CERTAIN NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPINNING ROPE YARN AND SAIL-CLOTH YARN AND FOR LAYING OR MAKING OF ROPES AND OTHER CORDAGE
Year: 1801

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARCHIBALD
THOMSON, of Three King Court, Lombard Street, in the City of London,
-Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did,
5. by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Tenth day of
November, in the forty-second year of His reign, give and grant to me, the
said Archibald Thomson, His especial licence, that I, the said Archibald
Thomson, during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully
might use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY
FOR THE PURPOSE OF SPINNING ROPE YARN AND SAIL-CLOTH YARN AND FOR
LAYING OR MAKING OF ROPES AND OTHER CORDAGE;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Archibald Thomson,
by an instrument. in. writing under my hand and seal, to, cause a particular
.description of the nature of, the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months after the date of the said recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Archibald Thomson, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described
by the Drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof:-
The Patent granted to me for inventing new or improved machinery, and
the further application of known principles for the purpose of spinning rope
yarn and sail-cloth yarn; for laying and making ropes and other cordage, and
for making an improvement upon a water wheel, all which is to be performed
in the following manner :-
The machinery may be attached to and wrought by any mill of adequate
power, derived from water, steam, horses, men, or any other power;
I prefer
water wherever it suits, especially on account of the water wheel, which I have
improved. The construction of such mills being well and generally known
by mechanics, it is unnecessary to describe then, further than that in this
Specification I call them the great or large machinery. The spur and faced
wheel A gives motion to the whole machine, and communicates with B, an
intervening wheel, which works on the wheel C, on the axle of which are fixed
two iron rollers D, and a small spur wheel E, which continues the motion to
F, an intervening wheel, which carries the motion to G, the axis of which is
charged near each end with spur wheels; each side of both these wheels
is covered with a circular piece of wood, which projects beyond the teeth of
.the wheels, to guide the chain H; this is a jointed chain charged with teeth
upon the inside, and stretched over the other two spur wheels at the distance
.that the length of the hemp will adniit of; the teeth or cogs of each of the
spur wheels carry a chain by means of corresponding teeth in each chain.
A pair of these chains are stretched over a pair of similar spur wheels, and
carry cross picces of wood that are fixed horizontally on the chains; these
-pieces of wood being charged with heckle pins; the whole forms what I call
a spheriodical heckle, revolving by the operation of the spur wheels mentioned
to any degree of velocity required. The speriod may be enlarged or contracted
at pleasure by encreasing or reducing the number of links in the chains, with
little or no trouble, to suit the length of the hemp, which varies greatly. On
the axle of-the-last-mentioned pair of the spur wheels is the wheel K, which
gives motion to the intervening wheel L, which carries the wheel-M,-the axle
of which gives motion to the other spheriodical heckle N, which being of
:same construction with the fore-mentioned heckle requires no other description.
The wheel O carries wheel P, which is borne betwixt two pieces of iron Q, on
.the axle of which wheel are two wooden rollers R, over which are two iron
rollers S, and it is between these wooden and iron rollers that the operation
upon the hemp begins, which I describe as follows:-In the wooden trough T

page_text: the hemp is laid at its full length in its rough state, and is drawn in between
the rollers R and S, the upper roller pressing down upon the wooden one; and
both rollers revolve with the wheel P; between the wooden rollers R and U a
cloth may be stretched at pleasure to lead the hemp forward by the revolu-
tion of the rollers R and S; these rollers feed the spheriodical heckles with
the hemp, and by means of a quicker movement in the heckles they heckle
the hemp and feed the rollers D and V; the rollers pressing on them draw the
hemp to a ribbon, which ribbon is conducted between the wooden rollers W
and the iron rollers X. Between the rollers X is fixed on their axis the
wheel Y, which is carried by the wheel C, and the revolution of the rollers
W and X draws the ribbon to the determined length and size, from whence it
falls into the tin can I, which is set into a circular stand Z, which turns on
the pivot 1 fixed to the floor; this stand Z receives its motion by means
of the leather belt 2 passing round the pully 3 fixed to the lower end of the
spindle 4, which is turned by means of the horizontal wheel 5 drawn by the
face of wheel A. The can I is made to revolve in order to make the fibres
of the hemp in the ribbons cohesive, and to coil both ribbons into one can,
ready prepared for and placed at the back part of the spinning machinery,
Fig. 2. This horizontal axle begins its motion on the double cogged wheel A,
which turns the intervening spur wheel B in contact with the wheel C, fixed
on the centre of an horizontal axle, on which are fixed two iron rollers, and
on one end of the axle is the pinion D, which carries the horizontal face
wheel E and its upright shaft; on the upper end of this shaft is the pinion F,
which turns the vertical face wheel G; this wheel is fixed on the end of an
horizontal axis, which carries the speriodical heckle that draws the hemp to
the conductor, by a similar apparatus to that described in Fig. 1. It is now
necessary to go back to the ribbons of hemp, where we left them in the
cylindrical tin can I, described in Fig. 1. The ends of the ribbons or rooves.
