IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRE- PARING WOOL, COTTON, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR SPINNING
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ellison Smith, of Keighley, in the County of York,
Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRE-
PARING WOOL, COTTON, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 7th February 1861, and dated the 8th August. 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ellison Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th.
August 1860.
I, ELLISON SMITH, of Keighley, in the County of York, Mechanic, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PREPARING WOOL, COTTON, FLAX, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR SPINNING,"
to be as follows:—
The first part of this. Invention applies to all kinds of machinery used in the
preparation of wool, cotton, flax, and other fibrous materials for spinning,
wherein spindles are employed, such, for instance, as the slubbing and roving
machines, and relates to the "bushes" in which the spindle head runs. These
bushes have hitherto been invariably made of brass or other metallic alloy con-
taining copper, and besides their prime cost, the wear and tear of these bushes
has always been a considerable item of expenditure in working. such machinery..
Now, this part of my Invention consists in the substitution of iron as the ma-
terial for making, such bushes in lieu of brass or other metallic alloy hitherto
used; and this substitution will be found to effect. a very considerable economy
not only in the first cost of the machines, but also in keeping them in efficient.
repair, since the iron bushes are not only less costly, but will also be more
durable than the brass ones hitherto employed in such machinery.
A second improvement consists in putting collars of cast iron or other metal.
or material round, the spindle heads when, or if,, the said spindle heads shall.

page_text: have become worn, so as to cause them to fit the holes in the top rail in which
they run, and also in placing loose taper tubes made of iron, earthenware, or
other suitably hard metal or material in the holes in the spindle heads.
A further improvement in such machines consists in so arranging the top
rail that it can be raised, when required, to take out and replace the spindles
when "doffing "the bobbins. There is a shaft which works in two bearings
fixed to the frame ends. Two pinions and a ratchet wheel are fixed on the shaft.
A catch is fixed to the frame end, and works in the ratchet wheel, and two racks
in gear with the pinions are fixed on the top rail. When the shaft is turned
by means of a lever, the pinions acting on the racks raise the top rail off the
spindle heads, and the ratchet wheel and catch hold it in that position til!
released.
If preferred, a similar arrangement may be made to lower the bottom rail
instead of raising the top rail for the same purpose. "The bobbin lifter is cut
through from the centre to the front, so as to allow of the spindles being
removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ellison Smith in the Great Seal Patent-Office-on the 8th
February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELLISON"
SMITH, of Keighley, in the County of York, Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,!
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Ellison Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Ellison Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ellison
Smith, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY"
FOR PREPARING WOOL, COTTON, FLAX; AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS FOR
SPINNING," upon 'the condition (amongst others), that I, the said Ellison"
Smith, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under s
my; or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner 'the "same'

page_text: 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 Ellison Smith, 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:
The first part of this Invention' applies to all kinds of machinery used in the
preparation of wool, cotton, flax, and other fibrous materials for spinning,
wherein spindles are employed, such, for instance, as the slubbing and roving
machines, and relates to the "bushes" in which the spindle head runs. These
bushes have hitherto been invariably made of brass or other metallic alloy con-
taining copper, and besides their prime cost, the wear and tear of these bushes
has always been a considerable item of expenditure in working such machinery.
Now, this part of my Invention consists in the substitution of iron as the
material for making such bushes in lieu of brass or other metallic alloy hitherto
used, and this substitution will be found to effect a very considerable economy
not only in the first cost of the machines, but also in keeping them in efficient
repair, since the iron bushes are not only less costly, but will also be more
durable than the brass ones hitherto employed in such machinery.
'
A second improvement consists in putting collars of cast iron or other metal
or material round the spindle heads when, or if, the said spindle heads shall
have become worn, so as to cause them to fit the holes in the top rail in which
they run, and also in placing loose taper tubes made of iron, earthenware, or
other suitable hard metal or material in the holes in the spindle heads, in order
to prevent the fibre from coming into contact with the sides of the said holes
whilst doffing.
A further improvement.in such machines consists in so arranging the top
rail that it can be raised, when required, to take out & replace the spindles
when "doffing" the bobbins. There is a shaft which works in two bearings
fixed to the frame ends. Two pinious and a ratchet wheel are fixed on the
shaft. A catch is fixed to the frame end and works in the ratchet wheel, and
two racks in gear with the pinions are fixed on the top rail. When the shaft
is turned by means of a lever the pinions acting on the racks raise the top rail.
off the spindle,heads, and the ratchet wheel and catch hold it in that position.
till released.
If preferred, a similar arrangement may be made to lower the bottom rail..
instead of raising the top rail for the same purpose. The bobbin lifter is cut

