nection with braiding machinery, and the amount of tension can thus be regulated
by the weights 22, which can be varied at pleasure.
In case of one of the wires i breaking or becoming exhausted, it will be obvious
that the weight 22 appertaining to such wire will drop, until the pin supporting it
comes to the bottom of the slot 23, and this is utilised to stop the machine in the
following manner:-The intermediate spindles E are hollow, and provided with
drop rods 25 (see Fig. 2) which are held up by springs 26; these drop rods through
slots 27 (see Fig. 1) support a small table 28 sliding upon the intermediate
spindles, so that when a wire breaks the weight appertaining to it drops upon the
small table 28, and overcoming the spring 26, causes the drop rod to protrude
through the end of the intermediate spindle. As the protruding rod 26 is carried
round it strikes against a finger 29 upon a ring 30 supported from the main

page_text: frame N (see Fig. 4), carrying it round with it. From the ring 30 a stud 31
projects (see Figs. 1 and 5).
The setting on rod U is provided with a spring 32, giving it a tendency to fly
upwards, and pull the clutch S out of gear. When the attendant sets on the
machine he pushes down the setting-on rod U, so allowing the clutch S to go into
gear, and places a trigger finger 33 branching from the rod U under the stud 31, so
that if a wire breaks and the drop rod of anyone of the intermediate axes E strikes
either of the fingers 29, the stud is carried off the trigger finger 33, so allowing it
to fly upwards and draw the clutch S out of gear, and so stopping the machine.
We provide friction drums 34 and 35 for drawing forward the finished rope at a
suitable speed, driven by the worm 36 and worm wheel 37 gearing with the spur
wheel W fast upon the main shaft G.
In conclusion we would remark, that although we have only described our
improvements as applied to machinery for the manufacture of wire rope, it should
be understood that the same spindles and combination of mechanism are equally
useful in the manufacture of cords or rope from hemp or other fibrous material, or
for laying or lapping wires or other continuous material together by themselves, or
round any internal core which can be arranged to pass through the central hollow
shaft G.
And in case the wire is too rigid and strong to pass through the mouth or point
of the hollow spindle B, it can be arranged to pass direct over a larger roller m
(seen dotted in Fig. 5), and thus join the other wires with which it is to be twisted
or laid without being bent.
I would further observe that these improvements are also applicable in the con-
struction of a machine in which two or more gallaries of spindles are arranged one
over the other, where it is required to twist, lay, or lap more than one set of wires
or other material together, or round any desired central core. We do not confine
ourselves to the number of spindles arranged around the intermediate axis, as more
or less than three might be used, also more or less than three small tables D and
spindles B might be arranged around the main shaft G, according to the number of
wires and strands required to form the cord, rope, or band. It will also be obvious
that the central hollow shaft G might itself constitute the twisting medium by
carrying spindles and bobbins arranged equi-distant round the table F, and in this
latter case a rope of corresponding number of wires or strands would be produced,
and the small tables D would be dispensed with.
What we desire to claim as our Invention and to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination of the hollow spindle B, weighted drop rod 24, and
escapement c carrying the roller g and arm with the bobbins A when fitted with
pegs or projections 6 or equivalents, all mounted and operating substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
Drawing.
2nd. The combination and arrangement of stopping mechanism and improved
spindles, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated
on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said Walter Twiss Glover and George Frederick
James, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Second day of September,
in the now of our Land 1981