of hemp K are put over the heckle H, which leads the rooves to enter between
the rollers L and M, and those rollers pressing on one another by means of two
leavers 27 at the end of one is fixed a friction wheel 28, and on the other
leaver is suspended the weight 29,-draw the rooves through the pins on the
heekle to the size necessary, and lead to the small rollers N, in which there is-
a groove for conducting, compressing, and smoothing the fibres of the yarn,
and for regulating the twist of it. Now we are prepared for spiming the
yarn, and it is necessary to twist with the fingers a piece of the roove to the
size of the yarn, and pass the same through the tube at the top of the jack O,
and pass it through a small eye on the shoulder of the jack O, leading it through
the tube 25, which slides up and down on the jack frame; and from thence

page_text: the yarn is made fast to the lower end of the bobbin P before the machinery
is put in motion for spinning. But there are other parts of the machinery
that now remain to be illustrated before the spinning is began, which brings
us back to the pinion R, which is fixed on the upper end of the upright
shaft S, the wheel A carrying the pinion and shaft; on the lower end of this
shaft is fixed the wheel-T; the pully U is fixed on the bottom of the jack,
and the leather belt Y surrounds the wheel T and pulley U, which revolves
them both and gives the necessary twist to the yarn; the loose wheel V, below
the wheel T on the shaft S, and the pully W, which is fixed on the shaft X,
on the upper end of which shaft the bobbin rests, and has the same revolution
with the shaft, which passes through the centre of the jack and revolves
upon it by means of the leather belt Z, which surrounds the wheel V and
pully W.; they revolve slowly so as to retard the revolution of the bobbin
We
in exact proportion for winding, or gathering the yarn-on the bobbin.
