IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Platt, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR
SPINNING AND DOUBLING."
Sealed the 4th October 1860, and dated the 13th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Platt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
April 1860.
I, JOHN PLATT, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a method of governing the action of the "cam
shaft," whereby the changes are produced. For this purpose I employ a
clutch or friction box, or other apparatus, which can be disengaged at pleasure,
one part thereof being driven loosely by the motive power, and the other
capable when caused to revolve of giving motion to the cam shaft. The latter
of these parts is provided with inclined planes, which, as they rotate, run in
contact with a pin, and thus the two portions are separated, and the power
taken from the cam shaft; but when this shaft is intended to be driven, the
said pin is withdrawn, so that the two portions of the clutch box or other
such apparatus are united, they being brought together by a spring or equiva-
lent means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Platt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PLATT, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Platt, Her special license that I, the said John Platt, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Platt, my 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING," upon the condition, amongst
others, that I, the said John Platt, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 I, the said John Platt, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to a method of giving the required intermittent
motion to the cam or self-acting shaft of mules.
Fig. 1 represents in plan view so much of a headstock as is necessary to illus-
trate the improvement, and Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof. The usual shaft
upon which the fast and loose pullies are placed is shewn at a, upon this shaft is
fixed a toothed wheel b, taking into another c, mounted loosely upon the cam
or self-acting shaft d; this wheel revolves constantly, and carries upon its face
one half of a clutch box e; a corresponding half e* is capable of sliding upon
the shaft d, but is caused to revolve therewith by means of the usual disc and
pins employed in apparatus of this description; connected to this half of the
clutch box is a plate f, forced forward by means of a spring 9, so that it may,

page_text: when at liberty to move, cause the part e* to be brought into gear with
the part e; upon its face are formed a number of recesses h, corresponding
to the number of changes required, which recesses are bounded by radial
lines i, (see Fig. 3,) leading towards which are inclines k; within the recesses
h is situate at intervals a pin mounted upon à lever m, m*, which turns
upon a centre at n; the end m* of this lever carries a bowl o, resting upon
a tumbler p, shewn detached at Fig. 4. The operation is as follows:-
According to the position shewn, the clutch box e* has been disconnected
(by means which will be understood when the next movement is described),
and is prevented from being brought into gear through the spring g, by
reason of the part k bearing against the pin 7; the wheel c is therefore
revolving separately, and no motion is communicated to the cam shaft d;
but when the time shall have arrived for a change to take place, the carriage
(I will now suppose) arrives in contact with the tumbler p, which being
thus caused to turn over upon its centre of motion, will elevate the bowl o, and
effect a turning of the lever m upon its centre n; this operation will with-
draw the pin from the recess h, and the plate f being thus liberated will
be forced forward by the spring g, so as to effect a gearing of the clutch box
e, e*, and the cam shaft will then be caused to revolve. Immediately upon
the tumbler having passed the centre line, the bowl o will again descend, so as
to allow the lever m to return to its former position, and bring the pin l into
the recess h, next to that which it previously occupied. The plate f now
revolving will bring one of the inclines into contact with the pin l, which
acting as an abutment will cause the said plate and its clutch e* to slide upon
the shaft so as to disconnect it from the driving power, and the vadial line i will
act as a stop for securing a correct position of the cam shaft; in like manner
the return motion of the carriage will restore the tumbler p to the position
shewn, and another change will be effected precisely as above described.
I have mentioned but two changes, and those as derived from the running
in and out of the carriage; these will be sufficient to serve as illustrations of
the manner in which my Invention may be carried into effect, and it will be
evident to all competent mechanics that other changes required may be
derived from the faller or other ordinary part; I would also observe that
instead of the clutch box, as described, other similar apparatus, as for instance,
friction cones or other surfaces, or ratchet wheels and catches, may be
employed.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, I
desire it to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in
part recited Letters Patent, and for the aforesaid purpose, the application

page_text: of the revolving plate f, with its recesses and inclines, whereby it is caused
by its own revolution to move a clutch or similar part out of gear.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Platt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JNO. PLATT. (L.S.)