page_text: through from the centre. to. the front, so as to allow of the spindles. being
removed.:
Such being the nature, and-objects of-my-said, Invention for!" Improvements:
in Machinery for. Preparing Wool, Cotton, Flax, and other Fibrous Materials
for Spinning,". I will proceed to describe more in detail the manner of
carrying the-same into practical effect. And in order that my Invention may
be perfectly understood, I have : annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illus
trative thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of refer-
ence corresponding with those. in: the following explanation thereof, that is
to say:
:
Figure 1 is a front view of so much of a roving frame as is necessary to
explain my.Invention; Figure 2 is a partial elevation of one end of the same;
and. Figure 3 is a similar view of the other end; Figure 4 is a plan.view of
the top rail and its apparatus. Similar.letters of reference indicate correspond
ing parts.of.the.mechanism in the several Figures.
A, A, is the end framing; B, B, is the top. rail.;..C, C, is the middle.rail.or
bobbin lifter and D, D, are the spindles..
The top .rail B, B, is of. cast iron,. made. solid. or otherwise, and bored. out
taper at suitable distances for the spindle heads to work in, or bored out
and bushed..with cast iron or brass, or any other suitable metal or material,
instead of two half bushes with joints and caps, applied as heretofore. This
rail is capable of being raised and lowered, sliding vertically upon the pins
E, E, (one.at each end,) .and.is furnished at the back, at or near each end,
with toothed racks. F, F, (see detached view, Figure 5,) for that purpose.
These racks F, F, are in gear with toothed pinions G, G, keyed upon a shaft
H, H, which is supported and turns in bearings I, I, attached to..the end
frames. Upon one end of this. shaft H, H, is keyed a segmental ratchet
wheel K, K, provided with a lever L, L, and a catch M, M. It will be evident
that upon depressing the lever L, L, the shaft H, H, will be caused to rotate,
and by means of the pinions G, G, acting upon the racks F, F, will raise the
top rail B, B, and release the spindles for doffing; the catch M, M, falling into
the teeth of the segmental ratchet wheel K, K, and holding the rail in this
position until released. The bottom rails may be lowered by means of the same
or similar apparatus instead of the top rail rising (if preferred).
In order to facilitate the doffing, I cut or cast open slots through the front
of the middle rail .or..bobbin. lifter where the spindles work, as shewn in
Figure 1, and also at N, N, in the partial plan view (Figure 6) of the middle
rail C, C, so that as soon the top rail is raised the doffing can' be proceeded
with immediately.

page_text: And in order to prevent the fibre from being soiled by grease or oil whilst
doffing the spindles, I place in the holes of the top rail small taper tubes O, O,
which
pass
into the spindle heads and are furnished with flanges or collars at
the top resting on the top rail, so that when the latter is raised the tubes are
raised with it. The wool, cotton, or other fibrous substance passes through
these tubes into the interior of the spindle heads. Thus, when the spindle head
is drawn forward and leaves the top rail in doffing, the fibre passing through
the tube is kept in the centre, and cannot fall against the greasy or oily side
of the hole in the top rail where the spindle head works. These tubes (one of
which is shewn detached at Figure 7) are made of earthenware, cast iron,
brass, or any other suitable metal or material.
Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention for
"Improvements in Machinery for Preparing Wool, Cotton, Flax, and other
Fibrous Materials for Spinning," together with the manner in which the same
is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be
understood that I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the use of iron "bushes" for the spindle heads to run in.
Secondly, the placing of cast iron or other collars round the spindle heads,
when worn, so as to cause them to fit the holes in the top rail.
Thirdly, the raising of the top rail or lowering of the bottom rails for doffing
the spindles, whether effected by the arrangement above described and shewn
in the Drawings, or otherwise.
Fourthly, cutting, casting, or forming open slots in the front of the middle
rail where each spindle runs, in order to facilitate the doffing of the same.
And, fifthly, the use of the taper tubes above described, to prevent the fibre
from being soiled whilst doffing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ellison Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said Ellison Smith, in our presence,
WILLIAM BURR, Solicitor,
Keighley.
GEORGE BURR, his Clerk..
ELLISON SMITH. (L.S.)