must now go back to the spur wheel B, on the axis of which is an endless
screw 1, which carries the horizontal wheel 2 fixed upon. the upper end of
the upright spindle or shaft 3, on the lower end of which is the moveable
pinion 4, which carries the two vertical faced wheels 5, each containing four
circles of these wheels revolve constantly in contrary directions upon their
cogs;
own axis 6, Fig. 4; and on the other end is fixed the vertical spur wheel 7,
which works the upright rack 8, in which is fixed the pin 9; on this pin is
suspended the pair of rings 10, and those rings are raised and lowered by the
rack 8 to the extremities of the bobbin P, which conducts the yarn in a close
and regular spiral order upon the bobbin. The rings 10 slide and traverse
upon the edges of two upright iron plates 11, fixed vertically to the wooden
frame; upon one cheek of the jack O, moves the slider 12, with the small tube
25, already described. And now we must go back to describe another and
most curious part of the traverse machinery, which begins at the rack 8, on
the lower end of which is fixed an inclined plane 13, Fig. 4, which drives the
pin 14, which is fixed in the upright leaver 15, whose fulcrum is at its lowest
end, and in which leaver is fixed (at right angles with it) one end of the bar 16,
-and-on-the.other end of this bar is the leaver 17, which removes the catch 18,
and this catch changes alternately from one-to-the-other of: the wheels 5, by
which means the motion of the horizontal shaft 6 is reversed, and consequently
reverses the motion of the rack 8, so as to return the winding of the yarn from
the top in the same regular order till it comes to the bottom of the bobbin;
this operation of the traverse machinery being performed by means of the in-
clined plane 13. We are now come to illustrate the operations of another
inclined plane 19, which is fixed on the upper end of the rack 8, and draws the

page_text: pin 14 and changes the catch 18 from one wheel to the other of the wheels 5,
carrying the shaft 6 and wheel 7 along with it, and by these means raises the
rack 8 and-the other apparatus appertaining thereto, already described, along
with it. Having now shewn the way of conducting the yarn from the bottom
of the bobbin to the top thereof, and from thence to the bottom again, I next
explain how that same motion is continued until the bobbin is full, or has the
length of yarn required upon it. But as the yarn on the bobbin encreases in
bulk, the motion of the rack and traverse must necessarily be accelerated in
order to lay the yarn as close together upon the bobbin in the same order
throughout until it is full. The design of winding as much yarn as possible
upon the bobbin is to decrease the size of the jack and the rest of the machinery,
by which means room and speed are gained in a considerable degree, and which
is evidently a great advantage in spinning rope yarns, on account of its large
size. Were I to use the present mode of spinning, the apparatus necessary
would require to be considerably larger, which would be attended with many
disadvantages in point of power, time, and expence. But to return to the
subject; I am now to explain, as proposed above, how the motion is continued
until the bobbin is full, which is effected in the following manner :-The
pinion 4, carrying the wheels 5, with the rest of the machinery appertaining to
them, and laying the yarn up and down on the bobbin different times, has
expended the power of the smallest circle of cogs upon these wheels.
power is restored by shifting the pinion 4 to the next circle of cogs.
pinion slides up and down upon its axis, and has what I call a shoulder or
collar, which is girthed by the leaver 20, whose fulcrum is at such a distance as
to admit of the said motion up and down; at the end of this leaver is fastened a
cord, which extends over a pulley and has a weight at its extreme end, which,
of course, has a constant tendency to elevate the pinion 4. To check this
elevation at its desired height is the business of the leaver 21, which has three
notches for that purpose. The action of leaver 20 on those notches being
effected by means of the said weight and pulley must appear plain; it only
remains to shew how the lever 20 is acted-upon; it is thus:-The vertical toothed.
wheel 22 moving on a pivot, so as to be acted upon by a single tooth or pin
fixed on the back part of outside of one of the wheels 5, consequently every
revolution of wheel. 5 will gain one tooth in wheel 22; this wheel is charged with
three pins fixed horizontally at such distances from its axis and from each other
as to cause three distinct and regular movements of the leaver 21; the first of
these movements is effected by means of the pin nearest the axis of 22, which
pressing against the leaver 21, suffers leaver 20 to ascend one notch higher, which
brings pinion 4 into contact with the second row of teeth or cogs on the wheels
This
This

page_text: 5, and will continue the work of elevating and depressing the rings 10 and con-
ductors of the yarn, after performing a certain number of rows upon the bobbin,
and then it shifts to the third row of cogs on wheels 5, and so on to the fourth
row, which continues working till the bobbin is full. A greater or less number'
of the circles of cogs may be added or diminished as circumstances may require.
Let it be observed, that in proportion as pinion 4 ascends to the different circles
of the teeth of wheels 5, the motion of wheel 7 is retarded to allow for the
increase or thickness of the yarn on the bobbin, which, making a larger circum-
ference, must consequently require it. The whole of the spinning machinery
being now set and explained in order for spinning, nothing now remains but to
set it a-going by primitive power. Fig. 6, having left the bobbin full in the jack,
by my description of Fig. 2, 3, and 4, we are now to suppose that a sufficient
number of such bobbins are filled to make the rope or cable, and ready to be
removed to the taring machine M, Fig. 6, No. 1, which is done in an instant by
taking out the pin 26, Fig. 2, and then arranged in a horizontal position in two
divisions. One of these divisions is on each side of the middle wheel B, on
which, and the outer or end wheels C and D, they hang on their axles, so as to
revolve and yield the yarns with any degree of velocity required. The ends of
all the yarns are passed through the wheels B and D, as the situation of the
reels require, and they are led in strait lines from the wheel D, through the
ring or wheel E, to the wheel F, through which and the wheels II and I,
the yarns are led in regular order to the wheel K. Those three wheels being
now loaded with yarn, have assumed the form of the taring machine M.
The wheel K is the circumference of a nest of wheels within it, of different
diameters, and each of these wheels are charged with a single or double row of
teeth to serve as an index, marked and numbered similar to those used in
cutting engines, the use of which is calculated for many
useful purposes besides
the present in view, which I will now describe:-The utility of it for arranging
the yarns will appear in point of expedition, because they are much easier
arranged upon teeth than passing them through holes, being a tedious opera-
tion when a large cable is to be laid. Another and a very important advantage
is,-that-the-yarns-may,-by-the-index,_be_arranged on the different circles of
wheels, in the order, or nearly so, that they will be placed in the strand, by
which means the difference required in the length of the yarns may be com
puted, so as that each will bear an equal strain. Another advantage arises
from the revolution of the bobbin in the tar kettle A. The index regulates the
depth of the immersion, so as to decrease the absorption of the tar as it
approaches. the centre of the bobbin of yarn, and consequently the index
regulates in the same manner towards the heart of the strand; and now I am.

page_text: the tar.
come to the important improvement. A certain proportion of the yarn in the
middle of every strand may be kept white without any mixture of tar; this is
done by the index, as all the yarns in a strand are divided into circles, and the
number of yarns in each circle, as well as in the centre of them, being known,
any part of them may be kept white and free of tar in the middle of the strand
by leading that part through a cylinder or tube that may be fixed at pleasure
in the centre of the bobbin to guard the yarns through until they have passed-
The centre of the index is a small tube through which the white yarn
passes, and when clear of the tube, joins the tar'd yarns, where the whole
begins to twist, by which means the tar'd yarns form a case impervious to
water round the white yarns, every part receiving the twist regularly, in the
same degree and manner as if neither the cylinder or tube had been used.
Observe that this tube is of iron, and strong enough to bear the pressure; one
end of which is joined to the cylinder like the joint of a flute, the other end.
projects past the aperture or hole in the pivot of the wheel N, and this pro-
jection serves to support the two leavers O and P. These leavers are fixed by.
their respective fulcrums to the iron bar Q,' extended transversely the one-
above the other, each of them forming the half of a square equally distant from
the fulcrums. The operation of leaver O presses upwards, and that of leaver P.
presses downwards. When the leavers come in contact, the semi-squares form
a full square. In this square are fixed sliding semicircles of various diameters,
to suit the size of any rope that is to be made, and these may be removed"
at pleasure. The design of the leavers is, to press the semicircles, in order
to squeeze the tar out of the yarn. The pressure may be varied at pleasure,
and a similar squeezing apparatus may be placed at R or S, if found necessary.'
The volume of yarn having now passed the index, and being contracted to a
skein, is led through the pivots R and S, when it enters T, a jack, Figure 6,
No. 2, and is brought over the pullies U and V., and made fast to the bobbin 1,.
where we are ready for 'twisting and forming a strand. But before we proceed
further I have to shew that the rest of the yarns may be led without any
further trouble than joining the ends on the succeeding reels to the ends of
the former, by which means they are led and conducted through the index..
It is to be observed, that all the wheels mentioned hitherto in Figure 6,
No. 1, now fixed on the axle W, except the wheel X, which is fixed-on the
pivot of jack Y; the wheels Z, at one end of the jack T, are set in motion.
by pinions attached to the great machinery. But before the machinery is
put in motion 1 am to describe the other parts of it. 2 is a triumvirate of
iron rings, joined to each other; each of those rings surrounds a jack and
bobbin. The triumvirate 2 traverses and guides the strand on the bobbin 1.

page_text: The pully U serves the same purpose for leading the strand that the tube
25, Figure 2, serves in conducting the yarns, and; as it acts precisely in the
same manner, requires no further description. The triumvirate 2 moves
upon friction balls, which accelerates the motion. In the centre of the
triumvirate is the screw 3, on the end of which is the wheel 4 which turns it.
This wheel communicates with and receives its motion from the large
machinery. By means of the screw 3, the triumvirate 2 is moved to and
from one end to the other of the bobbins 1, which guides the coiling of the
strand upon it in regular order. We have already shewn that this part of
the machinery is put in motion by the action of the great machinery on the
wheels X, Z, and 4. I have to observe, before we begin to set the work in
motion that I proportion the velocity to the degree necessary for tarring the
rope yarns, twisting and drawing the strand. This I effect in the following
manner: The axle of wheel Z is in centre of the axle of the jack T,
and extends through the bobin to the bar 6. The bobin is fixed to this axis
and revolves with it. The motion of the wheel Z, which carries the bobin,
regulates the drawing of the yarns from the reels to the tarring machine,
as also the winding of the strand. The axle W, by its communication with
the large machinery, regulates the motion of the tarring machine M, and
also the twist of the strand to any degree necessary. The whole of the
strands necessary for making the rope or cable are done in the same manner.
The tar kettle A is now removed by lowering it down so as to leave room for
the jack Y to revolve. In the next place I am to remove the rings that
surround, and are joined to the wheels B and D (having been fixed there to
enlarge those wheels to the extent necessary for containing the bobins) in
order to form a bobin of the full length from wheel C to wheel N, which I
do by covering their intermediate wheels with boards so as to form the taring
machine M, Figure 6, No. 1, into a bobin of the magnitude necessary for
coiling and containing a strand of the greatest length and thickness made,
M, Figure 6, No. 3. The leavers O and P are also removed; these removals
are made in an instant, and now we are ready for laying the rope. For this
purpose the ends of the strands are led froin the bobins 1 through the jack Y,
and conducted over-the-pullys 8 and 9, and made fast to the bobin M.
Before the machinery is put in motion it is necessary to describe the jacks Y
and T. On the axle of each of the jacks T is fixed the wheel 10; thesc-jacks
(whatever their number may be) are sett in motion by the wheel 11, on which
the great machinery operates. The wheels Z, having been already described
winding or gathering the strands; the motion of those wheels is now reversed,
as their bobins are now become reels for delivering the strands in the exact

page_text: degree necessary. The wheels 10 revolves the jacks T forward and backwards
at pleasure, by which means the twisting, winding, and delivering of the strands
and ropes are regulated to any degree necessary. We now go back to the jack Y.
The large ring G surrounds the jack Y and traverses backwards and forwards
from one end of the jack to the other upon three beams belonging to the great
machinery, that support it. The ring has friction balls or rollers attached to
it, on which it travels, and by which means the motion is accelerated. The
operation of this ring is performed by means of a rack or racks, such as I have
described in Figure 2, or by a screw or screws such as I have already described
in this Figure. Upon the axes of the jack Y is the wheel X, to which and
to the wheel L the great machinery communicates motion, and by which the
whole machinery is sett in motion. This machine which I am now to describe
is also for laying the ropes, but upon a different principle, being similar to the
jack of a cotton mill. The operation of the mill work, which I call the large
machinery, begins on the wheel A fixed on one end of the axle B, which
extends through an iron socket that is fixed in the frame C, and upon the other
end of the axle is fixed the endless screw D. On the iron shaft E are fixed
three pinions F, G, and H; I is a large spur wheel fixed to its axle, and
revolves on its pivots in the frame C; upon the other end of this axle is the
loose wheel K, and by means of the intervening wheel V, between K and the
pinion F, the motion is reversed contrary to the motion of the wheel I. The
male screw shaft L turns on its pivots in the frame C, projecting beyond it,
and carries a female screw, to which are attached the two rollers M; on
each end of the screw shaft is fixed a wheel, one of them marked N, and the
other O. The leaver Q extends parallel to the screw shaft, the ends of it
projecting also beyond the frame. On the ends of the leaver and screw shaft
are the plates of iron p, which join the screw shaft and leaver together, the
ends of the screw shaft and leaver having room in the frame to slide, yet
always parallel, the fulcrum of the leaver being fixed in the cross bar R. The
leaver is moveable like a balance beam, and the friction of the rope upon
the screw bar in passing it makes the balance leaver and screw bar pre-
ponderate, which keeps the wheel O in contact with and is carried by the
wheel I until it removes the female screw and the rope to the other end of
the screw shaft; at each end of the parallel, placed within and close by the
wheels N and O of the screw shaft, are the leavers S fixed to the cross bar R.
Those small leavers are acted upon by. inclined planes attached to the female
screw, and the action of the small leavers S affects the leaver Q, so as to
throw the wheel O out of action and the wheel N into action, and by these
means reverses the motion alternately until the whole of the rope is completely

page_text: coiled up. Having now arranged every part of this machine, and being ready
to set it a-going, we have only to bring the ends of the strands from the recls
already described in Figure 6, No. 2, and after drawing them through the
nave of wheel T, and being led between the two rollers M. and made fast to
the large cylinder or bobbin U, the whole machine is set in motion by the
communication of the large machinery with the wheels B and T. The large
machinery is to be acted upon by the water wheels, Figure 9 or 10, in any
situation where water is to be found suitable for the purpose; and the wheel,
Figure 8, being attached to the great machinery, I apply to reverse the
motion, whenever it becomes necessary, for traversing the yarn, strand; or rope,
which it effects by the change of the pinion from the out to the inside of the
wheel, as may be seen by the view drawn. Water wheel, Figure 9th, is a
vertical or overshot wheel, on which is represented the different positions of
the buckets as they are acted upon by the water; A, the top of the wheel
before it is sett in motion; B is the chacke on which the buckets come to
press and rest by the weight of the water when they pass the perpendicular,
in their revolutions. The chackes or rests may be constructed in various
ways, as the judgment of the mechanic may think best. When there is no
back water, the buckets may be made fast at the moving ends with a sliding
bolt or bar. The buckets do swing upon pivots or hinges at one edge of them,
fixed to the rim of the wheel. But in case it should be found necessary to pro-
duce the power of their gravitating tendency, they may be placed near the centre
of the wheel, as in Fig. 11. Figure 10 is a wheel that revolves horizontally,
with four arms and three circles, and for strengthening the arms, more or less
circles may be used, according to the length of the arms. This view shews the
upper side of the wheel only, the under side being exactly similar to it, having
the same number of arms and circles, and placed at the distance from it that
the depth of the water will admit of. Both sides are firmly fixed together
with wood and iron bars. The bars between the outer circles will answer best
of iron, as the floats may hinge upon them if not fixed by gudgeons and
hinges. The floats will rest, as in the Drawing, on said pieces; they should
-be-of-a-triangular form, as E, having three sides only, to prevent resistance
through the water as much as possible. The position of the pieces for the
floats to rest upon are shewn on the inner circles and marked C; the-floats
are marked D.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Thompson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and two
ARCH THOMSON. (L.S.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of May, in the
forty-second year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, the
said Archibald Thomson came before our said Lord the King in His
Chancery, and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the in-
strument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the several Statutes
made in the sixth year of the reign of the late King and Queen William and
Mary of England, and so forth, and in the seventeenth, twenty-third, and
thirty-seventh years of the reign of His present Majesty King George the
Third.
Inrolled the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand